It had been 98 days since Tim's father, Agent Nikitis, had been sucked into the Phantom Zone. Since then, Tim had beaten the Dewford and Lavaridge gyms. He was in Petalburg City, training his father's Houndoom. Altaria had died, and Wartortle had left in sadness. Watching Houndoom's battle was Tim, Grovyle, Exploud, Mightyena, and Manectric. Houndoom easily defeated the Linoone it was battling, and sulked back to Tim. Houndoom had never been the same since Nikitis had been sucked into the portal. Neither had Tim. Every night, he would have the same dream...
In the dream, he would be floating in a murky purple and black abyss. Screams echoed all around him. Nikitis would always reach out, begging for Tim to help. But every night, Nikitis would always be just out of Tim's reach. And Tim would wake up in a cold sweat.
Tim absentmindedly hugged Houndoom. Houndoom's eyes were blank. They always were.
"Alright," Tim said, expressionless, "Nice job Houndoom. Let's go battle the gym."
Tim and Houndoom walked like zombies towards the Petalburg City Gym. They entered, and the gym leader, Norman hugged Tim.
"What's this?" Tim asked.
"I'm sorry for your loss," Norman whispered into Tim's ear.
Tim didn't reply.
"You know, Nikitis was a friend of mine," Norman said.
"Nikitis was just a codename," Tim spat, "You don't even know his real name."
"Yes I do. Your father's name was Tyson."
"He only told his name to my mom and I," Tim said, "How'd you know?"
"I'm part of the International Police as well," Norman admitted, "Your father worked with Agent Looker and I on many missions. We called ourselves the Triad. But we stopped when a mafia calling themselves the Triad rose up. The Shadow Triad to be precise. But Looker, your father, and I grew very close on these missions."
"He never told me about you."
"He never told you a lot of things," Norman nodded, "To protect you. Shield you from the evil in the world."
"I know plenty about evil," Tim snarled, "If you and my father are so close, why didn't you come to help at Mauville City?"
"I wouldn't have been able to make it in time," Norman looked down at the ground, "I'm truly sorry."
"Don't lie. You could've made it."
"No Tim. I couldn't."
"STOP LYING!"
Tim ran out of the gym. He rushed into Petalburg Woods.
"Why are you crying?" came a voice, "Did someone hurt your fee-wings?"
Tim looked up, gritting his teeth. Standing above him was someone in a red and blue uniform. On their wrist was a tattoo of a mountain in the sea.
"Go away," Tim growled.
"Go away?" the man laughed, "I'm part of Team Gaea! I do what I want!"
"Team what?" Tim glared at the man menacingly.
"Gaea," the man repeated, "Heard of it?"
"Yeah, I've heard of it," Tim nodded, his eyes emotionless, "And I hate you and everything you stand for. Houndoom. Destroy him."
Houndoom nodded. Tim walked away. Behind him, he heard screams and pleads for mercy. Houndoom walked over to Tim with blood dripping from his jaw.
"What happened here?" Tim heard Norman yell. Tim continued walking away.
"Tim Wood!" Norman yelled, "Get back here right now!"
"Make me."
"This is against the law! Brutalizing someone with a Pokemon!"
"What Team Gaea does is against the law. It's a high form of treason," Tim shot back.
"Don't talk back to me," Norman warned.
"You don't scare me."
"You're right," Norman nodded, "I'm not scary. But Vigoroth is."
Norman sent out Vigoroth.
"Pathetic," Tim shook his head, disappointed.
"Hey!" Frank yelled, running over, "That's my line Twig!"
"I'd stay away Frank," Tim said. Frank saw the blood dripping from Houndoom's jaw, and bolted away.
"Tim, I understand that you're upset about your father, but you can't-"
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Tim exclaimed, "You can pretend you do- but you don't."
"I do, actually," Norman sighed, "I have a deep hate against Team Gaea as well. You and I... We've both lost someone close to us."
"Who'd you lose?"
"My son," Norman said, a tear rolling down his cheek, "His name was Brendan. He wanted so badly to become the Champion of Hoenn. But he tried to stop Team Magma and Team Aqua and they killed him."
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Norman took a deep breath, "I learned to move on. And you will too."
"I wish I could," Tim nodded, "But I keep having these dreams. Dreams that don't feel like dreams. In these dreams, my dad is still alive in the Phantom Zone. He needs my help. I truly believe he's still alive. I can't move on knowing he's still out there."
