Pokémon Mars

Chapter 68: The Stronghold

The Mauve Mars bus arrived at Delta Lab 3. Team Genesis were yet to produce keys for everyone. Praise nervously requested entry. The guards depressurised the airlock and let the door open, but once they were all inside, the guards surveyed them with narrowed eyes. One was Zebulun's son, the Senior Grunt Asar.

'Aren't you supposed to guard the space-time rift?'

'We were ordered to protect the mountain in general. We've travelled a long way. Please let us through to rest.'

'There's no time to rest. Master Wish is on the way. If he catches you slacking off...'

'I am an Admin and you're not. Let us through.'

The other Grunt, whose nickname was Ping, squinted into the nearest helmet. It happened to be Callerya's.

'I don't recognise her. You! Why are you here?'

Callerya didn't have a clue what Ping said. She learned some Seri words from Praise, but not enough to understand that sentence. There was a Seri officer, Daeng, amongst the Interplanetary Police.

'It's true,' he replied in Seri, 'We've travelled a long way. Praise is an Admin and you're not.'

Ping was convinced by that, but Asar wasn't. His narrowed eyes widened.

'Y-y-you! Daeng Chaichana!'

Asar snatched the radio from his belt. It was out of his hand, under Daeng's boot and smashed before he even realised it was gone. Ping dodged Praise as he grabbed his own radio. Callerya charged at him. He was tackled to the floor and his radio thrown to Thalassa, who smashed it against the wall. Asar sent out an Arbok. Thalassa sent out Krookodile. Ping couldn't wriggle free under Callerya's knee, but he managed to send out his Golbat. Callerya released her Boltund.

'We've got 'em!' Callerya yelled, 'Go, y'all! Go!'

The officers ran on. Nyx, Mercury and Natsumi followed. Praise hesitated.

'Go! I don't need help to handle a Golbat! Boltund! Use Thunder Fang!'

Callerya let go of Ping to battle. Golbat was knocked out before it even felt the full force of Boltund's bite. Krookodile charged at Arbok. It was slammed into the floor and left barely twitching by High Horsepower. Then it fainted. Asar sent out Butterfree. Ping sent out Miltank. Both Pokémon came from the farm.

'You got Butterfree, Lassa?'

'Of course.'

'Then Boltund! Come back! Go! Pheromosa!'

Neither of their opponents expected Krookodile to attack. They never heard Thalassa give it a command. Butterfree was slashed unconscious by Stone Edge. Miltank created illusory copies of itself with Double Team. Asar sent out Raticate.

'Focus, Pheromosa! You can do it! High Jump Kick!'

Pheromosa leapt and crashed into Miltank. It was brutally winded and milk pummeled from its udder. It fainted. Krookodile rammed Raticate into the wall with High Horsepower. Like Golbat, it was unconscious before it even felt the full force of the attack. Back on Earth, Team Genesis Grunts actually posed a challenge to the heroes who opposed them, but that was a long time ago. Those who came to Mars as children had few people to train with. Asar and Ping were hopelessly outclassed.

They had no choice but to battle on regardless. Asar sent out Metang. Ping sent out his own Raticate. It was knocked out as soon as Pheromosa's knee hit its skull. Metang's steel body cracked as Krookodile rammed it. Ping sent out his last Pokémon, Pidgeotto. Asar sent out Liepard. It did manage to stall Pheromosa with Fake Out. Pidgeotto whacked Krookodile with Quick Attack before it was swallowed by Stone Edge. Pheromosa charged at Liepard. It was winded and knocked out by Lunge. Asar sent out his last Pokémon, Malamar. Even a strong Malamar would have struggled to stand up to Pheromosa's doubly-effective Lunge. It was knocked out in seconds. Thalassa grimaced.