Twitch Plays Pokémon is seriously testing my resolve. They're playing Colosseum! But I can't write when I watch a stream. Drawing's good for that, but I when I write I can only focus on the actual writing.

Enjoy!

Chapter 91
Disband

"...have risen again from the ashes! Giovanni! Can you hear? We did it! Where are you, Boss? Are you listening?"

The radio droned on, its fuzzy voice repeating itself for hours on end. It sat on a table coated in ice, which had developed from the building's frigid cold. The Mahogany Gym was mostly empty—atypical in the months since its reopening.

Cilice peered at Pryce.

"It had stopped for a few minutes earlier," she said.

"That would be the first time, I assume."

"Yes."

Pryce looked about, checking for inquiring eyes that requested his attention. Many of the Gym Trainers had gone out, scouting the town's perimeter on foot or from the local fire towers. Goldenrod City was too far away for Team Rocket to be a threat yet—Ecruteak City and Violet City were more at risk. But, the gang had once established their hideout right underneath Mahogany Town. The citizens had become vigilant once word got out.

"Goldenrod is cut off from the rest of Johto right now," Pryce murmured. "Our only insight of what's going on is from the radio or anyone who left the city."

"This cannot last. Nothing does."

He tapped his cane against the ice at their feet. "It is a Gym Leader's duty to protect their town and the community within their jurisdiction. Unless the entirety of the Johto region is at risk, we can only watch over Mahogany Town."

"If the Kanto-Johto Champion had not taken out their base at the souvenir shop, we would also be in peril. Perhaps then the Elite Four would be required to take action."

"They might already be. But we must remain," Pryce gravely said.

"We are doing our part," Cilice reassured.

The heavy front doors creaked open. Having set their station near the entrance, they turned to see who it was.

A teenage boy strolled in. He glanced around at the catwalk and the cascading mist with mild nostalgia. Adjusting his jacket at the shoulders, he found the two adults and grinned. He walked over to them. One of the Gym Trainers closed the door behind him to keep the air in.

"Heyo," he greeted. "Long time no see!"

Cilice faced him fully, surprised. "Chris. What a rarity."

"I thought you'd be here. You mentioned it before. Have you considered living in Sinnoh? I've heard it's always cold up there."

"Do you have something you need?" A knowing smile graced her face. "I can tell that you do. You would not be here for small talk."

Chris nodded and brushed the stray locks of his dark hair out of his eyes. He looked at her without faltering.

"Yeah, I do. I'd like to know: where are you keeping Deoxys?"

"Why do you wish to know?"

"I want to catch it."

Cilice simply stared at him for a while. Her pretty face darkened.

"We have discussed this," she said. "It is already locked away safely. There is no need for that."

"Are you sure it won't melt in the summer?"

"It is out of the question."

"But I have a plan, and it won't fail."

He took out a violet Poké Ball and flashed a smile. The sphere featured a distinctive "M" on the front and two pink bubbles decorated around it. Pryce widened his eyes.

"Ah... Is that a Master Ball?" he asked.

"Sure is," Chris answered confidently. "With this, we can catch it and figure out what it wants. If it attacks, then it goes right back in here. That'd be better than keeping it in a frozen cage."

"It deserves worse," Cilice remarked.

"But think about how strong it is. It could probably take down the Pokémon League solo. And I imagine keeping it locked up like that will only make it even more angry. The Poké Ball's a lot nicer."

"You want to use that monster who tried to murder your sister?"

Cilice's wings twitched despite herself. The old man beside her held her shoulder, and she stilled at once. She turned her gaze downward for a moment. Pryce regarded Chris with strict patience.

"I'd like to consider that," he said. "Catching Deoxys...however, it's not the time to discuss this. Perhaps later."

Chris's energy ebbed away. He frowned. But he stashed the ball within the inner pocket of his leather jacket.

"Sorry. You're right; you guys look busy. I'll come back another time."

