Pokemon : An Unexpected Journey

In the depths of a vast and echoing cavern, Austin and his Pokémon stood in a circle around Lucario, who surveyed them with an air of chivalric command. The cave walls were adorned with the scars of their relentless training, a testament to the grueling ten-hour ordeal they had just endured. Austin's gaze, sharp and accusing, met Lucario's as he barked out, "When are we going to rest, you decrepit old fossil?"

Lucario, unshaken, watched as each Pokémon unleashed their mightiest attacks repeatedly. Fearow, with a sky attack that left it teetering on the brink of collapse; Pikachu, discharging thunderbolts until it was a whisker away from exhaustion; Charmeleon, whose Draco meteor had reshaped the cave around them, despite its size dwindling to a mere coin. All were pushed to their absolute limits while Austin, clinging to a colossal boulder at the cavern's edge, bore witness to their struggle.

With a chuckle, Lucario addressed Austin's suffering, "Hey, didn't I tell you that this training was going to be hard? So pipe down."

"You call this training? It's torture!" Austin bemoaned, casting a sympathetic glance at his Wartortle. "Seriously, Wartortle looks like he's been on a date with a gold digger—completely drained."

Abra, its psychic aura undulating with the debris it levitated, interjected with its own brand of humor. "Ladies and gentlemen, what we have here could be mistaken for an R&B music video gone wrong—minus the talent and questionable legal defense."

Austin couldn't help but let out a laugh, adding, "If I'm R. Kelly in this scenario, then I guess my hits are just too fire—or should I say water—for Wartortle here."

The cave erupted with laughter, though Pikachu looked confused, "Pika pi? Who's R. Kelly? The guy who invented rain dance?"

Charmeleon snorted flames in amusement, "No, you're thinking of Rain Dance Records, not the guy who thought he could fly."

"Enought talk!"

Lucario, seizing the moment to educate, began to explain, "Let me tell you why I'm doing this, brat. Unlike you, who sidestepped the traditional path to learn aura, your Pokémon can't naturally grasp it."

Austin interjected, "I didn't cheat, I was just clever about it."

"Sure you were," Lucario replied with a dismissive roll of his eyes. "It takes years of dedication to learn even the basics of aura for normal Pokémon."

"And how long did it take you?" Austin inquired.

"15 years," Lucario stated, the gravity of his commitment hanging in the air.

"But how are we supposed to learn aura styles?" Austin pressed on.

"That's what I was getting to," Lucario continued. "Aura styles, unlike the usual applications of aura, can be learned quickly through one thing."

"Battles?" Austin guessed.

"No," Lucario shook his head. "Instincts."

"Instincts?" Austin echoed, puzzled.

"Aura styles are intrinsically linked to the body and soul. Every Pokémon can learn it, but do they have the will to?"

"Will?" Austin repeated.

"Yes," Lucario affirmed. "Ancient Pokémon had the ability to use aura styles because they pushed themselves to their limits. They battled not for sport but for survival, and in those desperate moments, as death loomed, instincts took over."

"So, you're trying to kill us?" Austin asked, half in jest.

"Them," Lucario gestured towards the Pokémon. "No, I like them. You," he pointed at Austin, "Yes, I'm trying to kill."

Austin rolled his eyes, but he understood. They were all being pushed to their limits to master one aura style with one move, given their tight timeframe.

"Now," Lucario announced, "aura styles are categorized into two types: Strong style, which channels a massive burst of aura into a move, and Agile style, which allows for rapid, successive bursts that may lessen the power but can be used repeatedly."

As Lucario's words resonated throughout the cavern, a palpable sense of determination filled the air. Though they were physically drained, there was a fire in their eyes—perhaps fueled by the desire to avenge a fallen comrade or to rise above their limits and protect their trainer. In their fatigue, there was an unspoken vow to persevere.

Then, in a moment of raw beauty and raw power, the cave was illuminated by the transformative glow of evolution, encasing them in a cerulean light, signifying the birth of new strength within them.

"Yeah, baby, let's go. Evolution time."

