Disclaimer:
This work is fiction. The work is presented under fair protection where applicable.
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You should not read this work if you are not of legal age where you reside. This work may contain concepts or written actions that some readers may find excessive or disturbing. This may include (but not be limited to) rape, BDSM, or death.
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Chapter 20
Assault – Part 2
“That’s the last of them!”
Nicholas looked up from the security terminal he had been playing with. “You’re sure, Miyuki?”
Miyuki pushed the latest trussed grunt into the group lying inside the security room. “If there are any more, they ran.” She grinned. “Figure out the computer yet?”
Nicholas shook his head and turned back to the terminal. “It’s strange. Every time I try to turn off the alarms they’re turned back on somewhere else. There must be another guard room.” He finally gave up. “I’ve turned them off on this floor, though. There are two more basements below us.”
“That must be where Mister Lance went.”
Nicholas nodded and gestured towards the door. “Sera found some stairs down. If you and Ryuko are done securing all of these people we’ll move on.”
Ryuko poked her head into the room. She had re-formed her armor into a mix between her look as a Scyther and the full armor she had originally used as a Scizor - her wings were extended, and armor covered her from the neck down, but it was shaped much more closely to her body. Almost like it was just a red exoskeleton. “All pokegirls have been returned to their balls, Master.”
“Then let’s join Nessa and Sera.”
The two were waiting at the stairwell and Nessa waved when the others got close. “Are we going down?”
“Yeah. Hopefully Lance is all right.” Nicholas fell in behind the harem, Ryuko ending up next to him as they moved down the stairs. He was watching her out of the corner of his eye and Ryuko glanced at him when he cleared his throat. “I like the new look.”
Ryuko absentmindedly rubbed her arm. “This is simply how it formed after rejoining you, Master. I remembered my place, and my armor has changed to reflect that.” She looked at him and Nicholas found himself looking into her eyes when her helmet melted away. “It is by your side. To serve as your blade I must remain mobile. If I must sacrifice my own protection to increase yours, then that is what must be.”
“So you won’t be running off into battle anymore?”
Ryuko turned back to the stairs with a thoughtful expression. “Such an action may be what is needed. But it will no longer be the first one I consider.” With a surprised noise her helmet flowed up the back of her head and Nicholas came to a halt when she whirled in front of him. The back was the same; coming up to form the jagged crown he was used to. But everything from her eyes to her chin remained open. “Master, what is it you called me? When I had lost my way, when I no longer saw myself as being worthy to be your servant.”
Nicholas thought back. She was probably talking about their conversation in Ecruteak, so… “That was when I called you my blade, right? You’ve taken to that title already.”
“No, Master.” Ryuko’s eyes were bright. “There was something else. Something that I have only now realized the meaning of.”
Something else that he had called her. Nicholas racked his brain but the memory of how he’d ended that conversation by fingering her kept taking over. “I don’t…” he frowned. It had been something to do with her training, hadn’t it? They’d also talked in Ecruteak about how she was no longer loyal to the…
He blinked. “Ninja.” He looked at her. “You are my ninja. Defender of my name.”
Ryuko hissed happily and metal closed over her face. Her eyes were all that were left visible when the red mask finished covering her nose and mouth and when she next spoke her voice echoed, whispering through the metal. “I am Ryuko of clan Topolski. Bound to none but my Master.” She raised an arm, forming a dagger from her hand and holding it against her neck. “In service I live.”
Out of all the vows Ryuko had given him, this one held an unnatural weight to it and Nicholas didn’t even think to refute her. “I accept your life in service, Ryuko.”
Ryuko lowered her arm. “At last.” Her eyes were watering as she bowed low. “I understand everything, Master. Ever since this evolution I have been confused; torn between what I believed and what is true. Between what the clans taught me… and what my purpose is.” She straightened back up and embraced him. “You are not of the clans. But that does not mean I can not serve you as I would any of them.”
“What was that vow you just made?” Nicholas asked. “It seemed more formal than usual.”
“It was the oath made to a clan head,” Ryuko whispered. “By giving it I affirm my belief that you are worthy of that title. And I will defend your claim as such.”
“I don’t head a ninja clan,” Nicholas protested. “I don’t want to be a part of their politics.”
“But you do, Master,” Ryuko replied. “Even if I am your only servant, you are my clan leader.”
“And that’s what you’ve realized today.” Nicholas took another glance at her new look. “Very well.” He smiled as he realized what he should say next. “Then I expect – no, I demand the best from my… ‘first blade’.” He shrugged when Ryuko went still. “Not simply my blade, but-“
“I hear and obey, Master,” Ryuko whispered. “Though I may never repay this honor, I will strive to uphold the title you have given me.”
