//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: A Potential Threat and a Glimpse of Power // Story: Harmony of Heroes: Ultimate Multiverse Explorers [Parallel Quest] // by Cyrus Colter //------------------------------// As Sweetie and Rota entered a large grass field on Route 1 towards Pallet Town, the filly having taken on her human form which seemed to let the trainers that they were passing by know they weren’t interested in a battle at the moment. Sweetie took the opportunity to get some more questions answered. “You mentioned before that Kanto used to have some troubles with something called ‘Team Rocket,’ but never explained who they were,” the filly turned human asked. Rota, in response, sighed. “Because honestly, I didn’t want to talk about them, but if my experience with other versions of you is any indication, you won’t be dropping the subject soon, so here you go: Team Rocket used to be a group of Gangsters that pretty much ruled the criminal underground until their leader, a man called Giovanni, was beaten by the two young boys who would soon thereafter become the next two champions, Blue and Red, to go in actual champion crowning order, when he disbanded the organization. After dissolving all his assets, he just up and disappeared, one day. Around ten years ago, some remnants of Team Rocket tried to get in contact with Giovanni by hijacking the Radio Tower over in Goldenrod City, but as far as can be told failed. Blue took over the Viridian City Gym, and that was the last anyone heard of Team Rocket,” she explained, but then as Sweetie was about to ask another question, Rota stopped mid stride and focused, causing the younger to stop in confusion. “Something’s entered into the universe from Ultra Space nearby. Several things.” She turned to the right and ran into the brush, Sweetie Belle following behind her, the two quickly coming across several people in black uniforms with Pokémon attacking a small cat-like creature that seemed to be holding its own, but obviously couldn’t last forever against the onslaught of 7 different Pokémon attacking at once. Rota’s eyes widened as she saw the creature the people were targeting. “MEW!” Her cry attracted the attention of the thugs, causing them to turn around, revealing that they had an R emblazoned on their tops, but unlike the original Team Rocket emblem, which was colored red, these were rainbow colored. Before they could even begin to vocalize, Rota seemingly vanished from sight. The next instant, she reappeared in front of the strongest Pokémon in that group, a Slaking, and, with a spinning kick, sent it flying into over its masters head, through a set of trees and out of sight, until a faint sploosh could be heard as it landed in the water. Rota took a fighting Stance while Sweetie Void teleported near her and revealed her true self in an even brighter burst of magic, causing the remaining Pokémon and the thugs to either cover their eyes or be momentarily blinded. Mew seemed to be grateful for the help and used Recover on itself to heal the damage it had taken. As the three turned back to back to back, facing the group of thugs and their Pokémon that now surrounded them, Rota caught Sweetie Belle’s eye and, with a simple look, told her, “Leave it to me.” The filly nodded before she suddenly shot upwards, her take off causing a dust cloud that allowed her and Mew to escape unseen. Rota, however, was now alone against 7 trainers with Pokémon that seemed fit to take on the Elite 4. “So, I’m guessing you’re not the same Team Rocket I heard about here. But I know trouble when I see it.,” Rota said as the earth began to subtly shake beneath them. A purple aura flared around Rota as she unleashed a portion of her power, causing the people to flinch, but they and their Pokemon, 2 Mightyena, a Nidoking, a Rhyperior, a pair of Magmar, and a Tyranitar that the grunt who had his Slaking kicked away called out to replace it, stood their ground. The aforementioned grunt simply scoffed and said, “You’d be right on both fronts. No-one can be allowed to interfere with Team Rainbow Rocket’s mission.” “And that would be?” “You’ll just have to find that out yourself. Tyranitar!” The grunt called out to his Pokémon as he touched a gem on the brim of his cap, causing energy to pour from it into his Tyranitar. In a burst of light, the Tyranitar took on what Sweetie Belle, from her and Mew’s perch on the branch nearby, could tell was a more powerful form, but Rota had seen enough as she dashed forward in a blink and slammed her right fist into the Mega Pokemon’s cheek, sending it stumbling before swinging her left boot into its chin sending it flying backwards. The Nidoking slammed Rota in the side with an Iron Tail, but Rota grabbed onto the tail, planted her feet, and spun in place, swinging the purple Poison/Ground Type around