Pokemon: Radical Redux

Ash left the secret garden, Pikachu jumping back up onto his shoulder. That part was done, but now came the real danger: getting back to his friends and hopefully not getting hit in the face. But he had a plan.

As Ash turned the corner, he was immediately grabbed by the shirt and shaken back and forth. The one doing the shaking? Misty.

"There you are, you stupid idiot I call a friend! Where have you been?!"

Ash was still being rattled. "I–just–went–for–a–walk," he tried to say between jerks.

"And you just left us?! We were looking all over town for you!" Misty snapped, finally stopping the shaking.

"I left a note," Ash said, still a bit dizzy.

"A note isn't good enough!" Misty sighed, letting go of him. "Just what did you do this time? Is one of the Legendary Beasts here or something?"

"No…" Ash said, raising a small bag he had with him. "I read they were selling some limited-edition cake. I went to get it before it sold out, so we could share it."

"…"

"…"

"…Really?" Misty asked, squinting at him.

"Do you see a world-ending superweapon pointed at me? I have the cake right here," Ash said, raising the bag again.

Misty narrowed her eyes at him, still unconvinced. "That's the only reason you vanished without telling us?"

Ash gave her his most innocent smile. "Would you rather I came back empty-handed?"

Pikachu nodded solemnly. "Pika-pi," as if to say the cake was a noble quest.

From behind Misty, Brock and Yellow jogged up. Brock was panting slightly. "There you are! You seriously just wandered off?!"

"I did leave you a note saying I was going out for a walk," Ash said, like that was a perfectly valid excuse.

"Yeah, well, you have a track record when it comes to your 'walks,' so we aren't exactly excited when you say that," Misty said, crossing her arms.

Ash shrugged. "I mean, it's not my fault you guys don't trust me. I'm hurt."

"You don't get to make yourself the victim here," Misty pointed at him.

"Why didn't you just tell us you were going for cake? We could've gone with you," Yellow said, Chuchu on her shoulder narrowing her eyes at Pikachu.

Ash shrugged with exaggerated calm. "Because I wanted to surprise you all. Look, it's that citrus and berry one you kept talking about at dinner last night."

Misty blinked. "The one with the cream swirl and the marzipan flower?"

Ash nodded and opened the bag slightly to show her. "Ta-da. Still cold, too."

"…Ugh, you idiot," she muttered, cheeks faintly pink as she turned away. "You don't get to be annoying and thoughtful. It messes with my system."

Brock peeked into the bag. "Okay, but dang, that's a legit cake."

"Yep. Last one in stock too. Got lucky I got there when I did," Ash said.

Yellow looked slightly relieved. "And you didn't run into any trouble at all?"

Ash shrugged. "Define 'trouble.'"

Misty turned sharply. "Ash—"

"Okay, okay! Nothing exploded. No one fainted. Nobody's Pokémon got stolen. I wasn't chased by a Team Rocket mech or an angry Swanna."

"Wait, what was that last one?" Brock asked, trying to make sure he hadn't misheard.

"That was one time. Back when I was younger. We had a field trip to Unova. It was Swanna mating season," Ash said, scratching his cheek.

Brock looked over at Yellow. "Did that really happen?"

Yellow shrugged. "I don't know. I never went on any of the field trips out of Kanto. I was always too nervous."

Misty sighed again, rubbing her temples. "I swear, hanging out with you adds five years to my stress levels. Next time, just say cake. One word. That's all we need."

Ash gave her a salute. "Yes, ma'am. I'll file the proper dessert mission paperwork next time."

Misty sighed into her hand, and Brock looked between them. "Okay, how about we go somewhere? Maybe we could get a hotel for the night."

"Sure, I guess I'll get us one," Ash said, pulling out his phone to look.

"Nope. Not this time." Misty snatched the phone right out of his hand.

"Yeah," Brock added, taking it from her and scrolling. "You've been covering hotels for us this entire journey. It's time we return the favor."

Ash blinked. "Uh… so how much is it?"

"Nope. We're not telling you," Misty said, grinning as she pulled out three credit cards and fanned them proudly. "Besides, we talked about this. I'm rich. And—" she added, eyes sparkling, "I borrowed my sisters' cards~."

"…Have you been hanging out with Green?" Ash asked, narrowing his eyes.

"We exchanged numbers," Misty replied with a mischievous grin. "Anyway, come on." She got behind Ash and started pushing him forward.

Ash stumbled as she shoved him down the sidewalk, her grip firm.

"Alright, alright, I can walk on my own!" Ash said, laughing as he caught his balance.

