TEEN: The Inheritance

[Nafa-tali]

Some of you may recognise this series from Fanfiction.net (which can be found here: Nafa-tali - FanFiction.Net ), or even DeviantArt. I figured why not post it here too ^^.

Rated 'Teen' as it does have some passive language and later on it contains some mafia violence and implies some sexual content also (nothing graphic).


Volume 1: The Inheritance
A new thief is making herself known through the Kanto and Johto regions. Two men seek her. The Dragon master wants to bring her to justice. And the Crime Lord wants to recruit her into his organisation. Only one will succeed.

Chapter 1: The Island
Chapter 2: The Man in the Suit
Chapter 3: Kair Yu
Chapter 4: The Good Professor
Chapter 5: The Golden Bellsprout
Chapter 6: UNKNOWN
Chapter 7: Burning Rubber
Chapter 8: Dragon Master
Chapter 9: The Dragon Fang
Chapter 10: A Revelation
Chapter 11: Indigo League
Chapter 12: Lance
Chapter 13: The Invasion
Chapter 14: A Deal With the Devil

~*~

Volume 2: The Underground
Kair has been given a new assignment to infiltrate rival gangs to further Giovanni's latest venture. But when she stumbles on a new plan to harvest the DNA of Mew, the very chords that hold the daughter of Giovanni together begin to unravel... (Featuring Jessie and James)

Chapter 1: The Underground
Chapter 2: Welcome to Team Aqua
Chapter 3: Skeletons
Chapter 4: Ghosts From the Past
Chapter 5: A Change of Plans
Chapter 6: Amazon
Chapter 7: Top Cat
Chapter 8: Pokémon Poachers
Chapter 9: Blasting Off Again!
Chapter 10: Familiar Faces
Chapter 11: Venom
Chapter 12: Dangerous Liasons
Chapter 13: Benched

~*~

Volume 3: The World is Changing
Weeks after she was injected with DNA extracted from a Mew, Kair finds herself exhibiting strange symptoms. And as her relationship with her father's enemy- Lance intensifies, she wonders how long she can keep it hidden from the leader of Team Rocket.

Chapter 1: Some time ago...
Chapter 2: Hitman
Chapter 3: Manifestations
Chapter 4: The Pokémon Festival

 

[Nafa-tali]

Spoiler

Chapter 1: The Island

My childhood for me was never 'conventional'. I didn't grow up with a mother and a father like most other children. I didn't have dolls or toys. But there again, what is normal when my mother is an unknown shadow of my father's past and my father... well, where do I start with him? Powerful, ruthless, he had everything and there was nothing he wanted that he couldn't get... well except one thing. But she was long gone...

All I know of her; the woman whose name can never be spoken, was that she was truly beautiful. An angel.

I'm told my birth was both filled with joy and great sorrow… new life began as hers faded. There was nothing the medics could do the help her. Or so they had said. It cost them their lives anyhow. For how else can a crime lord such as he handle such a loss?

My birth was the last time he saw me until I was ten...

~*~

Dark storm clouds pressed in around the island and sharp waves lifted the sea onto jagged rocks. Rain scorched the atmosphere, hurtling down like pointed spears, pounding at the hard, stone walls of the old castle.

I stood on the balcony's edge on the rooftop, a blindfold wrapped tightly around my head and arms outstretched. Every stroked step I took was slow and careful. One slip and I would fall, spiralling to my death on the rocks below. But I tried to keep my mind off that, drawing my attention to the point of the exercise.

"Good, Aisha! Now slowly, slowly!" my instructor; Sa'lu stood by just out of arm's reach. "Remember now, let your mind go. Picture the surface and most importantly, picture yourself doing the exercise."

I took in a deep breath, my heart threatening to break out of my ribcage. Every one of my joints ached from the cold and the endless training but still she pushed me on.

A flash of lightning flared through the dark sky so bright that for a split second, I could see through my blindfold. Thunder tore up the heavens, and the earth beneath my feet shook immensely.

"Just focus." Taking in another breath, I finally mustered the strength to lift my outstretched arms above my head, making my body shaky. The strong wind threatened to knock me right off the edge as slowly I leaned my body forward.

My hands touched the slippery, firm surface of the limestone ledge, my fingers barely gripping its sides.

"Good," I heard my instructor purr. "That's the way."

Steadily, I lifted my legs, hesitantly releasing my feet from their grip on the wall. I lifted my body up, my arms shaking under the pressure of my own weight and the weight of the howling wind. Rain pierced my skin and drenched my leotard. My cheeks were burning hot though I was immensely cold.

Coiling my arms, I leaned my body over into a backbend, now exposing my stomach to the storm. And then finally with what remaining strength I had, I pulled myself upright only to flip over and over again, becoming quicker as I went along the wall.

I had to count my steps, one false move and I would simply...

"Stop!"

I halted immediately, one leg hanging out in mid-air, gulping down the urge to tear off my blindfold. I attempted to put my leg down in front of me but there was nothing but air. I felt the approach of my master as she reached up and ripped off my blindfold anyway and immediately I had to fight combined dizziness and the urge to panic as I glimpsed the crashing ocean below me. One more step and I would have been down there…

"Aisha, how many times do I have to tell you?" The old master's voice shrilled. "Trace your steps! It does matter how fast this exercise is done, but it is also important to pace your self. Otherwise you end up down there with the fishes." She signalled to the ocean below.

I heaved a sigh, running my hands through my drenched, waist-long hair. "I'm sorry. It's just that I can't bring my mind into focus. It's too cold."

"Quit your complaining!" Sa'lu shouted. "If you can't bring your mind to do this, then you're good for nothing in the eyes of me. Now, let's do this again, and we're not stopping until you get it right."

~*~

I let my body sink into the soft, linen sheets of my bed. Every one of my joints were sore and bruised from such intense training. Never in my life had I trained so hard. My master, Sa'lu; the owner of this island was a hard taskmaster, but she always knew when I struggled with an exercise and would often leave it for a time when I could perform better.

But this time she had pushed me almost beyond my limits. Twice I had very nearly scraped an encounter with the rocks below and three times I'd slipped and fallen back onto the balcony by Sa'lu's feet. Each time, Sa'lu hadn't been there to help me hold my balance.

The loud scratching noise at the door echoed throughout my bedchamber which brought me out from beneath the sheets. I carefully padded across an icy floor and opened the door just a crack, allowing entry to an orange and tanned, striped Pokémon.

The feline's stride was redeemed and dignified as he made his way back to my bed, patting at my pillow, asking me for attention.

"Ko'rah," I sighed sitting down next to him.

The cat-like Pokémon purred loudly as I stroked his fine, silky fur. Ko'rah was a strange Pokémon cross breed. Part Persian and part something else. I wasn't sure what that something was, but it was obvious that whatever it was, it had a striped pattern down its back just like Ko'rah's.

He was not my cat however. He belonged to Sa'lu. Everything belonged to her. The master of the island, and also a master of Pokémon herself she had retired and come to live in this place where she had since taken on another form of training. A member of the elite in the 'shadow world', it was here that people like my father would bring a child of theirs to be brought up. Children meant for bigger and greater things than mere Pokémon mastery.

I'd spent ten years in this place, at the foot of this woman. She'd told me on my tenth birthday, everything would change and that I would have to be prepared.

My tenth birthday would be tomorrow.

~*~

A loud scratching at the bedroom door caused me to stir, interrupting the strange dream I was having. I blinked awake in the darkness of my bedchamber and realised much to my disappointment, it was still evening.

"Merrooowww!" A demanding howl came from the floor across the room.

I reached a tired hand over to the lamp on my bedside. "Ko'rah! What?" I demanded at the cat, squinting in the light until my eyes had adjusted.

"Merroooww!" The Pokémon moaned, again scratching at the door, demanding his departure from the room.

I slid from the bed, wrapping myself in a dressing gown that was said to have once belonged to my mother. I pulled the door open, trying not to let it creak on its hinges like it normally did, and watched as Ko'rah curiously dashed from the room and down the long hallway. This wasn't normal for Ko'rah to do this! Usually the Pokémon spent his night sleeping at the foot of my bed, unconcerned as to what was going on in the outside world.

"Ko'rah!" I hissed, following the Pokémon on his little quest, ordering him back but it was to no avail.

The Pokémon approached another wooden door slightly ajar and pushed his way into the room. I paused. This door was to Sa'lu's office, the one room of the castle with which my entry was forbidden. I glared angrily at Ko'rah through the crack he'd left behind. He had since taken residency by the fireplace.

I could hear voices in the room, low and sinister. My name was mentioned and immediately I knew who was there...

I watched through the crack in the door as Sa'lu paced in front of the fireplace, oblivious to Ko'rah's intrusion.

"I have trained her to the best of my ability within the time frame I've been given but…" she paused biting her bottom lip.

"But what?" the large man asked coldly.

"It's not enough," she whispered through gritted teeth.

"What?" he almost leapt from his chair. "What do you mean it's not enough? I've given you more than enough! More than I originally proposed." He headed over toward Sa'lu, circling her. Even through the door I could feel his presence and high authority.

Sa'lu looked at her empty glass, placing it down on the table. "You don't understand Giovanni. She is too…. independent. She has her mother's spirit. It will take longer to curb this."

The man's mouth snapped shut. As if lost for an argument, he backed down, his tone becoming calm. "No. That won't be necessary."

Sa'lu sighed, "Then I fear this sentiment you still have toward your late wife will become your undoing. I've done everything to the best of my ability, Giovanni. There is nothing else I can do, Aisha is yours."

The man named Giovanni seemed suddenly taken aback as he stopped… as though the thought of taking me in under his wing had only just struck him.

"Alright," he whispered after a moment of uneasy hesitation, "I'll take her, give you your money and we'll leave tomorrow."

Sa'lu seemed happy, though she chose not to answer him. She simply turned her back to him, facing the fire place. "Good, then I'll get my butler to show you to your sleeping quarters. I'll have her ready for you first thing tomorrow morning."

 

[LibraSnakes13]

Interesting concept, not many fanfics deal with thieves in the pokemon world (at least from what I have seen so far) so this story has some good potential.
At the moment though, I'll hold my tongue on how the story and characters are progressing until more chapters come out. This story has potentital! So I'll wait and see...

Grammar for the most part is good though there are a few mistakes here and there one of the mistakes I saw was this:

"Good," I heard my instructor purr. "That's the way."

The correct way to say this would be:
"Good," I heard my instructor purr, "That's the way."

HOWEVER, in the writing world being concise and precise helps the story flow easier and not sound as redundant. So what you could also write is:

"Good," my instructor purred, "That's the way."

However, now I'm being nitpicky...I usually have this problem so I always like to read them once or twice to see if there is a better way I can rewrite it.

You certainly set you setting up well and the thunderstorm scene was well thought out.

It so far looks good! Keep at it!

 

[Nafa-tali]

Interesting concept, not many fanfics deal with thieves in the pokemon world (at least from what I have seen so far) so this story has some good potential.
At the moment though, I'll hold my tongue on how the story and characters are progressing until more chapters come out. This story has potentital! So I'll wait and see...

Grammar for the most part is good though there are a few mistakes here and there one of the mistakes I saw was this:



The correct way to say this would be:
"Good," I heard my instructor purr, "That's the way."

HOWEVER, in the writing world being concise and precise helps the story flow easier and not sound as redundant. So what you could also write is:

"Good," my instructor purred, "That's the way."

However, now I'm being nitpicky...I usually have this problem so I always like to read them once or twice to see if there is a better way I can rewrite it.

You certainly set you setting up well and the thunderstorm scene was well thought out.

It so far looks good! Keep at it!

