I usually don't like telling my readers what to think. However, everyone…please stop thinking Ash needs to be a part of this story right now, or that Serena needs to tell him that which may or may not be true. I think they have bigger fish to fry, don't you? That said, please do enjoy Chapter 11!
"Pancham, Stone Edge!" Serena called out, throwing her hand to the side. Pancham instantly sprang into action, flipping into a handstand. The second his paw touched down, stones raced out for the giant fungus and jellyfish. Neither moved from their position while Dawn also took her own initiative.
"Bubblebeam, Piplup!" Piplup now jumped to the floor to join his partners, puffing his chest out before sending a cascade of bubbles forward. They impacted with the stones, breaking them into jagged edges that flew forward and peppered the lab. Amoongus seemed to puff its body up, absorbing the blow of the flying stones. In the midst of that attack and the sound of the alarm, Dawn could hear Zager calling out.
"Cassidy, Biff, get that meteonite to Alastair, now! And tell Giovanni it's time to move on the operation. I'll deal with the rats," Zager yelled to the pair of operatives. He reached up and adjusted his monocle, the small glass glinting red in the light. They called back: one in affirmation and the other in indignation, but they were soon gone through the open door. "Deirdre, call the remaining Four Pillars to this location to deal with the problem. Get them moving."
"Already done, Doctor," the woman stated. She seemed to be slinking back, not making a move to attack at all. Dawn kept transferring her attention between the two opponents, wondering when Deirdre would spring into action, and she could see Serena doing the same as herself. However, the auburn-haired woman seemed to hang back in the shadows of the pulsing red light, blending right in expertly. "Louise has already informed me she's on her way up here."
"Good, then help me keep them occupied until she does. Jellicent, Shadow Ball!" Zager ordered. The puffy Pokémon floated forward, spinning around. Large, pulsing orbs of shadows surrounded its entire figure in intervals and went flying off after only a second of delay. They flew towards both Dawn and Serena.
"Countershield, Piplup!" Dawn cried out, sending a wink to Serena. It was a little thing, the bluenette realized, but it helped her to feel like they had this battle in the bag, even as the trepidation of having been caught settled in.
"You, too, Pancham! Dark Pulse!" Both Pokémon instantly spun forward, landing on their backs and sending their attacks spiraling outward. The bubbles spewing around Piplup met with the Dark Pulse, undulating back and forth in the air while it beat away the Shadow Balls that were making contact. The papers and diagrams on the sides of the walls were ripped off the surface, fluttering to the ground as the computers were hit by the deflected Shadow Balls. It seemed a stalemate for the moment, and was the reason Dawn grabbed to Serena's arm.
"Serena, get after that meteonite!" she insisted as a harsh whisper, her eyes wide with passion. The honey blonde watched her friend for just a second and seemed to understand. Ash or no, that meteonite was clearly the crux of the plan that Team Rocket was enacting, and no matter their suspicions about it, letting it fall into place was all but a good idea. It took only a second before Serena responded.
"On it!" She reached her hand out, slapping it against Dawn's and immediately tore off for the door, Pancham running swiftly beside her. Naturally, her departure wasn't about to go unnoticed. Zager turned in the fleeing Serena's direction almost the exact second she turned off.
"Stop her with Stun Spore!" the scientist called. His voice was raised in volume, but his level of control told Dawn that the man was thinking quite clearly. Amoongus once more bounced forward, and in the dim red lighting, the bluenette could finally see its eyes: blank and emotionless. This Pokémon wasn't acting on orders, but rather a basis of control as it moved its pokeball-shaped appendages forward and sprayed out a thick yellow mist.
"Hydro Pump!" Dawn called, raising a splayed hand up into the air.
"Piiiipluuuuuup!" Piplup called in answer, sending the high-pressure blast of water for the spores. It created a barrier between the affliction and Serena, causing the honey blonde to throw a nod back to her friend before disappearing through the door, tearing off after Butch and Cassidy.
"Deirdre, get after…ugh, that woman," Zager snapped before sighing. When Dawn looked back, she could understand why: the auburn-haired woman was already missing, having disappeared in the chaos. The red lights and alarm sound continued going off around her, casting Zager in a rather menacing light, only broken by the still somewhat bright hallway that lay beyond the open door. The man, now alone with her, faced her and adjusted his monocle, his features veiled in the red light. Piplup and Buneary drew close together. "Well, then I'll have to deal with you first. Team Rocket doesn't take lightly to infiltration. Stun Spore!"
"Whirlpool!" Dawn cried out. Piplup jumped into the air, holding his flippers high as he called a large and swirling vortex of water to the fore that swirled around. It grew and grew in size, something that Zager didn't seem pleased about, if his expression was anything to go by. "Go! Buneary, Ice Beam on Amoongus!"
"Luuuup!" Piplup screeched, tossing the large whirlpool at the doctor. Already, the moisture in the air from the attack was becoming dense, drenching some of the papers before it even made contact with the doctor. All Dawn knew was one thing: the Whirlpool was stopping that Stun Spore right where it was and preventing it from making contact.
"Bun bun!" Buneary cried, hopping up, as well. Her mouth glowed with a brisk chilliness. As the whirlpool sailed through the air for Zager, Buneary fired, the cold beam causing some of the moisture to freeze into a sparkling garland.
"Jellicent, Psychic," Zager grumbled. He didn't sound pleased, but Dawn wasn't going to let him control the battle. As the whirlpool almost made contact with him, near to the point of sucking him in and washing him away, Jellicent's form glowed blue. In the midst of that hue, Dawn could also see how blank Jellicent's eyes were, as well. The whirlpool suddenly stopped rotating, caught in the grip of the Psychic. Then it was flung right back, into the path of the Ice Beam. The attack hit it, freezing the water with a crackling sound before it broke apart, completely ineffective. "Body Slam on the Buneary."
"Moongus," Amoongus said, and now Dawn could hear it for real, the almost drone-like quality. Its body was sailing forward, a slight white outline around it. It crashed through the ice chunks and slammed straight into Buneary, sending the Rabbit Pokémon flying backwards.
"No need to worry, Buneary, use Dizzy Punch!" Buneary righted herself as she landed on the floor before springing right back for her opponent. Her ears glowed a bright color and one of them shot out, slamming into Amoongus' center and flinging it upwards with strength. "Ice Beam!"
"Giga Drain!" From its placement in midair, Amoongus once more aimed its appendages down, firing out green tendrils that were pulsing. Buneary likewise fired out her blue beam of ice. The two attacks met in midair, exploding with smoke all around them. Dawn turned her head, trying to sense the location of the still open door, in case she needed to make a quick exit. Buneary skidded along the ground, looking fierce alongside Piplup.
