Tall Grass

The Confrontation

Chapter 18

"Hey, the town's just up ahead! Hurry -oof!" Victoria cried out as someone ran into her knocking both of them down.

"Ouch, what's the rush?" Victoria said as the other guy began to get up.

"Wait, you're Ash, aren't you?" I said as I helped both of them up.

"Yeah, that's me," he said.

"Wow this is amazing! I've been..." I began.

"Look, I can't stay and chat," Ash said. "My Pikachu is missing and I have to find him."

"Wait, weren't you missing?" Victoria asked.

"Well, that's what the media decided to put out as the answer," he said. "I've been searching for my Pikachu along with all of the best trainers in the world."

"So, that's why everyone disappeared," I said. "Well, we are trying to find Mew who has been captured as well. Maybe the same people stole Pikachu."

"Wait, what?" Ash questioned. "Mew is captured. Pikachu is missing. These clues seem to point to one place."

"Team Rocket, right." Victoria said. "We would just storm in there and fight for Mew and Pikachu, but we met Darkrai and Cresselia who said that we need to collect some legendaries to fight the culprits."

"Well, who do you have so far?" Ash asked.

"We've got Darkrai, Cresselia, Zapdos, Rayquaza, Groudon, and Kyogre." I said.

"Ok. So with all of them along with the strongest trainers in the world, I think we can confront Team Rocket without any problem" Ash said.

"Then lets go!" Victoria said.

"Woah, wait," I said. "There's probably a ton of security and challenges that we have to face in order to get there and defeat Team Rocket."

"Actually, no," Ash said. "Team Rocket isn't that sophisticated."

"Oh, ok then. Lets go!" I said reassured.

********************************

"Here we are," Ash said as we circled around the massive headquarters. Along with Victoria, Ash and myself, there were 7 other strong trainers that were flying with us on various dragons and other rare Pokemon. "Chances are that everyone is in the main lab working with Pikachu and Mew. Lucian, have Alakazam use Teleport to send us all into the main lab."

"Will do, Ash," an old man on an Xatu. "Get ready everyone."

"Let me do the talking, but if anyone attacks you, fight back." Ash said.

"Alright here we go," Lucian said.

There was a bright purple flash that I knew too well and then we were inside an empty lab that was full of computers and huge test tubes.

"Where is everyone?" One of the trainers asked.

"I'm not sure," Ash said. "Lets look around."

Suddenly, the door opened with several grunts armed with tranquilizer guns and Kaori.

"Nice to see that you two have made some friends," Kaori said. "Now, why did you decide to barge in here?"

"We came here to rescue Pikachu and Mew!" Ash said. "We know that you have them trapped in here somewhere!"

"Now why would think that?" Kaori asked. "Jessie, James, and Meowth were fired a long time ago because they disobeyed us and kept trying to steal your Pikachu. And the last time we took Mew, we were almost blown off the map by Mewtwo. Do you honestly think that we would be so stupid as to do these things again?"

"He does have a point, Ash" Lucian said.

"I guess so," Ash replied. "I really hate asking help from you guys, but do you have any idea where Mew and Pikachu would be?"

"Ah, now why should we help you if you break into our headquarters and falsely accuse us?" Kaori asked. "We could have you arrested right now!"

"We're sorry for breaking in, Kaori, but we had a reasonable suspicion that you were holding them captive," Lucian said mellowly.

At this, Kaori's face relaxed a bit and looked somewhat more welcoming. "Men, drop your guns." All of the grunts put their guns at their sides and relaxed a little. "Well, some of the researchers that were dedicated to the Mewtwo experiment took off with all of the data after the project failed because they believed that our techniques were not working," he said. "I can imagine that they could have regrouped and captured Mew to continue their research."

"Can you tell us who the chief scientist was?" Ash asked.

"I believe that it was none other than Professor Palm that was the head of the operation." Kaori said.

"Well, then we should go check there." Ash said. "Thank you for the help."

"Yes, well, next time please use the door." Kaori said as she began to walk out.

"Hang on one second!" Victoria called out after Kaori. "I still don't get something. Why did you kidnap and threaten us to not help the police?"

"Ah, that." Kaori said as she smiled. "The truth is that Team Rocket for the past two years now has been trying to buy the Pokemon Center Corporation because of the ideas that could make the service profitable for us. When these trainer went missing and they stopped funding the Pokemon Center, we wanted

to take advantage of this and have the riots weaken the Corporation so that they would have to accept our offers. We had to detain you and threaten you so that we could make sure that the trainers stayed missing for as long as possible so that the transaction would be carried out."

"Hmm... I get it," Victoria said. "It doesn't make it alright, but I understand."

"Don't worry anymore, sweetie," Kaori said. "It won't happen anymore."

"Alright, Lucian, get us out of here," Ash said.

"On it," Lucian said. "Here we go."

Purple flash.

__________________________

Here's another chapter as promised.

So, I meant to be a little more discrete, but it was hard to think of a way lead into the next chapter other than this way.

Anyways, the next chapter will be out hopefully tomorrow. If not, then Monday.

After this, I think there will be 1 or 2 more chapters plus an epilogue. But, don't be discouraged! I have come up with an idea for another story and I hope to start writing it soon! I will post the first chapter as soon as I write it!

For now, keep posted for the next chapter!