Thanks for the feedback! It's much appreciated . This fic comes in 7 Volumes, it started when I was about 14 so the writing does improve as it goes along. ^^. I never intended to write that much, but it got popular sometime back and the ideas kept flowing lol!
I think the first volume is the flattest in my opinion but its necessary to set the scene and push for further character devlopment on my OCs part.
I hope you enjoy the rest of it (as I put the chapters up).

 

[Nafa-tali]

The Man in the Suit

The training directed by this man was vastly different to what I had experienced under the order of Sa'lu. And I wasn't sure I liked it either. I knew that this man was my father but that didn't seem to make his mystery any less confusing. For starters, in the days I’d been under his command, I had not even seen him let alone spoken to him. Was this really what my family was all about? Did I have any other relatives? I had no clue, and something told me that in time, I would be none the wiser. So far I’d been transported from one 'prison' to the other.

On the sixth day after my tenth birthday, I was taken to a gym of sorts. This was my first glimpse of the outside world in many years. The beauty… the colours of the forests that flew by beneath the helicopter had blown me away. But little time had I been given to spend in this world before I was escorted into a grand building where there, the man called my father stood, overlooking the battle field from a balcony.

"Welcome to my place of training!" the man announced, making his way down to meet me. "This is where your ultimate destiny will begin. I have much planned for you and this organization, but first you must know what it is to be a trainer."

"A trainer?" my expression was quizzical, "A trainer of what?"

My father smirked; an expression I seemed to recognize in my mirror, "A trainer of Pokémon.” He released a small red lizard from a pokéball. “This is what we call a beginner Pokémon. Forget your cat, this will be your companion throughout your advancement."

I stared down at the pathetic excuse of a lizard as it gazed up at me, a mixed expression of caution and determination written all over its face. Bright red, the creature barely made it to my thigh - and only when it stood on its haunches. On the tip of its tail there was a small flame that grew and shrank depending the creature's mood and health.

"It's called a Charmander. You will train it."

"Train it to do what?" I glanced up at the man, half expecting it to be a joke but I saw that his expression was serious.

"To fight!" his eyes lit up, the flame from the little Charmander’s tail reflecting in his eyes. "And I challenge you to a battle. Let us just see how well you can handle your Pokémon."

The battle was short and fruitless. My lizard fell in the stroke of a single attack by my father’s own Persian. The man almost seemed disappointed. He ordered the fainted Pokémon back to its ball and handed it to me before directing me on a tour though the halls and rooms of his gym.

"This will be your residence for the upcoming years while you train. You will train with some of my best members. Everyone in this organisation is required to be an experienced trainer before they can work for me. Though my daughter you may be, you are no exception."

"What if I don't like the Pokémon I’ve been given?"

"That is too bad, you will have to grow to like it. Until you demonstrate that you have complete control over that little Charmander of yours, you have no choice. But be warned, I do not take to idlers very kindly. Do as you are told, and I assure you the rewards will be many."

~*~

I wasn't sure I liked this new life I’d been given. And it seemed I’d exchanged ten years of dictatorship for another ten in its place. I wanted to see more of that world I’d heard so much about. This place confused me and seemed just as dark as the castle I’d left.

I hugged my knees, curling up under the crisp sheets of my bed. My new quarters seemed empty and smelled of dust. It was obvious no one had lived here in a while. I missed my home, Sa'lu and Ko'rah. Sa'lu had told me this would be my hardest challenge yet. Her words were already proving to be so.

I glimpsed the rain outside my window, my eyes falling on the city that lay just beyond the trees. Its lights illuminated in the darkness. What was that place? How different this was to the island… the castle… my home.

I barely had the chance to drift off to sleep when suddenly a loud alarm sounded throughout the complex, making me jump upright. Moments later, I heard the thunder of footsteps past my doorway and the shouts of men. What was happening?

I clambered from my bed, grabbing for my dressing gown and pokéball, I tore from my room and to the gym just in time to witness a scene of absolute madness.

My father stood at his balcony, barking out orders to his men below where a mass of uniformed officers advanced. I stood motionless… mortified as the officers with their Pokémon fought with my father's men and their Pokémon.

My father’s men were heavily outnumbered. This would be a short fight, cut even shorter as I heard the tinker of a canister landing only feet from where his men stood. Then, BOOM! The blast was so intense it knocked me right off my feet. A great, green cloud covered the gym, seeping like some kind of ghost into every corner and crevice of the arena. There was no escape… no where to go. I choked on the gas, my eyes stinging and backed into something… something large and breathing. I glanced up into the face of the officer's Pokémon… My mind hazy and my lungs filling with the toxic poison, I was out before I even hit the ground…

~*~

A hazy dream filled my sleep, one that seemed to meet reality but never gave me consciousness. I was aware that I was in a bed… in a place that smelled of cleanliness. Two people stood over me; a man and a woman.**

"What are we going to do with her? She's obviously the daughter but we can't let her go back. It's too dangerous."

"Then we make sure she does not exist."

And so… I forgot…

 

[Nafa-tali]

Kair Yu
Seven years later:

Summertime: the season of sunshine, blue skies and opportunity. And no other day seemed to echo this more than this day. A crystal blue sky reflected a just as clear, lazy ocean. The sunshine bearing down on those that greeted it but its heat being made redundant as the light breeze buzzed around the cliff face.

VROOOMMM!

The red convertible tore its way down the winding road, heading away from the girl's dorm; escaping the prison. I took in a salty breath, letting my long, dyed blue hair wave about in the breeze and reminisced on the conversation earlier that day.

"You are not concentrating on your work, Kair. It is evident to us, that your spirit no longer lies with us. You are impatient and restless. Therefore, we feel it is time to let you go. Take this as a token of our gratitude and as a remembrance of your attendance at this school."

The headmistress placed a belt on the table in front of me with six empty pokéballs.

The fools! I grinned and spun the car to a stop at a lookout… a car that had belonged to the headmistress herself. Not that it mattered, the old bag was wealthy enough she had a car for each day of the week. This particular model happened to be my favourite.

The ocean was quiet today, but as I looked over at its never ending greatness, it instilled a feeling of power in me. I stared out over the world before me, a world of opportunity and chance. This was going to be my world. My name was Kair Yu, and I was going to be the mightiest Pokémon Master this world had ever seen!

~*~

CRRUNCH! The Charmeleon landed on the wooden floor with a loud thud, a light wheeze escaping its lungs and bearing the only evidence that it was still alive.

"Your Pokémon is unable to battle."

I silently watched the gym leader's stride as he approached me. "I'm sorry kid, you really need to train better. Come back when you have the skill."

I stood… not speaking. I'd worked hard for this… only to lose! An injustice!

"Kid, I really need to you move along now. I have other trainers waiting." The gym leader placed a sweaty hand on my shoulder, as if his attempt would succeed at calming the storm that now raged in my head. My glare deemed enough to pierce through the leader's cocky demeanour.

The gym leader stepped back, removing his hand from my shoulder and apologizing for the gross invasion of personal space. "Listen, you lost, okay." The sweat on his hands advanced to his forehead, his voice beginning to waver with desperation.

I took in a deep breath, counting to ten just as my school counsellor had taught me. Then swallowing my pride, I bowed as tradition dictated.

"Until next time," I recalled my Pokémon and left the gym.

~*~

I sat inside the Pokémon centre and waited for the nurse to heal my Charmeleon, playing the scene of the battle in my mind. The gym specialized in grass-type Pokémon. I should have won! The odds were… well… I hummed, recalling the attacks he had used. They were not attacks that would have had little to no effect on my Pokémon. No, he knew better than to use those against a fire type. He had used alternative attacks, fighting ones. No special attacks at all. They were attacks that could be used against almost any Pokémon regardless of type. Was that where I was going wrong?

My thought trail was cut short when I checked my account only to find that I had ten dollars left to live on. My funds had run dry.

"Shit!" I cursed, re-checking my statement but the figure didn't change.

I needed to train but I also needed to feed myself. I had to find a way of getting my hands on money and quickly. I glimpsed a bank across the street. Perhaps they could help? I shook my head, casting those thoughts away. The bank in the neighbouring town was still hunting me down for not paying back my previous loan.

I would pay it back… eventually.

The loud alarm coming from across the street made me jump. I instinctively ducked behind a bench as two men in dark costumes dashed from the bank, their arms full with cash bags. They'd just robbed it!

A black van suddenly skidded from a back street, stopping with only enough time to let the two men in. They tore off down the street with police motorbikes in tow… leaving just one cash bag lying in the gutter.

I straightened, glimpsing this way and that. No one had spotted the money bag. Could this just be a sign…? All I needed to do was cross the street, reach down and pick it up…

Officer Jenny made her way up the side walk, causing me to snap from my wild thoughts. It was too late, she would find it. I turned, shaking my head and smirking before heeding the call from Nurse Joy that my Charmeleon was ready.

~*~

The bag was still there when I emerged from the Pokémon Centre. By now it had tackled some traffic and rolled under a parked car but it was still there, I could see it. It seemed unbelievable that someone - especially an investigating cop - could miss something like that. Should I report it to the bank? I kicked at the bag with a foot. It wasn't especially big but it was full to the brim with notes of little value. It would at least feed me and pay for my travels for the next few weeks. The bank wouldn't miss it... I pulled the bag from beneath the car, spying the business card glued to its base. It contained nothing but a big red 'R'.

"Team Rocket?" I whispered, shoving the bag and its goods into my rucksack.

I knew that name; the organization was notorious for some of the biggest crimes in the region. While this had been my first encounter with the organization, I knew that Team Rocket was everywhere. Everyone knew that. Still though, there was something else familiar with it… something I couldn't quite put my finger on…

 

[Nafa-tali]

The Good Professor

Pallet Town: home of the infamous Professor Oak. I glimpsed the building at the top of the hill. It was smaller than what I had expected it to be, but I knew it housed the famous professor's research and most importantly, Pokémon.

The gate was already open so I made my way up the driveway, carefully treading the steps to the house and rang the door bell.

A meek mannered man answered. "Yes?" he squinted, wracking his brain, trying to remember if he knew me or not.

"My name is Kair Yu." I put him out of his misery. "You don't know me Professor, but I am a trainer. I want to see if I can gain some powerful Pokémon from you that I can train."

The professor smiled at me gently. "Oh, missy, that's not exactly what I specialize in. I look after beginners." He opened the door wide. "But perhaps I can assist you in some other way?"

I followed him into the home, noticing a woman with brown hair tiding up the kitchen area.

"Delia, thank you for your assistance, but you can put your cleaning away for a little while and come and sit down. I have a guest."

"Oh! You're a Pokémon trainer?" The woman smiled at me in greeting. Her were eyes gentle and warm not unlike the numerous Nurse Joys I'd met along my way. "My son has recently started out on his journey. Have you earned any gym badges yet?"

I chuckled, averting my gaze to the floor. "Not yet I'm afraid."

"So you're just starting out are you, Kair?" The Professor placed a tray of teacups on the bench.

"Yes," I nodded, "I suppose you could say that." I accepted his offer for tea and found myself a seat at the bench, followed by Delia and Oak.

"You're a late starter, I must confess." The Prof. rubbed an eyebrow, blowing on his tea.

"Actually," I corrected. "I was given my first Pokémon when I was ten. But I was sent to school and… I haven't been able to do any training."

"I see," nodded Professor Oak. "Unfortunately, there isn't much I can do for you, but would you be interested in the Pokédex program?"

~*~

I spent the better part of a few days at the foot of this professor, learning everything I could about the basics of training. I was hesitant at first with regards to signing up for this Pokédex program, but I figured it would only prove to be useful in the long run. While I had no intention on collecting Pokémon for him, I found its data supply handy in identifying Pokémon types and attributes. With it, I would identify and find the most powerful Pokémon there was to be found. After that, there would be no stopping me. In the meantime however, I would have to work with what I had.