As the group entered the second floor Nicholas was surprised to see a single corridor in front of them - and another stairwell at the other side. “This is the second floor?”
Nessa cautiously moved forwards but stopped halfway. “There’s a big door here.”
Nicholas joined her and surveyed the industrial sized doors. “It looks almost like a vault of some kind.” He checked the visible access panel. “Yeah. It wants a passcode. I wonder what’s inside?”
“…Reinforcements?” Nessa asked nervously.
“If there are then we can’t do much about it.” Nicholas played with the panel a few more times before stepping away. “I want to find Lance. Since he’s not here, he must have gone on ahead.”
“What about the door?”
Nicholas shook his head. “My guess is that’s the control room. Like, power, and security, and all that. If there are grunts holed up in there we’re not getting them out.” He sighed and looked at the rest of the harem. “So, since we can’t do anything about it right now, we’re going to the next floor.” He caught the harem’s attention as they moved. “If we get into more fights, try and interrogate the Rockets before you knock them out. Ask about passwords.”
To his relief Lance was waiting for them at the bottom of the next set of stairs. “Topolski!” Lance glanced around before moving to greet him. “What took you so long?”
“Covering your ass,” Nicholas replied. “First floor is clear.”
“I hope you didn’t have any trouble with the cannon fodder,” Lance chuckled. “The real operation is down here. But as I’ve gotten closer to the bosses the resistance has gotten stiffer. They’ve barricaded themselves in.”
“What, can’t just blast through?” Nicholas asked with a bit of anger. “With all your big talk I expected this place to already have been turned to rubble.”
Rika turned her head slightly to keep him and Lance in view as Lance stepped closer. “Listen, Topolski.” He put a friendly hand on Nicholas’ shoulder. “I know that you’re an excellent tamer. Your dragons even taught us a thing or two. Isn’t that right, Rika?”
“Yes, Master.”
“But you’ve gone soft.” Lance’s smile no longer held any warmth. “Rika is stronger than every single one of this ‘new harem’ of yours - and you refuse to do what’s right for the league. You’ve become a liability.”
Realization dawned. “You’re the reason nobody contacted me.”
“As the leader of the Elite Four, and senior remaining tamer of the Indigo League, I had to make decisions with the Champion nowhere to be found,” Lance replied. “I’m sure you understand.”
Nicholas shrugged off Lance’s hand. “I understand that you made a power play.”
“I did what was best for the League.”
“Which just so happened to be what was best for you.” Nicholas crossed his arms. “You used the Team Rocket crisis to take over, and now you’re trying to sweet talk me because you expected to be the only one here. ‘Champion Lance Blackthorn single-handedly demolishes Team Rocket, once and for all’ just doesn’t have the same ring to it as ‘Blackthorn and Topolski.’” His eyes narrowed. “But you can’t do it alone, can you? Is Rika the only one you brought?” Nicholas chuckled darkly. “You believed your own over-inflated ego and now you’re fucked.”
“Rika could-“
“Yeah, maybe she could,” Nicholas agreed. “But she’s held back by her tamer. A man who controls his dragons - not one who connects with them.”
“You’ve gone too far, Topolski,” Lance warned. “Insulting me means you insult my family.”
“Why? It’s not their fault you’ve lost your way.” Nicholas waved his hand dismissively. “Go ahead and give up. My harem and I will finish the job.”
“You’ll fail,” Lance hissed. “You’re too weak.”
“Unlike you I wasn’t born a dragon tamer,” Nicholas replied calmly. “I became one because of who I am. Because I worked to build connections with my pokegirls.” He looked at Rika but the Dragonite was silent. “That’s the reason I’m not running away, even if my harem is ‘weaker’ than you think they need to be. Because no matter how badly we might get beaten in a fight we don’t give up.”
Lance snorted. “You’ll get yourself killed.”
“Well then I won’t be around to challenge you.” Nicholas raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“We’re heading up top, Rika.” Lance shoved past Nicholas’ harem. “Let the former Champion throw his life away.”
“Someone once told me,” Nicholas called as Lance moved up the stairs, “that it doesn’t matter how you attain power. It’s how you choose to use it that decides whether you deserve it.”
Lance didn’t slow and he vanished from sight after a few seconds.
But Rika still stood beside him. As Nicholas turned to her the Dragonite reached into her battle uniform and withdrew a pouch.
“Be safe, Champion Topolski,” she said quietly. “I believe Master Lance is confused. He needs friends such as you.”
“RIKA!”
Nicholas accepted the pouch from her. “I’ll see you again.”