"It would appear this mouse is skilled, though I'm not surprised. Dawn of Twinleaf Town, yes?" Zager's voice called out through the smoke. The bluenette snapped her head that way, her long tresses moving with her. Something about his cold and calculating voice disturbed her. "Oh, you didn't think we wouldn't do our research on Ash Ketchum and his little friends. Giovanni always took quite the interest in him, generally, since Unova and Kalos, especially when the Four Pillars said to keep an eye on him. You weren't the highest on our list, but I know enough."
"So what? Knowing isn't everything," Dawn yelled out, the smoke finally clearing. Zager was still there, only cleaning his monocle for now. What Dawn took more of note were the Pokémon in front of him, pulsing with an orange aura. She grimaced. Ash and Clemont had mentioned the phenomenon before: Totem Pokémon. Or at least a Totem Aura that had once been developed by the Aether Foundation. It really did prove how much Team Rocket had appropriated over the years, all for their big final plan.
The battle just got a whole lot harder.
"Well, that may be true. Knowledge can still turn into power, however, and at the current stage of operations, I'm afraid we can't have you turning your own newfound knowledge into power against us," Zager stated. He breathed in, closing his eyes for a second, but Dawn wasn't about to let him get the upper hand with a clear head.
"Piplup, spin and use Hydro Pump!" she ordered. Piplup raced forward, jumping slightly above and starting to spin. His beak opened, the sound of his cry soon overtaken by the rushing water that was pouring out from it. Thanks to the spinning motion, the water was flying everywhere, slamming into the computers and only narrowly missing the doctor that was their opponent.
"Shadow Ball," Zager commanded. Jellicent was quick, making a single spin in less than a second and firing a barrage of crackling Shadow Balls for both of the Pokémon. Buneary had no problem, looking up to Dawn, who nodded. She bounded forward, the attack passing right through her as she rose high above both Amoongus and Jellicent. As the Hydro Pump continued to beat away the Shadow Balls, Buneary came slamming down upon Amoongus. Then the spray of water broke through, impacting with Jellicent and sending Piplup skidding back along the ground.
"Bubblebeam!" Both voices yelled at once. Jellicent floated back, her feelers twisting and turning the air. Her lips parted, and sent a jet of bubbles out for the opposing Pokémon. Piplup fired as well, the bubbles now clashing in midair and sending a shower of water across the space. Another attack fired out, silver in color, and it slammed into Buneary. Dawn grimaced, realizing that Amoongus had attacked under the cover of the bubbles. It wasn't done, either, charging through the watery attacks to once more Body Slam into Buneary. She flew back, slamming against the computer Dawn had used earlier. Dawn looked on in worry, but before she could call out, Buneary was right back up, shaking her head. Two can do that.
"No need to worry! This is just another double battle!" Dawn said, stamping her foot on the ground. Orange glow or not, she wasn't about to let some Team Rocket scientist help the organization in taking over the world. "Dual Ice Beam!"
"Buuuuuuneary!" Buneary cried, bouncing off of the broken-down computer as she spun. The chilling beam fired towards both of their opponents while Piplup mimicked her in action. Their frozen sparks merged together, colliding with Jellicent and sending the Floating Pokémon into the wall. From there, like a spider web, the frost spread throughout the lab, soon reaching the floor and covering the surface. Dawn gripped to the desk, careful to maintain her ground while Zager slipped and fell on his behind. Amoongus, too, didn't dare to move under the new conditions. It was her turn to switch the battle around.
"Get sliding! Make it hard for them to hit you!" Buneary and Piplup did just that, grabbing ahold of each other and pushing to the side. The frozen surface made it easy, even as Jellicent recovered. Amoongus still wasn't moving for fear of slipping.
"Psychic! Hit them with the ice, itself," Zager commanded. Dawn looked to him, noticing his monocle had fallen off. If anything, it allowed her to see his eyes all the clearer, and where they were looking: towards the exit. Jellicent rose, eyes glowing blue. Cracks now appeared in the ice on the wall, breaking into numerous little pieces that then fired off at the sliding partners.
"Knock it back with Dizzy Punch!" Dawn commanded. Buneary's ears glowed brightly and shot forward, beating the ice away. More than that, the chunks flew right back at their attackers, peppering both Amoongus and Jellicent with the debris. Zager was now coming to stand, and his foot was moving. One of the ice chunks bounded off of Jellicent's body, slamming into Piplup and sending him rolling backwards. He rolled along until he hit Dawn's feet, already looking exhausted. These Pokémon were far tougher than anticipated. "It's okay, Piplup. Bubblebeam."
"Piiiplupluplup!" Piplup chirped out, rolling back onto his feet and then immediately sending the bubbles flying all over the lab. Buneary slid back and forth, like a graceful dancer, in order to get out of the way.
"Giga Drain," Zager called. His foot was sliding towards the door. Now, Dawn was certain of just what he was trying to accomplish. This wasn't about defeating her…it was about stalling…and he was getting ready to flee. Amoongus' green tendrils shot outward, colliding with the Bubblebeam. However, Dawn also saw the Mushroom Pokémon sliding forward along the ice, gaining speed with its Body Slam attack as it finally went on the move.
"Buneary, freeze Amoongus! Piplup, stop that guy with Whirlpool!" Zager froze at Dawn's fiercely given commands. She glared him down as her Pokémon took action. Before Amoongus could reach Piplup, Buneary had fired, encasing the mushroom's lower half before aiming back towards Jellicent, who floated out of the way. At the same time, Piplup rose upwards with the large whirlpool. This time, they weren't going to let Jellicent get in the way. "Now, Piplup!"
"Pip!" Piplup cried out yet again. Unlike his last attempt, he didn't wait to throw the whirlpool, and nor did he throw it straight at their opponents. He just leapt straight up and sent the vortex of water crashing right into the center of the room. Dawn instantly dove for the closest thing to hold on to while the water swirled. It was like a tempest the moment it hit the floor, and Buneary and Piplup both made to join her, holding on to her skirt as the water blasted around the room. From the cries, it sounded as though Zager was being tossed around as well.
It all continued on for some time, the water splashing all over Dawn's figure, matting her hair and soaking her clothes until, finally, the water flowed out of the room and deposited them on the floor. Dawn weakly let go of the object she was holding to as she regained her bearings. There was a scrambling noise, and she quickly perked up. Now was no time to be sitting around. She flipped around on the ice that was still there, pressing her stomach flat against its surface in order to see Zager's limbs flailing as he struggled to run for the exit. Quickly, she reached up to wipe the remaining wet hair out of her eyes.
"Buneary, Bounce!" Buneary, who looked to be in better condition than Piplup, all things considered, shook her own fur of the water and began hopping forward. As soon as she was within range, she sprang upwards and forward, kicking towards Doctor Zager and nailing him in the back. Despite it not being their intention, the doctor rolled forward, into the hallway beyond. As soon as he had, a thick mist began to suddenly manifest in the room, obscuring Dawn's vision. To that, she looked right for Jellicent, who was barely keeping up belching the thick smoke out. From her puffy body Amoongus was down for the count, looking almost relaxed in its unconscious state. "Hydro Pump!"