Eventually, it was time to leave the Prof. and let him get back to his activities. But not before he guided me outside into his private research gardens and handed me a parting gift.

"Now this is the native starter Pokémon for the Johto region, but seeing as you already have your starter I wanted to give you this Kair… for good measure."

I took the Pokéball from the Prof. and released its inhabitant. It was a Tododile.
I stared down at the small reptile almost disappointed, but at Oak's willing I ran my dex over it and found its evolution scale, my eyes immediately lit up.

Professor Oak chuckled over my shoulder. "I thought you would like it. Now take care of him, he can have a bit of a mind of his own but with your personality I am sure you will look after each other just fine."

A grin slowly made its way across my face, "Let us just see how well he fights." I pulled my Charmeleon from my belt.

"You're going to fight your own Pokémon?" Oak raised an eyebrow but knew better than to question his newest student's ethics. He shrugged, "Fire against water, I'm putting my money on the Tododile."

 

[Nafa-tali]

The Golden Bellsprout
Two years later:


"...She was last reported being seen in the regions of Cherrygrove City and possibly heading northward. She is charged with theft which includes anything from petty theft to home and business invasion. If spotted, please exercise caution and contact the police immediately. While she has not resorted to violence, we don't want to take any chances..."

I smirked at the not so accurate artist rendering of my image that appeared on the television screen. Well, they got the hair right. I would probably have to change its colour again.

I flicked off the set and glimpsed the clock on the bedside of the motel I'd since taken residency at. I still had a few hours but now that the news report was playing in this town too, I knew its security would step up. It was just fortunate I'd earned my latest badge before its broadcast and not attempted to go for it later.

Grabbing for my bag and belt, I made a quick departure.

The city was quiet and sleepy at this time of the evening. My own shadow seemed the only thing that kept me company as I came across the gardens surrounding my final destination. The clang of dinner dishes rang throughout the homes along with strong cooking odours that made my stomach churn.

I released the two monsters from their balls, watching them as under strict orders not to use special attacks on one another, they played and wrestled.

What had once been a Charmeleon and a Tododile now played in their newer, Charizard and Feraligator forms. Since the moment they'd met, they'd been in constant competition with each other. They were mates and competitors. Strong in ability and stamina, I'd worked on their weaknesses and they had proven a worthy team unto themselves.

Both Pokémon knew who their master was. Both served me single-mindedly. They would not hesitate to follow a command through in fear that if one failed then the other would succeed and would be awarded accordingly. It was this constant competitiveness that made them the best.

I took a final glimpse at my notes, tucking them away into my bag. I had to be prepared, this operation was tricky. Quick thinking and most importantly a quick escape was required.

While my latest winning had merited me enough cash to keep me fed and trained for some time, something else had caught my eye while travelling this quiet city: a tower that stood on its outskirts. It wasn't the tower itself that had my attention, but rather it was the prize that sat on display within its walls. I'd seen it while meeting the monk trainers who looked after it. A Bellsprout made of pure gold.

Ever since the bank incident back in the Kanto region, I'd followed the workings of Team Rocket, watching as they resorted to thievery to keep their operations going. It was a good tactic and I'd taken to that philosophy. Starting out with petty theft, I found I had a knack for the art.

It didn't take long for me to be recognized as a wanted thief, but after a few failed attempts and blunders along the way, I found I needed to flee Kanto. So 'jumping ship' so to say, I started out on my journey to Johto. Unfortunately though, my reputation was fast catching up.

I shook off my thoughts, it was already time. Recalling my Pokémon back into their balls, I rounded the great old temple, bringing to mind in exact detail where I'd seen its back entrance. It was locked but posed as no problem as I grabbed for my nail file and hair clip and picked it. My tongue poked out of the side of my mouth as I concentrated until I heard that familiar click that rendered the door unlocked. Moments later, I silently crept the musky old halls of the Sprout Tower.

The room I was looking for wasn't as well guarded as I had originally anticipated. It was almost a disappointment, though a definite convenience. The single security guard was slumped in a chair against the nearest wall, sound asleep.

I smirked at the line of dribble that hung from the man's mouth as he snored quietly. Every time he inhaled the dribble would slip back into his mouth only to appear again as he exhaled. It was disgusting.

Carefully, I slipped the key cards from his belt. The man murmured, whispering something in his sleep before falling back into his dribble cycle once again.

This was too easy!

Rendering the security beams useless, I placed the key cards on the floor and made my way up to the mantle, glancing the beautiful statue in the moonlight. It was truly amazing. Crafted by human hands, the ornament of a Bellsprout stood no taller than its likeness. It would sell for a fine price.

I placed a gentle, gloved hand on the glass cabinet that contained my prize and began to pick the lock. This one was considerably harder than the door. I grimaced in frustration as I fiddled in the dark. There always had to be something to complicate things…

Just then I heard voices. I reeled; ducking behind a display as two figures silently stepped into the room and I recognized them instantly. Team Rocket! Shit! What were they doing here? Well that was going to complicate things a hell of a lot more.

A man and a woman stopped at the scene that lay before them, unable to believe their luck. All their hard work had been done for them! I spied the pokéballs on their belts, they were trainers as well… but then again, all Rocket members were trainers. How did I know that?

The couple strode up to the Bellsprout and I cursed for I'd even left my lock picking tools behind. All they needed to do now was grab it!

"Like heck, they're going to have my Bellsprout," I whispered to no one myself, fingering the pokéballs on my belt.

I didn't really allow myself the time to think, I just stood and in one mighty shout, I released my Charizard.

"What the...?" Team Rocket backed up at the beast, suddenly noticing me step out from hiding. "That's my Bellsprout," I growled.

"Oh really?" The woman stepped up to the challenge, her hands falling to her belt. "Who says?" I saw the familiarity in her eyes, she recognised me… obviously from the news reports. I was that thief.

"Stop right there!" the three of us spun at the security guard who had since woken from his slumber at the commotion. He grabbed for the taser on his belt, holding it defensively. "Team Rocket!"

Perfect! That was the distraction I needed. "Charizard, blast that glass, get me that statue!" I quickly grabbed for my Pokémon, clambering onto his back.

"No! Wheezing! Smog Attack!" Team Rocket fought, releasing the two-headed Pokémon from its ball.

"Wheeezing!"The Wheezing expelled its blinding, poisonous cloud into the room.

I choked on through the smog, my eyes stinging but continued to push my Charizard through the cloud and onto the statue. Then in one mighty motion, Charizard tore up through the smog and through the ceiling of the temple, grasping my Bellsprout in its claws.

I laughed, watching the commotion below as the security officer managed to taser one of the Rocket members and called re-enforcements.

I was gone before they even arrived...

 

[Nafa-tali]

UNKNOWN


Smooth and elegant, I had to admire the pure craftsmanship of my latest acquisition. Running my hands along its surface, I let my fingers trail into the tiny curves and crevices that made up the Bellsprout statue. A rare treasure indeed. One that would fetch me a fine price.

I smiled, tapping away at my laptop. I was yet to seek a potential buyer when a chat window appeared on my screen suddenly and unexpectedly.

[20:24] UNKNOWN Says: WELL DONE. YOU ARE BETTER THAN WHAT I HAD ANTICIPATED.

I blinked once… twice.

WHO IS THIS? I replied.

[20:24] UNKNOWN Says: YOU HAVE MY BELLSPROUT.

Then it dawned on me…oh, I knew who this was… Team Rocket.

I smirked. TOO BAD. ITS MINE NOW. I'LL LET YOU HAVE IT… BUT AT A PRICE.

The screen fell quiet and I leaned back in my chair, chewing my lip. If they wanted it that bad, then they were going to have to pay for it.

The window blinked.

[20:29] UNKNOWN Says: THEY'RE OUTSIDE YOUR BUILDING.

I sat up, a frown blatant on my brow. Who was outside….?

"Oh crap!" The flashing lights caught my eye and immediately sent me to the window just in time to see none other than Officer Jenny arrive with backup. "Crap, crap, crap!"

I reeled, immediately grabbing up what I could. There was no time to spare!

The chat window blinked once more.
[20:30] UNKNOWN Says: I WILL HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE AT GLITTER BEACH IN OLIVINE CITY IN TWO DAYS.

[20:30] UNKNOWN Says: NOON ON THE DOT.

[20:30] UNKNOWN Says: BE THERE.

[20:31] UNKNOWN Says: YOU WILL BE PAID.

[20:31] UNKNOWN HAS LEFT THE CONVESATION

The window closed.

Footsteps were already approaching my door. I really needed to move! Slamming the laptop shut, I shoved it into my rucksack, quickly making an escape through the window and down the fire escape.

~*~

Olivine City. The afternoon was cold and windy and the beach was clear.
I trudged along in the sand, keeping a careful eye on my two Pokémon who wrestled by the water's edge. My Charizard had fallen into the habit of grabbing the Feraligator and flying up high into the air, only to dump him into the ocean... much to the dismay of the occasional surfer who found himself thrown from his board.

"Hey you!" an obnoxious teenager came trotting over, waving his pokéballs. "You're a trainer, right? Lets she what you've got against my bad boys!"

I really wasn't in the mood for fighting... especially when there was a good penny to be made... that was if this Team Rocket representative was going to show. Ignoring the trainer, I moved along, unfazed by his ridiculous chicken clucking he threw in my direction.

I took a seat, watching the rain clouds on the approach. Within moments, it was going to pour. I really needed to think about finding shelter. In that aspect, I suppose I could easily be likened to a cat- in the sense that I very much disliked getting wet.

"Kair Yu?"

My head snapped around at the curly haired chap who approached me from behind. He wore a trench coat, though in the wind gusts, I could visibly make out the red 'R' on his shirt.

Hiding the fact that he'd caught me off guard, I smiled at the chap. "That I am."

The kid gave a quick bow. "The Master requests that you attend the restaurant on the pier. There, we will make the exchange. Do you have the Bellsprout?"

"Do you have the money?" I replied in kind.

The kid said nothing, turning, he signalled with a nod for me to follow him.

 

[Nafa-tali]

Burning Rubber

"Take a seat, Miss Yu. The Master will attend to you shortly."

I sat myself down in a booth close to the door, watching with scrunched eyes as the kid approached a private function room. He knocked on the door twice before it was opened to him and he stepped in.

I tapped a finger on the table. He was taking too long. Was this a police trap I'd fallen into? The thought hadn't crossed my mind until that moment. I was just about to stand and leave when the chap appeared, handing me a note. All it read was: The entrance to your right…

I didn't need to look up. I already knew who had just stepped into the restaurant. The blue haired officer approached the nearest waiter, holding up a picture that no doubt showed my likeness.

I didn't waste any more time, I shot to my feet and bolted for the restroom.

~*~

A hand carefully stroked his cat, his lips creased into a smirk. The Master watched from his booth as the young woman quickly made her way into the ladies' bathroom.

Jenny was already searching the restaurant, this was going to be interesting.
He placed a hand on his chin, movement just outside the window catching his attention. The figure squeezed herself through the tiny window in the bathroom and landed neatly on the ground. Taking a moment to fix herself, she quickly assessed her surroundings before stepping up to the edge of the sidewalk. The keys were still in the ignition of Jenny's bike, but who would dare steal a police officer's transport?

The girl didn't hesitate. The bike stared in a roar.

Jenny reeled, screaming and made a run for her bike but it was gone before she even reached the street.

The Master could only give a quiet chuckle, raising a hand to his attendant.