Rika nodded slightly. “With luck, sir, I will see you soon.” She glanced up the staircase before following Lance.
Miyuki drifted closer as she left. “What did she give you?”
Nicholas opened the drawstring and sniffed the powder inside. “It’s… medicine?” He put a small amount on his fingertip and tasted the herbs. “Whoah. Good medicine.” He turned to Miyuki and poured a little into her hand. “Swallow that.”
Miyuki frowned but did as he instructed. Instantly she straightened up and her tail flicked. “I feel-“ she shivered. “My fatigue is gone.”
Nicholas doled out a portion to the others before pulling Hana’s pokeball from his belt. “If this is what I think it is…” he released the Ampharos and bent down. “Here, Hana. Take this.”
Hana took the remaining powder. “Master?”
“It should help your leg.”
Hana blinked but swallowed the rest. She gasped in pain as energy curled down her skin, focusing on her broken leg, and with a flash of light the twisted bone snapped back into place. Immediately Hana pushed herself upright, testing the leg before putting her full weight on it and staring wide-eyed at Nicholas. “Master it’s- it’s healed.”
“A medicine that returns any pokegirl to full health, no matter her injuries.” Nicholas carefully closed the bag to preserve any remaining powder. “Thank you, Rika.”
“We’re going further then, Master?” Ryuko asked. “What about the barricades?”
“Barricades exist to be broken.” Nicholas let out his breath. It was just like the last time he had chased down Team Rocket. Alone as he approached their boss.
But he wasn’t alone. He turned, looking at each of his harem individually. He had them. A team that had started small, when he still hadn’t been sure if they were enough, which had grown into what they were now. A group of pokegirls he believed in. And more importantly, he had become a tamer who believed in himself.
“Ryuko is with me. Miyuki, I need your eyes and ears. Nessa will lead us, and Sera will support her.” He looked at Hana. “Hana-“
“I will support my Alpha, Master,” Hana said. “None will touch her.”
Nicholas nodded. “We don’t split up again. No matter the situation.” He looked around one last time. “Ready?” When the harem nodded back he turned down the corridor. “GO!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Sir! The intruders!”
A man sitting behind an ornate wooden desk swiveled his chair away. “Why have they not been dealt with.”
“They’ve broken through every defense. We can’t stop them! Please, sir-“
“SILENCE!” The man didn’t turn around. “If you can not deal with a single tamer you are unworthy to be a part of Giovanni’s Team Rocket.” He glanced back when a nearby pokegirl snickered. “Do not bother me again.”
“Unworthy! Unworthy!” The girl parroted in the man’s voice.
The grunt paled and stepped back. “Sir-“
“LEAVE ME!”
A group of Raticate cowered behind their makeshift barrier, listening to the approaching roars. “What do we do?” one asked nervously. “They weren’t supposed to get this far!”
“I heard they’re dragons,” another responded fearfully. “Do you think…?”
“They couldn’t be,” the first whispered.
“THEY’RE HERE!” Another Raticate scrambled back, running towards her tamer before a harsh shout sent her back to the barrier. “What do we do do we dooo?”
Nicholas rounded the corner to see the pile of rubble and the group hiding behind it. “Hana-“ he paused. The piled stone would absorb any electricity. Unless… “No, Nessa. Soak it!”
Nessa felt a twinge of fatigue but powered through, pulling from her body instead of her aura to send a stream of water crashing into the barricade. The pokegirls cowering behind it squeaked when water trickled through but the barrier held, dissipating Nessa’s attack harmlessly.
“We’re okay-!”
“NOW, HANA!”
Hana slammed her hands into the wet ground and sent a wave of electricity surging down the hallway. The Raticate screamed as the current skipped through the damp barricade and into their bodies, dropping every one to the ground. The Rockets behind them broke into panicked shouts, beginning to scramble away when Sera appeared. Perching only for a moment on top of the rubble the Crobat struck, darting from human to human until the group was reduced to a number of moaning piles on the floor.
Nicholas shoved a piece of rubble aside to more easily scale the barrier. Ignoring the unconscious pokegirls he pointed at one of the grunts that was beginning to recover. “Sera.”
The man gasped when Sera grabbed his uniform and shoved him against the wall. “Answer me,” Sera hissed, baring her fangs, “or I suck you dry. The vault. What is the password?”
“You- you’d never get in,” the man grunted. “It’s-“
He yelped when Sera lunged at his throat. A drop of blood trickled down his neck where Sera’s fang had nicked him but the Crobat had stopped before actually biting him. “Answer me.”
