Chapter 19

Darkness. Sirens. Pulsating light. Screams of agony. Sitrus.

Evan awoke in a bed of witchgrass. Above him, a Sitrus Berry tree shielded him from the midday sun. Was it all a dream? He felt his body limb by limb. They were all accounted for. His clothes remained unscathed if not a little tattered from whatever fall they may have taken. He felt no pain, no aches, no cramps; only stillness, requiescence. His memories felt real, if a little cloudy. He looked for Troy who was casually chilling with his back against the trunk of the tree. Beside him Mr. Punchy sat munching on a Sitrus Berry.

"Did we-?" Evan said.

"Fly through space and time in an ever-torturous state of living hell and agony? Yep."

"And the-?"

"Post-Apocalyptic wasteland we traveled through represents the potential future of the real world, most likely a simulation developed by a sociopathic madman? Yep."

"But we-?"

"Somehow ended up in a Sitrus Berry grove on the outskirts of Celadon City safe from all harm, both physical and mental, after experiencing a hundred or so years of agonizing death and misery? Yep."

"So that was-?"

"Not a dream."

"Holy shit."

"Yep."

"How are you-?"

"I don't know, man. I try not to think about it. I think the berries help." Troy said. He offered Evan a handful of lumpy yellow fruit. Evan graciously accepted and bit into the rind. Sweet juice wet his throat, sending a warm fuzzy feeling through his body, similar to the way he felt when his mother let him try some wine with dinner as a young teen. He let the grass swallow his body as he laid back to watch the clouds pass over the leaves.

Cerulean City was just over the horizon. Sounds of sirens and bustling roads could be heard in the annals of the wind, but they would have to wait. While they called Celadon City their home, they found more comfort in the farming hamlet east of the city limits. Their boarding school, St. Lucario's School for Fortuitous Children, was located on these grounds before being shut down by the feds for illicit activities. Prior to its shutdown, however, they called the school their home. As young boys Troy and Evan spent much of their time playing in orchards like this one, spending each night gathering buckets of berries to munch on while watching wild Spearow fight over nesting ground. It was here Troy discovered his affinity and desire to befriend Pokémon. During a night of berry munching he and Evan placed their bets on Spearows of vastly different sizes. Evan, the logical and safe gambler, chose a portly one, with thick wings and a sharp beak. Troy, the perennial underdog supporter, chose the runt of the flock. During the battle, Troy's Spearow suffered a devastating Peck on one of it's legs, severely impeding its ability to move about on the ground. Sensing the opportunity, Evan's Spearow lunged at it, missing by only a fraction of an inch as the little Spearow went airborne. Taking the bait, Evan's Spearow took off as well. While battling in their air, the portly Spearow found it difficult to match speed with its rounded belly weighing it down. The runt took advantage of the fact, striking on each side with lightning fast Pecks until his foe succumbed to his injuries and fell from the sky. As the battle wound down, Troy and Evan tossed Sitrus Berries to the combatants. The Spearow graciously accepted, and from that point became the two friends' unofficial first Pokemon partners.

Throughout their high school years, Troy and Evan would meet up in the orchards to battle with their Spearow. At the time, Pokémon were only allowed to those who had passed the Advanced Trainers' Certification test, which neither Troy nor Evan had done. Three failed attempts left Troy brain-fried from all the studying and books, while Evan's obsession with tech and gadgets left little time for memorizing battle tactics and move lists. This meant they were not allowed Pokéballs, thus they were not allowed to catch the Spearow. Undeterred, the two trainers continued to bond with the Pokemon, even hosting underground trainer battles for the rest of their classmates, that is, until they were caught by the headmaster. Fortunately, it was late enough in their Senior Year that they were allowed to graduate with the promise that they would never return. With banishment from the grounds, Evan and Troy were forced to leave their Pokemon behind.

Along the ridge of the trees, a group of Spearow were fighting for fallen fruit. All young and small in stature. The most recent group of hatchlings, Evan thought. Their Spearow would not be part of that group. His would probably be a Fearow somewhere, still paunchy in size, commanded by a talented trainer. Someone from a later class, one who stuck around until the end and caught it with their own Pokéballs. Someone who could raise it properly without fear of being caught in explosions or fistfights with evil grandpas. Evan knuckled some berries and chucked them at the Pokemon. They fluttered away except for one; a pudgy hatchling who seemed more interested in snacking than in battles.

