Is that the end?

Storm and Hercule led them outside the multiple roads within Viridian Forest, there was no trails as they pass through bushes and trees. Cinder felt eerie as a chill would occasionally send chills up his spine, having goosebumps.

They moved through with a decent pace, somewhat slower due to the uneasiness in their heads.

They were already pretty far away from the road they left off, Cinder was even tempted to return, but he persisted.

Both his pokemon slowed down their pace a bit. They were getting closer, since Cinder could now somewhat hear some noises from afar.

He kept his guard up.

After a couple more minutes of walking, they saw a clearing, Cinder's eyes widened at the site.

A set of cages containing different kinds of pokemon, many of whom he'd never seen before.

Without thinking, he bolted forward and gripped the bars of the closest one, peering inside at the two creatures fearfully huddled up in the corner.

They looked terrified. One of them was a Elekid, a electric-type pokemon that wasn't native in Kanto, but he knew of because he studied the Electrivire Lt. Surge owned, which he deeply admired fanatically.

The other one also wasn't foreign to him, it was a Johto avian pokemon, Murkrow, a dual-type dark/flying pokemon. Cinder knew very little of the species, but he does understood a little about dark-type pokemon, which was that, they aren't easily fearful of anything. Any pokemon that have a dark-typing are unusual creatures, they aren't necessarily violent, but trainers and pokemon stay away from them because of how anti-social they were.

Storm and Hercule were frowning beside Cinder as they made their way towards their trainer, peering over at the scared pokemon with concern.

"So it is pokemons that are in trouble." Cinder was stunned. He didn't think he'd actually find something. "Don't worry you guys, we aren't bad people, we came to help." Standing up, he looked between both his pokemon. "Storm use Iron Tail to bend the metal bars, Hercule use pound to help out Storm. Do it as quietly as possible, we have to help get them out of here and get them to the pokemon center in Pew-"

"Well well well, what do we have here? What do you think you are doing, pipsqueak?"

'Crap.' Cinder swore at the chilling voice, and slowly turned to see...

Two people wearing black and white uniforms, which greatly terrified Cinder as he knew of these people...

'Team Rocket!'

Team Rocket were a villainous organization, that has been becoming infamous lately all over the media of Kanto and Johto because of their wicked behavior of stealing, misuse, and all sorts of organized crime against trainers and pokemons. Not to mention the gambling houses they established that were well know all around the regions because rare and exotic pokemons were set as prizes. Unfortunately, the location of each and every gambling house was difficult to locate because of how tight lipped costumers and the members of team rocket are, which put Officer Jennys' job strenuous on the city they are stationed.

Storm and Hercule got into a fighting stance for what they realized was about to escalate into a fight. The angry growls that escaped from Storm's throat made it very clear how negatively affected he was seeing his fellow pokemon caged up.

The two team rocket members standing in front of them were a man and a woman. The man had short blue hair while the woman had long blond hair. The man was sneering at them condescendingly while the woman eyed them with arms crossed lazily.

"I guess this is what we take for getting some bathroom break while waiting for pickup." The woman groaned. "I wasn't expecting a kid to find us."

"What should we do?" The man asked, as if he already knew the answer to his own question.

The woman smirked viciously. "Well, I mean, he doesn't look like he'd be missed or anything like that, and he just said he would help the pokemons we were assigned to give high priority by Executive Petrel."

Cinder's blood was running cold. 'Shit shit shit shit shit shit! Why Team Rocker!? This had all started out as a normal trip... and now...'

He needed backup, fast. He figured that if anything was going to happen, those 'anything' wouldn't end well with him and his team. Fortunately, he had returned Fafnir inside his pokeball, because if both these criminals found out he had a rare dragon-type pokemon...

Suddenly realizing they were all in danger. Cinder sneakily moved a hand behind his back pocket, pressing the camera of his Pokedex which glowed a dark red. He hid this act by taking a few steps back as if he was doing this subconsciously, and as luck would have it, they bought it.

The woman giggled through her hand. "Look at him, Butch. As scared as a Snorunt in a volcano. Tell you what, why don't you just stay here with us until pick up arrives? You won't get hurt as long as you don't call the authorities."

"Hold on, Cassidy." The man, Butch stated. "Let's not get negligent. If against all odds this kid gets help if left to it's own devices, we would be the receiving end of Executive Petrel's chagrin. I say we incapacitate the kid."

The woman, Cassidy, shrugged. "I suppose you are right." She eyed Cinder smugly. "What do you say, pipsqueak? No hard feelings, okay? Don't resent us for this, we are just doing our job. Just sit tight and get knocked out, it won't be fatal as long as you cooperate."

Cinder was finding it hard to think, but he knew the only saving grace he could do was buy time and wait for back up. He had already notified the closest station with the Pokedex's international distress signal feature. So he acted scared, which he was by the way, and squeaked out a reply.