in the air before releasing it into both of the Mightyena, sending all three sprawling to the ground. She then dodged a Flame Charge from one of the Magmar, only for the second one hit her in the cheek with a Fire Punch. Spinning with the momentum of the strike, Rota slammed her fist into the Magmar that struck her, sending it flying into a pair of the grunts. The Mega Tyranitar then showed it was still in the battle by slamming its energy-covered head into Rota’s back as the Rhyperior seemed to be charging an attack. Recovering from the sneak attack, Rota turned her attention to the former, dubbing it the most immediate threat, only to find the Tyranitar more than able to meet her strike for strike, matching her Ki-infused punches with Fire and Thunder Punches, eventually forcing the Saiyan back with a Dragon Tail. In response, Rota charged her energy, causing her aura to flare more violently, before she suddenly rushed the Tyranitar and slammed her knee into its jaw, sending it tumbling onto its back. The remaining Magmar tried to trap her with a Fire Spin, but the flaming vortex was easily dispersed with a burst of energy. As Rota turned and sent the Magmar flying with an uppercut, the Rhyperior finished charging its attack, taking aim at Rota as energy condensed between the holes in its palms. Rota finally noticed the Rhyperior’s stance as it fired, sending a beam of yellow and orange energy at the Saiyan. In response, she quickly charged and unleashed an energy beam of her own to clash with the Pokémon's attack. The beams erupted in an explosion of smoke between the two of them. Rota then came bursting through the smoke to smash an energy-covered fist into the Rhyperiors cheek, sending it flying as the energy burst from the impact. With 4 of their comrades and all their Pokémon sent out so far unconscious, the remaining grunts seemed reluctant to continue the fight as Rota turned back towards them. The grunt with the gem in his brim then scoffed again. “This is a minor setback in the grand plan. Let’s get out of here,” he said as energy gathered around all the grunts and their Pokémon, warping them away somewhere Rota couldn’t sense. “Well, that was fun while it lasted. Not too sure I’ve seen the last of him, but whatever,” Rota mused as she relaxed. “Hey, Sweetie, is that Mew alright?” The Saiyan asked the filly, having sensed her in the trees nearby. “Yeah, it is,” Sweetie answered as she swooped back towards Rota. “But who were those guys? I heard something about Team Rocket?” Rota took a breath as she thought. “From what I can tell, those guys belong to a version of Team Rocket that never seemed to face the failures that this version did. Called themselves Team Rainbow Rocket, so we know that much.” It was then that the Mew they’d saved spoke up telepathically. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much. Those people had been chasing me for HOURS and just would not give up! It said into their minds as it floated around the two of them. I thought they would get me for sure. “Yeah, but the fact that there’s now a version of Team Rocket with Pokémon that are that strong running around, under everyone’s noses I’d bet, is not a good thing, especially if they have a way to use Ultra Warp as a makeshift teleport and a way to track Legendary and Mythical Pokémon,” Rota replied. “Maybe we should tell Professor Oak?” Sweetie asked. “That’s what I was gonna do, but we gotta get to Pallet Town first.” Rota then turned to Mew. “You think you can handle yourself from here on out?” I should be able to. Thank you again for saving me, the Pokémon said. “No problem. Hope to see you again sometime,” Rota said as she waved to Mew and began to walk back towards the main area of Route 1. Sweetie looked at Mew and said, “I hope we do see each other again. I’d like to be friends with you.” With that, she began to follow Rota back to the main trail. Meanwhile, somewhere in Ultra Space The Grunts and their Pokémon warped into a large room with hexagonal paneling on the floor and ceiling. The one with the gem, a Mega-Stone, gave an aggravated sigh as he walked towards the door. He was not looking forward to telling Giovanni about a Visitor interfering. As he opened the door, he suddenly found himself wishing he had run into Giovanni when he was greeted with the sight of the leader of Team Plasma, Ghetsis. The red eyed man gave the grunt a smile that sent chills down his spine, though he'd never admit to it. "Judging by the state your teammates and your Pokémon are in, I assume something happened that warrants Giovanni's awareness, Neo?" The Grunt, Neo, gave a confirming nod. Ghetsis's smile turned mocking. "Always the kind for action over words, aren't you?" He then turned around. "Come along then," he called to Neo as he walked away. "Giovanni will want to hear this, immediately."