Following in Her Footsteps

[Ash_Junior]

Following in Her Footsteps (updated 5/19/2011)

Spoiler: Author's Notes, updated 4/13/11

After planning out my plot a bit better, I decided to restart "Following in Her Footsteps." Hopefully this should follow my plot a little bit better and I won't write myself into a corner like I kind of did last time. It wasn't totally bad, just went a bit too far in the timeline too early.

Spoiler: 4/13/11 Author's Note

I'm reworking the initial post, as you can see. I'm first working on minimizing non-story content, via spoiler tags, so you can get right to the story. I'll go through each post and do this, to help both old and new readers get to the story without having to read all of my comments.

I'm going to try to Spoiler Tag the individual Parts/Acts/Arcs/whatever you want to call them. Just a note for those of you wondering why the Part 1 Spoiler is messed up--I've tried my best to fix that but it isn't working. So I'll just leave it like it is.

Next up after I get this done is something I should have done a month ago--fix speeling/grammer ( ) mistakes in the initial post.

Just finished formatting so that when you click on each individual chapter you won't get a popout that only contains that post--now when you click on all the chapters it will send you to that post, but will also have the entire thread visible. \o/ progress! Also, decided to just make Aside 2 into Chapter 4, pushing former Chapters 4, 5 to 5, 6 respectively. I've also started sorting the chapters by type. Also, I switched some names around, including adding a nod to the Bard (check out the Table of Contents to see what it is).

In addition, the segmenting of the spoiler tags that annoyed me so much before I actually kind of like now, because they actually sort Part 1 into the three main mini-arcs.

If you want to see what the Dramatis Personnae will be like, check it out at the bottom of the Chapter 6 post--there are only minor spoilers in this one. Gonna try to retcon the prvious posts to have them, AND include them in ALL additional chapters.

Note: All Chapters after Chapter 5 will contain a "Dramatis Personnae" spoiler tag, which will list the major players in each chapter, and explain what organization they work for/are a part of (if applicable), or other relevant information. Some Posts may also have "Glossary" spoiler tags, which will explain certain terms used in the chapter.

Disclaimer: Both of the spoiler tags can and probably will contain spoilers from either the chapter whose post it is on, and/or previous chapters. (I'm working on editing Chapters 1-4, Asides, to conform with this format as well)

Spoiler: Table of Contents

Prologue: In the Beginning....

Part 1: Let Slip the Hounds....

Spoiler: Chapters 1-5, Aside 1

Aside 1: Team Rocket dossier

Chapter 1: Cry Havoc

Chapter 2 Part 1 : Hot Momma on Fire

Spoiler: Chapters 1-5, Aside 1

Chapter 2 Part 2: Captured

Chapter 3: The Huntress and the Hunted

Spoiler: Chapters 1-5, Aside 1

Chapter 4: Vid-conferencing Mayhem

Chapter 5: Chinks in the Armor

Part 2: The Mystery Dungeon

Chapter 6: The Troublesome Trio

Chapter 7: Nugget Bridge

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Azalea Town—a small town in southern Johto, largely unnoticed by all but pokemon trainers looking for yet another badge. The entire town is built on the top of a hill surrounded on all sides by Ilex Forest, and for most of the year is covered in a blanket of rain. It has few features distinguishing it from the other small towns dotting the Johto region's landscape, except that it holds a Johto League Gym, and the region's largest population of Slowpoke.

That, and Team Rocket had secretly taken over the small town and had been exploiting it for their own nefarious purposes, Alora tought to herself. The young woman leaned forward in her tree, bracing her arms against her knees, intently keeping watch on the entrance to Slowpoke Well. Alora lowered her binoculars, and again looked at the map that Kurt, a local custom Pokeball crafter, had given to her and her team.

Alora shook the laminated piece of paper to try to get rid of some of the water that had pooled on its surface, and squinted at the map in the dim light of the spectacular sunset over Ilex Forest. Accordng to the local Charcoal maker, the man who had first seen the Rockets moving into the Well, the reformed Team Rocket had sent one of its top executives, a man named Proton, to oversee the operation.

Proton had made quite a reputation in the time since Giovanni had tried to disband Team Rocket. While he was one of four leading Executives, he had proven to be by far the most cruel, and the most efficient. He was a master trainer, and his crobat was legendary for its speed and power. Thankfully she wasn't the one that had been assigned to take him down.

Alora raised the binoculars to her eyes once more, and studied the Well. It wasn't anything special, and they weren't expecting the Rockets to come up anytime soon—they had sent out their last shipment of Slowpoke tails to gourmet Unova restaurants the day before—but it was her job to report if anyone came up.

Her radio suddenly crackled to life in her ear. “Heads up, folks,” a woman's voice cut into her thoughts. “Kurt's on his way to the Well, along with the three trainers that came through Union last night. I tried to stop him, but Kurt is on his way with the kids to take them on.” Alora lowered her binoculars slightly. She had spent some time with the three rookie trainers the night before, bonding over Kurt's legendary cooking. They'd only been journeying for a month. None of their Pokemon had even evolved yet. Kurt could handle himself, of course, but not against the numbers he'd be facing.

“Stand by to deploy,” another woman's voice, clearly annoyed, said through Alora's earpiece. “Yellow, prepare to hit the gym. Red, check your lines. Blue, pull back from the Union Cave entrance. Green—back up Yellow.” there was a click as the woman's comms went off, and Alora knew from experience that the woman was thinking. “Junior squad, this is Senfora, you're to back up Red. Take their rapelling lines down, and watch their backs. Under no circumstances are you to engage Proton. Junior leader, please respond.”

Alora felt her heart jump into her mouth. The Junior team had been assigned to this operation to observe the operation. They weren't ready--”Copy, Control,” Alora found herself saying, sitting up straight on her tree branch. She raised the binoculars to her face. “I'll get us into position at Red Staging Site B, and we'll follow them down.” she swept her binoculars back towards Azalea Town, and saw four figures rnning towards the Well, one far ahead of the others. “I have the civvies in sight, but there's no way that Rerd can beat them down. J-3, can you intercept them?”

Alora's binoculars swung toards a tree where her cousin, Mara, was perched. “That's a neg,” Mara's voice came through the earpiece.

“Stay hidden!” the second woman's sharp voice hissed through the comms. “Under no circumstances are any of you to get onto the main path. You have your orders, now follow them dammit!” Alora winced and put her binoculars into her backpack, and lifted the backpack off of the concentration of branches where she had braced it. As quickly and safely as she could, she started down the tree. Red Team would probably hit the Well running in five minutes. She had just under that to get in position with her team.

Alora dropped the final four feet, and started jogging parallel to the path, being careful not to make too much noise or be seen by anyone on the path. It was time to get to work.

Alora grinned as she ducked under a low-hanging branch. Just another day as an almost-graduate of The Sentries mercenary company's trainee program.

 

[Breezy]

That, and Team Rocket had secretly taken over the small town and had been exploiting it for their own nefarious purposes, Alora tought to herself.

Thought?

I do like the introduction and how you played around with one of the more basic introduction set ups (explanation/detail on a city) and turned it on its head with something bizarre.

Accordng to the local Charcoal maker

According.

This is a more minor grammar nitpick, but you use extraneous commas. You tend to use them before most coordinating conjunctions when you don’t need to. Ex:

Alora raised the binoculars to her eyes once more, and studied the Well.

The only time you would need to use a comma before a coordinating conjunction is when you have a compound sentence (a sentence with two independent clauses).

there was a click as the woman's comms went off, and Alora knew from experience that the woman was thinking.

Capitalize "there."

“I'll get us into position at Red Staging Site B, and we'll follow them down.” she swept her binoculars back towards Azalea Town, and saw four figures rnning towards the Well, one far ahead of the others.

Capitalize "she." "Running" instead of "rnning."

“I have the civvies in sight, but there's no way that Rerd can beat them down. J-3, can you intercept them?”

Red.

I have to ask because I'm a little surprised at all the small typos you have. Did you run this through spellcheck before you posted?

Alora's binoculars swung toards a tree where her cousin, Mara, was perched.

Toward.

Alora winced and put her binoculars into her backpack, and lifted the backpack off of the concentration of branches where she had braced it.

You already mentioned backpack earlier; you can use "it" safely.

A concentration of branches? That's one weird descriptor. Even if you meant multiple branches, why "concentration" of all words?

Overall, this is a very intriguing opening. I like the mystery surrounding your story so far; it's nothing too menacing and dark, but it draws you in and makes you wonder what's going on nonetheless. I like Alora so far; she hasn't spoken much but you already gave her a lot of personality with her reactions to commands. You also have a good handle on description; you know just the right amount to make your story vivid and not skimpy. Your narrative is also very easy and smooth to get through.

You could look this over a bit closer, at the very least run it through a spellchecker. Most of your errors were typos that could have been caught with a spellchecker. You also have some odd descriptors, like "concentration of branches" that stick out against what is otherwise rather natural flowing narrative.

 

[NinjaScepSneasel]

Ah Breezy, your getting to all the new stories before me! Anyway, rivalry out of the way, a cool opening. Like Breezy, I liked your opening. I also liked how you added in characters from the *****. I think maybe you could of described things a bit more. And I agree with Breezy in that you should check through your work better. There is a capitalised well in there somewhere too. I am intreged atwhat is going to happen, as I did not read the original story. Good luck.

 

[Ash_Junior]

Spoiler: Author's Notes

...reviews? For me?


wow.



Response to them after this Extra:

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Team Rocket Contract Dossier:

Team Rocket was at one point the largest mercenary company that operated anywhere near the International pokemon League. It was run with an iron hand by the skilled strategist Madame Boss. Her top lieutenant and son, Giovanni, was known as a pokemon trainer with almost no equal. They were unequivocally the greatest military force in the Eastern Hemisphere, with hidden bases in the Arctic, the continent of Tasmania, the People's Republic of Tibet, and on islands across the Pacific Ocean.

But all good things could not last. Eventually, Giovanni grew jealous of his mother's power, and over a span of fifteen years, maneuvered his way into a position where both his political power outside of the Rockets and his followers inside the organization were nearly on par with his mother.

Then, on the twentieth anniversary of Team Rocket's existence, Madame Boss announced an expedition to South America in an attempt to find the legendary Temple of Mew, and left Giovanni in charge. Nobody knows what happened to Madame Boss, only that a handful of Giovanni loyalists returned, bearing a single hair from the strange, cat-like pokemon

Six months after the expedition returned, Team Rocket stopped accepting contracts, and shed most of its members, leaving only true Giovanni loyalists left in the ranks. This greatly reduced Team Rocket used its martial expertise to prey on the unwary. The theft and ransom of pokemon became Team Rocket's stock in trade, and for twelve years, Team Rocket plagued the pokemon League, driving out rivals, such as the Huntsclan and other, lesser-known thieves and bounty hunters.

But one day, a coalition of elite pokemon masters, comprising elite masters from every region's elite four set out and all but wiped out the Rockets, leading simultaneous strikes against major Team Rocket bases in Viridian City, Goldenrod City, Veilstone City, and Celadon City. In response, Giovanni marched on the Indigo Plateau with his few remaining members, only to be stopped by a ragtag militia, led by elite pokemon master Lance and guided by the kanto region's Professor Oak. Lance challenged Giovanni to a duel, and after a fierce match, just barely defeated the legendary Rocket Leader. The assault became a rout, and word came out soon after that Giovanni had disbanded the Team Rocket organization.

Four of the Team Rocket executives, however, decided that they didn't want to stop. Their wallets had grown too fat, and their egos so large, that they decided to rebuild a new organization to replace the one that the pokemon League had destroyed. They pulled back to the Sevii Islands, south of Kanto, and slowly began to raise their old standard, only to be driven off by an elite pokemon master named Lorelei Winters, in a battle on Floe Island that raged for days.

For two years, Team Rocket was lost to memory, and we thought we were safe. Unfortunately, last year, they resurfaced in Johto, led by Archer (see notes below), Athena (see notes below), Proton (see notes below), and Petrel (see notes below). Since their reappearance they have resumed harassment of pokemon trainers, specifically focusing in the Johto Region.

We have been contracted by Johto League officials, as well as the Global Police to provide on-site support to both organizations as they deal with the problem of Team Rocket. Keep sharp, keep up to date, and keep doing the good job you have done in the past. Below is a summary of the general ranks of the Team Rocket organization. Actual power levels and other details may vary.


General Ranks:

Grunt: The barest recruits, or the trainers who just plain couldn't cut it in the higher ranks, Grunts are generally (but not always) fairly weak, but still dangerous in large numbers. In the days of the old Team Rocket, grunts were held to a higher standard and were the backbone of the entire organization. Today, grunts are nothing more than an initiative level. They wear white uniforms with a red “R” on the front of their uniforms. Training level varies.

Scout: Team Rocket scouts are trained to be fast, quiet, and strike only when they have the element of surprise. Power levels vary, from grunt-level to nearly executive-level. Scouts wear camouflage uniforms with no insignia. The color of camouflage varies depending on the terrain they are operating in.