"No, I'm not convinced you won't despawn the second I take my eyes off you," Misty said smugly. "Now march."

Ash rolled his eyes but smiled as he followed. "Alright, fine. Let's go."

—-

{Meanwhile}

Annie and Oakley were looking frustrated on their boat.

"Ughhh, why is this so annoying…" Oakley mumbled.

"I know!" Annie snapped, tossing a soggy granola bar wrapper across the boat. "I swear, if that boy wasn't here, we'd already have Latios and Latias in containment by now!"

Oakley leaned back in her seat, arms crossed, lips curled in irritation. "How does he keep showing up at the worst possible time? It's like he's got a sixth sense for ruining our plans."

"This is just stupid…" Annie huffed.

Oakley scowled. "We're literally professionals. I built a stealth drone with heat sensors, holographic masking, and hover fans quieter than a Butterfree sneeze! And he crushed it. With his hands."

"He didn't even flinch!" Annie growled. "Just, into the water like it was a soda can!"

They both slumped dramatically in their chairs.

"So what now?" Oakley sighed, glancing at her sister. "We can't do anything. And don't we have to go back in, like, I dunno, a week or something?"

Annie shrugged. "I dunno, you're the smart one. I'm the pretty one. You figure it out."

"Okay, one, we have the same genes, we're both hot. Second, don't you think I'm working on it? I'm clearly desperate if I'm asking you," Oakley said, waving her hand dismissively.

Before they could keep bickering, a notification pinged on their computer. They both blinked as Oakley moved over and read it aloud:

–You girls look like you need some help. Well, consider this a little gift. Have fun.--

Attached to the message was what looked like a map ,and the location it pointed to was none other than the Sacred Garden. They didn't know that, of course. All they saw were two glowing icons of Latios and Latias hovering at the end.

Oakley looked surprised, but a sly smile crept onto her face. "Well, looks like we're not out of the picture yet."

Annie peeked over Oakley's shoulder. "So who's it from? Did they ask for something? Who just gives out information like that for free?"

"Maybe we've got some secret admirers. Not like I care," Oakley said with a smirk. "What's important is, we've got a lead. So let's suit up."

—

Back with the gang, they were lounging in the shared living room of the hotel they'd rented. The cake was long gone, thoroughly enjoyed, and they were now looking at dinner plans.

Pikachu and Chuchu were sprawled out on the floor, stomachs slightly rounded from too much cream frosting. Vee was curled up next to Ash's leg on the couch, twitching a little in his sleep.

"So…" Brock said, flicking through restaurant listings on his phone, "Dinner. Are we thinking seafood? Pasta? Or do we go full tourist and hit that floating hotpot place?"

Misty was lounging sideways across the couch, arms stretched over her head. "Eh, pasta sounds good. I hear Alto Mare has a bunch of good pasta spots."

"I vote floating hotpot," Yellow said, raising her hand with a grin. "It's fun, and Chuchu likes the view."

Chuchu put her paws on her hips and nodded proudly. "Pika!"

"I'm fine with whatever. I'm just gonna get some air," Ash said, stretching as he stood and walked over to the balcony, sliding the doors open. Vee yawned but didn't stir as Ash stepped outside.

But just as Ash walked out, all of them, Misty, Brock, and Yellow included, heard the faint sound of footsteps above them, sprinting across the roof.

Ash looked up.

There, moving like shadows across the rooftops, were two familiar girls in Team Rocket uniforms.

And by uniforms, Ash meant crop tops and something like yoga pants, but it worked for them. They moved from roof to roof, like gymnasts trained in pursuit tactics. And Ash could already tell where they were headed.

Brock rushed out to stand beside him. "What was that?"

"Two girls," Ash said, eyes narrowed. "And they were definitely wearing Team Rocket gear."

Misty groaned from inside. "Oh, great… another one… Can't we have one normal vacation? I really wanted this one to be normal…"

"It's fine, Mist," Ash said casually. "I got this. It's just two girls. I'll wrap this up before the hotpot shop closes."

Ash reached for his belt and tossed a Poké Ball.

With a flash of light, Dragonair emerged, letting out a joyful cry as she slithered through the air and wrapped around Ash affectionately.

"Draaa~!"

"Yeah, it's good to see you too, Dragonair," Ash said with a grin. "But we need to fly. Think you can carry me?"

Dragonair's eyes sparkled, and she nodded enthusiastically.

"Wait, you're seriously leaving us again?" Misty said, hands on her hips.

"If you want, you can try to follow me. I won't stop you," Ash said with a teasing shrug as he began to climb onto Dragonair's back. "But she's faster, and I've only got room for one."

