Dropping the poses we'd struck, Luca and Luci took a step back, returning to their original positions. While I just looked ahead and smiled.
"H-Hey! That's our thing!" The lady, Jessie, shouted at the top of her lungs, ripping off the surgical mask she'd been wearing!
"Yes, this is plagiarism! Plagiarism, I say!" The man, James, replied, removing his mask as well.
"Who d'ya thinks you are stealing our shtick!" The middlemost man, Meowth, said, jumping off of Wobbaffet's head, discarding its disguise entirely.
Hearing what Meowth said, I just couldn't help myself.
"Team Twerp, that's who!" I said with a shit-eating grin plastered across my face.
"Grrrrr!" They all seemed to grit their teeth, seething in anger.
"Fine~! If that's how you want to play it, take this!" Jessie said, removing what appeared to be a cube-like device.
Seeing Jessie throw the cube-like object at me, I prepared to grab it and crush it in my hands.
However, sensing that I was in danger, probably through some sick twist of fate, Garchomp rushed in front of me to block the cube.
Before I could stop the event that I knew was going to happen, the entire reason I'd stayed when Clemont left, the cube impacted Garchomp, expanding into a collar that secured itself around Garchomp's neck before suddenly glowing red and bursting with electricity.
"GAAAAAAAARRRRRRR!" Garchomp cried out in pain!
"Damn it, Garchomp!" I shouted as I rushed forward to try to help.
"Oh well, wrong target, but that works out well for us~!" James said as he pulled out a tablet-like device, increasing the intensity of the collar.
"GAAAAAAARRRRR!!!!" Garchomp screamed out, thrashing around just as I'd arrived by its side.
Seeing the incoming strike from Garchomp's flailing, my training kicked in.
My Aura burst forth in less than a fraction of a second, covering my entire body, appearing much like a transparent demonic suit of armour.
As soon as it fully formed, Garchomp's tail impacted me square in the chest, sending me blasting backwards like a cannonball, crashing through and obliterating a couple of the bookcases that lined the entrance hall.
Luca, Luci, and Kaida rushed to my side, panicking at the strength of the blow I'd received.
Feeling nothing from the strike due to the strength of my Aura Defensive Armament (ADA), I pulled myself out of the crater my crash created.
I was prepared to rush forward to destroy the device on Garchomp's neck; however, I heard a cacophony of hurried footsteps approaching.
Cursing my bad luck and my responsibility to try my best at keeping my family secret hidden, I released my ADA just before the group arrived.
"What's going on in here!" A man shouted as soon as they arrived.
Doing my best to look at least slightly injured, I said.
"Ash! Cough, Cough! It's Team Rocket! They've got some kind of device that's wrapped around Garchop's neck!" I said, trying to look and sound as convincing as I could.
"Team Rocket!" Ash shouted.
"You three again!" Clemont exclaimed.
"Why don't you just leave the poor Pokémon alone, you buncha bullies!" Bonnie cried out.
"Can it, twerp! We do it 'cus we can!" Jessie shot back.
"Yeah! And dare ain't nuthin you can do about it~!" Meowth added.
"Now, Garchomp, listen here~!" James ordered, cranking up the collar's power even more.
"GAAAAAAAAAARRRRRR!!!!" Garchomp cried out even louder.
Hearing Garchomp's cry, I grit my teeth so hard that my gums began to bleed slightly.
My inability to make a move, all because of a stupid secret, tore away at my soul. I had the power to solve Garchomp's pain in less time than it took to fry an egg, but here I am, trapped and shackled by an oath made hundreds of years in the past.
Suddenly, most likely going crazy due to the pain, Garchomp opened its mouth, and glowing purple energy began building up from within before it was released into a beam of power that hit the walls of the Research Center as Garchomp thrashed back and forth.
Wherever the beam passed, a split second after, explosions would erupt one after the other, following the beam's path, sounding much like a machine gun.
"Get down! Garchomp is using [Hyper Beam]!" The man from before, who I assumed was Professor Sycamore, shouted.
