Painted Paradise
Dry
The door flung open and the rumble a thousand birds sounded like ten million. Waves of wind and debris moved like it was caught in a tornado around the roof, stinging Silver’s skin as they lodged themselves into his fur. Silver recognized Tabby who was scribbling something purposefully on a notepad. A girl with royal blue hair that framed her pale-colored skin was presumably Courtney, who was waiting for her leader with one foot on the first step of the giant helicopter. Another who Silver guessed was Mack was just beginning to walk into the helicopter, his hair was dark brown and spiked with gel.
“Everything’s in place, sir! We’re ready when you are,” Tabby chirped, raising one hand in salute. At the comment, both Courtney and Mack stepped off the helicopter and walked toward Max when waves of anxiety coming off them. “We’re ready sir,” Courtney offered shakily, “our best Pokémon are loaded in the back and checked for health conditions that could possibly hold them back.” Max nodded, “how any did you bring?”
It was Mack who spoke up this time, “we’ve brought 400 of our best regular Pokémon of all types, and thirty legendaries.” Max nodded, looking satisfied and then asked which legendaries were brought. “One moltres, one articuno, one zapdos, five mews, two suicunes, one entei, three ho-ohs, one lugia, three celebi’s, three regice, one registeel, two regirock, three latios, two latias and one jirachi.”
“You didn’t bring the rayquaza? It’s the strongest we have!” Max asked, annoyed. “We still haven’t got it obeying orders yet. It should be pretty much trained in a few more months tops, especially if we keep using the Ice type room to store it in.” Courtney put in. Max nodded, “I think that’ll do if we have surprise on our side. Courtney, you stay in the back and make sure the Pokémon are all in easy access when we get there. Tabby, stay behind and man the building while we’re gone, you’re second in charge. Rob, make sure our supplies is well stocked and within reach.” Silver realized the man he thought was Mack was actually someone else named Rob.
“Are all the best trainers in position?” Max questioned before stepping into the helicopter. Tabby checked his notepad, “yes, that’s a check on my to-do list. Everyone should be ready to ambush if they’ve followed orders.” Max nodded, “very well, if things go as planned, we should be able to come back one step closer to getting our Groudon before Team Aqua gets their Kyrogre! This is a huge step for all of Team Magma.” He whipped around, Silver still held by the scruff in his hands, before entering the helicopter.
It was large, looked heavily guarded and full of grays and blacks. A man trotted up with long blond hair draped over one eye, saying all supplies is in position and ready. “Thank you Mack, I’ll need your skills in this battle,” Max told him. Mack nodded seriously and took out a small Pokémon cage, built to withstand even the strongest of attacks but made for small unevolved Pokémon. Silver was placed inside and then taken to the back of the helicopter, Nala following. Before long the helicopter made an ear-slipping screech sounding like the painful death of a Groudon before taking off. The sound of dust colliding into the smooth surface of the helicopter chipped around Silver’s ears. Then the helicopter went airborne, lifting its metallic feet off of the cement roof and making Silver feel like gravity was tying his organs into tight knots.
Once the helicopter was lifted, Nala had finally come to speaking up. “Whatever you did or what you’re about to do, it’s happening right now.” Silver blinked, confusion whirling around his stomach and tying his organs into an even tighter knot. Why was he so important? “Did you believe what I just heard?” Silver gasped behind the bars of the small cage. “400 Pokémon and thirty legendaries with me included in the fray? What have I done, is that normal for Team Magma?” Nala did her signature rolling of her eyes, “taking all his best recruits and best Pokémon off the base unguarded when we have Team Aqua and Team Rocket down our throats? You must have killed Groudon himself complete with the volcanoes freezing over. It takes a lot to get Max excited, trust me, and you’ve got him running all over the place.” Silver felt his heart thrash and tear through his rib cage like a tracked beast, then felt it freeze over and run his blood dry and hot in his veins when the helicopter began to descend.
“That was fast,” he croaked uncertainly. “All we did was cross half the forest; he must have taken the helicopter to get here fast and to get away from here fast once he’s finished,” Nala concluded wisely. A wild screech of a million Pokémon sounded below him, making Silver’s belly squeeze into a hard lump. The helicopter’s paddling of wings above slowly lost the battle with the push of gravity and stopped to a slow whisper, making the screams of anger below sound louder. Several Magma workers streamed in with fear and excitement pulsing off them in giant waves as they shakily grabbed box after box of Pokéballs and rushed them out the door.
Max strode in with fear and excitement as well, but he was much more restrained and bent down with Silver in it without missing a beat. Nala followed cautiously with her tail spiked up in puffed clumps, looking scared and confused. Outside, Silver blinked at the light followed with Max leaning down and taking Silver out of the cage, holding him in his arms. For the first time, Silver got a clear view of what lay inside him. His belly churned in a chaotic rage as he witnessed row after row of Pokémon in front of him. Many of the best and most frightening lay in front of him including nidoqueens and nidokings, onix and steelix, ghost types and physic types.
