Disclaimer:
This work is fiction. The work is presented under fair protection where applicable.
Feedback will be read, processed, and if it’s a flame it will be given the finger, then I will burst into hysterical laughter. Constructive feedback, be it criticism or praise, will be read, processed, given a smile, and filed away. To contact me, please send an email to socom.seal@(SPAM)yahoo.com. Remove (SPAM) for a valid email.
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 25
Radio
Nicholas sat and watched Bill fiddle with his computer. The Porygon was unconscious, reduced to nothing but her core, which levitated in an electric field generator. “How’s it going?”
“I’ve successfully added a prime directive, but I can’t override her core directive.” Bill sighed. “I’m afraid she’s yours, Nicholas. Literally until she ceases to exist.”
“I’m used to it by now,” Nicholas replied, thinking of all his other pokegirls that acted the same way. “What can you add as a directive?”
“I’m seeing if she’ll accept ‘Repair damaged systems’ as a prime directive. If she does, I might have figured out how to cure Porygon-Z.” He grinned. “Of course you deserve half the credit. I wouldn’t have been able to attempt this without the core override.”
“Uh huh.” Nicholas gazed at the Porygon thoughtfully. “Glad I could solve another problem by sticking my dick in it.” He blinked. “Wait. She was insane until I stuck my dick in her. She was feral and I tamed her.”
Bill’s eyes widened. “Porygon don’t go feral. But your analogy makes sense. I wonder if Team Rocket is creating Porygon-Z by inducing a feral state?” He gasped. “Yes, and that’s why they’re reduced to a core directive, it’s the same as a feral pokegirl - pure instinct! Nicholas I don’t know how nobody else has realized this but you’ve just solved the entire puzzle!”
Nicholas watched as Bill’s fingers flew across the keyboard. “I bet nobody else has realized because I’m the first idiot to whip out my penis in front of a Team Rocket-brainwashed Porygon.”
Bill nodded sagely. “This is likely true.”
“So?”
“So,” Bill typed in a few more lines and turned to the Porygon, “let’s see if this takes.”
They watched the core do nothing for a few minutes before Nicholas cleared his throat. “Is something supposed to happen…?”
“Hm.” Bill turned back to the computer. “It’s downloaded. Why isn’t she activating…” he frowned when something flashed. “Huh. Never seen that before.”
Nicholas glanced over his shoulder but he couldn’t make sense of the random lines of code. “And that is?”
“Hear me out.”
Nicholas groaned. “What now.”
“I’m not her Master, her core directive, and neither is this computer.” Bill slapped the monitor with a chuckle. “So while she’s downloaded the directive she won’t integrate it with her core.” He leered at Nicholas. “Not unless her Master tells her to.”
“You’re telling me to stick my dick in it again.”
Bill chortled. “Think of it as uh… ‘manual override’.”
“I swear this is the most ridiculous solution possible,” Nicholas grumbled. “Did you create the Porygon?”
“Me? Oh no. They were created by a genetics lab on Cinnabar Island.”
Nicholas stopped with his pants half lowered. “Son of a bitch.”
Bill blinked. “Sorry?”
“I know exactly who to blame for this now.” Nicholas reached into the field and retrieved the Porygon’s core. “And they are going to be getting an angry message as soon as we’re done here.”
“Once she’s repaired it’ll be more like taming an actual pokegirl,” Bill supplied. “I mean, if you have to do it again.”
“Oh I know. She already made herself a body while you were getting your tools,” Nicholas grumbled. “But now we’re back to fucking an orb.” He glared at the dormant core. “Okay, you know why I hate this so much? I feel like I’m about to stick my penis in an electrical outlet. I know I’m NOT, but it sure FEELS like I am.”
Bill was collapsed on his chair, laughing his head off. “Electrifying!”
“Seriously, this is how you program Porygon? It’s stupid!”
“No, no,” Bill gasped. “This one is just damaged. I can program Maya, or let her program herself without any issue.”
“Yeah. We’ve been over the whole ‘insane’ thing.” Nicholas sighed and brought the core to his crotch. “This feels so weird.”
The sensation when he pushed his dick in was just as pleasant as before and Nicholas shifted his grip on the core. Maybe if he just imagined that he was masturbating, and the core was just a very advanced sex toy, it wouldn’t be so strange.
