The revelation that Blaine might still be alive caused shifts in the nature of the investigation into his base. Where before they had been locked down for later review after finding Bill’s body/the clefairy within it, now the base was being worked over with a fine tooth comb.
Forensic analysts were parsing the data on the various computers looking for any references they could for mind transference or cloning facilities.
Agatha, amusingly enough, had gone from a contrite, accepting woman to a growling harridan that floated around the base, glowering at everything and everyone she could.
Glancing at her as she drifted around, Karen smirked, “So, I take it you’re annoyed that—”
“I’m beyond annoyed! I’m downright pissed!” Agatha snapped. “I never explain my techniques, and I even made sure to go for the contact version to make sure Blaine died! Only to find out that thanks to some perverted millionaire, Blaine had another exit strategy!”
“Hmmmm,” Karen replied with a nod, only to smirk. “Man, it sucks to suck. Guess you’re over the hill, eh old woman?”
“I’m not so old I can’t take you over my knee and spank you girl!” Agatha growled, jabbing her cane towards Karen only for the younger girl to idly bat it away.
“Hmmmm, I’m sure, I’m sure,” she replied only to glance around. “Still… it’s kind of nuts he survived that.”
“I’m wondering if he actually did,” Agatha muttered. “I felt my aura clash with his before it was snuffed out. Usually that is a good enough sign that they’re gone through deaths doors with no coming back.”
“You’ve got a theory?” Karen asked.
“I worry that Blaine imprinted a copy of memories, right up until his death. That, I wouldn’t be so confident about needing actual aura or a soul to transmit.”
Karen made a whistling noise as she considered that. “Damn, that would mean that he could copy himself any number of times, wouldn’t it? Then we’d be what? Fighting a version of robo-Blaine?”
Agatha nodded and Karen grunted. “Riiiight. If that’s the other option, I think I prefer Brock and Oak’s idea that he made a clone that he jumped ship into.”
“Yes, because a younger, healthier Blaine is just what we need,” Agatha replied snarkily.
“They’ve at least got an idea of how to track him down, even if it does rely on turning his own pokemon against him.”
“I counselled them against doing anything with the Chandelure, or the Ninetails. Both pokemon are likely to be entirely too capricious with other trainers and merely wish to lash out and cause as much chaos and harm as they can.”
“Hmmm, so who would be their best bet then? Not the Arcanine, surely? Those things are loyal to the death and beyond.”
“No, I suspect it might be the Rhyperior they attempt to flip to our side if any.”
“Hmmmm guess they can always try a seduction angle,” Karen mused.
Agatha snorted. “Please! You know Brock.”
“Yeah, he wouldn’t make his pokemon go through with it.” Karen shook her head. “Why are we here by the way? It’s not like we’re code-mankeys.”
“No, but we might be able to find a scent or a clue. Some data on what Blaine will have made his clone look like perhaps,” Agatha suggested.
“Wouldn’t he have just made himself a younger version of himself? Blaine as a twenty year old would be a huge threat no?”
“No, you have to remember that Blaine knows we know what he looks like at that age. He would have altered it in some manner,” Agatha refuted.
Karen nodded. “Urgh, that makes sense.”
Agatha nodded only to glance to the side as her Froslass appeared and gestured with one arm. “Ho? You think Mismagus found something eh?” Agatha shuckled. “Gengy will be annoyed ,he thought he was going to be the first.”
“Frossss,” murmured the ice-ghost type pokemon and Agatha cackled. “Ah! You teamed up with the other girls eh? Clever! What is Honedge doing to help?”
“Lass,” murmured Froslass.
Agatha nodded and floated down a tunnel. “This way Karen,” she commanded.
Karen huffed and followed after only to keep throwing looks at Agatha. “Soooo, are you gonna tell me the joke? What was your literal sword pokemon doing while the others were checking walls, floors and ceilings?”
“She was doing the same, albeit in a much more physical manner,” Agatah said, gesturing to a wall that had numerous holes in it. “It’s crude but it works with her seeing if there was anything there.”
As they marched they passed a group of technicians checking a room over with metal rods while others typed away at computers.
Agatha opened her mouth only for Karen to beat her to the punch by whistling sharply. “Alright boys! We found something! Load up and come with!” she ordered.
