*Nathan's POV*

I... I think I've lost them for now... But I can't stop going- my life, and Voltflare's life, depends on it! I think to myself, sprinting, north, through the forest as fast as I can.

A few minutes of running later, my hand catches on a low-hanging branch, and my lab coat snags on the offending tree. Shrugging, I pull some scissors from my bag and snip the frayed part off. While I know that the piece of blue fabric will alert the pursuing Rockets about my whereabouts, they will not know when I was there.

And that... I hope,
Is something that they never figure out...

With all haste, I blaze straight through the small Route 36 and into Ecruteak City. As I run through the tiny city, Elijah appears from his house and calls out to me.

"Hey, Nathan! Where are you off to in such a rush?" he asks, jogging over to me. I stop just long enough for him to catch up to me and continue to walk. Then, he notices my Rocket uniform and stops.

"You are... Part of...?" He tries to get the words out, but he can't seem to muster it.

"Was," I quickly interject.

"Not anymore. Not after what I've seen. Never again. Not after what they did to Voltflare- I mean, Jake- that made him this way. It's a long story, but those criminals took my research and did something that should never have been done by using it the wrong way- a morally corrupt experiment in regards to both people and Pokemon. Once I saw what went on behind the scenes, I knew my only chance to bring them down would be Voltflare. I saw my opportunity and took it- now, the entirety of Team Rocket is after me. I have a feeling Giovanni knows, too, what it is that Voltflare has that his other hybrids do not."

"The Hybrid Experiment..." Elijah stares at the ground, and he lets a single tear fall to the earth.

"I was the one behind that idea. I... I thought... That things would have turned out differently... But I was wrong, Nathan. I was hopelessly wrong! They took you in with the same idea, didn't they? That Pokemon would be stronger, more loyal, and so much more? It was all a ruse, and I'm sure you know that by now. But, Nathan..."

He is interrupted by a loud voice calling from outside the city,

"I found him! Notify HQ- we need backup!"

Both Elijah and I whirl around to the noise, and we see the quickly-assembling army of grunts beginning to surround the city.

"Go! Get away from here!" Elijah pushes me towards the city's eastern exit- the one that leads to Mahogany Town.

"If Voltflare really is the key to taking down Team Rocket, then I'll put my life on the line for him! Escape from here, and I'll hold off these louts! Go to Blackthorn City and find Clair. Her and her cousin's Dragon-type expertise will greatly aid us in our endeavors. Don't worry, even though you look like a Rocket, I feel that they will understand why you are there if you tell them. Now, go on! Get going!"

He turns me towards Route 42 and practically shoves me out of the city.

I begin to run, only looking back to see Elijah, Pokeball in hand and a smile on his face, slowly turn to the mob of Rocket grunts advancing on him.

"Go, Lucario!" is the last thing I hear from Ecruteak City before I begin to sprint down the badly-beaten path.

However, as soon as it starts, my journey comes to an abrupt end- a stretch of water separates me from Mahogany Town. Although it isn't very wide overall, it is wide enough to prevent any attempts to leap over it.

I cautiously place one foot in the water's edge, but I stop when a small Pidgey, on the other bank, stoops to drink and refresh itself. For some reason, the bird fascinates me, and I stop to watch it for a few seconds.

Then, without warning, a large blue tail from some sea Pokemon extends out of the previously-calm water, spraying the surroundings with the liquid. In an instant, the tail wraps itself tightly around the bird and yanks it, squawking and screeching, under the water with it. I remember, for a moment, how dangerous crossing rivers and streams can actually be when a trickle of red reaches the water's surface- obviously, whatever's down there is quite ferocious. I am taken aback for a moment, wondering what to do.

And I can't just ford through it... The Pokemon that lurk in those waters don't seem to take kindly to visitors... But, I can't just stop here- I've got to find a way to cross! I think to myself, and, if only to spite me even further, a storm begins to brew overhead.

The light trickle quickly speeds up to a torrential downpour, which does nothing to alleviate my situation. I take shelter under a nearby tree, looking up at the dark clouds in the sky. I see a bolt of lightning flash from one cloud to another, and that gives me an idea.

Electricity... Wait a second, Metagross can levitate using electromagnetism! I can ride it across!

I hastily detach my Metagross' Pokeball from my belt and throw it to the ground. It explodes in a flash of light, and,

"Metaaa!" the stannic Pokemon roars when it appears.