Trooper: Team Rocket troopers are the backbone of this new Team Rocket. They have all been training pokemon for a minimum of at least two years, and have successfully participated in at least three raids. Rather than relying on stealth, they generally rely on brute force. Never underestimate the power of a trooper. They wear black uniforms with a red “R” on their chests.

Elite: Team Rocket elites wear silver uniforms with a red “R” on their chests. These men and women have proved that they are exceptionally skilled, and are generally only called to the front lines when something big is at stake, or the Rockets are after something very important. It is the elites that perform most of Team Rocket's special operations.


Executive: There are only four executives—the only four Rockets that remained loyal Giovanni since it was disbanded three years ago. All four executives have been with the Rockets for a minimum of twelve years, are elite pokemon masters, and should be considered extremely dangerous. Under no circumstances should anyone but the leadership consider engaging one of the executives. This is a priority one order, so Red Squad you damn well better be reading this.





Archer: Lead Executive of Team Rocket. An excellent trainer, he was an elite pokemon master before he joined the criminal Team Rocket. He guides the course of Team Rocket, and is the final authority in the organization. He is known for his excellent strategic planning and devastating power as well as his rage. Omega-class threat. DO NOT ENGAGE. (Bounty—alive: 2 million)

Athena: Second-in command of Team Rocket. Rumored to be Giovanni's former mistress, she is fanatical in her devotion to the former Rocket. She is in charge of the Team Rocket troopers, and oversees their training personally. Aside from Archer, she is the most powerful trainer in Team Rocket, and is also considered an Omega-class threat. DO NOT ENGAGE. (Bounty—alive: 1.5 million)

Proton: Special Operations Executive of Team Rocket. Proton is in charge of day-to-day operations of Team Rocket, as well as training Team Rocket elites. Proton has been a Rocket longer than any other executive, and was one of the few surviving members of the Temple of Mew expedition. He is known for his cruelty even more so than Archer. Even more than Giovanni was at his height. He is a skilled physical fighter in addition to his team of pokemon, and should not be approached. Omega-class Threat. DO NOT ENGAGE. (Bounty—alive: 1.25 million)

Petrel: Master of Disguise. Petrel is not as powerful as his teammates, but is still an Omega-class pokemon trainer. Petrel skill lies in the art of deceit and misdirection. A famous American soap opera star before he joined Team Rocket, Petrel can slip into anywhere, and fool almost anyone. The scouts that he personally trains are second to none. Usually not even the Rangers can spot the Rocket scouts if they don't want to be seen. Omega-class Threat. DO NOT ENGAGE. (Bounty—alive: 750,000)

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Spoiler: Author's Notes

I'm going to try to keep the chapters shorter this time around, to 2-3 pages instead of 5-6. Hopefully that will keep people's interest going longer.

Breezy--thanks for the review. As always, it is extremely helpful. I'll get to fixing the original post tomorrow.

"Concentration of branches"--yeah. that one bugs me too. I couldn't think of the right word...basically I'm trying to think of a word that means where a lot of.....joints come together, for lack of a better phrase. you know, where it's thick, and something could be laid down on it. Can't for the life of me think of a proper word.

>.<

I'll be more careful with spelling from here on out.

Ninja: Thanks for the review. and actually, those aren't ***** characters, rather squads of four people each. Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue squads, plus the Junior squad, for a total of 20 people in the field atm. I'll make that more clear when I fix the spelling. sorry to burst your bubble. That was my tip of the hat to the original games. more tips are coming up.


EDIT: actually, I did say that Red was more than 1 person:

Red Team would probably hit the Well running in five minutes. She had just under that to get in position with her team.

though I will change it to Red Squad. Also, the reason that "the Well" is capitalized is because it's Slowpoke Well--it's capitalized that way in the name, so when I'm only saying Well, it's capitalized as well.




Hopefully you guys enjoyed the brief history lesson on what's been going on lately in the Pokeverse. And yes, those names (People's Republic of Tibet, and Tasmania) are right. They are, respectively, China and Australia (Tasmania being the tiny island south of Oz). Political borders are slightly....different in this iteration of the world. How much different will be more clear later on.


btw, at one point I was going to have Athena/Proton/Petrel each run their own "wings" instead of each having charge of a different rank. I THINK I got all the references out of this. Let me know if I missed anything. And yes, the Huntsclan is a tribute to that awesome Disney cartoon that's no longer running. A spork or a stroon to whoever can tell me which cartoon I'm thinking of. And no, they're not just in the Dossier for decoration and a simple tribute. We will be seeing them.

 

[Breezy]

But one day, a coalition of elite pokemon masters, comprising elite masters from every region's elite four set out and all but wiped out the Rockets, leading simultaneous strikes against major Team Rocket bases in Viridian City, Goldenrod City, Veilstone City, and Celadon City. In response, Giovanni marched on the Indigo Plateau with his few remaining members, only to be stopped by a ragtag militia, led by elite pokemon master Lance and guided by the kanto region's Professor Oak. Lance challenged Giovanni to a duel, and after a fierce match, just barely defeated the legendary Rocket Leader. The assault became a rout, and word came out soon after that Giovanni had disbanded the Team Rocket organization.

I actually like your storyline here (your history of Team Rocket is fascinating, along with the factual narrative you write it in. Sounds like a report, which is what you were going for I assume) since it seems more … well, the way he disbanded Team Rocket in the games was kind of ... lackluster. I assume this is an AU, though?

I’m also reminded if this is entirely OT-based or if there’s going to be an appearance of canon characters, like Gold. I know that the Team names was a shout out to the *****, but I also remember that there were three kids with Kurt as they were heading to the well.

I like your explanation of the ranks. I especially like that little jab at the red team at the end of the executive note. Are you going to explain those teams, too?

Your “character bios” of the executives were pretty well expanded on. I especially like Petrel’s bio. P=

And vague review is vague. I don't have much to critique on since it was an extra. Very fascinating nonetheless.

 

[Ash_Junior]

“This is Yellow Lead, we're ready to go.” Alora adjusted her headpiece and double-checked that her long, brown hair was in its ponytail before she made one final check of her harness. She was going to be descending a ways down a dark well, so it better be secure.

“Green, this is Big Daddy, confirm you're ready to breach front and back doors.” Alora looked up at Mara, who had been dubbed Junior Two for this mission. Her cousin was doing final checks on her own harness. Her blond hair likewise pulled back into a ponytail.

Three was fumbling nervously with his straps, and Alora hurried over to him and helped him finish putting on his harness. Junior Three was new to the Junior program, and she hadn't spent a lot of time with him yet. The blue-eyed, red-haired recruit was always eager to learn, though. He had an infectious laugh, even if he learned things slowly.

“Green Lead, confirming.” Alora glanced over at Junior Four, already knowing that he was ready. Junior Four was tall, black as the night, and more fit than Alora had ever seen anyone. His brown hair covered his face as he was double-checking his harness. Finished, he looked up and saw Alora looking at him. His teeth flashed white against his dark skin, and Alora felt herself blushing and turning away.

Her squad was ready to go, and that was that.

“Daddy, This is Red Lead, we're at the bottom of the Well. Four is scouting the way ahead. We have one, repeat, one civilian injury, stable for now.” Alora peered over the side of the well and could see three beams of light moving around at the bottom.

Red Team were the professionals of the Harris Hounds Mercenary Company's Johto star. They had all been around the block, and knew exactly what they were doing. Red Leader had been in the mercenary game for twenty years, and had left Team Rocket along with what had become the core of the Hounds.

“Red, this is Big Daddy, medic's on the way. Can you hold your position?” One of the beams rotated upwards, and Alora knew it was Red Leader glancing up at her. Just like that, Alora felt better, knowing that one of the best mercs in the country was ready and willing to take care of her.

“That's affirmative, Daddy.” There was a slight pause. “Junior's up top, waiting to come in. But there's another problem. Those three kids that were with our civvie went on ahead. Before we got down here.” Alora winced. This entire operation had been planned to a T. Big Daddy wasn't going to like having her plans upset.

For several seconds, there was silence on the comms, then Big Daddy replied. “Red Lead, Big Daddy. Junior Lead and two others from Junior are to rappel down immediately.” Alora straightened, pointed at Mara and and Four, who immediately picked up rappelling lines and fed them through their harnesses. “The final Junior is to hide up top, and report any activity.” Alora turned and pointed at Three, who rolled his eyes and headed for a tree to hide in.

“This is Junior Lead,” Alora spoke into her microphone. “I'm on my way down with Two and Four. Three's on sentry duty.”

In less than a minute, Alora and her team were at the bottom of the well. There wasn't much to see, except for the wide, cobblestone walls with a ladder built into one side, and an arched exit across the well. Red Squad had taken up positions on either side of the door, and Alora and her team quickly followed suit, Alora ending up next to Red Leader.

An old man sat to the left of the doorway, looking annoyed. A makeshift splint had been put on his left leg. If she had been with anyone but Red Team, she would have gone over to see that he was all right, but Alora knew that he had already received the finest care possible at the bottom of a dry well.

Alora returned her attention to the door just as a man in a black and grey camouflage uniform hurried through. Red Four darted to the wall next to her, playfully ruffling her hair before turning to Red Leader. Four touched his headset and began his report. “One Grunt on sentry duty thirty yards in—asleep.” The short, black-haired man said, his green eyes all business. “about ten yards past that, it opens up into the main cavern. Nobody's guarding the door, but there are at least twenty troopers and a pair of elites. No sign of Proton or the kids. They could be in the lower level, but there wasn't any way to get there without being seen.” Red Four tapped his headset again, cutting his transmission short, and leaned against the side of the well.

“Red Four, incapacitate the sentry, then Red Squad will sweep through. Junior squad will back them up once the medics arrive.” Big Daddy's voice came through the headsets clearly, and before she had finished, Red Team had already begun filing through the doorway, nearly invisible in the near-blackness in their dark uniforms. “Green and Yellow, you're a go in twenty seconds.”

“This is Blue, we're at the Well. Preparing to evac civilian.” Alora looked up to see two figures rappelling down the side of the well, and two more remaining at the top, setting up something that Alora knew from experience was a stretcher that would be lowered down.

In seconds, the two Blue rappelers were down, and in seconds took in the room. One of them turned to Alora, who winced as the light strapped to his headset swept into her eyes. “We're here, go back up Red.”

“This is Red Leader, engaging.”

“Yellow, engaging.”

“Green, doors breached. Engaging.”

The reports came quickly, and orders flew through the airwaves. Alora was half listening to them, knowing that none of them pertained to her or the Juniors. Alora glanced at Mara and Four. “Double time,” she said. From down the tunnel, they could hear the first sounds of battle erupting. “Let's go give them some backup.”

The trio ran down the tunnel, passed a trussed-up Rocket, and suddenly emerged into a brightly lit cavern. Red Team were advancing down a ramp that led to a platform where the Rockets had a dozen tents set up. The air hummed with electricity, and lights glared from the walls, leaving very few places to hide.

A second after they had emerged, Alora pointed at a group of boulders that flanked the main path. “We park ourselves there and give them covering fire.” she said, already running towards the boulders. She tapped her headset. “Big Daddy, this is Junior lead, we're about to engage.”

Alora's hand came from her belt with a pair of Pokeballs and triggered their release. In a beam of light blue light, a yellow humanoid and a purple quadruped were running beside her. Alora slid to a stop next to the boulders and peered down the ramp. Red Squad was fully engaged now, their black uniforms mixed with those of the Rocket troopers, but a keen eye and her experience with them enabled her to pick them out. Four and Mara slid to a stop on the other side of the ramp, a Growlithe, an Espeon, a Glaceon, a Jolteon, and an Absol slid next to them. “Long range cover fire,” Alora ordered. “Give me Ice and Psybeams and Thunderbolts.” A quick nod from her teammates was all the response she needed, and suddenly their Pokemon were firing into the Rockets, forcing them into cover.

Alora pulled out her binoculars and scanned the battleground in front of her. Over a dozen Rockets were still fighting, through Red Team was steadily pushing them back. According to the reports, the entrance to the lower level should be right where a large tent was pitched.

“This is Hot Momma,” a new voice came into Alora's ear. She recognized it as her Aunt Senfora. “I'm coming down the Well now. Red Team, secure the first level, and I'll lead the charge to Proton myself.” Alora glanced over at her cousin, who couldn't hide her smile.

Alora heard Big Daddy acknowledge. Alora darted across the top of the ramp to where her teammates were sitting, occasionally ordering their Pokemon to specific targets. They both looked up at her expectantly. “We're going to wait here for Hot Momma,” she told them. “Then we'll follow her down the ramp.”

“We're missing all the action,” Four muttered under his breath.

“Would you want the three of us to take on all those Rockets down there?” Alora countered. “We don't have the skill to handle off them.”

Junior Four sighed. “I know, I know,” he said. “It's just a little frustrating sitting back here doing nothing.”

At that moment, a woman strode through the passageway, ignoring the errant shots that came close to her. Dressed in a flamboyant two-piece uniform, she was impossible to miss. A red wolf's head was embroidered onto her left-hand side of her black uniform, while its body wrapped around the shirt and pants, its tail eventually wrapping around her right leg. Her blond hair was cut short, and her piercing, green eyes took in the battle in a second. Hot Momma had arrived.

