EPISODE 101: The Dragon Ascent!* (First Part)

Time: 5:30 post-meridian

When it comes to attacking, we, Team Rocket, don't play by the rules. Like the wind, we soar directly, following the direction of the setting sun. Those golden rays, soon to be black, painted by our destructive power. For years, hidden in our "catacombs", we will prove to the world how powerful we can be.

"Reign Fire!" from their helicopter, Leader Crimson shouted at the speaker wired to every speaker found on our airships. For a regular helicopter like Xeryll's, it is not compatible of wielding missiles unlike our airships, shaped as eagles, coated with the finest steel there is on Kanto.

"Target locked." uttered, the pilots of these airships of ours.

"Damage anything but the rocket ship." reminded, Admin Fortuna.

A blinding flash came from the point where the missiles struck and a white cloud rose in the air. There was an enormous explosion. It was as though a fist of orange flame had decided to punch its way out of the main complex. Windows shattered. Smoke and fire rushed out.

Thousands of pieces of glass and steel, a deadly rainfall, showered down. Alarms - shrill and deafening- erupted. A huge bite had been taken out of the side and the roof of the building. We had seen the size of the impact. It was hard to believe it had done so much damage.

"Pilot Xeryll, head directly to the rocket ship compound and bring Luna there, leave the rest to us." Admin Hector, spoke through the speaker intertwined with the sound systems of Xeryll's helicopter.

"Leave it to me." said, Xeryll with a smirk as she separated from the "flock" of our helicopters and went forth for the compound at the east of the vicinity. Inside the helicopter, I tried to spit out all the butterflies in my stomach by listening to some music but they just gave my body a whole load of suspense. This was the first time music has failed me despite I listen to them rarely.

The response team of the Pokemon International Police arrived early. Once allies, now enemies, and from our helicopter I knew that an air battle was to commence, a bloody one.

"Bwahaha! Have a spoonful of our organization's secret power!" from one of our helicopters, an elite operative opened the door and faced the turret at one of the helicopters of the Pokemon International Police. The turret is loaded with power harnessed from the move known as Flash Cannon.

The blinding light from our turrets made one of the helicopters of the Pokemon International Police crash to the ground. It was such as a pity that Detective Looker only sent helicopters that could shoot out bullets rather than fighter jets with missiles. Those bullets are no match for the finest steel of Kanto.

"Luna, prepare, we're heading closer. I'm guessing you know how to enter a rocket ship right?" Xeryll asked.

"No."

"No?! What on Earth was doing for the past three hours? Didn't the admins give you some sort of manual or something?"

"About that... I was busy talking to myself."

"Sigh, see that red thing that looks like a tower? Climb it and enter the door. The key is in the ship itself so all you have to do is to flick the key and you'll be good to go." Xeryll jogged my memory.

"In for another round!" said, the pilot of one of our airships who sent another round of missiles to the response helicopters of the Pokemon International Police. These pilots are skilled. Perhaps this is one of the advantages of being in a branch that promotes the welfare of science and technology.

Soon, the helicopters were completely surrounded by ours. It was like mosquitoes and flies fighting against each other in the sky with the mosquitoes having the upper hand. One by one, the helicopters were knocked out either by our turrets or missiles, and their bullets barely did a thing.

Some of the squadrons were sent to the main compound to finish off those who survived the explosion. We were trained not to leave any witnesses behind.

Meanwhile:

"Good luck Luna, don't get yourself hurt!" Charlotte bade as I jumped off the helicopter.

"Relax, she got this." said, Zeal sarcastically, pulling Charlotte back to her seat.

Reaching the ground, I immediately climbed the red tower thingy which is somewhat similar to the ones in construction sites. Everything around me, the sounds of bombs, missiles, survivors screaming, being whooped by our grunts, they were all disturbing and almost made me puke somewhere near the middle.

After a little rest, I continued my way up, holding nothing but Rayquaza, having barely any knowledge about space except for the fact it is black and is filled with countless stars and planets.

"She's about to puke." Zeal uttered while staring from the window of the helicopter above me.

"Come on, you've got this Luna." encouraged Charlotte, yelling loud and waving from the helicopter.

Luckily, I made it up without puking, though at the doors comes an unexpected surprise that stunned me.

"Courtney?! What are you doing here?" I saw her, she was busy implanting some sort of bomb and beside her is Matt's fainted body. Looks like I missed an admin fight. Matt survived since he never joined the submarine with Archie and the Pokemon International Police had forgotten about him and focused more on Courtney instead.

"Grr...Shut up! Enough! I've had enough of this world!"

"You knocked out Matt?"

