Twenty

A Chapter by Imagination-mage

Tyki woke up to seeing yellow. She panicked thinking she’d forever see yellow till she felt the yellow move realizing it was only Tamaki, sleeping on her face. Tyki lifted the sleeping Tamaki off her and set her on her lap, sitting up and looking around. She almost forgot that she chose the place that was least noticeable. She had picked out an underground tunnel, obviously an old home to a rather large pokemon hidden under a bush. Tyki tried stretching into the some what narrow hole and hoisted Tamaki on her shoulder, holding her steady as she climbed out. The sun nearly blinded Tyki but she rubbed her eyes to adjust her vision. Tyki climbed out, yawning widely as she tried scratched her back at the same time.

“Tama-chan, wake up.” Tyki said, nudging Tamaki who squirmed on her shoulder. Tamaki’s eyes fluttered open, looking around. Tyki set her down, allowing her to stretch out her spine. Tyki took off her bag and pulled out her clothes, getting ready to change into new ones. She pulled out the clothes she had worn on her birthday, they truly were odd. The top had a long, large hood that drooped all the way to her back and baggy black pants, the shirt stopping at her stomach. Tyki quickly changed, brushing her teeth soon after and making herself look decent. She slipped on her boots and said “Let’s eat Tama-chan.”

“Pika!” Tamaki said happily after grooming herself.

Tyki took out the food she packed for the trip knowing living off berries would only make her sick. She made herself a simple cheese sandwich and poured Tamaki her food. Tamaki hungrily ate away her food, enjoying the meal and only stopping to take deep breaths. Tyki laughed as she watched Tamaki eat saying “Geez if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were pregnant.”

Tamaki glared at Tyki who quickly turned away before she was electrocuted. Tyki had finished her food and was now looking around; making sure Team Rocket wouldn’t pop out again. She clipped on her belt and held out Tamaki’s pokeball. Tamaki looked at her with a confused face.

“Tama-chan you need to go back inside.” Tyki said.

“Pika, pi?” Tamaki asked, she had finished her food and placed it back inside Tyki’s bag.

“I’m sort of on a top secret mission if you haven’t noticed.” Tyki said obviously. “It’ll be better if I wasn’t as noticeable.”

Tamaki’s eyebrow rose, looking at Tyki’s choice of clothing. Tyki only glared and said “Yes everyone will think I’m a freak wearing this but it’s the only other clothes I brought. The other outfit just screams The Trainer of many Talents. I’ll lie low till we get close to the Tree of Life.”

Tamaki still didn’t like the idea of letting her owner walk around unprotected. Even though Tyki was the strongest trainer in her mother’s family she was still prone to tripping over her own feet, forgetting vital information and never realizing a bad situation when it was literally right in her face. But Tyki looked determined and Tamaki knew there’d be no use in arguing.

“Pika pi…” Tamaki agreed and returned inside her pokeball. Tyki placed Tamaki’s pokeball on her golden belt and continued on her journey, slinging her bag on her back. As she was walking, she suddenly heard a twig snap making her freeze. She spun around, seeing nothing behind. She took off running, afraid that Team Rocket had somehow caught up with her. She ran into a dense forest, running into a large tree making her fall backwards. As her vision came back, Tyki heard footsteps coming closer, soon getting up and pushing her back against the tree.

“S-Stay back!” Tyki called as the bushes rustled. “I’m warning you!”

Then out from the bushes came virizion.

Ugh, I’ve been looking all over for you! He said grudgingly.

“Y-You…” Tyki said, pointing a shaking finger at him. “What’re you doing here, you hate me!”

I know, but you need my protection! Virizion said. My brothers already know and are scanning the whole Isshu region for you.

Tyki looked at him skeptically, a smirk suddenly spreading on her face.

“So you care for a human?” Tyki asked slyly that is until virizion sent a cold glare at her making her back into the tree again.

Don’t think that this changes anything; I hate humans because you think the worlds literally your oyster! I’d wipe you all out if I could! Virizion said savagely. Tyki looked down at him with rather hurt eyes and said “I’m sorry.”

Your apology means nothing…Now, where are you heading? Virizion asked.