Alora glanced around the edge and saw that only a few Rockets were still on the top level, and they were scurrying for safety. In a few seconds, she heard Red Leader's voice come through the headset. “Top Level clear. Waiting for Hot Momma.”

Senfora Anophis smiled and looked at Alora. “Good job, keeping back,” she said. “Now come on, this time you can back up Red Team.”

Alora felt her heartbeat quicken. “You mean we actually get to fight this time around?”

Senfora cracked her neck, and started walking forward. “I don't see why not. Just stay away from Proton.” She turned to look back over her shoulder. “Consider it an early birthday present.”

Junior Team got to its feet, and looked at each other with mixed expressions of excitement and fear. Real, actual combat for the first time. Not just staying back and covering everyone else. “You heard her!” Alora said, carefully trying to keep her voice down. “Let's get moving.” She turned to her Pokemon, but suddenly felt something prick the back of her neck. She opened her mouth to say something, but found she couldn't say anything. She turned to her teammates, but she couldn't move her body. Strong hands grabbed her before she fell, and she felt herself being dragged out of sight. Her Pokeballs were snatched from her belt and she heard the sounds of seven Pokemon being recalled.

The last thing she saw before she slipped into unconsciousness was a flash of silver uniforms and the unmistakable face of the Team Rocket executive known as Proton.


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Spoiler: Author's Notes

A bit slower this time, since the Juniors don't usually engage in combat, and a bit longer, since I didn't want to end things without really getting much done.

Sorry it's slow, but things will pick up from here.

this is pretty much OT, and canon characters will rarely show up (though Gym Leaders, Elites, etc will probably show up from time to time).

and yeah, it's intended to be a report--it's the basic rundown that the Harris Hounds (Junior, color Teams, etc are all part of them) got when taking the Team Rocket contract....

and about the whole "Star" thing, that's something I've pulled directly from MW2, 3, 4, etc. Oldschool MW2--Mechwarrior 2, 3, 4

not this "new" MW2 that's actually COD MW2 lol....

IIRC, four mechs made up a squad, four squads made a Star, four Stars made a Constellation, four Constellations a Galaxy. I think

That's what I'm using it for. In this case, the 5 normal squads are one "Star," plus the Juniors. I have every intention of making that clear in the narrative btw.

 

[Rediamond]

I've been reading for a while, and finally got around to reviewing

Spoiler: Chapter One

Azalea Town—a small town in southern Johto, largely unnoticed by all but pokemon trainers looking for yet another badge. The entire town is built on the top of a hill surrounded on all sides by Ilex Forest, and for most of the year is covered in a blanket of rain. It has few features distinguishing it from the other small towns dotting the Johto region's landscape, except that it holds a Johto League Gym, and the region's largest population of Slowpoke.

That, and Team Rocket had secretly taken over the small town and had been exploiting it for their own nefarious purposes, Alora tought to herself..

That was a brilliant opening. I was honestly wondering what you could possibly do with a seemingly random town in the Pokemon world, and then you added the last sentance quoted. That got me hooked for a fairly long time. Also, are the two periods after the last word supposed to be one or three periods?

Aside from that, I love how you refer to the events in-game in a light that makes them seem really, really foolish. Other than that, the last line of the chapter was a nice way to conclude a first chapter/prologue.

Spoiler: Team Rocket Report

The Team Rocket update was interesting, although it seemed kind of awkwardly placed. While the update was probably necessary, having a side report after the first chapter seems kind of strange. Regardless, it was pretty much necessary to understand Chapter Two. The backstory for Team Rocket was pretty interesting, and presents a more plausable the slightly bizzare situation of a novice trainer bringing down a criminal mastermind more powerful than pretty much any trainer in Kanto. Beyond that, I love how you managed to make a report of all things very readable.

Spoiler: Chapter Two

Chapter Two was good, albeit a little chaotic. Several new squads were introduced in a matter of paragraphs, and the combat sequence was kind of hectic, although I suspect that was your intention. The 'realistic' view of combat was pretty interesting as well, and was more fitting for the story than the normal battle style of either the games or the anime. The cliffhanger was good, and I have absolutely no idea how that situation could be eastily resolved.

It was a really nice start, and I look forwards to reading more.

 

[Ash_Junior]

hey, thanks man....it's always nice to see that people are reading. I have big plans for this, although this fic has changed dramatically since I first conceived of it being an OT traveling across an AU North America (which would be freaking awesome by the way if anyone's looking for fic ideas. If anyone does this PM me a link please).

Putting you all on notice that this will probably be delayed for a while, due to Black/White coming out, and my mad scramble to ACTUALLY finish a National Dex. I'm just now completing the first 150 with grinding up a Dragonite in Stark Mountain. Thank goodness for Buck and his instaheals/double XP, plus my Level 100 Empoleon (immune to the Golbat's Poison!).

National Dex stands at this particular moment as 395 seen, 337 caught--gonna try to bump both up to max before BW....considering I have almost all the Gen III+ games there are that interconnect, it shouldn't be a problem, just time-consuming.

sorry for the aside, but I've been doing it AAAALLLL day, and my weekend doesn't start until Sunday (which is good for BW but not good for this), and I'm super excited for it.

I'm going for Black, I think, and a month after launch I'm getting White, so I can get it in before the Liberty Ticket comes off wi fi.

so yeah, I may get something up in the next couple weeks, may not. probably not until Wednesday/Thursday at the earliest (unless I sneak something in before Sunday, or possibly before launch on Sunday [my gamestop doesn't do midnight, and I've already preordered, so....), whatever.....), because I plan to get some serious playtime in.

....aaaaand this post belongs in a different forum.

back to the thread. sorry. just SUPER excited. yes, I am a giant Pokemon fanboy (who farking HATES Pikachu).

 

[asperger1981]

You know, the name Alora was already used for another character in another fic (the pheonix) which was made by well...you!

Details aside, the only thing against this fic is that the main characters name is too hard to disconect from the character of that fic; which I've never forgotten in all these years. And having a character eerily similar in other fic...just kinda stains some really good memories; seriously.

Try better next time, and this time...COMPLETE A FIC...please

For further reading.

http://www.serebiiforums.com/showthread.php?t=302280

 

[Ash_Junior]

lol....hey asperger. yes, Alora's name is reused. no, I didn't finish the Pheonix.

do I plan to go back to that anytime soon? not really. why? I lost interest. this story is fresh in my mind.

besides. I LIKE the name Alora Anophis.

and there's no rule saying I can't reuse names.

 

[Ash_Junior]

There was nothing like the thrill of battle. All personal problems fell away, and the only thing that mattered was getting through the encounter unscathed. There was no room for thinking about anything but the present situation. A trio of bat-type Pokemon charged, and were quickly repulsed by fast, precise bursts of electricity.

The odds weren't in her favor, but that was okay. She was used to that. The woman known as Hot Momma was a mercenary, and a damn good one at that. She had been a Rocket, before Giovanni had made everything fall apart. Back when being a Rocket had been something to be proud of.

Trainer, dead ahead, pointing at her. Duck beneath a charging Golbat, fist into the Rocket's face, followed up with a knee to the man's gut. A right hook to be sure, and the Rocket was down. Senfora Anophis dropped to one knee and grabbed the pokeballs from the man's belt, and quickly returned his Pokemon. A pair of Golbat and a Pidgeotto down, only fifty Pokemon left fighting.

Suddenly something hit her, and she only saw a flash of fur as a Furret darted away from her. Turning into her fall, she rolled and came up on one knee, her PEW up and firing at the retreating pokemon. The small, Projected Energy Weapon spat forth a beam of energy that caught the rodent behind its right shoulder, and sent it flying. It wouldn't be out of the fight, but it would be out of her way.

Senfora rose to her feet, put two fingers into her mouth, and whistled. A pattering of feet approached her, and suddenly her team was with her. The Mrs. Mime she'd had for years and a true expert in the field of barriers and force fields, the typhlosion she had started her pokemon career with so long ago, the glaceon she'd received as a Team Rocket signing bonus, the garchomp she had caught in Sinnoh after Giovanni had hijacked Team Rocket, and that other Pokemon she'd received in that particular scrape.

The Rockets were running before her, running back to their precious leader, Proton. For a second, Senfora felt sick, but she quickly pushed her personal feelings aside. She was a professional warrior, and damn it she would behave like one. No matter how much she felt about the man, she had to get the job done.

“Cover!” she snapped, and suddenly several layers of protective force fields and barriers snapped into place between Senfora and the incoming attacks from the Rockets. Their attacks would eat through the barriers, she knew, but this would give her time to plan out her strategy a bit more.

They were taking cover behind a rock, and any approach she could make would leave her vulnerable. If she played by their rules.

“Chompers,” she said quietly, watching the incoming attacks slowly eating through the barriers protecting her. “You're going to giga-impact that big rock, and I want it in as many pieces as you can manage. Chaplin, make sure he gets cover from their attacks on his approach. Rory,” she turned to her fire-type pokemon. “You're with me. We're going to rush them. Everyone else, give us cover.” She glanced at the charge on her PEW, and quickly swapped out the power packs. “Go on three.” She glanced over her shoulder, and saw that the Red team was starting to catch up with her. “Three!”

In a rush of displaced air, her garchomp, her mrs. mime on its shoulders, leaped into the air with a roar. The barriers came down as Hot Momma and her starter ran in opposite directions, heading for the Rockets that were firing at them. Her other Pokemon dove for cover and poured fire at the Rockets, who for the most start stayed behind their cover.

Firing from the hip, Senfora kept running, her shots not hitting home, but forcing her enemies to stay behind cover. With a roar, her dragon soared through the air at an incredible speed, heading straight for the large boulder behind which the Rockets were cowering. Senfora dove to the ground, covering her face as a blue force field appeared directly in front of the flying pokemon, and impacted the rock seconds before the dragon's attack landed. The rock exploded in all directions, and the mercenary waited for the shower of rock chips to stop before she raised her head, and started firing her PEW at the now-exposed Rockets, catching several in the first ten seconds.

Then she was on her feet, running towards the Rockets. Behind her, she heard the pounding of Red Team and their Pokemon. Garchomp came by overhead, making another pass, and suddenly her psychic, Charlotte Chaplin was running beside her, conjuring barriers and force fields just long enough to ablate or deflect incoming attacks.

Senfora grinned as her PEW tracked to the right, its beam catching a retreating granbull in the shoulder. This was living. This was how life as a mercenary was supposed to be. Charging into battles where you were hopelessly outnumbered, and still kicking their collective asses.

But something was wrong. Where in the name of mew was Proton?

 

[Rediamond]

Well, the chapter was really short.

I guess the obvious thing to comment on here would be your take on battles. I think that it's really fitting for your story, and actually rather realistic for warfare. Most combat styles I've seen involve either human combat with periodic Pokemon intervention or strictly Pokemon vs. Pokemon warfare. You found a more realistic, middle-ground approach, which is rather interesting. It was a very nice way to introduce a character, but it was still a very short chapter. Also, I don't think you ever explained what a PEW is...

 

[Ash_Junior]

Suddenly something hit her, and she only saw a flash of fur as a Furret darted away from her. Turning into her fall, she rolled and came up on one knee, her PEW up and firing at the retreating pokemon. The small, Projected Energy Weapon

I'll edit and capitalize it in the main post.

yeah, it's short, but I'm distracted by Black and White atm. Wanted to keep some momentum going on this thing while I'm playing through it.

As far as the warfare goes, this is something that I've been developing over the last 8 years or so. starting with a fic that dealt with mass warfare on a large scale, all the way up to here. I've got ideas about how Psychics should function on the battlefield, specialized roles for Ghost/Dark types, etc.

And also how Audino (Gen V for those of you who don't have BW and are trying to avoid spoilers--sorry)/Chansey lines fit into combat.

Yay for a second official healer Pokemon.

 

[Ash_Junior]

Spoiler: Author's Notes

Okay, calm before the storm. next chapter will be a little wild.

Consider this the second half of the chapter that began with Senfora's assault on the Rockets. Read on!

+++++
+++++

Alora woke to a slow, almost unnoticeable roll in the floor. It was uncanny, and her first thought was that she was on some kind of ship. She blinked her eyes and sat up. The gentle swaying continued in a slow, almost hypnotic rhythm. Alora closed her eyes and concentrated. She'd felt this before. She tried to think, but she was still groggy from whatever the Rockets had hit her with.

She opened her eyes and took stock of her surroundings. Mara and Junior Four were lying on mattresses across the room, both still asleep. She was in a small, wood-paneled room. A bare bulb was installed in the ceiling, and a door was set into one door, a video camera with a steady red light above it.

Alora closed her eyes and concentrated. The last thing she remembered was backing up her aunt Senfora in the Slowpoke Well raid, and then Proton and some other Rockets knocked her out with something. “Mara, Alan,” she said, grimacing as the words sounded unnaturally loud in her ears. Her cousin and her black teammate failed to stir.

Alora crawled over to her cousin and poked her back. “Hey, wake up!” she said.

Mara groaned and rolled over, her eyes slowly opening to see her cousin hovering over her. “Wha-” she started to say, then blinked a few times. “Well he did it. Took us by surprise.” Mara sat up, and kicked at Alan. “Oy, wake up!”