"Metagross, do you think there is enough electricity in the air for you to levitate on it?!" I ask it, although I have to yell over the dull clamor of the rain.

"Metaaa!" My Pokemon nods and begins to float off the ground. Before long, Metagross is three feet off the ground, and it looks at me, waiting for my next order.

Perfect! I think, leaping onto the Pokemon's back and pulling myself onto my makeshift aircraft.

"Full speed ahead!" I shout, pointing in the direction of Mahogany Town. However, as Metagross starts to move, the wind around us picks up, and I am almost thrown off of my Pokemon. Tightening my grip on Metagross, I am buffeted around in the howling storm for a little over ten minutes.

Nevertheless, I hold onto my Iron Leg "battleship" for all I am worth, and a few of my belongings fall into the water in the process. Although I could not see what falls into the water as it is quickly obscured by the deluge and chaos, I still curse my luck.

"Metaaa!" my Pokemon cries triumphantly, crossing the last of the water and returning to the ground on the other side.

Relieved that we had passed the river, I slowly step off Metagross and recall my Pokemon. I check to make sure that none of my important possessions were lost in the turmoil, and I soon realize that I have everything that I need... Everything except one important thing-

Voltflare's Pokeball?! Did I...?

"Looking for this?" A voice in front of me sneers, and a figure in front of me nonchalantly chucks a Pokeball into the air and catches it. Even though the person is soaked in water, I can tell just by looking it who the silhouette belongs to...

I instantly recognize the man and clench my fist in rage- the person standing in front of me, holding Voltflare's Pokeball, is none other than the diabolical Maxwell Graves.

How did he?! Where did he get that!

"Oh, this? It was easy to get my hands on- especially since you so kindly dropped it to me!"

I realize, at once, that he had hidden himself under the surface and must have grabbed it when it fell into the water.

"You had better give that back... Right now!" My voice reaches an all-time low, and I simply glare at him, waiting for the crook to do something.

"I 'had better,' hmm?" Maxwell laughs, mocking me the entire time.

"If you want him that bad, you'll have to pry him from my cold, dead hands!"

My blood cools, and I instinctively charge at Maxwell, Pokeball in hand. He laughs again and runs into Mahogany Town.

"I have bigger fish to fry than you right now. I have an appointment with Clair, and I'm not about to let you stop me!" he calls back to me, chuckling heartily. The two of us run, full speed, through the minuscule town, but, luckily or unluckily, the only commotion caused is the disturbance of a flock of Pidgey that had gathered in the middle of the town. How much I wish that someone, possibly a police officer, had taken notice and come to help me regain my Pokemon from this monster.

Crossing through the entire area only takes a few seconds, and, when we reach the entrance of Route 44, Maxwell grabs a log that a Hiker was preparing to chop and hurls it at me. Before I have time to react, the obstacle slams into me, takes the wind from my lungs, and forces me to the ground.

A second later, I am already on my feet again, adrenaline continually telling me that each wasted second could be the difference between saving Voltflare and Maxwell killing him.

"Face it, Nathan," Maxwell laughs and turns around, another massive log in his hands.

"You're never getting your little lab rat back! Just like I won't have a job if I don't stop you here!" he yells and throws another projectile. This time, I am ready for the flying object, and I sidestep it without a second thought. This seems to anger Maxwell, and he promptly charges at me. I instinctively pull my Metagross' Pokeball from my belt, but, upon pushing the button in the center, the ball doesn't work. Meanwhile, Maxwell is within arms' reach of me.

"Nice try... But I was prepared for that sort of trickery!" he says before knocking me unconscious with an unprecedented haymaker.

...

...

Ungh... My head...

I groan, standing up slowly and painfully. My head throbs, and my hand instinctively pulls itself towards the large bruise on my forehead. Then, I remember...

Voltflare! Maxwell still has him! Where did he...?

Quickly, I scan my surroundings, and I realize that I am still in Route 43. The pile of logs that Maxwell stole from to use as ammunition has been rebuilt, and a jovial Hiker laughs heartily each time his axe splits another piece of wood. The racket made by the splintering of the logs does nothing to abate my headache, and a few wayward chips land at my feet. I think nothing of them, and the Hiker does the same. He doesn't seem to mind that I had just gotten knocked out by Maxwell, either, whistling as he chops another log.

I can't let that bother me- I have a bigger problem than simply stopping Maxwell right now. I've got to rescue my friend!