"Piiiiplup!" Piplup screamed out, summoning what remained of his energy and channeling it into a giant stream of water that slammed Jellicent back into the wall. The orange aura faded away from her body, and the Floating Pokémon dropped to the ground. The mist began to fade away.
"Are you two all right?" Dawn called out with a gasp, sliding over to both of her Pokémon and taking them into her arms. Piplup was heaving, and Buneary didn't look much better, but they both seemed all right; a fact for which Dawn was most grateful. They nuzzled against her, and she could already feel their exhaustion. "Take a rest, Buneary. You, too, Piplup."
"Bun…" Buneary agreed as she was returned to her pokeball. Piplup just crawled to the top of Dawn's head and took a seat there, expelling a great heave of exhaustion. Knowing he was secure, and with the mist clearing rapidly to reveal the exit once more, Dawn pushed to her feet. She gripped for another pokeball at her side as she slowly approached the downed Amoongus and Jellicent. They didn't stir, and suddenly seemed calm instead of attacking on whatever orders were given. The only thing of note were the small bands around their body that she hadn't had the chance to notice before. Taking a chance, Dawn reached down and ripped the devices off, tossing them to the soaked and paper-strewn floor.
"Boy…that was harder than I thought, and he still got away," the bluenette breathed out. Already, she decided that she didn't want to give chase after Zager. He was hardly someone she wanted to tussle with, and ultimately unimportant. Although, thinking of him did draw Dawn's eyes to the point where the meteonite had once rested in the lab. That was a point that did concern her. "Guess we should find Serena, huh, Piplup? And soon…"
"Lup…" Piplup agreed, though it was clear to be through utter exhaustion. Now that Dawn was done with the heat of battle, the alarms and flashing red lights were returning to her, reminding her of just how much danger each of them were in. They were two lone people in a nest full of Ekans, waiting to strike. She knew Serena would be fine, but she wasn't about to leave her alone, especially with those "Four Pillars" on the prowl.
"Come on, Piplup, we need to go. Quilava, spotlight!" Dawn called, throwing the pokeball forth for her Fire type to emerge. As soon as he appeared, his flames spurted out, showing how battle-ready he was in Piplup's stead. Reaching down, she petted him for a minute and then turned for the exit. Quilava took the spot ahead, leading his trainer out of the room and into the hallways that Zager had escaped into.
Part of Dawn had to wonder just where Zager had gone and what he was planning, but the foremost of her thoughts were turned directly towards the meteonite that Serena was pursuing, as well as the "final operation" of Team Rocket's that Deirdre had mentioned. Not stopping her movement, Dawn quickly considered the direction that Serena might have taken and instantly deduced she would head for the service elevator that they had come up. Taking a moment to shake out the kinks in her muscles from Piplup's earlier attack, she considered the meteonite and the information on it. Something seemed off between the information presented and what was actually present. Maybe it was the arrangement of colors, or the size, or something about the material stated, or even the glow itself. Perhaps it was even the papers that were now little more than sopping trash on the floor of the lab! Either way, it was itching at Dawn's brain, especially when she was never the most science-oriented type.
There was a buzzing in her ears that added to the annoyance of being unable to figure out what was irking her about it. It was like her brain was taunting her about it and was working extra hard to figure it out. "Quil!"
Or it wasn't her brain. There was now a whistling noise, and Dawn leapt back as Quilava sent an un-commanded Flamethrower outward. It exploded with something that Dawn couldn't see, filling the corridor with smoke and causing her to cough loudly. She waved the smoke away and looked up, while the buzzing continued. This time, however, she could see what was causing it, and it definitely wasn't her brain.
"Were you the one to damage the lab?" a cold voice asked. Dawn recognized it immediately, remembering it as the voice of the doctor that had been treating Deirdre. "Did you destroy all that research?"
"Research? It was all copies!" Dawn snapped back, though she knew she hardly had a place to say so when it wasn't based off of her ideas. The smoke finally cleared, revealing Louise standing there with her cold gaze, glasses masking the eyes beneath. Surrounding her like a rotating barrier were a collection of drones. Then, there was the Beedrill, looking menacing in front of her.
"Mm, maybe," Louise commented and her eyes drew low, her glasses with her. "Though, certainly not all of them. And in any case, they are still something to be used, and I'd rather not have them destroyed…or exposed."
"Exposed?" Dawn questioned. The confession, if that was what it was, unsettled Dawn, and she stared at the mint green-haired woman. A small smirk was beginning to stretch the lips of the doctor…or engineer…or whatever she was. It made Quilava shudder, smoke curdling from his flames. "What are you talking about?"
"Mm, well, it's irrelevant. The Pillars have finally been called together," Louise spoke. A chuckle seemed to rise in her chest before emerging through her lips in raucous laughter. Dawn stepped back a bit, eyeing the service elevator that would just have to be her destination at this point. "Though, I'm not so sure 'Pillars' applies. I have to thank you, Dawn of Twinleaf Town. Your damage is unwanted, but your presence…it's ideal."
"Again, hello, what are you talking about? !" Dawn demanded, growing more than annoyed with the situation. The woman's smirk was now stretching her face and Dawn could fully feel it now: intent to kill. This was no ordinary doctor or engineer. Teeth were bared, and Beedrill's wings hummed with brisk ferocity. Dawn took another step back, and she realized something.
The last of the "Pillars" wasn't even here. Deirdre was after Serena. Alastair was dealing with the meteonite, if Serena had failed to reach it. Louise was here. But the fourth, despite having been called to that very place by Deirdre…was nowhere to be seen.
That was the most frightening thing.
"Now, while I do thank you, I'm afraid I want to keep my appearances up a little longer. Please do me the service of dying. Beedrill, Twineedle."
"Quilava, Flamethrower!" Quilava's back sparked with flames again, igniting with that fury, before he opened his mouth and sent the flames rocketing for Beedrill. The Spear Pokémon leaned forward, it's arm-stingers alighting with bright light as it sailed into the effective type of move. Dawn clenched her fist again, but her eyes widened: Beedrill was cutting through the flames.
"Quilah!" Quilava cried out as the Twineedle found its mark, impaling him and driving him back. He skidded along the ground, looking wounded from just a single attack. Then, the drones stopped moving and small armaments popped out of them.
"Swift, hurry!" Dawn shouted, throwing her hand out in worry. The drones fired, like a machine gun with rapid bullets. Stars surrounded Quilava's figure and then blasted out to meet the bullets. To Dawn's relief, they stopped Louise's assault cold, the stars shattering into golden powder upon meeting each of the bullets. Still, the woman's wicked expression didn't change and her eyes widened with pleasure and glee.
"Ah, it feels like it's been too long. The last opponents I faced only lasted a few minutes. Can you last longer?" the mint-green haired woman spoke. There was definite pleasure in that moment for her, and it made Dawn worry all the more for Serena. If the other Pillar, or even Deirdre, was after her… "Beedrill, Fell Stinger."