Alan started, and shot to a sitting position. He grimaced and lay back down. “Too fast,” he groused quietly. “Too fast.”

Alora sighed. “Sorry guys. My first real command and this happens.” She slowly got to her feet, wondering why the strange rhythm under her feet was so familiar.

“At least they didn't take us too far,” Alan muttered. He shook his head and sat up more slowly.

“How do you figure?” Mara asked.

Alan grinned, and rapped a pair of knuckles onto the hardwood floor. “What? Don't you recognize where we are by the motions?”

Alora's eyes widened. They hadn't gone far at all. Aunt Senfora would track them down in no time.

++++++

The Rocket known as Proton took a sip of coffee and admired the view from one of the top floors of the tower. It had been a close call. When the Hounds had attacked his Slowpoke Well operation, they had been relying on stealth and the element of surprise. It was fortunate that they had neglected to throw up anything so overt as a teleportation interdiction field over the Well. At least the operation was wrapping up when they hit.

It had allowed him and a small group of Elites to ambush the Hounds' back lines and escape up the well before the Global Police reinforcements showed up. They also had taken prisoners. He hadn't had time to see who exactly they were while they were escaping, but he had seen who they were later. And boy were the Hounds going to be upset when they realized that the daughter and niece of one of the leading members were now prisoners of Team Rocket.

Proton made a face and swallowed the rest of his coffee. Senfora was going to kill him for this, and she would come loaded for dragons. Proton leaned out of the tower and looked down at the city, its citizens wandering around on the ground like ants in the coming dusk. It was the calm before the storm and he knew it. Senfora would trace the teleportation to the tower before long, and then he'd have a fight on his hands. So he had to act before that.

Proton made a face and walked back inside the tower, closing the hidden door behind himself. Most of his team had been sent to back up other operations, and he only had a force of five elites and six troopers left. Archer would be pissed that this particular safe house wouldn't be safe anymore, but he would deal with it.

One of the elites looked up as he came in, and stood up. “Proton, sir, they're awake.” the silver-garbed man gestured at a closed-circuit television, which showed the three children they had taken hostage at the Well. “What do you want to do?”

Proton made a face. “I don't WANT to do anything,” he grumbled under his breath. “Why did it have to be those two?”

+++++


“Okay,” Alora exclaimed, throwing her hands up into the air. “So there's no way out and this is a solid cedar door.” Alan, the formerly Junior Four, and Mara examined the walls suspiciously. “That means we have to wait for them to make their move.”

“Standard operating procedures would be to ransom us,” Alan said, his eyes slightly out of focus in concentration. “That would be a pretty speedy affair, I would think.”

“Except Mom won't stand for it,” Mara said quietly. “She'll come in with all barrels blazing.” There was a sound of a key in the lock, and Mara smiled reassuringly at Alan. “Sometimes it pays to have parents in high places.” The door started to open. “We'll get out of this.”

The door finished swinging open, and in the door stood the feared Executive Proton, the terror of Hoenn, and the scourge of the Pokemon League. At six foot four, the Rocket was an imposing figure, even without the red blood stripe down the sides of his silver uniform. Green eyes scanned the trio, and the man slowly advanced into the room. “Your mother is going to be the death of me yet,” the man rumbled at Mara. “Early intel indicates she's leading the entire Well strike team straight for us.”

Alora raised her eyebrows. “Half an hour, then, max, to travel from Azalea Town to the Sprout Tower?” Her eyes betrayed no fear, and her posture was nothing but relaxed.

Proton turned his burning eyes on her, but she stood with a smirk on her face through his heat. The Rocket shrugged. “I suppose it wasn't too hard to figure out, considering we're twelve stories up.” Proton turned to the final member, and Alan seemed to crumble before his gaze, showing none of the wherewithal the other two Hounds had shown. “You don't have any information I need,” Proton said, and intensified his glare at Alan, obviously enjoying the effect he was having.

“That's enough!” Alora snapped at the Rocket, and stepped over to her teammate. “Don't worry, Alan,” she said, glaring at the Executive. “He won't do anything to us.” She stepped between Proton and her timorous teammate. “He wouldn't dare harm his own family, would you, Uncle Proton?”

 

[Ash_Junior]

Spoiler: Author's Notes

Well, I've beaten the Elite Four in Black. I have to say, IMHO it's the best. Pokemon. Game. YET. if you haven't bought Black or White yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR????

+++++


Violet City wasn't known for much besides the famous Sprout Tower. Said to be built around an enormous bellsprout, the tower was always a major attraction during tourist season. The monks who had claimed the tower as their own generally did a good job taking care of it, but it was impossible to plug all the holes in a tower that size, and occasionally Rattata and other pests got in.

And today it was time to clear out some of the more meddlesome pests.

The sun had just set and the moon had not yet risen. Violet City was shrouded in darkness, except for the streetlights that marked out the various avenues. Falkner looked down at his city and felt a swell of pride. He was doing a good job as a gym leader.

He turned his attention back to the tower, and waited for the signal. He had received a call from the mercenaries the Global Police had hired to gather his gym trainers and wait. What exactly for he wasn't sure.

Falkner shoved some hair out of his face and looked over his shoulder. Behind him seven of his gym trainers and just over forty Pokemon hung in the air, waiting for instructions. They had been circling Violet City now for half an hour, staying just above the treetops, pretending to be on just another flight exercise.

Falkner glanced at the Sprout Tower again. The merc had seemed fairly certain that the Rockets were hiding out somewhere in there and wouldn't change her mind, no matter how hard he argued that the warehouse district was a much more likely hiding place. But in the end she had won out and had all but ordered him and his trainers up here.

As backup. That was humiliating. A Johto League gym leader wasn't backup! He should be part of the initial strike force! He—almost missed it. If he hadn't been looking up, he wouldn't have seen the stars disappearing and reappearing. There was someone above him.

The mercs had arrived.

+++++

For several long seconds, Executive Proton and Alora Anophis stared at each other, each of them matching the intensity in the other's eyes. Alan shifted uncomfortably in the corner, favoring his left arm. The young mercenary wasn't entirely sure what was happening, and certainly didn't want to attract any attention.

The uneasy silence continued, until it was Proton that broke his gaze away and turned to the camera, carefully disconnecting it. He stayed still for several moments, his hand still clutching the end of the camera's power cable. “Of all the damn mercenaries in that assault, they had to grab you two,” Proton grumbled quietly.

“It's good to see you again, Dad!” Mara said quietly. “I wasn't expecting to see you again for another few months.” The young woman reached behind her head and unleashed a torrent of blond hair from the pinions of its ponytail prison. “Mom promised me and Alora a trip to Monaco.”

“This isn't funny,” the Rocket growled. He turned around, fury plainly written across his face. “I've already notified the others that I had hostages. They want me to use my hostages against your mother when she attacks to get you back.” Proton ran a hand through his trademark turquoise hair, his brow furrowing in concentration. “That was before I knew it was my daughter and my niece.”

As Proton started pacing the length of the room, Alan turned to Alora, his fear starting to come out in his suddenly tremulous hands. Alora raised one hand slightly to make sure he knew to stay quiet and still.

“Well, Uncle,” Alora said finally. “As the senior member of the Harris Hounds, it's my job to do what I can get my team out safely.” Alora swallowed hard. While her uncle would do everything in his power to keep her and her sister safe, his hands were tied for the most part, due to his being 3rd in line for control over Team Rocket, under the Executives Athena and Archer, who were second and first, respectively. There probably wasn't anything she could do, but if she could, it was her duty to make sure they all got out safely.

Proton stopped and smiled at her. “That's what I like about you, Alora,” he said, the first beginnings of a smile creeping into his face. “You're quick to take charge, and from what your aunt tells me you're damn good at it.” He walked back to the camera. “Let's go somewhere private, and you can negotiate for your teammates.” he reconnected the camera, and turned back towads his prisoners. “The rest of you—no funny business. We have your Pokemon, and we outnumber you.” Proton rapped on the door, and waited. As the door opened, Alora confidently walked through. With a final glare at Alan for good measure, Proton followed close behind.

+++++

Breathing controlled. Pulse beating faster. The moments before battle were always sweet. The wind whipped through her air as she and her team cut through the air as silent as ghosts. This was just another hit. Another hunt.

The tower was coming up fast, but she and her team didn't slow down. A pair of flyers from the back of the pack split off and began to slow, while she and the rest continued in, straight as an arrow.

One thousand meters. Final checks. Weapons were prepared. Nine hundred meters. Grenades weren't stuck. Eight hundred. Seven hundred.

Five hundred— two others split off and sped ahead, going for their assigned positions on the other side of the tower.

Four hundred. A final check on position as her last wingman peeled off to head for his position.

Two hundred, and she had removed her straps. She was now crouching on her flying Pokemon, only her balance and a firm grasp on the reins keeping her from flying off of her Pokemon.

Fifty meters. Twenty. Ten. Jump!

Only then did they reveal their positions. Their flying Pokemon sent a burst of fire from their throats, slamming into the tower, bashing in the hidden doors, and allowing their riders to roll neatly into the hidden rooms.

Stand up—a Rocket started awake. The woman wasted no time. Before the Rockets could react to the stranger in the purple tunic, she was unconscious and falling to the floor. “Huntsgirl is in,” the woman said into a wrist-mounted radio. “Breach now!”

+++++

Senfora Anophis barely waited for the charge to disintegrate the door before she was barreling through it, her PEW raised and firing the second she got through. “Falkner, watch for Rockets trying to fly out of here. Intercept and engage with extreme prejudice,” she ordered, kicking in a door and making sure the room behind it was empty before she moved on.

The blood roared through her veins, and it was all she could do to maintain control over herself. She was a one-woman whirlwind, roaring through the tower so fast that even her Pokemon could barely keep up with her. She had only one thing on her mind.

She spun around a corner, and took an energy blast to the leg. She cried out in pain and threw herself back around the corner before more blasts came. The pain brought her back to her senses. “Stupid,” she growled, pulling a handkerchief out of a pocket and wrapping it tightly around her bleeding leg. “Stupid stupid!”

She took a deep breath to regain her senses, then peered around the corner. An elite and five Pokemon poured fire at her before she ducked back around the corner. She looked up to see a cream and pink Pokemon scrambling to her side. “Good thing it's you!” she said, ignoring the fire that was beginning to break the wall across from the hallway she needed to go down. “Take care of my leg, will you?”

The one-eared Pokemon chittered at her reprovingly, but knelt down over her leg obediently. Its hands moved quickly and skillfully over the wound. “Just take away the pain,” Senfora growled. She leaned around the corner and fired five shots blindly.

The scarred Audino made a face at Senfora, but its paws began to glow. Quickly and carefully, the normal type Pokemon moved its paws over its masters wounds, taking the pain away and healing the surface wounds. The mercenary sighed in relief, and fired several more shots around the corner. “All right, then,” she said, grinning. “I need a flamethrower down the corridor to give us cover. I'll charge them, and you stay back here and snipe with ice beams and thunderbolts.”

The short pokemon glared at its master, then leaped over her legs and expelled fire from its mouth, directing it around the corner at the Rockets, forcing them back. Senfora rose to her feet, and took a deep breath. She watched her Pokemon expectantly, and started running the moment its left fist started to crackle and its right grew a thin layer of ice.

Senfora spun around the corner, her PEW held in both hands, running forward and firing more careful shots at the Rockets who started to return fire, only to be forced back into cover by Senfora and her Pokemon.

Then, suddenly, one of the Rocket's pokemon was flung out of sight. The trainer turned to see what was happening, only to be struck in the stomach by a bright yellow beam of light. A raticate started to run towards the source of the fire, only to be flung against a wall, covered in a white, rope-like substance.

Between Senfora and the person around the corner, the Rockets' Pokemon were quickly dispatched. When Senfora rounded the corner, she wasn't surprised at all to see who was waiting for her.

“Huntsgirl!” Senfora said, sweeping the other into a hug. The silver-haired woman accepted the hug stiffly, her blue eyes already scanning for more targets. “It's been a while.”

Huntsgirl nodded and checked on a device on her arm as Senfora withdrew from the embrace. “It has indeed,” she said. “The prisoners should be this way!” she said, pointing down a hallway. The woman swept off down the hallway, her ariados following close behind from its perch on the ceiling of the hallway.

Senfora shook her head as she switched out power packs for her PEW. She whistled for her audino, who scampered up the hallway after the Huntsgirl. “That's one thing I like about you, you know, J. You never change.”

+++++

To Huntress J, the Huntsgirl of the TRUE Dragon Clan (not the pathetic excuse for a fan club that based themselves outside of Blackthorn City), this was just another hunt. Granted, she was hunting a human this time, not a Pokemon, but the factors were all the same. Finding the target, finding out its habits, tracking it down, and finally, taking it into custody.

That, and the inevitable boredom that came with being so much better than anyone else around her. So far in the Team Rocket conflict, she hadn't met anyone worth her considerable expertise. Though her current prey, this Proton might prove to be slightly more challenging than the pathetic grunts that she was tearing her way through. It would, at least, bring her one step closer to fighting Archer.

