Uncontained

Whack!

I opened my eyes to see Malachi socking the Rocket in the face. The guy hit the floor like a sack of potatoes. Malachi flapped his hand. "Beau, are you and Uriah okay?"

"Yeah." I got off the charmeleon and saw a bullet hole in the wall just where his head would've been. "Uriah?"

Uriah rose and didn't look at me. His tail lashed in the air. "Come on," I said. "Let's go kick some Rocket ass." Then we dove into the pandemonium.

People started screaming and trainers were fighting. It happened all instantaneously, one minute everything was fine, and the next all hell broke loose. Malachi and I tore through the throng of people to get to the captain's cabin. Czeslaw lead the charge and plowed through everyone that was in front of him. Finally we got to the captain's door. I flung it open.

Blood was all over the floor.

The captain was being tied to a chair and a young boy was slumped to the side, unconscious. He must've been trying to defend him. Two men in black were the ones tying the captain up. Then I saw something that made all the air whoosh out of my lungs. The brown Pokemon that had been flirting with Florence lay on the floor with its throat torn out, dead in the center of the room.

Florence screamed.

I'd never heard a scream like that before. All the hair on my body rose with the sound, and the men whipped around and launched their pokeballs. I didn't get a chance to move. Florence lunged off my shoulder and the most terrifying shock surged from her body.

Instantly the Pokemon blackened and the trainers passed out from the charge.

And my heart broke in half when I saw Florence cradle the dead Pokemon in her arms, and wail.

---

Everything went back into control after that.

Florence had zapped the leaders of the operation. The captain got the Rockets out with the help of me, Malachi, and some other trainers. Florence did not stop weeping. When it was all over and we were alone in the Pokemon center, I held her and cried with her because I couldn't stand it anymore.

Team Rocket was truly evil.

Apparently the gym leader of the town was an electric type master and helped remove the electrode. After that the boat was scoured by the police and the remaining Rockets were taken into custody. Malachi and I stood on the pier for a long time before we said anything. It was past midnight and we were both wiped out.

"Beau," Malachi said. "I'm going to have to leave soon."

I didn't say anything. I knew this was going to happen sooner or later and I'd almost accepted it. The words still tore something in me. All my life we were inseparable, Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum in gradeschool - I was Tweedle-Dum - and it still hurt that we were doing our own thing. I wanted him to stay like no other. Especially after something like this.

"I'll see you sometime later," he said softly. "Stay safe. Goodbye."

He gave me a brief hug, but I couldn't let him go just yet so I held on longer. He dealt with that. I realized I was shaking. I only realized because he was so steady.

When we released I wiped away the tears that may or may not have formed in my eyes and he patted me on the shoulder. "Smell you later, buddy." He grinned wryly.

"Yeah." I laughed weakly. "See you, traitor."

I didn't see him again for a long time.