“I don’t-“ the grunt whimpered when he felt his skin rub against Sera’s fangs. “Please, you- you have to believe me.” His eyes darted to Nicholas pleadingly. “Only the Admins can get in.”
“And where are they?” Nicholas walked up behind Sera. “Apparently resistance down here got ‘pretty tough’, but I haven’t seen anything close to a threat yet.”
“The- the other intruder.” The grunt swallowed when Sera pulled back ever so slightly. “Miss…” Nicholas frowned when the grunt trailed off. Before he could press him the grunt screwed his eyes shut. “Miss Ariana chased him off. We didn’t think there was another one!”
“And where is this Ariana now.”
“If the vault is closed she’s inside.” The grunt’s eye cracked open and he gave Nicholas a confident smirk. “She’d never open it now. And you’ll never get to the Boss.”
“Yes, yes, Archer. He’s here too?” Nicholas glanced around with a bored expression. “One Admin cowering behind a locked door, the other hiding somewhere…”
“Mister Archer?” The grunt had opened both eyes and was grinning now. “He’s not the Boss.”
Nicholas’ gaze snapped back to the smiling grunt. “Giovanni is gone.”
“I’ve seen him.” The grunt tried to move but Sera pressed him harder against the wall. “He’s here. He’s-“
The grunt gurgled when Sera shoved her face into his and screamed. The sonic blast battered the poor man until his mouth popped open, eyes rolling back as blood trickled from his nose and he fainted. Sera callously dropped him to the ground, snarling slightly before moving to Nicholas’ side. “He wasn’t going to tell us anything else, Master Nicholas.”
“No, I agree. As soon as he started talking about Giovanni his will returned.” Nicholas looked around. “It’s terrifying how that man inspires such… fanaticism.”
“The boss of Team Rocket… that you defeated?” Sera asked.
“I don’t care what the cannon fodder claim. He’s not here.” Nicholas turned down the hall. “Giovanni wasn’t the kind of man who hid away from a challenge. If he was here, he’d have shown up already. Especially if he knew it was me coming for him.” He glanced up at another hidden camera as they walked. “But if it’s not Archer, who could it be?”
Another few encounters led them to a fortified room. Inside Nicholas could see multiple men in lab coats feverishly working at computer terminals; a few uniformed grunts stood guard.
“Well this level seems to have a bit more activity, doesn’t it?” Nicholas asked as he ducked some whipping vines from a pokegirl behind the door. “A bit more variety as well. Let’s see… Sera, you want this one too?”
Ryuko snorted. “Should my sister not take a rest? She is not the only one of us sworn to battle.”
“Hm. Ryuko’s actually got a point,” Nicholas amended as Sera moved forwards. “If possible I’d like to get access to one of those computers… Too violent an attack and they’d be destroyed.” He nodded at Ryuko. “We need a surgical, precise strike.”
Ryuko smiled behind her mask. “Hai, Master.”
Sera snorted but ducked back to allow Ryuko access. Instead of approaching the fortified door, however, Ryuko turned to the window. Nicholas could see the guards looking at her in confusion. “The window is probably reinforced as well, Ryuko.”
“Perhaps it was, once.” Ryuko extended her arms, massive metal claws forming around her hands. “I have felt it as we traveled this place… before it became a den of evil, I believe it was a stronghold of the Clans. Easily defensible. Strategically located.” She slammed one claw against the glass and grinned when spiderweb cracks raced across the surface. “But the current occupiers are fools.”
Panicked screams came from the scientists closest to the window when she burst through, slamming a claw into one of the computer tables and sending a flurry of paper and metal through the air to foul up the guards rushing to respond. One of their pokegirls darted past, the lamia clearing the smokescreen and striking at Ryuko. Ryuko laughed when the girl recoiled in pain, a shattered fang showing her inability to pierce her armor, and with a battle cry she waded into the rushing crowd.
Nicholas held his breath when poison mist filled the air. Two of the scientists collapsed at their seats, foam specking at their lips as they seized, with the culprits for the attack rising into view. Two Koffing appeared from their hiding place, focusing their gases to swirl around Ryuko, and the guards slowed when they saw Ryuko disappear in the purple haze.
Pokegirls and humans alike paled when Ryuko’s laugh echoed from the cloud. In a blur of red she struck, one of the Koffing falling without even a scream. The other managed to dodge away, escaping with only a gash, as Ryuko turned towards the scrambling guards. Her mask covered her face entirely now, protecting her fully from the poison and giving the Scizor a horrifying, blank look that clashed with her continued laughter.
