DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN POKEMON. SHOULD BE OBVIOUS BY NOW. IF NOT, THE CAPS MAKE IT PRETTY OBVIOUS, HM?

Wes double- and triple-checked the various charges he'd planted last night. Normally, he didn't need to be so cautious, but this was one plan that couldn't afford to fail. This would be the beginning of his redemption, his first official move against his soon-to-be-former "employers" he'd grown to loathe. He glanced at the unconscious guard on the ground and grinned. Wes had given him quite a surprise while placing his bombs; in an hour, he'd get an even bigger one. In one hour, he'd be free. Then he could finally take them down, his way. A long year of planning was about to pay off.

Gonzap was in no way a normal human being. His torso muscles were double the normal size and his long, wiry eyebrows and mustache were mysteries in themselves. Coupled with his glare-prone shave (read: bald), he was more intimidating through weirdness than any danger or macho factor. On this particular morning, the giant had gone off on a recruiting mission for Team Snagem, an organization he had created to "liberate" Pokémon from their "cruel and abusive" trainers. That was what he told his recruits, anyway. Gonzap chuckled at the thought as he strolled down the street, attracting a few curious glances. This was his kind of street: run down but not quite trashy, as though it were a combination of a main road and a back alley. This was his favorite work site; if he looked long enough, he could always find some poor soul either desperate or naïve enough to follow his lead. This day seemed no different. After just five minutes, the man spotted a fairly young boy, early teens, maybe, leaned up against a building. He sat next to an Umbreon on the right and an Espeon on the left. Gonzap grinned and stopped in front of the boy. The Umbreon growled at him, but the boy placed his hand on its back and it sat down again.

"What do you want?" the boy asked, not raising his head.

"By the looks of things, I want to help you," Gonzap replied.

The boy now bothered to look at the giant, revealing spiky sand-colored hair, tan skin, and golden yellow eyes. He also had a white stripe across the bridge of his nose. "How?" he questioned.

"Well, look at you," Gonzap said, sweeping his hand across the air to indicate the squalor around him. "I can offer you much better if you'd be willing to do a little work for me."

"What kind of work?" The boy's eyes tried to remain expressionless, but a faint glimmer of interest was not lost on his potential "benefactor".

"These Pokémon..." Gonzap gestured to the creatures on either side of him, "…are yours, correct?"

"They're my best friends," he replied, scratching the ears of the Espeon.

"Like family, eh?" The boy nodded. "It's a shame more people aren't like that…"

"What do you mean?"

Gonzap laughed mentally as he started his spiel. "Not many people in this region are as kind to their Pokémon. They abuse the poor creatures, turn them into slaves and wage war for their own amusement. I started a resistance group in order to combat these atrocities. Our goal is to liberate these Pokémon from their 'owners' and give them a better home. We're saving them from a horrible existence and providing their lives meaning. You've probably seen a lot of people like that already. Anyway, here's my offer: you can keep living on the street and eke out a life, or you can join me. My organization will take excellent care of you; you'll have fresh meals, a warm bed, and a salary to spend however you want. How does that sound?" he finished, extending a hand.

The boy glanced at the Pokémon next to him. The Espeon had been asleep the entire time and showed no signs of stirring. The Umbreon gazed warily at the man's hand, but made no indication to attack.

"…Fine," he replied, placing his hand in the man's and being hoisted easily to his feet.

"Splendid!" Gonzap exclaimed, conjuring up his best smile. "There are only two things I need to know: your age and name."

"I'm fourteen," the boy said.

"And your name?"

"Wes."

That was how Wes began his career in Team Snagem three years ago. Gonzap had placed him in the recruit program designed to ready new members to face their enemies. Most people took a year or more to complete this phase of training; Wes did it in six months. He turned down the standard black fatigues with red vest, opting instead for less baggy leggings, a tank top (both black), and a red-and-navy cyber-style trench coat. The shirt and slacks worked fine, but the coat was still too big for him, so he had to keep it hidden away. He trusted the boss, but his co-workers were a different matter.