"Wait," Cilice called out. The boy glanced over his shoulder at her, and she narrowed her eyes. "You know what is happening in Goldenrod, correct? Team Rocket has taken the Radio Tower and much of the city."

"Yeah...sort of."

"Are you not going to go stop them? Red would have done so."

Chris looked thoughtful, and then looked up at the frosty light fixtures hanging from the ceiling. Of the lot, one of them had fizzled out. After about a minute, he shrugged.

"Yeah," he said. "I guess he would have."

"But you can't interfere," Apollo continued. "Our boss Giovanni will be brought back from his solitary training, and we are going to regain our former glory. I will not allow you to ruin our meticulous plans."

Marina didn't respond. The burn on her arm forced her to only breathe unevenly. Her stare held defiance, but she cringed and shivered. She couldn't even manage to sit upright.

"Recall your Pokémon."

A scowl formed on her face. The man's Houndoom uttered a low growl. Immediately, her resistance yielded to fear.

Again...Not again...!

She nearly cried in both pain and crushing disappointment. With a shaky arm, she held her Poké Ball firmly to send Muu-chan back inside. Her hand fell back onto her lap, almost dropping it. Nausea filled her gut. She shut her eyes again. Somehow, she felt both unbearably hot and terribly cold at the same time.

"Sorry we had to do this, baby," Athena told the girl. Her snide smirk must have returned to her face.

"A Houndoom's fire is laced with toxins," explained Apollo. "Some claim that the pain it inflicts will never go away."

"Yes, it must hurt so much. We'll fix you up so long as you're a good girl and stay here."

Marina released a quiet, tormented sigh. She squinted a little, watching Apollo walk away and grab a handheld two-way radio.

"The intruder has been neutralized. Restore any injured Pokémon and continue as usual."

Silence, then static emitted from the device.

"Thank god," Proton sighed. "Understood, sir."

"Lambda?"

More silence.

"Sorry, sir!" Another voice exclaimed. Loud bangs erupted in the background. "Dealing with Athena's nephew right now!"

Athena herself rolled her eyes. Apollo didn't see her, but loosened his face with a neutral frown.

"Try not to hurt him; the boss would be furious. Lance, have someone find a first aid kit. Bring supplies for Pokémon, if they can be spared."

"Understood, sir."

Apollo clipped the radio back onto his belt. His pastel blue hair shined white as he approached the sunlight and folded his arms behind him.

"Shall we contact Bashou?" Athena asked.

"Not yet," he answered. "I wish for them to talk to Giovanni when we do."

Nodding, she returned her attention to the debilitated girl at her feet. She giggled.

"I'm actually happy to see you again. To think you'd come straight to us all by yourself. How bold. But naïve."

Marina's lip trembled, but she stubbornly tried to hide it. Athena turned away and settled on one of the chairs at the opposite wall. Composed, she crossed her legs.

"From this vantage point, we can see the whole city," she continued. "Apollo and I saw you sneaking past our defenses by walking on the train tracks. So your arrival wasn't too much of a surprise...though we did hope you'd slow down by the time you reached us."

"Your nephew took the same path," Apollo said.

"Oh yes, he did. He followed you, but I guess you didn't notice."

"He'll be trouble."

"I can convince him."

"His father will be here soon to help with that."

"Hopefully," Athena emphasized. "The boy has interfered too many times, and he's refused to live with his family for years. That temper can't be from my side. If anything, he only has my hair."

"Giovanni will return," Apollo insisted with a stern look in her direction. She rested her hand on her chin.

"I hope he at least hears."

"He must. This entire mission is riding on that."

While they continued their exchange, Marina feebly gripped her Misdreavus's Poké Ball in her right hand. She was beginning to feel numb, but anything was better than the white hot burning sensation that had once paralyzed her. She wasn't completely drowning in dizziness now.

