Pokemon Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Pseudo Shigeru ❯ Return to Rocket ( Chapter 3 )

Note: In this world, the G/S Pokémon are still being discovered. So for several of them (especially the dark types), characters won't have a clue what they're fighting (which just adds to the fun, in my opinion). I've heard Entei, Suicine, and Raikou referred to as cats, dogs, and beasts, but I'm assuming they're felines, since powerful cats (and birds) seem to be a recurring theme with legendary Pokémon (and since I saw Suicine on the Johto Journeys; he looked a little too graceful to be a dog).

Psuedo Shigeru

Chapter 3: Return to Rocket

"Gary? Can you hear me?"

Seconds later, Gary finally opened his eyes. "Eve? What…happened?"

"Sally's work is done. We're in the new world." She licked his cheek. "Can you stand?"

Gary grunted and sat up. "Yeah, I'm just a little dizzy. Where is Sally, anyway?"

"Over there," Eve replied. "The trip took a lot out of her."

Gary looked over to see Sally propped up against a tree. Her breathing was shallow, and her eyes were half-closed. He slowly crawled over to her and placed a hand on her head. "Sally? You okay?"

Sally's leaves waved slightly.

"She's exhausted, Gary. She needs to rest."

"But we can't just leave her here, Eve. Someone might find her, and we don't need another legendary to rescue." Gary carefully cradled Sally in his arms. "If only there was a way to get her into a Pokémon Center without anyone seeing…wait, what am I thinking? She'd have to go into a pokeball first, and-"

Sally made a rustling noise and brushed her leaves against Gary's cheek.

"Gary…I think she WANTS to go into a pokeball," Eve replied, sounding surprised.

Gary blinked. "Is that true, Sally? You wanna come with us?"

Sally nodded before closing her eyes and falling asleep.

"She can use my pokeball until you get some more," Eve offered. "It's not like I use it much."

"Thanks, girl. I'll stock up in the first town we reach." Gary pulled out a pokeball, smiling as Sally was pulled inside of it. "Welcome to the team, Sally."

Eve hopped onto his shoulder. "So, where to first?"

"According to Professor Elm, Crimson City should be a few miles to the north. That's our first stop."

"And then?"

Gary smiled thinly. "Based on the reactions I get in town, we'll figure out how much influence Shigeru had…and still has…in this neck of the woods. If it's enough, we're going straight to the Rocket League."

* * * * *

"I don't like it, Butch. Something's not right."

Butch glanced at his partner as they walked through the large building. "You always say that. Stop being paranoid."

"I was right about the last one," Cassidy pointed out. "And the one before it."

"Look, the boss told us to recruit new gyms, and we haven't found a suitable one yet. I'm not telling him we failed because you got nervous. You'd have to tell him yourself."

The orange-haired woman sighed. "Fine. The gym has been more than satisfactory so far..."

Butch clapped her on the shoulder. "Now there's the Cassidy I'm proud to call my partner."

"I trust the gym meets your standards?" a voice behind them asked.

Butch & Cassidy turned to see a small girl staring up at them. She wore a pink dress with a matching bow that secured her dark hair in a long braid, which almost reached her knees.

"Oh, the gym itself is excellent," Cassidy replied.

"However, it's time to see if your Pokémon make the grade," Butch sneered.

"As you wish, Master Butch," the girl replied. "How many?"

"Only two. Or is that a problem?"

"No problem at all, sir."

Butch glared at her. "Very well. Go, Raticate!"

A large Raticate popped out, chomping its huge fangs in anticipation.

The girl didn't seem to be intimidated as she drew out her own pokeball. "Girafig, go."

Butch blinked as something that looked like a giraffe came out of the pokeball.

"It's one of the newer ones," Cassidy said. "A psychic type."

"Soon to be a fainted type. Raticate, tackle it!" Butch shouted.

Raticate growled and charged at its opponent.

The girl smiled. "Future Sight."

Girafig closed its eyes.

"What is it doing?" Butch asked.

Seconds later, Raticate slammed into Girafig.

"Forget it. This match is over. Raticate, Hyper Fang!"

Raticate sunk its teeth into the helpless Girafig's neck, savagely swinging it around.

The girl still didn't look worried. "Girafig, Stomp."

Girafig drove its hooves into Raticate, knocking it back a few feet.

"Nice try," Butch chuckled. "Finish it with Super Fang!"

Raticate growled and leaped onto Girafig again. The time, the psychic Pokémon didn't stand a chance.

The girl calmly recalled Girafig. "Good job. Now it's your turn, Haunter."

Butch lost a little of his confidence as the ghost Pokémon appeared. "Raticate, Super Fang, quick!"

Raticate dove at Haunter, but it avoided the attack and fought back with Confuse Ray.

The girl giggled. "Hypnosis."