After nine months, Gonzap started sending him on team missions with other members and a large device called a Snag Machine, which was used for "rescuing" Pokémon from their trainers. Normally, it took three of them to operate the thing, but Wes learned how to do it himself. As such, there was always a cheer from the grunts that learned they would work with him on the next job. Over the next year, Wes's proficiency with the machine grew so much that he would sometimes go on solo missions. He never failed; whatever Pokémon he was ordered to "save", he "saved". Sometimes, his conscience would ask if he was truly in the right. However, the celebration he received back at the base tended to wipe such thoughts from his mind. Still, he never forgot the faces of those people – some angry, some shocked, all heartbroken. Then he reminded himself of what those people were "really like", and the qualms went away again.

Over two years, Wes had become the best Snagger in the organization. He never seemed to miss a target and always turned in the best results on any type of mission. So nobody was surprised when Gonzap invited him to what would only be described as a "private exhibition". The two proceeded to the training hall, which was normally crowded with new recruits. Today, however, there was only one man in a lab coat standing next to a large machine Wes had never seen before. Gonzap handed the man a Poké Ball, which he placed in a compartment on the front of the device. The tech then entered a few commands into his keypad. The ball's chamber grew thick with purple smoke for a while, then cleared in a flash of light.

"Complete success," the man commented, returning the ball to Gonzap. "Would you care to try it out?"

"That was the whole point," the boss replied, twirling the ball on his finger.

"Very well." The tech plucked one of his own Poké Balls from a belt under his coat and released a Hypno. Gonzap tossed his in turn, revealing a Skarmory.

Normally, Pokémon waited to move until their trainers told them to. However, the Skarmory's eyes glowed an eerie red, and without hesitation it charged the Hypno full force. The psychic Pokémon was taken completely off guard and bowled across the arena. The bird chased after it, slamming into it again and again whenever it made an effort to get up. Even after the Hypno lay clearly unconscious, the Skarmory continued to peck at it savagely until Gonzap recalled it. He then turned to Wes with a grin.

"Well, what do you think? Want one?" he asked. "These are called Shadow Pokémon. They're much more aggressive than normal, and they'll make our job much easier. If you'd like, we can make yours the same…"

Wes was still recovering from the scene he'd just witnessed. Aggressive nothing, that thing had acted downright evil. He tried to picture Umbreon and Espeon like that. The thought made him shudder, and he swung his head vigorously in refusal. He couldn't do that to his partners. "No, we're strong enough without that…thing."

Gonzap laughed heartily. "Cocky little brat, eh? Well, I'll certainly vouch for your skill, but if you ever change your mind, just let me know." He then turned to the tech. "I guess we're done here."

"Glad to be of assistance," the tech replied, and bowed. "Ein sends his regards."

"I see that," the boss answered, twirling Skarmory's ball on his finger again. "Tell him thanks for the gift."

"Will do," the tech called after the duo as they exited.

That night, Wes had nightmares of the Skarmory and its glowing eyes. It would maul the Hypno over and over, and then turn and attack him as well. He would wake right before it struck him, sweating profusely. Espeon and Umbreon, long since attuned to their friend, snuggled next to him in a comforting gesture. It still took hours for him to fall asleep, and that night he began seriously questioning his loyalties.

A week later, when Wes's two year "anniversary" with Snagem came around, he knew exactly how he wanted to spend the day off Gonzap gave him. Over the past two years, he'd gradually grown more and more disillusioned with Snagem's true purpose and intent, especially after the Skarmory incident. However, they'd never left him alone long enough to investigate anything. He'd travel to Phenac City as a trainer, alone, and live normally for a day, and judge from there.