Her bag rested by her hand, so close to her other teammates. All it would take was for her to reach a little bit. But she could feel Houndoom's breath on her forehead. While it glanced at its Trainer on occasion, the dog focused solely on her. It stood so close; she could easily imagine it biting her face. The idea made her shudder.

If I move, it'll attack me, she thought. She gritted her teeth as she fought another cold wave of pain. But I can't just let it end here! I'm not going to be saved again!

I'm fighting back!

Glancing at the bag, she scoped out the newest ball of the bunch. She took a deep breath.

Muu-chan's Poké Ball rolled out of her palm. It clinked as it hit the tile floor, and Houndoom flinched in its direction.

Marina let go of her arm and covered Houndoom's eyes, rushing into her bag. It snarled and ripped out of her grip. She scrambled backwards onto her feet, following the wall. Fire erupted from its mouth. She turned away with a sharp scream and slammed her Poké Ball onto the ground.

"Lyra!"

A bright light shielded her, and Houndoom scurried backward as her Lapras appeared. Marina collapsed onto the floor. She cried and clutched at her thigh, which felt like it was still being flayed by Houndoom's flames.

"Apollo!" she heard Athena shout. Marina drowned her out as she screamed a command.

"WATER PULSE!"

Lyra howled, and a surge of water blasted into the room. The affected windows let out a thud, rattling the others around them. Wrapped up in the assault, Houndoom gurgled out a whine. The Rocket Executives backed up as the fainted Pokémon fell before them. Apollo's brow furrowed.

Marina reached out for one of the spikes on Lyra's shell and pulled herself up. Breathing deeply, she glared at Athena.

"I'm not alone," she declared. "A Trainer...is never alone!"

Apollo sent out a Weezing without a word. Athena turned to him.

"I fought hard, but I still lost!" She exclaimed. The man's face hardened. "This child's strength is more than you realize."

"We can't let anything get in the way before the news of our resurgence reaches Giovanni!"

"Ice Beam!" Marina ordered.

"Sludge Bomb!"

A bright pulse of ice skimmed by a thick orb of muck. Marina hid her face as it burst onto Lyra's neck. The girl looked back at Weezing, which was covered in frost. It uttered a grumbling hiss. Lyra snarled back and unleashed another Ice Beam.

Their attacks collided into each other this time. The Sludge Bomb froze up and fell apart in chunks, yielding to the ice that again smacked into Weezing. It was forced backward and flew out of the way.

"Brine!"

Lyra pumped out salt water, and both of Weezing's segments groaned. It staggered, sinking downward.

"Sludge Bomb!" Apollo commanded, but Weezing dropped from where it hovered. He stared at it for a moment. Calling it back, he released another Houndoom that growled at its larger opponent. Athena watched this and sighed.

"Roar!"

"Water Pulse!"

When Houndoom inhaled and began to bark, its mouth was filled with water. Its paws slipped on the wet floor. The dog released a sharp cry as it too collapsed.

"How could this be...?" Rattled, Apollo took a step back. His handheld radio crackled, causing him to flinch.

"Sorry, Apollo," Lambda's voice spoke. "The boss's Nidoking was too strong. The kid is on his way up."

"I'll be ready for him!" Proton boasted.

Apollo looked down, somber. He then made eye contact with Marina, who still leaned on Lyra but gave him a solid glare.

"Stop all of this," she said. "Stop the broadcast...and stop terrorizing Goldenrod!"

"Apollo," Athena called his name, distressed. "It's no use..."

The man closed his eyes. With a sigh, he picked up the radio and squeezed it.

"Forgive me, Giovanni," he murmured before speaking firmly. "Lambda, Lance, relay this to all operatives: Our dreams have come to naught. Gather at the emergency rendezvous point."

"A-Apollo," Lambda stuttered. "Did we get word from the boss?"

"...No, we didn't."

"Then why are we pulling out?!" Proton demanded. Apollo shook his head.

"I was not up to the task, after all... Like Giovanni has done before me, I will disband Team Rocket here today."

His words were met with silence.

