Pokemon Moonlight Silver (COMPLETE!!!)

[EmeraldSky]

@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 97: Talkin' Bout an Evolution

"I'm glad that Lokoko and her Ninetales Tenko are finally at peace..." Misty smiled. "Even if Tenko wanted to trap you in that old mansion."

"That was why I sang my Swanna Song to shatter her Poke Ball--to set her free from whatever power her Poke Ball had." Brock explained. "Besides, if she was going to take me, she'd have to take you guys too...because I don't know what I would do without you guys."

The three companions laughed at the comment, until a sniffle from Tintri got Ash's attention. "What's the matter, Tintri? You find that comment touching, or something?"

[Doe...I thig I'b cubbing down wid a code...] Tintri replied.

Ash sighed. "Don't tell me you caught that same bug Brock got..."

"That was just a little chest cold...this looks more serious." Brock replied, pointing out some sniffing Caterpies on a branch, a Rattata with its tail drooped, and a wilted Oddish.

"This is weird..." Misty mused as she noticed all the sick Pokemon. "Was some toxic waste dumped here?"

Ash hurried on through some underbrush and read a signpost overlooking a large lake. "The Lake of Rage...maybe something in the water's causing the Pokemon to get sick?"

Just then, a shining red Gyarados appeared from the water, surprising the group. "A Gyarados!" Misty gasped.

Brock noticed the shining Gyarados was about to fire a Hydro Pump attack at the three travelers. "Hit the dirt!"

The trio dove to the ground seconds before the Gyarados fired its attack, but the massive wave of water only splattered the surrounding vegetation. "Everyone okay?" Ash asked as he got up to see if the coast was clear.

He gasped when he saw a convoy of vehicles emblazoned with a familiar R insignia. "Oh wonderful...Team Rocket's here..."

"An astute observation..." a dull teal man in a shining silver suit sneered as he approached the group. He chuckled as he looked down on the group. "What are a bunch of kids like you doing here?"

Before Ash could answer, the man summoned a Fearow before the group. "Aethon, take care of these brats for me..."

"Who are you calling a brat?" Ash challenged before heaving a Poke Ball. "River, I choose you!"

[I can't...] River wheezed. [So tired...]

Ash watched in horror as the Fearow dove in to Drill Peck the weakened Marill, but moments before it could attack, he heard a familiar voice say "Tiamat, use Hyper Beam!"

"What?" Archer gasped as an orange beam connected with his Fearow, making it faint. "I'll deal with you three later..." he grumbled as he recalled his Fearow and ran off into the brush.

Misty smiled when she saw a familiar red haired man, a Dragonite, and Lyra approaching them. "Lance! It's been some time!"

"Yeah, and thanks for saving our skins." Ash smiled as Lance led the way into an alcove in the underbrush near the lake. "But, what are you and Lyra doing here?"

"We're here on a very important mission--stop the Rockets from taking over and/or destroying the world." Lyra explained. "Ethan's already in Goldenrod after they attacked the Radio Tower there, and as much as I wanted to help him, Lance offered for me to come with him while Ethan kicks the Rockets out of the WJTO tower."

"But what about the red Gyarados we saw before?" Ash asked. "I want to save it too!"

"No--I do not deny your skills have improved since I watched you battle in the Indigo League, but it would be too dangerous for you." Lance sternly replied. The Team Rocket members here are no ordinary grunts, but high ranking members. Not only that, but some of the admins are also present--in addition to Archer, Proton is here as well."

"Archer attacked us, so I'm gonna pay him back!" Ash vowed. "And save all the Pokemon here!"

"No is no is no is no." Lance growled. "While your goal is noble, just charging into the fray could potentially get you killed! Do you want to die having never achieved your dream of Pokemon Master? Your friends and family would be devastated!"

Ash was about to defend himself before he felt Lyra's hand on his shoulder. "Just let it go for now, okay? We'll find a way to save everyone without killing ourselves along the way."

---------

"Thank you for coming so quickly, Proton." Archer smiled as a younger man in a more ornate black Rocket uniform met him inside a campsite near the lake. "With your technical expertise, we should easily be able to capture the red Gyarados."

"I came as soon as I saw the Radio Tower raid participants were in place, and checked in with Petrel to see how the progress of the takeover is going." Proton smiled. "Ariana is on her way here, and should arrive tomorrow, barring any setbacks.

Just then, some movement on a security camera got his attention. "Oh ho, we have uninvited guests, do we?"

A "WAUGH!" and the clangs of iron bars sliding into place spurred Proton to check the trapped hallway. "Huh...seemed my little booby trap actually caught some boobies!" he chucked as he dragged Jessie, James, and Meowth into the room.

"Who are YOU calling a booby?" Jessie demanded. "We wear the R too!"

"Hey, Einstein! We're on your side, rememba?" Meowth protested.

"Of course I remember you three...bumbling along and always failing to even capture a single Pikachu." Archer smiled. "It's a wonder the boss even keeps you lugs around..."

"However, the boss did say there was a role for you three in this operation." Proton grinned. "But you have to come with us to see what it is you must do."

"It's a deal!" Jessie smiled. "I'd do anything for the boss!"

"Yes, now we can get the honor and accolades we deserve!" James was equally excited as he followed Proton and Archer outside.

---------

"Look, I know you want to rescue the Pokemon here and stop Team Rocket." Brock explained. "But just like we've gotten stronger since we kicked them out of Silph Tower, they've gotten stronger too. So when Lance says no, he MEANS no!"

"I know...but I can't just sit idly by and watch Team Rocket take over the world..." Ash explained.

Tears shone in his eyes as he turned his cap back. "Danger or no danger, I'm going to save the red Gyarados, and help Ethan, Lyra and Lance stop Team Rocket!"