"W-what... A-are you d-doing with the pokemon?"

"These pokemon?" Cassidy perked up. "Everyone knows, we, the team rocket, takes in 'lost' pokemon, and we recently received word that some foreign pokemon were abused and released by their trainers in the wilderness all over Kanto and Johto. The Executive we worked under liked things exotic, so he especially ordered us to gather and take care of them."

A hint of anger occupied Cinder's fearful act. He knew she was being sarcastic - lost? take care of them? The team rockets? Cinder had to be an idiot like Ossas if he believes in the words that came out of her mouth.

"So you stole them?" Cinder jabbed right back.

The man raised his arms and sighed. "It doesn't matter who we stole from. The matter is what we need. Which is a promotion. Did you know that the pokemon found in the Alola Region are the most rare foreign creatures that you could find here in Indigo? And a quarter of these are from that region. I'm sure our superior would be happy to grant us a bonus after this."

'They were doing this just for the money?' Cinder thought in vexed revelation.

"Now then..." Cassidy was clearly done talking, taking out a pokeball and releasing a large rat-like pokemon that Cinder immediately identified as a Raticate. "Just hold still, pipsqueak."

Storm stepped forward by a step further, growling dangerously at the Raticate as his woll crackled with electricity. Seeing this, Hercule stepped forward as well, ready to fight.

Trying to ignore the fear in his heart, Cinder looked down at the two of them. "You two, can you handle this?"

They were fighting along side for the first time now. This would be new to them, and him. The more need for him to focus.

Both of his pokemon were determined as they nodded back steadfastly. Giving each other determined looks, they gazed at each other's eyes for just a brief moment, taking in the steely gaze of one another, before returning their gaze to the vicious Raticate.

Seeing this, Cassidy flicked her hair behind her head. "Well then, that is how it is, I suppose. Killing another kid wouldn't be fun, but not like I will be losing sleep because of it. Raticate, rip those two pipsqueaks to shreds and then sink your teeth into the boy, they will be your meal for today."

The Raticate growled dangerously as it eyes Storm and Hercule like a predator. Cinder slowly walked back, in order to gain space to prevent himself from being placed into harm's way.

And then it bolted forward.

Storm rushed forward to meet Raticate head on, crying out angrily as his tail became cloaked with metallic luster.

The battle had begun.

Storm's Iron Tail was bitten down on by the Raticate, but the metallic coating protected him from harm. Before the giant rat could do anything else, however, it had to jump away to avoid the jolt of Thunder Wave from Storm's tail, as the young Storm got ready to fire his Thunder Shock.

Behind him, Hercule was also getting ready to fire off his Water Gun.

Both pokemon worked in tandem as they fired off both attacks at the same time.

The Raticate was fast. It seemed to have boosted it's speed with Quick Attack, much faster that it was able to evade both the attacks coming from Cinder's pokemon.

Unable to dodge, Storm instead hot forward to meet the vicious pokemon once again, this time he coated himself with the remaining energy he used from Thunder Shock and Thunder Wave.

'That's the move Spark.' Cinder thought. Against the dangerous situation, his starter managed to learn a move by himself in battle.

Using Spark, he rammed head first into the Raticate. The giant rat's greater momentum from Quick Attack, coupled with his physical strength resulted in Storm being slammed into the air, knocked away by his opponent upon impact. But the painful electricity of the spark itself had a gruesome effect on the Raticate, leaving it clutching its head in pain.

"Ice Beam!"

From behind, Hercule supported his teammate by a light blue ball forming in front of its body. The ball then moves forward and releases arcs of light blue beams towards the Raticate, hitting it on the face as the attack is assaulted and slowly freezes its body starting from the head.

Turning back to Storm, who had used Iron Tail to soften the impact of his landing. Cinder gave the order. "Iron Tail, then paralyze it with Thunder Wave."

Ignoring the painful bruise that now occupied the top of his head from the previous clash with Raticate, Storm shot forward, the metallic coating already enveloped his tail as he jumped and twisted midair for greater effect of damage.

The attack collided with the Raticate's frozen forehead, destroying the ice that engulfed its body, painfully pinning it down to the ground and Storm releases thin streams of electricity from his body, which strike the Raticate with another status move.

"Another Iron Tail, FULL POWER!!" Cinder yelled as he saw the sight of victory.

The attack slapped the Raticate brutally on the face, sending it tumbling backwards towards Cassidy and Butch, the latter heaving an overly exaggerated, over-dramaric sigh at the spectacle.

"Such a pity. It seems these runts actually have a few fangs to go along with their fragility."

Cassidy granted while facepalming. "UGGGG!! Does this mean I have to try now? And here I though this would be easy." Shrugging, she glared at Cinder and his pokemon. "Welp, it can't be helped now. Shadow Ball."

Returning to its feet, Raticate opened its mouth and began gathering a mass of distorted, blackish purple energy in the form of a perfectly formed sphere.