•••••••••••••••••••

[ Present Day ] 

The floor of Silph Co. was a labyrinthine complex of sleek, modern design. The walls were made of polished metal, giving them a reflective sheen that made the space feel even larger than it already was. The floor was a gleaming expanse of marble, its cool surface smooth and unmarred by any imperfections. The ceiling was high and vaulted, with rows of fluorescent lights casting a stark, sterile glow across the room.

The crowd of Team Rocket grunts stood in confusion, their matching black and white uniforms giving them a uniformed appearance. They fidgeted nervously, their eyes darting around the room as they tried to make sense of their situation. Some of them carried small weapons at their sides, their guns and knives glinting in the harsh light.

"Ah, right on schedule for another cartoonishly evil entrance," the voice drawled with a touch of mockery. "Destroy the security? Well, that's one way to go about it. But let's remember, this isn't a PokeTube prank video where you can just smash things and walk away. Maybe try not to alert the whole building to your presence. Stealth is an option. I know subtlety isn't exactly in Team Rocket's vocabulary, but give it a shot. Oh, and Jessie, maybe don't have your hair so... you know, out there. It's a dead giveaway."

"What's going on?" Meowth asked.

"Yo, Team Rocket, let's not turn this into a Michael Bay film with explosions and Pokémon battles, alright? Using your Pokémon here is like sending up a flare for the cops. Stealth is key—think more 'Solid Snake' and less 'loud fireworks.' Keep it down. Be the gentle wind, not the raging storm. And hey, if you get caught, don't drop my name. I'm just a voice on the comm, not an accessory to your shenanigans."

"What the hell?" Cassedy exclaimed as she quickly replied, "Whoever is on the other side of this communication line is not on our side."

The Team Rocket grunts and Cassedy looked at each other in horror, realizing that their plans had just been compromised but when Meowth's gaze fell upon Jessie and James, he noted that they were awfully calm and collected. 

Normally this would be a good thing but for some reason, Meowth felt like something was wrong. 

The tension in the room was palpable, and the sound of weapons being drawn echoed off the metal walls. 

"Who am I? Just a concerned citizen who's wondering why Team Rocket is acting like they're in a middle school play, you know? Overacting their part with all the finesse of a Gyarados in a ballet. Relax, Cassedy. No need to get agitated. I'm just the voice of reason, or your conscience, perhaps—whichever you've been ignoring the longest. So, before you go making more noise than a Wailord at a Skitty Strip club, maybe take a step back and rethink your strategy."

"What have you done to Team alpha ?" 

"What have I done to Team Alpha? Well, Cassedy, I just gave them a little demonstration on who the real alpha is. Let's just say they've been taken down a peg or two—went from 'Team Alpha' to 'Team Maybe We're Not Quite Cut Out for This.' It's all about asserting dominance, and I have asserted my dominance. Also, you shouldn't be worrying about me, you should be worrying about that."

Just then, the giant metallic door to the floor slid open, revealing a smiling Clefable. The Pokemon's large eyes sparkled with mischief, and her pink fur glowed in the artificial light. The team rocket grunts were taken aback by her sudden appearance, unsure of what to make of it.

As the Clefable entered the room, the Team Rocket grunts tensed up, ready to pounce at any moment. Cassedy, the Vice Team Leader, was quick to react. They shouted orders to the grunts, telling them to attack the Clefable. The sound of Pokemon being released from their Pokeballs filled the air, and the room erupted into chaos.

"Go! Attack that Clefable with everything you've got!" Cassedy yelled.

The grunts eagerly obeyed, releasing an army of Pokemon into the room. They growled and snarled at the Clefable, who just smiled back at them with a serene look in its eyes.

The Clefable didn't seem worried at all, even with so many Pokemon bearing down on it. It remained calm and collected, as if it knew that it was more powerful than any of the Pokemon attacking it.

The grunts' Pokemon charged forward, their attacks aimed at the Clefable. 

As Cassedy reached for her pokeballs, a sudden impact from behind sent her crashing to the ground. She let out a bellowing scream as her body convulsed in pain. The sound of her agonized cries echoed through the corridor, sending shivers down the spines of the Team Rocket grunts.

The grunts were suddenly startled by the commotion behind them. They turned around to see Jessie, one of their own, electric tasing Cassedy from behind. The blast knocked Cassedy out cold, causing all of the grunts to look at the scene in shock. They couldn't believe what had just happened. Jessie, who had always been one of their most loyal members, had just turned on them.

