SS Ann: Part 1 All aboard

He sat in deep in the shadows. His face was stern as he pet his Persian that sat near by. The Persian’s deep purr filled the room. He took pleasure in nothing, except for his own plans of conquest. He had been waiting for Tachi to contact him for some time now. Leaning back in his chair, he brought his hands to his face. A glint of gold and sliver shone though the darkness revealing his many rings. Each one bought with the money he made form the sorrow of others. A smiled parted on his lips as he heard the videophone ring.

"Yes," he said in a deep-contented voice. The Persian next to him lay down and ceased its deep contented purring.

"Sir," it was Tachi. "I have proof that the girl is worth the time to capture." He looked at Tachi's face form his seat and frowned. Tachi could see his boss’s anger even though the darkness and waited for him to yell, perhaps bust him down to a lower level. Instead he only sat there, frowning in the darkness.

"Show it to me." He said flatly. Tachi saluted and then disappeared as an image of a young girl appeared. At first he was unintrigued by the clumsy fighting styles of the blond girl who was struck at every blow her opponent threw. He was about to turn the image off when he saw three other kids standing off to the side. One caught his attention quickly. He smiled, as the girl with the dark hair seemed to flash blue. He reached forward and switched back to the other frequency to talk to Tachi.

"How do you plan on getting this girl?" He asked.

"I have some one following her as we speak," Tachi smiled. "As soon as she is alone my agent will contact me and we will move out."

"Continue with your plan but do not forget that the SS Ann project is the main priority right now."

"Yes sir."

"She seems familiar to me for some reason." He said stroking his Pursain on the head. "Make sure you catch her and take her to the underground research center. I will try to meet you there in person."

"Yes sir," Tachi said saluting. "It will be an honor to meet you again sir." The screen went black. He stood up and walked though the darkness towards the door. He smiled slightly.

"Come Caesar," he said. "We have work to do." The Persian slowly stood and flowed his master.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I’m not being lazy I was just asking." Quin said. She stood up and began to walk around. Shan sighed and stood up and walked over to the counter were Nurse Joy sat filling out paper work.

"Excuse me?" Shan asked. Joy looked up at her with a smile on her face.

"No she is not ready yet." Joy said. "It will only be a few more minuets." She said. Shan frowned and sat back down. Alex looked at her and smiled.

"What’s the rush?" He asked. "It’s not like we can travel in the dark anyway." He said. Shan frowned at him.

"I know that." She snapped. Alex stepped back as if he had been hit by something. Shan sighed. "I just want my Charmeleon to get better so we can get back to our training." Shan leaned back in her seat and took out her pokedex. Shan began to press button after button looking though her map screens.

"Uh, Shan?" Quin asked. Shan ignored her and continued to look at her Map. "Are you ok?" She asked. Shan shut her dex and put it away.

"I’m fine." She said flatly. Shan looked away from her friends and then down at the floor. She had no idea why she felt so angry with them they hadn’t done anything to her to make her mad. Shan sighed and then smiled.

"Sorry," Shan said. Quin smiled.

"Don’t fret it Shan." She said. Shan stood up as Joy walked up to her carrying Charmeleon’s ball. Shan noticed that Joy was no longer smiling.

"Hear is your Charmeleon," she said and tossed the ball to Shan.

"Is something wrong?" Shan asked. Joy crossed her arms in front of her and nodded.

"Your Charmeleon trashed the exam room." Joy said. Shan looked at Charmeloen’s ball and sighed.

"Sorry," Shan said. Joy put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes.

"I am afraid you will have to pay for the damages that she did." Shan gasped and fasted Charmeleon’s ball to her belt. Slowly Shan looked back up at Joy.

"How much?" She asked. Joy held out her hand and smiled.

"Three dollars." She said. Shan almost fell over. Joy laughed and leaned forward.

"I had you going there didn’t I? Your Charmeleon just knocked over a vase by accident." She said. Shan frowned.

"Why did you do that?" She asked. Joy put her hands on her hips and smiled.

"Because I do not like sour faces in my pokecenter. That’s why. Cheer up ok." She said. Shan kept her frown but it soon faded into a smile. Shan sighed and handed Joy the three dollars.

"Well thanks for making me laugh Joy. You must be the comedian in your family." Shan said.

"Well I am funny." Joy said laughing again and walked away once she was gone Shan turned to the others. Mark tossed the magazine he had been reading onto a near by table and flopped down in a seat.

"I am so board." He said. "Who’s up for dinner?" He asked.

"Good idea Mark." Quin said smiling. Alex smirked at Mark from were he was standing.

"I guess your good for one of those every once an a while." He said. Mark jumped to his feet and shook his fist at Alex.

