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

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Psychic Showdown

 

Silph Company Building Rooftop-

            The sky was turning dark when Agatha led Lance and the young girl, Blue, back towards to elevator.  The soft rain that drizzled her grey hair was calming.  Once upon a time, this would be an adventure for me. Now she was old and she understood the gravity of the situation: a highly organized crime syndicate intent on domination was able to bring the largest city in Kanto to its knees.  Yet she was calm; she had confidence and faith in her Pokémon partners. 

            She glanced at Lance.  He’s an old man living in a young man’s body. In a strange way, Agatha was glad she lost to Lance at the last Pokémon League Championships.  Nobody else could have handled the job this well in a crisis.  Well, maybe Samuel Oak... but he’s just as squeaky-hinged as I am now. 

            A glow caught her eyes away in the city.  She turned and approached the edge of the roof in that direction. 

            “A fire!” Lance said.  Blue looked scared.  She watched Lance look back and forth from the elevator to the building that was afire.  “Justice can wait, those people’s lives can’t.”  He released Dragonite again and flew off towards toward the flames. 

            “Ma’am,” said the girl.  “We can still go round up as many Rockets as we can!” She motioned towards the elevator, Poke-ball in hand.

            Samuel definitely knew what he was doing picking those kids. Kanto would need strong-willed, role-model trainers to take the torch from the old guard.  For the first time, Agatha accepted that her time in the spotlight was coming to the end.  Much to her surprise, she smiled at that fact.

            Agatha took one step back towards the elevator when she felt it.  The voice of Sabrina spoke as clearly as if the Saffron Gym Leader was standing in her ear.  You should have never let him go.  The building shook and Agatha heard a crash of a window pane hitting the ground.  Your friends are destroying this building from the inside out, and our Leader will get away, safely.

            Her friends.  Lorelei and Bruno, she thought.   As she rode in on Dragonite with Lance, her own Psychic senses could tell that they were fighting a battle inside the Silph Tower.   She could recognize the spirits of the two titans of Pokémon battling.  It wasn’t long before she focused on Bruno, and she could tell that Sabrina had taken hold of his mind.  You think you’re strong and powerful, Sabrina, she responded.  It’s a shame you have to wait for Lance to leave before you challenge me.  Or are you too afraid to take me on, too?

            She felt a hand on her shoulder and knew it was Blue.  “Ma’am, we should go.”

            “No, child.” She turned to face the girl.  ”You should go.  Find Team Rocket’s leader, and stall for long enough for me or Lance to get there.” Blue gave her an unsure look.  Agatha smiled in return.  “Professor Oak believed in you, and I’m telling you that I do too.”

            Thankfully, Blue made it back into the elevator just in time.  Seconds later, the whole building seemed to shake.  This was no earthquake, however.  The battle between the two Elite Four members was savagely ruining the integrity of the tower.  Agatha hoped that Blue had made it out of the elevator in case of the building collapsing.