Child of Thorns - A Pokemon Sinnoh Reimagining

In the back of her mind, Inyssa felt relieved that her legs started moving on their own. Her logical brain was currently being bombarded by a myriad of different emotions that would've frozen her in place if she were actually thinking about what her body was doing.

Once again the pillar of smoke had gotten in her way, erasing all the warmth she'd been feeling back in the Gym. But now she knew what it meant, she knew what that augur was attached to, the name which clung to her chest and burnt her from the inside. Galactic.

Her vision was blurry, though she didn't know if it was due to the speed at which she was running towards that smoke or the frenzied, drum-like beating of her heart. She closed her eyes for a second and she saw her face, Mars' face, grinning at her the same way she'd done it back in the Windworks. Those cold red eyes and those thin lips that couldn't have created a warm smile if she were forced to. She felt that chill again, that debilitating, all consuming fear that Mars instilled in her that time. Like cold poison running through her veins, paralyzing her limbs and stealing her breath.

But there was something else too. Pulsing, growing from her heart outwards, like an ember being fanned by a light breeze. It started to boil inside her, a white, furious flame which heated her entire body and burnt the fear away, chasing it to the back of her mind where it would not interfere with her current plan of action.

She would find her, she decided, and she would break that stupid tiny nose of hers. Perhaps a few other things too, if the opportunity presented itself to her. The thought made her smile, or at the very least twitch the corner of her lips slightly upwards. She was going to make her feel the same thing she felt back then, she was going to...

Her legs stopped, feet sliding on the floor beneath her and almost making her fall. Her body was jerked backwards, an iron grip grabbing her by the right arm and nearly dislocating her shoulder again. The air inside her lungs escaped as she came back to reality, and with a confused expression she turned around to see Sarah, her face red and her eyes spelling out a clear Don't even think about it.

Behind her appeared Barry, hair ruffled and cheeks red. Inyssa opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She felt a painful stab in her chest and she suddenly realized she needed to breathe. She closed her eyes and inhaled as quickly as possible, her legs burning and the beat of her heart resounding in her ears. She felt dizzy. What was that, only a minute of running or so? And the moment she stopped, she felt like she would pass out. Another, unrelated burst of fury exploded inside her, directed at her own body instead.

This... t his piece of SHIT body...

"Let... me... go," she said between breaths.

"No. Absolutely not," Sarah squeezed her arm painfully. "You're both going back to the Pokemon Center while I take care of this."

She looked at Barry, who was staring at both of them full of doubt, the fear of his mother slightly overpowering his desire to help her. She frowned at him.

"It's... it's them. Team Galactic," she explained, voice slightly high pitched. "I have to-"

"We don't know that," Sarah cut her off, eyebrows knit together. "And even if that were the case..."

A beeping sound filled the air, coming from Sarah's wrist. Everyone's attention was drawn to the Pokétch as she lifted it up and answered the call.

"Sarah, we need your assistance north of town!" It was a grumbled voice, panic clear on its tone. "There was another explosion in the Energy Research Lab, three blocks behind the Pokemon Center! We believe it might be Team Galactic's doing!"

Sarah would've facepalmed if her hands weren't busy already.

"Great timing, jackass," she whispered to herself before she put the Pokétch close to her mouth. "Sarah Paladino here! Transmitting on all Association frequencies; any agents in Eterna City must head directly to the building where the explosion took place. Don't do anything until I arrive, I'm already on my way!"

Inyssa stared daggers at Barry's mother, her expression a mix between See? I told you so and Can you just let me go already? There's a redhead who needs to be punched in the face, though she didn't know if Sarah picked up on the nuances of her gaze.

"It's too dangerous," Sarah told her. "Let us take care of it, we'll apprehend them."

"I know what they look like, I can identify one of their leaders!" she tried to explain. "And I can help with my Pokemon if they want to start a fight."

"I'm not letting you go near terrorists Inyssa! How do you think I'd feel if something were to happen to you?" The woman put both hands on her shoulders, and she immediately recoiled. "Please, let this go. Don't go near these people, it won't accomplish anything."

"They killed my Pokemon!" her scream rang through the entire street, hurting her throat. "And you want me to just let it go!? Fuck that!"

Silence fell on them as Inyssa and Sarah stared each other down, eyes firm and unwavering. She would never admit it, but she was struggling not to shake under the woman's heavy gaze. This continued for about five seconds before Barry spoke.