"Get the car," he said, slipping from his seat.

~*~

I tore through the busy streets of Olivine, desperate to make as much ground between me and the cops before I could ditch this ridiculous choice of a get-away. But the lunch rush hour was on the approach and the streets were already beginning to bank up with traffic.

I slowed the bike, taking the time to weave through the traffic. But I was a sitting duck! I needed to find a backstreet or something...

"There!" I spun the bike, making a sudden, sharp turn and burning rubber for a moment before taking off down an alleyway which ended quickly in an empty, street.

I floored it, only noticing the car when it was too late. A flash of black was all I saw before the bike smashed into its side and sent me flying over the bonnet...

I don't know how long I blacked out for but when I came around, I suddenly realised that I'd been stuffed into the said, black car.

"Uhhh…" I heaved a moan, gripping my pained head and cursing myself for not wearing a helmet.

As the rest of my senses slowly caught up, I soon became aware of the figure that sat, watching me. I immediately pulled myself upright, casting a glare over at the man who watched me silently.

"You are unharmed," his voice was one that demanded authority, leaving my often opinionated self speechless.

"Now where is my statue?" he questioned, those dark, brown eyes drilling into me like some kind of beast from the abyss. How was it that he was able to rattle me so?

I meekly reached into my backpack that had been placed on the floor by my feet. I found the Bellsprout, though even this backpack couldn't prevent it from receiving a beating as I produced it all covered in scratches and dents.

"Worthless," the man commented with the raise of an eyebrow. "I wouldn't pay a cent for that piece of junk now."

I wanted to protest but a dismissive hand waved, shutting my mouth immediately.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" the man's question was more of a statement. "I run the most powerful underground organization in the region. I sent my own people out to retrieve that for me and you… you choose to deliver it like this? I don't take nicely to people who ruin my prize."

His glare was dangerous and I was sure it would slice me into pieces if I didn't pull myself away from it… but I couldn't…

"You're Team Rocket," I somehow managed to blurt.

The man sat back in his car seat, smirking. "You are quite the thief, Kair Yu. I won't hide in saying that I could do with a member like you on my team. You're good now, but with the resource I can offer to you, you can be the best."

I copied his smirk. "Thanks... but I work alone."

"Fair enough," the man didn't seem taken aback. With the raise of his hand, he signalled the driver to stop the car. The door next to me opened, indicating that I was free to leave.

I grabbed up my Bellsprout and my backpack and painfully ambled from the car.

"Kair."

I spun back at the man's call. He was leaning forward with an outstretched arm. In his hand he held a business card containing only a name and a phone number.

"It is to my personal phone. I only give it to people I happen to like."

 

[Nafa-tali]

Dragon Master
Several months later:


His fire red hair waved wildly in the evening breeze, a cape flapped from his shoulders and his stare was one of pure intensity. Was it any wonder at all that he had been acclaimed as 'the greatest'?

"Its changed a lot since I was here last," Lance smiled, the slight dimples in his cheeks showing as he made his way up the steps of the Blackthorn City gym.

"Wait till you see the inside," The gym's leader who was also his cousin led the way, opening the door and letting him in.

The gym was dark inside, few windows allowed for little light at all; like a dragon lair of sorts. Mighty statues of Dragonites and Gyarados as well as some familiar yet legendary Pokémon lined the sidelines of the battle arena.

"Impressive," he commented.

"Impressive? That's all you have to say?" scoffed Clair. "This place is a masterpiece! All thanks to the ingenuity of your dear cousin. Now this is where the real battles take place!"

Lance nodded, his eyes taking in the huge ceilings and the fanged snarls of the stone monsters that surrounded him; obviously meant to put fear into the hearts of any trainer unlucky enough to enter.

Evening was beginning to set in, which always seemed to come early in this place. Lance tugged at his cape, pulling it over his shoulders. He shivered. "Alright, let's go get something to eat. I'm starved."

Clair nodded in agreement, heading for the light switch when the figure stepped through the large, double doors of the gym.

A young woman entered, tall and built like a gymnast she approached Clair with a feline slink. "I request a gym battle."

Her voice was serene… cool and collected. Lance hated to admit it, but he found himself immediately taken aback by her. The Dragon Master knew an untamed spirit when he saw it.

"This gym is closed for the evening," Clair snapped quickly, flicking the light switch and leaving them in partial darkness.

"Fair enough," the blue-haired visitor nodded, bowing as tradition dictated. "Another time perhaps."

She moved to leave until on a spur Lance stepped up, stopping her. "Aww, come on Clair. You're not afraid that you'll lose in front of me are you?"

He knew Clair's weakness and he hit it hard. The gym leader stalled, casting an accusing glance at her cousin.

"Why you…" then to the visitor. "Alright, I'll battle you. But its getting late, make it one Pokémon each."

She grabbed the first ball on her belt, releasing its inhabitant, a Gyarados. The other woman did likewise, releasing - much to Lance's surprise - a Charizard. She was using fire against a water type? But not only that, Clair's water-type.

As was to be expected, Clair scoffed at this, almost insulted. "You really think I am that weak? Make another choice, or this battle will not be worth the effort."

Though, the woman seemed insistent on using her Charizard and would not be swayed otherwise.

The Charizard stepped into the arena.

"Dragon Rage," the woman wasted no time in cutting to the chase.

"Gyrados! Hydro Pump!"

The fire-dragon barely had the time to prepare for its first attack before it had to dodge the mighty pillar of water.

The Charizard darted, zipping up into the air and over the Gyrados.

"Charizard, fly"

Swoosh!

The fire dragon swooped its enemy and the Gyrados copped a head full of Dragon claw.

"Now Seismic Toss!"

"Gyrados! Hyperbeam!"

Boom!

The brilliance of the beam made Lance squint. But when the light cleared and the monsters landed… much to his surprise, neither was left standing.

"What?" Clair seemed just as surprised. "A tie?" The shock on her face turned back into her generally stubborn frame of mind. "Well you got lucky. It was a tie though, so you're not having the badge."

The other woman said nothing. Gathering up her broken Pokémon and her dignity, she left the building in silence.

~*~

I quietly leaned on the rail of an old, wooden platform. Gazing out over the thundering waterfall that found itself tucked away on the edge of town. Its spray left a light mist in the air that seemed to wash away the intensity of the battle. I watched as my now recovered Charizard suffered a playful beating from Feraligator. Charizard retaliated by flying him up into the cliffs.

I chuckled at their rough play, certain that Feraligator was taunting Charizard for 'losing' the gym battle.

Never the matter, for tomorrow would be another day.

My thoughts were interrupted with the appearance of a familiar figure. From the corner of my eye I saw him watching me from a distance, unsure if he should approach or not. He seemed to make his decision and headed on over.

I turned, leaning on the rail and watched his careful approach. With his intense, red hair and stunning eyes, I, of course, recognised him immediately.

"That was an impressive battle. It takes a lot to rattle Clair like that." The Dragon Master extended a hand to shake. "The name is Lance."

"I know who you are," I smirked, accepting his hand. "Kair," I said finally. "Kair Yu."

"Kair," Lance repeated, as if to toy with the name on his tongue. "Perfect." He smiled. "I don't know about you, but I'm starved. Would you care to join my cousin and me for supper at the local tavern? We need to celebrate. You're the closest anyone has gotten to beating Clair in a very long time."

~*~

Dragons seemed to be the main theme in Blackthorn City, the tavern proving to be no exception. Aptly named 'the Dragon Claw Tavern', I found it more a cliché that this also happened to be a favourite dining spot for Lance and Clair.

I sat in an old wooden, medieval inspired chair at a table that badly needed more guests to make it look full. Lance and Clair were on either side of me, giving me a full view of the roaring fireplace at the table's head. It was this and candlelight that kept the tavern lit, giving it a warm, welcoming feel; a definite contrast to the freezing wind that howled on outside.

"So Kair, where are you from?" In a more relaxed frame of mind, Clair sat back in her chair, carefully examining the object of her cousin's fascination.

"Kanto," I replied.

"You're a long way from home."

"Yes," I semi-smiled, jabbing a fork at my roast. "I travel a lot."

"Have you had a chance to participate in the Indigo League?" piped Lance to which I replied with the shake of my head.

"One day maybe."

We ate and the Masters shared their stories of Dragons and adventures. I was fascinated to learn of Lance's line of work. Among other things, he was a prominent member of an organisation of his own that specialised in usurping the misuse of Pokémon. One of his fields of expertise was infiltrating the likes of Team Rocket and other criminal syndicates. His passion for his cause was admirable but made me immensely uncomfortable. He worked closely in association with the police, meaning that his presence in this city was bad news for me.

I attempted to keep my cool, reassuring myself that my picture hadn't made it this far in the region. But it was the way he watched me that caused most of my discomfort. Like he recognised me. By the end of the evening I was sure I'd been found out, especially as I came up with an excuse to leave and he offered to walk me back to the Pokémon Centre I was staying at.

Lance and I walked on in silence, only the sounds of his large cape flapping in the wind and the distant rumble of thunder on the horizon were to be heard. I didn't like to admit the fact, but I felt intimidated by him.

We stopped outside the Centre which had already started making preparations to close.

"Well. It was nice meeting you, Kair." He watched me in the light of an overhanging street lamp. We shook hands and I made my departure.

Entering the centre, I turned to watch him leave… but he was already gone. I heaved a breath, only letting the rush of emotions consume me once I was sure I was alone in my room. That was too close. But I couldn't afford to let him rattle me. Not when I had a job to do.

I changed clothes and quietly made my way to the window, opening it just enough to let me through. Outside, I released my Charizard and mounting him, we took off into the night.

 

[Nafa-tali]

The Dragon Fang


(Illustration Below)

Spoiler

Where we were headed was only a few blocks down but the howling wind of the evening hindered our flight. Still, Charizard struggled on until I spotted the building we were looking for. Somewhat short compared to its counterparts, the great dome that made the skylight of the Dragon Museum reflected in the glint of lightning on the horizon. The storm was getting closer, I needed to be quick.

I showed Charizard where to land on the roof before leaving him to keep watch as I broke in through the roof door. Quickly scaling the staircase down to my designated level, I made short work of a security guard who got in my way and quickly swiped his security pass.

Sauntering in amongst old dragon exhibits and dust collecting ornaments, I reached the central room where the dome skylight was now just above me. My prize? A Dragon Fang thought to have mysterious powers and sure to fetch a good price. Normally stored in the vaults of the Blackthorn Gym, this piece would only come on display here at the museum for two months in the year as the Silver Conference Championships approached.

Dodging another passing guard, I sauntered up to its display, amazed that it wasn't even protected by a case. And quickly snatching it up, I stuffed it into my duffle bag only to set off the museum alarm.

"Shit!" I cursed as all at once, lights from every direction blinked on and focused on me.

Alarm bells blared, screaming to everyone out there that there was an intruder as what seemed to be a hundred security guards piled onto the scene.

"Freeze!" they yelled. "Put the ornament down!"

I didn't have the time to think, backing out from under the skylight, I stuck my finger and thumb in my mouth and whistled.

SMASH! The skylight exploded into a million pieces, raining down glass all over the guards as my Charizard burst forth, stopping only to allow me to climb onto its back before taking off up through the broken skylight.

I didn't even see the shadow that came down over us with such force that it sent both me and Charizard tumbling back down onto the museum roof. I rolled, copping a face full of cement, and heaving a winded breath. I barely got to my feet when the almighty blast of a dragon's hyperbeam slammed into my Charizard, instantly rendering it unconscious.

I staggered back, hitting the wall behind me as the giant Dragonite landed with a thud, metres from where I stood. Its glaring snarl had me pinned and for a moment I found myself convinced that it was going to take off my head.