"Evacuate the Radio Tower," he added. "This is a full retreat. Anyone who doesn't know about the rendezvous point is too new to be trusted. They're free to either run or be arrested, whichever they choose."

"...Understood, sir," Proton replied.

"I'll get on it," Lambda mirrored. "I was getting pretty tired of this disguise anyway."

Apollo lowered the radio. He shared a glance at the woman beside him. She made a subtle nod. Their Murkrow and Weezing appeared before them. Though exhausted, they settled around their owners with disciplined loyalty.

"Farewell," Apollo said to the girl, who looked confused.

"What are you—?"

At Athena's direction, Murkrow and Weezing smashed through the closest windows, sending the room into a flurry of chaotic wind. Marina clung to Lyra as the Rocket Executives reached for their Pokémon and leaped out of the tower. She watched them fly downward, out of her sight. The gusts calmed somewhat, returning the observation deck to its original peaceful state.

...It's over? She wondered.

Her body finally relaxed, but the dizziness returned with force. She covered her mouth and gagged. The burns on her arm and thigh clawed at her skin. Now that she got a better look at them, she could see the fire had eaten through part of her clothes as well. She began to lose her balance.

I've...got to get help...downstairs...

A cold, relieving touch rubbed against her arm. She turned and saw Lyra, who leaned her head against the girl. The Pokémon's scarlet eyes sparkled sadly.

"Lyra...?"

Her Lapras replied with a quiet, drawn out whimper. Marina stared for a moment, but fought back tears and hugged her as best as she could.

"Thank you, Lyra...!" she said unevenly. "That helps a lot."

"Hey."

Marina turned toward the elevator. Upon seeing a head of striking red hair, her heart jumped in alarm. But the black jacket and silver eyes of the person looking at her gave her relief. She smiled weakly at the boy.

"Oh, so that's what she meant by...nephew..."

Her vision swirled, and she fell to her knees. Silver darted over to her. Though Lyra grumbled in discontent, Marina's hand hurriedly caressed her head and placated the creature into silence.

"What happened?" he asked. "Where did they go?"

"They left..."

She glanced at the broken windows. Silver followed her gaze, scowling. But he grabbed her good arm and helped her stand.

"This is why I told you not to fight them, you moron," he muttered.

After Lyra was recalled back into her Poké Ball, the two headed for the elevator and made their way out of the building. The hallways and office spaces seemed oddly empty without the shadows of Team Rocket's uniforms. Employees wandered about, trying to clean up the mess they'd left behind. Most of them ran over to Marina and Silver to give their wholehearted thanks or offer to help with Marina's injuries. With the cell phone towers quickly fixed, the adults called Goldenrod City's hospital for aid.

Emergency lights nearly blinded the Trainers by the time they left the Radio Tower. Police cars and a couple ambulances lined the street, which was crawling with a dozen uniformed officers. The kids were questioned briefly, and then ushered toward a paramedic.

"Here."

Once the nurse had finished tending to Marina's wounds, he handed her a container of medicine and a water bottle. She took them obediently, putting them in her bag.

"Thank you."

"The toxins will be out of your system in a few hours. Unfortunately, people aren't as resilient as Pokémon are, so the burns will take longer to heal. Change the bandages twice a day, and rub ointment on your burns when you do. They should go away completely without scarring."

"Okay. Again, thank you so much!"

Marina made sure to bow at the nurse and was led out of the ambulance. It was a little difficult to walk, but the cold ointment underneath her bandages made it bearable. She looked around the safe, busy street. Police officers relayed information to one another, no doubt in search for the fleeing Team Rocket grunts. She saw Silver sitting on the curb nearby, and their eyes met.

"All done," she said and managed a smile. She delicately sat next to him. He stared up at the Radio Tower again. The opening that Athena and Apollo had made on the top floor could barely be seen from the ground.

"...They keep quiet for three years," he grumbled distantly. "Then choose to come back right after I become a Trainer. In Johto, no less. It's like they were following me."