Everyone hit the deck as more beams passed over our heads. However, it seemed as though Team Rocket was slow to react as the beam passed over the floor a step or so in front of them.
"Not good…" Meowth said before suddenly,
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM
The blastwaves impacted Team Rocket, sending them soaring away.
"Oh, no fair~!" They all shouted, with Wobbaffet crying out in reply as they disappeared into the distance.
"GAAAAR! GAAAAAAAAAAR!!" Garchomp continued to thrash about.
"Garchomp! Please! You have to calm down!" Professor Sycamore cried out.
However, Garchomp was in too much pain to respond. Instead, it suddenly jumped upwards, blasting through the roof and landing out onto the street, where it continued to rampage.
"Garchomp!" Ash cried out.
"Pika, Pi~!"
"Garchomp must be in a lot of pain," Ash said.
"W-what's gonna happen to Garchomp!" Bonnie cried out as she clung to Clemont, tears pooling in her eyes.
Ash turned to Pikachu before saying,
"Let's go after it!"
"Pika~!"
"You're not going alone." I declared before turning to Kaida, saying,
"Kaida, return." In a flash of light, Kaida re-entered her Pokéball.
"Luci, Luca, you stay here, help the Professors tend to any injured."
"Caaar~!" They replied.
Turning to Ash, I said,
"Let's go."
With a nod, Ash, Pikachu and I prepared to dash off.
"Please be very careful!" Professor Sycamore called out before continuing,
"Sophie, check to see if the other Pokémon are okay."
With a curt nod, Sophie returned the way they came, followed by Luca and Luci.
"Oh, Clemont, I wish we could help poor Garchomp out!" Bonnie cried out.
"Then let's go too!" Clemont replied.
"Nn!"
As Ash and I dashed for the door, a blue blur appeared in front of us.
There, Froakie stood, blocking our path.
Understanding that a few lines of unnecessary dialogue were about to occur, I didn't stop running forward.
Instead, I merely scooped down and carried Froakie under my arm without stopping.
Seeing my actions, Pikachu, Ash and Froakie were naturally caught off-guard. Not wanting to waste time, I kept running, turning my head back to shout,
"You coming or what?!"
Snapping out of their stupor, Ash replied,
"Yeah!" before running after me with Pikachu at his side.
…
..
.
Garchomp continued to rampage around, firing off the occasional [Hyper Beam] at different buildings as it erratically went from flying to smashing into the road back to flying again.
Police sirens echoed around as Officer Jenny announced over the intercom,
"Attention, Citizens! There's a Garchomp currently on a wild rampage! Please evacuate the area immediately!"
In the air, multiple different News helicopters followed after Garchomp, most likely reporting on the current situation.
They all seemed to be flying towards Prism Tower, where Ash, Pikachu, Clemont, Bonnie, and I were rushing towards.
From a distance, I could see Garchop constantly releasing random [Hyper Beam]'s, some of which nearly hit the helicopters filming it.
Arriving at the base of Prism Tower, we looked up to see where Garchomp had landed.
"We gotta get up there," Ash said.
"Ah! But that's dangerous!" Clemont replied.
"No, Garchomp is the one that's in danger." I countered, my expression looking quite fierce.
"We've gotta find a way to get that collar off!" Ash continued.
We both looked at each other, nodding at the understanding we'd come to.
"If getting close to Garchomp is what you need, I've got a solution." Clemont proclaimed.
"Then get moving," I said.
"What about you?" Ash asked.
"Kaida can get me up there by flying. But I'm already heavy enough as it is. She won't be able to carry all of us. So I'll get up there first, see if I can reason with Garchomp. If that doesn't work, I'll need your help, so get up there as fast as possible." I said, not taking my eyes off Garchomp.
"Got it! We'll hurry! Let's go!" Ash replied.
Seeing them run off, I pulled out Kaida's Pokéball, calling her out.
"Kaida."
With a familiar burst of energy, Kaida appeared before me.
"Gaaaar~!"
"Get me up there."
