Chapter 22: Prepare for Trouble!
Well, she was a good 'mon.
Hideously under-trained, but she made up for it in spirit.
Now to mourn..
...
Mourning is boring.
I'm going back to the Game Corner!
Seems reasonable.
If you'll let me leave, i'll be on my way.
..
Gah! Fine, i'll battle you!
So pushy..
Damnit!
That Rocket Grunt lied to me!
..
What kind of gentlemen dress in Black anyway?!
Pushing the button, a secret staircase emerged before my eyes.
However, before I could get down it, an upright fellow in a cloak and Fedora wearing a carnival-esque half-mask across his face walked up to me.
Introducing himself as another Global Police agent on the tail of Team Rocket, he explained that the he had been on their tail for a while and followed them to this hideout.
He didn't seem to recall the other agent i'd met on the S.S.Anne, but I guess it must be hard to remember so many faces. Particularly when they're behind so many disguises.
Anyway, he informed me that, whilst Team Rocket had indeed been smuggling Pokemon in for the Game Corner, they had been poaching far rarer species from Fuchsia's Safari Zone, and storing them inside their hideout for their own use.
Requesting my help, which I had little choice but to offer, he marched down the stairway, leaving me slightly bewildered until I, too, entered the Hideout.
We would split up, with him moving on ahead to gather evidence and secure the stolen Pokemon, leaving myself free to thump any Grunts I stumble across.
A good plan, I must confess.
With that, he skulked off into the base, while I searched for people to start dicking on.
Like this one.
Hell yes I am, my "Gang-star"!
Now I shall proceed to "hop" on out, "Keep it genuine, hound!"
Butter fingers?

With the Lift Key in my possession, I could get down to the fourth floor basement, where the Rocket mob boss waited. Hopefully with some damn good answers.
I did?
..
..I-I'm sorry, but I didn't know!
No-one told me it was a surprise party!
Hah.
Finally. The "big-man" himself.
I'll enjoy beating you down.
..And so, I did.
Unfortunately, he was accursedly cryptic.
We-Well, maybe I will!
Why are you doing all this?!
...
What are you fighting for?!
...
And then the punk killed the lights and fled before I got my answers.
Leaving me to just storm up to the surface in a rage.
...
This was not helped by the fact that "our policeman" seemed to have failed, as all the Pokemon, and himself, were no-where to be seen.
...
Damnit all!
...
..I need a drink..
*sigh*
Drowning my sorrows under banana milkshakes
, I sat mulling over the day's events.
Beat Erika. Good.
Lost Sandy. Not so good.
Bust up the Rockets. Good.
Giovanni and pokemon got away.
![Pissed [pissed] [pissed]](/images/smilies/pissed.gif)
.
..Maybe this whole adventure thing was a mistake..
..And will that guy in the corner ever stop blubbing about how much he lost in the slots!
Just as I was simmering in equal parts rage against everything, self-hate and a light sprinkling of self-pity, a trainer came over and sat down beside me.
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Chapter 23