And once more getting the bulk of the planet between that bastard Lance and his b***h of a cousin. J felt her muscles clench at the memories of the moments she and Lance had once stolen, but forced herself back into the moment.

She rounded a corner to find herself suddenly face to face with her goddaughter and her target, Proton. Alora was preceding the target, and seemed to be chatting amiably. Proton looked tense and angry, turning to shock and fear when his brain registered seeing her. His hands shot to his belt, to what she recognized as a locator beacon.

Without breaking her stride, J's wrist-mounted stun cannon tracked towards him, being careful not to aim at all towards Alora. For a second, it looked like she would make it, but suddenly an alakazam appeared at the Executive's side, and just as quickly disappeared, the Executive tagging along on a tandem teleport, leaving only the young Alora Anophis standing in the hallway.

J grunted in annoyance and lowered her arm, still stalking forward. “Show me where the others are,” she ordered. As Alora quickly reversed course, the Huntsgirl tapped her ear-mounted radio. “Alora Anophis found. Heading to the other hostages now.”

J allowed herself a few moments of anger at the Rocket's escape before pushing her anger down and focusing on the mission at hand. There would be other times to apprehend the man.

But somewhere deep down inside of herself, she started to wonder if she had let him go on purpose because of her relationship with the odd family unit that was the family Anophis.

--------
++++++
--------

Spoiler: Author's Notes

so, yeah.....how the Anophis family fits together is complicated. for those of you not paying attention, here's how they are related to Alora Anophis.....



Alora Anophis' family TL: DR

Senfora Anophis (Aunt, married to Executive Proton)
Proton (married to Senfora Anophis)

Together, they have a daughter--Mara Anophis, who happens to be Alora's teammate and cousin.

Senfora and Mara are currently on a contract (issued by the Global Police and the Johto League) to take down Team Rocket, which places them into direct conflict with Proton.

In addition, I've revealed that Huntress J (yes, the SAME as the anime bad-***) is Alora's godmother. J is part of the Huntsclan, known by her title of "Huntsgirl", which in this case delineates her as next in line to lead the clan. the Huntsclan is an European clan of dragon users, whose ideals conflict directly with the Johto dragon clan.

And yes, J and Lance dated for a while, but that's over, and both of them are pissed at each other over how it ended.

this is going to be included later on (especially the two dragon clans) in the next chapter (Huntsgirl features prominently), but I thought it might have merited a TLR

More specifics on how Alora fits into the Mara/Senfora/Proton family will also be coming, and will play a big part of the story.


and once again YES, I AM heavily referencing the Amdrag Jake Long's Huntsclan (purple uniforms, Huntsclan, Huntsgirl, DRAGONS, etc)....just because that show is freaking awesome and should have lasted longer.

and as for one last note--no, the chapters won't always have this much swearing. Or, they might. it depends on whose perspective I'm focusing on.

Proton/J are MUCH more liable to swear than most of the other characters.

 

[Ash_Junior]

Spoiler: Author's Notes

Alright, it's time for another part of the story, but this is very exposition-heavy. So I'm going to put this into the framework as an Aside. Basically it's a little something extra that sets up continuity. the next Chapter will begin moments after this Aside ends.

I'll try to make sure this Aside isn't necessary to understand the framework of the chapter/fic.....


Let the cameos continue.....this time it's someone who has arguably been around since RBY--go back and check all the rooms on the S.S. Anne if you don't believe me. in RB at least, there's a Gentleman (I think) who says he's part of the Global Police (thus the reason I don't use International Police, besides the fact it rolls off the tongue better IMHO) and is on the trail of Team Rocket. it's been a while since I've played Red, but the first time that really sunk in is when I started using the Global Police--pre-Gen IV.

Anyway....

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“Let's get this going,” a gruff voice said. The murmurs in the room quieted, and all eyes went to the view screens that hung along the walls of the Violet City gym. There were eight screens, each displaying a nearly identical image from all across the Johto region. Seven of the screens conveyed an image of a pokemon gym's conference room which had screens similarly displaying the other meeting's attendees. The eighth screen portrayed the image of the Indigo Plateau itself, the home of the five master pokemon trainers that were the final authority on all aspects of the Johto Pokemon League.

The speaker was on the eighth screen, his red hair, normally immaculately groomed for his horde of fans was in disarray. Massive bags under his eyes betrayed how little rest the Champion had received lately. Pacing back and forth, his expertly tailored red cape trailing behind him, he kept his gaze fixed firmly on the camera that was sending his image to the rest of his pokemon league.

“I know that we've all been through quite a bit in the last twenty-four hours, so let's get this going as quickly as possible.” the champion stopped, and his cloak swirled around his body, briefly hiding his expensive black and blue clothing with yellow piping before settling back behind him.

Alora risked a glance around the long conference table to scan the impassive faces that were all staring at the screen in total concentration. Well, all of the faces except for the eight members of the Huntsclan that were making a rather obvious showing of talking quietly amongst themselves and ignoring the champion.

Aside from the Huntsclan, there were twenty-five members of the Harris Hounds present, as well as Falkner, the Violet City gym leader, and three of his gym trainers. Alora felt more than a little out of place, since the debriefings were usually reserved for fully fledged members of the Hounds, not for any of the eight members of Junior Squad.

A man clearing his throat bought Alora's attention back to the view screens. A tall, thin man wearing a long, brown jacket had moved into the center of the Indigo Plateau screen. Much to Lance's annoyance, Alora noticed.

The Global Police agent known as Looker had been the primary contact between the Harris Hounds and the rest of the Rocket Task Force, this much Alora had known for some time. She had seen pictures of him and had listened to recordings of his voice many times before and after the other Hounds went out on briefings. She remembered particularly how he had seemed absent-minded and more than a little odd when he had personally briefed the Harris Hounds on the Slowpoke Well operation.

He had actually taken her, Aunt Senfora, and Mara aside before the mission, and had asked many pointed questions about them and their relationship with Unc—with Executive Proton—to make sure that they would be able to handle the mission. He was a lot sharper than his oddness implied, and quick to make connections as well. Alora glanced down the table to the Huntsclan, and hid the smile that came to her face when she noted that they were all now giving the Global Police Agent their undivided attention.

Looker held an open folder in his hands, and flipped through the pages rapidly, keeping his tone light but talking almost too rapidly to keep track of. “All right, I'll make this quick,” he said. “First I'll go over the planned operations, namely the Aqua, Slowpoke Well, Goldenrod underground, and the Embedded Tower operations.” He glanced up from his folder. “I understand you have all individually been debriefed on those operations, but like Lance just said, we're trying to keep everyone up to date.”

Looker flipped through several pages, his eyes scanning the pages while keeping up his nearly impossibly fast monologue. “The Rockets didn't try to hijack or steal Pokemon on the Aqua this week, so thank you Gym Leader Jasmine and the Olivine City merchant marine trainers. Whitney, you and your trainers ran a sweep through the Goldenrod Underground. While we at the Global Police applaud your apprehension of the handful of criminals, we understand that you encountered no Rockets.” Looker glanced up at the screens, creating the odd impression from the Violet City gym that he was staring into space. “We'll work with you to decide the next area to sweep.”

For a few long seconds, Looker stopped talking and simply flipped through the pages in his folder. For some reason, that made her even more uncomfortable than his mile-a-minute speaking habits. “Lastly,” he said, slowly and clearly. “We have the two operations that did not go according to plan.” Looker closed his binder slowly and with finality. “I'm going to let the operations leaders take charge from here on out.” The police officer's eyes flicked between two screens on his end, finally settling on one screen in particular. “Chuck, you're up.”

All eyes turned to the screen broadcasting from Cianwood City. Chuck stood up, and Alora was surprised to see that the gym leader was wearing a shirt, albeit the unbuttoned shirt was a garish affair covered in white and blue flowers, similar in style to what the Hawaiian Kingdom was famous for selling to tourists.

“Thanks Looker,” Chuck said gruffly. He leaned over the table, and rearranged a few papers he had in front of him. “As you all know, we got word that Team Rocket had stolen a trio of supposedly magical relics from the Goldenrod Museum of History, and was making a move on the Embedded Tower. My trainers and I managed to get there just as the Rockets were setting up shop, and managed to drive them off. We recovered the relics, but before we could do much else, the Executives Archer and Athena showed up with a much larger force of Rockets.” The Gym Leader nodded at several screens. “We managed to get away with the orbs, and they're now safely locked away in the Plateau. We don't know what the Rockets wanted with them, but you can be sure it was nothing good.” Chuck's eyes flicked to one side. “Looker, you want me to keep going?”

The Global Police agent shook his head. “That will be fine, Chuck, thank you.” Chuck smiled and sat down, looking pleased with himself. “Now, on to the next operation, the raid on Slowpoke Well.” Alora shifted uncomfortably, and looked up the table at Aunt Senfora, who she knew was not looking forward to this.

“A bit of background,” Looker said. “Because some of you may not yet know the context. At approximately five in the afternoon two days ago, Team Rocket, apparently not content with merely hacking the tails off of slowpoke and selling them to restaurants, took over the Azalea Town pokemon gym. They ransacked the place and stole most of the gym's pokemon. Approximately one hour later, the Global Police contacted the Harris Hounds, who were already in town to conduct a raid on the Well, and had them move their time frame forward, with the addition of freeing the Azalea Town Gym and gym leader.” Looker nodded at the screen. “Major Senfora, you're up.”

Aunt Senfora took a deep breath, readjusted her uniform, now washed and pressed since the pair of battles that had transpired in the last two days, and got to her feet. “The Harris Hounds were short on hands for such a massive operation, but we pooled what resources we had, and launched a strike on the Rockets nearly two hours after their initial assault. We were short on men, so we had to pull in our Junior Squad.” Alora glanced across the table to Glenn Wake, the leader of Red Squad, and he winked at her. Alora smiled uneasily back, knowing that her aunt was getting close to the part where she and her squad had royally screwed the poochyena.

“For the most part, things went according to plan. The gym was cleared quickly, and Bugsy and his trainers freed. Unfortunately, most of their Pokemon were already off of the premises by the time that we got there. All he's got left of his own Pokemon now is his scyther, a metapod, and a kakuna. Again, Bugsy, I'm really sorry.” Senfora said, lowering her head in shame.

“Nothing you could do, Major,” a young, blue-haired man said. He nodded towards the camera. “I know you did all you could. For that you have my thanks.”

Senfora nodded her head. “Thank you for that, Bugsy. Believe me when I say I have the Hounds' intel division running their tails off trying to track them down.” the woman took a deep breath, then continued. “Anyway,” she said. “That brings us to the Well operation. It was botched from the start,” she said, making a face. “three young trainers beat us to the well by a matter of minutes. The master ballsmith, Kurt, tried to stop them, but only managed to hurt himself at the bottom of the well. As you all know, we have yet to locate the trainers.” Senfora took a deep breath. “From the bottom of my heart, I apologize.”

Senfora took a moment to compose herself, then continued. “The operation ran smoothly after that, and we took a total of nearly thirty Rockets into custody, as well as a decently sized stockpile of stolen pokemon. But Executive Proton was clever. We didn't erect an anti-teleportation field in time, and he used this to his advantage by teleporting behind our front lines and capturing three of our members and escaping.”

“Are you sure that he escaped, Major?” Alora stiffened as she recognized the voice. The voice of a young woman who shared no love for the Harris Hounds. Alora turned to the city showing the Dragon's Den, far beneath Blackthorn City. The young woman stood up, pointing a blue-gloved finger accusingly at the camera. “Isn't it true, Major Anophis, that you are still married to Executive Proton?”

Immediately, the Violet City gym's conference room erupted in protest. Half of the Hounds in the room were on their feet, coming to their leader's defense and shouting down the Blackthorn City gym leader's words. Alora herself barely managed to control her rage. It was all she could do not to leap up and defend her aunt. She felt her hands grip the armrests of her chair, her fingernails digging deeply into the leather.

A hand on her shoulder caused her to look up into the face of her godmother. Huntress J stood over her, her short, light blue hair framed her intense silver eyes. Immediately, Alora felt calmer, knowing that J was on the case. Alora turned back to the view screens where Looker was trying to restore order to what had turned into a regional shouting match, with nearly every gym taking either one side or the other. The Champion, Alora noted, was sitting in his chair, himself arguing with the other elite pokemon masters.

Arguing against her aunt. For that reason alone, most of the Hounds hated him. He ALWAYS argued against her aunt.

It was J that stopped the argument. She didn't even really do anything. She merely stood at the front of the conference room, closest to the screens and the camera, her right hand held upwards in a fist. The Harris Hounds immediately settled down and returned to their seats while Senfora walked forward to stand beside the huntress.

Slowly, the arguments lost their heat, and eventually stopped. “Thank you, Huntress,” Looker said, beaming at the camera. “I take it you have something you wish to say?”

“She has no business here!” Clair snapped at the camera. “I demand that she be removed from this meeting immediately!” The blue-haired gym leader rose to her feet once more.

“This is not a Johto League meeting,” Looker snapped, his voice angry for the first time in Alora's memory. “This is a meeting of the Team Rocket Task Force, which is led by the Global Police, NOT the Pokemon League. That means that right now, I'm the final authority. Now sit DOWN, and let your fellow task force member speak, Clair!” The Blackthorn gym leader sat down slowly, glaring daggers at the camera. Looker waited until she was fully seated before he spoke again. “Major Anophis, J, may I have you continue your report, please? We'll deal with these interpersonal matters later.”