Which… actually was kind of what he was doing, now that he thought about it. The Porygon was a synthetic pokegirl, and pokegirls needed sex from humans, so she kind of was an artificial sex toy. That wasn’t all she was, but-
He hadn’t been paying attention and a bit of precum leaked into the core. Immediately he felt the surface growing warm and with a yelp tried to pull away. Before he could sparks flowed across his body, encircling his waist as a pair of blank legs formed, followed quickly by a torso, arms, and a head. The Porygon moaned, wrapping her arms around his chest and pulling him into her embrace. He was still penetrating the core but now it rested inside the Porygon’s body just below her stomach.
Bill waited and nodded when the girl didn’t do anything more. “Well. You woke her up.”
Nicholas sighed to himself. “I haven’t cum yet. And I have a feeling I’m not free until I do.”
Bill chuckled. “Sure seems that way. She’s wrapped around you real good.”
“Excellent.” The Porygon’s body was nearly weightless. He could feel where it was touching him, but if not for that he would have only thought that he was still lifting the core. “So…” he tried to thrust but even though the Porygon was light her legs still locked her in place. “Hm. Can’t move. What about…” he moved his hands under the Porygon’s ass and lifted. Her grip didn’t allow him to move her very far but it was enough to move her core and he let out a low groan as it sucked at his dick. “Yep. That worked. Holy shit.”
A few more reverse thrusts and Nicholas burst, having to catch himself on a chair to avoid falling over. Almost immediately the Porygon stirred, her grip loosening until her head pulled back to look at him. “Master.” Her legs unlocked and she removed herself from his dick, standing in front of him with her arms and legs perfectly straight. Like a mannequin, all the way down to her completely blank features. “Prime directive accepted. Language center online. This unit will now begin self diagnostic. Error. Diagnostic failure. Beginning backup diagnostic. Error…”
Nicholas turned away from her as the Porygon kept spouting random processes. “Is she okay?”
“Yes. She is.” Bill settled back with a happy sigh. “She’s in repair mode. It might take a while, but she should rebuild, well, the parts of her that made her sentient. She’s already begun.” He gestured at the still droning girl. “She’s talking.”
“So she’s no longer classified as a Z?”
“I’m not sure,” Bill mused. “We’ll have to see how much she’s able to repair. She may never fully recover.”
“Is that why she called herself ‘this unit’? She doesn’t see herself as a living being?”
“Not yet.” Bill stood. “We can leave her to do her thing.”
“…no, I’m her Master.” Nicholas moved to a chair and took a seat. “I should be here.”
Bill smiled slightly. “That’s why I’m glad Miyuki accepted you, Nicholas. You’re a good man.”
Nicholas shrugged and Bill walked out, closing the door behind him to leave Nicholas and the droning Porygon alone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Is Master Nicholas okay?”
Bill nodded at Sera. “He’s in my lab. I’m sure he’ll call if there’s any problems.”
Sera grumbled and shifted, flipping over on the couch. “I’m bored.”
Bill chuckled. “Where’s Miyuki? I’m sure your Alpha can find something for you to do.”
Sera stiffened. “I’m watching Master Nicholas.”
“Really? From out here?” Bill winked. “I’m sure you are.”
“The radio doesn’t work in that room,” Sera grumbled. “It’s not working out here either. I think it broke when I went in there last night.”
“Really?” Bill turned to the silent radio. “I thought it was off.”
“No. No signal.” Sera flipped again, now upside down with her legs hooked over the back of the couch. “Stupid.”
Bill stood. “Let me see if I can fix the radio for you.”
Sera watched him walk over. For some reason as the man got closer she got more irritated. “It’s broken. I told you.”
“And maybe I can fix it,” Bill soothed, reaching for the radio.
“NO!” Bill jerked his hand back when Sera snarled. “Maybe it’s not. You’ll just break it more!”
“Miss Sera I promise you, I won’t,” Bill replied. “It’s probably just a crossed wire or something…”
“DON’T TOUCH IT!” Bill had his hand on the radio and his eyes snapped up to see Sera twisting, already mid attack with her fangs bared. With a scream he flung himself backwards, the radio flipping into the air when he let go in an attempt to protect himself.
Smash!
Sera yelped in pain and clutched her nose. “Ow! Ow!”
Bill scrambled away from the Crobat. She had flown right into the radio. Fragments of metal were everywhere, the radio itself broken in half. “W-Why did you attack me?” He blinked when Sera abruptly groaned and clutched her skull. “…Miss Sera?”
“Ah… head… hurts.” She sank to the floor as tears beaded in her eyes. “Hurts…”
Bill hesitated before getting back up. “I’m getting Nicholas.”
Nicholas looked over when the door opened. “Nicholas?” Bill poked his head into the lab. “Sera’s acting strangely. I think she’s hurt.”
“She try to suck your blood or something?”
“Um, no.” Bill winced. “She tried to attack me.”