"I thought I'd seen your face before." Its master, none other than Lance himself stepped from his dragon. "You're that thief."

I took in an icy breath, my eyes forming into a glare. "You followed me?"

"More like the trail of destruction you left behind. Hand over the fang, Kair."

'Stupid!' I thought to myself. How could have I ever thought he didn't suspect me. But I wasn't about ready to give up.

"Feraligator!" I grabbed the second ball on my belt, throwing it in the general direction of the Dragonite.

"Hurrrhh!" The gator burst from his ball snarling and fangs bared.

"Dragonite, wing attack!"

Before Feraligator could make his move, the Dragon took off into the air, its wing attack striking him with such force that it knocked him clean off his feet. The rooftop shook with his fall.

The Dragonite came in for another attack, but after living with a Charizard for so long, Feraligator anticipated its move and quickly scooted out of the way, its tail taking out the remainder of the skylight along with it.

Dragonite flew upwards again, Feraligator taking chase and snapping at its legs.

"Dragonite! Thunder wave!"

There was nothing I could do to stop the beast. And there was no escape for Feraligator. As though the storm had ripped a hole in the sky, the huge lightning bolt hurtled toward my doomed Pokémon. Only, that lightning bolt hadn't come from the storm.

BOOM!

The dots cleared from in front of my eyes only to find Feraligator out cold under Dragonite's feet.

I swallowed, suddenly feeling very alone. I'd been stripped of both of my Pokémon.

The Dragon Master made his advancement. Stepping up to me he thrust his hand into my gut.

"I said hand over the fang."

There was nothing else I could do. I watched him, his intense eyes meeting mine, his breath hot on my face. I let the bag slip from my shoulder, uttering my promise so that only he could hear.

"I will have that Dragon of yours, Lance."

~*~

I leaned my head back against the wall of my cell, sitting with one foot up on a bunk that might as well have been a plank of wood.

I heaved a sigh, cursing myself for having gotten so sloppy. The strength of Lance's Dragonite seemed unfathomable… it was truly impressive. But there again, he wasn't called the 'Champion' for nothing.

The shadow that approached my cell broke me from my thoughts. Officer Jenny glimpsed me through the door, rummaging with a keychain until she found the correct key and cranked the door open.

"You got lucky, this time," she uttered flatly. "It seems you have friends in high places."

I blinked, giving her a puzzled look and pulled myself from the bunk just as a familiar looking Pokémon trotted into the cell. The Persian meowed, rubbing its head on my hand, demanding a stroke.

"Funny. He doesn't like strangers," the figure that followed it smirked, making me immediately straighten.

Officer Jenny, at this point, found an excuse to leave and left us alone.

"Team Rocket?" I uttered, my eyes darting from the man to the cat. "You're here to bail me out?"

"It does seem to be the case, now doesn't it," he raised an eyebrow, visibly irritated at my stupid questions. "Now are you going to come with me or stay here all night?"

I scrunched my eyes, my lip curling. "Why are you doing this? I can't assume it's from the goodness of your heart now can I?"

His smirk returned. "You're right. I want something from you. I want you to join Team Rocket. It seems we have more in common than you think." He signalled to the bruises and scrapes on my arms and face and immediately I knew what he was talking about. Lance was an enemy of his.

"You have a choice, Kair. You can come with me tonight, or you can find your own way out of this cell."

 

[Nafa-tali]

A Revelation


"Quando sono sol,"

The Hitmonchan took in a breath, carefully watching its opponent, the weights on its shoulders heavy and causing it to become slow and sluggish. Though that didn't matter much as its opponent, a Human, was just as such. When compared to the Hitmonchan, Humans weren't made for fighting.

"Sogno all'orizzonte"

The song blared aloud throughout the gym, which was sparsely lit with the exception of the fighting ring. And as if to dance in time to the slow opera, the two circled one another.

The Human took the first swing, to which the Hitmonchan evaded with ease. This was followed up with a swing of his own. He hit the Human square in the side.

The Human reeled, lashing out with a foot that the Pokémon was not able to evade in time. The weights on its shoulders clinked and the Pokémon ambled back, attempting to readjust itself just as the red glove made contact with its face.

"E mancan le parole…"

"Sir!" The only thing that stopped his further attack was the approach of another Human.

Giovanni spun, ordering his Hitmonchan to stand down, he heaved a breath and wiped his brow with the back of his boxing glove.

"What is it?" he snapped.

The scientist shifted nervously on his feet, his eyes darting this way and that. "I finished the background report on Miss Yu as per your wishes."

"Yes, and..?" unimpressed at this unnecessary intrusion, Giovanni raised an eyebrow.

"Well as far as I know she is all clear. I detect no police allied activities. However… there is one thing. Kair Yu has only been existence for around about ten years. The first record I can find of her is at a Kanto all girls dorm. I ran a DNA analysis and found only one record of her closest living relative."

"Yes? Where are you going with this?" Giovanni was getting impatient. The scientist realised this… and he also knew that when the Boss got impatient, he got angry. And when he got angry, heads rolled.

"I double and triple checked the tests, I swear. She… well…"

"Spit it out! I don't have all day!"

"You are her closest living relative, Sir. Kair is your biological daughter."

As if to suffer an invisible punch to the head, Giovanni pulled back, the shock on his face quickly turning into a scrunch of his eyes.

"Aisha?"

~*~

The Viridian City gym towered over me, its great pillars dwarfing anyone who came by it. I had a feeling I'd been here… which in all, seemed strange as I was certain I'd never come by Viridian City before.

To my knowledge, the gym in this city was closed for several months of the year with the exception of the months leading up to the Indigo League challenges. The two guards standing at the huge double doors were dressed in Ancient Roman attire, signifying it's clearly Italian heritage.

I stepped in only to be greeted by a wave of darkness and had to stand and let my eyes adjust before I could advance any further.

"Merrow," the Boss's Persian was the first thing to greet me with a nudge of its head on my hand.

Glimpsing this way and that, I took a moment to lean down and stroke the Pokémon's fine fur, suddenly certain that I'd once had a cat not unlike this… but I couldn't put my finger on when or where.

"Good. You're here," the Boss's voice echoed across the gym and I straightened, my eyes straining in the darkness for the source of the utterance.

I located him sitting in a chair atop a balcony that overlooked the fighting arena.

Had he been watching me this entire time?

I cleared my voice and approached the platform. "You wanted to see me?" I tugged at my uniform, the red R glinting in the limited light of the gym. The stripes on my sleeves denoted my status in the clan, as much to the surprise of my colleagues, I'd only recently been promoted again.

It had been only a matter of months since I'd joined, and while I missed working for myself, I found the income was reliable so long as I did my job well.

The Boss came down off his platform, greeting me at the bottom of the stairs. Tall and very well built, he seemed to tower above everyone including me. This in itself was impressive as I was not short.

Giovanni waved a hand, breaking me from my thoughts. "Do you recognise this place?"

I had to be honest, I did recognise it…but I couldn't recall how.

The Boss watched me, as if to examine me like a priceless piece which immediately made me more uncomfortable than I already was.

"Release your Charizard," he said finally.

Without question, I did as I was told, watching as this man then clicked a finger and summoned a grunt. The grunt held a small device that bleeped as he waved it over Charizard's neck. He handed the results to the Boss before making his departure.

"Just as I thought," Giovanni nodded before once again acknowledging my existence. "Do you remember from where you originally received this Pokémon?

I stopped, taking a moment to think… but nothing came to mind.

"No," I admitted honestly.

"Your Charizard when it was just a Charmander was injected with a microchip tracing it back to Team Rocket. Back to me. That was my Pokémon."

I stalled. "I didn't steal it, if that's what you're alluring to." I knew the penalty all to well for Rocket members who took certain liberties on Giovanni's Pokémon.

"No. I gave it to you," he corrected me, only adding to the confusion.

"What?"

Then it dawned… yes! I had been here. It felt as though it had been another life for me but vague though my memories were, I recalled standing in this spot when I received my Charmander from that very man.

The man in the suit… my father.

~*~

"You've grown into an impressive woman, I must admit."

I followed him through the back parts of the gym. Parts allowed only to certain personnel. Everyone we passed in the hall would stop and salute us… well their Boss anyway. For some reason, they always seemed to be in a hurry to get out from under his watchful gaze.

I was surprised at myself. This was supposed to have been a revelation to me. My father turned out to be the head of the biggest criminal organisation in Kanto and Johto. But none of this shocked me. I knew it…it had always been somewhere in the back of the mind, I was sure of that.

I remembered the police raid that occurred when I was ten. And that I was taken away. Taken to a school under a new guise where I was to forget about my past life.

What was my real name? Aisha. That was what he had called me. I toyed with the name in my mind. What did it mean to me? I wasn't sure.

"Your strength and persistence are admirable." He stopped and I suddenly realised that we were standing in a room in front of a shelf crammed with pokéballs. "When you were young and you came under my care, I had wanted to teach you firstly to become a Pokémon trainer. Then you would learn other things about this organisation that I own."

"But I'm already a trainer now," I interrupted.

"Yes," he nodded. "A powerful trainer. But you still have much to learn." He took a moment to examine the shelf of pokéballs, choosing a select few. "But let me refine your skills. Under my guidance, you will become the best."

 

[Nafa-tali]

Indigo League

Spoiler

The Indigo Village was a buzz. People, both trainers and spectators from all parts of the region were present, ever keen not to miss a moment of the big event they'd waited a whole year to attend.

Unbeknownst to most however, the place was also crawling with Team Rocket.

Every year, members stopped their current assignments to attend the event, on a mission of recruiting or swiping the occasional Pokémon. This year, their main mission was to keep a careful watch on me.

I'd been signed into the registry under my previous identity, inside men and women working around the clock to make sure the system didn't pick up on who I really was.

It made me apprehensive to say the least. Dealing with large crowds was never my thing. Staying out of the spotlight however, would soon prove to be futile as I found myself quickly climbing the ranks of the League Games.

I had access to practically any Pokémon of my choosing compliments of my father's substantial collection. Each monster had been trained to the peak of its ability by only the very best Team Rocket had to offer.

Not only this, but I'd been granted inside information on each trainer that I was to face up against. Everything I needed was at my fingertips and needless to say, the battles were won easily and my fame grew… well… 'Aisha's' fame grew.

Giovanni's Pokémon won the semi final match, wooing the crowds with elaborate displays of power and fighting. And there I stood; a bystander... a mere observer to the action that took place.

'Aisha' was crowned the champion competitor and therefore the only one eligible for the final face off with the Ultimate Pokémon Master. Lance…

I watched his face on my computer screen… just watched. Recalling with exact detail our last encounter and the way he had defeated me on that museum rooftop. He was a true master… and what was I? A fake.

"Aisha? Are you listening?" his shrill voice sounded and I snapped from my daze.

Giovanni… my father stood over me, hands on his hips and his usual unimpressed scowl planted on his face. He placed the pokéballs I was to use for the battle on the table. "These should be able to finish off those Dragons once and for all." His eyes gleamed with determination. "Then… I'll be the greatest."

I half smirked at this comment, noting that he hadn't even registered what he'd said and sat back in my chair. "No one has defeated him. What makes you think that I'll be an exception?"

"Because you have the entire organisation backing you," his reply was with conviction. "Do as you're ordered, and you'll be the face of Team Rocket."

"And if I lose?" I questioned.

"You won't lose. Not if you know what's important." He gave me a hungry smile, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Turning back to the computer screen, I brought up the picture of Lance's Dragonite; the one that had beaten both of my Pokémon senseless. Running a finger along the picture I nodded. "Yes. That Dragonite."

