Sometimes I think I should have gone with a Charmander or a Riolu… But then I wouldn't be able to make ham and shaving jokes, so I'm glad I stuck with the pig. 2016 beat the crap out of me, but here's the final episode. The author's note at the end is actually somewhat important. Please look at it.

I don't own Pokemon.

Episode 37

The Fang of Winter

XXX

The dinosaur's yelp of pain made the trainer flinch and his Piloswine's eyes dart toward his injured friend. Abomasnow's eyes lit up as he cocked an arm back. "Stay focused!" the trainer snapped at his partner. The Piloswine whirled back around while spitting a gust of wind. Abomasnow flinched, making his blow soar above the crouching boar before the giant backpedaled from a jab of icy tusks.

Abomasnow is being pushed this much? "Pour as much energy as you can into the Hypnosis," Silver ordered. Jira retracted his claws slowly, dragging Willow along with them. The Ivysaur sent her vines out to grab an anchor, but Umbreon was there to bat them away. Myza floated her pendulum in front of Ivysaur's eyes. Pink eyes widened in alarm, then began to droop as though holding her eyelids up took a great effort.

"Seed Bomb from your flower!" A tiny seed shot out of the pink flower before crashing into the hatchery's wall. It exploded, making Willow's eyes snap open. Damn him! He interrupted the Hypnosis with sound!? Myza recalled her pendulum with a flick of her wrist while Jira tightened his grip on the Ivysaur's hind legs to the point of drawing blood, which drew a wince. "Reflect, Myza!"

"Mist!" Luke ordered.

Jira, yank her in!" Silver commanded.

"Sleep!" the trainer snapped. The Ivysaur pushed against the ground with a vine so that her flower was pointed toward Silver's team. Jira took a step back as his claws released Willow.

"Widen!" Silver countered. Myza expanded her barrier to engulf the three of them. The Ivysaur landed on the barrier on all fours, making Myza and Silver's eyes widen. His partner raised a claw while Myza made the portion of the barrier over the Armaldo dissolve. Willow leaped away from the appendage with a startled squawk. Jira spat a stream of concentrated water into her side, sending the saurian spinning end over end shrieking. "Instinct!" A silver orb hit the ground beneath her before she crashed. Rather than the crack he expected, Willow sank into the place she landed.

What? "Focus the barrier on our left and shoot it out!" Silver barked. The Hypno waved her claw, shifting the energy of the Reflect to their left. It shot out before it was hammered by a howling gust of wind. The Reflect cracked, Jira pulled Silver behind him, then the cold fell upon them. The Hypno shrieked as the icy wind washed over her. She wilted beneath the cold's onslaught. A roar akin to the Icy Wind's howl sounded, then the Piloswine rammed Myza's side and threw her yards through the air. She landed in front of the Hatchery with a thud. The Hypno gave no cry of pain. Silver's world froze until Jira shrieked.

Piloswine snapped to the Armaldo with reflexes as sharp as the Ivysaur's, though he was still too big to dodge the silver orb Jira blasted at him. The boar grunted as he was forced onto his injured side. Jira's gaze took on a dark glint as he fired a pincer at the boar's vulnerable throat. A seed fell upon the outstretched limb and exploded, making Silver recoil and Jira shriek. The Armaldo retracted his limb with his pincer no longer attached to it. Ivysaur! Where the hell is Umbreon?

Piloswine rolled to stand before a blade of ice was planted where his throat was. Abomasnow strode to stand across the boar with his left side facing his foe, so as to provide a smaller target. Gore took a few steps to the left to create space between himself and the Hatchery. "Jira," Silver whispered as he recalled Myza. The Armaldo glanced down at him. The redheaded Rocket pointed to Ivysaur who looked to be searching for Umbreon. She must have been frustrated. She was at Abomasnow's back, but was unable to assist her teammate without finishing Umbreon. Now's our chance. Jira tensed, Piloswine twitched, and the Rocket knew what was coming.

The Ivysaur squeaked, scrambling out of the softened sand she was in. Umbreon exploded from the earth and swiped at the saurian with a silver tail that Willow barely avoided. A vine lashed out, slashing the fox Pokemon across her eye. Umbreon howled while instinctively releasing the lunar energy she'd stored to close the wound. Her rings took on a deep golden hue as the wound began to close. The Ivysaur whipped at Umbreon's left flank, which the vixen leaped over comfortably. Willow angled her pink flower and shot green dust at her foe. Umbreon barked, blasting a black wave of energy that dispersed the cloud. The Ivysaur moved back a step, making the Snarl to detonate harmlessly before blasting several glowing seeds faster too at Umbreon's chest. The vixen sidestepped two of the projectiles, and clenched her jaw as she weathered the last three Bullet Seeds. Silver could already see damp patches spreading on Umbreon's chest.