"Watch it you purple haired punk." Mark said angrily. Alex smiled and ran his hand though his hair.

"At lest I am not a blond bomb shell Mark." Mark glared at Alex and was about to say something when Quin jumped in.

"Hey I’m blond to you know." She said angrily. Alex turned red upon realizing what he had just done.

"Oh. . , uh . . I didn’t mean you Quin." Alex said. Quin frowned and sat down. Mark shoot one last glance at Alex and then turned to look at Shan who was looking out the window of the pokecenter.

"What about you? You hungry Shan?" He asked. Shan looked over at them and slung her pack on her back.

"No, not really." She said. "I’m going to walk around the city for a while, and maybe do some training." She said and headed for the door.

"You want us to come with you?" Quin asked.

"No," Shan said and left, leaving them to wonder what was bothering her.

Shan walked down street after street. She wasn’t heading any predicted direction; she just wanted to think. She knew that she had appeared harsh to her friends but she also knew it couldn’t have been helped, she just felt like she had let herself down for some reason.

"Busy town." Shan said as she walked towards the stores. People were shopping and talking loudly as she walked past them. Shan began to wonder why she felt so angry, she knew it wasn’t because of her battle with Surge, defeat wasn’t completely new to her. She stopped at a store window and looked in. A blue dress hung neatly upon a manikin. Along the hem there was a print of a Gyarados. Shan sighed, and walked on. It was starting to get dark when she found herself on the beach looking out at the ocean and thinking of the Lapras that she had met not to long ago. She sat down in the sand and smiled to herself.

"I wonder if you’re ok?" She asked herself. "I keep thinking about you for some reason. I guess that I miss you." The only thing that answered her was the crashing waves. Shan sighed and rested her head on her hands. The stars were starting to appear above her.

"Well I guess I better get back," Shan said taking out Buterfrees pokeball. "Come on out Butterfree." She said. Butterfree flew from the beam and hovered next to Shan.

"You haven’t been out in a long time have you?" She asked. Butterfree nodded and landed on her head.

"Free reee." He said and fluttered his wings. Shan smiled at him.

"Isn’t the ocean beautiful Flutter B." Shan’s Butterfree chirped happily upon hearing his nickname. Shan rarely called her pokemon by their nicknames, when she did they seemed to enjoy it. Butterfree nuzzled his head against Shan’s cheek. Shan smiled as Butterfree flew in a circle above her. She looked up at the stars that were shining brightly at her. Standing she held out her hand for Buterfree to land on.

"It’s getting late you better rest in your pokeball." She said and took out his pokeball. "Return," Butterfree disappeared into his pokeball. Shan turned to head towards the boardwalk but stopped in her tracks as she saw someone standing in her way.

"Slick." Shan said angrily. "What do you want?" She asked. Slick took of his dark sunglasses and slipped them into his pocket.

"Nothing really." He said. Shan frowned.

"So why are you hear?" She asked. Slick smiled and closed his eyes.

"I am hear on business. That’s the only reason you are seeing me now you know." He said.

"What do you mean?" Shan asked. Slick took a few steps forward.

"I mean I only battle those who the league have an interest in. Have you improved any since our last battle?"

"Get lost." Shan said.

"I am not hear to battle you." He said.

"The why are you hear?" Shan asked glaring at him.

"Just to talk," he said smiling. "I am just checking up on you. It is part of my job you know."

"So, what do I care about your job? I just want to be left alone," Shan closed her eyes and lowered her head.

"Tell me," He said a bit sternly. "How are your powers? Have you attacked your friends yet?" Shan jumped at his question. That was what was bothering her, what she had been so worried about, that was the main reason she wanted to be alone to think.

"I would never hurt my friends." Shan said sternly.

"Are you sure about that?" He asked. "You’ve never been trained to use those powers correctly, how do you know that you won’t lose control around them one day." Slick said. Shan looked at him and took a step back. "You could just be walking along and then Bam," Slick clapped his hands together. "No more traveling companions."

"I. .I. . would never hurt them." Shan said.

"Yes but you don’t know that do you?" He asked. "Since you don’t know how to use your powers that makes you a danger to anyone around you." Slick smiled as Shan looked down saddened by what she had heard. He took a step forward.

"That’s all I wanted to say," he said. "By the way," he said. "The leagues offer still stands." Shan looked up at him and narrowed her eyes.

"You can’t make me feel bad about myself Slick." She said smiling. "I am not going to take your offer. I know that I would never hurt my friends." She said angrily. Slick’s normally calm expression twisted into one of anger.