Misty sighed. "Yeah, well, you're not losing us that easily. Remember-" She grabbed her Pokéball and tossed it out the window. With a flash of light, Gyarados flew up into view, hovering beside the window with a wide, toothy grin.

"Huh… I sometimes forget Gyarados can fly…" Yellow mumbled.

"Well, come on," Misty said, glancing at Brock and Yellow. "Hop on, so we can make sure this idiot doesn't get into more trouble."

"Oh, I guess we're doing this…" Brock sighed.

Ash grinned as he climbed onto Dragonair's back. "Alright, Dragonair let's do this!"

With a cheerful cry, Dragonair soared into the sky, Ash holding on tight. Pikachu and Vee both leapt into his backpack, poking their heads out as the wind rushed past.

Behind them, a massive roar shook the hotel windows as Gyarados launched into the air, carrying Misty, Brock, and Yellow. Misty pointed ahead, "Follow that disaster!"

Ash looked over his shoulder and shouted, "Just try to catch me! Dragonair [Extreme Speed]!"

Dragonair glowed with brilliant energy and, in an instant, zipped forward in a blur, leaving the others behind.

Misty sighed as they were buffeted by the sudden air current. "He really just left us again…"

"Um… maybe we can catch up?" Yellow offered, trying to keep things calm. And, honestly, it kind of worked.

"Hey, Misty, I know you're, well, you, but can you calm down while we're about fifty feet off the ground?" Brock asked, clutching tightly to Gyarados's fin.

"No," Misty said flatly as she gripped tighter. "Alright, Gyarados, max speed! Let's catch up!"

Gyarados let out a purring rumble of approval and flew off over the rooftops of Alto Mare, surging in the direction Ash had gone.

—

{Meanwhile, with Annie and Oakley}

They darted across the rooftops with ease, their athleticism from childhood training keeping them light on their feet.

"They really do have a thing for terra-cotta rooftops here," Annie muttered, adjusting her step as she crouched near a chimney. "Pretty sure I've sprained my ankles on, like, five of them."

"Quit whining," Oakley whispered, landing beside her with feline grace. "We're almost there. According to the map, we should find what we're looking for soon."

The map had led them to a small woodworking shop near the canals, Lorenzo's boat workshop. Inside, the old man was quietly carving a new gondola.

Oakley gave a short command, and Espeon slinked into the shop, its paws silent.

The small purple cat entered casually. Lorenzo glanced over and smiled, thinking it was a stray. "Well, hello there," he said warmly, crouching down. "What are you doing here in my shop?"

Espeon looked up, its eyes glowing, and in an instant, Lorenzo collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

With the coast clear, Annie and Oakley slipped inside.

"This just looks like a basic boat shop. Did we get tricked?" Annie asked, glancing around suspiciously.

Oakley narrowed her eyes. "No. There has to be something else."

She started yanking open drawers, pulling out cabinets, and tossing their contents aside with mounting irritation.

Annie, meanwhile, wandered toward the back wall and leaned on it lazily. "Whatever. You're acting like a secret door's gonna-AH!"

As she leaned, the wall suddenly clicked and slid open behind her, revealing a hidden passage.

Oakley looked down at the open wall and smirked. "Huh. Look at that. Looks like your big butt came in useful after all."

Annie stumbled back and stared at the revealed tunnel. "I was joking!"

Oakley grinned. "And yet your butt still solved the puzzle. Proud of you."

Annie gave her a deadpan look but peered into the tunnel. "So… this is it, huh?"

Oakley held up the map overlay, comparing it to the passage before them. "This leads to… well, wherever they are. And I'm guessing it's something worth crashing."

"So we still don't know if this is a trap. Great…" Annie muttered, rubbing her behind. "Let's just do this. And if we die, I'm haunting you."

The sisters stepped into the passageway. What they didn't notice were three shadowy figures slipping in behind them, silently following.

After a bit of walking through the dim corridor, Annie and Oakley emerged into the hidden garden, even if it was getting dark it still looked beautiful

"This place actually looks good!" Annie said, turning in a circle. "We might as well set up our hideout here after we're done with this mission!"

Oakley surveyed the area, her sharp eyes landing on the Soul Dew glowing softly in the fountain, and nearby, the slumbering forms of Latios and Latias.

But there was something they hadn't expected.

Someone else was already there.

Bianca, still unaware, was seated at her easel, painting. When she heard footsteps, she looked up, and froze.

Standing at the edge of the clearing were two unfamiliar women in sleek black Team Rocket crop tops and tight tactical leggings. One had an Ariados crawling down her shoulder; the other was flanked by a sleek Espeon.

