The Path of Sacrifice 2: Angel's Hunt

AN: If you're reading this for the first time, it's the second book in my trilogy. Please go back and read through this first: http://anime.adult-fanfiction.org/story.php?no=600045710

AN: Also, to my loyal fans, I'm sorry this took forever to post. I actually had to do research, since my memory of Johto is way back with Pokemon Crystal. Now, I don't condone it, but I am using a ROM. I tried looking all over the online used goods website for my town, scoured the shops and stores, and STILL found no pokemon Crystal. I also have a hard time reading maps and none of them are labeled. Lol. So yeah. Whee. Chapter 1 of part 2 is finally here.

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Gary sighed. Angel hadn't said anything the entire train ride. She just sat there, staring out the window, eyes glazed over like a week old cake. It was like someone unplugged TV of Angel, like she was shutting off. The scary thing was, that's exactly what was happening to her. Moonlight was her baby, and she had to leave him behind. He hadn't dared say anything yet; but now, they were minutes from goldenrod, and she needed to be snapped out of it. She had to be forceful with the rockets, and aware enough to stand up for herself.

“Angel, we're almost there...One of the first things we should do is go talk to Professor Elm, and introduce ourselves. He might be a valuable contact...Angel, are you listening?” Gary frowned. She hadn't looked up, hadn't nodded, and hadn't given any sign that she was paying any attention at all. “Okay, I get that you're upset about Moonlight, and in any other situation, I would let you mope – But this whole going after you know who was all your idea, and you gotta focus here. It might be their fault that Moonlight is the way he is now. Come ON, Angel. Smarten up now.” he snapped, his tone rather irritated. She blinked a couple times, glancing up at him in surprise. “Angel. Moonlight isn't dead. He isn't gone for ever. He isn't even very far away. He could be stolen, or run off, or killed. He's just with Grampa for a while. You can stop moping any day now.” Usually, Angel would likely have snapped at him, given him a few bits of her mind, or gotten very angry. No one spoke to her like that, not ever. But this time, unfortunately, he was right. Moonlight wasn't gone forever; he just was getting the help he needed. Something was wrong with Moonlight, and he had to be treated. Gary was right in all senses of the word, as cold as his words had been. Heaving a large sigh, Angel shook her heas as the train slowed to a stop in Goldenrod City.

“There's a Gym Leader here, but the first one is back in Violet City.” she begun, her voice sounding hollow and dull. “We'll go and try to get a lead from the morons in the radio tower once we run and see Professor Elm. He might know a bit about what the Rockets are up to. I doubt it, but we still need that link, just in case anything happens. Something tells me they aren't going to just up and kill Giovanni; that would be far too obvious, and wouldn't work long. They need to take over with Giovanni signing them in as new leaders. So, we have time. If I'm wrong, I have a new role to fit in to. Either way, it'll work itself out.”

Gary nodded, not entirely sure what to say. She was more than a little broken, that was definite; but, something still drove her; something still kept her heart beating. What, he wasn't sure.

“Anarchy, go! Fly us to New Bark Town!” Angel commanded, releasing the giant bird.
“Aero?...” Anarchy squawked, tilting his head in confusion. Where?
“Angel, he's never been there. How can he fly somewhere he's never been? Call him back, Dodrio can run us there.” Frowning faintly as Gary tossed out the ball, Angel recalled Anarchy. Obviously, this whole flying business was going to be a bit more awkward now that Anarchy had no clue where he was going. It hadn't occurred to her that he'd never been to Johto at all.
“Drio!” the near six foot tall bird exclaimed, the three heads looking all over the place as if seeking out possible enemies.
“Dodrio, Nnew Bark Town! We're going to Elm's Lab!” he spoke, saddling himself up bareback. Angel blinked a couple times, but sat herself behind Gary. She could hardly fit, being as the Pokemon's body was more round than anything else, which made her hold on to Gary a little tigher than she should have. It didn't help much when the Dodrio bounded over the sudowoodo blocking the path northeast of Goldenrod.