"What da hell, Jessie?!" Meowth shouted, taking a step forward.

But Jessie just smirked, holding the electric taser up in front of her. The grunts looked at her in disbelief, wondering what had caused her to betray them.

"I think you have more problems to deal with than us," James said, shocking everyone as the grunts looked at the Clefable taking a step forward.

One of the grunts couldn't contain his fear and shouted out, "Shoot it!"

The other grunts hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether to follow through with the command. They had been trained to follow orders without question, but something about the Clefable seemed off. It was calm and collected, almost as if it knew that it was more powerful than any of the Pokemon attacking it.

But their hesitation was short-lived. The grunt who had given the order was growing increasingly agitated, and he drew his weapon, pointing it directly at the Clefable.

The sound of the weapon being cocked filled the air, sending a shiver down the spines of everyone in the room. The other grunts and pokemon quickly followed suit, drawing their own weapons and moves and aiming them at the pink Pokemon.

The Clefable just smiled serenely, as if it knew that it was invincible. It stood its ground, its eyes sparkling with aura.

"Strong Style : Gravity"

Clefable suddenly erupted in a pinkish aura, its body glowing with an otherworldly energy. The grunts watched in amazement as the Clefable used the move gravity, unleashing an extremely powerful gravitational force that embedded all the bullets, elemental attacks, pokemon, and humans into the floor. The force was so strong that it immediately knocked them out cold.

Meowth was the only one who remained conscious as he looked around in shock. He realized that Jessie and James were with the Clefable, as they weren't affected by the gravity.

James kneeled down beside Meowth as he whispered to the feline Pokemon. 

"We will talk later," he said before clicking a PokeBall open and returning Meowth.

As James and Jessie stepped over the floor of knocked out men, women, and Pokemon, they approached the Clefable.

Jessie's plea cut through the tension, "We have done our part. Please, just give us what you promised?" Her usual confidence wavered.

James stood by, swallowing the lump in his throat, his eyes flicking nervously from Jessie to the pink Pokémon that was turning around. To their astonishment, the creature revealed itself to be a Kadabra, holding a walkie-talkie.

"Hey there, it's your boy Kadabra. Fancy seeing you guys here. You're looking to get out of this mess, huh? Well, you've come to the right psychic. Brace yourselves, though, teleportation can be a wild ride."

Kadabra's eyes began to glow with an otherworldly light, and he winked cheekily at the duo.

"Hang on to your panties, ladies—let's get this teleportation party started!"

"I am a man." James said.

"Wow, maybe I am going blind or am I gay ?" Kadabara wondered.

"Are you sure you aren't a woman ?" Kadabara asked as Jessie chuckled while James looked furious.

Kadabra, tapping the walkie-talkie with a sardonic smirk, shot back, "With those stunning looks, James, you could've fooled me. But hey, identity crises aside, we've got a schedule to keep and physics to bend. So, let's not dwell on the details of your wardrobe or my questionable eyesight. Teleportation, here we come

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The GS ball in which Celebi was caught was sealed tighter than a Master Ball, closed so shut that professors failed to open it and a man who made pokeballs from apricorns had to be called in. And yet when he opened it, with cameras surrounding him, it was empty. At first, speculation centered on foul play – had the delivery man or some professor or the apricorn man himself opened the ball? Soon, however, forensic tests revealed that the ball had never been opened since Celebi was captured!

L

There are no pokemon capable of teleporting from inside a pokeball; if there were, Abra could never be captured for long. There was no explanation short of time travel, and although legends discussed it, physics held it to be impossible. The research team who had captured them was humiliated by this escape, denounced as frauds, their reputations ruined. They were even more shocked a few weeks later, when they discovered that the evidence that they had ever captured it, their public shame, and everyone else's memories of the GS ball had simply disappeared!

There was only one explanation for this, no matter how unlikely it seemed. Celebi, ever free-spirited, had gone back in time to prevent its own capture. So were Gold and Silver stymied, so have generations of greats failed. The saga of the disappearing Celebi has been repeated through the ages, forever and yet never through the magic of time travel.