Her reaction to Umbreon coming out right under her wasn't fake, so she probably hasn't fought a Pokemon with Dig before. How did she decide the perfect move to use the moment she landed? She couldn't have! Which means Ivysaur must have visualized that entire exchange in the time Umbreon was underground! The young trainer, who had taken refuge behind a boulder, smirked.

Silver patted his partner's armored shoulder. Jira crouched before edging around Abomasnow and the Piloswine's duel. Silver grimaced when the boar took a Mega Punch to the jaw that doubtlessly made bones creak. The swine squealed as he was lifted onto his hind legs by the blow, and Abomasnow cocked another glowing fist back. Piloswine responded by bringing his front hooves down on Abomasnow's chest with a crack, throwing the roaring giant to the ground with such force his roar was cut off. The swine's tusks glowed the moment his front legs landed before he lunged at the downed beast. Abomasnow snarled and kicked Piloswine's snout with his enormous green foot, making the boar Pokemon retreat while shaking his head vigorously and growling.

Silver and Jira took several steps toward the Hatchery, but it wasn't necessary, Piloswine was entirely focused on his opponent. When they reached the Hatchery's side, Silver held up a hand. Jira opened and closed his pincers. The Rocket flattened himself against the wall. After a moment, even the sound of of his own breathing was lost to Silver as his heart began to pound in his ears again.

Willow and Umbreon crouched. They both knew a physical confrontation between Abomasnow and Piloswine's could go on for an hour at the worst. The ones who would decide this battle, perhaps even the fate of Pallet itself, would be these Pokemon. And they both realize it. Willow inched closer, then Umbreon barked a black wave of energy at her. The saurian raced around it with ease, only to be greeted with another Snarl that she was forced to jump over. Umbreon's yellow eyes gleamed triumphantly as the vixen exploded with the white sheen of Quick Attack surrounding her.

The Ivysaur squeaked before wrapping her vines around a branch of the tree next to the Hatchery. She yanked herself out of the attack's path, but Umbreon had predicted the move. The vixen leaped, landing on the Hatchery walls with all four paws. Umbreon blasted a thin black beam at the airborne dinosaur. Willow squeaked before yanking herself to the tree. Umbreon swung her neck around, the Ivysaur scrambled further out on her branch, which made the Dark Pulse hit the branch. The saurian squawked as her foothold was melted through. Willow glanced up at the tree, seeing no branches sturdy enough, she sent her vines to the earth to slow her fall.

Umbreon barked a black wave that swept the squeaking saurian's vines out from under her. Umbreon surged her foe with black energy engulfing her tail. One of Willow's vines darted back to the tree's trunk and shoved the Ivysaur out of the vixen's path. Umbreon skidded to a stop and looked up to find a pink flower pointing at her. A seed was fired from the flower as the vixen's eyes widened in horror.

The seed detonated, drawing a pained shriek from the vixen a moment before its master hit the ground and bounced. The trainer's eyes lit up in a predatory manner that reminded him of Piloswine when the Ivysaur flipped to her feet. Umbreon pushed herself to her feet, then a green whip slapped her left flank and drew a red line in her side. The vixen squeaked, stumbling to right herself while another vine wrapped around Umbreon midsection and yanked her to the ground. "Finish her," the trainer ordered in a tone that reminded Silver of Piloswine's icy gust.

Crouching again while yellow energy gathered at her maw, the saurian narrowed her eyes. "Ray, now!" Luke shouted, making the trainer from Pallet flinch. Umbreon's golden eyes snapped open as she blasted a ghostly orb at her foe. The Ivysaur's eyes widened in alarm.

"Shut your eyes!" the trainer snapped. Willow hurried to follow the order, but couldn't complete before the ghostly ball burst. The saurian shrieked and attempted to cover her eyes with her paws. Umbreon wriggled out of the vine wrapped around her leg and angled her mouth toward her torso. "Whip and grab!" The Ivysaur lashed out at the Umbreon's chest, hitting her paw and making her squeak. Willow's other vine joined the first around the vixen's midsection before yanking her to the ground. Yellow energy began to form in her maw again. The Ivysaur's limbs shook while her Solarbeam flickered. Silver tensed, his hand slowly lowering.

"Pulse!" Luke snapped, paling slightly. Umbreon panted and black energy formed in her maw.

"Willow, move!" the trainer screamed. Pink eyes fluttered open as a black beam was fired. The Ivysaur shifted her weight to her right side, which made the beam run along her side. Silver flinched when the beam melted into the Hatchery's wall not two yards from where they were standing. The redheaded Rocket flipped back to the fight, and sucked in a breath sharply. The portion of the Ivysaur's left flank between her flower and her legs was now a deep red. The Dark pulse had melted off her hide and cauterized a portion of the wound. Willow's eye twitched before her legs gave out. With their mistresses will to fight gone, the vines retracted.