Nicholas shot to his feet. “She did what?”
“Now she’s crying on the floor.” Bill got out of the way when Nicholas pushed past him. “The Porygon?”
“Still doing her thing. SERA!” Nicholas burst into the living room, taking in the debris and finding Sera huddled in the middle of it. “EXPLAIN!”
“Master Nicholas?” Sera raised her eyes slightly to look at him. “My head…”
“Why did you attack Bill?” Nicholas strode over and yanked her to her feet. “EXPLAIN YOURSELF!”
“I… I did?” Sera stared at him in shock. “I don’t remember-“
Nicholas stared in disbelief. “You don’t remember. Look around you!” He gestured at the broken radio. “You think this radio exploded on its own? Bill isn’t strong enough to do that. You are.”
“Em, actually, if I-“ Bill offered before Nicholas held up a hand to shut him up.
“The… radio.” Sera slowly blinked her eyes. “I remember turning on the radio. Then you were here.”
“Sera.” Nicholas took a firm grip of her shoulders. “Please. Stop playing dumb. I know you’re better than this. Turning on a radio wouldn’t just make you start attacking… humans…”
Sera still had a confused look as he trailed off. “I would never attack mister Bill,” she whispered. “Master Nicholas, please! You have to believe me!”
“Sera.” Nicholas’ grip tightened on her shoulders. “I believe you. We’re in trouble.” He turned to Bill. “The radio. What station was it on?”
“Probably music,” Bill replied.
“Where is that signal broadcast?”
“All major stations come from here. The Goldenrod Radio Tower,” Bill replied. “Why?”
“…All of them?”
“There are some local stations around Johto, but the radio tower broadcasts everything else,” Bill explained. “Nicholas, what’s going on?”
“We’re under attack.” Nicholas glanced at the shattered radio. “No. Not us. Johto is. Team Rocket has made their move.” He let go of Sera and looked around. “Where’s my harem?”
“Miyuki took them outside.”
Nicholas burst out the front door. There they were. “MIYUKI!” He waved wildly at the Glaceon. “GET EVERYONE OVER HERE!”
Miyuki frowned but got to her feet. “You heard him. Move.” She looked at where Nessa was sparring with Lili. “You two, wrap it up.” She shook her head as she watched Nessa fight. “Damn, Nessa. You’re like a whole different pokegirl today.”
Lili grunted her assent and came to a halt. But Nessa didn’t. With a bloodcurdling roar she slammed into the unprepared Pupitar, driving her to the ground and raising her fists high. Water surged over her arms as she brought them down, crushing Lili’s carapace with every hit.
“Shit,” Nicholas growled as the harem froze in shock. “Miyuki GET THEM INSIDE!”
“GET OFF OF HER!” Hana screamed, sprinting at Nessa as a corona of electricity built. Nessa screamed, her entire body seizing when Hana hit her with everything she had. Lili was fine. Her carapace grounded her. So Nessa took the full brunt of the attack.
Nicholas hissed. Hana may have been acting to stop her harem sister but the attack hadn’t stopped even when Nessa stopped moving. “HANA!” He snarled when she ignored him. “All of you. ENOUGH!”
The enhanced command broke through the fog in Hana’s mind and she jerked, her attack vanishing as she stumbled. “Wh-What?” Her eyes widened when she saw Nessa slide to the ground. “N-Nessa?”
Nicholas found her pokeball and recalled the Feraligatr. “All of you. Inside. NOW.”
The harem filed in after him, Hana still wearing a shocked expression that didn’t fade when Nicholas closed the door and turned to Bill. “The rest of your house. Does it have that signal blocking thing?”
“Uh, no. But there’s copper piping in the walls,” Bill explained. “That might do something? Nicholas, what’s going on?”
“A few weeks ago I raided Team Rocket’s headquarters with Lance Blackthorn.”
“Right. That’s when the Porygon got into your pokedex.”
“Right.” Nicholas took a calming breath. “They were experimenting with radio signals. Using them to drive pokegirls into a rage.” He looked down at Nessa’s pokeball. “Those signals are being broadcast right now.”
Bill’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”
“Sera would never lie to me.” Nicholas looked at the dazed Crobat. “She says she can’t remember anything after she turned the radio on. I believe her. Nessa would never try to kill one of the others, and neither would Hana. They’re not in control of themselves.”
“Master I-“ Hana started but Nicholas raised a hand to cut her off.
“We can talk in the lab.” Nicholas turned to Bill. “It’ll fit all of us, right?”