Misty sighed--no amount of pleading, begging and threatening seemed to deter Ash. "Okay...if this is what you want to do, we're coming with you. Good friends stick together, no matter what."

---------

A pair of Rockets standing guard in the Radio Tower reception area went flying against a wall, thanks to a powerful Water Pulse from Dundee. "That takes care of the guards, now to head inside and clean out the other Rockets from here!"

[Remember what else Lance said?] Ellie reminded him as Ethan hurried down a hallway, scouring the different studios for Rockets or innocents.

"Yeah--the Rockets taking over the Radio Tower is connected to what's going on at the Lake of Rage, and we all need to do our part to help Lance, Lyra, Ash, and the others!" Ethan replied. "For now, we need to stay together."

[Look out, Rockets!] Dundee growled. [We're comin' for ya!]

"Well, if we find any innocents, we need to take them somewhere safe." Ethan reminded the excited Totodile. "We do know some personnel were inside the tower when the Rockets moved in."

---------

"Okay..." Lance explained as he lead Lyra to a dock, where a boat was about to set sail. "I 'borrowed' a few Rocket uniforms to get us on that boat undetected." he explained as he tossed Lyra a female Rocket uniform. "Two of the four admins are on that boat--our objective is to listen in to their little meeting, and find out what it is they plan to do."

"What if we run into Ash and the others?" Lyra asked as she changed into the uniform.

"All you have to do is take off the hat, and they'll see it's you." Lance assured Lyra as he emerged in the male Rocket uniform. "Now, let's go!"

---------

"At last...Project R is about to begin, but we need a couple of...expendable...grunts for the first part of the mission." Archer smiled as he and Proton met in one of the boat's opulent cabins.

"I have the perfect lab Rattatas for the job." Proton smiled as he gestured to the hall leading to the dining room, where Jessie, James, Meowth, and Sahana were stuffing their faces. "In exchange for lunch on the boss' dime, they get an important assignment: find the red Gyarados."

"Very good." Archer smiled as he noticed the Rocket trio finishing their epic meal. "Since those lugs are about done with lunch, tell them to meet us on deck for their instructions."

---------

"Oh boy! I'm gonna go a few rounds with da red Gyarados!" Meowth smiled as the trio's scouting dinghy was deployed from the main boat.

"Who said you were gonna be the hero?" Jessie demanded. "We all have a part to play in this!"

James was about to add his own retort when an angry red Gyarados began to swim in their direction. "I'm not so sure this was a good idea..."

As the trio of Rockets paddled as quickly as they could to escape the pursuing Gyarados, another grunt at a lookout tower fired a net gun, surrounding the red Gyarados, Jessie, James, and Meowth! "Okay, fire the Electro-Beam!" Proton called.

"Oh no..." was all Jessie could say before a powerful shock crackled through the netting, shocking the Gyarados, her, and her companions.

---------

"There it is!" Brock pointed out the boat approaching the shore with the red Gyarados in tow. "If we're gonna do something, this is it!"

"Luce, help us save the world!" Ash heaved a Poke Ball skyward.

"You too, Michelle!" Misty called, summoning her faithful Golduck on the shore.

Ash next held his Mega Ring to the sky. Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

Rou iitsa ron selga vichii... Misty sang soon afterwards, creating a purple flash as both Ampharos and Golduck Mega Evolved together on the shore.

[This way!] Michelle led the way into the water. [You distract the Rockets, I'll try and tear the net open!]

[Right!] Luce smiled, firing a Charge Beam into the net, and shocking the Rockets even more.

Meanwhile, Lance and Lyra arrived in some underbrush, where Lance balked at the Mega Ampharos and the Mega Golduck desperately trying to break the net open. "What is Ash trying to do? Is he nuts?"

"No--once Ash has his mind set on something, good luck getting him to change his mind." Lyra explained.

"I have a bad feeling he's in over his head..." Lance mused. "Let's go and try to get him out of trouble before his dream of being Pokemon Master dies with him."

On the water, Proton noticed the two Mega Pokémon. "So we have two Mega Pokemon? That's nothing the Weakening Beam can't fix!"

So that's why all the Pokemon were getting sick... Ash thought as he watched Luce and Michelle's Mega Evolution wear off. It's because of a weird radar beam!

"Ah ha!" Archer's voice startled the group. "I'll let Proton decide what to do with you lot, but you won't be interfering with our plans this time!"

"Tell us what is going on here, and what you guys are going to do with the red Gyarados!" Ash demanded as he struggled to get free from a grunt's grip.

"Since you asked so nicely, I'll tell you lot." Archer smiled. "This mission is simply codenamed Project R, short for Project Reverse. You know well that some Pokemon shine with a different color, and that these shining Pokemon have been revered since time immemorial as gods and divine messengers."

He went on "It turns out that Gyarados also has another, different gene that can turn it red--what I like to call a 'reversed' Pokemon. When a Pokemon is reversed, they lose all sense, decency and reason, and go into pure unbridled fury. Pokemon that have been reversed may also appear shiny, but they're not. In the event they don't or can't turn 'shiny', they gain a red aura."

As Proton led the group away, Archer concluded "The aim of Project R is to force Pokémon into evolving or try to achieve the "reversed" state. This way, Team Rocket would achieve an army of evolved and above-average Pokémon at our disposal, and we could rule the world unopposed!"

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Ash defiantly screamed as Proton dragged him into a cabin that had been turned into an improvised jail.

Archer just smiled at the thoroughly charred Jessie, James, and Meowth as they stumbled on the shore. "Well done, you three---thank you for your work, but it seems the boss has other plans for you."

Inside the holding cell, Ash watched helplessly as a truck holding the Gyarados disappeared down a road. "It's hopeless...we've failed the world, we've failed our friends, and we've failed ourselves...."

To Be Continued...