"Okay, let's all calm down," he put both hands in the air and Inyssa almost laughed at the ridiculousness of him being the one to say that. Almost. "Mom, you had a lot of people here in town, right? There's no way they'll be a problem for you, so if we go with you it's gonna be safe for us!"

"Even then..." Sarah started speaking before being interrupted.

"Sarah, please!" she begged, all semblances of pride going out the window. "I... I have to go. I have to prove that I'm not scared of them. I have to..." She couldn't find the words, and for a moment she felt the fear come back, "I... I have to..."

Sarah looked at her with a raised eyebrow, her lips pressed into a thin line. Inyssa could see the gears turning inside her head, considering her options. Wondering if forcing them to stay would be worth her effort, when she was needed elsewhere.

"You will both stay behind me. At all times," she pointed first at Barry, and then at her. She was talking slowly and clearly, "and you will obey every order I give you. If you don't then I swear to every deity you can think of, I will rip your trainer cards in half myself. Understood?"

They both nodded energetically.

"Good. Then follow me."

The question in her mind just before they reached the building was How the hell do these two have so much stamina? Sarah and Barry ran through the streets like two Tauros, as fast and elegant as she was slow and awkward. By the time they arrived at the crime scene she could feel her heart nearly leaping out of her chest with every beat, while the two Paladinos hadn't even broken a sweat.

The laboratory was half a street wide and two stories tall, being mostly glass and a few foundations of stone and steel. On top of the roof was a giant, square sign with the strange logo of the Energy Research Lab; a yellow, angular "G" with black borders. It would've been a cool building if there weren't a giant, smoking hole in the middle.

Where the door should've been now lay only a smoking hole created by the explosion. Bricks and pieces of glass adorned the inside of the building, though it was hard to determine that due to the thick cloud of smoke rising from the edges of the hole like black tendrils. Sarah stared at it for a moment, then immediately headed towards the side of the lab, where six people were waiting. They were all dressed in similarly blue uniforms, the outline of a bulletproof vest clear beneath their shirts. Sarah addressed the one who was closest to her, a square-jawed man with jet black hair.

"Where is everyone else?" she questioned him.

"They're on their way, miss!" the man gave her a firm, if nervous salute. "But they will not arrive for at least fifteen minutes."

"We don't have time to wait for them," she concluded. "We'll have to go inside with the people we have now. These two..." she pointed at Inyssa and Barry with her head, "...will follow behind us and help if needed. Our numbers should be enough to find and apprehend any culprits without trouble. Two of you will stay out here to make sure no one enters or exits," she continued, and then looked at two of the armed people in front of her. One of them was a tall, fit man with brown hair and a shadow of a beard, while the other one was a short, dark haired girl with a big frown on her face, "Kyle, Zofia, that's you. Everyone else will follow me inside."

"Yes sir!" Kyle saluted her, a hint of relief in his smile.

"Fine by me." Zofia whispered under her breath, crossing her arms.

"Alright, we're moving in," Sarah turned towards the ruined building, shadows falling over her face. "Let's go!"

Inyssa had to cover her mouth as they penetrated the wall of smoke, the smell of soot and ash and whatever chemical engineers used to keep bricks together making her nose itch. Barry stuck close to her, his fingers tapping at his hips swiftly as if he needed to expel his energy somehow. In front of her all she could see was Sarah and her four companions as they slowly walked forward, each holding a black pistol in their hands.

Her heart leapt when she felt everyone in front of her freeze, their steps coming to a sudden but unanimous halt. She waited for a few seconds until finally Sarah spoke, her voice tinted with confusion.

"What is this?" she whispered.

She had to force her vision past the smoke to see what was the problem, Barry resting his hands on top of her shoulders, trying to do the same. The room they walked into seemed like a normal office lobby, littered with couches and fake plastic plants, a small but elegant fountain in the middle and the receptionist's table near the other end of the room. It looked awfully familiar to the Windworks, Inyssa thought, and she tried not to let that fact fill her mind with fear again. Her eyes kept exploring the room, until she finally found what had surprised everyone. Near the elevators and the staircases leading to the different rooms were three bodies laying on the floor, completely immobile.

They were Galactic grunts. There was no question about it, they were all wearing that same stupid uniform which made them look like rejected space men.