~*~

The evening was crisp as I made my way through the village to a stall I'd seen earlier. It was small and tucked away by an alley and screamed of Team Rocket. The two people manning the fake merchandise stall along with their loud-mouthed Meowth straightened on my approach.

"I need your help," I uttered flatly, pushing my way past the front counter and into the back room, quickly followed by those that manned it.

The couple, Jessie and James - notorious for their misdeeds and outstanding debts - removed their disguises as I parked myself down on an empty barrel, biting my lip.

"I hear you're the people to go to if you want a distraction."

~*~

The final battle was upon us, the stadium full to the brim for the long awaited fight of the season. Crowds howled and crooned. Every eye was focused on the battle frontier.

I gripped the rails of my podium, my heart hammering profusely in my chest. I only had one chance at this… I needed to make it count.

The 'Ultimate Champion's' name was announced and the stadium thundered with applause. He stepped up onto his podium, gracing the crowd with a brief wave. It was clear he'd done this kind of thing before.

He turned to face me; his opponent and I swear, in that moment time stood still.

"Kair," I saw his lips form and his eyes scrunched. He recognised me.

That was it… our match would be over. I was a wanted criminal, a fraud in disguise. His authority alone dictated the fact that I be stripped of this title. But then I saw the crease that spread across his face, his smile reaching the determined glance in his eyes. He wanted to fight. Little did he know, this was going to be the fight of a lifetime.

The battle commenced with the blare of a horn and we were called to release our first Pokémon.

Lance's first choice was a Gyarados just as Giovanni had predicted.

I released mine; a Kingler.

"Gyarados! Dragon Rage!"

"Kingler, Harden. Stand your ground, don't get swept up in its Dragon Rage." The Kingler listened without hesitation, resisting the Gyarados' first attack.

"Crabhammer! Hyper beam!"

The Gyarados went down.

Crowds roared, each spectator sitting on the edge of their seats. Lance smirked, withdrawing his fainted Pokémon only to call his next fighter in a sudden move that no one expected; he released his very best. Dragonite!

"Shit," I cursed. This was too soon!

And as it hammered the Kingler down with ease, I had no choice but to call into action my plan a little earlier than expected.

"Charizard!"

For the second time, the crowds gasped - this time at my choice of Pokémon. But I wasn't thinking of the battle. That was their signal…

BOOM! Right on cue, the smoke explosion was so intense that it rocked the stadium, shocking the crowds.

"Prepare for Trouble!" speakers roared as the silhouettes of two figures appeared in the centre of the arena. "And make it double!"

Jessie and James made their big debut on the scene, giving me the chance I needed to order my Charizard up into the air. And before the stadium had had the opportunity to recover from this shock, the Rocket trio reunited and set off a contraption only found in the imagination of James himself. The giant, metal claw burst out from under their feet, quickly grabbing Lance's Dragonite.

"Dragonite! Hyper-!" Lance didn't even get to finish his order before the claw burst to life, the force of an electrical storm ripping its way through the Dragon's body.

The Dragon howled, lashing at the bonds, but proved useless against the trap. The claw sucked it of its energy.

Quickly, I ripped the hidden Rocket Ball from my belt, throwing it at the Dragonite and snapping it up from within the confides of the mechanical claw. Charizard swooped down from above just as I clambered the rail of my platform and jumped.

"Oh no you don't!" Lance retaliated, leaping from his podium onto his own, now released Charizard. They took off after me.

"Charizard! Evasive manoeuvres!" I cried, stealing a glimpse over my shoulder as Lance and his Dragon fell onto our tail.

Charizard swooped up high, only to take a dive, dodging and weaving in amongst the buildings of the Indigo Village.

WOOOMPH! The huge fireball swept by, missing us by centimetres. Charizard took another dive, careering and heading back for the stadium.

A great hot air balloon was on the rise, three figures ecstatically waving their arms at me. Charizard made for the balloon swooping around and barely missing it. I managed to grab a smoke bomb from Meowth as I passed him by, hurling it at my pursuer and setting the pattern for the others to follow.

BOOM! The bomb went off on Lance's Charizard, blinding it and sending it spiralling.

"Keep him distracted!" I ordered, taking off and leaving behind the Indigo League...

~*~

"What?" Giovanni leapt from his seat, unable to believe the stunt that had just taken place. "What is she doing? Impossible!" In a blind rage, he tore from his private booth, screaming down the halls for attendance. "Find her! Get her!"

 

[Nafa-tali]

Lance

He stood at the door to his house, farewelling Officer Jenny who had promised him that they would do everything in their power to get his Dragonite back. Though the expression on his face looked bleak and her words seemed to offer him little comfort.

Lance closed the door, left alone in his misery, he just stood…staring into nothingness.

"Are you going to look for your dragon or stare at the back of that door all night?"

He spun on his heels, cursing out loud. "Kair!"

Having perched myself comfortably on his couch, I grinned and munched on an apple I'd helped myself to from his kitchen.

"How?...What?" He was still stunned. "How did you get in here?"

Leaning forward, I gently placed the black pokéball on his coffee table. "I believe this is yours."

He stopped, truly unable to fathom what was happening. He frowned. "First you go to all of this effort to steal my Dragonite only to return it to me?"

I shrugged, amused at his confusion. "What would I do with a Dragonite? It wouldn't even obey me anyway."

A smirk crossed his face as he plucked the ball from the table, took a seat and examined it. "Team Rocket? Only they have balls that catch other people's Pokémon."

"Yeah," I mused. "Stole it right from their testing lab."

I could tell from the look on his face that he really didn't know how to take me. Maybe I fascinated him…but he didn't seem compelled to call the police. Rather he stood, sticking his hands on his hips. "Well since you're here and it's getting late, care to join me for dinner?"

~*~

Dinner was surprisingly good. I guess I never expected that the Master of the Pokémon world was also a master in the kitchen. The kitchen was spacious and the benches coated black. Like the rest of the house, it was very modern yet not cold. Windows covered every bit of available wall space. The house itself was perched on stilts and looked out over a lush, green valley in the mountains. The scenery was truly breathtaking.

We ate on stools at Lance's island bench, exchanging stories of our very different backgrounds. I surprised myself at how much I opened up to him. Though, I am still unsure if that had been wise or not.

Our differences set apart, we found that we weren't really that different at all. I guess, if we'd lived other lives, we would have been good for each other. He seemed fascinated by me, and I him.

"So what are you doing meddling in the affairs of Team Rocket, anyway? You don't strike me as a team player."

"I'm not," I stated bluntly. "I prefer to work alone. But as it turns out, blood runs thicker than water."

"Giovanni is your father, isn't he?"

I stopped, taken aback by his response. "How do you know?"

And this time it was his turn to look smug. "Let's just say that I've infiltrated Team Rocket more times than I can count fingers on a hand. I know what the head man looks like and I know for a fact that you are his exact female replica."

"Impressive," I chuckled.

"But you don't want to be caught up with them," Lance raised an eyebrow. "Something much bigger is calling you."

"How do you figure?"

Lance leaned back on his stool putting his fork down. "I just know these things." He coughed, glimpsing the time and got up from the bench, taking my plate away. "If you need to wash up, I have some guest quarters that include a shower. I'm assuming you're going to need somewhere to stay for the night since everyone including daddy is hunting for you?"

He led the way, showing me to a small guest room located just off the main house. It included a sitting area and a bed, and then an adjoining bathroom and like the remainder of his house, this too occupied the 'modern with many windows' theme.

I showered, letting the grime and filth of the day wash away and once again felt rejuvenated. My clothes were all dirty and soiled, giving me no option but to borrow some of Lance's clothes- with which he had already placed on my bed when I stepped from the bathroom.

Then making my way through the estate, I found him in the paddocks, wrestling playfully with the Dragonite who had spent most of the afternoon in Team Rocket's pokéball. It looked tired but recovered from the ordeal of the day.

I watched them play, laughing as Lance found himself thrown about by the Dragon's loafing form. I could really see his passion for his Pokémon. They were his friends and he theirs. It was something that I had never been able to witness until that moment.

Spotting me on the fence, Lance finished up his game and bid his Dragon farewell. Watching it as it took off into the line of the setting sun.

"You're letting it go?" I questioned upon his approach.

"She'll be back," he grinned, shielding the sun from his eyes with his hand. "Might I add, that looks good on you, by the way."

I laughed at the clothing he allured to, "Built for the body of a Dragon Master, all I need is a cape."

"That can be arranged," he winked before extending a hand and pulling me from the fence post. "Come on. I want to show you something."

We toured Lance's estate, which, being nestled in the valley was well secluded. It was a place that seldom experienced Human presence.

"These mountains are the home of the Dragons." I followed his point across the shadows on the horizon. By now the sun had well and truly set, leaving us with one of the most breathtaking moonrises I had ever seen.

"You must never want to leave this place," I heaved a sigh, my lungs taking in the tasty, fresh air of the evening.

"Sometimes," admitted Lance. "But then I realise that there are so many others who don't get the privilege to live like this. Both Human and Pokémon alike."

I nodded, feeling the impact of his words and recalled my father's Pokémon who spent most of their lives locked up in cages in his basement.

"We all deserve the freedom to choose."

I raised an eyebrow, "Including the Dragons that you tame?"

And he nodded. "Especially the Dragons that I tame. They chose to come to me. I train them, but ultimately, they're the ones who choose their destiny."

I noticed that we were approaching a large old, wooden building. "These are the Dragon stables," Lance filled, "release your Pokémon from their balls and they can spend the night here. I imagine your Charizard has had a real workout."

I followed his advice, releasing both mine and the Pokémon I received from Giovanni, watching them explore their new surroundings and greeting others. Lance grabbed a sack of food and we fed them. Lance too, took the time to inspect my father's Kingler which didn't seem to mind the extra attention. I thanked Charizard for his hard work that day and we left them to rest for the night.

I followed Lance back to his house, the evening was already well along, and as to be expected, we were both exhausted from the day. We bid one another goodnight at the door to my quarters, lingering as if more needed to be said but neither knew what to say.

"Good night, Lance," I finally smiled, stepping into my room and closing the door.

 

[Nafa-tali]

The Invasion

The light touch on my fingertips brought me to my senses quickly. I blinked awake in the morning sunlight, absently gazing at the feline face before me.

"Merrow," the Persian nudged my hand.

It took me a further few seconds to register before I burst upright, my heart screaming in my chest and immediately froze. He sat in a chair at the foot of my bed, fingers tapping in contemplation and his icy glare screaming bloody murder.

He spoke, his voice low and dangerous. "I'm very disappointed in you, Aisha."

My throat went tight. There was nothing I could say.

"Lance is a dangerous figure to this organisation."

The knock at the door was the only thing that broke his stare. A Rocket grunt entered and bowed, respectfully averting his gaze from me and my lack of bed attire.

"The operation is complete, Giovanni."

"What?" my voice somehow found itself. "What operation?"

But Giovanni ignored me. "Excellent, prepare to move out." He got to his feet, throwing me a change of clothes and walked out followed by his Persian.

I gripped the black outfit; it was the lowest ranking uniform in Team Rocket. But little time did I allow myself to dwell on that as I dressed quickly and dashed from the room.

To my horror, Lance's estate was a mess and crawling with Team Rocket grunts. The men grabbed everything they could find; Pokémon, valuables, whatever. It had been completely ransacked. My heart once again found its way into my throat. Lance… where was he? What had they done to him?

A helicopter buzzed about the balcony, allowing my father and his cat aboard. "Take her with you," he ordered before the door slid shut and they took off, leaving me alone to face his men.