“Interpersonal matters?” Lance cut in, incredulous. “You have to be kidding me! She's still married to Proton!”

“That's ENOUGH!” Looker said, raising his voice this time, the anger still palpable. “Lance, I have worked with Major Anophis in the past, dating back to the days when Team Rocket was the premier mercenary group in the world, under Madame Boss. BEFORE Giovanni started all this mess. She has remained above reproach, and cut all ties to her former teammates when Giovanni took over the Rockets and turned to crime. She is the best trainer I have ever had the pleasure to witness, ever. The only reason she isn't a Champion somewhere is because she doesn't want to settle down.”

Looker pinched the bridge of his nose. “But I see that we will have to deal with this privately before we continue.” He glanced at Lance, then at the Indigo Plateau camera. “Major, Clair,” he turned to Lance. “and Lance, private teleconference, now.” Looker turned to go, then, almost as an afterthought, looked back at the camera. “The rest of you—twenty minute recess while we deal with this. Don't go anywhere.”

 

[Ash_Junior]

The large conference room was in chaos, with nearly every person present engaged in heated arguments with one or more people in the room. The topic of discussion was the matter of the Harris Hounds, namely, the Hounds' Johto commander, Major Senfora “Hot Momma” Anophis. In the middle of a Rocket Task Force meeting, led by Global Police agent Looker, the proceedings had suddenly turned into little more than a petty squabbling match.

It was, Alora Anophis decided, pretty much to be expected. Aunt Senfora had been a major player in the original Team Rocket, back when it was being led by the enigmatic Madame Boss. It was there that Aunt Senfora had met and married the man who had become present-day Team Rocket Executive Proton. When Madame Boss had disappeared and Giovanni had assumed control, a schism had split the original Team Rocket.

Giovanni turned Team Rocket away from the mercenary life that they had always previously held to, and instead had instituted a series of reforms, turning the once-respectable name into little more than the name of a powerful collection of thugs out only for money. The difference between the two groups being that Giovanni's Rockets turned to crime, and the Madame Boss loyalists preferred to keep their activities legal. Well, the activities they were known for at least.

Executive Proton had remained loyal to Giovanni, and quickly became very wanted in the Pokemon League. Senfora Anophis left Team Rocket, and, with a goodly number of other former Rockets, formed the Harris Hounds. But Proton and Senfora had never divorced. Indeed, they often met outside of the Pokemon League Federation. Both Alora and her cousin, Mara, had spent a lot of time with the Executive during their formative years.

It was that relationship that had caused a rift in the Rocket Task Force. Alora, Senfora, and the rest of the Hounds were committed to the contract they had agreed to. Namely, to either take down Team Rocket or at the very least drive the organization out of Johto. Preferably capturing the top four Rocket Executives—Archer, Athena, Proton, and Petrel.

And the Hounds that had volunteered for the assignment would do just that—tear into Team Rocket, digging for its heart, no matter who it was that they were facing—even if their opponent happened to be family.



“So we have a truce, then?” Senfora asked, glaring into the camera mounted atop a very large television screen. On the screen were the images of the Johto Champion, Lance, and the Blackthorn City gym leader, Clair. Global Police Chief Looker had pulled the three of them aside in order to settle an argument that had been brewing.

Of course, it was more than just her marriage that had the pair of Dragon Clan masters up in knots. Her long-standing association with the Huntsclan had often been a sore spot when she was forced to deal with the Johto League. She didn't see why the pair of dragon tamer clans couldn't get along, but then again she was far more motivated by cold, hard currency than anything as quaint as honor. Not that she couldn't see its good points.

Occasionally.

The younger of the dragon tamers, the fiery gym leader known as Clair, glared out of the television's left half. The woman was coated in ice blue, from her dyed hair to her almost-unitard dress to her knee-length boots. Her icy blue eyes were currently boring into Senfora with a fiery passion. If only, Senfora thought to herself, the young woman could learn to harness and direct all of that energy productively There would be few capable of withstanding her power.

But unfortunately the young woman had been spoiled from birth—knowing from the moment she was born that she would eventually lead the Dragon Clan, and knowing that she descended from a long line of master dragon tamers had turned her into little more than a spoiled brat that threw tantrums when she didn't get her way.

“We need you,” Clair growled, glaring bloody murder at Senfora. “We need you to help bring down Team Rocket.” Of course, the Dragon Clanners didn't mean a word of what they were saying. They were just saying them so they could stop arguing and do something else, and everyone in attendance knew as much. Senfora bowed her head, and started to turn to look at Lance, but Clair didn't give her the chance. “But the moment that this is over,” Clair snapped. “I'm going to start this right back up.” Senfora allowed herself a frown and a disgusted sigh. Spoiled little brat.

Lance was less obvious about his continued hostility, showing only a carefully calculated bitter bemusement. “I suppose that mercenaries of the Hounds' caliber need every job that they can get their hands on to keep their lights on.” Senfora bristled at his words, and it was all that she could do to keep her mouth clenched firmly shut. “After all, they do have former members of Team Rocket.” Her ears burned, but her mouth remained firmly closed. “I suppose that we could take PITY on them,” Senfora's hands curled into fists, her fake fingernails digging deeply into her palms. Right now she hated the contract, and a lot of what the League stood for. But the money was too good. Besides, LOOKER was the one that had hired them, not the League. “and let them keep on doing their job, as long,” the Champion added smugly. “As long as they manage to bring forth better results than the fiasco in Azalea Town.”

“I didn't hear any complaints when we located the Rocket stronghold in the Safari Zone,” Senfora snapped before she could stop herself. A hand grabbed her arm and squeezed, like a vice. It was all that the mercenary could do to tear her eyes off of the Champion's cold, intelligent eyes and look into the face of the Global Police agent, who was firmly shaking his head.

“The value of your contributions to this push speak for themselves,” Looker cut in. “That goes for both the League and the Hounds.” Looker leaned backwards, shoving his hands deep into his bridge coat's pockets. “If we had been missing either one of you, the Task Force would not have made the gains that it has so far.” Looker took a deep breath. “Look, as long as you're both part of the Task Force, in which the Global Police is the lead, I'm going to need you to work out your differences. I'm not asking you to like each other, only to respect each other.”

Lance's eyes narrowed just slightly. “Fine,” he said, barely loud enough for his microphone to pick up his voice. “On behalf of the Pokemon League, I'd like to extend a truce to the Harris Hounds Mercenaries.”

“Then we're agreed,” Senfora hissed, barely managing to keep a civil tone. “For now, we have a truce, between the Harris Hounds and our subcontractors the Huntsclan, and the Pokemon League. The Rocket Task Force will not engage itself, but only Team Rocket.” Her eyes narrowed. “I'm sure the Huntsclan will be overwhelmed with joy when they hear this.” she couldn't back her sarcasm any longer.

Without another word she turned and stormed from the room.

“Touchy, isn't she?” she heard Lance say just before the door closed behind her.

It was all she could do to keep moving down the hall, and not burst back into the room and yell out all the things she had wanted to say since the beginning of the contract—things that would get her banned for life from the Johto region.

She stalked down the hall to the conference room, not bothering to open the doors with the handles, she instead lowered her shoulder and barged through. The doors swung, silently and swiftly open. They banged into the walls on either side of the door, the noise loud enough to interrupt the all-but-brawl that had broken out in her absence.

“Hounds, with me!” she said with barely contained rage. “We're not spending another second in a building owned by the Pokemon League. No offense, Falkner.”

“None taken,” The young gym leader said in a resigned tone. Senfora briefly wondered, on her way out of the gym and into the Violet City pokemon center, how the young man could handle dealing with such a pompous neanderthal day in and day out.

It boggled her mind.


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Spoiler: Author's Notes

Not that anyone's still reading, but I've hit writer's block on a particular point in the current chapter. So I decided just to stop and move on. Where this chapter ends is pretty good. If a bit short/abrupt. Sorry, but the block just won't go away. And it's time to write some fun stuff!

Also, there's an aside that should be coming up soon, depending on how boring/interesting I find it that will explain, in some detail, Harris Hounds equipment (Energy Weapons, shielding (Barrier/Force Field) tech, airships [partially based off of Hunter J's anime airship, yes], etc). But like I said, this will be an aside, and not mandatory reading, but it will help you to understand a few things about the combat (ie warfare, not the puny 3v3 max battles most trainers have) system I have roughly formed up in my head.


Oh, and in case you were wondering, this is pre-anime Sinnoh, so that J isn't this J.

Yet.



Oh, and YES, "almost-unitard" is HELLA awkward, but I can't think of another way to say it. >.<

sorry if it's a bit vague in some parts but I just got tired of the whole Slowpoke Well aftermath, and wanted to move on.

Next chapter: "Just for Starters!"

featuring cameos by Kris (" The Crystal girl you mean?" oh SMELL yes the Crystal girl ), Ethan, and (ugh) Lyra, plus a couple more familiar (non-Ashco) faces....let's just say that I'm CONSIDERING.....dropping my balls.

 

[Ash_Junior]

Chapter 6: The Terrible Trio

Alora leaned back against the tree, and relaxed. She and the others who had participated in the whole Well fiasco had been given a week of leave. She had chosen to travel to visit Goldenrod City for a little fun. Her eyes closed, she extended her senses.

She felt the wood biting into her back, smelled the fresh flowers, and luxuriated in the soft heat of the noonday sun. She opened her eyes and watched as trainers ran around the tall grass of the National Park, yelling excitedly as bug-type pokemon scattered before them. It was a Tuesday, and that meant that the bug-catching competition was on.

For a moment, Alora considered getting up and joining in the contest, which was scheduled to last until sunset, but decided against it. She'd had enough jolts running through her body. Absently, she stroked Mira Nova's prickly fur with her right hand. The yellow pokemon made a gurgling, almost-purring noise, and readjusted itself. Somehow it managed to cover her legs even more.

Mira had been her second pokemon, back in the days when J had been raising Alora. Alora smiled at the thought and stared up at the cirrus clouds wafting across an impossibly-blue sky. J had been slightly disappointed that her life partner wasn't a dragon. It wasn't easy to spot, but eight years of J raising her had definitely attuned the two to each other.

Slasher moved slightly in her sleep, and Alora looked down at the blue rodent curled up beside her, and patted its leathery skin. Slasher had been with her her entire life. According to J, Slasher had been one of her mother's Pokemon, and had been bred especially for Alora while Alora's mother was pregnant.

Even though J refused to say anything more about her mother, somehow it didn't hurt quite so much when the poison type pokemon was around. There was still the loneliness in not knowing that not even J or Aunt Senfora could fill, but J had said that the time wasn't yet right for her to know.

Whatever that meant.

And because J was the only one who actually knew who Alora's mother was, that meant she was stuck. But if there was anyone on the planet that Alora actually trusted, it was definitely the Hunstgirl.

But still—she had something. Something real—something ALIVE that connected her with her mother, whoever she was. As long as she could remember, Slasher was always there for her. The big-eared pokemon had stuck by her side like glue, according to J even sleeping in the crib with Alora when Alora was less than a year old. Before J had started working with the Hounds.

Slasher had come a long way, and a lot of people bugged her about evolving Slasher into a Nidoqueen, but Alora stubbornly refused. Even though she had had many opportunities to find, take, or buy moon stones, she had decided as a child that until she knew exactly who her mother was, her nidorina would remain unevolved.

A sudden jolt of electricity roiling through her started her from her revery. Alora glanced down to see what had upset Mira, but the electric type was still asleep. A dream jolt, then. It happened occasionally, but neither Alora nor Slasher appreciated it much. The rudely awakened poison-type pokemon glared at its electric type counterpart. Slasher's poisonous barbs on its ears and back rose, and Alora laid a restraining hand on her first pokemon's back.

“It's all right,” Alora said soothingly. “You know that she didn't mean it.” Slasher made a grumbling snarl but reluctantly settled back down next to Alora, relaxing its barbs.

Suddenly the sunlight Alora had been enjoying dissapeared, and a pair of figures stood over Alora. The mercenary shaded her eyes, but saw nothing more than a pair of black outlines against the sun. Though one was wearing custom-made water stone earrings that turned ordinary sunlight into an incredible visual display.

“Kris, Irwin,” Alora acknowledged, not moving from where she sat. The pair moved out of Alora's sunlight, and took a seat on either side of the mercenary. The pair of pokemon trainers had been Alora's friends for quite some time now. She had met them when she had defeated Goldenrod City's gym leader and had gotten the plains badge. Kris and Irwin had been travelling together and had fought the gym leader, Jorge, just before Alora. His equine pokemon had quickly fallen to Slasher and Mira, and the three had started talking on their way to the pokemon center.

“You should have told us you were in town!” Kris said, flashing a brilliant smile. The young New Barkian was something of a wunderkind when it came to pokemon training, and had quickly gathered a following with both her pokemon training and her ravishing beauty. Her blue hair was kept back in her customary ponytails, held back, Alora noticed, by fire stone barrettes.