"Where do you think the lab is?" Troy asked. The question took Evan off guard. The laboratory had been weighing on his mind, yet he had not given it any thought since landing here. Where would the lab be? He first thought of Rocco's Hideout in the Game Corner. If SIlph had a lab it would be nowhere near him, though it wouldn't be surprising if it had escaped his detection. The Department Store certainly had appeal, but lacked the spacious underground tunnels like the one in Goldenrod City, so that was a bust. The Hotel was a good cover, but currently occupied by omniscient video game developers. It could be in the Celadon Gym like Vermillion City's lab was, but knowing Erika, from the few years they spent together at St. Lucario's, there was no way she would allow potentially harmful technology around her plants. Celadon seemed too into itself to house a Silph Lab. Then it hit him.

"St. Lucario's," Evan said. Troy raised an eyebrow. "We've been down damn near every street in Celadon City. Drank in every bar, fought on every corner, and ate at every diner. Not once have I seen a single scientist or nerd who wasn't out of place. Silph didn't put their lab in a city known for Team Rocket. They couldn't. Not after Saffron City those years ago. So, where's the one place we would never look, COULD never look?"

"St. Lucario's…" Troy said.

"Precisely. Bill didn't send us here because it's close to the city. He sent us straight to the lab. We're exactly where we need to be!"

"That cheeky bastard," Troy said. "The campus is huge though, how are we supposed to find the lab?"

He was right. St. Lucario's countryside campus sprawled at least a hundred acres with buildings separated by battlefields and farmland. Along with buildings for offices, administration, sports arenas, and dining halls, the campus housed seventeen separate buildings. Each building represented a different type of Pokémon where the student body would be split based on their affinity. Evan and Troy, after being relegated to the same house, knew the Poison House very well, but the other sixteen were as much of a mystery as Silph itself as interhouse fraternizing was deeply frowned upon.

"I think I know where we can start," Troy said.

"Where?" Evan said.

"Do you remember Rick, that nerd from the Science Club?"

"Maybe? Was he the one with the card obsession?"

"The one and only," Troy said. "I'm pretty sure the Science Club had a lab somewhere."

"Somewhere? You don't remember?"

"Yeah, I tended to tune Rick out whenever he started to talk to me."

"Idiot...but yeah, I did the same," Evan said.

"I guess there's only one place to start."

"Student Union?"

"You got it," Troy said with a tap of his nose. "Come on, Punchy, let's go."

"Poli."

The Student Union was only a mile from where they were, and with the lingering effects of the Sitrus Berries the walk went by quickly. As they approached the court yard they could see the entrance of the building. Obsidian stone pillars wrapped in crawling ivy lined the entryway and stood out from the greenery that surrounded it. The building behind was covered with reflective glass creating a mirrored sky illusion that helped it blend into the background. From a distance, one could easily overlook the building and assume the pillars were nothing more than decorative statues. Inside would be home to the majority of student clubs on campus and, if they were lucky, the Silph's hidden laboratory.

Troy and Evan hid themselves in a bush on a hill overlooking the building. The Union was surrounded by a network of walkways that diverged like a spider's web, except for a small road that led to the back of the building. The grass had been well maintained; the first sign of occupation, Evan pointed out. The lack of tall grass also meant they had less coverage to sneak up on whoever was inside. There were benches and small trees scattered about, but neither would be enough to shield the two trainers from view. To make matters worse, the doors to the Student Union appeared barricaded with metal bars and keypads.

"Looks like we might need a key. How are we supposed to get in?" Evan said.

"Let's smash a window. I've always hated that building," Troy said.

"And draw attention to ourselves? Real clever. Do you remember if there's a back entrance?"

"Yeah, there's a loading dock out back but it's only for employees."

"Oh, well then. I guess we can't use it," Evan said.

"Yeah, bummer."

"You dolt, we're taking the back entrance. Come on."

The two trainers set out for the loading docks. Getting in position proved rather difficult as bushes became few and far between, but after a little searching they found a divot in a hill just deep enough for the two trainers. As they stared down the loading dock they found exactly what they were looking for; a wide-open loading dock door. However, standing between them and the entrance to the building were a group of security guards armed with Ultra Balls. They stood watch as a group of scientists unloaded freight from a box truck.

"I think this was a safe bet," Evan said.

"Agreed. What do you think is in those crates?" Troy asked.

"Beats me. But whatever it is, they're taking it to the lab. If we could get in and follow them, they could lead us right to it."

