Khan and the two white masked operatives stood locked in a tense, silent standoff. The deck of the ship was eerily still, all eyes watching. Even the grunts dared not move. The bald man in the center finally sighed, rubbing the back of his head in frustration while Khan tilted his head slightly, still spinning the glowing crystal lazily on his hans.
"He's in the base. That's all I'll and can say," the bald man growled while the woman looked at him with disbelief. Then his voice exploded like a shotgun. "Now give us the Crystal before I fucking kill you on the spot!"
Khan only smirked, twirling the rainbow hued stone with a casual flick of his wrist.
"And where is this base you're talking about?" he asked calmly.
At that, the woman with the white mask and wolf cut hair slammed her heel down on the deck, the sharp clack echoing like a gunshot.
"You're getting too cocky, brat. Know your place!" she snapped, ripping the hidden Pokéball from behind her back.
But just as she raised her hand to throw it, Khan's expression shifted. His smirk vanished, replaced by something sharp. He loosened his grip on the crystal, now holding it only between two fingers, dangling it over the ocean. His voice dropped into a cold, furious snarl.
"I told you to shut up, didn't I, you fucking idiot?"
The woman froze, her eyes widening behind the mask. Something in Khan's voice made her instinctively take a step back.
"Now talk, or this Crystal goes straight into a Pokémons' stomach," he said, not blinking, his hand steady over the edge of the ship.
The bald man clenched his jaw under the mask. Dragonair beside him let out a quiet, uncertain cry. He raised his hands slightly, trying to de escalate.
"Okay, first of all let's all calm down." He adjusted his mask. "I don't know what your issue with Luke is, but let me give you a little advice…"
Khan raised his arm a bit higher, letting the crystal swing dangerously.
"You really think you're getting out of here alive if you drop that?"
Khan didn't flinch. "You don't have to worry about me. I have my way."
Behind the crates just a few meters from Khan, two figures crouched in the shadows.
"Okay, I'll hit him with Raticate you handle his Pokémon!" Alpha whispered excitedly, eyes locked on Khan like he was prey. His hands twitched with anticipation.
Sammy, crouched beside him, glanced around. His fingers found a loose piece of wood from the crate, and he pried it free.
"What are you doing?" Alpha asked, taking out his Pokéball.
Sammy just smirked. "Found something that'll make this ten times easier for me."
Alpha grinned. "Oh perfect! Make sure you use it then. Now, let's go handle this bastard."
While Khan and the white masked man continued their tense conversation, Alpha crept forward, ready to ambush. He raised his Pokéball.
"RATICATE, GO—"
THUD!
Alpha collapsed to the deck, unconscious.
Khan turned instantly, lowering the Crystal but ready to throw it at the slightest threat. Then he saw the familiar mop of brown hair, and a hand waving lazily with a stick in the other.
Sammy stepped forward, lowering his mask just enough for only Khan to see his face before covering it again.
"How's it going?" he asked casually.
Khan let out a breathless chuckle. "The fuck are you doing here, man? Don't tell me you're one of them."
Sammy pointed to the unconscious Alpha sprawled out beside them. "You think I am?"
"…Fair enough," Khan said, finally cracking a smile.
But the moment didn't last.
"Dragonair, Aqua Tail!" the bald man shouted. Attacking them while they are distracted.
Dragonair's wings flared as it soared upward. Its tail shimmered with spiraling water before it spun down toward the boys like a crashing wave.
"Rapidash, Flame Charge!" the woman followed, hurling her Pokéball.
A monstrous Rapidash burst from it, flames flaring not red, but deep purple. Its transparent body revealed a skeletal frame beneath. The Adapted Pokémon's eyes glowed with unnatural light as its flaming hooves struck the deck, picking up speed with each step.
"An Adapted Pokémon!?" Sammy gasped, throwing the wooden stick into the ocean and immediately releasing his own Pokémon. "Vex, let's go!"
With a burst of red light, a Kadabra emerged its yellow fur streaked with jagged black marks like scars from another world. Crimson eyes burned beneath two curved horns jutting from its skull like bone blades.
"Dark Pulse then use Psyshock!" Sammy barked.
Meanwhile, Khan raised the crystal in one hand and swinged the other. "Electabuzz! Thunder Punch, now!"
Vex slammed its claws together, generating a pulse of dark energy that surged forward in a wave. It struck the flaming Rapidash mid charge, staggering the beast just as it built momentum. Then Vex twisted its arms and unleashed a barrage of psychic shards into the flinched Adapted Pokémon.
Above them, Electivire let out a roar, electricity crackling between its fists. It launched itself into the air, colliding mid flight with Dragonair's Aqua Tail. The clash sent a thunderous shockwave across the ship, rocking the entire deck and forcing the grunts to stumble for balance.
Sammy shielded his eyes from the blast as the night sky lit up with flashes of purple flame, psychic light, and electrical fury.
The shockwave rippled through the ship, shaking loose bits of metal and throwing sparks into the air. Grunts staggered, but quickly recovered and shouted in unison, their voices overlapping like a chaotic chant.
"Aerial Ace!"
"Bite!"
"Poison Fang!"
"Twin Needle!"
"Water Pulse!"
"Feint Attack!"
Pokéballs flew, red light flashing across the deck as dozens of Pokémon emerged at once, rushing toward Khan and Sammy like a chaotic tide.
Electabuzz stumbled to its feet just in time to take the brunt of half a dozen attacks. A Beedrill's needles struck its back, a Staryu's pulse of water slammed into its chest, and a Spearow cut across its face with a sharp dive. The Pokémon collapsed, groaning.
"Return!" Sammy shouted, recalling Electabuzz before the next wave could land. Without hesitation, he threw the ball again. "Focus Punch!"