“Yes Elite Four Karen!” barked some of the men firmly.
Agatha blinked in surprise only to begin inspecting Karen. “Alright, what did you do? Seed the group with your boytoys?”
“Nope!” Karen grinned. “Turns out I’m just popular, what with being a hero from Orre and all. People listen when I give orders.” She turned a smug look towards Agatha. “Turns out honey gets more Beedrill than vinegar, he?”
“If you want Weedle infestations, go right ahead, I always had a select few on call for when I needed actual technical support,” Agatha replied derisively.
“Heh, you’re just jealous!” Karen claimed, only for Agatha to ignore her.
When they reached the room that Agatha’s pokemon had discovered the secret in Karen blinked. “Huh, I remember passing through this area,” she remarked, giving the battlefield a thoughtful look over as her eyes flicked up. “Erika did good work here, let us really get into a rhythm.”
“Hmmm, she was impressive when in the fight and when to act as bait for Blaine. His switch outs with his Teleporting and Baton Passing pokemon might have been worse otherwise,” Agatha admitted.
The section of wall that had the secret entrance turned out to be directly behind one of the trainer podiums. Karen hummed. “The shield is stronger here, isn’t it?” she muttered, giving the small emitters a thoughtful look over.”
Agatha nodded. “I’ve seen this build starting to filter through. This is what they use in Unova with their full team battles. It makes sense that Blaine had specs for this but he kept it close to his chest,” she muttered.
Karen hummed. "Send a message to Lance to be on the look out for any companies that happen to get shield emitters out to market faster than their competition.”
Agatha made an agreeing noise as she watched the wall down from the stronger emitter being peeled back. Karen grimaced. “Isn’t he likely to have explosives or something rigged to it? Do you really feel that’s such a good idea?”
“You don’t try to outthink a man like Blaine,” Agatha retorted. “Sometimes you make sure to trip him up with idiots. That’s why Oak is such a natural counter.”
The technicians that had joined them gaped at Agatha and Karen smirked. Only the old people could ever get away with calling Professor Samuel Oak an idiot.
Different times, she supposed.
The wall was pulled back only for Karen to snort. “That was just a fancy way of saying you guessed it would work out alright!”
Agatha smirked right back as the innards of the lab were revealed to them causing everyone to whistle.
If the other rooms had been high tech, this appeared to be cutting edge in how advanced it looked.
Unlike the clean spaces that had previously been worked through this area had cluttered desks with vials, paperwork and more strewn across it, speaking of a person that had stepped out before they could clean up.
Agatha shot her hand forward and caught Karen in the chest.
“Argh! Fuck! Right in the tit! What the shit you old hag?” growled Karen as she clutched at her chest.
Agatha ignored her, advancing into the lab space to look around. Karen glared even as she realised that the other woman was pointedly stepping forth first in case there were other traps.
When nothing went off Agatha still didn’t signal them in, instead she walked a slow circuit around the lab only to pause at a few spaces. She then kept moving after a moment only to glance around now and again, her expression pinched.
“It’s as clear as I can make it. Just watch out when you start poking around,” Agatha called, parking herself up in front of a large glass pod that glowed sickly green.
Karen joined her. “That what I think it is?”
Agatha nodded. “It is. From what we picked up from Team Rocket this appears to be a cloning vat, albeit a more advanced version.”
“Greeeeeeat!” Karen sarcastically cheered only to hum a moment later. “Wonder if he was able to get rid of the skin markings that come about from cloning?”
“Skin markings?” Agatha questioned.
“All of those little Larvitar that we found that we know are cloned. They all have these weird skin markings on them, like ring marks.”
“Hmmm, that is worth considering, but if I know Blaine, he won’t have done anything by half. Whatever clone he will be inhabiting will not have any easily identifiable features. It will also likely have other genetic enhancements.”
“So Blaine two point oh? One who looks actually good, has muscles, is taller, and probably has a bigger dick?” Karen shot Agatha a look. “Careful old woman, you might find yourself swooning if you imagine i—” Karen preempted the stab from Agatha’s cane along with the follow up that resulted when Agatha missed. Karen grinned while Agatha snorted.