With his skills came good pay, and Wes had saved enough of it to buy a motorcycle. It still had one wheel on the ground as opposed to normal vehicles, which rode entirely on anti-gravity technology. It also had a massive engine on the front, which he liked; not only was it loud enough to drown out his thoughts, he'd learned to optimize it himself for maximum speed. Nobody could touch him in a race. The bike even came with a sidecar for Umbreon and Espeon, and he swore those two enjoyed the wind in their faces just as much as he did. He'd taken it on a few missions before, but it was too noisy for the usual stealth work.

It was only after he'd left that day that he realized he'd forgotten to refill the gas tank the last time he took it out. 'Oh well, at least there's a station between here and Phenac.' The Outskirt Stand, as it was known, was essentially a train engine parked in the middle of the desert. Nobody really knew where it came from. Orre was a massive region, and yet this station was the only one of its kind across the sands. The engine had been mostly gutted and replaced with a diner. Clad in his now-well-fitting coat and a new pair of silver shades, Wes felt confident enough to pull in and not be identified by either friend or foe…or both, as the case was starting to seem. He was in the middle of refueling when a rider in full brown gear and pink hair strode over to him.

"Where the heck did you find this?" he asked, starting Wes. He hadn't seen the man come over. 'Must have been in the diner.' "Beautiful engine…is this custom? I've never seen anything like it." Wes nodded. "So you've got a tough bike…" he turned to the sidecar where Umbreon and Espeon were waiting, "…tough-looking Pokémon…" then turned back to Wes, "…and you look pretty tough yourself…makes my blood boil! Let's battle, right here, right now!"

Wes stared at the man and his enthusiasm for a moment before agreeing. Maybe he wouldn't need to go to Phenac after all…

"Awright, let's fight! Zig! Zag!" he cried, and two Zigzagoon came flying out of the diner towards him. "Battle time!" The Pokémon worked themselves into an even bigger frenzy. Wes sized them up quickly, then beckoned his own partners from the bike.

The battle itself lasted all of two minutes. Wes didn't even need to issue orders. One Zigzagoon charged straight into Espeon's Reflect shield and knocked itself out. The other couldn't keep up with Umbreon and fell quickly to three or four blindside Bite attacks.

The rider recalled his Pokémon and shook his head in disbelief. "Man, was I ever right…well, since I lost, I'll buy you lunch!" Wes decided to oblige the guy; it was noon, his stomach was growling, and gas wasn't exactly cheap.

"Two cheeseburgers!" he said to the muscular man behind the counter as they entered, then glanced over at Wes. "You do like burgers, right?" Wes nodded in response.

"What's the matter, Willie?" the counter guy asked. "You get thrashed again?"

"Oh, shut up!" the biker replied. "Right, I forgot…" he started as the two took seats, "…my name's Willie. You are?"

"Geez…at least ask their name before declaring war, moron!" The counter guy again.

"My way works just fine!" Willie retorted.

"Yeah, and you always lose."

"WHAT?!"

The man laughed loudly before starting the burgers. Willie turned back to Wes to ask something else, but was brilliantly interrupted by the TV on the wall.

"Breaking news," the onscreen reporter announced, "Team Snagem has struck again. Counting the thefts last night, over thirty Pokémon have now been stolen. Authorities are doing their best to investigate these incidents, but there are few leads. More on this story as it continues to develop." The TV clicked off.

"Thefts?" Wes asked.

"What, you didn't know?" The counter man had returned with their cheeseburgers. "They've been stealing Pokémon left and right. Doesn't matter who, either. People are getting too scared to go anywhere after dark."

"Yeah, I knew a little girl in Phenac that got her Pokémon stolen," Willie added in between bites of burger. "Poor thing hasn't slept since. I'd take after them myself, but like the news said, no leads." He polished off his burger. "Hard to imagine life without your best friends, huh?"

