Chapter 17
Latios gulped. "A-are those Pokémon?"
Ash and his Pokémon found themselves in a large corridor. Glass cases of Pokémon lined the walls. Each was filled with some purple liquid and had tubes hooked up to each of the Pokémon. But the Pokémon… Their eyes were vacant and lifeless, as if their soul had been sucked out of them. Ash didn't even feel the presence he normally did when a Pokémon was nearby.
Ash clenched his fists. How dare anyone treat Pokémon like this? They were living beings, just like humans. Heck, even Team Rocket cared about their Pokémon at least a little. "I want to free them right now, but…"
"It would blow our cover," Pikachu's cheeks crackled. "But I'm gonna blast whoever's behind this into the exosphere."
A soft thumping echoed off the laboratory walls.
"Someone's coming," telepathed Latios, "quick, this way,"
They ducked into a nearby room and watched as several pairs of boots passed by. That was way too close.
"Well, that's convenient," said Pikachu once they were gone.
"What's convenient?" asked Ash.
Pikachu pointed to a rack of Team Void uniforms.
"Oh,"
A few minutes later, Ash looked like any other Team Void grunt or, at least, one with a certain electric mouse on his shoulder that he hoped wouldn't get him in trouble. Latios and Latias remained invisible, accompanying Ash down the long hallways.
"Who are you and why are you by yourself?" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a man wearing the same uniform as Crypto walking toward him. He must be a commander.
"Uh, I'm Ashius, and my team left me." Ash quickly thought up a name. "Sir," He hastily added.
The man frowned. "And why did your team leave you?"
"They, uh, were sent for by Commander Crypto."
"Crypto?" mused the man, "That idiot doesn't need any more help; he just needs an actual brain." He turned back to Ash, "Well, Ashius, get on your way, but don't go wandering around anymore."
Ash nodded.
"Good." The man eyed Pikachu for a moment, opened his mouth, but just shook his head and walked down another hallway.
Ash sighed in relief.
"Ashius? Seriously?" chuckled Latios telepathically.
"Hey! It's the best I could think of," Ash retorted.
Latias nudged him. "I think we should follow that guy."
"Why?"
"He might lead us to something important," telepathed Latios, "I'm sure he's not a commander for nothing."
~~~
"Is it just me, or did the twerp just disappear into that mountain?"
"That's no mountain, James! That's the hideout of those Team Void freaks!"
"Well, how are we supposed to get in?" asked James.
"I think da twerp knocked out some of those Team Void guys before he went in," said Meowth, "we aren't masters of disguise for nothin'"
"Perfect!" said Jessie, "We'll show those goons who's the better team!"
"Wobbefett!"
~~~
"We've been walking forever," Ash groaned. "Shouldn't we have gotten somewhere by now?"
"Their base is underground," Latios examined one of the walls. "It could be miles big,"
"Hey," Latias pointed. "He stopped walking."
Ash glanced at the Team Void commander from behind a wall. He had finished his seemingly endless walk and knocked on a nearby door. The door opened and quickly closed when the man stepped inside.
"How do we get in?" Ash fidgeted with his uniform. "I doubt we can just knock,"
"Latias and I can try to get in," said Latios.
"Alright," telepathed Ash, "just don't get caught."
"We won't!" Latias chirped.
~~~
"I found it!" Meowth held up a key card.
"Alright!" Jessie pumped her fist. "Let's bust in!"
"Imagine how the boss will reward us once he finds out we smothered his competition!" James pulled on one of the Team Void uniforms.
"I can see it now, he'll look out his window every morning, and say, 'Ah, how nice it is to have the world under my command! And it's all thanks to those three who helped me accomplish my goal!' Then he'll shower us with wealth and riches until we can't possibly take any more!" Meowth's eyes glittered at the prospect.
The trio sighed, imagining the scene.
"Right!" Jessie snapped her attention back to reality. "If we're going to get that money, we have to destroy Team Void first!"
"Wobbafett!"
~~~
Latios looked around the room, having slipped through the door when another member of Team Void went inside.
"What's that thing?" asked Latias.
Latios connected his mind with Ash's, projecting his surroundings so Ash could see what he was. A couple of days ago, they had discovered that he and Latias could use sight sharing with Ash as well. "What is it, sis?"
Latias pointed to a large machine in a corner of the room where several members of Team Void were gathered.
Latios frowned. "I don't know. Let's see if we can find out,"
"Well, is it ready?" said one of the men, "The boss received word that you finished it."
A man in a white lab coat glared at him. "Of course it's ready! Do you doubt my work?"
"Alright then, let's see if it works,"
"What Pokémon do you want me to use it on?"
"Test that Magikarp, it's useless anyway."
The scientist took a Pokeball from the shelf and put it on top of the machine. He pressed a few buttons, the machine started to shake, and tiny black particles flew into the Pokeball. After about a minute, it stopped, leaving behind a seemingly unchanged Pokeball.
"Well?"
The man in the lab coat smirked and threw the Pokeball.
One look at the Magikarp told Latios all he needed to know.
~~~
?
~~~
"Sir, the kid found our base!"
"He did? Well, let him in; he can't do much harm."
"But, sir, that kid thwarted our plans at the Silver Conference and defeated both Crypto and Apex, two of your best agents!"
"True, but he has yet to face our most powerful force."
"The shadow Pokémon, sir?"
"No, the shadow Pokémon are simply a test to see what we can do with dark energy. The real, full potential only comes out when the Pokémon's soul is completely obliterated. Emotions are a weakness, remember?"
"Of course, sir,"
"Good. Do you have anything else to report?"
"Just one thing,"
"And that would be?"
"We've seen two people and a Meowth on the security cameras who are not members of Team Void. I think they're looking for something."
"If they cause any harm, send some grunts to take care of them; they are the least of our concerns."
"As you wish, Master Nigel,"
~~~
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