“The Tree of Life, I need to return something to Arceus.” Tyki said. “But you shouldn’t come.”

And why not? Virizion asked.

“Team Rocket will most likely try to capture me. If they knew about you and your brothers, you’d be in trouble.” Tyki said and tried shooing him away. “Now go and tell your brothers not to follow.”

I’m not leaving, like I said you need me! Virizion said. Tyki was about to argue till she heard something in the bushes. It wasn’t until something sprang from the bushes, a net falling towards virizion. Tyki shoved him out of the way and took the attack, the net shocking her whenever she moved.

Tyki! Virizion said, seeing two Rocket members rising from the bushes.

“Ha, ha, we got her!” one said, looming over her.

“Just gotta hand her over to the boss and we’ll defiantly get a promotion!” his partner said. Virizion sprang from the bushes and head butted one making him soar into the air and slide to a stop. The other pulling out a pokeball and summoned his gigaiath, who roared at virizion. Virizion braced himself, jumped out of the way when it tried using take down.

“Gigaiath, use rock throw!” The rocket member said, the gigaiath lifted a large boulder and threw it at virizion who quickly dodged. He smirked at the gigaiath’s slow pace. It was then it was hit with the move echo voice.

“Virizion!” Tyki said. “The other has a gamageroge!”

Looking up a large gamageroge loomed over virizion.

“Use drain punch!” the rocket member said.

“Finish it with stone edge!” the other said. The gamageroge punched virizion in the side, draining its energy and pointed rocks sprung from the ground around virizion. Virizion was badly hurt, barely able to stand. The two were about to finish the poor pokemon for good till Tyki screamed “Leave him alone!”

“What’re you gonna do about it?” the rocket member asked brutally. Tyki felt the pulse in her veins quicken, feeling a sudden rush run through her body that caused the adrenaline in her go past its limits. Her eyes glowed a leafy green, the net suddenly coming apart and turning to ash. The two backed away, the power of Arceus’s jewel controlling her now.

“Those who abuse pokemon must be punished…” Tyki said her voice out of place. She held her hands up and the ground rumbled. The earth under the rockets feet lifted into the sky, being thrown elsewhere. Their pokemon panicked, pushing the weak virizion out of the way and running away. The rush passed, making Tyki incredibly weak and going to her knees. She tried catching her breath as visions ran past her. Tyki collapsed on the forest floor, the visions hurting as each one flashed before her eyes. She saw bits and pieces of home, her mother mourning over her missing daughter, her brothers researching. Arceus seemed to be watching over them. The visions passed and she pushed herself up.

“V-Virizion?” Tyki asked. Virizion seemed to have fainted from the beating. Tyki limped towards him, taking deep breaths until she was over his body. She lifted him up with one hand; slinging him over her shoulder and pulling out her pokeball. She summoned Tiny, climbing aboard and said “We’d better get to the next town.”

Tiny spread his wings and took flight into the air, heading to the nearest town there was.

~ * ~

N walked the dark halls of Team Rocket, trying to blend in- rather hard when his hair was so long that he had to stuff it in his hat. He tugged at his gloves a bit to have them fit properly and adjusted the hat to cover his face. He walked around the Team Rocket headquarters, staying close to the wall and staying in the shadows. He peeked around a corner, only to be welcomed by a cell filled with captured pokemon, being forced to work under the commands of Team Rocket.

I’ve got to save them, Tyki wouldn’t forgive me if she found out I jut let this slide. N thought and unbuttoned his uniform a bit, letting his choroneko out. His choroneko had been with him since the beginning of his journey and it refused to let him go on this alone. It looked up at him, N leaning in and whispering “You know what to do.”

In his past days in Team Plasma when he wanted to separate humans from pokemon, his choroneko was experienced with releasing captured pokemon. His choroneko nodded and dashed inside, easily catching the attention of the two Rocket members.

“Where’d that one come from?” one asked.