The Piloswine froze, allowing Abomasnow to land a Mega Punch on his snout that sent the boar backpedaling. Piloswine rolled away from a Seed Bomb only to be greeted by another punch to his forehead. "Willow, don't give up! Everyone's counting on you! Come on, you've gathered more than enough energy! One last Solarbeam and Umbreon's done!" the trainer encouraged while he began to sweat.

"Umi," Luke called, making the vixen's ears perk up, "Stand up." Umbreon panted as she forced herself to her feet. She swayed for a moment, seeming as though a strong breeze could be all that was necessary to finish her, before steadying herself. Silver placed a hand on Jira's shoulder. The Armaldo lowered his pincers. It's over now.

"A Venusaur is..." Silver and Luke snapped to the trainer, who had shut his eyes. "More than just the strongest of all the grass-types in Kanto. For millions of years, Venusaur have fought every predator that's ruled the land and sky!" Silver exhaled sharply when the Ivysaur managed to wiggle her right paw beneath herself. "The strength that allowed them to survive when even Tyrantrum died, flows through your veins! What's an Umbreon compared to that?" The vine on the saurian's right side pushed her up while the left vine steadied her.

"Umi, Ray, now!" Luke roared while reaching into his pocket. The vixen inhaled, shutting her eyes, then a ghostly orb half the size of the first formed in her mouth. The Ivysaur took a half step back. Sensing weakness, Umbreon snarled with a ferocity that sent a shiver down his spine before shooting the Confuse Ray.

The orb was dispersed with a crack as vine slapped it. Umi took a step back, her front left leg shaking with the effort of holding her. "All Gore needs to win is a single opening! Your Vine Whip is more than enough to give him that!" Panting heavily, the Ivysaur began to gather yellow energy, that began to shift to the gold of a mastered Solarbeam. Jira took a step, his breath quickening as a fear learned over a hundred million years ago consumed him. But her last Solarbeam was yellow! The first Solarbeam was golden because the Mega Stone helps the Pokemon control their power better briefly. Now that the stone's has steadied, her control over her attacks she shouldn't be greater than normal. Silver's blood froze. Unless, she's mastering the move in a battle!?

"Snarl!" The Umbreon hacked black energy that dispersed mere feet from here. Umi swayed before taking another step away from the saurian that made her injured leg buckle. "Dig!" the admin barked.

"Finish her! Solarbeam!" the trainer roared. He noted the gathered energy shone so brightly it created a large shadow beneath Willow, then the Ivysaur fired her ultimate attack. Gold engulfed the world for a moment before a thunderous crash obscured all other sound. The Rocket uncovered his eyes. Silver gaped, the impressive tree the Ivysaur climbed had been reduced to a stump. Beyond the stump, Silver found what remained of the tree's top. The tree's midsection was now little more than scattered bark and twigs.

Umi was lying on her side. Her every inhale was arduous and her exhales seemed even more of a punishment. The vixen's eyes were shut, but she had no new injuries. Silver looked to the trainer, then to Luke. The Admin sighed while their foe had paled. What? Jira clicked, his breathing evening out. Willow swayed before falling on her right side. A small stake was embedded within her left flank. Yards away, Abomasnow stood with his arm still extended.

Piloswine squealed furiously as he swiped at the squawking brown birds clawing at his hide. Silver's eyes widened. That's right! Some of the higher-ups are given flying-types in case things take a turn for the worse! He glanced at Luke. He reached into his pockets after he ordered that last Confuse Ray, it must have been then. Abomasnow eyed the dinosaur with respect. "Kill them. The boy and the Ivysaur," Luke ordered as he narrowed his green eyes. Silver recoiled while the trainer only clenched his teeth. He's not a member of the League, or a Master, so why? Is this how the Kanto Rockets operate? Abomasnow reached for his maw.

I have to at least try! "Sir, Ivysaur is an incredibly rare Pokemon and she's well trained! She-"

"Will die today," the Admin interrupted in a tone that brokered no argument. The white giant procured a seed from his mouth. Willow whimpered and attempted to push herself up. Abomasnow placed it atop one of his fingers and flicked. The seed flew high before descending at the immobile dinosaur. The seed was merely feet above the Ivysaur, and the trainer was by her side scooping her up. He dove, then the seed exploded in a yellow flash. They hit the ground before skidding and rolling to a stop.

Silver exhaled heavily, his shoulders slumping. There's no way anyone will get here in time to save them, not with Abomasnow and Luke around. If they don't just finish them now. "Jira we're calling for an Abra. It's time to head back-" His partner froze while Abomasnow spun. Panting, the Rocket turned. Piloswine stood still as a stone while he stared at his partner and teammate. Oddly, the Pidgeotto opted to fly back instead of pressing their advantage. The boar's tusks began to glimmer beneath the evening sun. Abomasnow spat another Seed Bomb, then Piloswine gave a roar that crashed over Silver with the force of a blizzard's gust.