Attempting to fight through the pain, I try to think of where Maxwell could have gone with Voltflare.

The lab? No... He would have been seen by then... Wait a minute! What was it that he said he needed to do before he started chucking logs at me?

'I have bigger fish to fry than you right now. I have an appointment with Clair, and I'm not about to let you stop me!'

Clair... Blackthorn City! That must be where he is! I just hope I can make it to him in time... I think, sprinting across the rest of the Route, until I come across a small cave, carved in the side of the rock wall in front of me. The sign outside reads,

"Ice Path," and I roll my eyes.

Just what I need to deal with right now- the bitter cold of this place... But Voltflare's life hangs in the balance! I can't let this stop me! I think, dashing into the frigid cave without a second thought.

As soon as I enter the cave, I, almost immediately, regret my hastiness and begin shivering.

This cold... It feels much colder than when I was here last, like the air has chilled itself just to spite my progress! Or maybe that's just me...

Shrugging, I slowly trudge across the ice, trying extremely hard not to slip on the slick surface as I go. The cold floor beneath me cools the soles of my feet in an instant, and the rest of my body soon follows suit. Then, I notice something odd about the area.

There are holes carved into the cave's natural rock... I have a feeling Maxwell and his Dragonite did this. He has no respect for the geography and beauty of this place! Although, it does make navigating this place a whole lot easier- now, there's a path straight to the exit. Well, I can help fix this later. I need to save Voltflare, first!

I carefully walk through the rubble, making sure to avoid stepping on any sharp fragments of rock or gemstones on the "path." Then, a shrill scream echoes from the exit-facing side of the cave- a scream that boils my blood, even though the Ice Path's bitter cold.

"Nathan?! Someone, please!"

Voltflare! Maxwell, whatever you're doing to him, I'm going to make you pay dearly for it! My mind races, as another scream penetrates my ears and heart.

"No! Let me go!" I hear Voltflare shout, and, by the pain in his voice, I know that Maxwell is quickly closing in on my Pokemon's life.

However, when I emerge from the Ice Path, I am not ready for what I see next.

*Voltflare's POV*

"Put me down!" I shriek, my Dragonite captor's claws closed tightly around me. However, to my horror, the Pokemon's grip on me simply becomes stronger and stronger, to the point that I can barely breathe. I can feel my entire body crumpling from the force of the Pokemon and the inherent lack of oxygen. Finally, I give in to the pain, and I shut my eyes to block out some of the it. Then, all of a sudden, the suffering abates itself.

Although the Pokemon's claws are still sunk deeply into my chest, the Dragonite is no longer squeezing me to death. Seizing the opportunity, I hurriedly take a few, shallow breaths and shiver.

Air...

A feeling of rejuvenation flows through me, and I tentatively open my eyes.

I blink in surprise at what I see- or, rather, who I see.

Maxwell immediately approaches the figure, a cross expression on his face.

"I thought I made it pretty clear when I told you that I was going to get rid of you, didn't I?!" Maxwell fumes at the man, who laughs shallowly and straightens his blue lab overcoat. I can see that it is torn slightly, but that doesn't really matter to me.

Nathan's come to my rescue! My ears perk up in anticipation.

I can tell- he's got a plan, and he'll win against Maxwell- I know it!

"If you think for one single second that I would abandon Voltflare to anyone, especially the likes of you..." Nathan seethes with anger, involuntarily echoing my sentiments,

"I'll gladly show you where you made your grievous mistake!" He pulls out a Pokeball, and I know that he will release his Metagross and pulverize my impounders. Maxwell, however, just laughs,

"You tried that before, hot-shot. It didn't work last time, and you were out for a good three hours afterwards. But, if you want to so desperately put your life on the line for your hybrid friend, let me make it easier on you..."

The giant of a man sneers and runs, full speed, towards my Trainer.

Nathan tries to defend himself from the oncoming charge, but the much-larger Maxwell easily slams into him and throws him to the ground. Nathan groans in pain, and his body makes a sound that signifies a bone shattering. He tries to speak on my behalf, but Maxwell cuts him off.

"Oh, please. Save your breath and cherish the pain you're in right now! It'll make it hurt less when your precious friend dies! Dragonite!" he calls, and the Pokemon's grip on me tightens again.