"Smokescreen!" Dawn ordered, thinking of nothing else but getting away from this absolutely crazy woman. Quilava's fire went out, and then smoke began to belch from his back, obscuring Dawn and her Fire type entirely. "Run."
"Lava," Quilava agreed, and the two turned, running right for the service elevator as swiftly as they could. Piplup clung desperately to Dawn's head as they do so. There was a loud thwacking noise of Beedrill hitting the surface of the floor, but nothing else for a moment…until green streaks were aiming right for her. Seeing them in her periphery vision, Dawn dropped to the ground and rolled away as the Pin Missile struck. Quilava leapt over her as the attack slammed into the Service Elevator. Dawn looked up, seeing the door to it was now broken inwards, completely inoperable. She was trapped.
"Flame Wheel!" she shouted from her place on the ground. If there was no escape, then fighting back was about to become the only course she could take. Quilava rolled up into a ball, sparking with flames all around him, before shooting into the smoke for Beedrill. There was a loud noise, and then a small explosion ripped through the hallway, pushing Dawn backwards. The smoke all cleared to show Beedrill flying back a bit, but having no issue in righting itself. "Now, Flamethrower and Swift!"
"Quil!" Quilava called out. He opened his mouth one more time and sent the golden stars out before following it with a Flamethrower. The attacks combined, swirling together and making the stars burn a fiery red. They split off in three directions, two of the streams slamming into the drones and sending them down the hallways, curdling with smoke and fire. The other struck Beedrill, whose needles glowed brightly again and then slashed to cut away the flames. Dawn frowned. Everything she was trying was getting her nowhere, and Louise was coming closer.
"There has to be some way…" Dawn muttered to herself, watching Louise's feet move, and then suddenly stop. It was a chance, one that Dawn chose to take the advantage of. "Flame Wheel again!"
Quilava once more began to spin with the flames surrounding him and he went wheeling along the hall, straight for Beedrill. Louise spoke. "Below? Toll, I didn't know you'd be starting there. Shame on you. Is the meteonite secure? The rest of Team Rocket? Oh…well, that's good. I'll join you in a moment. Just have a pest to eliminate."
"Bzzzz!" Beedrill cried, its noise growing loud and shrill in Dawn's ears. Piplup slapped his flippers onto his head while Dawn clenched her jaw. Then there was a loud noise, like energy flowing, and Dawn forced herself to look upwards, seeing that Beedrill was transforming…Mega Evolving. Not to mention that its bottommost stingers were glowing with a dark energy.
"I think I'll just do two things at once. As long as Deirdre is okay with it," Louise spoke. Quilava slammed into Beedrill, but soon spun out to a complete halt. Then the Spear Pokémon's eyes flashed, and the Hyper Beam fired, right through him, to Dawn and the floor beneath them.
The bluenette's eyes widened, fear becoming present in them as the attack consumed her. She opened her mouth, but the pain was so surprisingly intense, that not a single scream emerged. Like hot stingers plunging all over her skin, her body began to shake, and she barely had the presence of mind to call Quilava back before he was too damaged. Dawn was surprised her grip on her pokeball didn't slacken as the attack burned through her body, rips appearing in her shirt and skirt. Soon, the floor sagged, and then gave way from beneath her. The Hyper Beam seemed to almost increase in intensity, and the floor completely broke through. After a brief second, Dawn found herself falling.
It wasn't just a single floor, either. The Hyper Beam carried such destructive force with it, that it pierced through multiple floors, burying deep within them and sending Dawn collapsing down. Some operatives on the lower floors appeared to look at her falling, wondering what was happening, even as the Hyper Beam's destructive force finally seemed to come to its end. That only presented her with yet another problem: she was hurtling right for the ground at a fast speed.
"T-Togekiss, spot…help me out, please!" Her voice panicked, scrabbling for her pokeball while Piplup slid down, grabbing the end of her hair as it flew around her entire body. She finally managed to find the right one and she lobbed it upwards. It exploded with light and Togekiss spun gracefully in the air before shooting right back for her, getting under her back. Dawn hit the soft surface of her Pokémon. They both began to drop, though at far less of a velocity than before.
It wasn't long, and soon, they slammed upon the lowest level they could reach, with Dawn and Piplup rolling off of Togekiss and slamming into a set of wooden crates that then collapsed upon her. Dawn coughed, feeling pain erupting on every inch of her body, and exhaustion seeping into her veins. It seriously hurt, and her head was starting to swim. She felt like vomiting, but held it in as she looked up, trying to figure out where she was. It didn't take long to figure it out. Not from the men in white lab coats that were staring at her with confusion.
"Not another lab…" she groaned, making to sit up. The alarm was still going off, something she hadn't realized in the intense encounter with Louise, though this room wasn't glowing red. Looking up, she could see just how far she'd fallen, through to at least the very first floor of the base, with a great number of Rocket members surrounding her, though not all were paying attention. Some, instead, were watching a screen in the lab, flanked by various test tubes and other weapons testing areas. Clearly, it was a rather basic lab, but Dawn became interested by the voice and face coming from the screen.
"…for upon us at last is the glory of our new world, for Team Rocket!" Giovanni's voice boomed out across the base. Some of the scientists cheered. "Operatives, move out for Mount Lanakila in the Alola Region. I shall join you there shortly so we can enter our new world together."
"For the glory of Team Rocket!" all of the scientists cheered. Dawn quickly endeavored to catch her breath. Mount Lanakila…Have to tell everyone…Have to find…Serena…
Dawn groaned, her body screaming as she tried to stand. Giovanni's message seemed to finally end, cutting off at the monitor, and she realized she must have caught the tail end of the man's speech. Unfortunately, it really meant that the scientists there were now turning their attention to her, and Piplup was down for the count. Even Togekiss appeared wounded from the fall, forcing Dawn to thoughtfully return her. All in all, the situation left very few options, which she reached for, her legs wobbling beneath her.
A door hissed open somewhere in the room as the scientists approached her, tossing pokeballs up and down. She turned her head, grabbing on to one of the intact crates to support herself. Striding into that lower lab was an all too familiar face in the form of Doctor Zager. Crap…maybe this is a time to worry…
"Are all preparations complete?" Zager's voice barked out to the scientists in the lab. "Are connections to the meteonite up and running?"
"Y-yes, sir!" answered a young scientist. "Everything is reporting as normal, with five layers having activated. We're just waiting for confirmation from Pillar Alastair."
"Very well, we'll-" Zager's voice cut off, and Dawn instantly knew what that meant. She had been seen, the doctor staring at her with a look of revulsion and confusion all at once. "How…? The Pillars were supposed to-"
Dawn wasn't sure the source of his confusion, other than her very presence there, but she knew she was certainly in some sort of pickle in that moment. The scientists were all ready to attack, and Zager had turned to her while raising another pokeball high. She, herself, reached back for Mamoswine's pokeball.