His bones aching while the hair on the back of his neck rose, Silver could only stare at the growing layer of frost beneath the boar's feet. The Seed Bomb neared Piloswine before a white beam shot from the boar's tusk, making the bomb detonate harmlessly. That's Ice Fang's second function! Piloswine snarled and shook his massive head vigorously before taking a step forward. Abomasnow bared his teeth and matched the boar's step. "Wha-" Silver cried as an arm wrapped around his middle before darting around the two to take cover behind the boulder the trainer had used moments ago. As he dashed, Jira spat an Ancient Power into the boulder to reinforce their shield. Looking over his partner's shoulder, Silver saw Piloswine's midsection heaving, his nostrils flaring, his hooves stamping with enough force to send tremors through the earth, and his gaze utterly without reason, and understood. It's a blood rage! They ducked behind the shield with Jira in front of Silver.

Abomasnow hissed and Piloswine roared before the Rocket heard the thud of two enormous bodies colliding. The vibrations of the struggle intensified as Abomasnow roared again in fury. An explosion was followed by a cloud of dust large enough to be seen over the boulder even crouched as low as he was. Ice washed over their shield as the temperature lowered to the point Silver began to shiver. Jira wrapped himself around the Rocket, to no avail. Howling gusts of wind as fierce as any hurricane's clashed. "Cowards!" Luke roared. "Come down and fight!" Abomasnow snarled, then Silver's shield exploded. The Rocket rolled before his partner fell where he'd been sitting. Coughing, he covered his eyes from the sudden burst of dust that enveloped them. Jira rolled onto his side with a wave of his pincer, making the dust clear.

The white giant gave a clumsy Mega Punch that Piloswine dodged by rearing back onto his hind legs. Abomasnow spat glowing seeds into the boar's belly, making him squeal and backpedal two steps, then Piloswine fell into a crouch that sent another clumsy Mega Punch over him. The boar's weight shifted back as Abomasnow brought a fist over his head. The boar lunged, plunging both of his icy tusks into the white giant's broad chest. Abomasnow froze, Luke screamed, and Silver's eyes widened in disbelief before a white beam shaped like an arrow burst through Abomasnow's back.

Piloswine jerked his tusks free, which dyed parts of the giant's broad chest red with his own blood. He stood there for a moment his chest heaving, his pupils returning to their natural state, and his every pant exhaling small bursts of frost. Then he turned to Luke. The Rocket Admin stared and Silver reached into his pocket as the boar advanced. Yanking the small square out, the redhead pressed its sole pink button. An Abra specifically trained to specialize in Teleportation materialized in a pink flash. Thank you grandpa.

A shadowy orb raced toward Piloswine before exploding in his face. The boar squealed while shaking his head vigorously as he thrashed. Umbreon was by Luke's side in a flash, panting. The vixen's wounds had closed, and she looked a single blow away from unconsciousness, but she stood her ground. Luke reached into his own pocket, calling an Abra to his side. Piloswine sniffed and snarled as he turned back to Luke while blinking rapidly.

Jira fell to his knees while Abra fell as though something heavy had fallen upon him. What the hell? An unseen force fell upon Silver as though gravity had intensified. Silver fell to a knee, panting. The Fog? No, it's not as strong as hers and this doesn't feel as ominous as a ghost-type's power! By Luke's side, Umbreon stiffened and her legs began to shake. Piloswine snorted in a manner Silver believed was smug.

Luke paled before reaching into his pocket, doubtlessly to press the remote that would signal retreat.

"Abra," Silver panted, "Abra you've got to get up now! We need to leave immediately!" Jira snapped to him. "I gave James a square too! And told Chermaine's Whirl about it!" Jira clicked in understanding before tapping his Pokeball and being consumed by a scarlet light. A roar reminiscent of stones grinding against one another came from behind him, making Silver's Abra flip around. "We don't have time!" He shook its shoulder, but Abra ignored him. Luke swallowed while his Umbreon and the Abra by his side trembled.

Over two-hundred yards beyond the trees, stood a snake of steel. It roared as its foe rose from the bay. Silver felt a chill works its way down his spine. From the Pallet Bay, a Gyarados emerged with water falling down his blue scales like a waterfall. Steelix bared its teeth and slapped its thick tail against the earth in a warning the Gyarados paid no heed to. The steel snake inched back, then clenched its jaw. Steelix blasted a green beam from his maw. The beam crashed into the sea serpent's chest moving him back a few paces. The steel snake opened his mouth again, but didn't have the chance to attack. The Gyarados' tail blurred before a blow like a tidal wave struck Steelix's temple, sending it tumbling through several trees. Gyarados blasted the white arrow of Ice Beam into one of the steel Pokemon's joints, running it through.