Ngh! Please... Not again! I try to make a single sound to express the pain that I am in, but nothing leaves my mouth- nothing audible, at least. Nathan looks at me from the ground with pain in his eyes, but, every time he tries to stand up, Maxwell knocks him down again. Finally, after four sequential beatings, Nathan crumples to the ground. He isn't unconscious yet, but he isn't moving.

Maxwell turns to me, and I struggle harder against his Dragonite's grip. The Pokemon seems to laugh along with Maxwell when he delivers his next punch- this time, directed at me. His fist bashes my skull with a force stronger than a dozen schoolyard Eevee, and stars fly across my vision.

Whimpering in pain, I look up at Maxwell, and an air of calmness suddenly comes over me. I silently stare him in the eyes, defiantly, and this seems to irk the man, adding another layer to his tirade.

"I've had enough of your smug little face! Dragonite, it's lunchtime!"

He laughs again and points at me.

Lunchtime?! He couldn't possibly mean...!

Nervously, I turn my head to look at the Dragonite holding me, but all I see is a row of shiny white teeth encased in an enormous maw. Before I can figure out what to do, the Dragonite quickly funnels me into its mouth, head-first. I strain to move my body to stall the Pokemon's progress, but to no avail- its strength is simply too much for me to overcome. I soon find myself being crammed into the back of its throat, and I don't know whether to gag on the horrid stench or relish in the few minutes of life I still have left. The inside is incredibly tight and wet, but, for now, I am still alive.

Not for long, if this keeps up... I think to myself, on the verge of panic. The waiting tongue sloshes me around inside the Dragonite's mouth, but the Pokemon seems to become bored of doing this after a few minutes. I feel the cavity begin to tilt upwards, and I instinctively grab onto the flailing red object for dear life.

"You're... you're not seriously planning to... You're mad!" I hear Nathan say, weakly, from outside my fleshy prison.

"Oh, I can assure you that I am much more than simply mad, Nathan. I pity the sad fool that toyed with Maxwell Graves for all these years, yet expects to leave unscathed! I swore, when you stole my friend from me, that I was going to make you pay! And now, my revenge is finally nigh! Enjoy, my little partner!" Maxwell laughs again, and his Dragonite makes a short purring sound in delight while I struggle to stay attached to its tongue.

I look up, and, in the dim light of the "cavern," I see the Pokemon's massive teeth slowly closing in on me. Now, I am faced with a very large dilemma, although either option that I choose doesn't result in anything good for me.

If I let go, I'm definitely going to be swallowed. But if I hold on... I cringe, knowing that the massive white objects will kill me faster than the Dragonite's stomach will, and I let go of its tongue.

At least I'll be alive for a little bit longer, albeit at the cost of a much more painful death. I think, and the Dragonite pushes me to the back of its throat with its now-free tongue, taking a loud, satisfying gulp in the process. Without warning, I begin to fall down its throat, although I get uncomfortably stuck about midway through. I almost laugh at the irony of it.

The small fleshy tunnel of the Pokemon's throat is extremely cramped, and I struggle to even fit down the passage. I have to wonder how Maxwell taught his Pokemon to deal with eating a Pokemon of my size, but Maxwell's diabolic training methods are the least of my concern right now.

With another series of gulps, the Pokemon's peristalsis finally pushes me into its stomach, and, as soon as I touch the new meaning of "ground," I instantly contort my face in pain. The stomach juices inside coat are all-but-the-more happy to slosh all over me, coating my fur from the tips of my ears to the soles of my feet. To make matters worse, in every place the liquid touches me, a small, pus-filled hole slowly burrows its way through my skin, inviting more and more acid to coat me. A few tears fall down my face, and I jump at the wall of the stomach in anguish. Although my new prison does not burst, I can tell that the Dragonite definitely feels it, and I assume that the bulge is large enough that Nathan can also see it.

I wonder if I can use that as a sort of communication with him- just to let him know that I'm still alive. But, I don't really know how long I will have the strength to jump at the wall...

I cry out in pain, and the clear liquids around me begin to seep further and further into my skin, burning through my fur and insides at an alarming rate. Small pockets of air in the liquid are my only respite as I struggle to stay afloat in the debilitating liquid. I fight the Dragonite's digestive juices for what feels like an eternity, but I can tell my strength is beginning to fade.

Please... I don't want to die... Please...

I slam myself into the stomach wall once again, although, this time, the bulge that I produce is much smaller than before. I press against the wall as hard as I can before slowly sinking back down into the liquid around me, knowing that, at this point, I'm as good as dead.