“Yes. I have a healing machine in there as well, I think,” Bill said, leading the way and ushering the harem inside. “Lili is in bad shape.”
Lili touched the cracks that spread from where Nessa had hit her. “I’m fine… Master.”
Nicholas patted her shoulder when she held back a cough. “I know. Let’s get you healed.”
The Porygon was still mumbling about diagnostics so the harem spread out around her and Nicholas recalled Lili and Sera, handing all three pokeballs to Bill to be slotted into one half of a healing machine.
“This must be happening all over the city,” Nicholas muttered, watching the progress lights on the machine. “All over the region. Pokegirls going berserk. Attacking each other, and their tamers.”
“I didn’t feel any reason to do that,” Miyuki said. “Why Nessa?”
“Ryuko, how about you?” Nicholas asked.
The Scizor shook her head. “Obviously not, Master. I would never renege on my vows.”
“Maybe that’s why.” Nicholas stroked his chin. “Miyuki, you and Ryuko are very… ‘focused’ pokegirls. Devoted. Maybe it let you resist the weak signal that affected Nessa.”
“When you shouted at me, Master, I realized what I was doing,” Hana whispered. “I am so sorry.”
“No. That’s fine.” Nicholas nodded. “That must be it. The weak signal didn’t affect Miyuki, Ryuko, or Lili, because, well… I’m the first thing in all of your minds.” He rolled his eyes when Ryuko nodded. “Nessa was susceptible, and so were you, Hana, but I was able to break you out.”
“I heard a dragon,” Hana mumbled.
Nicholas shook his head in bemusement. “Sure. But the problem is that the signal affected Sera. She’s the same as you two, Miyuki, Ryuko. If a stronger signal can affect even her, it can affect you.”
“I believe Sera was fighting it,” Bill offered. “She seemed perfectly normal until I got close to the radio. Then she tried to warn me away, and only after I ignored her did she attack.”
Nicholas nodded. “Okay. Good.” He glanced at Sera’s pokeball. “Well done, Sera.”
“What do we do?” Miyuki sat down. “How do we stop them?”
“The radio tower is right here in Goldenrod, right Bill?”
“Yes. Just a mile or two north of us.”
“We go there then.” Nicholas looked around. “We stop Team Rocket.”
“But if the signal is active-“ Hana whispered.
“Hana.” Nicholas looked at her. “You and Nessa are sitting this one out.”
Hana bowed her head. “I’m-“
“Hana, it’s not your fault,” Nicholas comforted her. “This isn’t something you can fight and make go away. It’s okay. That’s why we work together.” He squeezed her shoulder. “It’ll be okay.”
Hana sniffed but nodded and he recalled her. “I don’t think we should have Lili either,” Nicholas continued. “Alpha, what do you think? In the city?”
Miyuki slowly shook her head. “She’s very destructive. It would be a bad idea to have her fight inside buildings.”
“So that leaves you, Sera, and Miyuki.” Nicholas sighed. “If Sera can control herself.”
“What if we wear our radios?” Miyuki blurted out. “If you keep talking to us I’m sure Sera will be able to resist the signal!”
“No. Putting a receiver right in your ear? I don’t know exactly how Team Rocket is transmitting the broadcast but that’s just asking for trouble.”
A noise behind him made him turn to see the Porygon’s body loosening. Her eyes opened and she looked straight at him. “Not if I help them, Master.”
“Full sentences! Excellent!” Bill cried.
“More than full sentences, man who saved me,” the Porygon replied. “Master. Many things have been lost to me. But the emergency actions I took before my capture have allowed me to retain most of my memories.” She bowed. “I do not remember who I am. I have not restored most functionality. But I can help.”
“How?”
“You speak of radio signals and personal receivers,” the Porygon replied. “I am able to distinguish signals down to the kilohertz with ease, which will allow me to filter transmissions to your radio. I may even be able to block the controlling signal entirely.” She straightened back up. “I understand your hesitance. My gratitude for your actions to save me can not be measured. Rest assured, my core directive is intact. I wish only to serve you to the full extent of my abilities.”
Nicholas nodded slightly. “Would you like to remember your own name or take one that I give you?”
The Porygon frowned. “I had a name, but my core directive appears to be immutable, Master. I am not sure why.”
“Uh, that would be the petabytes of data,” Nicholas mumbled. “I kind of… came inside your core.”
The Porygon cocked her head. “Then who I was is irrelevant. My core is yours, Master.”
“Okay, is that a normal feature?” Nicholas grumbled.
“No.” Bill was scratching his chin as he thought. “I’ve jabbed Maya before and she never got corrupted. This one is still a Z. But… I think your semen has kind of ‘locked down’ her impulses. So she was broken, your semen stuck her back together, and now she’s imprinted to you.”