It was almost psychotic, Nicholas realized, watching as the guards scrambled to keep their pokegirls between themselves and the advancing Scizor. Every move she made was calculated; a feint one direction forced the vine pokegirl, what appeared to be an Oddish or Gloom, to dodge directly into the line of fire from one of the other pokegirls. The Grass-type screamed as flames licked up her back, a Growlithe paling when she saw her attack drop her ally.
Shouting from the remaining scientists drew Nicholas’ attention and he blinked in surprise. Bursting into view was… Ryuko? Or at least another Scizor that looked exactly like her. Ryuko also fell back in surprise, blocking the new threat as she tried to gauge this unexpected opponent.
Nessa growled when she saw the Growlithe sneaking around the ruined tables and prepared to attack. She knew what little regard these tamers had for pokegirls. If they could take down Ryuko, they wouldn’t hesitate to order their pokegirls to hit their own allies in the process. Even though the other Scizor was locked in hand to hand combat.
Nicholas saw Nessa move into position and considered calling her back, but decided against it. The only remaining computers may have been behind the Growlithe she was targeting but her decision was the correct one.
Cheers came from the rockets when the Growlithe struck which quickly turned to horror when a deluge of water blasted past the grappling Scizor to engulf the Growlithe. Choking noises could be heard from the girl as her flames were extinguished and a few moments later she was lying among the ruined computers.
Ryuko snarled when her moves were countered perfectly by this new Scizor. It seemed every strike she made, every feint, every step was mirrored. How? To imagine that a pokegirl trained as she had would fall to Team Rocket wasn’t hard; betrayal was commonplace. But that this pokegirl would be here, would so completely match her, HER, her Master’s first blade… These things were impossible.
Suddenly the Scizor faltered. Ryuko watched in surprise as her body shuddered, deforming slightly before snapping back into a mirror image of her own. Could it be…?
Ryuko clenched her fists, reabsorbing the metal she had built around them and charging in. The Scizor across from her fell back, her own claws liquefying to reveal fists – clenched precisely as Ryuko’s were. Ryuko’s eyes narrowed and she rotated, orienting herself so the other Scizor had her back to the poison cloud that still filled most of the room. With a roar she charged forwards, battering her opponent backwards until they both vanished into the mist.
Ryuko grinned when the other Scizor began choking. Her body liquefied, the strange slime girl trying desperately to maintain Ryuko’s form until the poison simply became too much. With a scream she collapsed, losing all hint of a humanoid form as her unconscious body spread across the floor.
When the scientists saw their trump card fall they broke, rushing the door in an attempt to escape. The group ground to a halt when they saw who waited for them. Miyuki smiled at the terrified humans, glancing at Hana before giving her permission with a tiny nod of her head. Screams filled the air as Hana blasted them with electricity, Ryuko striding out of the poison as her mask pulled back to show her narrowed eyes.
In an instant it was over. The only remaining pokegirl, another Raticate, was cowering next to the still conscious humans as Nicholas moved into the room. Sera had already begun clearing the air, pushing the poison gas out into the hallway where it was quickly being siphoned away by the ventilation system. “Excellently done, Ryuko.” He turned to Nessa with a mock-serious frown. “Nessa, I remember saying that I wanted the computers alive.”
Nessa gave him a disgruntled look in return. “The Growlithe.”
“I know.” Nicholas grinned and pulled her into a hug that ended with a kiss when he moved back. “Well done.” Nessa grinned happily and moved to join Miyuki and Hana while Nicholas approached the surrendering grunts. “All right.” He scanned the group. Most were sullenly staring at the ground, but one caught his eye. She seemed to be intentionally keeping her eyes away from anything else. “You.” When a few of the grunts glanced up, but the woman didn’t, his eyes narrowed. “You, the woman in the middle.”
Finally she glanced up at him. “What do you want, intruder?”
“You’re the leader of this little guard outfit, aren’t you?” He smiled when the woman’s eye twitched. “I thought so. Stand up.”
“Do what you will to me.” The woman raised her chin defiantly. “Team Rocket will never yield.”
“Says the coward with her hands behind her back,” Nicholas replied with a blank smile. “Get up. Or I’ll have my pokegirls move you.” Slowly the woman got to her feet. “Good. Now. Where is your boss?”
“Hmph.” The woman sneered. “You seek death?”
“I seek your boss,” Nicholas snarled. “Either I can tear down every single fucking door in this base, or you can save everyone some time and tell me WHERE HE IS!”
A few sets of eyes turned to him in shock. His harem had never heard Nicholas truly angry before and it seemed to have the right effect on the grunt. “Who am I to keep you from your defeat?” She jerked her head down the hall. “His office is on the other side of the basement. But the door is locked.”