Two grunts grabbed each one of my arms, escorting me from the premises. I waited until I was to be piled into a waiting truck before I lashed out, stomping one in the foot and kneeing the other in the crotch. The second one keeled, freeing my other arm and before the other one could react, I jammed my palm up into his nose, breaking it instantly.

"Arrhhh!"

I slipped from his grip and not even bothering to look back, I dashed from the scene as fast as I could. I ran until there was nothing left in me, until my lungs were screaming and my legs were numb from the burn.

Everywhere on the estate, Team Rocket had touched. The fields, the stables... everything! Not a single Pokémon could be found. They'd taken them all including my own. But where was Lance?

The shadow came over my head, causing me to cast my eyes up at the large Dragonite that now hovered over me.

"Lance?" I called absently before realising that it had no rider on its back.

It landed with a thud only meters from me and I fought not to retreat back.

"Hurrrhhh!" She was furious, demanding to know what I had done. Nostrils flared, wings flapped in agitation.

"Easy!" I gave a cry, only to be drowned out by the buzz-zap of electricity that started to form from her antennas.

BOOM! I dove, the thunderwave missing me by centimetres, and rolled in the grass, glancing up just in time to witness her fly attack!

"Ahhh!" I attempted to get up but was just too slow. I barely got to my knees when she swooped me, sending me tumbling meters into the air. I hit the ground hard, the air escaping my lungs. I wheezed, urging myself back to my feet but just couldn't muster the strength…

BOOMPH! Two giant, Dragonite feet landed on either side of me, pinning me to the grass. There was nothing I could do to stop her from finishing me off but to shout, "Please! It wasn't me this time, I swear!"

The Dragon stopped, watching me carefully, she allowed me a moment to speak.

"Team Rocket did this. They captured your friends and took your Master," I licked my bloody lips. "You need to help me get him back."

The Dragonite didn't want to believe me. But as she gazed up across the estate, at the trucks that now pulled out and drove away from the house, she realised that I was not going with them.

She backed down, eyeing me off carefully as I painfully pulled myself to my feet.

"We need to follow those trucks."

 

[Nafa-tali]

A deal with the devil

A bright, full moon glinted off a peaceful ocean. A light, ocean breeze blew through my hair, bringing with it the tasty scents of someone's food cooking at a campfire on the beach. The evening was clear and chilly- perfect for a late walk along the shore. That was not why I was there, however.

I watched the old warehouse, counting five or six shadows armed with weapons circle its perimeter- giving away the fact that this was no ordinary boat shed.

"Hurrh," the Dragonite behind me gave a throaty growl, her nostrils flaring on the back of my neck.

"Shhh," I turned, placing a careful finger on her snout. "These people are dangerous and will not hesitate at trying to harm and capture you. You'll need to wait here in the shadows. I'll slip in on my own and see where they're holding your Master. Wait here."

I left the Dragon to hide in the forest beyond the beach and quickly made my way over to the old warehouse. Two grunts watched from the roof and another three wandered around the building, making one complete circuit every few minutes or so. Caught up in their boredom, they chose to walk together and chatted noisily amongst themselves.

Keeping to the shadows, I worked my way around the building, looking for some kind of back entrance. Locating that, it didn't take me long to realise that it was locked and required a security card… one that these grunts no doubt possessed.

I cursed silently, my hand instinctively going to my empty belt. I had no Pokémon on me either…

'Think Kair… think!' I wracked my brain, slipping back into the shadows as the Rockets made another pass. They still chose to stick together, so my chances of taking them out all at once were zero.

"Hey, I gotta take a leak," as if to hear my silent prayer, one of the three stopped. "I'll be back in a sec." He disappeared into the bushes.

I waited until the other two rounded the building before carefully taking off after the lonely Rocket, who by this stage, whistled noisily as he peed on a tree.

He didn't even see the rock coming…

THUNK!

He fell like a sack of potatoes and quickly stripping him of his security card, hat and mask, I disguised my face and made my way into the building.

The warehouse seemed so much bigger on the inside, and no matter how quiet I tried to be, my footsteps still echoed. It was dark and smelled of a mix of engine oil and sweat. Large, black shadows of trucks and other machine equipment loomed over me, which I used to hide in amongst every time I sensed another presence.

A light illuminated from an office at the top of an old, rickety staircase. I could hear the low murmur of voices, as if to be in a meeting of sorts - my father's voice included in the mix. He was in a meeting with his executive staff, no doubt.

I headed in the opposite direction, soon locating a small hallway that eventually led into a lunchroom as well as another, smaller storeroom.

Like the back door, the storeroom was locked. I swiped my key card, watching the pad blink green before heaving a sigh. And with a hiss the door clicked open.

~*~

"Sir," the grunt entered the meeting, standing officially, nervously watching as Giovanni's elite broke conversation and focused their attention on him.

The Boss gazed up from his paperwork, tapping an impatient finger on the table.

"We have a visual. She has accessed the storeroom."

~*~

His figure sat hunched over a chair, gagged and bound. A single spotlight hovered over his head, revealing the treatment he'd already endured to all who entered.

"Lance!" I let out a gasp, seemingly leaping the distance between us.

His face was bruised and raw and a string of bloody dribble escaped his lips. I tugged at his bonds, pulling him free and letting him drop from the seat into my arms on the floor.

"Lance," I gently pulled his head upright, watching his eyes roll into the back of his head. This was all my fault! I brushed a stray stand of hair behind one ear, my hands running over his face. "Lance, wake up."

"Kair?" his voice was barely auditable. He swallowed a bloody lump in his throat. "You came for me?"

"Come on, you need to get up," I urged him to his feet, letting him use me for support, though his body was deadweight and we only made it as far as the door.

"Shit," I cursed. What was I going to do?

"Lance, come on." I gripped the door frame and he slid to the floor beside me. I let him take a moment to come back around.

"Kair?" He only just seemed to register me again, his eyes blinking, he somehow found the strength to pull himself upright.

"Lance, we need to move. We're still in the heart of Team Rocket. I don't know how much time we have."

He managed to pull himself to his feet and together we staggered back through the building, keeping to the shadows. We made it to the main part of the warehouse, hiding in between trucks and machinery before all at once every light in the building blinked on. We stopped in our tracks, our location being made clear to everyone there.

And there he stood, surrounded by a dozen men, watching us.

"Giovanni," Lance hissed, suddenly finding his own strength.

My father's lips creased into a smirk, his face cool and calm. "How did I figure you would do this, Kair?"

I swallowed, choosing to bridle my tongue and say nothing. This was a trap!

"I want to make you an offer. You want your boyfriend to live? I'm willing to give him that freedom, if you like." His eyes searched me.

I shifted on my feet, my mind reeling through the possibilities but soon came to the conclusion that there was no other way out. He had me completely cornered.

"What's the catch?" my voice was barely a squeak.

"The catch is that you must come back to Team Rocket and stay. You will not attempt to make contact with this man. You will never see him again."

"Kair, don't-" Lance went to speak, but with a raise of my hand, I cut him off.

"And you promise not to hurt him. To let him go home?"

"So long as he chooses not to meddle in our affairs again."

For the sake of Lance's safety, there was no other way. If I fought this, they would certainly kill him.

I didn't even hear the rumble until it was upon us…

BOOM! The roof over our heads smashed, giving way to the giant Dragonite. Everyone in the building instinctively ducked, diving out of the way of the falling debris.

"Hurrr!"

It all happened so fast that I didn't even register it. In a single swoop she grabbed both me and Lance, and took off through the hole in the roof before my father's men got the chance to retaliate.

~*~

The full moon drifted high in the sky, its reflection shimmering brightly on the ocean.

We sat on the beach some distance from the warehouse where Dragonite had chosen to set us down.

Now very much awake, Lance nursed his wounds, chuckling lightly at the worried nudges of his Dragon as she sought his reassurance.

"I'm alright. Its ok," he smiled, stroking her on the nose. "Thank you. You saved us Dragonite."

I pulled my legs into my chest, heaving a sigh and glancing back in the direction of the warehouse. It was nothing but a tiny glint on the horizon but I knew I had no other choice.

"I have to go back," my voice was flat and devoid of any strength. "He is right, you know."

Lance spun, his strong spirit quickly returning to him. "We need to get you into hiding, Kair."

But I shook my head. "I can't, Lance. He will find me. Team Rocket is everywhere. And besides, in case you haven't noticed, in the outside world, I'm a wanted criminal."

"You can't become one of them," he protested, pulling himself to his feet and stopping me from moving. "We'll find another way."

"Lance! Don't!" My shout even caught me off guard.

I glared at him and his beautiful silhouette in the moonlight. His hair that waved wildly like a fire in the breeze and eyes that had that ability to see into everything. I got to my feet, following his gaze to my dark uniform and the red R that glinted in the moonlight.

"You risk your life every time you infiltrate Team Rocket. You yourself know how huge this organisation is. If I go back and by some miracle, set things right, then I am next in line to inherit Team Rocket. It's the only way it can go down."

But he was set on fighting me. "They will change you. I've seen it. Power speaks above all else."

"Maybe it's for the better then."

I leaned over, kissing him quickly and gently before turning and making my way back through the sand dunes.

"Goodbye Lance."

 

[Nafa-tali]

Volume 2: The Underground

Volume 2:
The Underground

The car rumbled on through the forests, breaking up what would have been a pleasant, silent morning. I gazed through a partly open window, letting the wind of the ride rush over my face and through my hair. Green and trees were all that I saw for miles on end. Where I was? I had no idea. All I knew was that this was going to be my new assignment.

We passed trainers on the side of the road who each in turn stopped to glance at us and let us pass before continuing. And for the first time in a very long time I wished I could be one of them. To have that freedom to come and go as I pleased.

I tugged at my black gloves, brushing Persian fur from my uniform that insisted on sticking to me. We pulled up into an old, dirt driveway and stoped just outside of what looked to be a holiday cabin of sorts.

Stepping from the car, I squinted in the morning sunlight and pulled my black hat down over my eyes. All black with the exception of a red R on my chest, it was obvious who I represented. Not so obvious who I really was to those of my rank, however.

But that was what he had wanted.

The Boss.

He wanted me to start again from the bottom. For me to see how hard it was to prove myself in this organisation.

My name is Kair Yu. Not my real name, but the one that I chose for myself. And I was just about to learn the hard way, how to win back my father's approval….

A small gaggle of rockets was waiting for us in the cabin, including a woman who I immediately recognised from the HR department. She looked impatient as she tapped a finger on an orange envelope, no doubt meant for me.

"Finally! You're here," she let out an exasperated huff.

I took at seat at the kitchen table in front of her, looking this way and that.

"Wherever 'here' happens to be," I muttered.

Ignoring my response, she slid the envelope over to me which I eagerly opened, hoping for it to shed some light on the situation. I read from the orders written in Giovanni's own handwriting, only to stop suddenly.

"I'm being assigned a partner?"

Wendy from HR nodded, her green hair bouncing in front of her face, her grin menacing. "I guess daddy feels the need for someone to keep an eye on you after your last endeavour," she snickered like I was the butt of a joke I hadn't gotten yet. "Good luck!"

She pulled herself to her feet and walked out followed by her friends.

I sat alone in the cabin, bringing up the file of the person I was being assigned to, then cursed. This had to be a joke…

The careful knock at the door confirmed that indeed, it wasn't. She stood in the doorway, tall and elegant. Long magenta hair and eyes of determination, she entered and for moments nighter of us uttered a word.

"Jessie," I finally said.

"Kair," she nodded.

~*~

"So what happened to James?" I sat back on our cabin couch which I found we were sharing as our base of operations.

Jessie followed suit, gently crossing her legs, and tugged at her skirt. The normally firey Rocket was the quietest I had ever seen her.