There was a little initial shock, but this was what Wes's conscience had been predicting for years. He'd been deceived, let himself been deceived, deceived himself. He briefly thought about what Willie said, about losing Umbreon and Espeon, and immediately banished the idea. It hurt too much. That's what he'd been doing for two years, and the shame that thought brought was crushing. In one fluid motion, he rose and sprinted out the door. This had to stop somewhere.

"Hey!" Willie called. "What about your burger?"

"I have more important things to worry about now!" Wes shouted back angrily. He jumped on the bike, his partners right behind, and roared off back towards the Hideout.

"Strange kid…" Willie muttered, watching him leave. He turned to Wes's untouched burger. "Well, it'd be a shame to let this go to waste!" And he promptly chomped down on the second sandwich.

The counter guy sighed. "You have no shame, do you…?"

"Stuff it!" Bits of burger flew random distances across the counter.

It had taken Wes a full year to finish his plan. Within a week of his off day, he'd gathered more than enough evidence to prove Gonzap's "resistance group" was actually a crime syndicate. He'd briefly considered challenging the boss directly, but memories of the Skarmory quickly disposed of that idea. No, it was too dangerous to try taking them down from the inside; he'd escape first, and then declare war. He'd been awarded exclusive use of the team's new Snag Machine, a gauntlet-type device that fit over his left arm like a sleeve. It was naturally well-guarded when not in use, but the night patrol was pretty lax…he could use that. He'd spent a good part of the year memorizing and re-memorizing the exact layout of the Hideout and all of its weaknesses. He then more or less taught himself how to make explosives from the "Miscellaneous" locker in the supply room. It wouldn't do to just get away from Snagem, he intended to disable them completely.

It was just as the sun rose on what would've been the last of his third year with Snagem that Wes stood just outside the base, Umbreon beside him. He'd parked his bike just around the corner and ordered Espeon to guard it. He'd also set remote detonators on each charge that answered to the black box in his left hand. He flipped the first switch and a section of the second floor wall blew out. He aimed the grappling hook in his other hand at the hole and fired. After it caught, Wes hit the return button, and both person and Pokémon vaulted into the room. Just as he'd planned, both the Snag Machine and its guard were present.

"Wes, what the…OOF!" The guard was cut off as Umbreon rammed him squarely in the gut, and he collapsed on the spot. Wes grinned and slid the machine onto his arm once more, making sure it fit snugly; he wouldn't be taking it off for a while.

"Say hi to the boss for me," he jeered at the guard as the base's alarms started blaring. "Oops, time to go. Umbreon!" The two exited their entrance, landing rather gracefully on the ground, and sprinted off. They were a good thirty or forty feet away when Snagem members, a raging Gonzap included, began pouring out the front door.

Too late, Wes thought with a smirk. He rounded the corner to find both Espeon and the bike unscathed and undisturbed. Umbreon hopped in beside its counterpart, Wes on the seat. He flipped on his shades and gunned the engine, tearing off across the canyon. He checked behind him to find most of the squad still milling around at the entrance trying to make sense of things.

"Round two!" Wes shouted, flipping the other switch on the box. He'd planted over a dozen bombs on structural faults as well as all the other Snag Machines, and now they all went off simultaneously. A massive, near-deafening explosion resounded through the canyon (Echo Canyon, named for a reason), and the grand base of Snagem operations crumbled into itself. The entire group of grunts got bowled over by the blast, eliciting a laugh from their attacker. If he was lucky, the police would arrive before they could organize and escape, but he didn't put much stock in that idea. It doesn't matter if I get help or not, Wes thought, I'll take them down myself if I have to. Team Snagem was responsible for dozens of thefts and crimes. They'd helped create these strange "Shadow" Pokémon. And they'd used Wes to do it. They had a lot to answer for. It's not the liberation I signed up for, but it'll do. He chuckled at the thought.

"Ready?" he yelled over the motor at his Pokémon. Both nodded as best they could in agreement. Wes cracked a large grin and hit the button marked 'Max Speed', and the bike shot off into the desert.