"Obviously, it was quite easy. Tee-hee! Oh, will you help me get those screws over there?"

"You're planning to bomb the rocket ship? No, I won't help you. Stand aside right now or else. I don't want to kill a sibling of a person I know who is looking for you."

"Oh, big sis?"

"She left right away after the incident to look for you, perhaps you should meet her in her apartment. She's worried sick."

"No! This world is done, it's finished and soon once this bomb is implanted, humanity will have no hope and thus the meteorite will crash. Tick tock, ten minutes to go before the world ends. Tee-hee!" she chuckled, as if what she's doing is nothing but an act of a child.

"Inside that rocket is the same amount—no, even more—Pokémon life energy than what powered the ultimate weapon in the war in Kalos 3,000 years ago. Ahaha! I think we're in for an impact so big it will surpass the massive explosion that ended the war in Kalos! I don't know what all this talk of a meteoroid is, but I have no need of it. Here, by my own hand... I'll make this rocket explode...And bring an end to this world..." she grabbed the screws and quickly placed them at her "homemade" bomb.

"I don't know anything about the war you're talking about either. Listen, Courtney, I know you're stressed because of what happened to your organization but don't let your mentality take control over you." I held her by the neck and asked her to destroy the bomb.

She nodded her head, and I released her. She stood back slowly, saying, "Of course. Of course." Though, just like what my father did to me, another scheme pops into her mind as she picked up the wrench at the floor and threw it at me.

Her mentality was getting worse, and I can see the beast exiting her chambers and revealing how aggressive she is. I feel like staring at myself. "It's not about what's right! It's about what's fair."

The wrench headed for my left limb. It was painful, and I could barely feel my left leg working as I stumble down to the floor. She then dragged my body to the corner of this red tower, preparing to throw me off. Her malicious scowl was extreme and I felt like I was fighting against the devil.

"Tsk... Tsk... A girl like you won't understand how it feels. You won't understand because people like you have a hard time swallowing facts. Well let me tell you something, you thought we could be decent men in an indecent time. But you were wrong for the world is cruel."

Below the compound, Jenny flashed to the scene with her motorcycle after hearing about the explosion which recently occurred in the space station. The first thing she saw was her sister, about to kill me atop the strange tower in which until now I don't know what to call it.

She didn't mind the air fight happening in the main compound and instead hopped off of her vehicle and climbed up the red tower. Back to things between me and Courtney, she stepped upon my wounded limb and pressed it harder, letting all the blood ooze out of the wound.

"How does that feel? Painful right? That is what the world did to me, it crippled me." slowly, from her pocket she extended out her pistol and pointed it towards me. She then heard footsteps coming up.

"I know it is, but if you kill the whole world, you kill a hundred of opportunities. I found mine in Team Rocket, perhaps you can too."

"Huh."

"Think about the children, aspiring to achieve their dreams. If yours doesn't work out then don't include the rest."

"You have a point, and I believe the only thing I can do is to ruin your life." not knowing if she's being sarcastic, she chuckled hysterically and grabbed my arms, placing my fingers at the trigger of the pistol and pointing it towards her heart.

"No... no..."

"I guess the only thing left for me to do is to turn your friends into enemies. Consider this as my revenge for everything you've done to my organization." she held my fingers and pressed the trigger. The gunshot was loud and the bullet pierced her heart.

At the same time, Jenny arrived unexpectedly with the pistol in my hand. In her perspective, she saw me shoot her sister when in fact I knew she killed herself. I tried to stand despite my wounded limb, telling her, "No, I didn't kill her, Jenny. She killed herself."

"Murderer!" she shouted and glared at me. Soon, her tears fell off her eyes and nothing else remained inside her sorrowful heart. She rushed to Courtney, leaning Courtney's body to her lap as she mourned loudly.

"I- I did not do any of this." at the corner, I stood, telling nothing but the truth but by the way it seems, she won't be believing me anytime sooner.

"Get out of my sight you wrench! I had enough of you. You've gone too far!" she yelled surpassed the stronghold of her voice. She looked to me with a scowl of a dog who is about to bite me.

Only two minutes remain before the meteor shower and I chose not to mind Jenny. She didn't mind me either as she focused on cuddling her treacherous sister. Meanwhile, I destroyed the bomb that Courtney has implanted and entered the rocket ship, stumbling inside because of my wounded limb.

As for Courtney, she had a few energy left in her body before dying. She moved her head closer to Jenny's ear and murmured, "Avenge me. Do you promise?" For a moment, Jenny thought deeply and when her senses came up she clenched her fists and nodded her head. From that moment, Courtney's last breath was taken away and Jenny's final tear fell upon her face...