“At least now Anarchy can fly us back here...” she muttered, the odd bouncy gait of the bird making her wobble about. This was why she wanted a larger bird type, with actual wings, not long spindly legs and three heads. At least the bird was fast, she noted, as the surroundings whipped by in a blur. Sharp turns left, sharp turns right, bounces and wobbles – it was enough to make a person sick – Angel from all the movement, and Gary from the abdominal near strangulation from his nervous girlfriend.
“Angel! Angel...You're...hurting..meeee...” he chirped, moving a hand from his grasp on Dodrio's feathers to her death grip on his stomach. “You'll be fine....Just....let go...please.” Angel blushed faintly; she hadn't realized she had grabbed him so tightly.
“Sorry, Gary – this whole running thing isn't going over very well with me. I'll be fine. Are we nearly there?” Gary nodded in response. Ironically, the dodrio slid to a stop.
“Drio!” the middle head chirped, as the other two began to graze on the grasses of New Bark Town.
“Know what?” Angel started, sliding off the bird with a rather less than elegant stumble. “I've made a decision.”
“Mmm? What's that?” he replied, calling the Dodrio back to it's ball.
“I'm going to start this region fresh. I'm replacing my team with all Johto Pokemon. Not all at once, obviously I'll have to replace and train one at a time. But, if I have to shelf Umbreon for now, I might as well get and train some new pokemon. Besides, it's time these guys had a break. I'm sure Professor Oak will take good care of them.”
“Are you sure, Angel? I mean, you could barely handle leaving Moonlight behind.”
“That's because he was my first one. My baby. You still have your first, Gary.” Gary let a tender finger fall subconciously to his Umbreon's ball. She would still be sore, stiff, and injured from Moonlight's near killing attack. “Besides; I'm letting them go one by one. But enough dawdling; let's go see Elm.” Gary shook his head. It was obvious to him that she was ignoring her feelings. But, he wasn't about to correct that – she needed some semblance of concentration – as long as she didn't break down in the middle of razzing the Rockets for information.

Gary sighed inwardly, and clasped his hand on the door to Elm's Lab. Would he ever get laid again? Shaking his head, he pushed open the door, and followed by Angel, stepped inside. As his eyes adjusted to the change in light, a creepy silence fell over the room. Someone hushed someone else, and two other people ducked behind the bookshelf.

“Wh-what do you want with us?!” a maturer male voice called out. Angel's eyes darted over to a younger-looking 30 someodd man with brown hair and a lab coat, cowering behind his desk – which also held three pokeballs. “You can't have my pokemon! I won't let them be slaves to your evil deeds!” Angel and Gary exchanged glances. What on earth?
“Hey hey whoa whoa! We're not here to steal your pokemon!” she exclaimed, raising her hands in a sort of 'I surrender' pose.
“Like hell you're not! What about THIS?” he barked in an accusatory voice, reaching onto his table to grasp a stack of newsprint. He tossed it over, letting it land before her on the ground.

***
NEW ROCKET BOSS-TO-BE SWEEPS LEAGUE, TAKES CHAMPIONSHIP
***

Was the title to the first one. Under it was a poorly shot image of her and Gary through a league window, with Moonlight grasping the Umbreon in his jaws. Her lips fell open; how dare they?!
“And and, what about THIS huh?”

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NEW LADYBOSS VANISHES FROM KANTO WITH THE GYM LEADERS!
***

Angel's heart sank. Her mind flew back when she first saw Giovanni; he had kidnapped Oak, Misty, and Brock. She'd ordered the release of Oak, assuming the others would be as well, and she'd halfly not even cared. But, now it seemed like them vanishing was her fault.
“I know how this looks, but you've got to believe me, I mean you no harm. I have no clue where the Gym Leaders are! I didn't even know they were missing!”
“Bollocks you mean us no harm! You're not taking my pokemon!” Angel huffed a huge sigh. He wasn't listening. He was half scared out of his mind, but still.
“Look. Here.” she barked, unclipping her pokemon from her belt. She dropped the five balls on the floor, as Gary did the same. She then stepped away from them, raising her hands once again in the ' surrender' pose. “Do you believe me now? My pokemon are on the floor. I'm too young and inexperienced to even consider carrying any weapons. I'm not here to hurt you or your pokemon; I'm here to ask you for your help. Call Professor Oak; Gary is his grand son.” The aides had all pressed themselves against the walls, and one had been inching towards the door. The last thing they needed was a panic.
“You!” Gary exclaimed, pointing at the poor terrified woman. “Call Professor Oak and see that we're telling the truth!” Elm glanced at her, exchanged confused glances, then nodded. Shivering, the woman slid over to the video phone. After a pause after punching in a set of numbers, Oak's face appeared.
“Elm! What can I – Oh, it's an aide...What can I help you with?”
“W-we have a girl from team r-rocket here, says the o-other one is y-your Grandson...D-do you know them?” The girl moved from before the camera, shaking like a leaf, and let the lens fall on the two in the background. Recognition took over the worry on Oak's face.
“Yes, I do! They're exactly as they say! I'm glad they went to you first, Elm. Now listen up, I have much to tell you....”

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AN: Yeah, short. It's all I have time for right now :)