Chapter 6 Mount moon

The travellers walked up the gently sloping foothills of Mount Moon, easily one of the stranger places in the world. It was a place that seemed to attract meteorites, hundreds of them being found in the area. In the time of the Samurai, it was a major centre of the smith's art, many legendary blades of "meteorite iron" coming from the small cluster of peaks.

Nowadays, of course, it was more of a thoroughfare from Pewter to Cerulean, linking together the northern cities of the Kanto region proper.

It was also infested with Zubats, Geodude and other such pests.

"Gah! Damnit, not again!"

The rock that Ash had tripped over glared at him before rolling off in a huff.

"I thought you were supposed to be using that blindfold to practice Aura Sight?"

"It's hard, damnit! If I leave the blindfold on, I can't see the real rocks well enough, and if I take it off, then I can't tell which ones move all over the place!"

"Twit."

"What?"

"You heard. Put it over one eye, idiot."

Ash stared at Pikachu. "You… couldn't have mentioned this earlier, perhaps?"

The rest of the group just shook their heads.

"He may be training as an Aura guardian, but he's still as stupid as the Ash we all remember…" Misty muttered to them.

Brock nodded. "Tell me about it… it's like he's a different person in a battle, though."

You have one new text message.

Ash and Pikachu stopped staring at one another in mutual exasperation, and turned to Ash's backpack. Neither made any other move. Rolling his eyes, Riolu reached into the backpack and drew out the Pokédex.

"Let's see… says 'Battle in ten mins, will be filmed so the Boss gets why we're focusing on you, don't break character. J,J,M,A,W,G.' Huh. These are the guys you told me about?"

Ash took the device from his newest Pokémon. "Yeah, but… I didn't expect there to be that extra letter… hey! Maybe that thing they left us was their phone number or something!"

Brock slapped his forehead. "We. Are. Idiots. How we didn't see that one coming…"

Ash was concentrating hard. "Extra letter… and it's a G. Initial G… Team rocket…"

This would normally be a chancy prospect for him, remembering such a detail over a five year gap.

"It must be James' pet Growlithe!"

Ash had seen his entire life twice, most recently less than two months ago.

Misty looked relieved. "Well, a Growlithe we can handle. Okay, everyone, looks like we're 'on', then."

"Mwa ha ha ha!"

Jessie's maniacal laughter rang out across the sparsely wooded, grassy plain, and Ash's companions prepared themselves for yet another Team Rocket encounter.

The month or two of break had been nice for Ash, at least. He'd never gone more than a week or so without meeting the team since his eleventh birthday, and by twelve they were often multiple times a day.

But enough of reminiscing. Ash gasped dramatically.

"That symbol… Are you members of Team Rocket?"

Well, maybe a bit of reminiscing. It was kinda fun.

"That's right, brat!"

James joined in. "Now, pay attention."

The two emerged from the trees, trailed by their three Pokémon, or two Pokémon and third team member depending on if you asked Meowth.

"Prepare for trouble!

Make it double!

To protect the world from devastation!

To unite all peoples within our nation!

To denounce the evils of truth and love!

To extend our reach to the stars above!

Jessie!

James!

Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!

Surrender now, or prepare to fight!

Meowth! That's right!"

Ash looked askance as the trio. "You going to do that every time?"

James smirked. "Maybe, maybe not. But it was certainly handy this time, wasn't it?"

Ash angrily began, "What do-" before being interrupted by Misty.

"Guys, look around!"

Brock saw it first. "They've boxed us in! There's fire in every direction!"

Jessie joined her counterpart in a cocky grin. "Yes, there is. All thanks to Growlie, and of course the fact that you're twits enough to let us get through the whole motto."

James nodded. "Now, Growlie, split them up with a little Flare Blitz."

The sound of tearing silk was all the warning the group got. Diving to the sides, Ash and his Pokémon were separated from Brock and Misty by a wall of fire and molten stone. The cause skidded to a halt in front of James, revealing to all and sundry that yes, James now had an Arcanine.

Ash was already scrambling for his gloves – luckily for him, he'd been wearing the boots as a quick form of training. Just make relative gravity for you slightly higher than normal, you build up muscle at an amazing rate. "Damn, this isn't good. Any way we can link up again?"

Brock and Misty were sending out their own, sadly short by their estimation, teams. "Steelix can't take the heat, and Geodude's too small. Misty?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'll have a go – ack!"

Poison clouds began to fall on the separated groups from overhead, as well as a rain of Poison Sting barbs. "Steelix! Block the barbs! Geodude, set up a sandstorm to blow away the poison!"