“Cheeky little brat!” she spat.
She waved a hand at the vat. “Collect as much information from this as possible, perhaps we can get a genetic sample or even pull the data from it with a Porygon or that evolved version we discovered and find out what we can.”
“Hmph, here's hoping it’s that simple,” Karen replied as she and Agatha turned and let the technicians get to work on the vat as they inspected the other pieces around the lab.
Every journal or piece of paperwork appeared to be written in a tight scrawl that didn’t even look like written language.
“Code?” Karen asked.
“Code,” confirmed Agatha. “We’ll let the Alakazam play with this and see what they can find.” She turned a few pages and hummed at the diagrams that were on display. If they weren’t fake outs then there was a possibility of the diagrams acting as breaking points for the code, but again, Agatha suspected that it would be fiendishly difficult.
“Shit!” a technician muttered as they opened a box only to reveal a large headpiece that had multiple antennae with bulbs sticking out of it.
“What’s up techie?” Karen asked, sauntering up with a predatory grace.
The technician glanced up only to flush and swallow. “Uhmm, it’s just that I recognise this product maam! It’s a failed Silph co product that didn’t sell well as it was too expensive and extremely niche.”
“Alright, I’ll bite, what’s it do?” Karen asked as Agatha inspected the ugly headwear.
“It’s an Experience share, or that was what it was called. The thought was that it would share fighting experience with a pokemon that was resting, basically it only worked if you wanted to use it on a pokemon that was the same species. Making a Pidgeot wear one while a Dugtio fought for example caused all sorts of issues. The only time that people could find any benefit from it was if you wanted to train exactly the same way for two pokemon but…” the man gestured towards Agatha and Karen who nodded.
Variance was best in high level fights. If you were going to field the same pokemon you needed to switch things up while also having it catch people out. Half of Agatha’s strength was in her flight of Gengar that could either poison, paralyse, hypnotise or do other attacks which people tried to prepare for only to fall woefully cohort time and time again.
Agatha drummed her fingers. “That might actually be a good thing. If Blaine has set up a backup team then it might indicate that he is willing to abandon his current team.”
She waved back to the fighting arena outside the lab. “Pull any records you can for any pokemon that are wearing headwear like this. This might be an opening we can exploit.”
Karen pursed her lips as the technician scurried off to do just that. Karen opened another few boxes on the wall only to find several identical Exp Shares.
“Hmmm, so Blaine potentially will have the exact same pokemon in his roster? In one way that’s good, but in another… well the caldera up top speaks volumes about what he can do with his previous pokemon team no?”
Agatha grunted, ignoring how Karen was pocketing a pair of the headpieces even as she did the same.
“Any bets on there being other hidden alcoves like this around the base?” Karen asked as she began eyeing other boxes for potential spoils.
“Sucker’s bet,” Agatha replied.
“So how much do you—” once again Karen dodged the two strikes only to hop over a shadowed hand trying to trip her up. Just for good measure she stepped on it with a dark empowered boot and grinned as it writhed in pain.
“That’ll teach you to let us girls have our fun without butting in Gengy,” she muttered only for Agatha to snort and begin floating away, her team of ghost pokemon once more fanning out to search for hidden rooms.
The next room to be found turned out to be a pokeball creation suite with Karen and Agatha noting that there were dozens of receptacles empty.
“...think that’s cause he just never got a chance to use them, or…” Karen trailed off leadingly and Agatha snorted.
“How much do you want to bet?” she taunted and Karen nodded, acknowledging the point.
“So he has… What even are these? These aren’t wing, heavy, or any of the more common pokeballs that you can buy from a mart.”
“That, will be a question for a technician I believe,” Agatha stated, eyes still hovering on the empty spaces. “We can perhaps put out an alert for police and other G-men to be on the look out for trainers with highly specialised pokeballs.”
Heh, cause that’s not going to backfire and have them frisking a bunch of rich types,” Karen grunted.
“A little discomfort will do them some good,” replied Agatha as they both once more made to pocket a set of balls themselves.
Right as Agatha claimed her third pokeball did something clicked underneath the ball.
“Down!” she roared, throwing herself on top of Karen only for Karen to grab her and launch them both out of the room like a flickering shadow.