With a nod, Kaida turned around, allowing me to climb atop her back. Once I was secure, Kaida burst upwards with a blinding speed, zooming higher and higher until I reached the landing that Garchomp was on.
Dropping me off, I waved Kaida away, saying,
"I don't want you getting caught up in its rampage. So fly around but be within range to assist if needed."
"Gaaar~!" Having absolute confidence in me as her Trainer, she nodded at my orders, taking off.
Garchomp was still raging about just ahead of me, wailing in pain.
"GAAAAAAAAARRRRRR!!!!"
"Garchomp!" I cried out.
Hearing my call, Garchomp turned to face me. It seemed to recognise me for a second before a burst of electricity erupted from its collar.
"GAAAAAAAARRRRR!!!!" With a shout of pain, a familiar build-up of purple energy signalled danger.
Garchomp's [Hyper Beam] shot directly at me with a blast of energy.
Time seemed to slow down from my perspective as my body subconsciously channelled an Aura Enhancement directly to my eyes and brain.
Watching as the purplish-black beam inched its way towards me, my Aura Enhancement spread to the rest of my body, speeding up my muscle's reaction times and making it possible for me to tilt my body towards the right and backwards, allowing the beam to pass over my chest narrowly.
As soon as the beam was clear, time sped up again, from my perspective at least.
"C'mon, Garchomp! It's me, Kai! I know you're in a lot of pain, but you gotta calm down for me to be able to help you!" I cried out again, trying my best to get through to it.
"GAAAAR!!! GAAAAAAAR!!!"
I took cautious steps towards it. Seeing as News helicopters were flying around, I couldn't afford to use my ADA to defend myself, lest I expose it on National Television. I just hoped that my dodging Garchomps attacks could be passed off as good reflexes... It should be fine... Right?
Deciding to deal with whatever consequences came my way later, I called out,
"I'm here, buddy! Just let me help you, please!" I called out once more. However, another build-up of energy began to occur.
"Fuck!" I only had enough time to curse before once again activating my Enhancements to dodge the beam. However, this time was different.
Garchomp suddenly began firing quick bursts of its [Hyper Beam], requiring me to dodge more than one. In fact, the shots happened so rapidly that they seemed to come out like bullets from an automatic rifle from my slowed down perspective.
Understanding that I could no longer hold my ground, my Enhanced mind began to race, calculating every trajectory vector of the multiple beams heading my way.
Thus, having made my calculations, I began taking evasive maneuvers.
The first beam approached me head-on, requiring me to side-step to the left. However, I was already moving to avoid the second beam as it passed by me.
Leaping upwards and to the right, I positioned my body parallel to the floor with a clockwise rotational twist, evading the oncoming second beam while rolling over the tail-end of the first.
The moment my leading foot touched the ground, my muscle's tensed as I proceeded to launch myself back into a flip.
As my foot left the ground, the place I'd previously landed was impacted by a third beam.
Landing on my hands, I once again launched myself backward, avoiding the impact zone of the fourth.
Landing on both feet this time, the fifth and final beam would impact where I was currently standing if my calculations were correct. Thus, I twisted my body around with one final backwards leap, performing a perfect 360° backflip, landing safely away.
When I was finally out of the danger zone, my perception of time returned to normal. What followed were the rapid booms of each concurring delayed explosion that followed each beam.
BOOOM BOOOM BOOOM BOOOM
"Cough, cough, Haaa, haaa, haaaa, haaaa…. Dammit, I'm definitely gonna get an earful from Mum after this." Even while using Enhancements, being forced to calculate and perform maneuvers so quickly was draining my stamina rapidly. I even ended up coughing up some blood.
Seeing this, I knew it wasn't a good sign. But I've had this happen many times before.
The difference between a human using their Aura, and a Pokémon who specialised in such things, was that a Human's Aura reserves didn't recover as quickly.
By constantly using my Aura Enhancements to such a severe degree and in such rapid succession, my life force would begin to drain away with each recurring overuse.
I knew I needed to end this soon, or I might not survive this encounter….
…
..
.