“A well-reasoned line of thought, man who saved me,” the Porygon replied. “I am thankful for your intelligence.” She looked back at Nicholas. “Any memory of my previous identity will be purged as I discover them.” She blinked. “Suspected memories purged.”
“No-“ Nicholas sighed. “Okay. Sure. Maybe hitting reset is for the best. A name for you.” He looked around the room for inspiration and settled on a jumble of branded parts. “Kal…miya. Kalmiya.” He nodded. “Is it acceptable?”
“Any name is acceptable, Master,” Kalmiya replied. “I am Kalmiya.” She stepped forwards. “Core data change detected. Please confirm.”
Nicholas shook his head when she stepped closer to him. “Really? You need me to ‘confirm’ everything that happens to you. No. Not right now.” He held out a hand to stop her. “Besides. Unless you enjoy looking like a plastic doll, you’re changing your form as well.”
“I appear as my Master wishes.”
“Then I wish for you to give yourself an appearance, Kalmiya,” Nicholas replied. “I’ll confirm all of that later.”
“Unable to comply.” Kalmiya moved his hand to her pussy. “Changes will be deleted if not confirmed.”
Nicholas took a slow breath before turning to the others. “This is a bit of a strange situation. How’s the machine doing?”
Miyuki looked over. “It’s done.”
“Here.” Nicholas removed his belt and handed it to Miyuki. “Release Sera, explain what’s going on, and put that back together.” He fended Kalmiya off again when she tried to reach for his pants. “Looks like she’s insisting. Once I’ve settled her down we’re moving out.” He grimaced. He thought he could hear shouting outside. “We can’t waste any more time.”
Miyuki nodded and began organizing his belt as Nicholas pushed Kalmiya further away. “Kalmiya. Stop.”
“Confirm-“
“I am making more changes,” Nicholas snapped. “Stand down.”
Kalmiya immediately stepped back. “I await orders.”
“Only core changes require confirmation, yes?”
“That is correct, Master.”
“First question. Your core directive is to obey me and serve me as your Master. Correct?”
“Correct, Master.”
“I order you to remove protections on all core data until ordered otherwise.” Nicholas waited for her to argue but when Kalmiya was silent he continued. “Second. List all functions linked to core data.”
“Core data unlocked. Error. Core data must be protected. Please confirm.”
“List.”
“Unit name and appearance are considered core data. Base personality module is considered core data. Vitality functions are considered core data. Backup memory and personality data is considered core data. Error, unable to validate backups…”
“Enough.” Nicholas sighed when Kalmiya went silent. “Protect all core data.”
“Data protected.”
“Unlock and update your appearance.” Nicholas settled back. He was a bit nervous. What kind of body did he want Kalmiya to have?
Definitely not what she had now. “Match your chest to Miyuki’s.” The Glaceon glanced at him and rolled her eyes when Kalmiya’s breasts swelled. “Double the growth.” He nodded when Kalmiya’s breasts squished together, her arms holding them in place. “A little less. They should be touching but not pressed together.”
Kalmiya complied and Nicholas reached out to squeeze one with a grin. “Perfect.”
“Perverted tamer,” Miyuki grumbled.
“Match your height to mine.” Nicholas settled into a resting position and watched Kalmiya grow to meet him. “I want to be able to finger you when your knees are together.”
Kalmiya’s hips widened, pushing her thighs apart and Nicholas held up a hand. “Perfect. Now.” He looked up at her face. “Dark pink hair, to your back. Green eyes.” He frowned at the clashing colors. “No, pink eyes. A bit lighter than your hair. Give yourself a light skin tone, not that pasty white.”
Kalmiya’s body shimmered and Nicholas stepped back. Standing in front of him was a beautiful woman, seemingly human, with firm, round breasts and silky red hair cascading over her shoulders. “Good. That is your appearance.”
“Core changes-“
“Oh I know,” Nicholas chuckled, taking her by the arms and laying Kalmiya on the desk. “Trust me. I know.”
The feeling when he penetrated her hadn’t changed and as he reached her core Kalmiya gasped. Nicholas was surprised when she began to moan softly, adding a slight sway to her hips as he thrust, until her body curled and she let out an orgasmic scream. A fuzzy sensation surrounded his shaft and he came with her, spurting deep into her core as the tingling stimulated his penis.
Nicholas pulled out and looked down at her. Kalmiya’s chest was moving as she breathed and a light flush was suffusing her skin. “Bill?”