Behind them, an explosion rang out, and they rose from where they’d landed. Sparing the other a quick look over, they nodded once, then turned away, adamant that they wouldn’t speak of the momentary show of care for the other.
“Going to have to warn off others about that,” Agatha growled.
“Somehow I think the others won’t be pocketing their findings, remarked a wisened voice. “Good to see you two are getting on,” remarked Oak as he approached.
Both women glared at him for daring to catch them in a moment of vulnerability.
“I thought you were trying the soft sell with Blaine’s pokemon? What? They prove too hard a nut to crack?”
“Hmmm, oh, no I haven’t even started yet. I’m letting Brock talk with Rhyperior alone while others handle the other pokemon such as Liza from Charific valley talking with Blaine’s Charizard and such. Still, I think he’s correct in that Rhyperior might be the best angle for us to approach this by. Blaine’s other pokemon will be quite loyal with what they’ve been through.”
“Maybe not with the Charizard,” Karen suggested as she raised the exp share she’d found in another lab and began to explain the significance to Oak.
When she was done, Oak had a grim look. “That might just work,” he murmured. “Those poor pokemon,” he murmured.
“Yes,” Agatha cut in drily, “Those poor pokemon who just so happened to burn down much of the League.”
“Agatha, you more than anyone know that pokemon will follow their trainers through almost any situation. I doubt that we can expect instant good choices from Blaine’s pokemon with his methods of training and adherence, but… if we reach out a hand to them,” he mimed doing just that.
Agatha swatted it with her cane lightly. “We get bitten Oak!” she growled.
Oak sighed. “And here I was hoping that you were starting to open up a little more. I’ll leave you both to it if there is nothing else.”
Both women watched him go. Once he was out of sight, Karen nudged Oak. “You smashed that right?”
Agatha huffed and adjusted herself before signalling for her pokemon to continue searching the base while Karen cackled behind her.
________________________
“Rhy!” growled the giant rock-ground type pokemon as it crossed its arms and tried to project an air of disinterest while appearing casual.
I snorted. “Yeah, I’m not impressed. You’re about to become the lab rattata that so many researchers have been salivating over. You, unlike so many other Rhydon that manage to evolve aren’t in the care of a trainer, meaning that right now they can perform a lot of tests on you.”
It didn’t bear mentioning that they would be non-invasive with specialised equipment. Instead, I played up the ominous angle of the tests.
“Whatever they want…” I alluded, causing Rhyperior to grunt.
Hmmm, this wasn’t going as I’d hoped. I’d made sure to come in with my rock aura extended so that I felt like I was similar to Rhyperior. One of the good ones, as it were.
“You ever see Blaine test other pokemon?” I asked, realising that this pokemon might have a better idea of what sort of atrocities could be performed to pokemon due to who had trained it.
I was proven right a moment later when Rhyperior shuddered and looked away. But there was a twitch there and its tail began to vibrate, indicating that it was anxious.
“Rhyperior, I can help you,” I offered.
Rhyperior glanced towards me only to look away.
Another sigh escaped me. “A shame. You’re a marvelous pokemon. One of the true juggernauts of the pokemon world. I’ve seen your species down Legendaries you know?”
Rhyperior perked up at this. “Rhy?”
“Hmmm? Oh, I’m talking of Bertha. My Rhyperior friend. She’s considered one of the strongest pokemon around, you know? Everyone has to take special measures when they fight me just in case I decide to field her.”
I gave a fond smile. “It’s incredible getting to fight like that and when she finally comes out? People think they’ve prepared for her but she smashes through their resistance like it’s nothing!” I smacked my fist through my hand like I was doing just that, the ‘thwap’ rang out in the room that Rhyperior’s enclosure was in.
Rhyperior, as a species loved smashing things, or hearing stories about things being smashed. That wasn’t a surprise as it was a trait that Rhyhorn and Rhydon all had.
The only thing that had changed with a Rhyperior was that their ability to unleash raw destruction had increased greatly with their final evolution.
Which really just meant the stories needed to up their game.
Or the lack of smash needed to be pointed out.