Misty gasped for breath, before grabbing a handkerchief and tying it over her mouth. "That's not much better."

"I'm working with two Pokémon here, like it or leave it." huffed Brock. "At least we have a Steel type."

James' voice floated over the sound of the roaring fire. "Thanks for reminding us. Growlie, Fire Blast!"

Misty turned in shock. That's not good! "Starmie, Ice Beam on Steelix! Staryu, Goldeen, best water attack as a counter to the fire!"

Steelix started to glow cherry red as the leading edge of the attack approached, before the water and ice attacks blunted the worst of it to result in an uneasy stalemate barely within safe temperatures.

The poison duo had floated over to the other side of the firewall. It was clear what was going on, Arbok was wrapped around Weezing for better mobility.

Ash had a problem here, he had no Steel type like his friends did.

He rapidly released his team anyway, throwing the balls one handed as he pulled the other glove on with his teeth.

"Pidgeot, can you blow away the gas?"

"Easily."

"Without fanning the flames?"

"…not quite so easy, but still manageable."

"Good, now-"

Meowth leapt onto Pidgeot from above and started clawing. "Not forgotten me, had ya?"

"Ack!" Ash scrambled for a solution. "Riolu, get Meowth off there! Butterfree… see if you can handle the duo in the sky."

No sooner had he spoken than Arbok uncoiled and leapt off, plunging deep into the ground.

Ash's mind flashed, discarding plans and modifying others. There was only one choice. "Ergh… Butterfree, stay up there. Confusion if you can get in range. Pikachu, can you take the snake?"

"Yes, I most certainly can."

"Good. As for the Arcanine…"

Ash pulled on his new gloves. "I'll handle that."

"Ash! Wait!"

Ash charged, feeling the power in the gloves beginning to surge and heedless of the calls of his Pokémon. Everyone else was occupied… he needed to stop Growlie before Brock lost his Steelix…

The strange icy detachment of battle descended, a zen-like state… but merged with training so that body knew what to do without instructions, and yet mind whirred too fast for the body to keep up.

"Force! Palm!"

Ash's aura-enhanced blow blasted Growlie off his feet and sent him rolling over and over into the brush, before the Legendary Pokémon pawed the ground and charged back at him.

Ash took the roaring blow of the Flare Blitz, feeling it's heat surge up his crossed arms – defended with what looked/felt like a bastardized Reflect and some elements of Endure – before launching a kick that threw Growlie once more.

He was running high on adrenaline and Aura, using it to reinforce his body and empower his blows, fighting as an Aura Guardian, and in this perfect state he could fight one of the most powerful kinds of Pokémon – and he could win.

So long as it was dealt with in only a few seconds, of course.

Oh bugger, he's getting back up again.

Growlie shook his mane, rolling back to his feet, and began to gather the heat for another Flare Blitz…

And was blasted far enough back that Jessie and James had to step out of the way of his rolling form, by three Water Gun and a purple Dragonbreath.

Ash collapsed to his knees in exhaustion – note to self, remember you're not quite eleven yet – as the rest of Team Rocket's Pokémon fell back past him, pursued by his vengeful team, and Brock and Misty steamrolled past on his other side.

"Well, it looks like you held out this time, but you won't be so lucky forever!" Jessie called, while James hauled Growlie into the basket of a balloon hidden in the brush. The rest of Team Rocket piled in, and Growlie bit through the mooring cable, sending the entire contrivance shooting up into the air at ludicrous speeds.

"What the hell?"

Pidgeot answered for them. "Double balloon, Hydrogen on the inside, Helium outside. I saw a few near Pallet. Incredibly fast riser if it's set up properly, and I think they recalled their Pokémon as it took off. They're long gone."

"Flipping hell… They're more competent than I expected."

"No."

But-

"NO. I don't care how much you're all inexplicably fans of it, we are NOT doing sumo wrestling next."

What's your problem with it? Arceus looked hurt.

"You all weigh at least eight times as much as I do, for a start!"

Oh, all right then. Badminton?

"Why not Monopoly?"

Dialga perked up, and rushed over holding a small metal boot.

Fine. Have it your way, we'll play Monopoly. Red and Blue version?

"Pardon?"

I said Kanto version?

Sir Aaron looked suspicious for a moment. "Sounds alright."

Okay, Dialga gets the boot, Palkia has the car, I get the Growlithe, and that leaves you the bowler hat.