Annie's eyes sparkled. "Well, well. Look who's all alone in the secret garden."

Oakley smirked. "And there's the Soul Dew. Right where our mystery friend said it would be."

Bianca stumbled backward, knocking over her canvas. "Wh-who are you?! What are you doing here?!"

"Relax, sweetheart," Annie said, her voice dripping with false charm. Ariados clicked its fangs menacingly. "We're just here for a couple of pets. Hand over the Eon siblings, and no one gets webbed."

The sound of her voice stirred Latios and Latias. Latias let out a panicked chirp as her eyes opened and quickly phased in front of Bianca protectively. Latios snarled low, rising into the air, eyes narrowed.

Oakley pulled a strange capsule from her coat. "Let's not make this harder than it needs to be. We've got the gear to handle both of them—"

But then, footsteps echoed across the stone floor.

They turned.

From the side entrance, the secret path Ash had used earlier, Ash casually strolled into the clearing, stretching his arms like he'd just woken up from a nap.

Annie froze mid-step. "You?! Again?!"

Ash cracked his neck with a smirk. "Wow. You guys really don't know when to quit."

Oakley snarled. "This doesn't concern you, brat."

Ash's face shifted, casual to cold in an instant. He walked forward, stepping between Latios and Latias and gently pushing Bianca back behind him. "It does now. You're not touching them. Not today."

"Oh yeah?" Oakley snapped. "Then try this, Espeon, [Shadow Ball]!"

Espeon lifted its head, charging a glowing green orb between its ears.

Pikachu and Vee, now on Ash's shoulders, exchanged unimpressed looks. Honestly, after all that cake, they were hoping for something a bit tougher. A light warm-up? Sure. This barely counted.

Ash didn't even blink. "Don't worry, guys. Just a little warm-up." And then, he snapped his fingers.

From the place Ash walked out from, Dragonair dashed out again, flying quickly before Espeon could launch the attack with an [Extreme Speed], tackling into the purple cat-fox.

Oakley's eyes widened. "What the—?!"

"You really thought you could just waltz into this place and take them?" Ash said coolly, stepping forward. His eyes narrowed.

"Get the Soul Dew while he's talking!" Annie shouted, flinging a command toward Ariados.

But before the spider Pokémon could even move, Vee shot forward with a [Quick Attack]. He skidded under Ariados, kicking the bug in the gut and launching it into the air. Pikachu followed up, leaping with [Iron Tail] and comboed it, slamming the spider into the ground again.

Oakley and Annie blinked as this was happening, and it didn't even look like Ash was taking this seriously. He just snapped his fingers one more time. "Dragonair."

Dragonair flew up and spun her body, shooting out a weak [Twister], catching Oakley and Annie plus their two Pokémon, and making them fall into a pile, all dizzy.

Dragonair flew over to Ash, looking for praise, as Ash rubbed her head. "Good work, you did just perfect."

Meanwhile, Bianca, Latios, and Latias were still watching, surprised at what just happened. Was that really it?

Bianca raised her hand. "Uhh…"

But Ash shook his head and grabbed a rope from his bag. "Come on, we can do all the thanks later. For now, let's tie these two up and send them to the police."

"Oh… yeah, that's a good point, actually," Bianca said as she walked over and took the rope from Ash's hand and started helping him.

And Ash thought this was it. He stopped the whole staff of the movie, so he let his guard down as he had his back to the door. Meanwhile, Pikachu, Vee, and Dragonair were over with Latios and Latias.

So he didn't see when there were more people at the entrance, and they pulled out something and pointed it at Ash's back and over at the Pokémon, and pulled the trigger.

Suddenly, Ash got hit in the back and felt like he just got shocked, making him fall over on the ground. He was awake, but he couldn't move his body. And over with the Pokémon, a net opened from the pellet that grabbed all of them and immediately closed.

Obviously, they tried to break out, but the net looked like it was made of something, because Pikachu tried to use a [Thunderbolt], but the net absorbed it and ended up shocking all of them. And that was extra bad because of Pikachu's mutation, 'Legendary Killer.'

So it was extra bad for Latios and Latias, they stopped flying altogether.

Over at the door, three people came in. The one in the middle looked like he was wearing mechanic's clothes. He had goggles and he was bald, but the strangest thing was that he was walking on all fours like he was an ape.

The other two standing next to him, the ones that took the shot, were wearing the same thing. It was a uniform that almost looked like armor, and they had a logo that Ash recognized. And when he saw it, his pupils widened.

It was Cipher, and the one in the lead was none other than one of their Admins Gorigan.