Barry let out a breathy Huh?. "Wait, why are they on the floor? Weren't they the ones who made that explosion?"

"I wonder..." Sarah spoke, a hand on her chin, "all the debris and glass seems to be on the inside of the building, which would indicate that the explosion came from the outside. Perhaps someone trying to forcefully enter..."

Inyssa gawked, her mind working overtime trying to think of the possibilities. If Team Galactic was already inside before the explosion happened, then who caused it?

"I don't understand… where are all the workers?" Sarah asked herself, her brow furrowed. "The trail of bodies seems to go down." She pointed towards the staircase at the other extreme of the room, which lead to what Inyssa imagined would be the basement. "We'll explore there first. Everyone stay close to each other!"

She felt everyone's stomps inside her head as they advanced, a nervous feeling growing in her chest and making her hands tremble. She was not alone, she had to remind herself. There were five trained professionals in front of her, not to mention Barry at her side, his bright almond eyes giving her the strength she needed. She had no reason to be scared; even if Mars was somewhere around, not even she would have a chance to hurt her again. She felt a shiver in her stomach, in the exact place Mars had buried her fist in that time, but she forced herself to ignore it.

The steps of the staircase were made of marble, and the railways at the side felt cold and painful to the touch. She started biting her lip as they went down, feeling them dry, and she really wished the beating of her heart would stop being so honest about how she felt. Didn't it know she had a reputation to uphold?

"I hear something." Sarah whispered, although it was enough to almost make Inyssa jump. "Someone's talking down there. Quick."

The end of the staircase opened up to a narrow hallway heading to another huge room, so they all had to squeeze through to pass, the bodies of the people in front of her completely blocking her vision. She could see both sides of the door laying on the floor, their metal frames bent into strange shapes as if a bomb had gone off in front of them.

Sarah was right, but only partly. What they thought were whispers slowly started to sound like whimpers and moans as they approached the giant room, Inyssa's teeth shaking from the sound. When they finally were able to cross to the other side, she almost couldn't believe what she saw.

The room was enormous, easily the size of a small cathedral. Concrete and metal covered the walls and ceiling, and the look of it told Inyssa that the place wasn't meant to be seen by people not working there. A couple feet from them the floor turned into a wide metal bridge, under which lay a jungle of wires and cables running towards the gigantic machine on the other side of the room. Even from this far she could see it clearly, standing at least ten feet tall and glowing with a powerful white light. Two people were standing close to it, their shapes that of a young woman and an old man, and next to them was a large Pokemon that she couldn't see quite clearly. But that wasn't what caught her attention. In the middle of the bridge, hands on the floor and slightly panting, was another person. A familiar girl, tall and with pink hair falling to her shoulders. Inyssa's heart made a slight jump at the sight of her.

"Metchi!?" her voice betrayed her, making everyone on the room turn towards them.

"Whoa! What is she doing here!?" Barry's voice followed, having to almost jump on top of one of Sarah's coworkers to see her properly.

The girl slowly turned her head towards them, and Inyssa would've laughed at her horrified expression if she weren't on the floor and bleeding.

She let out a chuckle that sounded like a sob. "Oh great, it's you two."

With one hand she helped herself to her feet, the other one holding her own stomach, where blood was slowly running through her fingers. The cloth around it was stained in red, and from the looks of it the wound seemed somewhat serious. Behind her laid the unconscious body of a Scyther, the blade on its left arm stained with the girl's blood.

Focusing her eyesight, Inyssa could finally make out the appearances of the two next to the machine. One of them was a woman wearing the same body suit as Mars, minus the skirt and with a piece of her leggings missing, showing off her left leg. Her hair was dark purple, tied into buns behind her head, and her lips were painted the same color. She looked at them with a mixed of anxiety and anger, one hand resting on her hips. Behind her stood a short man with a slight hunchback and grey, colorless hair who was currently typing something on the keyboard at the base of the machine, and to his right there was that Pokemon that she could now identify as an Alakazam. His slim arms were extended forward towards them, two giant spoons held in his hands.

Inyssa thought she could hear the woman whisper something, but she missed it amidst the sound of Barry running toward Metchi, his steps echoing against the sheet metal floor. He placed a hand on her shoulder, helping her stay on her feet.

"What happened to you?" he asked, his hands moving around as if he didn't know what to do. "Are you okay? Wow that's a lot of blood."

