Afterburn

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Rico's skin is charred black and red, most of his green hair has been reduced to ash. Considering Tabitha is probably already onboard the getaway train below…

"Bet they weren't thinking it would be so literal, having you take the heat on this one." I sigh, "I know, not joking time."

From my earpiece, Mayor Joe clears his throat, "You know Houndoom burns require skin cell replacement to cure? I doubt he'll be able to afford it once all the charges are processed."

Whatever, jack ass deserves it, "I'm more concerned about what I'm going to tell his daughter."

Wattson Senior speaks up, "Think about it when the job is done Kurt."

Am I not done? I feel done.

Then again, the heavily blasted door just beside me begs investigating. Looking at the locking mechanism, the latch is twisted and heat warped so much it's barely even touching the frame.

A good kick and the door opens inward, the ruined hinges twist from the weight and the whole thing collapses to the floor.

I don't think anyone here noticed my arrival however. No, the four people in lab coats are too busy hiding behind a struggling Sableye's Light Screen. Gengar laughs maniacally with each smash of his fist against the shimmering red facets of the gem shaped barrier.

Joe sounds urgent, "Those are valuable witnesses Kurt, we need them capable of testimony! It looks like Mega Sableye is about to give out."

How can you tell it's even a mega? It's Maybe a bit taller.

I walk forward past the weird blacksmith setup in this room. There's a giant forge, even an anvil with a small spherical indentation. In the opposite corner are several of the floor to ceiling tubes I spotted on camera with vague shapes floating in green liquid.

Between the freaky science lab and medieval blacksmithy is a counter lined with smaller glass cases. Each one has a stone inside, cables run to monitors above on the wall giving out some kind of readings.

"Kurt the scientists!" Joe seems to want them in one piece.

Whistling, "Gengar."

The black smog of malevolence stops smashing into the barrier and grins my way.

"We've got a train to catch."

He chuckles but I spot one of the female lab coats frantically digging into a purse. Probably going for another pokemon.

Walking over I reach right past the gem like barrier and grab Sableye by its ridiculous ears, "Move."

The light screen or whatever it was shatters like glass as I firmly pull the smaller pokemon aside without really hurting it. Grabbing the woman's arm just as a Lunatone appears with a flash.

She screeches, "Teleport now!"

That familiar pull, much weaker than last time. Lunatone tilts in confusion from its move failing.

Gengar chuckles darkly, "Gehehehe."

"Nope." The four lab coats stare at me in shock and fear.

Looking at the floating rock pokemon, "Lunatone, take Gengar and I to the train. Now please."

Wattson senior sighs, "I really doubt it'll,"

He's cut off by a silvery shimmer covering me and the angry ghost. The whole world spins around me, gravity reverses for a moment and I almost stumble before realizing I'm already in a completely different room.

People are shouting, forklifts are attempting to rapidly load what looks like a city light rail. Everyone is in some form of the same red uniform. A bump from my side reminds me that the nervous Lunatone isn't sure what to do now.

Gengar doesn't have that problem, he quietly chuckles while descending into the shadows. No one spotted our arrival.

Back to the moon rock, "Your trainer is about to do some very hard time I think. You should probably head back to meteor falls. If you ever feel like hanging out, I plan on building a lighthouse just south of Rustburo eventually."

A deep, wind chime sound is it's response as the pokemon disappears in a flash of silver.

Red light fills the cavern as a Camerupt flamethrowers the wall around the elevator, torching everything. Sparks fly and the lights flicker off for just a second.

Backup generators kick on. Lights flicker on one at a time.

A familiar figure, Tabitha grunts, "That should slow them down," a shiver, "Brrr."

The next light flicks on to reveal Mega Gengar, mouth wide like the unhinged jaw of a snake. Descending right over Tabitha's head!

"EEEEEAAAaaaa!"

His piercing shriek cut short and muffled, hands clawing at the sides of Gengar. Camerupt wants to help but it's trainer is inside the ghost pokemon. Inch by inch the mouth pulls the man in like an anaconda without a body. Muscles spasm, arms get pulled in, legs kick frantically.

Everyone else is shocked still, unsure how to help without harming their boss.

One grunt finally thinks to bring out a Hypno, hoping the psychic pokemon can pull the ghost apart.

"Nope," Pulling out two pokeballs, "Tesla, Lunge at the Hypno. Rusty, destroy the train tracks. Kurt to Mauville."

My red Galvantula crashes into the Hypno like a red comet while my Sandslash does his Silver Sonic impression across the loading platform and begins tearing up the metal in front of the train.

A bit of static in my ear, "...us Kurt?! Come in Kurt!"

"I need aces teleporting to my position now, they took out the elevator!"

Several of the bad guys finally notice my pokemon and send out various fire pokemon in an attempt to stop them. I pull Jane's special Onix ball back out, "Round two Miss Marble."

Rusty gyroballs between ember attacks and keeping ahead of several Mightyena chasing him. I click his pokeball to return just as he passes within range of the crates I'm hiding behind. At the same time the twenty food rock snake appears with a Roar.