"You don't know that he is," Norman said, "You're just having dreams. But if it will help you move on, I'll look into it. There's plenty of researchers already trying to find out what the Phantom Zone truly is. I'll check it out as well. And, off the record, if you want answers about strange phenomenons, see Tate and Liza, the gym leaders Mossdeep City. They claim to have psychic powers. And I believe them. But don't tell anyone I said that."
"Thanks Norman," Tim said, hugging Norman.
"You're welcome," Norman smiled, "Now let's get this poor Team Gaea member to a hospital and then have a Pokemon battle."
Tim sat in the Petalburg Gym, waiting. Norman walked in.
"The doctors say he'll make a full recovery. Isn't it amazing how powerful today's medicine is? After he's released, the International Police will take him in for questioning. Now, are you ready for our battle?"
Tim nodded.
"Find me in the back of the gym," Norman instructed, leaving the room. Tim followed. The new room was a simply square room. A woman in a red suit was blocking the door at the back of the room.
"Uh, can I get through that door?" Tim asked.
"If you defeat me," the woman nodded, "But that will be no easy feat. Go Spinda!"
"Go Manectric! Use Thunderbolt!"
Electricity surrounded Manectric, and a bolt of lightning struck down Spinda. Manectric ran over and used Thunder Fang. Spinda fainted. Next, the woman sent out Skitty.
"Skitty use Atract!"
Skitty ran over to Manectric, and walked around him sensually. Manectric's tongue hung out. Skitty licked Manectric's paws, and Manectric collapsed, in love.
"Now use Feint Attack!" the woman called. Skitty approached Manectric, purring. Then, she reared back and attacked Manectric with ferocity. Manectric fainted.
"Go Mightyena! Use Crunch!"
Mightyena sprang out of his Pokeball, and bit down hard on Skitty. Then, Mightyena's fangs burst into flames, and Mightyena bit Skitty again. Skitty fainted.
"You're powerful," the woman admitted, "You may pass."
Tim stepped through the door. The room he entered was massive. A flat concrete battlefield took up the whole room.
"That was quick," Norman grinned, "Which is good. I'm excited to battle you! Go Spinda!"
"Go Mightyena! Use Fire Fang!"
Mightyena charged at Spinda, its fangs flaming.
"Use Psybeam Spinda!"
Spinda sent a purple beam from its forehead. The beam hit Mightyena, but Mightyena kept on running. Mightyena chomped down on Spinda. Spinda fainted easily.
"Spinda wasn't my strongest Pokemon," Norman admitted, "Go Vigoroth! Use Slash!"
Vigoroth slashed at Mightyena, but Mightyena countered with Ice Fang. Vigoroth became a Poke-Popsicle. Mightyena followed up with Thunder Fang. Then Fire Fang. Vigoroth fainted.
"You sure like your fangs," Norman chuckled, "Go Linoone! Use Headbutt!"
Linoone charged at Mightyena.
"Use Crunch Mightyena!"
Mightyena bit Linoone on the head.
"Now fling Linoone across the battlefield!"
Mightyena flung Linoone. Linoone crashed into Norman, and fainted.
"Ouch," Norman grunted, "Okay, this is my last Pokemon! But he's also my strongest! Go Slaking!"
"Quick Mightyena use Thunder Fang!"
Mightyena ran at Slaking, fangs crackling with electricity.
"Slaking use Counter!"
Slaking rolled to the side of Mightyena, and slammed Mightyena into the ground. Mightyena fainted.
"Return Mightyena! Go Grovyle! Use Leaf Blade!"
Grovyle slashed at a sleeping Slaking with green blades. Slaking woke up, and beat up Grovyle.
"Grovyle! Get outta there!"
Grovyle couldn't escape. Slaking continued beating up Grovyle until Grovyle fainted.
"Come back Grovyle," Tim said, "Go Exploud! Use Hyper Voice!"
Exploud roared, but Slaking was too sound asleep to notice. When Exploud stomped over, Slaking woke up, and grabbed Exploud. Slaking slammed her around, until she fainted.
"Whoa. Slaking is good. Return Exploud. Go Houndoom! It's all you! Use Inferno!"
Houndoom unleashed massive flames. The flames seared Slaking. Slaking limped off, trying to escape.
"Use Shadow Ball!" Tim called.
Houndoom opened his jaw, and a dark orb formed. Houndoom swung his head, and the dark orb flew at Slaking. As soon as it made contact, Slaking collapsed, unconscious.