Shadow Ball was a ghost-type move. The most commonly used move of it's respective trainer by far. This one seems to be more potent, and well mastered, getting hit by it wouldn't end well...

"Double Team!"

Storm split off into two copies, leaving the Raticate looking between the two, bewildered as to who the real one was.

That was what Cinder just needed. A distraction.

"Mud Shot, Hercule!"

Hercule, who was waiting his next command or any attack at any given opportunity, fires multiple glowing light blue balls at the opponent from his mouth towards the Raticate, who looks at the incoming projectiles in a panic and fires off Shadow Ball by subconscious panic.

Both attacks exploded upon collision, exploding with smokes of white fumes in the center.

Knowing that he couldn't give the rat the luxury of any breathing room, Cinder followed up a command as quickly as he could. "Storm, Iron Tail and Spark."

As fast as he could, Storm dashed towards the Raticate, cloaking his tail in metal as he channeled Spark with it, leaving his Iron Tail sparking with electricity.

It would be a powerful blow for sure, and, due to the electricity, Raticate wouldn't be able to intercept it with biting down on it this time. Well, not without getting zapped, at the very least.

Unfortunately, Cassidy had other plans in mind. As she ordered. "Flame Wheel!"

Cinder's eyes widened at that, as Raticate's body became cloaked in fire, rolling towards Storm.

"Abandon the attack! Jump over it and then use Thunder Shock!"

Propelling himself up with Iron Tail, Storm gathered the electricity for his attack before firing back at the Raticate, whose flames allowed it to tank the attack, but was still slowed down by the abrupt impact.

"Hercule, Ice Beam!"

"Quick Attack to get away!" Cassidy yelled at her Raticate, as icy blue beams shot after it.

Raticate bolted away from the Danger, but Storm pursued it with Iron Tail. Unfortunately, was unable to because of the lack of speed.

Fortunately, Hercule was able to intercept it with a Water Gun, sending the rat reeling off in a different direction.

"Grr! Let's see how they like this, use your Ice Beam too!" The giant rat fired off a concentrated last of ice into the nearby Storm.

Cinder gasped as the sheep was struck frozen in place, seething in pain from the attack.

Cinder's fists tightened as his breath was caught in his throat.

No matter how many attacks connected, their opponent seemed to have an impeccable sturdiness.

"Flame Wheel!" Cassidy followed it up.

The explosion upon getting rammed by the flaming fire sent Storm knocking on the hard ground. Fortunately, to Cinder's relief, Storm was able to get up, albeit in pain.

"Iron Tail!" Now picking himself up, Storm rushed forwards and struck his silver metallic tail into Raticate's guts, briefly knocking the wind out of the giant rat as Hercule came in with Pound.

As Raticate attempted to fire off another Ice Beam, Storm zapped it with a quick jolt from Thunder Wave, stalling it just enough for Hercule to hit his mark safely. As Raticate staggered backwards again, falling onto it's butt once more, Cinder gave another command.

"Hit it this time! Iron Tail and Spark, let's go!"

Rushing at his nearby opponent, Storm reared back as he channeled electrical current into his Iron Tail, driving it across Raticate's face with a mighty 'SLAM!'.

The Raticate cried out in rage and pain from the painful blow of the job well done for Storm, falling onto it's side, struggling to get up.

"Finish this! Storm use Thunder Shock, Hercule use Ice Beam!"

"Outta the way, Idiot!" Cassidy screamed, somewhat desperately.

Raticate was about to do just that, but unfortunately...

The two attacks just impacted the Raticate just in time, slamming the Raticate on to a tree behind Cassidy and Butch after a big amount of explosion.

Now on it's back, it briefly attempted to get back on his feet before falling unconscious.

Cinder couldn't allow himself to breathe a sigh of relief just yet. Not when the two members of team rocket were still there, but he was still very proud and happy for the great job his team had done so far.

In one on one fight, that Raticate would have very easily overwhelmed Storm and Hercule, that's for sure.

But together, they prevailed.

Cassidy seethed in anger as she returned her Raticate. "What a stupid oaf that dumb rat was! To think he was defeated by a couple of lowly runts like that! Ughhh!" She began pulling at her hair angrily as Butch placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Now now, Cassidy. There's no need to be a sore loser. Especially since we haven't actually lost."

Cinder gulped. He knew it.

Obviously, these two weren't going to back down just because one of their pokemon has been defeated.

A merciless grin appeared on Cassidy when she heard that. "Right, right. How can I forget? It's not like that rat was the best pokemon in our team. I just got cocky, is all."

Butch stepped forward with a pokeball in his hand. You've got spunk for a rookie, kid. But, the show's over. You had your chance to show off, and now we have ours. Feast your eyes on the real deal!"

Tossing the pokeball in the air half-heartedly, Burch viciously smirked at what exited it.

And Cinder, Storm and Hercule all paled in terror.

It was a...