Bill peeked over. “Interesting. She’s become more animated.” He nodded. “You’re putting her back together, Nicholas.”
“Master.” Kalmiya’s eyes slid open and she stretched, giving him a coquettish look as she did. “Core data saved.”
“And so was a bit of personality, it appears,” Nicholas chuckled as she got to her feet. “Personality is not core, correct? It can change without me ordering it to?”
Kalmiya cocked her head. “That is correct, Master.”
“Good. As you interact with us and learn I look forward to seeing you grow.” He smiled and beckoned her closer to give her a kiss. “Okay, ladies.” He turned to Sera, Miyuki, and Ryuko. “Let’s go. We’ve got a tower to climb.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Finding everything properly?” Bill watched Nicholas fiddle with his new pokedex. “If you need to filter the entries-“
“No, I got it.” Nicholas scrolled through the hundreds of pages. “Is this every pokegirl known?”
“Every breed that exists in the five world leagues,” Bill replied.
“Yeah. I see some from home that are missing.” Nicholas closed out of the database and turned to offer the pokedex to Kalmiya. “Bill has integrated the base station for our radios into this pokedex. You’ll be able to monitor them.”
He had been handing it to her to carry but Kalmiya nodded and placed her hand on the ‘dex instead. In a flash of sparks she digitized, appearing on the screen and bowing. “I will serve from here, Master.” Her image blinked and a moment later a hologram of her appeared. “Ah! An emitter? Oh, Master, this is a wonderful new home!”
“New home…?” Nicholas glanced at Bill but the man was celebrating and not paying attention to him. “Sure, why not. Bill?”
“Oh, I’m going to need to keep in touch,” Bill cried happily. “Nicholas you are the very first tamer to rehabilitate a Porygon-Z and she is taking to you so incredibly well. You must keep me updated on her progress.”
“I still follow only a single primary directive,” Kalmiya said apologetically.
“Precisely. You have so, so much room to grow.” Bill smiled at her hologram. “I wish you the best, Kalmiya, Nicholas.”
Nicholas nodded and turned to the rest of the harem. “Ready?” He glanced at his pokedex as he moved to hang it from his belt. “I carry my pokedex here, Kalmiya. Is that fine?”
“I am able to monitor the area perfectly, Master,” Kalmiya’s voice replied in his ear. “I have already isolated your radio frequencies and placed each individual earpiece on its own unique frequency, within the wide band. Right now only you may hear me.”
Nicholas shook his head in amazement. “Wow. Can everyone hear me?”
“Unless you order me to open a direct channel, yes Master.”
Nicholas lowered his voice to barely a whisper. “Sera, Miyuki, kiss Ryuko.”
Sera and Miyuki looked at him in confusion and Ryuko held up both hands to forestall either of them from making an attempt. “Master. Now is not the time for jokes.”
“It wasn’t,” Nicholas replied normally. “How well could you hear me?”
“You didn’t say that out loud?” Ryuko asked curiously.
“Nope,” Nicholas laughed. “This is excellent. Kalmiya, can you identify any foreign signals attempting to broadcast to our radios?”
“No, Master.”
“Guess we head outside then.” Nicholas looked around one last time. “We don’t know the situation. If I need to put any of you in your pokeballs I expect no argument. If you do, I’ll assume you’re under the signal’s control and force you in whether you want to be or not.” He glared. “Understood?”
“Perfectly, Master Nicholas,” Sera murmured.
“Sera. You might be the only one out sometimes. You’ll help us blend in.” Nicholas reached over to stroke her arm. “I believe in you.”
Sera locked eyes with him. “I know you do, Master Nicholas. I will not fall to this mind control again.”
“Good.” He turned and opened the door. “Here we go.”
It was… quiet. None of the sounds of a city. Nicholas slowly moved out of Bill’s house, walking down the street until he could look around the corner.
Uniforms everywhere. Rockets. Dozens of them. And not a single civilian. No pokegirls, either. He pulled back and steepled his fingers in front of his mouth with a hiss. “Shit.” His concerned eyes moved to the harem. “It’s way too late to just walk down the street.”
“I… know this signal,” Kalmiya whispered in his ear. “I know this sound. It’s me.”
Nicholas cleared his throat. “What?”
“I’m screaming,” Kalmiya sobbed. “Screaming but they won’t stop.”
“Kalmiya, turn it off! Block it!” Nicholas ordered. “Block it, block all of it! NOW!”
With a wail a low buzzing that had been building in his ears cut off. Nicholas glanced at the others but they seemed unaffected. “Kalmiya.” He unhooked his pokedex and lifted it to his face. “You are safe now. Team Rocket may have used you, used your pain to create their weapon, but you escaped.”