“And what is the password.”
“It changes.”
“What was it last?”
The woman smiled. “Raticatetail.”
“And now?”
The woman’s smile grew. “Ask him.”
“Maybe I will.” Nicholas turned away and waved his hand. “Ryuko, or Sera, someone shut them up.”
A few of the grunts pleaded but within minutes they were trussed and gagged.
“Master-“ Ryuko’s eyes drifted to where the Ditto had been before they had found her pokeball. “I was unable to defeat myself.”
“Really? Because she seemed pretty defeated to me.” Nicholas straightened his clothes and glanced at the door. “Everyone good? Ready to find this boss?”
“Nicholas…” Miyuki moved closer to him and gently wrapped her arms around his chest. “Are you okay?”
“I’m-“ Nicholas stopped. Nessa was also looking at him with a worried expression and even Ryuko’s eyes were softer than usual. “-I’ll be fine.”
“Do I need to pry?” Nessa smiled when Nicholas rolled his eyes. “Do we need to have a talk?”
“Nessa, I’m fine. Really.” Nicholas took a deep breath. “It’s just… everything. With Lance. Team Rocket. The Gyarados at the lake, all this talk of what I’m expected to be and do and… All of these morons who keep talking like Giovanni is here.” He resisted the urge to kick the female grunt. “I’m frustrated. Powerless.” He looked at her. “Human.”
“You’re so fond of saying that,” Nessa teased. “But if you weren’t human, you wouldn’t be our tamer. Our Master.” Her gentle smile calmed him and Nicholas let out the breath he had been holding when she laughed. “Besides. I’ve seen you be more.” The smile firmed as her eyes hardened. “I’ve seen you be much, much more.”
“So have I.” Hana looked from Nessa to Nicholas. “I have seen that as well, Master.”
“Me too,” Sera added.
“I haven’t seen it. Yet,” Miyuki amended from behind him. “But I believe it to be true.”
Ryuko’s firm hand on his shoulder broke the tension in Nicholas’ body and she stepped around to look at him. She had dropped her mask so that Nicholas could see the emotions written across her face. “Legend or no,” she said quietly, “there is more to you than any simple human, Master. How many times did it take you to convince me of the same?” She smiled. “Now it is my turn.”
“Thank you.” Nicholas took a steadying breath. “I needed to hear that. All of it. Thank you.”
“An usurper claims your title.” Ryuko’s head cocked. “Your enemies surround you. To hold doubts is expected, Master. To allow them to control you… is failure.” She grinned. “And my Master has not failed.”
Nicholas gripped her arm in return. “No. I have not.”
“We stand as your blades.” Ryuko gestured with her hand to include the rest of the harem. For the first time, Nicholas realized with a start, she included them in her special terminology. “No head moves alone. You command; we follow.” She glanced over his shoulder at Miyuki. “Yes, Alpha?”
“That’s right.” Miyuki’s grip tightened around him. “Like Nessa said. If you weren’t human, you couldn’t be our Master. We need you as you are.” She moved a hand to join Ryuko’s with a small smile. “If you have doubts, share them. You don’t have to suffer alone.”
Nicholas felt tears beading in his eyes and he let them fall, bowing his head slightly as he fought not to completely break down. “Thank you.” He sniffed, taking his free hand and awkwardly reaching back to ruffle Miyuki’s ear. “I think… I think I’ve shared my doubts. And you’ve all taken them away.” When he next looked up the pokegirls in front of him could see that a steady determination had returned to his expression. “There are still many things I want to discover. About myself, about all of you. We haven’t had the chance. The time. But after today, we will. Once Team Rocket has been dismantled I will make that time.” He gently pulled from Miyuki’s grasp and Ryuko let go of his arm. “I’m ready. Let’s find their boss.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The man snarled when there was a knock at his door. “I swear, if another one of you morons is here to cry about the intruder…”
Nicholas paused with his hand in midair. The voice… it had been a few years since he’d heard Giovanni’s, but it sounded familiar. Not exactly the way he remembered the Viridian gym leader’s voice, and definitely not the way he spoke, but familiar enough that it made him pause.
Maybe he’d try to guess the password first. This close, if there was even a miniscule chance that it really was Giovanni behind the door, he wanted any element of surprise possible.
Nicholas turned his attention to the keypad. The previous password had been ‘Raticatetail’, so he typed that in. As he entered the last letter the pad beeped a negative tone and flashed twice before clearing. The top of the pad had lit up, twelve stars for the twelve letters.