The sea serpent through his head back and roared with such force the vibrations sent through the earth reach even Silver. The Pokemon of town gave a resounding cry in return as though the alpha's presence revitalized them to a degree no potion could. Oak's Gyarados! "Abra," Silver breathed, reaching for the psychic. Piloswine squealed furiously as Luke and his Abra teleported to the checkpoint while Silver kneeled. Abra could only open a single eye as the Rocket placed his hand on its shoulder. He looked up to find glowing red eyes that would haunt him boring into his own red orbs. Then there was a pink flash, and the Rocket was gone.

XX

"Three of Hypno's ribs are cracked and her left humerus has a comminuted fracture," the nurse told him a tone that was far too casual for his liking. Perhaps it was to be expected, the Kanto Rockets tended to lean toward Giovanni's view of Pokemon, rather than that of Silver's great-grandfather's. "Your Ursaring has three first degree burns, and two large contusions on her chest about five inches apart. Sneasel has two first degree burns, and one second degree burns. Your Armaldo will be fine, he just needs rest."

"... I see," Silver murmured, rubbing his temple. "Thank you for your looking after them." The nurse gave him a curt nod before marching out of the room. The Rocket ran a hand through his hair as he headed to the waiting area. He nodded when he saw James and a limping Jessie exiting another room. The blue-haired man returned the gesture before offering Jessie a hand. At least I know they're capable now. He was pleased with the little he'd seen in Pallet, but he'd still need to intensify their training schedule.

"I'm sorry, sir, there was nothing we could do for him. The wound to his chest was too deep." Silver froze, glancing at the door he'd just walked past.

"Get out," Admin Luke snarled.

"Y-your Umbreon will need-"

"Get. Out!" Luke hissed. A small woman with brown hair burst from the room at such a speed he flinched. The redhead left the hall quickly. He wasn't eager to test Luke. Especially after the beating his Electabuzz took. There was a strong chance the electric cat wouldn't make it either.

"To think the Kanto Rockets had Rhyperior lose an arm, and lost Abomasnow to that Piloswine," Silver murmured. And the last surviving member of my Father's team to that- that devil. The Rocket shivered as a chill went down his spine. The pressure the Fog created when when we met sent Night into a panic. That pressure wasn't as heavy as hers, is she stronger? He bit his lip. But we were right in front of her when that happened. Gyarados incapacitated perfectly healthy Pokemon with just his presence, even though they weren't anywhere near him! A shudder racked his body that made the hair on the back of his neck rising, and his breathing quicken. He fumbled at his doorknob with clammy hands. The Rocket threw himself on his bed.

How could we overlook that beast? Oak's profile described his Typhlosion in language used to define the strength of Bruno's Primeape. In comparison the Gyarados' profile was sparse. The Gyarados' strength was described as being monstrous and enormous, but examples of his might weren't used. Just like with Hellfang. Silver stiffened. I was a fool to think they'd allow the public to know about that beast. How could they tell the public there were Pokemon capable of singlehandedly razing cities protected by strong Gyms to the ground? And Hellfang always looked a bit too relaxed in his televised appearances. Silver bit his lip to the point of drawing blood. How could I have missed the signs?

If Silver was realizing this now, then how could Proton fail to realize it before the mission with his experience? If I don't act fast there won't be any Kanto Rockets to snatch from him! "Quite a fall from grace, don't you think? To go from Giovanni and the Masked Marauder to Proton," a feminine voice that sent the hair on the back of his neck standing inquired. "Say what you will of them, and I have much I'd like to say, they were more than competent."

Silver panted lightly, his hand instinctively falling to his partner's Pokeball. "What do you want?" he demanded. The Rocket didn't care how disrespectful he sounded. Death seemed a mercy if it meant being free of this dark energy. The Fog frowned, then her red eyes lit up as Myza's did when she used her powers. The heavy cold sensation within him was smothered by a lighter, warmer energy. Silver gasped and sank to his knees.

"Quite something, isn't it? To stand in such a presence," the Fog murmured. "Throughout the thousand year history of the various leagues on this continent, there have been two who have reached the pinnacle of Transcendence, one likely followed her trainer in death and the other… Well, you've met the other," she graced him a smile without mirth.

"Why didn't you warn us?" Silver panted. He tried and failed to push himself to his feet.

"Hm?" she tilted her head to the side. "You think the fool you follow didn't know? Why do you think your father challenged Hellfang and that Primeape, yet avoided that little town?" the fog inquired with a grin. He flushed. He'd never considered researching his father's strategies in the previous war. "I suppose it's not your fault you didn't know about him, not many know the truth of the Greenfield tragedy."

"You- you know what happened in Greenfield?" Silver said as his back stiffened.

"But of course. Every ruler has a way of gathering information on up and coming challengers," the fog responded. "It would be rather absurd if I didn't know of it," she added as her grin shifted into a thoughtful frown.