Haunter's disembodied hands waved in a peculiar pattern, and Raticate stopped in its tracks.

"Snap out of it, Raticate!" Butch shouted.

"Not this time, Master Butch. Haunter, Dream Eater."

Haunter flew forward, widening his mouth until he could swallow Raticate whole. But instead, the rat seemed pass through him. Raticate shuddered as if hit by a cold wind, then dropped to the floor.

Butch growled and recalled Raticate. "Weezing, GO!"

Weezing burst from its pokeball, instantly filling the room with a foul stench.

Butch smiled. "Weezing…Fire Blast."

Weezing's faces twisted as it spat out the powerful attack, which mowed Haunter down.

The girl recalled Haunter. "Good job, Haunter. I'm very proud of you."

"I don't see why. You lost." Butch chuckled, patting one of Weezing's heads. "Nobody beats Weezing."

"I feel sorry for you, Master Butch. Surely one such as yourself knows the importance of losing. A Pokémon should fight for its trainer, and it will fight harder to avenge a loss and its trainer. At least, mine will. But if you don't know that, I suppose Mistress Cassidy is the brains of the duo…"

Butch's lips formed a grim smile. "You…little…brat. Do you know who I am?"

"I suppose you're going to tell me either way, just to hear yourself talk. But then, if you knew what you sounded like, you'd probably strangle yourself."

Cassidy actually snickered at that one.

Butch's eyes narrowed. "For that, Little Miss Wanna-Be Gym Leader…you die. Weezing, Hyper Beam."

Weezing's largest head let loose with a wide beam of destructive light.

The girl smiled. "Mirror Coat."

A blue shape zipped out of the darkness and landed in front of her.

The Hyper Beam hit its targets…then turned back on the sender. Weezing barely had time to grunt in surprise before it was slammed into the wall by its own attack.

"Weezing! No!" Butch cried in disbelief.

When the smoke cleared, Butch & Cassidy could see a strange blue Pokémon standing in front of the girl, arms outstretched. "Wooooooob," it said, glaring at them.

"Stand down, Wobbuffet," the girl said, touching its back. "And thank you."

Butch recalled Weezing. "Okay, kid. NOW you've done it!"

"Actually, you have. No doubt, you've woken up my big sister with all the noise, and she hates to be disturbed."

"Then let her try and stop us."

"Very well," a familiar voice whispered.

Butch's eyes widened as he spun around. "No. NO. You're…DEAD! YOU'RE DEAD!"

"I think," Sabrina said as she walked through the doorway, "that the reports of my demise were greatly exaggerated, Butch. After all, you DID write them."

"I…I killed you!" Butch screamed.

"You didn't do a very good job. But thanks for reminding me." Sabrina's eyes glowed bright blue.

Butch's face turned white. "Oh, SHI-"

"GET DOWN!" Cassidy shouted, shoving her partner aside.

The Future Sight finally came from above, slamming into the floor with the force of a runaway train. Seconds later, an Alakazam twice Sabrina's size floated down from the ceiling, pointing its spoons at Butch & Cassidy. "Kazam," it growled.

"When this is over, remind me NEVER to evaluate a gym with you, Butch," Cassidy muttered.

Sabrina sighed. "Psychic."

Butch whimpered. "Mommy…!"

* * * * *

"Check."

The young man frowned, running a hand through his thick bush of black hair.

"Problem?"

He grunted, then took his opponent's attacking knight with a well-placed rook.

Then it was Lance's turn to grunt. He could see no way to get his queen to safety.

"Problem?"

Lance glared at him, then smirked triumphantly as he moved his own rook into place. "Checkmate. I win again, little brother."

"I'll beat you one day. Maybe."

"When that day comes, I'll make you League Master."

"Seriously?"

"Sure. Not like you'll ever beat me, anyway."

The young man frowned.

"Don't feel too bad, little brother. You don't need to be me, or as good as me. You only need to be better than Kasumi."

"Why's that?"

"Because ever since Shigeru left, she's been the only threat to your position, whether she knows it or not."

"Kasumi would never-"

"Yeah, I know. But Giovanni might, if the notion ever struck him. So watch yourself." Lance looked up as a green light flashed above the door. "Hmm. Got a visitor. And with Level 6 Clearance, no less."

"Kasumi," the boy confirmed without looking up.

The door slid open, revealing the aforementioned girl.

"How do you DO that?" Lance asked.

The boy smirked. "Didn't anyone tell you? I'm psychic."

"No, you just know Butch & Cassidy too well. They'd never complete an evaluation that fast."

Kasumi cleared her throat. "Excuse me, boys. Lance, I need to borrow Satoshi for a minute."

Lance stood up. "Remember what I said, little brother." He left, nodding to Kasumi on his way out.

Kasumi sat down in Lance's seat, her gaze settling on the chessboard as Satoshi moved the pieces back to their original places. "Lost again, huh?"