So twelve was the max. Nicholas cleared the entry and settled back with a sigh. It felt like he had been challenged, one last act of defiance from the guard leader to him. If he couldn’t figure out the password using the previous one, she’d have her victory, even in defeat. It was annoying. But silently he admired her will. Very few of the Rockets, and even fewer of their grunts were able to back up their actions.
His harem watched him from their ready positions. Nicholas pondered for a few minutes before pulling out his pokedex and entering a custom search. What if he assumed that the password was twelve letters exactly. There didn’t seem to be an enter key on the pad so it would make sense. In that case, going on the previous password, the last four letters would probably be ‘tail’. Other eight letter pokegirl breeds, which had tails…
Too many to guess. Nicholas scrolled down the list with a frown. In fact, except for the letters X and Y, there seemed to be a pokegirl for every letter of the alphabet. Wonderful.
Every letter. Nicholas stopped at the R’s. Raticate was there, as was Remoraid and a few others. But next were…
S. He quickly scanned the S list. Would they just go down the alphabet? It seemed too easy.
There. He froze, memories of the start of his journey through Johto flashing by. Slowpoke had eight letters. And Team Rocket had been harvesting their tails.
He closed his pokedex and slowly typed in the letters, hesitating before the final L. This could be it. It made too much sense. S was next in the alphabet after R, Team Rocket had been running an operation harvesting Slowpoke tails, a lazy person would use the first word that came to mind. And if this really were the new boss, they’d know all about the Azalea operation.
He felt someone move beside him and looked up to see Miyuki staring back at him. “We’re ready.”
Nicholas nodded slightly and turned back to the keypad. He pressed the final letter.
One beep from the door and a lock clicked open.
The man sighed when his door swung open. “What is it now.” When Nicholas stepped through he frowned. “You’re out of uniform.”
Nicholas let out a shaky breath, his harem flowing in behind him. The man staring at him… it couldn’t be Giovanni. It just couldn’t. But…
The outfit, the way the man had his brim pulled over his eyes. The way he sat, everything was the same as the Team Rocket leader. There just was something off. Something not right. “You’re not Giovanni.”
The man raised an eyebrow. “You must be the intruder.” He got smoothly to his feet. “I don’t know how you got the password to my office, but you’re very mistaken. I am the leader of Team Rocket – I am the majestic Giovanni himself!”
“No.” Nicholas felt his breathing steady. Now that he had seen this man move there was no doubt. This was not Giovanni. “You’re dressed like him but you’re not. I’ve met Giovanni. I’ve fought Giovanni. You’re a cheap fake.”
Sudden laughter from the corner of the room made the entire group jump and Nicholas whirled to see a bird pokegirl with jet-black feathers absolutely losing it on a small couch. “Cheap! Cheap!” Nicholas’ own words echoed as she continued to laugh. “Fake!”
“Oh, be quiet,” the man snarled. “What do you MEAN I’m a cheap fake? I’ve worked so hard to mimic him!” The man ripped his hat off to reveal purple hair. “Who do you think you are, eh? That hurt!”
“You must be another one of the Admins.” Nicholas watched the man move about in a huff. “Archer wouldn’t let some random grunt play dress-up.”
“Oh, you know Archer too, but I’m ‘just some Admin’,” the man grumbled. “Yeah, I’m Petrel. Team Rocket’s disguise master.” He shot Nicholas a look. “Master. Just because you happened to see through this one doesn’t make that any less true.”
“Sure, buddy.” Nicholas had kept an eye on the lounging pokegirl but she wasn’t making any move towards them. “So is this the part where you resist arrest?”
“Wahahahaha!” Petrel plopped back in his chair and leaned back with a grin. “Ooh, we’ve got a cop on our tail, eh? No, I doubt that. Cops are too incompetent to make it this far, even if it was through a bunch of no-good grunts. You from that task force they set up for us? Fun games we’ve had with them.”
“No. I’m not from the task force. But I’m taking you down.”
“Sure, sure.” Petrel chuckled. “I don’t really care what you do to the hideout. It’s served its use. But me?” He smiled. “I’ve got places to be.”
“You’re not going anywhere.”
“I’m not, am I?” Petrel’s eyes twinkled. “For years we’ve worked to attract Giovanni’s attention. To show him that Team Rocket is ready for him to return. I’m not going to let one goody two shoes get in my way.” His smile brightened. “Oh! I tell you what – I’ll give you a little gift, and you let me walk away.”
Nicholas got into a ready position. “Not happening.”
“Ah, well, you’re getting the gift either way. It would be nice if you returned the favor.”
Nicholas’ eyes narrowed. “No.”