Then an explosion blasted apart the door that Doctor Zager had come through, and ripped across the room, sending Dawn and all the others flying.*Chapter to be continued in the next post...
Chapter 11
An Alarm
An Alarm
"Pancham, Stone Edge!" Serena called out, throwing her hand to the side. Pancham instantly sprang into action, flipping into a handstand. The second his paw touched down, stones raced out for the giant fungus and jellyfish. Neither moved from their position while Dawn also took her own initiative.
"Bubblebeam, Piplup!" Piplup now jumped to the floor to join his partners, puffing his chest out before sending a cascade of bubbles forward. They impacted with the stones, breaking them into jagged edges that flew forward and peppered the lab. Amoongus seemed to puff its body up, absorbing the blow of the flying stones. In the midst of that attack and the sound of the alarm, Dawn could hear Zager calling out.
"Cassidy, Biff, get that meteonite to Alastair, now! And tell Giovanni it's time to move on the operation. I'll deal with the rats," Zager yelled to the pair of operatives. He reached up and adjusted his monocle, the small glass glinting red in the light. They called back: one in affirmation and the other in indignation, but they were soon gone through the open door. "Deirdre, call the remaining Four Pillars to this location to deal with the problem. Get them moving."
"Already done, Doctor," the woman stated. She seemed to be slinking back, not making a move to attack at all. Dawn kept transferring her attention between the two opponents, wondering when Deirdre would spring into action, and she could see Serena doing the same as herself. However, the auburn-haired woman seemed to hang back in the shadows of the pulsing red light, blending right in expertly. "Louise has already informed me she's on her way up here."
"Good, then help me keep them occupied until she does. Jellicent, Shadow Ball!" Zager ordered. The puffy Pokémon floated forward, spinning around. Large, pulsing orbs of shadows surrounded its entire figure in intervals and went flying off after only a second of delay. They flew towards both Dawn and Serena.
"Countershield, Piplup!" Dawn cried out, sending a wink to Serena. It was a little thing, the bluenette realized, but it helped her to feel like they had this battle in the bag, even as the trepidation of having been caught settled in.
"You, too, Pancham! Dark Pulse!" Both Pokémon instantly spun forward, landing on their backs and sending their attacks spiraling outward. The bubbles spewing around Piplup met with the Dark Pulse, undulating back and forth in the air while it beat away the Shadow Balls that were making contact. The papers and diagrams on the sides of the walls were ripped off the surface, fluttering to the ground as the computers were hit by the deflected Shadow Balls. It seemed a stalemate for the moment, and was the reason Dawn grabbed to Serena's arm.
"Serena, get after that meteonite!" she insisted as a harsh whisper, her eyes wide with passion. The honey blonde watched her friend for just a second and seemed to understand. Ash or no, that meteonite was clearly the crux of the plan that Team Rocket was enacting, and no matter their suspicions about it, letting it fall into place was all but a good idea. It took only a second before Serena responded.
"On it!" She reached her hand out, slapping it against Dawn's and immediately tore off for the door, Pancham running swiftly beside her. Naturally, her departure wasn't about to go unnoticed. Zager turned in the fleeing Serena's direction almost the exact second she turned off.
"Stop her with Stun Spore!" the scientist called. His voice was raised in volume, but his level of control told Dawn that the man was thinking quite clearly. Amoongus once more bounced forward, and in the dim red lighting, the bluenette could finally see its eyes: blank and emotionless. This Pokémon wasn't acting on orders, but rather a basis of control as it moved its pokeball-shaped appendages forward and sprayed out a thick yellow mist.
"Hydro Pump!" Dawn called, raising a splayed hand up into the air.
"Piiiipluuuuuup!" Piplup called in answer, sending the high-pressure blast of water for the spores. It created a barrier between the affliction and Serena, causing the honey blonde to throw a nod back to her friend before disappearing through the door, tearing off after Butch and Cassidy.
"Deirdre, get after…ugh, that woman," Zager snapped before sighing. When Dawn looked back, she could understand why: the auburn-haired woman was already missing, having disappeared in the chaos. The red lights and alarm sound continued going off around her, casting Zager in a rather menacing light, only broken by the still somewhat bright hallway that lay beyond the open door. The man, now alone with her, faced her and adjusted his monocle, his features veiled in the red light. Piplup and Buneary drew close together. "Well, then I'll have to deal with you first. Team Rocket doesn't take lightly to infiltration. Stun Spore!"
"Whirlpool!" Dawn cried out. Piplup jumped into the air, holding his flippers high as he called a large and swirling vortex of water to the fore that swirled around. It grew and grew in size, something that Zager didn't seem pleased about, if his expression was anything to go by. "Go! Buneary, Ice Beam on Amoongus!"
"Luuuup!" Piplup screeched, tossing the large whirlpool at the doctor. Already, the moisture in the air from the attack was becoming dense, drenching some of the papers before it even made contact with the doctor. All Dawn knew was one thing: the Whirlpool was stopping that Stun Spore right where it was and preventing it from making contact.
"Bun bun!" Buneary cried, hopping up, as well. Her mouth glowed with a brisk chilliness. As the whirlpool sailed through the air for Zager, Buneary fired, the cold beam causing some of the moisture to freeze into a sparkling garland.
"Jellicent, Psychic," Zager grumbled. He didn't sound pleased, but Dawn wasn't going to let him control the battle. As the whirlpool almost made contact with him, near to the point of sucking him in and washing him away, Jellicent's form glowed blue. In the midst of that hue, Dawn could also see how blank Jellicent's eyes were, as well. The whirlpool suddenly stopped rotating, caught in the grip of the Psychic. Then it was flung right back, into the path of the Ice Beam. The attack hit it, freezing the water with a crackling sound before it broke apart, completely ineffective. "Body Slam on the Buneary."
"Moongus," Amoongus said, and now Dawn could hear it for real, the almost drone-like quality. Its body was sailing forward, a slight white outline around it. It crashed through the ice chunks and slammed straight into Buneary, sending the Rabbit Pokémon flying backwards.
"No need to worry, Buneary, use Dizzy Punch!" Buneary righted herself as she landed on the floor before springing right back for her opponent. Her ears glowed a bright color and one of them shot out, slamming into Amoongus' center and flinging it upwards with strength. "Ice Beam!"
"Giga Drain!" From its placement in midair, Amoongus once more aimed its appendages down, firing out green tendrils that were pulsing. Buneary likewise fired out her blue beam of ice. The two attacks met in midair, exploding with smoke all around them. Dawn turned her head, trying to sense the location of the still open door, in case she needed to make a quick exit. Buneary skidded along the ground, looking fierce alongside Piplup.
"It would appear this mouse is skilled, though I'm not surprised. Dawn of Twinleaf Town, yes?" Zager's voice called out through the smoke. The bluenette snapped her head that way, her long tresses moving with her. Something about his cold and calculating voice disturbed her. "Oh, you didn't think we wouldn't do our research on Ash Ketchum and his little friends. Giovanni always took quite the interest in him, generally, since Unova and Kalos, especially when the Four Pillars said to keep an eye on him. You weren't the highest on our list, but I know enough."
