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Chapter - 9
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Wynaut stopped outside a flower shop that seemed closed. Flowers were kept outside the shop on shelves, the vase were small, small enough to be placed on a side table. The sign on the shop read – Pretty Petal Flower Shop.

Red and Leaf were clueless, they looked at the shop curiously and then exchanged looks, expecting an answer from the other, but neither of them understood anything.

Wynaut walked to the door and knocked. In a minute or two, a young woman opened the door. Her eyes were filled with sorrow. Red assumed she was sleep deprived whereas Leaf believed that something terrible had happened to her.

"Wynaut?" Said the Woman, expecting something from Wynaut.

'Um, hello." Leaf said out of curiosity, she wanted to know why the Wynaut wanted them there. "Your Pokémon brought us here, we just thought you needed some kind of help or something."

"Oh." Said the Woman, fixing her hair. "Um, I lost my Skitty. I'm just worried about her, she's too afraid of the wild."

"Skitty?" Asked Red, looking into his Pokedex, searching for the Pokémon.

The Pokedex displayed the details of Skitty. "Skitty, the Kitten Pokémon. It is said to be difficult to earn its trust. However, it is extremely popular for its cute looks and behavior."

"We can help you, if you want." Leaf tightened her bag straps and walked two steps back.

Red felt a bit cold, the wind was slowly getting stronger, it was not going to be a pretty night.

The woman walked outside the house, closing the door. "I can tell you where she was seen last, follow me."

Red and Leaf started walking behind the woman back to the Petalburg Woods. The woods got darker as the evening came closer. Leaf was afraid of dark places.

"Remember when you went to your empty house to get books last year?" Asked Red, that experience was one of the worst in her life, Leaf hated talking about it, but still loved one thing about it.

"Yes, my soul was separated from my body." Said Leaf, blushing. "You cried and shouted."

"Wait. You heard that?" Asked Red, embarrassed. "No you didn't."

"I did. I thought I told you that I did." Said Leaf, remembering Red's exact words. "Leaf don't leave me. I wanted you to know that I-"

"I just said that to wake you up! Come on." Red's face turned pink.

"Uh huh." Leaf looked forward, disappointed by what Red had told her. She secretly wished Red told her that he liked her. "So you mean we're just friends?"

"Of course." Red panicked, he wanted to get out of this situation as soon as possible. He didn't do feeling talks well.

"Cool." Said Leaf, devastated. "Let's just find Skitty right now."

The woods were too dark for anyone to walk. The wind got colder and stronger. Leaf looked at the sky, hoping for it to rain.

"Prepare for trouble." The familiar line was heard from behind where they stood. They turned around only to find Cassidy and Butch along with the lady Team Aqua Member.

"And make it double." Said Butch, who seemed under pressure, he just wanted to get rid of the Aqua Member as soon as possible.

"To protect the world from devastation." Said Cassidy, continuing the Team Rocket motto.

Leaf listened to it carefully, it had been a while since she heard it. "Well protect me from devastation." She mumbled.

"To unite all the people within our nation." Butch continued, he had no interest of doing what he was doing.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love." Said Cassidy, she made an expression of disgust.

"To extend our reach to the stars above." Said Butch, wanting to slam the Aqua member into the ground now.

"Cassidy."

"And Butch."

Red face palmed. Cassidy was mildly irritated. "Team R- Aqua, blast off at the speed of light."

"Surrender now or prepare for a fight." Said Butch, looking at Cassidy for messing up the Team Aqua part. She's a liability – thought Butch.

"That's right!" Said the Team Aqua Member.

Butch and Cassidy looked at the Aqua Member. "So you're filling in for a Meowth now?"

Red and Leaf laughed.

"Okay, we're here to fight you two." Said Cassidy, pointing at Red.

The woman looked worried. "I'm sorry kids, but I really don't want to get in Team Aqua's way. Don't take it personally." She ran away.

"Well that was helpful." Said Leaf.

Butch did not want to fight them. He felt like he was on their side as both were against Giovanni.

Cassidy looked at Butch, struggling to take out his Pokeball. "It's okay. They'll understand." Whispered Cassidy.

"I can do this alone, Red." Said Leaf, kind of mad at Red. "Thank you. Go Dragonite."

"You were saying." Whispered Butch. "Go Electrike."

Leaf pointed her Pokedex towards the Pokémon. "Electrike, a Lightning Pokémon. It stores static electricity in its fur for discharging. It gives off sparks if a storm approaches."

"Dragonite, Flamethrower." Electrike fainted.

The Team Aqua Member sneaked away. Cassidy pulled out her Pokeball. "Go Vibrava."

Leaf pointed her Pokedex towards the Vibrava. "Vibrava, a Vibration Pokémon. It generates ultrasonic waves by violently flapping its wings. After making its prey faint, it melts the prey with acid."

"Dragonite, Thunderbolt." Vibrava fainted. "Also, that Aqua Member ran away."

Cassidy and Butch looked at each other. "Well, let's talk about Giovanni then."

"Whose Pokémon were they?" Asked Red, pointing at Electrike and Vibrava.

"That Aqua Member. But I think we'll keep them, she didn't treat them nicely anyways." Said Butch. "Let's talk?"

"Is that a Skitty?" Asked Red.

It started raining heavily, water puddles were made everywhere. The trees began shaking and the water dropped from every leaf. Clouds rumbled and the sound of lightning filled the air. The sky was pitch black, not a star to be seen.

Samuel Oak looked out from his window, one could see the entire Pallet Town from his laboratory. He had questions, tons of unanswered questions for which he was eager to get the answers.

"What's the plan?" He asked, curious.

"The plan is never going to change Sam." Said Ben, reassuring to Oak. "The plan is always to obtain all the possible things that Giovanni can use to execute his plan."

"And what all do we have?" Asked Oak.

"Nothing."