"Afraid so." He looked up at her. "Something wrong?"

Kasumi hesitated. "Not exactly. Well…it's more like…um…"

"Let me guess." Satoshi moved the final pawn. "It's not important to the Rocket League, but it's important to you."

"Exactly."

"Hmm. Tell me."

Kasumi sighed. "Promise you won't get mad?"

"No. Tell me."

"I had the dream again."

Satoshi blinked. "And he came back."

She nodded.

He stared at her for a long moment. "What do you want me to say, Kasumi?"

"Tell me you don't think it'll happen."

"What I think about it isn't important. It's your dream."

"What you think IS important, Satoshi. What if he DOES come back? What would you do?"

"You really want to know?" he asked.

"Yes, I really do."

Satoshi closed his eyes. "Fine. I'd walk up to him, look him straight in the eye, and say…"

Kasumi stared at him expectantly. "Say what?"

"That he was an incredible, yet generous, idiot."

"Generous?"

Satoshi nodded and opened his eyes. "An idiot, for leaving you here. Generous…for leaving you here…with me."

Kasumi turned bright red. "Satoshi…"

"Satoshi, you're needed in Lab 2 at once," the intercom interrupted.

He sighed and stood up. "Duty calls. Will you-"

She smiled and nodded. "I'll be fine, Satoshi. Go."

Satoshi leaned over and brushed her lips with a light kiss before heading into the hallway.

Kasumi blushed again, but managed to hide it better that time. She sighed and headed back to her room. "I just hope it was only a dream…"

* * * * *

"Why didn't you tell me Future Sight was a time-delayed attack?!"

Cassidy glared at her partner. "Would you have listened if I'd tried?"

Butch opened his mouth to respond, then thought better of it as he heard voices on the other side of the bushes.

"Are you sure about this, Sylvie?"

"I know I saw them go this way. You picking up anything, Abra?"

Cassidy risked a peek between under the hedges. The Abra sitting on the girl's shoulders was scanning the bushes, and it was only a matter of time before he picked up their thought patterns. She fell back and tried to estimate which of her Pokémon could survive a strong psychic attack. She'd just decided on Onix when she first noticed the black creature next to her.

It was the size of an average dog, with skin the color of the darkest night. There were bright orange rings around its long ears, legs, tail, and one resting in the center of its forehead. Its eyes were crimson, and they gave off a faint glow.

Cassidy slowly pointed her Pokédex at the creature.

"Unknown Pokémon species/type. No data available."

Cassidy was so busy staring at it that she hadn't realized the voices were fading.

"Sorry, big sister. I thought for sure we'd get them this time."

"Don't worry, Sylvie. With the Rocket League, there's always a next time."

The creature's eyes suddenly stopped glowing, and it turned to look at Cassidy.

"What the heck is that thing?" Butch whispered.

"I don't know," Cassidy admitted. "But…somehow…I think it kept Sabrina and the brat from finding us."

"You'd be right," said a voice behind her.

Cassidy leaped to her feet, already swinging her arm so that it would connect with a particularly sensitive spot on the intruder's body. Of course, all she connected with was a firm grip.

"Relax, Cassidy. It's me."

She blinked at stared at the intruder, her jaw dropping in disbelief. "Shi…Shigeru?"

"This night is just getting worse by the minute," Butch muttered.

"Great to see you guys again, too." He released Cassidy's arm. "Oh, that's Leon," he added, indicating the black creature at his feet. "I assume you don't have time for introductions right now. Let's go."

Butch stepped forward. "Hold it. You've been gone for years, and now you just pop up and expect us to follow you? You could be working with Sabrina for all we know."

"Then why would I keep her from finding you?"

"To look convincing," Butch sneered.

"Fine. You want convincing?" Gary smirked. "I'll take out any Pokémon you have right now, only using Leon. In fact, I'll take out all of BOTH your Pokémon using just him."

Butch was already reaching for his pokeballs, but Cassidy grabbed his arm. "Hold it, cowboy. Two of them have already been destroyed tonight." She smiled a bit. "Besides, nobody but Shigeru could ever boast that big. It's gotta be him."

Gary ran a hand through his hair. "So. What have I missed?"

"Let me tell him. Oh, PLEASE, let me tell him," Butch begged, grinning evilly.

"No, you'd enjoy it too much." Cassidy turned back to Gary, her eyes filling with sadness. "Shigeru…um…about Kasumi…"

"What about her? Is she okay?" he asked, his voice filling with concern.

"No, no; she's fine, just fine. But…well…after you left, she was heartbroken, and-"

"And your best friend was there to pick up the pieces, and then some," Butch added with a derisive grin.

Cassidy elbowed him in the ribs. "Kasumi was lonely, Shigeru. She needed someone, and Satoshi…you know how he's always been in love with her."