"So what? Knowing isn't everything," Dawn yelled out, the smoke finally clearing. Zager was still there, only cleaning his monocle for now. What Dawn took more of note were the Pokémon in front of him, pulsing with an orange aura. She grimaced. Ash and Clemont had mentioned the phenomenon before: Totem Pokémon. Or at least a Totem Aura that had once been developed by the Aether Foundation. It really did prove how much Team Rocket had appropriated over the years, all for their big final plan.
The battle just got a whole lot harder.
"Well, that may be true. Knowledge can still turn into power, however, and at the current stage of operations, I'm afraid we can't have you turning your own newfound knowledge into power against us," Zager stated. He breathed in, closing his eyes for a second, but Dawn wasn't about to let him get the upper hand with a clear head.
"Piplup, spin and use Hydro Pump!" she ordered. Piplup raced forward, jumping slightly above and starting to spin. His beak opened, the sound of his cry soon overtaken by the rushing water that was pouring out from it. Thanks to the spinning motion, the water was flying everywhere, slamming into the computers and only narrowly missing the doctor that was their opponent.
"Shadow Ball," Zager commanded. Jellicent was quick, making a single spin in less than a second and firing a barrage of crackling Shadow Balls for both of the Pokémon. Buneary had no problem, looking up to Dawn, who nodded. She bounded forward, the attack passing right through her as she rose high above both Amoongus and Jellicent. As the Hydro Pump continued to beat away the Shadow Balls, Buneary came slamming down upon Amoongus. Then the spray of water broke through, impacting with Jellicent and sending Piplup skidding back along the ground.
"Bubblebeam!" Both voices yelled at once. Jellicent floated back, her feelers twisting and turning the air. Her lips parted, and sent a jet of bubbles out for the opposing Pokémon. Piplup fired as well, the bubbles now clashing in midair and sending a shower of water across the space. Another attack fired out, silver in color, and it slammed into Buneary. Dawn grimaced, realizing that Amoongus had attacked under the cover of the bubbles. It wasn't done, either, charging through the watery attacks to once more Body Slam into Buneary. She flew back, slamming against the computer Dawn had used earlier. Dawn looked on in worry, but before she could call out, Buneary was right back up, shaking her head. Two can do that.
"No need to worry! This is just another double battle!" Dawn said, stamping her foot on the ground. Orange glow or not, she wasn't about to let some Team Rocket scientist help the organization in taking over the world. "Dual Ice Beam!"
"Buuuuuuneary!" Buneary cried, bouncing off of the broken-down computer as she spun. The chilling beam fired towards both of their opponents while Piplup mimicked her in action. Their frozen sparks merged together, colliding with Jellicent and sending the Floating Pokémon into the wall. From there, like a spider web, the frost spread throughout the lab, soon reaching the floor and covering the surface. Dawn gripped to the desk, careful to maintain her ground while Zager slipped and fell on his behind. Amoongus, too, didn't dare to move under the new conditions. It was her turn to switch the battle around.
"Get sliding! Make it hard for them to hit you!" Buneary and Piplup did just that, grabbing ahold of each other and pushing to the side. The frozen surface made it easy, even as Jellicent recovered. Amoongus still wasn't moving for fear of slipping.
"Psychic! Hit them with the ice, itself," Zager commanded. Dawn looked to him, noticing his monocle had fallen off. If anything, it allowed her to see his eyes all the clearer, and where they were looking: towards the exit. Jellicent rose, eyes glowing blue. Cracks now appeared in the ice on the wall, breaking into numerous little pieces that then fired off at the sliding partners.
"Knock it back with Dizzy Punch!" Dawn commanded. Buneary's ears glowed brightly and shot forward, beating the ice away. More than that, the chunks flew right back at their attackers, peppering both Amoongus and Jellicent with the debris. Zager was now coming to stand, and his foot was moving. One of the ice chunks bounded off of Jellicent's body, slamming into Piplup and sending him rolling backwards. He rolled along until he hit Dawn's feet, already looking exhausted. These Pokémon were far tougher than anticipated. "It's okay, Piplup. Bubblebeam."
"Piiiplupluplup!" Piplup chirped out, rolling back onto his feet and then immediately sending the bubbles flying all over the lab. Buneary slid back and forth, like a graceful dancer, in order to get out of the way.
"Giga Drain," Zager called. His foot was sliding towards the door. Now, Dawn was certain of just what he was trying to accomplish. This wasn't about defeating her…it was about stalling…and he was getting ready to flee. Amoongus' green tendrils shot outward, colliding with the Bubblebeam. However, Dawn also saw the Mushroom Pokémon sliding forward along the ice, gaining speed with its Body Slam attack as it finally went on the move.
"Buneary, freeze Amoongus! Piplup, stop that guy with Whirlpool!" Zager froze at Dawn's fiercely given commands. She glared him down as her Pokémon took action. Before Amoongus could reach Piplup, Buneary had fired, encasing the mushroom's lower half before aiming back towards Jellicent, who floated out of the way. At the same time, Piplup rose upwards with the large whirlpool. This time, they weren't going to let Jellicent get in the way. "Now, Piplup!"
"Pip!" Piplup cried out yet again. Unlike his last attempt, he didn't wait to throw the whirlpool, and nor did he throw it straight at their opponents. He just leapt straight up and sent the vortex of water crashing right into the center of the room. Dawn instantly dove for the closest thing to hold on to while the water swirled. It was like a tempest the moment it hit the floor, and Buneary and Piplup both made to join her, holding on to her skirt as the water blasted around the room. From the cries, it sounded as though Zager was being tossed around as well.
It all continued on for some time, the water splashing all over Dawn's figure, matting her hair and soaking her clothes until, finally, the water flowed out of the room and deposited them on the floor. Dawn weakly let go of the object she was holding to as she regained her bearings. There was a scrambling noise, and she quickly perked up. Now was no time to be sitting around. She flipped around on the ice that was still there, pressing her stomach flat against its surface in order to see Zager's limbs flailing as he struggled to run for the exit. Quickly, she reached up to wipe the remaining wet hair out of her eyes.
"Buneary, Bounce!" Buneary, who looked to be in better condition than Piplup, all things considered, shook her own fur of the water and began hopping forward. As soon as she was within range, she sprang upwards and forward, kicking towards Doctor Zager and nailing him in the back. Despite it not being their intention, the doctor rolled forward, into the hallway beyond. As soon as he had, a thick mist began to suddenly manifest in the room, obscuring Dawn's vision. To that, she looked right for Jellicent, who was barely keeping up belching the thick smoke out. From her puffy body Amoongus was down for the count, looking almost relaxed in its unconscious state. "Hydro Pump!"