Then, when I have just about given up hope, I feel an electric current pulse through me, unlike anything else I have ever felt before.

This spark feels... Alive! Like standing next to Dad...

Trying to concentrate on amplifying the power of the surge, I hear a voice inside my head, although I may just have been imagining it.

We can get out of this, Jake! I believe that with all of my heart! Give this beast a shock it will never forget- just like your old man would!

I blink in surprise and look at my emaciated chest again, which had since come to be associated with my parents- where my heart is.

"Dad?" I fervently ask myself.

No response awaits me from my chest or my gurgling surroundings.

I don't think I imagined that... That felt... real! Well, if it's a shock you want, Dad, I'll do my best! I say to myself, sending a rhythmic impulse of electricity to my paw. This time, I can actually control the current's path through my body, and my destroyed spirits rose higher and higher the closer the charge draws to my paws. Once I deem that I have built up enough electricity to shock the Dragonite from the inside out, I jump at the stomach wall with every bit of fortitude I have left. At first, nothing happens, and I begin to slip back into the vat of corrosive death.

"No... No, please...!" I call out in anguish, and, at that moment, I feel the charge leap from my paw to the Dragonite's skin. Upon my reentry into the digesting juices, I let the charge conduct through it and into the Dragonite's skin, and utter chaos ensues.

*Nathan's POV*

"Why... Maxwell, why would you..." I can't muster much more than that, but it's enough to get my point across.

"Such a waste of potential that 'Voltflare' was... He could have been so much more if he had stayed with Giovanni!" Maxwell laughs, and a few tears caress the side of my face- the first time I had cried in an eternity.

"Let... him go, Maxwell!" I cry out in pain.

"Can't you see what you're doing?!" My mind is taken over by the fact that my Life Tether allows me to feel, at least in part, what Voltflare is feeling through my wrist. Judging from the inherent throbbing in my hand, I can tell the actual pain of being in that Pokemon's gut is far worse.

"Come, Dragonite. We have work to do back at HQ," Maxwell commands, and he turns to leave. His Dragonite attempts to follow him, but suddenly stands rigid and goes limp. At first, I can't comprehend what is happening, but, then, I see a bulge appear in the side of its gut. The Dragonite promptly sucks its stomach inwards to conceal it, but the few seconds of seeing the disturbance are enough to lift my spirits.

He's alive! And, by the looks of it, he gave Maxwell's Dragonite an incredibly powerful dose of electricity!

Before my very eyes, and to Maxwell's chagrin, the Pokemon begins to seizure violent as the current traverses through its body.

"What?! What's going on? I order you to stop whatever you're doing right now! Dragonite, we're leaving!" Maxwell reaches for his Pokeball, and, knowing that his own weapon just outplayed him, I start laughing. He just stares at me, wondering what it is that I find so funny. Then, he tries to recall his Dragonite into its Pokeball, and his smile quickly fades to anger.

"The jamming signal... You little... You knew it would stop me, didn't you?!" Maxwell fumes and turns back to his Pokemon.

"Just keep it together for me, Dragonite! A few more minutes, and that hybrid will be no more! Keep him down!" Maxwell chides his Pokemon. However, Maxwell's pleas for encouragement fall on deaf ears- in this case, unconscious ears.

With a loud thud, the Dragonite falls to the ground and doesn't move again. Tentatively, Maxwell and I watch the Pokemon, both waiting for a different outcome from the fallen Pokemon.

Then, I begin to see a bulge creeping up the Pokemon's gargantuan throat.

He... He really just... is all I can think, when Voltflare's red head surfaces from the Dragonite's mouth. He looks at me, immediately frees the rest of himself from the rest of the Pokemon, and shakes off much of the acid like a regular house pet, pelting Maxwell with a few of the drops. He doesn't seem to mind the pain, however- I have a feeling that he's used to working with his Pokemon's stomach, so its juices don't bother him.

My friend bounds toward me, and I stoop down to embrace him. He bowls me over with his momentum, but I don't particularly care what he does at this point, so long as it doesn't involve being in that Dragonite gut.

"You don't know how glad I am that you're alive!" I tell him, my arms wrapped tightly around the Equilibrium Pokemon. Any acid left on his skin burns me when I embrace him, but I don't particularly care.

As long as he's alive, that's what matters!

QR5FKnw~}s