The Path of Sacrifice

Mizuru007: Thank you! And we shall see.

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The whole trip back from the Sevii Islands, Angel nor Gary said a word. George of course was as talkative as Cockneys get; though, neither seemed to notice much. The two trainers were far too overwhelmed with the news of Angel's new position within the Rockets to bother talking about much of anything. George was too excited to stay quiet. He'd had no idea that the teenage girl who throttled Giovanni with her pokemon would get this far in the group; nor did he have any clue that she would last this long. He knew it essentially would mean the end of the Rockets as they were, but it also meant new beginnings – a non crime syndicate, an organization doing good things, instead of bad. It was both exciting, and sickening. Crime had been all he knew.

“D'y' spose anyone will stay on 'en?” he nattered on, as the trio disembarked once again in Viridian City. “I guess a collection will – they're bound to. Most'll take off, but I think some will be excited about a new leaf. Y'gonnna stay on too 'en, right? If y'disband 'em Rockets, 'at's the end of it...But if y'stay on, 'en in a few weeks, y'll be rollin' innit, won'tcha? Not 'sif money's all y'r'after, though. What're y'r plans with us, 'n?” Heaving a large internal sigh, Angel resisted rolling her eyes. She had far too much running through her head to bother entertaining George; but he had been so exceptionally nice to them – shooting herself in the foot with him wasn't likely a good idea.

“I am not sure. First though I'll release all the illegallt obtained pokemon, and the legitimate pokemon will go to Professor Oak for a new trainer giveaway business. Either than that, I haven't really had time to think about it.”

“Yea – but, the press's gonna want a press conference, what since half the region got that email. It's on'y a matter of of time before the citizens will get rowdy without knowin' anything.”

“We can't let on yet that Gio is missing though,” Gary interjected. “Not so soon after sending that email. Everyone will think it's falsified, and that Angel planned the whole thing. We have to keep this quiet for now, keep searching for him, and announce his disappearance as far away from today as possible, so we don't arouse suspicion. Everyone will think it's a take over scheme.” George frowned, nodding. He hadn't thought of that. Not to mention that Giovanni hadn't actually sent it – they had only found the draft, and had sent it themselves. If anyone found out about that, well, then they could all be arrested for fraud.

“Yea – I guess. Well, I'd better get back to base; people will have a lot of questions. I've gotta tell 'em somethin'. Specially why you're still about, what since you're 'sposed to be dead. You've got lots to tell your Professor, maybe he will know sommat about Gio.”

* * * * *

After a long explanation to Oak about everything, the old man was left frowning with puzzled thought. “I'm sorry to say,” he muttered, “but I haven't the foggiest clue where they took him, and I frankly don't really care – he isn't the nicest of humans.”

“That isn't the point – its the principle of it.” Angel rebutted, crossing her arms over her chest. “Some people disagree with training pokemon, others disagree with pokemon research – no matter what a person does in their life doesn't make them more or less deserving of life. Does it, Professor.” Again, Oak frowned.

“I suppose you're right – it's not our choice who dies. But we can help chose who lives. I will do some asking around, but don't give your hopes up, hmm? Might even try asking a few rockets about those three executives – if anyone has seen them around in the last while – find their day planners, talk to their secretaries – I wouldn't be surprised if you found a lead.”

“Thanks, Professor.” Angel replied, nodding faintly. Off to the base next, it seemed. What she would unfold, she didn't know. “I guess that's where I will start digging.”

* * * * *

“Where abouts are the executives today? I have to check over some order lists with them.” Angel spoke to a blonde secretary, whom was boredly filing her nails on the bottom floor of the Hideout.

“You mean Joe Brian and Alex? Yeah that's top class, missy. No grunts, in other words...” she replied in a dull, bored tone. Nothing about her looked intelligent; nothing whatsoever.

“Oh, she isn't a grunt.” George volunteered. He'd tagged along with them the moment they got back to the base. “She's an Admin, so I'd answer the question.”

“Right. An Admin with no staff badge. Sure, whatever you say...” she mumbled, not moving an inch. Gary frowned, pulling his bag off his shoulders. After a bit of manouvering, he pulled out the tops of the outfits they were given. Thankfully, they were styled differently than the grunt shirts.