“Probably slipped out of its cage.” The other said and leaned down to pick it up. N’s choroneko easily hopped up and onto the back of the Rocket member, grabbed a card key and jumping back off. It dashed towards the cages and unleashed the pokemon, setting them free. They charged and easily trampled the Rocket members. N had made an escape rout through the exit door, allowing the pokemon to run free into the forest. Alarms blared as every last pokemon escaped and N grabbed his pokemon and hid in an unoccupied office. He kept the door slightly ajar, so some light would creep in. He watched as the Rockets frantically tried getting at the pokemon that escaped with no success. N chuckled under his breath and fully closed the door, locking it behind him just in case.

“Where are we?” N asked, his choroneko hopping out from his arms and trotting around the office. It arrived at the desk and sniffed the drawers, hissing at the scent. N shushed his pokemon, quickly dashing towards it and cradling it in his arms.

“What is it?” N whispered, opening the drawer. He pulled it open only to see a file. He peeked over the desk, still hearing the bustling footsteps of the Rocket members. He flipped on the lamp light, hiding under the desk and opening the file. There were many pictures, all blurred and cloudy. Reading the pages he realized they were pictures of Arceus all taken when Arceus was escaping.

“Why would someone be this obsessed with Arceus?” N mumbled to himself, his choroneko shrugging. He pulled out his phone and started taking pictures, then going through documents that mentioned pokemon that were horribly hurt in Yaguroma forest, Tyki’s favorite. He frantically flipped through the pages and pictures, finding more and more injured pokemon, captured, used as bait to lure Arceus into a trap. It was when he came across files on Shippou City, then on Aloe, then Kidachi, Brendon and Max then finally…

“Tyki…” N said seeing Tyki’s photo from this year, circled and arrows pointing at it. It was when N heard the door jiggle that he jumped in place. He quickly turned off the light and hid his choroneko in the uniform and quickly looked around the room. He heard the sound of the door juggling again then the sound of someone inserting the key. He spotted an open air vent and climbed through it. The door opened just before he disappeared, he peaked from the air vent only to see Giovanni, Team Rockets boss, paced the room, looking around the office skeptically. He sat in his chair, finding it normal and looked through his drawer seeing the files he needed. He flipped through them and found Tyki’s file, pulling it out and smirking to himself.

“The Trainer of many Talents huh?” Giovanni said, cackling to himself. “She’s seemingly the strongest even though she doesn’t seem all that intelligent. But with her, Arceus will finally be mine.”

Two rocket members came running into the office, breathing heavily and their uniforms torn a bit.

“We’ve spotted her!” one said.

“Really?” Giovanni said.

N’s eyes widened in panic, they found Tyki?

“Sh-She has powers like Arceus, she defiantly has Arceus’s jewel!” the rocket member said.

The boss relaxed in his chair saying “Thank you for the information, you may rest.”

“Thank you Giovanni-sama.” The said in unison and left. N quickly made his way down the air vent, choroneko slipping out from his jacket and going on ahead. It spotted a light up ahead and meowed at him to hurry up. N scurried till he broke through, falling forward and landing in a snorlax’s stomach. He climbed out, his choroneko landing in his arms.

“Thanks snorlax.” N said and left a berry on its stomach which it quickly ate. N went down the path and his choroneko returned inside its pokeball. He dialed his number and contacted Cheren.

What, I’m very busy! Cheren said curtly. This had better involve our missing friend and not just stupid leads!

“I infiltrated Rocket headquarters!” N said, hearing Cheren gasp on the other line.

How are you still alive? Cheren asked.

“Never mind, I’m sending you some documents to look over.” N said. “For some reason, they believe Tyki can lead them to Arceus.”

What, she’s never met that pokemon! Cheren said, then continued questionably. Did she?

“I don’t know but we have to find her fast, Team Rockets looking for her all over and if they capture her…I don’t even wanna think about it!”

Did you even mentioned your feelings for her yet N? Cheren suddenly asked.

“Have you mentioned yours to Kit?” N retorted.

There was silence then Cheren replied Touché, now return to my house and I’ll contact Kit.

“Where is she?” N asked.

Getting her next ribbon, she’s out of town. Cheren said. Let’s hope she can get here soon.

With that, N headed to Nuvema Town where he’d exchange info with Cheren.