“Say, are they letting you exercise much in here? Giving you boulder fields to run through or any pokemon like gravel to toss around?” I asked innocently.
Rhyperior shook his head and I tsked.
“Man that sucks, shame about that, I mean I guess I could…” I shook my head. “Nah forget it.”
Despite his earlier bad boy pose he leaned towards me. “Rhyperior?” he asked, wanting to know more.
I held in the smirk, knowing I had Rhyperior right where I wanted.
A ping on my transceiver had me grimacing. “Ah, sorry. I gotta take this.”
“Rhyperior!” rasped Rhyperior at the sudden interruption.
Pausing, I considered the large pokemon. Oh, it was right where I wanted him to be. In a way this was bad as it most likely meant that the bond between Blaine and this pokemon was going to be weak, or in the worst case, non-existent.
Still, I wasn’t going to be the best person to talk to the other pokemon, so I would do what I could with Rhyperior.
“Hold on, I need to take this,” I said, knowing that it was cruel to dangle hope so close to Rhyperior’s fingers only to snatch it away.
Ignoring its growls, I stepped outside and answered my transceiver. “Hello this is Brock!” I answered.
Lance answered. “We’ve gotten some updates from the Caldera base,” he informed me before rattling off the findings.
Huh, variant pokeballs that no one could recognise the purposes of at this point but a pokeball maker was being brought in. Exp Shares being used, which wasn’t a terrible idea actually. I hadn't known that Silph co had made them only to deem them a failed product.
“I’d be interested in a set of those if possible,” I suggested, earning a small scoff from Lance.
“Get in line,” he replied with a smirk, earning a snort from me.
“Going to teach more Dragonite how to Roost in the air?” I asked.
“Eh, it’s a move a lot of flying-dragon type pokemon can learn so why not?” he replied. I nodded, knowing he wasn’t wrong.
“Surprised you or the Blackthorn Clan don’t already have these Exp Shares, if they’re that useful for you,” I said, curious that Lance sounded just as interested.
“Hmmm, oh. I asked around about that and it turns out that there was some politics at play that sank the product line before it could properly be investigated. Other items were instead focused on, and the person in charge of the Exp Share was demoted only to eventually jump ship to another tech company.’
“Huh, on the one hand, that’s stupid,” I pointed out.
Lance nodded. “And on the other, that’s entirely too believable?” he suggested, earning another nod from me. “Hmmm that’s corporations,” Lance said.
I wanted to point out it was more human behaviour in truth before shaking my head. “Anything else of importance discovered?” I asked.
“No, but Liza had a good first interaction with all three of the Charizard we have in custody.”
“Which means what? They didn’t burn her alive?” I asked.
Lance coughed. “Yes, actually. We haven’t had as much success with the Arcanine, or the Rapidash despite specialists being called in.” Lance blinked only to realise that made it sound like both pokemon had murdered the specialists. “They’re alright! Just injured!” he suggested.
“Hmmm, kicked by a Rapidash or bitten by an Arcanine. Not sure which I’d prefer,” I murmured.
“A question for when we’re relaxing with tea no doubt,” Lance suggested, only to sigh. “Is it wrong that I hope that Blaine goes somewhere else and becomes someone else’s problem?” he asked.
“Nah, if anything, maybe he’ll turn a new leaf with a new body and no baggage to hold him down?”
We shared a look, and both sighed knowingly.
Blaine was going to pop up somewhere and be a nuisance; I just knew it.
“At least we know to be ready for him?” I suggested after a moment of silence.
Lance nodded at that. “I’ll push for stronger fire control systems in the League, and indeed through Indigo going forwards. I imagine there will be quite a bit of pushback but some good will come of his rampage through the League.”
“That’s the spirit…” I glanced over my shoulder and caught Rhyperior squinting at me through the glass. “I think I’ve got this Rhyperior ready to help us out. “I’ll share what you told me about the Exp Shares and then see if we can use it to get a direction to track Blaine to.”
Lance straightened. “That is wonderful news. I will clear my schedule. I’m not going to be late to the fight next time around,” he stated firmly. “Call me the moment you have it ready to co-operate,” he said before signing off.
I sighed.
“Yeah, no pressure or anything,” I muttered to myself, knowing I’d somewhat got myself into this mess by making things sound good.