“Would we have these in our bags? No. Did you ever stop to think that our badges might still be being made? Now, where are the executives?” Rolling her eyes, the woman flopped her nail file on her desk, and leaned forward.

“Look. I have no idea where they are. I was told to make up reasons why they couldn't be reached, and to clear their roster for a week. I have no emergency contact numbers, okay? Nothing. So Admin or not, I can't tell you a thing. Happy now?” Angel frowned. Something told her that she was lying.

“No. You're hiding something.” she spoke, point blank. “Either you tell me what you know, exactly, or I will make sure both you and your pokemon understand not to cross me again.”

“Right. What you gonna do to me? Might make my pokemon faint, but you can't touch me.” she scoffed, flipping her blond hair behind her shoulder. Angel smelled this challenge a mile away.

“Really. Think so, do you? Send your best out.”

“I only have one – but that's all I'll need. You're only an Admin becasue you have a pussy, and I bet you slept with Giovanni to get that title. Go Victreebel!” the sluttilly dressed woman spoke, tossing out an ultra ball.

“Want to talk about someone sleeping around to get her job? You must be talking from experience. Go Slaughter! Flamethrower!” The young girl's lips fell open as the fire fox appeared and let loose a rather hot beam of fire at her precious newly evolved pokemon. Gary raised a brow. Angel was gettting a bit more vicious and Admin-like. He wasn't entirely sure if he liked this or not. As the grass-type's eyes went swirly, it's trainer called it back, her mouth remaining agape. After recalling Slaugher, Angel strode over, and swiped the Ultra Ball from the girl's hand. “Now. Care to tell me everything, or do I need to make sure you understand exactly why I'm not questioned?”

“Fuck.” the blond cursed, crossing her arms over her chest. “JOE gave me that pokemon.”

“I bet you sucked hard for it too hmm? So are you not going to answer me?” Angel replied, copying the stubborn arms-crossed pose.

“That was my only pokemon!” Angel shook her head. Stupid bitch either honestly didn't know anything, didn't think she would actually issue a punishment, or was far too loyal to her trio of bosses. “Fine. Look. They went to Johto. Why, I don't know. Now give me my goddamn pokemon back.”

“No. GUARDS!” Angel spoke, waving at a pair of grunts whom were snickering to themselves a few doors down over the scene. They jogged over. “Take her to the harem. She likes sucking her bosses for favors, so let's make her suck everyone to keep her life.”

“You fucking BITCH!” the blond barked, spitting at Angel. Moonlight snarled as the fluid struck his trainer in the face. An insane burning anger took over his entire body. She insulted his human. The grunts took little notice of Moonlight, and took the blond in an arm bar from behind her desk, and dragged her along the hallway. It was easy, even through her struggling. She couldn't move much in the arm bar.

“No – YOU'RE the fucking bitch now. The fucking bitch of the whole fleet. Come on Gary, looks like our path is leading us out of country. George, consider yourself promoted to Admin. You're in charge back here. We're off to earn ourselves a ticket to Johto – and with it, a few steps closer to Gio.”

* * * * *

All of them had fallen. It hadn't taken long, either. Not since all her pokemon had been trained as hard as Angel's had.

“Well, here it is...” Angel muttered, staring up at the arena building before her, as she used the last Full Restore on her team. “This is the only way to get to Johto without spending millions. Not since the trains let the Champions on for free. Its the only way though.”

“Yeah,” Gary agreed. “We both knew this day would come – I knew you would destroy the elite four. I just hope whichever of us loses doesn't get too mad. Are you ready, Angel? I won't go easy on you – I'll fight just as hard to beat you as I did against Ash. Six on Six, we'll both start with our Umbreons. No Scanner. Deal?”

“Deal.” Angel nodded, as Moonlight stepped forward. He didn't want to hurt his pokemon, but it seemed he had no choice – and for Angel, he'd fight his hardest.

“ALRIGHT, GO UMBREON! FAINT ATTACK!”

“MOONLIGHT, HYPER BEAM!”

Exactly timed together, both dark pokemon flew at the other, starting their respective attacks. Only one could win the fight. Moonlight's Hyper Beam flew out just as the female Umbreon began to fade...

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AN: Okay. I promise a FULL E4 fight in this some time, but not today, and not this chapter. R and R please! Feed me!