"What a battle!" Norman clapped, "You did really great! Here's the Balance Badge. Balance is important. Balance between Anger and Serenity. You could use some work there Tim. But that will come in time. For now, I'll start looking into the Phantom Zone."
"Thank you Norman," Tim smiled, hugging the gym leader.
"You're very welcome Tim."
In the dream, he would be floating in a murky purple and black abyss. Screams echoed all around him. Nikitis would always reach out, begging for Tim to help. But every night, Nikitis would always be just out of Tim's reach. And Tim would wake up in a cold sweat.
Tim absentmindedly hugged Houndoom. Houndoom's eyes were blank. They always were.
"Alright," Tim said, expressionless, "Nice job Houndoom. Let's go battle the gym."
Tim and Houndoom walked like zombies towards the Petalburg City Gym. They entered, and the gym leader, Norman hugged Tim.
"What's this?" Tim asked.
"I'm sorry for your loss," Norman whispered into Tim's ear.
Tim didn't reply.
"You know, Nikitis was a friend of mine," Norman said.
"Nikitis was just a codename," Tim spat, "You don't even know his real name."
"Yes I do. Your father's name was Tyson."
"He only told his name to my mom and I," Tim said, "How'd you know?"
"I'm part of the International Police as well," Norman admitted, "Your father worked with Agent Looker and I on many missions. We called ourselves the Triad. But we stopped when a mafia calling themselves the Triad rose up. The Shadow Triad to be precise. But Looker, your father, and I grew very close on these missions."
"He never told me about you."
"He never told you a lot of things," Norman nodded, "To protect you. Shield you from the evil in the world."
"I know plenty about evil," Tim snarled, "If you and my father are so close, why didn't you come to help at Mauville City?"
"I wouldn't have been able to make it in time," Norman looked down at the ground, "I'm truly sorry."
"Don't lie. You could've made it."
"No Tim. I couldn't."
"STOP LYING!"
Tim ran out of the gym. He rushed into Petalburg Woods.
"Why are you crying?" came a voice, "Did someone hurt your fee-wings?"
Tim looked up, gritting his teeth. Standing above him was someone in a red and blue uniform. On their wrist was a tattoo of a mountain in the sea.
"Go away," Tim growled.
"Go away?" the man laughed, "I'm part of Team Gaea! I do what I want!"
"Team what?" Tim glared at the man menacingly.
"Gaea," the man repeated, "Heard of it?"
"Yeah, I've heard of it," Tim nodded, his eyes emotionless, "And I hate you and everything you stand for. Houndoom. Destroy him."
Houndoom nodded. Tim walked away. Behind him, he heard screams and pleads for mercy. Houndoom walked over to Tim with blood dripping from his jaw.
"What happened here?" Tim heard Norman yell. Tim continued walking away.
"Tim Wood!" Norman yelled, "Get back here right now!"
"Make me."
"This is against the law! Brutalizing someone with a Pokemon!"
"What Team Gaea does is against the law. It's a high form of treason," Tim shot back.
"Don't talk back to me," Norman warned.
"You don't scare me."
"You're right," Norman nodded, "I'm not scary. But Vigoroth is."
Norman sent out Vigoroth.
"Pathetic," Tim shook his head, disappointed.
"Hey!" Frank yelled, running over, "That's my line Twig!"
"I'd stay away Frank," Tim said. Frank saw the blood dripping from Houndoom's jaw, and bolted away.
"Tim, I understand that you're upset about your father, but you can't-"
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Tim exclaimed, "You can pretend you do- but you don't."
"I do, actually," Norman sighed, "I have a deep hate against Team Gaea as well. You and I... We've both lost someone close to us."
"Who'd you lose?"
"My son," Norman said, a tear rolling down his cheek, "His name was Brendan. He wanted so badly to become the Champion of Hoenn. But he tried to stop Team Magma and Team Aqua and they killed him."
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Norman took a deep breath, "I learned to move on. And you will too."
"I wish I could," Tim nodded, "But I keep having these dreams. Dreams that don't feel like dreams. In these dreams, my dad is still alive in the Phantom Zone. He needs my help. I truly believe he's still alive. I can't move on knowing he's still out there."
"You don't know that he is," Norman said, "You're just having dreams. But if it will help you move on, I'll look into it. There's plenty of researchers already trying to find out what the Phantom Zone truly is. I'll check it out as well. And, off the record, if you want answers about strange phenomenons, see Tate and Liza, the gym leaders Mossdeep City. They claim to have psychic powers. And I believe them. But don't tell anyone I said that."