Kris' green eyes looked carefully into Alora's. “You are going to battle us again before you leave, aren't you?” Far from the stereotypical airhead bombshell, Kris used her beauty in her strategy as much as her pokemon. Whether it was distracting the boys with the almost non-existent miniskirts and expensive, low-cut shirts, or trying to intimidate the girls with expensive jewelry like the priceless dawn stone necklace that she wore. But behind her knock-out figure was an incredible mind the likes of which Alora had seldom met before.

The holder of no less than thirty League badges, Kris had easily Ranked twenty-second in the League during the last National Tournament, and Alora hadn't won a match against the girl in years. Alora met Kris' gaze, and couldn't help but feel a twinge of nervousness as she responded. “I'd never back down from a chance to let you win,” Alora said, grinning. Kris' smile widened, but all Alora saw was the look of a predator that had just found its next meal.

Alora turned to face the other of her new companions. Irwin was in many ways Kris' polar opposite. While not the exceptional trainer that Kris was, Irwin was mainly an average trainer that had happened to be passing through Violet City at the same time that Kris was. Ever since the pair had met up, they had travelled together, and toured the world.

In Irwin's case, quite literally.

Irwin had come from a performing family. His mother had been a famous soap opera star, granted the show only aired in one or two of the League regions, and his father had been a moderately successful singer who had never quite hit the big time.

Irwin was a musician, and travelled with his old, beat up acoustic guitar strapped to back. His team of four electrode had been specially trained to vibrate the air at specific frequencies to produce different sounds. Not to mention that when done right, the four of them could work together and produce a bass line like none other. Irwin had also picked up a Jigglypuff and a Chatot in his travels, and had incorporated them into his act.

“The Incredible Irwin,” as he was known, was notorious in underground muscial circles, but not very famous. Like his father, he hadn't had his big break, but Alora had to admit that she always liked his performances, which were accentuated nicely by perfectly timed pokemon techniques.

“How are you doing, Irwin?” she asked him now, grinning as she saw him sprawled haphazardly on the grass, soaking up sunshine. One eye crawled open and Irwin regarded her for a second before responding.

The eye winked shut, and the performer readjusted himself, spreading out the ridiculous red cape he insisted on wearing farther around himself. “Another day, another show,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “Still wish I wasn't my own roadie.”

“What do you need a roadie for?” Kris shot back, a coy smile gracing her lips. “All you've got is that guitar you've had forever. How long does that take to set up?” Kris panto-mimed opening Irwin's guitar case. “Take out the guitar and tune it. All done, boss!” she said sarcastically.

Irwin opened his eyes and glared across Alora at the master pokemon trainer. “Hey,” he snarled in a not-quite-hurt tone. “I don't insult your hair cutter.”

Kris' eyes narrowed, but her smile only widened. “Ivan isn't a barber, you twit. He's a hair stylist.”

Irwin rolled his eyes. “The guy cuts hairs. With scissors. How is he not a barber?”

“As much fun as it is to listen to you guys argue,” Alora cut in. “I assume there's a reason why you asked me to meet you here?”

Kris feigned umbrage. “What?” she asked, recoiling. “Can't old friends just get together and talk about old times?” Alora's face showed no amusement, so Kris changed tack. “All right,” Kris said. “Word is that Team Rocket captured you in your last operation.” Anger flashed through her beautiful emerald eyes. “the League's been after me to do something about those bothersome pests, but I knew that going through you would probably put me in a better position.”

Alora sat there for a moment, looking down the hill at the trainers in the main square of the National Park running through tall grass in an attempt to catch the best bug type pokemon for that day's catching contest. On the one hand, Kris was an old friend and an incredible trainer. But on the other hand she was a Ranked Pokemon Master. And that meant that the League would be able to share any credit from any operations that Kris was on.

No, the Hounds would need all the credit that they could get now, after failing, twice, to capture one of the four most wanted Rockets.

Still, there was that other idea that she'd had for quite a while now. The one that had been tickling at the back of her mind ever since she'd first joined the Hounds.

“If you don't want me to go,” Kris said quietly, her intelligent eyes studying Alora carefully. “I understand.”

“It's not that,” Alora said off-handedly, elements of a plan coming together in her mind. The idea had been in the back of her head for so long, but she wasn't sure if she would be able to pull it off. She needed a test run. “I mean,” Alora said, snapping herself back to the present. “It is the fact that you're Ranked. I won't deny that at all.” Kris nodded in understanding. Alora looked down the hill again, this time not seeing the trainers that were gathering near the massive fountain in the center of the square. Her thoughts were coming quickly now, and each one seemed better than the one before.

Abruptly, Alora got to her feet. She ignored Mira's electronic bleat of protest as the pokemon was dumped rudely into the grass. The idea was real now. So much so that it almost seemed tangible. Like she could pluck it right out of the air in front of her. But first, she needed a test run.

Alora turned, a sly grin on her face. Kris and Irwin were already on their feet. They both looked nervous and excited. They knew that Alora's ideas tended to get them into trouble. But, they had to admit, it was generally worth it.

“Next stop,” Alora murmured quietly. “Nugget Bridge.” Irwin and Kris exchanged puzzled glances, then, almost simaltaneously, shrugged. They both knew better than to try to dissuade Alora from one of her ideas. Even if they had no idea what it was.



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Spoiler: Author's Notes

I know I promised Ethan and Lyra, but to be honest, the massive battle with Ethan/Lyra/Kris versus Cheren/Alora/[Silver] just didn't feel right to me. I just couldn't make it work. Besides that I really disliked the airheady Lyra (Kris>Lyra in terms of sprites any day) that I wrote in.

Yes, if I could have pulled it off, it may have been fun, but I'll settle for advancing the plot a bit rather than blowing in some fluff.

So I went back to the beginning, scratched everything after introducing the setting, Alora, and her Pokemon, and just tossed in Kris and Irwin.

I have to say, I've been meaning to add evolution stone jewelry into my works somewhere (I don't think I've done it before), and this version of Kris fit perfectly.

Not that there's anyone still reading, but I should have new chapter done soon (tm).

I've got a great idea where this plot arc should go. Unless I decide to (again) twist it all out of shape and do something completely different. Like I generally do.

Spoiler: Dramatis Personnae

Dramatis Personnae:

Harris Hounds Mercenaries

Alora Anophis: Pokemon Trainer, Squad Leader in the Harris Hounds

Belt Team:
Nidorina "Slasher"--gift from a mother that Alora never knew, Alora's oldest companion
Electabuzz "Mira Nova"--Alora's Huntsclan-style "life partner"

[Both were specially bred for additional techniques, and Alora herself has used additional Technical Machines on both]​

Pokemon League

Kris: Elite Pokemon Master from New Bark Town, owner of thirty Pokemon League badges (five of which can no longer be received due to Gym Leader retirement), Ranked 24th in the last National Pokemon League Tournament

The Incredible Irwin: Travelling musician and Pokemon Trainer. Prefers playing his music over actually trying to battle with his Pokemon.

Spoiler: Glossary

Plains Badge: The Badge given out by Gym Leader Jorge of Goldenrod City, user of equine (horse-like) Pokemon. Jorge recently retired, and left the gym to his daughter, Whitney.

 

[Ash_Junior]

Chapter 7: Nugget Bridge

Long hiatus, but I just haven't been inspired. I was in a good mood so I forced myself to start writing again, and I'm glad I did. It flowed pretty well once I got going.

I THINK I got all of the spelling errors, and the capitalization (lower case for pokemon species names/techniques)....may have missed one or two.


Honestly, I'm enjoying this new style of writing battles more than the classic "Have the characters yell out move names every single time!"

instead, I simply skip that boring, choppy part, and let the battle flow smoothly, inserting here and there the implication that that's still going on, but getting on with the battle and letting the battle flow along MUCH more smoothly.

Spoiler: Chapter 7: Nugget Bridge

Alora leaned over the Prisma River, admiring its sparkling waves as it hurried east towards Cerulean Cape. Tentatively, first one foot and then her other entered the river. Alora shivered slightly against the cold of the current.

Alora laughed, just enjoying the day, and threw her head back, taking in the sky above her. The day was an unqualified success, just the thing that she needed after the crowded sardine can that was the Magnet Train. Slowly, she stretched back, the feel and smell of the grass sending her into an even further relaxed state. There weren't any clouds in the sky, and the sunlight that warmed her skin felt so luxurious.

“I told you this was great, didn't I?” Kris' pleased voice came from beside her. The pokemon master had traded in her expensive clothes for a pair of blue jeans and a White Star Line t-shirt, with a picture of the former flagship, the Titanic, steaming through a calm ocean next to a surfaced wailmer. In her mouth, the master had a piece of long grass clenched between her teeth.

“You don't get to the top only through hard work,” Kris grinned at Alora. “You have to unwind a bit or you'll go insane.” Kris looked back up at the sky, a sly smile still on her face. “But you know a lot more about letting loose than I do.”

Alora glanced behind her as the sounds of Irwin's guitar started up once more. The young man's face was a mask of concentration as he began playing the first few chords of what Alora thought was a song called “Saturday in the Park.”

Right on cue, his four electrode followed his lead, resonating at low, audible frequencies that, all together, sounded reminiscent of a set of drums. While Irwin continued to play the melody line, he nodded to his other two pokemon, and the pair started singing along in supporting roles. His chatot sang out loudly and clearly, while his jigglypuff was more hesitant and slightly off key. Irwin's brow furrowed in frustration, but he kept playing, his back against a tree, his guitar gently resting against his stomach and his legs.

A figure jumping over her head brought Alora's attention back to herself. She half-heartedly made a grab in the general direction of the running pokemon but missed Kris' feraligator's tail. The water-type pokemon kept running after Slasher, who chittered happily and ran circles around Irwin's small band.

Loreley, Kris' original pokemon, had gone without a name for years, but Kris had eventually settled on the feraligator's name after reading about the legend behind the European Lorelei rock. Kris had become entranced with the mythology of the supposed siren and had decided to honor the woman in the story, Lore Ley, with her starter's nickname.

A sharp bark brought Alora's attention over to Kris' houndoom, which was staring down Mira, Alora's imperious electabuzz. The electric-type's tail swished back and forth as it glared at the lupine pokemon, whose tail was wagging furiously, its head bowed in the classic play bow.

“It was my idea to come here in the first place,” Alora mumbled, looking up into the impossibly blue sky with a smile on her face. Her mind was already five steps past relaxing, and working on the next few steps she would take. She sat up, supporting herself with her arms stretched behind herself, and studied Cape Bridge as it spanned the Prisma River.

The bridge was a local hangout for Pokemon trainers, and eventually a group of the locals had formed together and started taking challengers. These days, they had so many challengers coming in from around Kanto and even from beyond the borders of the region that challenges were strictly scheduled, and a fee extracted from challengers. The fee of five hundred was returned tenfold if a trainer managed to defeat the five trainers of the so-called “Nugget Challenge,” and the elite pokemon master that ran the whole thing. The trainers of the Nugget Challenge always had their challenges on the Cape Bridge, so often so that the bridge had been dubbed locally as the Nugget Bridge.

As Alora watched the bridge, a gout of fire erupted into the air, and a small, flying pokemon darted nimbly around it. She squinted but couldn't identify the pokemon. It looked like it came from one of the Western countries—New Mexico, the Minnesota Republic, or possibly even the CSA. Something like that. She was surprised to see such an exotic pokemon this far east. The trainer that had the strange bird was probably either a rich collector or a Western trainer looking for challenges in the Pokemon League.

The trainers running the challenge had increased in notoriety recently, and had become known as the best trainers in Cerulean City after one of the four Waterflowers of the Cerulean gym had left town to go on a journey.

There were even rumors circulating that the trainers were preparing to challenge the remaining trio of Waterflowers for the rights to the gym, like the psychic Sabrina had done in Saffron City two years earlier.

Alora pulled out her smart phone and thumbed through its contents until she found the application she wanted. Quickly logging in, she accessed the Hounds' intelligence on Cerulean City, and scanned it until she came to the section on the Nugget Bridge.

There wasn't much there, but then she hadn't expected much. The Hounds weren't really expecting a need to attack and stop the Bridgers. All she had to go on was a list of names. Ah well, it had been worth a shot.

A hand on her shoulder startled her out of her revery, and she looked up into Kris' disappointed face. “I thought you were going to relax?” Kris said pointedly.

“I....am,” Alora said hesitantly. Kris raised her eyebrows, and Alora suddenly realized that she had pulled her feet out of the water, and was sitting on them. She had also straightened up and had instinctively hunched over the phone. Alora made a move to hide the phone, but Kris effortlessly plucked the phone from her grasp.

Kris took one look at the screen and sighed. “Researching your next battle isn't relaxing,” she groused, handing the phone back to the completely nonplussed mercenary. Alora shrugged and slipped her phone into her pocket. “Alora, you've spent your whole life working. When was the last time you had some fun?”

Alora raised an eyebrow. “I had fun storming the Well.”

“You got captured,” Kris snapped.

“By my dad!” Alora shot back. “I was fine!”

“Dammit Alora,” Kris exclaimed, throwing her arms into the air. “What if it hadn't been him? What if Archer had captured you instead? How can you be so flippant about this?”