"We got assigned new partners," she said sullenly and I was sure she was just about to burst into tears.

"That sucks." I nodded.

She just looked at me, toying with a ringlet of her hair. "So what is our new assignment?"

I grabbed the envelope and handed it to her. "We're infiltrating Team Aqua. It seems that they've gotten their hands on something that is of much interest to the Boss."

"So, we're going under cover?"

"Yup. I found our new uniforms in one of the bedrooms-."

She was on her feet before I even got to finish my sentence. Storming into the nearest bedroom, I needed wait only a few minutes before hearing her ear-splitting scream.

"He can't be serious!" Jessie burst from the bedroom, holding up one of the uniforms, a glare of disgust blatant on her face. "These… things…. will make us look like we just escaped from prison!"

Blue pants with a black and white striped t-shirt and a blue bandana bearing the Team Aqua logo- it was obvious not much thought had gone into the process.

Regardless, Jessie looked determined. Quickly grabbing her duffle bag, she rummaged through it before finding a small box. I watched with intrigue as she pulled a pair of scissors from the box and proceeded to dissect the pants.

"What are you doing?" I demanded.

"Giving this piece of crap uniform some Jessie flair!" she retaliated, whipping a needle and thread from her box, "and giving this stupid Team Aqua a lesson in style."

 

[Nafa-tali]

Volume 2: The Underground

Welcome to Team Aqua

Spoiler

The old dock was busy and bustling even at this hour of the morning. The sun was only just beginning to rise over the mountains, greeting the day with a sky of orange and blue. The chill of the morning blew over our shoulders, bringing with it the salty spray of the sea and the strong stench of fish.

Everywhere around us fishing boats unloaded their catches from the previous evening. Jessie and I were greeted by the hoots and yells of burly, hairy men, the stench of fish and salt now a permanent feature on their clothes and bodies.

Ignoring the workers, we continued on, eventually coming across a large shed at the end of the dock.

"Is that it?" Jessie shivered in her mini-skirt and a t-shirt that barely covered her important parts and I nodded.

The shed was actually more a storehouse, not unlike the ones my father owned. However, this one was double story and had a huge radio antennae sticking out of its roof. Team Aqua's local headquarters.

On the inside, it was not as vast and wide. It seemed to be made up of many rooms and hallways like an office building. We were even greeted by a friendly face at the reception counter with the words 'Marine Research Centre' behind her head.

"Hi there, how can I help you?"

I made my way to the counter. This had to be some kind of cover. "We have an appointment," I mentioned with a low tone, "with Archie."

The girl nodded, tapping on her computer for a few moments, she glanced from me to Jessie then back to her screen, obviously doing a facial analysis. She then turned to a filing cabinet and grabbed a folder.

"Archie isn't around. But he asked me to give you this. It's your first assignment." She handed me the folder. "Don't mess it up."

She indicated that our presence was no longer required.

We trailed from the building with Jessie muttering under her breath something about the woman and female dogs. I ripped open the envelope to see what our first assignment was.

"So, what are we doing?" Jessie peered over my shoulder.

An amused smirk made its way across my face. "We're breaking into the International University Lab dept. and stealing samples."

Jessie pulled back, registering the information in her head before it clicked. "Aren't they…?"

"Owned by Team Rocket, yes."

She pulled back. "We can't steal from our own team-."

"Shhh!" I hissed, cutting her off and pulling her out of earshot of anyone who might have been within hearing distance. "We'll do what it takes to fit in, got it?"

She got the hint.

"We're not expected to make the raid until midnight tonight. So in the meantime, I guess it would be a good idea to acquaint ourselves with some Team Aqua inspired Pokémon. How are you going in the water-type field?"

Jessie's look wasn't promising. "If by water you actually mean poison types…"

"I figured." I nodded. "Come on… let's go fishing."

Making our way back through the dock, we located a rickety old fishing trawl that didn't seem to be inhabited at that point and snuck on board. The boat, like the rest of the port reeked of fish with a definite mixture of diesel. And it was a mess of blankets, clothes and food wrappers; indicating that this was also someone's home.

"What are we doing here?" with a gloved finger to her nose, Jessie squinted. She kicked at the mess with a boot.

I frowned, pushing aside boxes and crates until I found what I was looking for. A large container sat on the deck, so heavy that it was impossible to move. I could hear the splash of water and the bump of a figure drifting about in it. A single padlock kept it shut.

"Jessie," I gave her the signal and she crouched, pulling pins from her hair and used them to pick the lock.

The lock snapped open with ease and she pushed away the lid to reveal a large, scaly fish that drifted about in it. Blue, yellow and red, it was covered in spines and looked dangerous. A Pokémon perfect for a trainer, not a dinner plate.

"Oh!" Jessie's eyes immediately lit up. "It's positively perfect!"

I pulled my old pokédex from my uniform and scanned the creature. "Carvanha," the dex chirped. "This water-dark type Pokémon attacks ships in swarms, making them sink. Although it is said to be a very vicious Pokémon, it timidly flees as soon as it finds itself alone."

I caught Jessie's smirk at the corner of my eye.

"What?"

"Oh nothing," she mused.

I scowled. "What?"

"It's just that only twerpy trainers carry around instruments like that. You just don't seem the type of person to be holding one of those."

I put the dex away, blushing. "Shut up. It comes in handy." I pulled a lure ball from my belt and handed it to Jessie. "He is all yours."

She looked at me like I was stupid. "Aren't we supposed to weaken it first?"

I snorted. "What are we going to do? Beat it with a stick? By the looks of it, it spent the entire night in that container. I'd say it was weak enough."

Jessie shrugged, following my instructions and sucked it up into the ball. The ball blinked once, twice and locked.

"Perfect," she grinned, but the moment was short lived as suddenly the large shadow bore down over us.

"Hey!" the huge sailor spun us on our feet. Tattoos covered his arms and he reeked of alcohol and cigarette smoke. "What do you kids think you're doing?" He also seemed to lack teeth.

"I…uhhh," Jessie stammered as we backed into one another. "Run!"

 

[Nafa-tali]

Volume 2: The Underground

Skeletons

The chilly breeze of the evening rattled its way up my spine, leaving me freezing and numb. I shivered, pressing my body up against the laboratory wing of the local University, waiting for the security guard to make his rounds.

"Ready?" I glimpsed Jessie in the limited moonlight. Clouds hovered over us, casting eerie shadows over the building.

Jessie nodded, too feeling the cold.

"…because we all live, in a Pokémon world!" The guard passed us by, blaring a song from his iPod out of tune. He looked young enough to be a student and clearly didn't care much for his job.

I let Jessie pick the lock and we slipped into to the building, making our way down the hall to our allocated practical room. Identical benches lined its main parts, piled high with pitchers, burners and other expensive laboratory equipment. All paid for from the hand of Team Rocket. It almost made me wonder why my father would bother sponsoring such a place so far away from headquarters.

"Where is the sample freezer?" I questioned and Jessie checked the instructions.

She pointed to a door leading into a preparation room.

"Ok, you watch for our Security Guard friend. I'm gonna get the samples."

I left Jessie and found my way to a small bench fridge labelled 'Pokémon DNA samples' and helped myself to the bounty. I was almost finished stuffing my duffle bad when the commotion started.

"Hey you! What are you doing in here?" the shout caught me off guard and made me reel.

"What does it look like, punk? We're robbing the place," Jessie's shrill came next.

"Shit!" I cursed, immediately pulling away from the light of the fridge into the shadows. What was she thinking?

With my back to the wall, I edged myself over to the door to the main lab only to find Jessie and the security guard at a standoff. He held a flashlight in one hand and a pokéball in the other.

"Poochyena!" The dog formed on the floor in front of her, snarling. "Take down! Get that thief!"

"Ahhh!" Jessie's first instinct was to scream. She whipped around, taking a dive for one of the benches and threw herself over it, taking its supplies along with it.

Glass smashed all around her.

"Rwhhh!" The Poochyena's paws skidded on the tiled flooring.

"Feraligator! Go!" Stepping from the shadows, I threw my pokéball at the dog and my gator burst forth in a roaring frenzy. "Bite!"

The gator launched at the Poochyena, jaws snapping. The dog skidded, tucking its hind legs in and barely avoided the Feraligator's chomp. It ducked in behind one of the benches but Feraligator took chase, his huge, hulking body and tail taking out what remained on the benches.

I made a dive for Jessie but the security guard quickly cottoned onto the fact and beat me to her, wrenching her to her feet and holding a taser to her throat.

"One more move and she gets it!" he shouted, making me stop in my tracks.

I straightened. "Or she gets what? Tasered?" I pulled my other Pokéball from my belt, fingering the release button. "Do you know what I have stashed away in this ball?" I signalled to my Feraligator who had since made short work of his Poochyena. "Trust me, it's far scarier than my gator friend. And it won't hesitate to attack a Human."

The security guard fidgeted, his eyes darting this way and that. He wanted to believe that I was bluffing but soon figured his job really wasn't worth that much to him. It was just as well too, the ball was empty. I'd chosen to bring only one Pokémon with me.

He let Jessie go and I recalled my Feraligator, clipping both pokéballs back to my belt. Grabbing Jessie by the arm, we quickly made our escape.

~*~

Our mission had been a success and we delivered what we stole to our 'new boss', Archie. The man, perhaps in his late thirties, grunted at us from his fishing trawl, watching us with hungry eyes. He didn't say much else, simply allowing his assistant to give us our next assignment.

As time passed and assignments went fulfilled, we were soon given privilege to more and more information. Information that, in the evenings, I was to report back to Team Rocket.

It seemed that genetic research was the talk of the region, scientists from all around getting ever more excited about the prospect of being the first to discover the source of Pokémon power - the elements within them that gave them their special abilities.

And harvesting those abilities seemed to be the talk of the underground world.

"That is interesting." Giovanni stroked his Persian. "They are further along than I had expected."

I waited in silence, watching his image on the computer screen.

"Has he started to assemble a research team yet?"

I shrugged, "I'm not sure, we're not high enough in the ranks to receive that kind of information. And don't bother ordering us to break into the warehouse, there's nothing there. If Archie has such a program in action, then that sort of information is well hidden."

He looked visibly disappointed. "And what of your next assignment?"

I pulled the paperwork from my backpack, the folder had an 'archives' stamp over top of a dusty red R logo.

"It seems you've got a mole in archives. I'm apparently undertaking an old Team Rocket mission that was abandoned some twenty two years ago."

"Twenty two years?" a hand went to his chin in thought before he stopped, his eyes scrunching. "The only major expedition that was underway at that time was in the Andes Mountains. From my knowledge, the team was completely wiped out and the mission declared a failure."

"Well there had to be something there that grabbed Team Rocket's attention." I refuted. "What was there?"

"That information is classified."

I scoffed, waving the file, "not anymore."

His eyes went dark only confirming the fact that I was in the process of unearthing something that he didn't want brought up again.

"There is a CD here, do you want me to play it?" I continued.

"No, that won't be necessary. I know what's on that CD," he sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Take the assignment, Team Aqua is only digging up a dead end. But it'll keep them distracted for a while. Be warned though, that is a very dangerous assignment. I'm sending over some agents to help you. If you find anything, report straight back to me," and with that he closed the line and the transmission ended.

"What are our orders?" rubbing a towel through her long, drenched hair, Jessie stepped from the bathroom on her way to her bedroom.

I slowly sorted through the old file, humming to myself. I popped the CD into the computer, finding only a single voice recording on it. It came out as static at first, like it had originally been recorded on an old tape and then later transferred to the CD.

But just as I was about to shut it off, a single, little voice piped. "Mew!"