“Fine, fine. Like I said, I don’t care what you do to the place, so the control room? Password is ‘Hail Giovanni’. Good luck getting in though.” Petrel settled back. “Door’s voice-coded. Only the Admins can get through.”
“Well then.” Nicholas gave him a smile. “I’ll just have to take you with me.”
“Nope! See you later, mystery man.” With a laugh the ceiling burst open, multiple pokegirls dropping from the vents as smoke began filling the room. “Congratulations, hero! Nothing you’ve done has changed a thing!”
Nicholas coughed, holding his shirt over his nose and mouth as his eyes began to water. Thankfully the Koffing weren’t spewing poison because if they were he’d probably be dead. Ryuko had vanished into the smokescreen almost instantly, her mask protecting her from the smoke as she pursued the fleeing figures. A hidden door had opened behind the desk and she dove through, striking at the first shape she saw.
Petrel’s laughter mocked her as she struggled to pull her sword free from the wall, the decoy she had struck split down the middle. But her targets had escaped.
Ryuko waded back into the office to see Sera clearing the air and none of the pokegirls. “Master…”
“Don’t even think about apologizing.” Nicholas retched, coughing to clear the rest of the smoke from his lungs. “Shit. He got us. He got us good.”
“Do we follow, Master?” Hana was squinting at the escape tunnel. “If we hurry-“
“No. I’m not chasing someone like that down a blind tunnel. He got away.” Nicholas groaned. “Fuck. He’s right, too. We’ve gained nothing. If the door really is voice-coded knowing the password is worthless.”
“Nicholas!” A squawk could be heard as Nessa pulled the bird pokegirl out of hiding. “She was waiting to ambush us!”
“Waiting!” the girl retorted. “Ambush, no.” Her sentences mixed Nessa and Nicholas’ voices and Nicholas could see her throat visibly flexing as she mimicked their words. “Team Rocket – through!”
“Find a pokeball for her. I think she’s trying to say that she’s done working for Team Rocket, but we’ll let the task force decide what to do with her.” Nicholas was turning away when Nessa yelped in pain.
The girl landed, scrambling away when Ryuko lunged for her and throwing herself out the door. “Done nothing!” She slowly retreated when Ryuko and Sera followed her into the hall. “Getting away.”
“Hana!” Nicholas followed the Ampharos out and pointed. “Knock her out!”
“PASSWORD!”
Nicholas jumped. The mimicry of Petrel’s voice had been uncanny. Up until this point he’d been able to tell that it was just her mimicking them but that line had been perfect. When she saw him stop she screeched again. “PASSWORD! Hail Giovanni!”
Nicholas blinked. “Are you offering to open the door for us?”
The girl backed a few more steps down the hall. “Hail Giovanni! No chasing me?”
Nicholas slowly motioned forwards. “Let’s follow her.”
The girl cautiously led them through the hideout and up the steps to the second floor. As she approached the vault doors she grew increasingly nervous. “Password,” she tried. “Get away.”
Nicholas glanced around. The common mood was uncertainty and he sighed. “If I ever hear of a pokegirl like you working for Team Rocket again, I will hunt you down myself.”
The girl grinned happily. “Nope! Nice!”
“Fine.” Nicholas nodded at the door. “Open it.”
The girl positioned herself in front of the door and drew herself up. “Password – Hail Giovanni!” When the lights flicked green she giggled and scampered further towards the exit. “Good hero! Good luck!”
Nicholas kept his eyes on the door. Some of the grunts had said another Admin was holed up inside. What could be waiting for him?
The bird pokegirl emerged onto the first floor to see a number of strange people walking around. With a quiet hiss she flattened into a shadow, waiting for some to pass by and start down the stairs. One of the pair glanced in her direction but didn’t pursue, her large wings flaring slightly to keep her balance as she followed the other to the second floor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Sir!” A Rocket grunt looked up from his computer. “Message from Admin Petrel. The hideout has been compromised. He’s in retreat.”
“No matter.” Archer stroked his pokegirl’s hair. “We got what we needed from that operation. The signal has been perfected.” He turned to another grunt. “Has our team reached the Whirl Islands yet?”
“Yes sir,” the grunt replied. “They’ve confirmed the increase in storm activity.”
“The gods are angry.” A smile spread across Archer’s lips.
“She’s here.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
POKEDEX UPDATED
Tamer: Nicholas Topolski
Badges:
Zephyr Badge
Hive Badge
Plain Badge
Storm Badge
Mineral Badge
Harem:
Miyuki, Eevee (Alpha) – Level 34
Nessa, Feraligatr – Level 34
Sera, Crobat – Level 34
Ryuko, Scizor – Level 34
Hana, Ampharos – Level 34