"Smooth," Inyssa followed him with caution, her eyes still set on the Galactic people in front of them.

Sarah let out an annoyed sigh, and with a flick of her hand she ordered her agents to keep their eyes on the targets, ready to fire. She walked towards Metchi and the kids, her gaze cold and calculating.

"Do you two know this girl?" she asked. "Who are you? What happened here?"

Metchi stood still, her head tilted to the side and her expression unreadable. She heard everyone's questions slowly, and after a few seconds she finally opened her mouth.

"I need a fucking smoke," she whispered, eyes almost falling closed.

The strange woman on the other side of the room stomped her foot on the ground, her cheeks going red.

"Yeah Metchi, why don't you tell them everything you filthy narc!" her voice wavered between volumes, as if she were slightly drunk. "Are these your new friends you betrayed us for!?"

Metchi simply gave the woman a look Inyssa wouldn't have liked to be on the other part of.

"I hate you," she stated plainly, "Fuck off and die."

Sarah raised her hand with an open palm, and suddenly all her agents drew their guns and pointed them at the purple haired woman. Her eyes were tired and cold and Inyssa could see she was not joking around.

"I assume you two belong to Team Galactic..." she said, hand still raised, "I will need you to come here with your hands behind your head. You are charged with acts of terrorism, theft and murder, and you will be judged by the Sinnoh League Association. Give up willingly or we will be forced to make you."

"Are you... serious?" Metchi helped herself up with Barry's aid, and Inyssa couldn't tell if she was angry or just in a lot of pain. "Just shoot them! You have them right here!"

"That is not how it works." Sarah spat back at her, surprised by the girl's nerve. "I can't use lethal force unless certain conditions..."

"They're going to get away!" she interrupted her, desperation clear in her eyes. "Jupiter's just buying time until they can teleport out of here, and if Charon gets all that energy they're..."

"Stop spilling out our plans you piece of shit!" the woman Inyssa assumed was Jupiter screamed. "See? It's exactly that kind of attitude that earned you being stabbed in the stomach!"

"Okay, that's enough, I'm done with this." Sarah took a step forward, and extended her hand towards the two strangers. "Bring those two to me!"

The four agents in front of Inyssa advanced towards them swiftly, weapons at their sides even though their postures told her that they were ready to shoot at a moment's notice. She barely had time to think about the possibility of releasing one of her Pokemon to help when a purple flash filled the room. The first of them to step into the barrier was frozen in place for a moment, before being sent flying backwards through the room, at Sarah's feet with a pained grunt. The other one soon followed, landing next to Inyssa just as painfully.

"There's... a barrier there," Metchi had to put her right arm around Barry's neck as to not fall again, while her left was covering her abdomen. The boy was struggling with trying to keep her on her feet. "The Alakazam put it... just before you arrived."

"And you couldn't have told us before because..." Sarah frowned, the veins in her neck now slightly visible.

"Bite me, I'm bleeding out here," Metchi complained, hand still covered in red. "Besides, I told you idiots to shoot them didn't I?"

"I already told you!" Sarah lowered her gun and started to yell at the girl, her face turning red. "I can't shoot at civilians unless..."

"Fine! You want a fucking incentive!?" She leaned so strongly on Barry that the boy's face started to get pale. "Then look at what's behind the damn machine!"

Everyone's heads turned towards the Galactic commanders, silence forcing its way into the room for a few seconds. Jupiter froze at everyone's gaze, a drop of sweat running down her forehead.

"Ah, shit," she whispered.

Inyssa set foot on the metal bridge, trying to get a better look at it. It was hard to make out, due to the machine's impressive frame and the light it was emitting covering most of what was behind it. But it almost looked like... grates? Metal grilles covered the opposite wall entirely, and for a moment she thought it might have been used to cool down the machine, but the bars seemed to be... shaking. She forced her vision, furrowing her brow a bit to make up what was behind them. Tiny shapes, all of different colors. They were moving, squirming and...

Her shoulders dropped as she realized what was behind those bars. She could see a tiny, furry arm hopelessly attempting to escape with almost vacant strength.

"Oh my goodness." Sarah's tone gave her chills, a mix of shock, disbelief and a terrible, cold rage.

"Are those...!?" Barry's voice thinned, eyes shooting wide open. He almost dropped Metchi to the ground."Are those... Pokemon!?"