A Pokemon Tale, Part II: The Rise of Team Rocket

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Going Up

 

Saffron City-

            When Erika and Tangela ran into the lobby of the Silph Building, the floor was covered with ice.  Lorelei and Blue must be on their way up, she thought.  Unfortunately, she found the footing difficult for herself as well.  The slippery ground extended up the stairs as well, turning it into a steeply sloped glacier discouraging anyone to follow.  She always was able to bring her home-field advantage with her.  She really is the Queen of Cold.

            She decided she would have Tangela try to hoist her up the slope with its vines.  The little blue ball was having a difficult time with the cold however, and Erika had to try a different route to follow the girls.  Hopefully Red can overcome that Fearow that chased him off.

            She took one step outside before she heard voices.  She turned her head quickly and could see a few Rockets walking back towards Silph.  She ducked back inside the building, and released her Grass Pokémon.  In the dim lighting from the ruined electricity on the first floor, Victreebell, Vileplume, and Tangela blended almost perfectly as floral decorations.  Tangela inched towards the open entrance, across from Erika.

            The tangled vine Pokémon lifted up a shard of glass so Erika could see a little bit of a reflection.  The Rockets had turned towards the entrance, and with them they had a tall man and a red-headed girl in handcuffs.  As they got nearer, she could make out what they were saying. 

            “I always knew, you couldn’t be trusted, Surge,” said the leader of the Rocket party.  “I told the Boss we should have taken Vermillion City first, to shut you down.”

            Surge! Erika’s heart skipped a beat.  And the girl is Misty! She could make them out more clearly in the reflection now.  They were barely twenty yards away.

            “If he listened to you, Team Rocket would have been shut down a long time ago, Desmond,” Surge replied vilely.  “Give me my Pokeball’s back and we’ll see just how worthy you really are of the Boss’s money.” 

            They know each other? Slowly, Erika began to realize that Surge must once have been a part of Team Rocket.  But if he was still a part of them, why is he handcuffed too? As the figures got closer, she saw that Misty was in a gag.  The Cerulean Gym Leader staggered to keep up with her captors.  Erika decided to act.

            Surge seemed to catch her eye in the reflection as the group neared, yet one of the Rockets saw her as they casually walked into the building.  The leader, Desmond, didn’t like what he did see when he noticed the half of the floor covered in ice, however. 

            “What in the-“Erika’s Pokémon didn’t need to be told.  They sprang into action; Tangela’s vines whipped at the Rockets while Victreebell sprang out of a flower pot and Vileplume let out a spore from its flower that put the Rockets to sleep.  Surge knew to cover his nose along with Erika, but Misty was still unaware.  She fell asleep and almost collapsed to the ground with the Rockets before Surge caught her and put her over his shoulder.

            “That idiot and his men lost as soon as he recalled his Pokémon after we were captured,” Surge said.  The spores had settled, and the pollen that fell on the ice gave it a shiny orange luster. 

            “Were they ever your men?” Erika had to know.  Surge said nothing, but his eyes told the story.

            “I had a change of heart,” he said.  “We have to get to the Saffron Pokémon Center, then after some rest and a healing machine we can get back here and help.”