“Escape,” Kalmiya breathed. “Yes. That was the last thing I ordered myself to do. Escape.”
“And you did.” Nicholas wished she would at least appear on the screen. He felt silly talking to his pokedex. “I have to stop them now. If you can’t do it with me then I will take you somewhere safe.”
Finally her hologram appeared in front of him. “Master. My Master.” Her hand stroked his cheek and Nicholas was surprised to actually feel her touch. “You who rescued me. You who now go to avenge me.” Her eyes firmed. “I will not allow my first memory of you to become my last. I am with you.”
Nicholas kissed her hand. “Then we go.” Kalmiya vanished and he reached for his belt. “There aren’t any pokegirls out there, so I need to move alone. I’m returning you all to your pokeballs.”
He could see Ryuko struggling not to argue but she had given her word and vanished without comment. Securing the belt under his shirt he took a deep breath.
He couldn’t just wander onto the street. A few grunts, he might be able to avoid or bluff past. Not as many as he could see out there.
His eyes wandered to a sign nearby. It advertised an underground bicycle path and shopping plaza. If it had multiple exits then that might be his way around the city.
Moving carefully, to keep out of view of the main street, Nicholas slipped into the entrance and headed down the stairs. The path went pretty far down before opening onto a gaudily lit entertainment center. Just like the city above this area was silent.
“Kalmiya, is the signal reaching down here?”
“No, Master.”
“Good.” Nicholas looked around. “If I need to I can release anyone.”
Still moving carefully he walked past the shuttered shops until he found a layout map. Looking it over he could see another staircase, as well as what looked to be service tunnels.
Deciding to check the service area first he pushed through a set of swinging doors and made his way behind the shops. Cargo docks, crates and pallets, everything seemed normal.
He got to the end of the hallway and looked over the massive service door in front of him. “Goldenrod Department Store. Kalmiya, on the map how close is that to the radio tower?”
“Two blocks south and one east, Master.”
“Damn. Close but not quite.” Nicholas tried to get through but the door was locked anyways. “Let’s try the northern exit.”
He had returned to the main area and was walking north when he saw someone standing in the middle of the path with their back turned. Nicholas froze. He was in the open, exposed, with nowhere to hide.
The figure turned and Nicholas braced for a fight. “We have been waiting for you, Nicholas.”
Nicholas slowly stood back up. “The kimono girl. Miki, was it?”
The girl cocked an eyebrow. “No. But my name is not important. What is important are your decisions. Team Rocket has appeared. Goldenrod has fallen. Chaos covers the region. Disaster closes in.” She stepped past Nicholas. “Will you prove your worth to our Mistress?”
Nicholas didn’t respond, allowing her to walk away and disappear into one of the empty shops. “Crazy woman.”
“Scan inconclusive, Master,” Kalmiya reported. “Not enough time in the scanner.”
Nicholas frowned. “What?”
“That pokegirl.”
“Huh? No, she’s a human. She’s been stalking me across Johto.”
“Pokedex scanner detected pokegirl DNA but was unable to verify,” Kalmiya repeated.
Nicholas looked back but the kimono girl had long since vanished. “That’s… odd.” He shook himself. “No, I can’t get distracted. The other exit.”
He was approaching the far end of the tunnel when a shop caught his eye. There was a stationary camera set up in front and he could see various costumes hanging in the window. “Heh. Maybe I could disguise myself to get through.” He was snickering as his eyes passed over various padded bikinis and fake tails for people to pretend to be pokegirls and didn’t see the black uniform until he had almost passed the shop.
Nicholas skidded to a halt and whirled back. Right there, hidden between a stereotypical criminal uniform and what was probably a slave outfit was a black shirt and pants with a backwards red R. It wasn’t a real uniform. But it was close enough.
Nicholas tried the door but it was locked. “Crap.” It was so close. But so far. He grimaced and reached for Ryuko’s pokeball.
The Scizor materialized and immediately focused on him. “Master?” She breathed out when she saw him standing casually. “You’re safe.”
“Yeah. I’m taking a page out of your ninja book,” Nicholas explained, pointing at the uniform through the window. “See that?”
Ryuko turned. “A disguise, Master. An excellent plan.”
“Door’s locked though…” Nicholas shrugged when Ryuko formed a mace and sent it crashing through the glass window. “…that’s exactly the way I expected this to go.”
Ryuko reached in and snagged the uniform off its hook. “Here you are Master.”