In the back row where several men with familiar suits on, waiting in a shaky halt for the slightest sign to tell their Pokémon to attack. Then a man stepped through, making Silver squirm in terror, he recognized this man far too well. He was the last man Silver wanted to see for months, and now he stood rigid with fear at the front of the army of Pokémon in front of him.
“Well?” Giovanni called with anger pulsing off him in enough magnitude to swallow an island. “What have you brought that you say would convince me to bring my best Pokémon here?”
All of Max’s fear and anxiety disappeared like mud washed away by rain water. He held Silver high, displaying the Meowth in front of the entire army. Confused and questioning looks rippled through the entire army in front of them, all accept Giovanni who stared at the Meowth with hard cold eyes.
“Your Meowth has wondered into our base, and we have been keeping it hostage for some time now. It will be killed here and now, that is, unless you hand over all your strongest Pokémon in front of me today to donate to Team Magma.”All eyes turned to Giovanni, waiting for a reply, but he stood still and rigid like a statue. A Persian sat beside him, making Silver remember back to the days when he left behind his friend, and possible mate for the future, when he was kicked out of team Rocket.
The smug look of the Persian was aimed like a hot laser beam directly onto Silver. She had known Silver hated Persians, mostly because he could never evolve into one himself due to Lassitudia, now he knew she was enjoying the fact that she was able to show it off to him finally. Giovanni finally moved, leaning down and petting his Persian.
“Well Giovanni? I don’t have all day,” Max sneered. Giovanni spoke gently but sternly, “that is not my Meowth.” Ripples of fear swerved through the entirety of Team Magma, but no one dared to show it to Max. Max however remained unfaltered. “You can’t act like you think I would fall for that, you think I wouldn’t recognize this thing? How you always used to flash it around and carry it wherever you went? Should I show you just how serious I am?” He questioned loudly with the addition of Courtney coming forward with a knife. Silver’s heart dropped through his feet and horror made a ripple go through his fur. Surely Max would have known he wasn’t Giovanni’s Meowth anymore? But none of the Magma workers faltered, or bothered to tell Max otherwise. Did none of them know about this?
“You’ve heard about Christie?” Giovanni asked dryly. Max blinked, “you’re wife?” Giovanni nodded. “What about her?” Giovanni explained, “She passed away not too long ago. I released my Meowth shortly after; I didn’t feel it was mine to take care of anymore, it was always her Meowth. What you’ve captured means nothing to me anymore. I now have a much stronger Persian.” His voice was dry and empty, but his voice remained stern and steady. Max shook his head, “Team Rocket has always been quick to lie. You’re telling me-“ Max never got the chance to finish his sentence. Giovanni had whipped around and called to his team with a clear voice, “Team Rocket gets rid of the pests that crowds them today. Order your Pokémon to attack!”
“Everything’s in place, sir! We’re ready when you are,” Tabby chirped, raising one hand in salute. At the comment, both Courtney and Mack stepped off the helicopter and walked toward Max when waves of anxiety coming off them. “We’re ready sir,” Courtney offered shakily, “our best Pokémon are loaded in the back and checked for health conditions that could possibly hold them back.” Max nodded, “how any did you bring?”
It was Mack who spoke up this time, “we’ve brought 400 of our best regular Pokémon of all types, and thirty legendaries.” Max nodded, looking satisfied and then asked which legendaries were brought. “One moltres, one articuno, one zapdos, five mews, two suicunes, one entei, three ho-ohs, one lugia, three celebi’s, three regice, one registeel, two regirock, three latios, two latias and one jirachi.”
“You didn’t bring the rayquaza? It’s the strongest we have!” Max asked, annoyed. “We still haven’t got it obeying orders yet. It should be pretty much trained in a few more months tops, especially if we keep using the Ice type room to store it in.” Courtney put in. Max nodded, “I think that’ll do if we have surprise on our side. Courtney, you stay in the back and make sure the Pokémon are all in easy access when we get there. Tabby, stay behind and man the building while we’re gone, you’re second in charge. Rob, make sure our supplies is well stocked and within reach.” Silver realized the man he thought was Mack was actually someone else named Rob.
“Are all the best trainers in position?” Max questioned before stepping into the helicopter. Tabby checked his notepad, “yes, that’s a check on my to-do list. Everyone should be ready to ambush if they’ve followed orders.” Max nodded, “very well, if things go as planned, we should be able to come back one step closer to getting our Groudon before Team Aqua gets their Kyrogre! This is a huge step for all of Team Magma.” He whipped around, Silver still held by the scruff in his hands, before entering the helicopter.
It was large, looked heavily guarded and full of grays and blacks. A man trotted up with long blond hair draped over one eye, saying all supplies is in position and ready. “Thank you Mack, I’ll need your skills in this battle,” Max told him. Mack nodded seriously and took out a small Pokémon cage, built to withstand even the strongest of attacks but made for small unevolved Pokémon. Silver was placed inside and then taken to the back of the helicopter, Nala following. Before long the helicopter made an ear-slipping screech sounding like the painful death of a Groudon before taking off. The sound of dust colliding into the smooth surface of the helicopter chipped around Silver’s ears. Then the helicopter went airborne, lifting its metallic feet off of the cement roof and making Silver feel like gravity was tying his organs into tight knots.
