DPA: Rivals

Chapter 27: Meanwhile, In Saffron, Part 3

April jumped out of the elevator. She raced down the corridors of Floor 11, looking for the Silph President's office. Now that the mysterious intruder had the Card Key, Floor 11 would be at his/her mercy. Another grunt, running in the opposite direction, bumped into April on his way to the elevator. A coward abandoning his post, probably. There was always one.

April tore open the doors to the President's office, where an intense battle was taking place. Ariana's Arbok swiftly dodged the opposing Alakazam's Fire Punches, but was unable to land any attacks of its own, as Alakazam would Teleport away from each lunge. The conference room had been completely wrecked in the confrontation, chunks of ceiling, shattered glass, and broken chairs everywhere.

Reaching to her belt, April grabbed a Pokéball. Eevee was out of commission for the time being, but she had another option, one that she had caught the day before. April threw the Pokéball, sending out a Raticate.

"Use Hyper Fang!" April ordered. Raticate leaped forward, teeth bared, to deliver a savage bite. Alakazam, still in the middle of an intense struggle with Arbok, turned to the incoming Raticate, punching it through the wall with a Fire Punch. However, distracted by the Mouse Pokémon, Alakazam was unable to return its attention to Arbok fast enough, taking the full brunt of a powerful Poison Jab straight to the throat.

This moment dazed Alakazam, allowing Arbok to follow up with a flurry of Brutal Swings, each hit weakening Alakazam more and more, until the Psychic type's trainer spoke up. "She doesn't have what we need. Evacuate!"

A severely injured Alakazam Teleported next to the unknown trainer before Teleporting both of them out of the building.

"Ariana, are you okay?" April asked, running over to see if her superior needed assistance. She was unprepared for the moment when Ariana smacked her across the face, knocking her to the ground.

"You had one responsibility," Ariana roared, kicking the already down April in the side. "You were to keep the Card Key safe. And you couldn't even do that. We almost failed the mission because of your ignorance, you stupid, stupid girl."

"So the mission was a success?" April asked between grit teeth, her side aching.

"Yes, one of your fellow grunts managed to escape with the Master Ball just before that...that thing arrived. However, none of this would have happened had you protected the Card Key!" Ariana kicked April in the back.

"I'm sorry..." April cried. "She was so strong..."

"No, you weren't strong enough," Ariana snarled. She reached down, ripping a Pokéball off of April's belt. "I gave you this Pokémon as an acknowledgment of your strength. Clearly, I was mistaken. You aren't worthy of such a rare, powerful Pokémon."

"No!" April screamed, trying to get up. Ariana kicked her back down. "Don't take Eevee!"

"I will do as I please, grunt!" Ariana began to put the Pokéball away.

April grabbed a broken piece of ceiling from off the floor, chucking it at Ariana's head. Ariana fell backwards, landing on her rear, stunned, while April plucked Eevee's Pokéball out of her hand. Ariana reached for her belt, to send out Arbok. April brought up her knee, hitting Ariana square in the nose, before running out of the office.

Ariana held her hand to her aching nose, before pulling back, seeing that her nose was bleeding.

After ten minutes of frantic running, April was out of the Silph Co. building, and down the block, gasping for air, her face wet with tears, thousands of different thoughts racing through her mind. She was a traitor.