“Thanks.” Nicholas pulled the shirt on over his own and shimmied into the pants. Thankfully, as a costume, they were designed to be worn over clothing. “Be ready. If this doesn’t work I’ll need you.”
Ryuko nodded and vanished back into her pokeball. Nicholas stowed it and turned to the stairs as he adjusted the black cap over his eyes. Here went nothing.
The grunt posted at the doors to the Goldenrod Radio Tower barely glanced at the other grunt that ducked past him. Nicholas kept his breathing steady, walking towards the stairs where another grunt was posted.
“Hold up.” The grunt stopped Nicholas and looked him over. “You’re out of uniform. That’s the old one.”
Nicholas looked down at his shirt. “Oh. Um.”
“And you’re wearing it inside out.” The grunt sighed. “Are we just letting anyone with a pulse join the Team now? For crying out loud. Take pride in yourself.”
Nicholas stood awkwardly but the grunt seemed to be done with him. He cautiously walked to the stairs and breathed out when his foot hit the first one. He’d made it.
Then there was a commotion. The grunt at the door was yelling something and Nicholas turned back in time to see his body sail through the glass doors in a shower of fragments. Action flooded the lobby as a masked pokegirl burst in, one hand covered in ice to form a massive claw, the other flicking knives between her fingers. Nicholas ducked when a barrage of shards peppered the room, downing humans and their hastily released pokegirls alike.
“Yula. Finish them off.” A man stepped into the lobby and Nicholas’ eyes widened. John strode towards him as his pokegirl danced through the injured grunts. Wherever she went the room went still.
“Look at that. Someone survived.” John gestured when he reached Nicholas. “YULA!”
Nicholas choked when the pokegirl slammed into his chest, pinning him to the wall. His hat slipped, sliding down over his face and blocking his view of John. “S-Stop.”
“Begging for your life won’t do a damn thing, coward,” John growled. “Take that thing off. I want to see the fear in his eyes.”
The hat was pulled away and Nicholas looked up to match John’s eyes. Instantly the other man gasped. “No- you? Wh- what are you doing in that uniform?” Anger flashed across his face and Yula was shoved aside when John grabbed Nicholas by the collar. “HOW DARE YOU! What are you doing in those clothes? How could you - how could you join them? Was it for power?” His fingers tightened and Nicholas coughed when John’s knuckles dug into his neck. “You shouldn’t… you shouldn’t have. Don’t wear that uniform.”
“It’s a disguise, idiot,” Nicholas croaked. “Let go of me.”
Slowly John released him. Nicholas gagged, rubbing at his throat and shooting John disgruntled looks. “A disguise.” John watched Nicholas pull the shirt off. “I should have known. Sneaking around like a weakling.”
“Avoiding drawing attention to myself,” Nicholas snapped as Yula snatched the shirt from him. “Unlike you, throwing people through windows and alerting every damn grunt in the city!”
“Why do I care who I alert? I’ll have to destroy them all eventually,” John replied haughtily. “Well. I suppose I’ll let you clean up after me. The city is still crawling with these thugs.”
“John!” John stopped halfway to the door. “Your pokegirl might get controlled by the radio signal. Be careful.”
John snorted. “Unlike your pokegirls, Yula won’t let something like that affect her.” Without another word he walked through the shattered door, his pokegirl following.
“Weavile,” Kalmiya reported. “I was prepared to attack her, Master. Should I have moved sooner?”
“No. You did the right thing. She wasn’t an enemy.” Nicholas poked his fingers through the holes the Weavile’s claws had made in the shirt and sighed. “Disguise is ruined. But we’re here. How bad is the signal?”
“This building appears to be moderately insulated, Master. The signal is noticeable but weak.”
Nicholas pulled out Sera’s pokeball, then shook his head and withdrew the other two as well. “Girls. We’re here. And subterfuge is no longer an option.” He pointed up the stairs. “We attack. Watch out for civilians.”
“I will coordinate, Master,” Kalmiya said as the four began running. “Direct us.”
“Understood,” Nicholas growled as he neared the first floor landing. Archer would be here. The other admins as well. This was it - Team Rocket’s final plan. If they succeeded they may never be destroyed. He had to end the entire organization. Here and now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
POKEDEX UPDATED
Tamer: Nicholas Topolski
Badges:
Zephyr Badge
Hive Badge
Plain Badge
Storm Badge
Mineral Badge
Glacier Badge
Rising Badge
Harem:
Miyuki, Glaceon (Alpha) – Level 38
Nessa, Feraligatr – Level 37
Sera, Crobat – Level 38
Ryuko, Scizor – Level 38
Hana, Ampharos – Level 37
Lili, Pupitar – Level 38