The Hybrid Experiment

Chapter 8: Lance, the Dragon Master

*Nathan's POV*

Maxwell turns from his Dragonite to me, and I immediately stand up in front of Voltflare.

"You're not harming him anymore- you've caused enough suffering! When I first met you, I thought that you would change, but that never happened! Now, you've forced my hand. Maxwell Graves, you're never harming anyone ever again!"

I turn to the badly damaged Voltflare behind and point at Maxwell. He laughs and backs away from me, though it looks to be more mocking that fear.

"Oh, you're going to sic him on me. Such a magnificent role model- I always wanted to emulate a man who steals research from the place that he works, robs one of the best workers of their job, and then tops it all off by attempting to murder said worker with..."

I quickly interrupt him before he can continue,

"Yes, what I have done to Team Rocket is blatant treason, but I joined the organization on the premise that I would be helping to advance the connection between Pokemon and Trainer. They withheld their end of the 'bargain,' so I dropped mine as recompense. However, the difference between me and you is that I learned from my mistakes. You did not! Voltflare, Thunder Wave!" I command my partner, and he springs into action, electricity coursing through him. A small jolt of electricity leaps from his tail into the air. He follows it with his eyes for a few seconds, then directs his gaze straight at Maxwell. At this sudden jerk of his head, his Thunder Wave speeds from its position in the air into Maxwell's skin. However, he doesn't seem to be in pain- in fact, he's jovial about the shock. My former colleague stares at the spot the bolt entered his skin for a moment and laughs.

"So this is what I was afraid of? Maybe I was wrong about your potential! When I saw you in the lab, you were so..." He stops, mid-sentence, and crumples to the ground.

"You... You...!" his body shakes in frustration. Voltflare's current had finally found its way to his nervous system and had fried it.

Maxwell stares at me, hatred in his eyes. He makes one last grab at Voltflare with a wide sweep of his arms, but the quick Pokemon easily dodges the debilitated man's desperate attempt on his life. Voltflare's fur stands on end, and he channels another bolt of electricity into Maxwell, who promptly falls in a heap on the ground, unable to fight off the second bolt's current. His hands go numb, and he soon falls into a coma.

"That bad man won't be bugging us anytime soon..." Voltflare says, his eyes reflecting relief, terror, and shock, all at the same time.

Well, now that we've solved one problem, we need to finally do what we came here to do- find Clair...

"Why are you still here?" a voice says from behind me. Voltflare and I whirl around, and I instantly recognize the man in front of me to be Lance, Clair's cousin and the Champion of the Johto leader. As he approaches, a knot forms in my stomach- I have a feeling that Lance believes that I'm the one who was sent to "have an appointment" with Clair- and I brace for the worst.

"Vile Rocket, why have you returned?!" Lance growls at me, angrily. A gust of wind begins to billow around him, and his black cape catches in the breeze, making the man look much more awe-inspiring. I would marvel at the crimson-haired Champion if his finger were not pointed at me in a threatening manner.

"I said, why are you here?!" Lance immediately repeats himself, this time pulling a Pokeball from his belt. The sleeves of his regal black garb rustle in the wind.

"Clair is your cousin, isn't she? I need to find her and ask her for..." I attempt to talk with him, but Lance cuts me off in his rage.

"I've heard enough- now I know why you're here, and I won't let you harm her! Dragonite, we have an immoral cur to apprehend!"