"I don't think that will be a problem," a voice boomed from behind them. They spun around only to be snatched by the collar by two guardsmen under the command of a third. The one who stood behind them donned a different uniform than the other two. His was more militaristic, more forest green than the navy outfits worn by the guards, and adorned with countless medals and one cherry red Silph insignia. He was thinner than the other guards too. Taller, but lanky. The physique of a scholar if their only nourishment in life were dusty old tomes that had been locked in a dark alcove. His frailness did not equate to weakness, however, as his protruding brow with wrinkles that looked as if they were formed with a sculptor's knife gave off an air of authority and intimidation. Paired with his clean shaved head, he looked more serpent than human. He turned a pointed chin towards Troy and Evan.

"When they told me a pair of bumbling buffoons were wreaking havoc on our laboratories, I should have known it was the two of you," He said.

"Headmaster Gloyd?" Troy said. "What are you doing here?"

"Simple. Despite an ownership change, this is still my campus. And as I recall, you two were banished from the premises."

"We thought that ended when the school got shut down," Evan said.

"I think not," Headmaster Gloyd said. "Take them to the holding cell. I'll alert Steven to their arrival."

With a wave of his hand, the two guards cuffed Evan and Troy, forced their Pokemon back into their Pokéballs, and dragged them into the building. Once inside the guards broke from the group and ushered them into a freight elevator down a dark and dirty hallway. The elevator doors slammed shut and soon they found themselves descending into darkness. Lights flickered as they passed by. They slowed to a stop and were directed into a hall lined with prison cells. Troy was placed in the first one, while Evan was placed in the one opposite him. Both trainers were relieved of their Pokemon before being locked in. The guards placed their belongings in a burlap sack, taking it with them as they disappeared in the elevator. With their backs to the wall, they stared at the bars and contemplated their situation.

"I knew we'd end up in jail eventually, I just never thought it'd be like this," Troy said.

"I know, right? I always thought of St. Lucario's as a prison but who would have thought they'd built an actual prison on campus," Evan replied.

"We aren't getting out of here, are we?"

"With the tyrant hanging around? No. Not without our Pokemon."

"Mr. Punchy is probably terrified without me," Troy said as he buried his face in his knees.

"I'm sure Grimer is doing fine without me," Evan said.

"Why do you say that?"

"He wasn't my Pokemon to begin with. We got them from Team Rocket, and Team Rocket probably stole them from some kids. I knew there'd be a day where we'd have to say goodbye. Maybe this is for the best."

"Dummy says what?"

"What?"

"You still don't get it. Grimer loves you, dude. He would fight tooth and nail for you and you still sit here and moan because you don't think you deserve him. Honestly, if I were Grimer I'd look for a trainer that would fight for me too," Troy said. He moved closer to the bars. "So, get it through your thick skull. We got Pokemon up there that need our help, we got a world out there that needs saving, and we haven't had a bathroom break in like over a day and I'm in desperate need of one, so are you going to help me or what?"

Evan thought for a moment then nodded his head.

"What do we do?" he said.

"Remember when we wanted to get out of gym class?" Troy asked.

"You don't mean-?"

"Grimer Slider."

"Oh, dear Arceus, fine...get on the ground. I'll see if I can call the guard in," Evan said. Troy flopped to the ground in a grandiose manner, throwing his arms across his body, and moaning like a sick Dewgong. "Oh no! Guards! Somebody! My friend is in need of medical attention!"

After a few minutes of yelling and banging on the wall, the elevator dinged, and the door slid open. Two guards came forth and yanked open Troy's cell. The first entered while the second stood outside the door. He brandished a billy club and pointed it towards Evan, who put his hands up and backed away from the bars. The first guard leaned in to check on Troy, and as he pulled on the fallen trainer's shoulder, Troy spun to attack.

"Mega Punch!" He screamed as he jammed his fist into the guard's throat. The guard, now stunned, stumbled backwards into the hall. The attack drew the attention of the second guard. Evan saw his opportunity and lunged at him through the bars. He snagged the guards clubbing arm and pulled with all his might, slamming the guard's head into the bars and knocking him out cold. Troy, with keys pilfered from the first guard, unlocked Evan's cell, and together the two moved the unconscious guards into the cells and locked the doors.

"I can't believe that worked," Evan said.

"Maybe you'll take my ideas seriously from now on," Troy said.

"Not likely."

"Your loss. Come on, let's hit the elevator and find our Pokemon."

Armed with clubs, Evan and Troy entered the elevator and rode it to the ground floor. The hallway where they landed was deserted, but each corner had a small black bulb that they could only assume were security cameras. Determining they had no other choice but to announce their escape, the two trainers rushed from the elevator to take on the labyrinth of halls that lay before them.