"Piiiiplup!" Piplup screamed out, summoning what remained of his energy and channeling it into a giant stream of water that slammed Jellicent back into the wall. The orange aura faded away from her body, and the Floating Pokémon dropped to the ground. The mist began to fade away.
"Are you two all right?" Dawn called out with a gasp, sliding over to both of her Pokémon and taking them into her arms. Piplup was heaving, and Buneary didn't look much better, but they both seemed all right; a fact for which Dawn was most grateful. They nuzzled against her, and she could already feel their exhaustion. "Take a rest, Buneary. You, too, Piplup."
"Bun…" Buneary agreed as she was returned to her pokeball. Piplup just crawled to the top of Dawn's head and took a seat there, expelling a great heave of exhaustion. Knowing he was secure, and with the mist clearing rapidly to reveal the exit once more, Dawn pushed to her feet. She gripped for another pokeball at her side as she slowly approached the downed Amoongus and Jellicent. They didn't stir, and suddenly seemed calm instead of attacking on whatever orders were given. The only thing of note were the small bands around their body that she hadn't had the chance to notice before. Taking a chance, Dawn reached down and ripped the devices off, tossing them to the soaked and paper-strewn floor.
"Boy…that was harder than I thought, and he still got away," the bluenette breathed out. Already, she decided that she didn't want to give chase after Zager. He was hardly someone she wanted to tussle with, and ultimately unimportant. Although, thinking of him did draw Dawn's eyes to the point where the meteonite had once rested in the lab. That was a point that did concern her. "Guess we should find Serena, huh, Piplup? And soon…"
"Lup…" Piplup agreed, though it was clear to be through utter exhaustion. Now that Dawn was done with the heat of battle, the alarms and flashing red lights were returning to her, reminding her of just how much danger each of them were in. They were two lone people in a nest full of Ekans, waiting to strike. She knew Serena would be fine, but she wasn't about to leave her alone, especially with those "Four Pillars" on the prowl.
"Come on, Piplup, we need to go. Quilava, spotlight!" Dawn called, throwing the pokeball forth for her Fire type to emerge. As soon as he appeared, his flames spurted out, showing how battle-ready he was in Piplup's stead. Reaching down, she petted him for a minute and then turned for the exit. Quilava took the spot ahead, leading his trainer out of the room and into the hallways that Zager had escaped into.
Part of Dawn had to wonder just where Zager had gone and what he was planning, but the foremost of her thoughts were turned directly towards the meteonite that Serena was pursuing, as well as the "final operation" of Team Rocket's that Deirdre had mentioned. Not stopping her movement, Dawn quickly considered the direction that Serena might have taken and instantly deduced she would head for the service elevator that they had come up. Taking a moment to shake out the kinks in her muscles from Piplup's earlier attack, she considered the meteonite and the information on it. Something seemed off between the information presented and what was actually present. Maybe it was the arrangement of colors, or the size, or something about the material stated, or even the glow itself. Perhaps it was even the papers that were now little more than sopping trash on the floor of the lab! Either way, it was itching at Dawn's brain, especially when she was never the most science-oriented type.
There was a buzzing in her ears that added to the annoyance of being unable to figure out what was irking her about it. It was like her brain was taunting her about it and was working extra hard to figure it out. "Quil!"
Or it wasn't her brain. There was now a whistling noise, and Dawn leapt back as Quilava sent an un-commanded Flamethrower outward. It exploded with something that Dawn couldn't see, filling the corridor with smoke and causing her to cough loudly. She waved the smoke away and looked up, while the buzzing continued. This time, however, she could see what was causing it, and it definitely wasn't her brain.
"Were you the one to damage the lab?" a cold voice asked. Dawn recognized it immediately, remembering it as the voice of the doctor that had been treating Deirdre. "Did you destroy all that research?"
"Research? It was all copies!" Dawn snapped back, though she knew she hardly had a place to say so when it wasn't based off of her ideas. The smoke finally cleared, revealing Louise standing there with her cold gaze, glasses masking the eyes beneath. Surrounding her like a rotating barrier were a collection of drones. Then, there was the Beedrill, looking menacing in front of her.
"Mm, maybe," Louise commented and her eyes drew low, her glasses with her. "Though, certainly not all of them. And in any case, they are still something to be used, and I'd rather not have them destroyed…or exposed."
"Exposed?" Dawn questioned. The confession, if that was what it was, unsettled Dawn, and she stared at the mint green-haired woman. A small smirk was beginning to stretch the lips of the doctor…or engineer…or whatever she was. It made Quilava shudder, smoke curdling from his flames. "What are you talking about?"
"Mm, well, it's irrelevant. The Pillars have finally been called together," Louise spoke. A chuckle seemed to rise in her chest before emerging through her lips in raucous laughter. Dawn stepped back a bit, eyeing the service elevator that would just have to be her destination at this point. "Though, I'm not so sure 'Pillars' applies. I have to thank you, Dawn of Twinleaf Town. Your damage is unwanted, but your presence…it's ideal."
"Again, hello, what are you talking about? !" Dawn demanded, growing more than annoyed with the situation. The woman's smirk was now stretching her face and Dawn could fully feel it now: intent to kill. This was no ordinary doctor or engineer. Teeth were bared, and Beedrill's wings hummed with brisk ferocity. Dawn took another step back, and she realized something.
The last of the "Pillars" wasn't even here. Deirdre was after Serena. Alastair was dealing with the meteonite, if Serena had failed to reach it. Louise was here. But the fourth, despite having been called to that very place by Deirdre…was nowhere to be seen.
That was the most frightening thing.
"Now, while I do thank you, I'm afraid I want to keep my appearances up a little longer. Please do me the service of dying. Beedrill, Twineedle."
"Quilava, Flamethrower!" Quilava's back sparked with flames again, igniting with that fury, before he opened his mouth and sent the flames rocketing for Beedrill. The Spear Pokémon leaned forward, it's arm-stingers alighting with bright light as it sailed into the effective type of move. Dawn clenched her fist again, but her eyes widened: Beedrill was cutting through the flames.
"Quilah!" Quilava cried out as the Twineedle found its mark, impaling him and driving him back. He skidded along the ground, looking wounded from just a single attack. Then, the drones stopped moving and small armaments popped out of them.
"Swift, hurry!" Dawn shouted, throwing her hand out in worry. The drones fired, like a machine gun with rapid bullets. Stars surrounded Quilava's figure and then blasted out to meet the bullets. To Dawn's relief, they stopped Louise's assault cold, the stars shattering into golden powder upon meeting each of the bullets. Still, the woman's wicked expression didn't change and her eyes widened with pleasure and glee.
"Ah, it feels like it's been too long. The last opponents I faced only lasted a few minutes. Can you last longer?" the mint-green haired woman spoke. There was definite pleasure in that moment for her, and it made Dawn worry all the more for Serena. If the other Pillar, or even Deirdre, was after her… "Beedrill, Fell Stinger."