"Why?"

"Hmm?" The legendary ghost flicked a claw. The Rocket flinched, then relaxed when he realized she'd only pulled the remote to her. When the instinctual fear Silver felt at her activating her power passed, he stiffened.

"Why would it be absurd?" he asked again, licking his dry lips.

"The birth of a Transcendent is a momentous occasion. The birth of one, and the creation of three more in a single day, is unprecedented in my lifetime. It would be rather absurd for me not to know of the incident," the Fog responded.

"Creation? You can create Transcendent Pokemon?" the rocket asked, taking a deep breath to steady himself. Perhaps this was the secret they needed to keep the next survivor of the Mewtwo project alive, and loyal.

"No," the ghost uttered while flicking the television on, "Create was a poor description. Their vessels were too wounded to continue living, yet their energy lingered, and, fifty years ago, their energy was poured into new bodies." Silver swallowed. Pouring souls into artificial bodies? This went well beyond the Mewtwo and Genesect projects. The best Team Rocket could do was create Pokemon that had significantly higher chances of becoming a Transcendent.

"What exactly happened there?"

The Fog hummed, her red eyes glazing over as she lost herself in memories fifty years old, "That unremarkable little city, Greenfield, is the place the former Champion's Typhlosion reached the border of transcendence, where the Gyarados known as Wave transcended and… It is where the Unown revived the Three Beasts slain by the First Champion of your Indigo League."

XXX

"I want to kill that Rocket Admin," Ash confessed as he stared at the ceiling. Gore snorted as though he'd said something ridiculous. "I guess it is pretty obvious I'd want to," the trainer conceded while rolling his eyes. At least he's not acting like I'm made of glass like everyone else. They stayed that way for a time, Ash counting the seconds between each breath his partner drew and Gore peering at the bay. "I don't know if it makes me a bad person, but I really wouldn't regret it, not at all, it's just that-" The Piloswine's ear twitched, like he knew what Ash was going to say next. The trainer pushed off his pillow, moving into a sitting position with his legs hanging over the side of the bed. "Gramps, he wouldn't want us doing something like this in cold blood, you know? Even if it was to avenge him."

The boar growled and shook his massive brown head in a futile attempt to ebb the fury that accompanied his latest growth spurt. Ash rose with a grunt. "Gore." The trainer leaned on the wall next to the Piloswine. "I'm not saying we're just going to let them off, I'm saying no one wants to see you getting yourself euthanized on account of trash like Rockets," Ash explained in an even tone. "I mean, if it was Giovanni or the Masked Marauder, we could think about going for it. It might even be worth becoming fugitives if we claimed one of their heads as we made our heroic escape," Ash snickered. "We'd be legends for sure." Gore huffed in agreement, the boar's eyes glazed over as he imagined the adventure.

Ash gazed at his partner's form. Did that piglet that could fit in my lap grow into this? He stroked the boar's shaggy brown fur as if to remind himself this was real. Gore stood just under four and a half-feet tall, he weighed so much the ground would give tremors if the boar allowed it to, and the Piloswine's curved tusks had saved Ash's life more times than he cared to remember. Thank you for not leaving my side, even when it meant you couldn't eat for those three days. "Partner," the trainer murmured.

Gore shifted to face him. He fell to a knee. "We're definitely going to catch Luke, I promise," Ash said, gazing into brown eyes as deep as his own. The Piloswine met the stare without wavering. Gore's anger had faded slightly, giving way to the fierce determination Ash had come to expect from the Pokemon he'd started his team with. They remained like that for a beat, then the boar huffed and butted his knee lightly with a tusk. Ash smiled. I love you too, pal. The trainer recalled his oldest friend in a scarlet flash.

He rose. His smile had fallen into a frown by the time he stood at his full height. It still feels like I'm betraying you when I laugh, Gramps. Ash was reaching for his hat when a wave of exhaustion went through him. It's been a week, but whenever my team isn't around, I feel like the weight of a mountain is on my shoulders… It would pass with time. The mood swings, the ache in his chest, the emptiness he felt, they would all pass with time. Knowing that doesn't make the sense of loss leave any sooner though, does it? Ash sighed heavily before turning to look out his window.

The sun peeked over the edge of the horizon, creating an odd blend of oranges and grays as it fought the storm clouds and the moon for dominion over the sky. It's far enough past dawn now. I should probably go. Everyone's on the porch waiting too.

The trainer watched as streams of rain slithered down his window to gather on the windowsill. It had been raining for three days now. Many of the puddles across the corral were large enough for the young mice Pokemon to swim in. The novelty of the situation died swiftly when the roads were deemed too dangerous to navigate.