Once the helicopter was lifted, Nala had finally come to speaking up. “Whatever you did or what you’re about to do, it’s happening right now.” Silver blinked, confusion whirling around his stomach and tying his organs into an even tighter knot. Why was he so important? “Did you believe what I just heard?” Silver gasped behind the bars of the small cage. “400 Pokémon and thirty legendaries with me included in the fray? What have I done, is that normal for Team Magma?” Nala did her signature rolling of her eyes, “taking all his best recruits and best Pokémon off the base unguarded when we have Team Aqua and Team Rocket down our throats? You must have killed Groudon himself complete with the volcanoes freezing over. It takes a lot to get Max excited, trust me, and you’ve got him running all over the place.” Silver felt his heart thrash and tear through his rib cage like a tracked beast, then felt it freeze over and run his blood dry and hot in his veins when the helicopter began to descend.
“That was fast,” he croaked uncertainly. “All we did was cross half the forest; he must have taken the helicopter to get here fast and to get away from here fast once he’s finished,” Nala concluded wisely. A wild screech of a million Pokémon sounded below him, making Silver’s belly squeeze into a hard lump. The helicopter’s paddling of wings above slowly lost the battle with the push of gravity and stopped to a slow whisper, making the screams of anger below sound louder. Several Magma workers streamed in with fear and excitement pulsing off them in giant waves as they shakily grabbed box after box of Pokéballs and rushed them out the door.
Max strode in with fear and excitement as well, but he was much more restrained and bent down with Silver in it without missing a beat. Nala followed cautiously with her tail spiked up in puffed clumps, looking scared and confused. Outside, Silver blinked at the light followed with Max leaning down and taking Silver out of the cage, holding him in his arms. For the first time, Silver got a clear view of what lay inside him. His belly churned in a chaotic rage as he witnessed row after row of Pokémon in front of him. Many of the best and most frightening lay in front of him including nidoqueens and nidokings, onix and steelix, ghost types and physic types.
In the back row where several men with familiar suits on, waiting in a shaky halt for the slightest sign to tell their Pokémon to attack. Then a man stepped through, making Silver squirm in terror, he recognized this man far too well. He was the last man Silver wanted to see for months, and now he stood rigid with fear at the front of the army of Pokémon in front of him.
“Well?” Giovanni called with anger pulsing off him in enough magnitude to swallow an island. “What have you brought that you say would convince me to bring my best Pokémon here?”
All of Max’s fear and anxiety disappeared like mud washed away by rain water. He held Silver high, displaying the Meowth in front of the entire army. Confused and questioning looks rippled through the entire army in front of them, all accept Giovanni who stared at the Meowth with hard cold eyes.
“Your Meowth has wondered into our base, and we have been keeping it hostage for some time now. It will be killed here and now, that is, unless you hand over all your strongest Pokémon in front of me today to donate to Team Magma.”All eyes turned to Giovanni, waiting for a reply, but he stood still and rigid like a statue. A Persian sat beside him, making Silver remember back to the days when he left behind his friend, and possible mate for the future, when he was kicked out of team Rocket.
The smug look of the Persian was aimed like a hot laser beam directly onto Silver. She had known Silver hated Persians, mostly because he could never evolve into one himself due to Lassitudia, now he knew she was enjoying the fact that she was able to show it off to him finally. Giovanni finally moved, leaning down and petting his Persian.
“Well Giovanni? I don’t have all day,” Max sneered. Giovanni spoke gently but sternly, “that is not my Meowth.” Ripples of fear swerved through the entirety of Team Magma, but no one dared to show it to Max. Max however remained unfaltered. “You can’t act like you think I would fall for that, you think I wouldn’t recognize this thing? How you always used to flash it around and carry it wherever you went? Should I show you just how serious I am?” He questioned loudly with the addition of Courtney coming forward with a knife. Silver’s heart dropped through his feet and horror made a ripple go through his fur. Surely Max would have known he wasn’t Giovanni’s Meowth anymore? But none of the Magma workers faltered, or bothered to tell Max otherwise. Did none of them know about this?
“You’ve heard about Christie?” Giovanni asked dryly. Max blinked, “you’re wife?” Giovanni nodded. “What about her?” Giovanni explained, “She passed away not too long ago. I released my Meowth shortly after; I didn’t feel it was mine to take care of anymore, it was always her Meowth. What you’ve captured means nothing to me anymore. I now have a much stronger Persian.” His voice was dry and empty, but his voice remained stern and steady. Max shook his head, “Team Rocket has always been quick to lie. You’re telling me-“ Max never got the chance to finish his sentence. Giovanni had whipped around and called to his team with a clear voice, “Team Rocket gets rid of the pests that crowds them today. Order your Pokémon to attack!”