Pokemon - Capture Quest

Chapter 3 - Start All Over Again

When we got home, we were bombarded with messages from our friends telling us that Team Rocket had attacked them. It seemed that the evil group really was systematically picking people off. Sol and Ray had reported that they had lost every Pokemon they had when trying to fight back, whilst Skyra had no choice but to retreat when his first two were taken. Hikaru had managed to hide whilst Ray distracted Team Rocket, at least. So far, nobody else had said anything about any attacks, but as it stood now, several of us had lost our Pokemon, and many more people stood to suffer the same fate if Team Rocket's previous dealings were anything to go by.

"I'll go after them myself." Darragh growled upon hearing the news.

"No, Dad, it's too dangerous!" Nelly argued. "You'll only lose your Pokemon too..."

"She's right..." I sighed. "It might be best to keep Leo inside for the next few days." I looked out into the garden to see the Arcanine asleep by the door.

"And you keep Rainbow close, Maruki." Nelly warned her little brother.

"Ok!" Maruki pulled his Amaura closer.

"Then what are you going to do?" Alexis asked, leaning in the doorway.

"I don't know..." I admitted.

"Taking Jirachi after them would be way too dangerous." Nelly noted. "If they got their hands on him... That's just asking for serious trouble..."

"Agh... You're right, but other than him, we only have Trixie... We can't strike back at Team Rocket with her alone." I scratched my head.

Nelly's Vulpix looked down at the ground, feeling a little guilty to be the only one who escaped from Team Rocket's clutches.

"We could call the police." Alexis suggested.

"I don't think that would work, Mum." Nelly shook her head. "For all we know, Team Rocket has an army of Pokemon now. Even f the police intervened, they might hurt the innocent Pokemon that were stolen..."

"Why did it have to be us?!" I rubbed my eyes.

"If I had to guess, I'd say you were just the start." Darragh said. "If they have some grand plan, a couple dozen Pokemon won't cut it. Attacking the team that came second place in the World Tournament is quite a power move to start with, though..."

"Then...?" Nelly began.

"You think they'll go after the other teams as well?" I asked.

"It's a definite possibility." Darragh nodded.

"Dammit..." I gritted my teeth. "We can't let this go too far. I want my friends back..."

For a while, we kept talking, trying to think of ways to counter Team Rocket. When we couldn't come up with anything, I went away to exercise, in the hopes that I could take my mind off of things.

*

As I lifted my weighted medicine ball above my head, I stared blankly forward, the low light of the setting Sun peeking in through the curtains.

"They were always there when I needed them. But I couldn't be there for them... They're all gone... I couldn't do anything..."

"Grr..."

"I'm sorry, everyone... I failed you..."

"Argh, dammit!" I cried, the ball slipping from my grasp. I shifted backwards and swiped my foot away, the four kilogram ball crashing loudly into the floor where it had been planted. "Dammit..." I breathed again, slowly lowering myself down onto one knee, feeling the sweat on my arms.