"And vice versa." Gary started to growl, but let it die in his throat. "Yeah. I knew." He shrugged. "He'll take care of her, though. That's what matters. Besides, she could've done a lot worse." His gaze landed on Butch. "A WHOLE lot worse."

Butch started to reply, but Cassidy cut him off. "We'd better get back. The boss will want to see you."

"I bet he will," Gary chuckled as he fell in step beside her.

* * * * *

"Magnificent," he whispered, placing his hand on the glass prison. "Simply…magnificent."

The creature behind the glass growled and roared at him, shaking the entire roam with its mighty cry.

Giovanni smiled. "Sorry, kitty. You're mine now. All of you." He slipped something out of his pocket and pointed it at the creature.

"Entei, the Volcano Pokémon. Very little is known about this elusive Pokémon, once thought to be responsible for Cinnabar Island's destruction. No further data available."

He put the Pokédex away. "We'll have to fix that, won't we, Entei? When I'm done, there will be plenty of data on you and your friends here."

As if they could understand his words, Suicine and Raikou both let out roars of rage, slamming their bodies against the glass. Entei, however, remained still, staring maliciously at his captor.

"Fight all you want, kittens. It didn't work for the first three legendary Pokémon I captured, and it certainly won't for you. I suggest you get some rest. The tests I have in mind won't be very comfortable."

"The tests will teach them to respect us, sir," said a voice behind him. "They are necessary."

Giovanni smiled. "Clair, my dear. I didn't hear you come in."

"No. I didn't want you to." She stopped by his left side. "They are beautiful. All except for that one."

Giovanni followed her gaze to Raikou's tube. "There's no need to be cruel, Clair. I doubt he had much choice in the matter."

"Looks like a Magcargo sat on his face."

Raikou growled softly, tiny sparks flying off his whiskers.

Suddenly, the door behind them slid open. Without turning, Giovanni said, "Over here, Satoshi. I want you to see this."

"Sir?" Satoshi came around to Giovanni's right side, stopping short when he saw the new acquisition. "You…finally caught Entei?"

"Oh, yes. He put up quite a fight. Injured thirteen of Kasumi's prize Gyarados, too."

Satoshi came closer and placed his hand against the glass.

Entei growled uncertainly for a moment, then settled down and was silent.

"You have a way with the legendary ones, don't you, Satoshi?" Clair asked.

He shrugged, staring at Entei. "I don't think so. But I understand them."

"Oh? And what is Entei thinking right now?"

Satoshi closed his eyes for a long moment, then chuckled. "I would put it into words, Clair, but unlike him, I'm actually quite fond of you."

Clair smiled evilly at Entei. "He'll hate me even more once the tests begin."

There was a loud beep, and a monitor lowered from the ceiling. The image fizzed for a moment, then cleared to show Cassidy's face.

"What is it, Cassidy?" Giovanni asked. "Have you evaluated that gym yet?"

Cassidy frowned. "Another trap, sir. The rebels."

Giovanni frowned. "Sabrina?"

Cassidy nodded.

"She's starting to become a real nuisance." He sighed and shook his head. "Anything else?"

Cassidy's lips twitched, almost as if she were hiding a smile. "Yes, sir. Some good news."

"Good?"

"It's…Shigeru, sir. He's back."

Giovanni's eyes widened. "What…did you say?"

Clair smirked. "Hmm. About time."

Satoshi's face didn't change, but he lowered his head. "Shigeru…"

Giovanni quickly regained his composure. "Where are you?"

"We'll be at the main compound in an hour, sir."

"Good. Good." Giovanni turned away from the screen as it vanished back into the ceiling. "Clair, inform Lance at once."

Clair smiled. "My pleasure, boss." She bowed and slipped back into the shadows.

Giovanni placed his hand on Satoshi's shoulder.

Satoshi straightened up at once. "Sir?"

"I know…you must have conflicting feelings about this, my boy."

"Yes, sir."

"Don't worry about it. Shigeru is precious to this organization…but so are you. No one will take your place. Ever. Do you understand?"

Satoshi nodded. "Yes, sir." He paused. "But…"

"What is it?"

"You…are going to test him, aren't you?"

Giovanni smiled. "I'd be a fool not to. But don't worry about that, either. I have a more important task for you. Kasumi will test him."

Satoshi started to speak, then decided against it.

Giovanni squeezed his shoulder. "I am proud of you…my son."

Satoshi nodded. "Thank you, father."

* * * * *

Continued in Chapter 4: Kasumi's Challenge

Gary has convinced Butch & Cassidy, but there's only one way he can prove himself to Giovanni: by defeating Kasumi in a Pokémon battle. But Gary will find that Kasumi is much more than she seems. How will Kasumi & Satoshi react to their long-lost friend's supposed return, and what does the Rocket League have in store for the legendary felines? It'll be Gary's job to find out, and he better do it soon…