"Thanks Norman," Tim said, hugging Norman.
"You're welcome," Norman smiled, "Now let's get this poor Team Gaea member to a hospital and then have a Pokemon battle."
Tim sat in the Petalburg Gym, waiting. Norman walked in.
"The doctors say he'll make a full recovery. Isn't it amazing how powerful today's medicine is? After he's released, the International Police will take him in for questioning. Now, are you ready for our battle?"
Tim nodded.
"Find me in the back of the gym," Norman instructed, leaving the room. Tim followed. The new room was a simply square room. A woman in a red suit was blocking the door at the back of the room.
"Uh, can I get through that door?" Tim asked.
"If you defeat me," the woman nodded, "But that will be no easy feat. Go Spinda!"
"Go Manectric! Use Thunderbolt!"
Electricity surrounded Manectric, and a bolt of lightning struck down Spinda. Manectric ran over and used Thunder Fang. Spinda fainted. Next, the woman sent out Skitty.
"Skitty use Atract!"
Skitty ran over to Manectric, and walked around him sensually. Manectric's tongue hung out. Skitty licked Manectric's paws, and Manectric collapsed, in love.
"Now use Feint Attack!" the woman called. Skitty approached Manectric, purring. Then, she reared back and attacked Manectric with ferocity. Manectric fainted.
"Go Mightyena! Use Crunch!"
Mightyena sprang out of his Pokeball, and bit down hard on Skitty. Then, Mightyena's fangs burst into flames, and Mightyena bit Skitty again. Skitty fainted.
"You're powerful," the woman admitted, "You may pass."
Tim stepped through the door. The room he entered was massive. A flat concrete battlefield took up the whole room.
"That was quick," Norman grinned, "Which is good. I'm excited to battle you! Go Spinda!"
"Go Mightyena! Use Fire Fang!"
Mightyena charged at Spinda, its fangs flaming.
"Use Psybeam Spinda!"
Spinda sent a purple beam from its forehead. The beam hit Mightyena, but Mightyena kept on running. Mightyena chomped down on Spinda. Spinda fainted easily.
"Spinda wasn't my strongest Pokemon," Norman admitted, "Go Vigoroth! Use Slash!"
Vigoroth slashed at Mightyena, but Mightyena countered with Ice Fang. Vigoroth became a Poke-Popsicle. Mightyena followed up with Thunder Fang. Then Fire Fang. Vigoroth fainted.
"You sure like your fangs," Norman chuckled, "Go Linoone! Use Headbutt!"
Linoone charged at Mightyena.
"Use Crunch Mightyena!"
Mightyena bit Linoone on the head.
"Now fling Linoone across the battlefield!"
Mightyena flung Linoone. Linoone crashed into Norman, and fainted.
"Ouch," Norman grunted, "Okay, this is my last Pokemon! But he's also my strongest! Go Slaking!"
"Quick Mightyena use Thunder Fang!"
Mightyena ran at Slaking, fangs crackling with electricity.
"Slaking use Counter!"
Slaking rolled to the side of Mightyena, and slammed Mightyena into the ground. Mightyena fainted.
"Return Mightyena! Go Grovyle! Use Leaf Blade!"
Grovyle slashed at a sleeping Slaking with green blades. Slaking woke up, and beat up Grovyle.
"Grovyle! Get outta there!"
Grovyle couldn't escape. Slaking continued beating up Grovyle until Grovyle fainted.
"Come back Grovyle," Tim said, "Go Exploud! Use Hyper Voice!"
Exploud roared, but Slaking was too sound asleep to notice. When Exploud stomped over, Slaking woke up, and grabbed Exploud. Slaking slammed her around, until she fainted.
"Whoa. Slaking is good. Return Exploud. Go Houndoom! It's all you! Use Inferno!"
Houndoom unleashed massive flames. The flames seared Slaking. Slaking limped off, trying to escape.
"Use Shadow Ball!" Tim called.
Houndoom opened his jaw, and a dark orb formed. Houndoom swung his head, and the dark orb flew at Slaking. As soon as it made contact, Slaking collapsed, unconscious.
"What a battle!" Norman clapped, "You did really great! Here's the Balance Badge. Balance is important. Balance between Anger and Serenity. You could use some work there Tim. But that will come in time. For now, I'll start looking into the Phantom Zone."
"Thank you Norman," Tim smiled, hugging the gym leader.
"You're very welcome Tim."