Someone shouts, "Over there! They must be over there!"

Not that knowing does them any good! Half are still trying to take out Gengar or my Tesla as she retreats into the darkness of the cavern above the lights, shooting electro webs from the shadows.

"Rage Marble, Bulldoze, give it everything you've got and don't slow down!"

Roaring once more she starts to plow right into the attacking pokemon while I jump onto her tail for nasty moment of whiplash.

Several Mightyena and a Raticate dodge away while the trainers aren't so quick. A couple Numel and Slugma shoot embers dangerously close to hitting me. I dive off the Onix to tackle a trainer just as he releases a Koffing.

We hit the floor, he looks over my shoulder and yells at his pokemon, "Self Destr,"

"Hell No!" I manage to click the pokeball still in his hand to return Koffing before he blows us up.

The man seems shocked, "You cheater!"

"Yup." I punch him in the face and rip the belt of pokeballs off his waist as I stand up and kick him hard in the chest.

Picking up Koffing's ball and a quick glance at the remaining three on the belt. I return his Mightyena and the Golbat that was chasing Tesla. Clicking the last empty ball does nothing until Marble tail smashes a Numel that goes flying past me and in range of the return function.

A dozen more enemy trainers are taking cover or running from the Gengar. Three are even hopelessly trying to repair the elevator while some fail to notice the ruined tracks as they fire up the train.

"I can't do this one grunt at a time. Where is my back up?"

Joe responds in my ear, "The old man-"

A flash of lightning blinds everyone in the cavern! Arcs of electricity crawl along the walls and cables, zapping everything pulse as they pass by. Somehow I doubt I'm gonna be excluded.

"Tesla!" My big red spider drops down from the dark above just in time to absorb a stray arc of plasma before it can find my head.

Most of the grunts are down, spasming on the floor. Two managed to pull the same move as me with a Numel and a Geodude.

"No one moves." Wattson Senior stands in the center of the room surrounded by dozens of pokemon from the Magnemite line. A single Magnezone hovers over him directing the swarm to surround all enemy trainers.

Senior looks my way and pats the weird box hanging from his shoulder with a strap. He looks like a happy beach goer carrying a cooler of drinks. "Like my Swam Box Kurt? This is only like the second time I've ever got to bust this sucker out!"

He looks back to where Gengar is floating inches off the floor with legs hanging from his mouth and sighs. The angry ghost crosses its arms as if daring the old man to try and take its prize.

"Well," the old man glances my way before closing his eyes, "Some people have had plenty of second chances. Seems I was just a moment too late."

Gengar arches a brow and looks at me.

"He means get out of here bud, and take the body with you."

Senior turns away, "I said no such thing for the record."

Now the big ghost seems unsure as it slowly inches towards the getaway tunnel.

I laugh despite the morbidness, "It's called a dine and dash, just get going like I told ya."

With a final, spine tingling cackle, the Mega Gengar takes off into the darkness.

Wattson turns back around, "The rest of you are to place your pokeball belts or carriers on the floor here in the middle of the room. Stand behind your items with your hands on your heads. The Ace team will,"

Rocks and dirt collapse from the ceiling beside the elevator sending a cloud of dust halfway across the room.

Senior chuckles as a woman and two men step out alongside a shoulder height walking boulder, a Golem. I can't help smirking at the sight of the weird rock turtle.

The woman kicks a pebble after spotting Senior, "Aren't you supposed to be retired!" she shouts, "How many times are we going to make a super cool dramatic entrance just see you standing there with the bad guys already surrendering. You know it makes us feel like posers when the news congratulates us for showing up late?!"

He fiddles with his shirt collar, "It's not that bad Jody. You still get your bonus right?"

She snorts, "Whatever. Benny, check the area. Al, round up the grunts. Senior… please, get the elevator up and running."

A Flareon appears with a flash from one of the lads as well as a green and yellow, pinata goose from the other. A Sigilyph, according to my dex.

It's another two hours and finally I park my fancy new airship just outside of the pokemon center at the entrance to the Valley of Steel.

A trio of tired kids dash out the front door to meet me, only to skid to a stop as some even more tired pokemon land beside us. Emergency staff from the center dash out to help the pokemon found in the lab into the medical center. A couple of the big pokemon seem leery at first but relent to go with the ones who are more familiar with humans aside their captors.

Anyone would lose track of what they were going to say at the sight of a Charizard reduced to naught but skin and bones. Each rib clearly visible as it and the Blaziken support each other inside.

My team almost seems ready to barrage me with questions, a gurney exits the ship behind me. I brought one detainee back with me.

Even fried to a blackened crisp, Jane recognizes her father. "Kurt, why… What is he doing here?"

Another nurse wheels out a cart with the three surviving Houndour pups. A whine brings my attention to the devilish black dog collapsed at the entry to my ship.

Carefully I lift her up and start walking to catch up with the pups.

Sighing, "Jane… Sometimes, even when you've saved the day, caught the bad guy," I nod towards her father being wheeled into the center, "and brought everyone you could back to safety… You still feel like you lost."

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