"Smokescreen!" Dawn ordered, thinking of nothing else but getting away from this absolutely crazy woman. Quilava's fire went out, and then smoke began to belch from his back, obscuring Dawn and her Fire type entirely. "Run."
"Lava," Quilava agreed, and the two turned, running right for the service elevator as swiftly as they could. Piplup clung desperately to Dawn's head as they do so. There was a loud thwacking noise of Beedrill hitting the surface of the floor, but nothing else for a moment…until green streaks were aiming right for her. Seeing them in her periphery vision, Dawn dropped to the ground and rolled away as the Pin Missile struck. Quilava leapt over her as the attack slammed into the Service Elevator. Dawn looked up, seeing the door to it was now broken inwards, completely inoperable. She was trapped.
"Flame Wheel!" she shouted from her place on the ground. If there was no escape, then fighting back was about to become the only course she could take. Quilava rolled up into a ball, sparking with flames all around him, before shooting into the smoke for Beedrill. There was a loud noise, and then a small explosion ripped through the hallway, pushing Dawn backwards. The smoke all cleared to show Beedrill flying back a bit, but having no issue in righting itself. "Now, Flamethrower and Swift!"
"Quil!" Quilava called out. He opened his mouth one more time and sent the golden stars out before following it with a Flamethrower. The attacks combined, swirling together and making the stars burn a fiery red. They split off in three directions, two of the streams slamming into the drones and sending them down the hallways, curdling with smoke and fire. The other struck Beedrill, whose needles glowed brightly again and then slashed to cut away the flames. Dawn frowned. Everything she was trying was getting her nowhere, and Louise was coming closer.
"There has to be some way…" Dawn muttered to herself, watching Louise's feet move, and then suddenly stop. It was a chance, one that Dawn chose to take the advantage of. "Flame Wheel again!"
Quilava once more began to spin with the flames surrounding him and he went wheeling along the hall, straight for Beedrill. Louise spoke. "Below? Toll, I didn't know you'd be starting there. Shame on you. Is the meteonite secure? The rest of Team Rocket? Oh…well, that's good. I'll join you in a moment. Just have a pest to eliminate."
"Bzzzz!" Beedrill cried, its noise growing loud and shrill in Dawn's ears. Piplup slapped his flippers onto his head while Dawn clenched her jaw. Then there was a loud noise, like energy flowing, and Dawn forced herself to look upwards, seeing that Beedrill was transforming…Mega Evolving. Not to mention that its bottommost stingers were glowing with a dark energy.
"I think I'll just do two things at once. As long as Deirdre is okay with it," Louise spoke. Quilava slammed into Beedrill, but soon spun out to a complete halt. Then the Spear Pokémon's eyes flashed, and the Hyper Beam fired, right through him, to Dawn and the floor beneath them.
The bluenette's eyes widened, fear becoming present in them as the attack consumed her. She opened her mouth, but the pain was so surprisingly intense, that not a single scream emerged. Like hot stingers plunging all over her skin, her body began to shake, and she barely had the presence of mind to call Quilava back before he was too damaged. Dawn was surprised her grip on her pokeball didn't slacken as the attack burned through her body, rips appearing in her shirt and skirt. Soon, the floor sagged, and then gave way from beneath her. The Hyper Beam seemed to almost increase in intensity, and the floor completely broke through. After a brief second, Dawn found herself falling.
It wasn't just a single floor, either. The Hyper Beam carried such destructive force with it, that it pierced through multiple floors, burying deep within them and sending Dawn collapsing down. Some operatives on the lower floors appeared to look at her falling, wondering what was happening, even as the Hyper Beam's destructive force finally seemed to come to its end. That only presented her with yet another problem: she was hurtling right for the ground at a fast speed.
"T-Togekiss, spot…help me out, please!" Her voice panicked, scrabbling for her pokeball while Piplup slid down, grabbing the end of her hair as it flew around her entire body. She finally managed to find the right one and she lobbed it upwards. It exploded with light and Togekiss spun gracefully in the air before shooting right back for her, getting under her back. Dawn hit the soft surface of her Pokémon. They both began to drop, though at far less of a velocity than before.
It wasn't long, and soon, they slammed upon the lowest level they could reach, with Dawn and Piplup rolling off of Togekiss and slamming into a set of wooden crates that then collapsed upon her. Dawn coughed, feeling pain erupting on every inch of her body, and exhaustion seeping into her veins. It seriously hurt, and her head was starting to swim. She felt like vomiting, but held it in as she looked up, trying to figure out where she was. It didn't take long to figure it out. Not from the men in white lab coats that were staring at her with confusion.
"Not another lab…" she groaned, making to sit up. The alarm was still going off, something she hadn't realized in the intense encounter with Louise, though this room wasn't glowing red. Looking up, she could see just how far she'd fallen, through to at least the very first floor of the base, with a great number of Rocket members surrounding her, though not all were paying attention. Some, instead, were watching a screen in the lab, flanked by various test tubes and other weapons testing areas. Clearly, it was a rather basic lab, but Dawn became interested by the voice and face coming from the screen.
"…for upon us at last is the glory of our new world, for Team Rocket!" Giovanni's voice boomed out across the base. Some of the scientists cheered. "Operatives, move out for Mount Lanakila in the Alola Region. I shall join you there shortly so we can enter our new world together."
"For the glory of Team Rocket!" all of the scientists cheered. Dawn quickly endeavored to catch her breath. Mount Lanakila…Have to tell everyone…Have to find…Serena…
Dawn groaned, her body screaming as she tried to stand. Giovanni's message seemed to finally end, cutting off at the monitor, and she realized she must have caught the tail end of the man's speech. Unfortunately, it really meant that the scientists there were now turning their attention to her, and Piplup was down for the count. Even Togekiss appeared wounded from the fall, forcing Dawn to thoughtfully return her. All in all, the situation left very few options, which she reached for, her legs wobbling beneath her.
A door hissed open somewhere in the room as the scientists approached her, tossing pokeballs up and down. She turned her head, grabbing on to one of the intact crates to support herself. Striding into that lower lab was an all too familiar face in the form of Doctor Zager. Crap…maybe this is a time to worry…
"Are all preparations complete?" Zager's voice barked out to the scientists in the lab. "Are connections to the meteonite up and running?"
"Y-yes, sir!" answered a young scientist. "Everything is reporting as normal, with five layers having activated. We're just waiting for confirmation from Pillar Alastair."
"Very well, we'll-" Zager's voice cut off, and Dawn instantly knew what that meant. She had been seen, the doctor staring at her with a look of revulsion and confusion all at once. "How…? The Pillars were supposed to-"
Dawn wasn't sure the source of his confusion, other than her very presence there, but she knew she was certainly in some sort of pickle in that moment. The scientists were all ready to attack, and Zager had turned to her while raising another pokeball high. She, herself, reached back for Mamoswine's pokeball.
Then an explosion blasted apart the door that Doctor Zager had come through, and ripped across the room, sending Dawn and all the others flying.*Chapter to be continued in the next post...