“It goes with the territory,” Alora quipped, scowling.

“Fine!” Kris growled. “Little miss bad-*** is all work and no play!” she turned away in disgust. Erwin stopped playing and looked up from his guitar, but didn't interrupt. He'd known the pair long enough to know that that would have only brought him trouble.

“What in mew's name is your problem?” Alora demanded, genuinely confused. “I'm a warrior, raised by warriors, trained to fight and be ready for my next assignment! How the hell else should I respond to that?”

Kris sighed. “I know, Alora, I know. But somewhere along the way, that's all you became.” Kris rose to her feet, and extended her arms, soaking in the sunshine. “Look around you! The sun is bright, the sky is clear, and we don't have any worries!”

“Except for returning to combat in a few days,” Alora mumbled under her breath.

Kris narrowed her eyes, then shook her head. “Never mind,” she said quietly. “I know better than to think that I can change your mind.” She sat back down and rolled up the legs of her jeans, and extended her feet into the water. “I guess it's time to start planning my assault on the bridge, anyway.” She stared up into the sky. “I guess the main question is what I'm going to wear.”

Alora frowned. “Wait, what?” she demanded. “How does what you're going to wear impact the battle?”

Kris turned to Alora, a sly smile on her face. “Alora, Alora, Alora,” she purred. “In case you've forgotten, almost all of the trainers on Nugget Bridge are men or boys. How a woman challenger dresses can change the entire course of the battle.”

Alora shook her head, trying not to laugh at her friend. “I prefer a straight fight.”

Kris grinned at Alora. “And that's why I'm Ranked, and you're not. I exploit every advantage I can.”



“Breathe, Erwin,” Alora muttered as she nudged the musician. He, and nearly every other guy on Nugget Bridge, were staring at Kris. Not that she really blamed them. Kris had definitely exploited her curves. Between the daisy dukes and her low-cut shirt tied off above her midriff, Kris left little to the imagination.

Kris hadn't made her grand entrance until after Erwin had been completely decimated in his third match, but had most certainly commanded every eye since. Her hair was immaculately styled, her clothes expensive, and her jewelry probably cost more than Alora made in a year. The guys couldn't help staring and the girls were intimidated by the extravagant amazon. It was, Alora had to admit, a masterful use of wardrobe for a psychological advantage.

But Alora ignored the spectacle that Kris had made of herself and concentrated on the battle at hand. It was all down to the last pair of pokemon. The final trainer seemed to be immune to Kris' charms, much to Kris' obvious frustration. The trainer was simply focused one hundred percent on the battle, a trait that Alora couldn't help but admire, his long coat silently swinging from side to side.

Alora's eyes flicked from Kris to her umbreon, and then to the opposing trainer and his tyranitar. The obvious advantage would go to the tyrannitar, except that the tyranitar had swept most of Kris' team, and had to be running low on energy by now. Kris' umbreon, meanwhile, had just been sent out, and had been itching for a good fight for weeks.

“Iris,” Kris called sweetly, playing her femininity to the end. “Double Team!” The other trainer said nothing for a moment, clearly weighing his options. He wasn't able to use the tyranitar's powerful ground-type moves, because they were standing on a bridge. That certainly narrowed his options down.

Osiris the umbreon, named after the Egyptian god of the underworld, darted around the circle that had been marked as the battling area, that included the railing and a section of water over the railing that some of the feline pokemon's copies leapt onto, and kept moving.

For a long moment, the only movement on the bridge was Osiris darting around the challenge circle. The other trainer studied Kris carefully, and Kris returned his stare. Neither of their looks were hostile, but merely sizing each other up for their one, last haul.

The moment stretched, and whispers sprouted and took wing along the air, winging from person to person as still neither trainer ordered any more commands. Alora ignored the muttering of air as it passed by her, and instead focused her attention on this supremely confident pokemon trainer. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his dark blue bridge coat, and let his raggedy brown hair fall into his eyes as he examined the situation.

Finally, the trainer tore his gaze away from Kris, and strangely settled on Alora. There was nothing lecherous in his stare, only a casual interest. Then something clicked behind his eyes and Alora knew that he was about to make his move. She whirled on Kris to see if she had seen it too. Apparently she hadn't, because she kept staring bemusedly at her opponent. She didn't see--

“Brick break!” the command was shouted so suddenly, with so much authority, that it cut through the whispers, and struck Kris almost like a physical blow. Osiris, who had already slowed down while it was waiting for its opponent to make a move, stumbled one step. That mistake almost ended the match right there.

The tyranitar caught the smaller pokemon on its haunches, sending the actual pokemon into the railing, and staggering it further. Then Alora understood why the other trainer had extended the pause. It had afforded his pokemon the opportunity to study his opponents, and determine exactly which of the seven umbreon that had been darting around the makeshift fighting ring was the real one. He had taken Kris' supreme confidence and turned it into a weapon of his own.

Deep down in her stomach, Alora felt a twinge of fear. She was supposed to challenge the Bridgers the next day. And she had to go up against this type of mind? Alora suddenly felt very out-classed.

Alora turned her attention back to the battle, just in time to see the giant pokemon brush ice crystals away from a spot where Osiris had just lifted her teeth. Kris was mad now, mad, but in control. The ire in her commands was carefully controlled. She was too professional to let it burst into an outburst, like the other trainer was no doubtlessly hoping for.

The tyranitar lunged for the small fox again, only to have the small fox once again leap out of the way of the dinosaur's giant paws, and slam directly into an already-moving tail. Almost before the long-eared pokemon had recovered, it had to leap out of the way to avoid a massive foot that nearly stomped it flat, then leap away before a gout of flames engulfed it.

To most of the observers, Kris looked doomed, but Alora had seen Kris pull out from worse. At a shouted command, umbreon leaped upwards, deftly landing on the larger pokemon's tail, and gracefully leaping into the air before it could be shaken off. The umbreon stiffened, and whirled around completely in the air, bringing a tail that suddenly gleamed with an iron sheen into the tyranitar's chest, driving the pokemon backwards.

Kris, having regained momentum, didn't let up. A quick bite here, a well-timed double team here, and a shadow ball just to keep her opponent guessing, Osiris and Kris kept pushing the tyranitar back. It seemed impossible, but the small, weaker attacks were landing far more often than the occasional jab or tail whip from the massive dual-type pokemon.

Murmurs of astonishment rose as Osiris darted up the tyranitar's back, leaped into space, and bit down hard on its opponent's nose. Using its momentum, it swung out in the opposite direction, and flew off before the riposting fist got closer than two inches from its creamy, blue-black fur.

For a moment, neither pokemon move, and neither trainer spoke. All four knew that the end was near. Blood and sweat mixed the fox's creamy, black and gold fur, while blood and cracks in the tyranitar's armored body seemed to be everywhere. Neither side held an advantage. While it was true that Kris' umbreon was in better shape than the tyranitar, it had no techniques capable of delivering the coup de grace. While the tyranitar, despite being near the end of its rope, still had plenty of energy to end the battle with a single blow if he got half the chance.

The crowd gathered for the match sensed this, and all stared as one as for one, brief moment, a supreme calm settled on the bridge. Time seemed to slow down as the final orders were shouted, and both pokemon leapt into action. The tyranitar made the fatal mistake of turning its back to the smaller pokemon for a split second as it spun around to increase the power of its tail slamming into the smaller creature. Flames already burst from its mouth and shot out in a massive fireball that fizzled against the barriers keeping attacks inside the arena, slowly turning with the giant pokemon in an inexorable turn towards its foxy opponent. A third mode of attack, its powerful arms, were in motion as well, turning with its body, aimed only for its small opponent.

If the massive pokemon had been allowed to complete its turn, there would have been no chance of victory for Kris and Osiris. But the small fox had not leapt for the tyranitar's head, or even its body, like most attackers would. Instead, it charged directly for the tyranitar, jumping over its tail at the last second, and slamming its own tail, for a brief moment as hard as metal, into the creature's left leg. The crack could easily be heard by all, and the rock-type fell, only to receive another iron tail against the side of its head. The rock-type monster was unconscious before it hit the ground fully, and victory was complete.

For a moment, nothing happened. It seemed like the scene was frozen in time, Osiris still in the air. Then the umbreon landed, all four feet at once, on top of its defeated foe. The fox's fur was matted, its sides heaving, its tail drooping from exhaustion. But victorious nonetheless.

A sound rang out across the bridge. A sharp, piercing sound that startled everyone with its suddenness. Then the sound repeated again, Kris' opponent's hands coming together in a slow clap. Another pair of hands came together, then another. A cheer went up, and before long the entire bridge was in pandemonium. It mattered little to the onlookers that the local favorite had been defeated. The battle had been glorious, and had disappointed no one.

Kris was swept away, and Alora felt herself and her pair of Pokemon pushed to the side of the bridge as every bystander rushed to congratulate Kris. The men pressing in feverishly, the women showing a little more restraint. And more than a little disgust at the men present.

Alora shook her head and knelt down next to her Pokemon, scratching their ears absently. She stared at the ring as it slowly disappeared. The holographic imager, its use no longer needed, powered down, and slowly descended into waiting hands, where it would wait until the next battle.

The battle had shaken her. Shown her again just how cunning Kris was. Maybe she was right. Maybe she was missing something. Maybe she could stand to think like less of a soldier at times. A mild shock from Mira alerted Alora to the fact that someone had approached.

Alora looked up from the pair of hiking boots she had been looking at and rose to her feet, discovering, to her surprise, that the tyranitar's trainer was standing in front of her. For a moment, neither spoke. They slowly circled each other, each of them sizing the other. His emerald eyes traveled up and down Alora's Harris Hounds jumpsuit, and her hair pulled back into a simple ponytail. Her eyes took in the long, woolen coat, with its double row of gold buttons and elongated collar.

“Alora Anophis I presume,” he said more of as a statement than a question.

Alora nodded, her face impassive. “That's right,” she said. Inwardly, she knew that Kris would want her to open up more, but the guarded instincts she had been raised to trust advised her otherwise. She forced herself to smile. “You seem to have me at a disadvantage.”

“Jack,” he said, extending his hand. “Jack Harper. Boys around here call me Captain Jack.” he shrugged. “Not after the hippy of a pirate from those movies mind you, but after the American in that Brit television show.”

“Nice to meet you, Jack,” Alora said. “I'll probably see you tomorrow on the bridge.”

Jack grinned. “I'm looking forward to it. I've heard about the work you Hounds have done over in Johto. And about your exploits in particular.” Alora's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but before she could say anything, he continued. “It's been in all the papers.”

Alora shrugged. “A spate of bad luck, that's all.”

Jack smiled disarmingly. “Well,” he said slowly. “How about I buy you dinner and you can tell me all about it?”

Spoiler: Dramatis Personnae

Dramatis Personnae:

Alora Anophis: Pokemon Trainer, currently on leave from the Harris Hounds mercenaries

Belt Team:

Nidorina “Slasher”
Electabuzz “Mira Nova”


Kris: pokemon master from New Bark Town, and an old friend of Alora's

Belt Team (not a complete list):

Houndoom “Cerberus”--named after the Greek tri-headed dog

Feraligator “Lore Ley”--named after the German siren who haunted the river Rhine.

Umbreon “Osiris” or “Iris” for short—named after the Egyptian god of the Underworld.


Irwin: A struggling singer/street performer who happens to train pokemon. Irwin and Kris have traveled together for years. He currently holds two Pokemon League badges.

Belt Team:

Electrode (x4) “Bass,” “Treble,” Percussion (“Cush” for short),” “Sparky”--Sparky was Irwin's starting Pokemon, and he eventually got three more electrode. He currently uses them to play a bass line/simulate drums for when he performs, as well as providing a minimal light show.

Chattot “Tenor”--Irwin picked up Tenor while Kris was challenging the Sinnoh League, and has since trained Tenor's singing skills to near perfection. Tenor is also Irwin's main battling powerhouse.

Jigglypuff “Alto”--Alto was picked up only recently, on a trip to Mount Moon tournament. Irwin didn't clear the qualifiers, and killed time by training his pokemon, but he managed to find Alto. Alto is still a horrible battler, and Irwin is having a rough time trying to train her into a decent singing voice.

Spoiler: Glossary

New Mexico:

Following the Second Civil War, the nation that had been Mexico before it had been destroyed and then rebuilt in the war reclaimed large portions of California, a small portion of Nevada, Texas, and other land it had once owned before it was given to the USA so the US could build a transcontinental railroad, citing historical precedence. Its capital is Las Angeles.

Republic of Minnesota:

A strong contender during the Second Civil War, the Republic of Minnesota expanded quickly, and currently holds the entire run of the Mississippi River, as well as several hundred square miles on either side of the continent's largest river. Its capital is in St. Paul of the Twin Cities of the former state.


Confederate States of America:

The South Risen Again, the CSA went back to the 19th century flag it had once flown. Its secession from the now extinct USA kicked off the Second Civil War. From Chesapeake Bay in the North to the Gulf of Mexico in the south, its borders stretch from the Atlantic coast all the way to the former Louisiana border with the Republic of Minnesota. Its capital is once again Richmond, Virginia.