Considering Rhyperior’s room, I toyed with how to get the best reaction from Rhyperior. I needed to be sympathetic to it… while also giving him the bad news and making sure to throw Blaine under the bus.
Adopting a saddened look I slunk back into the room only to give Rhyperior a pitying look. “Hey there big guy. Just got off the phone and I wanted to ask, did Blaine ever make you wear a funny headpiece?”
I didn’t need to get precise, any headgear would soon be suspicious to this pokemon as it tilted its head and nodded slowly.
I held back the urge to smirk even as I sighed and shook my head. “Damn. You’re being ditched. That was a special tool to feed your experiences to another pokemon so they would be able to do what you did without the same effort being put in.”
“Did you wear it much?” I asked.
Rhyperior blinked only to scoff and shake his head.
“Hmmm, oh you don’t believe me?” I asked. Damn, that… how do I make it believe me?
Deciding to roll the dice a little I expanded my rock aura out and repeated what I’d just said.
This time, Rhyperior wasn’t able to deny me. Not with how I’d made sure it felt the lack of fluctuation in my aura at what I was delivering. I wasn’t saying everything, but that would just complicate things.
The Rhyhorn line was like stereotypical jocks most of the time. You couldn’t give them too much information or they’d get confused and hurt themselves.
Rhyperior took in the information, and like a stack of rocks slowly collapsing under their own weight he slumped to the ground.
Part of me hated that I was delighted by this reaction. It was what I’d been after truthfully.
“Hey… what Blaine did is monstrous on so many levels. Do you… would you like to get back at him?” I asked.
Rhyperior considered this for a moment, and then like it had suddenly gained a third typing, darkness flashed in its eyes and Rhyperior nodded firmly.
“Rhy,” he growled firmly.
I nodded and, with a final test, I opened the enclosure. “Well, come on out and lets see what we can do,” I suggested as I pinged Lance that I had some success.
Within seconds Lance arrived thanks to a familiar Teleport.
Sabrina nodded at me before turning her gaze upon Rhyperior. “So you’re willing to help?” she asked.
Rhyperior nodded once.
Lance licked his lips. “So, how will this work? Will you slip into its mind and trace it back to Blaine or something like that?”
I coughed at Lance’s rather outlandish idea. “Actually… this is probably the most we can get,” I said before turning to Rhyperior. “Rhyperior? Where is Blaine to your senses, right now?” I asked.
Rhyperior considered that for a moment. It wasn’t something widely known, but most pokemon and trainers had a vague, almost unconscious idea of where the other was in relation to themselves.
Lance blinked as Rhyperior pointed off to the side. “How will that—”
We all vanished in a Teleport a moment later.
—help us?” Lance asked only to blink and glance around as we were suddenly well away from the League holding facility we’d been in.
“Where now Rhyperior?” I asked again.
This time we got another point.
Sabrina narrowed her eyes in thought, running some calculations only for another Teleport to occur.
This time we appeared on…” Is this the Cerulean coastline?” I asked thoughtfully.
Sabrina nodded. “Rhyperior?” she spoke up, beating me to the punch. “Where is Blaine now?” she asked.
Rhyperior’s digit rose and he dutifully pointed… out to sea. Sabrina performed another Teleport only this time when she got nearly the same result she brought up a map to demonstrate the lines she’s been working off to locate Blaine.
All of them indicated that he was a long, long way off to sea by now.
Lance made a face as I sighed. “Well, on the good side, he’s not our problem right now?”
“How long will that be for?” Lance said, adding the part I hadn’t wanted to say out loud.
He wasn’t wrong.
Sabrina nodded. “Forewarned is forearmed. We’ll be ready for him,” she said firmly.
Lance and I nodded, both of us determined to not be caught out by the mad genius when he no doubt returned.
We’d be ready.
I gave Rhyperior a thoughtful glance. “Soooooo, can I keep him?” I teased, earning a snort from Lance as he shook his head.
“There will be a lot of paperwork attached to such a request,” he replied.
Heh, that wasn’t a no, neat!
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A.N. Thanks go to my patreons for your continued support!
Thanks also goes to Twmmy for proofreading this chapter!