Great trainers were such because they formed unbreakable bonds with creatures who harnessed the elements of this world, and the world of distortion known as Giratina. If their connection with their teams could create demons like Hellfang, then perhaps this wasn't so odd. I wonder if the earth itself is weeping? It wouldn't surprise him, Samuel Oak was a magnificent trainer. The dull ache in Ash's chest returned.

Ash grimaced, then turned to grab his hat and supplies. Ash opened his window and peeked out of it. The slide of ice was still thick enough, and the boulder to stop him was set up too. Good. Ash lowered a box, then himself on the slide, and he pushed himself down. As he slid he lifted his legs to catch himself. Ash grunted as he caught himself. He reached into his pocket to pull out his little umbrella. Opening it, he looked up into enormous red eyes. Ash froze.

Wave gazed at him, looking entirely unsurprised by Ash's decision. As he stared into calm red eyes as large as his head, the trainer found himself wondering how anyone could consider Pokemon to be intellectually inferior to people. A thin streak of ice materialized in front of Ash. The ice grew and slithered around the trainer. Wave lifted his chin in the direction the ice went, and the trainer turned. A clear arrow pointed to the road beyond his mother's fence. Ash smiled. "I'll be stronger when I see you again, big guy." The Gyarados nudged him him lightly. "So long." The sea serpent rumbled before lying down behind his mother's garden again.

The trainer strode to his family's front porch. His team was waiting there. Though he knew they'd be, the sight still warmed him.

"Everyone good to go?" Ash inquired. His team replied with a croon, a snort, a gurgle, and two quiet yips while Kakuna shot a string of silk to yank himself atop King. The trainer tapped the ball that held his partner. The orb gave a firm wiggle in response to the warmth of his touch. "Excellent." First, we'll head to Saffron to challenge Dojo. The current leader of the Dojo is supposed to be a real monster. There were even rumors Kyo used members of his own team in challenges. With his intended route, it would only take a month to get to Saffron, that would be enough time for him to prepare. Ash set his jaw. If it isn't, we'll stay there until we crush the Dojo Master.

"Guys," he said, as he put his hat on, "We're still aiming to win the League." King shot him a deadpan look. "I guess that was never in doubt," Ash smirked. The expression lasted for a moment before it fell into a frown. He stared at them for a moment before turning to gaze out at Pallet. His eyes fell upon the laboratory quickly. "I want you guys to know I appreciate everything you've done until now," Ash uttered while keeping his eyes on his grandfather's lab. Willow crooned quietly, throwing worried glances at Grace and King. The vixen peered up at her trainer through narrowed eyes while the Kingler leveled a stoic gaze at him.

The trainer took a deep breath and shut his eyes. "I've asked things of you a rookie trainer has no right to ask, but you've never let me down. We've seen, fought, and defeated Pokemon people could go their entire lives without even glimpsing." Ash's eyes opened as he turned back to face his team. "But our path until now has just been the warm up! Compared to my new goal, even defeating the last of the Eight Gyms of Kanto will be child's play!" Ash declared as Gore's Pokeball began to wiggle and the stone around his neck began to heat. "My goal: is to completely destroy Team Rocket!"

"The crimes we saw in Lavender and what happened here, are just raindrops in an ocean! They're thieves, they're murderers, and I'll see their leaders in prison no matter what it takes!" his words began as a hiss and ended in a snarl. Ash unclenched his fists and took a deep breath. "But even a lifetime might not be enough to crush them," he began again when the heat in his chest receded. Hellfire perked up, giving Ash a curious look. "The Rockets were created by a thug who called himself the Masked Marauder more than seventy years ago. My… my Grandfather and Champion Agatha arrested the Marauder, two of his executives, and their teams, but one executive got away," the trainer continued with a swallow.

"It's been over fifty years, but no one's been able to confirm the executive's identity," Ash admitted with a huff, "All we know is Giovanni, who we now know was the Masked Marauder's grandson, was leading Team Rocket before he was even twenty. It doesn't matter how talented he was, Giovanni couldn't have united the various factions so quickly without the help of a monster who knows the underground like the back of his hand."

Grace's eyes narrowed while King gurgled quietly. Willow didn't react, opting instead to gaze at her vines as she thought. I'm not surprised they've already figured it out, but I thought it would garner more of a reaction than that. And Willow seems to have already come to this conclusion? Gore wasn't surprised either. Ash tugged on the bill of his hat. "The only way we can defeat them is by cutting the head off the snake completely." Hellfire's ears perked up. "That's right," Ash said while turning to glare at the rain, "We're going to capture the Rocket Executives and every single member of their teams."

Whether it was Karen's Hellfang, Lyra's Meganium, or Wave, the number of powerful Pokemon who were willing to fight for something their trainer loved was too great for Ash to allow any member of the Executive's teams to escape imprisonment. It was also true that Hellfang, Yellow's Raichu, and Lyra's Pokemon only assisted the League when they were nearby. Even so, Ash refused to take risks with these Executive's teams.