"That's not why you became a Pokémon Trainer?" she asked. "To stop them?"

"No. I wanted to escape that crap."

"I see..."

Marina opened her bottle and took a tentative drink. She fiddled with the cap, feeling her wounds throb on occasion. Giggling, she turned to him.

"I know you wanted to beat Team Rocket on your own, but it looks like we ended up working together, huh?"

"Don't you care?"

"About what?"

Silver stopped scowling at the sky. He observed her innocent face, and then shook his head.

"Never mind," he said.

"...So, if not to defeat Team Rocket, what's your goal?"

"To be strong, obviously. I want to be the strongest Trainer in the world. And I'd earn it, all by—." He paused. "...By training my own Pokémon."

The girl grinned.

"It won't end here for me. Not like this. I'll show you a better fight next time."

"Of course," she said. "You're my rival, and I'm aiming for the Elite Four! We've gotta keep each other on our toes so we can keep getting better."

Silver snorted. She pouted a little.

"What's that for? I can do it."

"Not if I beat you to it. With your track record, you'll be fighting me instead of that Dragon Tamer."

"What?! You're going to battle the Elite Four too?"

"How else will I prove I'm the best?"

"I wanted to battle Lance," she shook her index finger with confidence, "But I guess Red got to battle his rival, Blue, when he became the Champion. It's only natural it'd end up that way."

"Assuming I'd let history repeat itself."

The sound of shuffling feathers approached from overhead. A large shadow passed by, and they looked up to see a Pidgeot descending. It landed soundly in the middle of the street, and a boy let go of his hat as he slipped down its back. Marina gasped, smiled, and waved her hand.

"Kenta!"

Kenta turned and sprinted toward her. "Marina!"

"Why are you here? Did you hear about Goldenrod on the radio?"

"Yeah. I tried to call you, but the phones were down—." He stopped short, focusing on her bandages. His face filled with dread. He asked quietly, "What happened?"

"I'm okay, don't worry!" She made a peace sign and winked. "Silver and I defeated Team Rocket! We sent them running with their tails between their legs!"

"And you're late to the party," Silver remarked. He scoffed, wearing a sneer. "Not that you'd be any help anyway."

Marina broke her victory pose to lightly tap against his shoulder.

"What? It's true."

"No it isn't. He'd help plenty!"

"Humph."

Kenta frowned. "Team Rocket's defeated?"

"Yup, they disbanded again," she answered.

"So..." He turned to Silver. After a moment, the redhead's mood soured.

"What are you staring at?"

"It's fine!" Marina exclaimed with an odd grin. She stood up quickly, but stumbled when she limped. Kenta rushed to catch her. She cringed. "Ow, ow, arm, ow!"

"Sorry, sorry!" he apologized and moved to hold her wrist. She looked up at him, smiling weakly.

"Let's go to the Pokémon Center. My team needs to be healed."

He glanced away. "O-Okay. Can you walk?"

"Yeah, I think I can," Marina looked back at her rival, "Later, Silver!"

"I have to go there too," Silver said. Just before she uttered a response, he released his Golbat beside them. She flinched and clung to Kenta again.

"Don't—Stop doing that so suddenly!"

He smirked and walked away. With a snap of his fingers, Golbat picked him up and flew him over the crowd of emergency vehicles. Marina released a combination of a laugh and a sigh.

He seems to be feeling a lot better now, she thought. With Team Rocket gone, I guess he must be. That's good.

"Should we go?" Kenta asked. He carefully put a little bit of distance between them, and she snapped out of her thoughts. She nodded with as much energy as she could muster.

"Yeah!"

Marina reached into her bag and released her Donphan from his Poké Ball. With some help, she climbed onto his back. Phany carried her down the street at a steady trot while Kenta and his Pidgeot followed on foot toward the Pokémon Communication Center.

A/N: I have to study this week, but hopefully I'll get the next chapter up by Wednesday.

See you then!