The second the Pokéball burst open, Electabuzz reappeared with a glowing blue aura swirling around its fist. It lunged and slammed its glowing fist into the face of the same Spearow, knocking it from the sky with a satisfying crack.
Khan followed through without missing a beat. "Volt Switch, then repeat!" he roared.
Electabuzz spun mid strike, launching a disc of lightning toward Staryu. The attack hit dead on, and before it even landed, Electabuzz vanished back into its Pokéball, only to return again with another flare of blue energy, diving into battle with relentless rhythm. Again and again, it struck, vanishing and reappearing, dancing through enemy attacks like electricity itself.
Meanwhile, Sammy and Vex focused their efforts on the bigger threats Dragonair and the monstrous, flame wreathed Rapidash.
The bald man, face hidden beneath a white mask, chuckled as he held another Pokéball loosely in his hand. "I've gotta say… I didn't expect to have a traitor." He cocked his head. "Can you at least tell me the reason?"
Sammy smiled under his mask, casually retrieving another Pokéball as Eevee stood alert beside him. "Wasn't getting paid enough. Figured it was time to switch sides."
The man's tone grew smooth. "I can fix that. I'll talk to the boss. If she's willing, we'll triple your share. You've got talent! Someone at caliber should aim higher."
Sammy folded his arms. "Sorry. The new team already hired me. And my boss? She's beautiful. So I might be sticking around for... personal reasons."
The man exhaled slowly as Sammy slowly pointed his finget at them "Then now that your questions are over can we skip to the part where I beat the crap out of you two."
"Please," Sammy continued, smiling under the mask. "Can we?"
Tension spiked. The deck went deathly still.
"….Aqua Slam," the man said calmly.
Dragonair rose high, wings trembling as its long tail transformed into a column of cascading water, glimmering with a brilliant white aura. It plunged down, aiming to obliterate Sammy where he stood.
Just before impact, a flash of red lit the deck.
Tusk burst from his Pokéball and launched himself upward, taking the full blow head on. The water slammed against his steel armor, sending out shockwaves that cracked the deck beneath his claws. He grunted, teeth clenched.
"Tusk! Dragon Claw!" Sammy shouted.
Tusk roared, purple energy surrounding his claws. He slashed upward in a powerful arc, striking Dragonair midair. The elegant serpent screeched and reeled backward, momentarily dazed.
The masked man's eyes widened. "That Axew…"
Then he laughed a deep, thunderous laugh that made even Charlotte flinch.
"Of course! I should've known the moment I saw that Kadabra! Hey kid!" he shouted. "Do you remember me?"
Tusk and Sammy exchanged a glance, confused. "The hell are you doing?" Charlotte asked, but the man brushed her off with a wave.
"Back off! I'll handle this little bastard myself."
He pulled out two more Pokéballs.
"Maybe these two will help you recover your memory! Mightyena! Asthma come out!"
From the flashing lights emerged a hulking Mightyena, and beside it, a Weezing that leaked sickly purple gas from its mouth and eyes.
Tusk and Mightyena started growling the moment they saw each other.
Sammy blinked. "The lab… It's him."
The man smiled beneath his mask. "I didn't think I'd see you again, kid! Now, tell me! Where's your boyfriend? That other brat. I've got unfinished business with him." The man said as Chatlotte gave him a worried look before giving up.
"Fine. I'll take care of the other one. Be careful." She said as she turned away and walked towards Khan.
The man turned back to Sammy. "What do you say? A rematch? Wanna settle this?!"
Sammy looked at the man and the tree pokémon next to him before kneling next to Tusk. "It's your call. If you want to fight we will! If not, I'll handle this with Rage."
Tusk met his eyes and nodded once, firm and fierce.
"Alright then." Sammy stood, smirking. "Go! Dragon Dance, then Dragon Claw!"
Tusk's body shimmered with a purple glow as he powered up, then launched forward, claws glowing with dragon energy.
"Play Rough!" the man countered.
Mightyena barreled forward, pink sparkles exploding from its claws and paws. The two Pokémon collided midair. Dragon Claw met Play Rough but the purple energy disappeared the moment it got close to the pink sparkles. Tusk was thrown back, barely catching himself.
Sammy narrowed his eyes. Play rough… it canceled Dragon Claw. Sammy though to himself as he looked at Mightyena once more. But Play Rough doesn't cover all of its body...
"Tusk! Again! Dragon Dance then Dragon Claw!" he called out.
Laughter rang out again. "Let's go, kid! Mightyena, PlayRough again then FireFang!"
Before they clashed again. Purple and pink energy getting ready to collide on the deck like fireworks—. "Now, jump!" Sammy shouted.
Tusk slammed the deck with his armored scales and launched upward, bouncing off Mightyena's head.
"Slam with Dragon Claw! FINISH IT!_"
Tusk spun midair, claws blazing. He descended like a blade, slashing down Mightyena's spine with explosive force. The dark wolf crumpled with a defeated howl.
The man returned Mightyena to its Pokéball with a crazed grin. "You're good, brat. Sure you don't want to join us?"
Sammy scoffed. "Hard pass."
"You're set, huh?" He stepped forward. "Then let's continue! Weezing, Heat Wave!"
Weezing floated forward and let out a roar as a blast of scorching hot air burst across the deck. Flames licked at Sammy's coat, singeing the fabric.
Tusk braced himself but struggled to breathe.
"Tusk, go Dragon Rage!"
But the heat suffocated the little Dragon. The firestorm clogged his lungs, and the energy he tried to build backfired. exploding in his mouth.
"TUSK!" Sammy shouted in panic.
The young Axew fell to one knee, coughing, smoke escaping from his mouth.
"Well, that's bad," Sammy muttered under his mask, mind racing.
And across from him, the man just laughed harder.