King clicked at him while gesturing at the team with his smaller claw. "Usually, a Pokemon won't fight or deal with humans once their trainer has died, but a few have been known to when they want revenge or are nearby. Even one Pokemon from Proton's team supporting Team Rocket would make them a huge threat to any town," Ash explained, tugging on the bill of his hat. King gurgled, satisfied.

"These Executives could have teams as strong as Erika's was in Lavender, but far more experienced." Ash paused to gauge their reactions. King's eyes lit up as Willow's ears perked up. Grace seemed to have decided she was done listening when Ash told her his new goal, and Hellfire's tail wagged in a blur. Kakuna extended his mandibles and glared out at the rain, as if expecting their future foes to emerge at any moment.

Ash smiled. Kakuna's staying. He'd never doubted the others, Ash knew he was their human as they were his Pokemon. The trainer's smile morphed into a smirk. "If everyone understands, then it's time we head out." Ash turned to look at his grandfather's laboratory.

I hope you're not tormenting yourself over not killing the plague in our region. Please just rest peacefully for once, old man. My generation will definitely finish this battle.

XXXx

Part 1 Final Arc Pallet Arc End!

XXX

Extra

A Gallant Willow!

"Don't eat them!" Ash cried as he sat up. The trainer blinked. He was in the middle of a forest. And it's nighttime. Weird. "I guess this is better than King and Gore getting eaten," the trainer mutter, shrugging. The night was when Arbok, Sandslash, and the like came to hunt. He needed to find his team. Ash knew his team weren't in their Pokeballs, though the trainer wasn't sure how he knew that.

"Their crimes cannot be forgiven! Their males must be slain! Their females and offspring must be exiled to Fiore!" a young, feminine voice cried. The resounding cry made Ash cover his ears. All right, let's check this out. If there was a gathering, there was likely food. Gore would be there if he had to drag himself by his chin. "We will dye the forest floor red with their-" A gust of wind muffled the voice. Ash didn't need to hear the rest to guess where she was going.

The voice was speaking again in a tone too soft for him to hear over the wind. You know, it might not be such a great idea to walk to a camp with a leader giving a speech about killing their foes. Ash shrugged at the thought. It wasn't like he had much choice. There was another quieter cheer and he stepped into a clearing. Pokemon? There were Tangela, Pikachu, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Furret, and even two Eevee. Where's the speech coming from?

"We've trained months for this day!" the feminine voice called again. Ash turned to stare at the boulder in front of the crowd. Standing atop it, was a boar Piloswine that had brown eyes that looked as deep as Ash's own. Atop the Piloswine was a green saurian Pokemon the size of a small cat. It wore odd plates of metal he assumed were armor that covered every inch of it save its face and the pink flower on its back. "My loyal herd! At dawn, we attack!" Willow cried, thrusting the sword and shield she held in her vines above her head.

The Pokemon cheered. Gore roared. Ash fainted.

"You don't even have thumbs!" he cried as his eyes snapped open. Ash blinked before glancing at his surroundings. Grace was lying on her side next to the heater, Willow was on her pillow, at the foot of his bed, and Gore was next to the door with his legs in the air like a dead cockroach. King would be sleeping in a tank the center provided. The Pokemon Center. Ash sighed, relieved. Wait, what about Hellfire?

A low growl to his left made him freeze. Ash turned. In a darkened corner was a black beast with glowing eyes and white teeth at least a couple inches long. It rose and took a step in his direction. "Gyaaaaaaa!" Ash leaped through the center's window.

Hellfire blinked while cocking his head to the side. Humans are so odd. The wild dog returned to his bone.

XXX

(Important part)

First off, I hope no one forgot that Gore, King, and Grace have killed before, and will do so again if Ash doesn't rein them in. And Willow was going to kill Hellfire in chapter 11. They're not tame.

I'm doing something of an experiment. I will be doing some small editing for the earlier chapters, please let me know if you get alerts for updates.

I was thinking of breaking up Part 2 of Into the Wild into multiple segments, that way we won't be having long breaks between updates. It's also true forcing yourself to write when inspiration is lacking tends to hurt a story. I'd like your opinion on this, if you have the time.

Btw, Ash got Gore's height off by a couple inches after his evolution, Gore's four-fourish now, and King's over four-six. After Lavender he became better at paying attention to details. (Important stuff over, the rest is me rambling.)

I've actually already plotted out Part 2, so I should have a steady update schedule for the next part.

I really wish would have made it a point to include weaker Pokemon more in the beginning. Also, Gimping Gore right off the bat was a dick move too. Didn't occur to me until later that I never showed Swinub-Gore at his best. Oh well. Too late now.

As always, thank you for reading. My next project should be a Bleach story, but I'm close to four thousand words in part two, so yeah.