"It's not as good as my proper hat. My proper hat does cool things, like-"

Sh. The readers don't know yet.

"Readers?"

Arceus, creator of All, looked distinctly shifty. Nothing.

The tape wound to a close with the ground receding at a breakneck pace, before the image cut out.

Giovanni allowed himself a small smile. And then, seeing the trepidation on the faces of the agents who'd presented it, widened it into a full – though still exquisitely controlled – grin.

"Well, well. I am most impressed. So, you seem to have chosen something of a difficult target this time, but then you've shown quite… astonishing skills. I must say, using the chivalry of a hero against them seems to be quite the innovation, though I doubt it would work on the conventional police we normally deal with."

His face hardened. "Now. On to more detailed business. First, why did you choose them in the first place?"

Jessie spoke, her voice slightly uncertain. "We first met him a couple of months ago, in Viridian. At the time he had only the Pikachu, and he was able to shut down our plan before we even initiated it. With this to consider, we tried to get hold of heavier firepower to overwhelm him."

James took over. "And as you can see, it almost worked. We managed to occupy every one of their Pokémon, despite fighting at more than two to one odds against some real rarities like that Pidgeot and the Riolu he got from who knows where, and were only beaten by that weird thing he did where he beat up Growlie and took the pressure off."

Giovanni frowned. "Yes, that was the most troubling bit. He said 'Force Palm', yes?"

Meowth nodded along with the humans. "Yep, I tink so, though I was more concentrating on fightin' off that Riolu."

Giovanni made an understanding noise. "Fortunate that the cameras captured it, then. Yes, that's quite troubling. Not only did this 'Ash' use a Pokémon move – moreover, a move that as far as I know is unique to a very few Pokémon, but he also took a Flare Blitz head on. That is not something I like to have happening among my foes. Then you have to consider that these gloves," He rewound the tape and paused at a point where Ash was in full light, during his charge, "resemble quite closely those of the legendary hero Sir Aaron. It may well be that he is possessed of the same talents as that legend. Very disquieting, especially as he is in possession of, as you say, both a Pidgeot and a Riolu."

Giovanni fell silent. After almost a minute, James spoke up.

"Anything else, Boss?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes. That Arcanine of yours, I want it."

James jerked as if stung. "Boss?"

"You heard me. Hand him over, he's clearly an exceptional specimen of the species if his Flare Blitz can melt rock. That's the kind of firepower that Team Rocket needs. And it needs it where the higher ups can access it. The Pokémon, please."

James reached for the Poké ball on his belt, hesitated, then drew his hand back again. "No – n, er, I… No."

"You are sure of this? Defying your leader?"

Jessie and James shrank back, and Meowth fell off his chair, as the leader of Team Rocket rounded on them. "W-we'd never defy you, Boss!"

"Then hand over the Pokémon. Need I remind you of our motto? Our real one?"

The trio shook their heads. "Steal Pokémon for profit. Exploit Pokémon for profit. All Pokémon exist for the glory of Team Rocket."

"Then what's the problem? Will you defy me over this trifle? You can most certainly requisition more and more diverse Pokémon from the team pool."

Jessie and James looked at one another, then both shared a glance at Meowth. The three nodded to one another and, visibly trembling, James gave their answer. "With all due respect, Boss, you'll never get Growlie. He's… a good friend of mine."

Giovanni glowered at them for a moment more, then suddenly smiled. A genuine one this time, full of warmth. "Very good. You pass."

Crash! Jessie and James fell off their chairs.

"Ya mean to say dat was a test?" shouted the irate Scratch cat from the floor, before flinching as Giovanni's Persian bared his fangs.

"Well, yes. That stuff about profit is all very good for the grunts, but we have a broader mandate than that. We're about control, yes, but for that we need to have somewhere to control. And you three have – perhaps astonishingly – just qualified for Executive status. The lowest rung, perhaps, but you're privy to the true purpose. It's even in the public motto – layers within layers. Protect the world from devastation. We need the place standing to get anywhere in it, and so we have the secondary purpose of finding global threats and stopping them. Working with heroes is a must for that, even taking on many of their traits. Something you just displayed rather well."

Giovanni tossed the trio small badges. "Here, these are your new rank insignia. As of now, your task is to build up your cell, trail this 'Ash Ketchum', test his strength every so often, and try to lead him into getting involved with stopping any new regional or global scale threats. Oh-" and he smiled at them again, "Don't boast about any of this to the other members. You might need to sacrifice other Rocket plots to the hero you're trailing, after all, and we don't want people