"You should have accepted my offer." He said. "Next time we meet you might not have a choice in the matter. I was being nice, next time I won’t be." He turned and walked away. Shan stood ridged thinking of what he had said.

"Threats don’t bother me." Shan said aloud to herself. Shan began to walk towards the pokecenter. Once there she sat waiting in the lobby for her friends. Although she knew deep in her heart she would never intently hurt her friends, she began to wonder if Slick was right. Shan released her pokemon so they could get some exercise. Rattata scratched his ear happy that his stitches were now out.

Shan smiled as she watched them play together. Shan was about to recall them when the lights in the center went out. "Ohh." Joy said. "Don’t worry I have flashlights." Charmeleon walked up to Shan illuminating the room as she did. Shan smiled and recalled all but Charmeleon.

"Char," Charmeleon said and sat down. After a few minuets Shan began to wonder were Joy had gone.

"Nurse Joy?" Shan called standing up. Shan walked towards the counter and looked over it. Joy was nowhere to be seen.

"Charmeloen." Charmeleon said. Shan looked at her.

"No I don’t see her." Shan paused. "Hold on, I think I’m begging to understand you a little bit. I was wonder when that would happen." Charmeleon tilted her head. "I read some were that trainers that have a real connection with their pokemon can sometimes understand them."

"Charmeleon." Charmeleon said.

"Well I can’t understand everything you say but I am beginning to get the gist of it."

"Isn’t it past your bedtime?" Asked a voice from the darkness. Shan spun around and, thanks to Charmeleon’s flame tipped tale, could see figures standing in the darkness.

"Who are you and what did you do with Nurse Joy?" Shan demanded.

"Char," Charmeleon said angrily.

"Prepare for trouble." A voice said. Shan frowned and pointed towards the shadows.

"Ember attack now." Shan said. Charmeleon began to spin sending out her rings of fire. The all but one of the figures jumped out of the way. Shan smiled to herself as the figures jumped out of the way.

"Are you nuts?" Asked one. Shan crossed her arms in front of her and closed her eyes.

"No, I just really hate that motto and the people who say it. You guys talk too much. If you acted you would get a lot more accomplished." Shan said. The lights suddenly came on. Shan looked over the Rockets and sighed in relief when she didn’t see Tachi or Naru among them.

"Look kid you stay out of our business or we will trash ya." Said a Female rocket. "I mean it." Shan put her hand on her hip and smiled.

"What are you smiling at?" Asked a male Rocket. "Hand over that pokemon and any others that you have."

"I don’t think so." Shan said sternly. "Tell me what you do with Nurse Joy?"

"She’s right over there." Said another male rocket and pointed towards Joy who was siting tied up on a chair. Next to her a large Chansey angrily rolled about trying to escape it’s ropes.

"Untie her and get out of hear before I get mad." Shan said. The rockets looked at one another and began to laugh.

"Oh yea like a kid like you can really take team rocket on. Take this. GO Mankey." A rocket shouted. A red light formed into a Mankey. Shan looked at Charmeleon and nodded.

"Your up." She said. Charmeleon walked forward and opened her mouth. Suddenly a massive flame was shot out at the unsuspecting Mankey. Shan took out her pokedex and scanned the new attack, surprised, she smiled..

"FLAME THROWER: THIS ATACKT IS STRONG ENUF TO MELT BOLDERS. NORMALY THIS ATACK WILL CAUES SEVIER BURNS." Shan shut her dex and watched as the Mankey fainted.

"Charmeleon." Charmeleon said proudly and lifted her head up. Shan smiled.

"Show off," Shan said smiling. Charmeleon stuck her chest out at the rockets and growled at them. "You dopes have two options." Shan said smiling. "One get lost or two battle me and my friend hear." Shan said.

"Char," Charmeleon said in agreement. Shan smiled.

"As you can see my Charming Charmeleon and I are ready and willing to teach you creeps a lesson." A female Rocket walked forward.

"This kid is really stupid if she thinks she can take us all on." She said.

"Yea, well let’s pick option B." Said a male Rocket. "But we have to do something first."

"Your right we were interrupted before." Another said.

"Prepare for trouble." They also in unison. "And make it Quadruple."

"Silvia," said the tall woman.

"Chase," said one of the male Rockets.

"Crew," Said another.

"And I am Pilot." They all struck a pose with Silvia standing in front of them.

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light surrender now or prepare to fight." They said. Shan yawned and was mimicked by Charmeleon. Joy looked over at Shan with scared eyes. Shan smiled.

"Are you creeps done?" Shan said. "Let me introduce myself." Shan crossed her arms in front of her.

"With the flame of passion I burn bright." Shan said mimicking the pose of the rockets. "A future fire master who will win the Fight." Shan jumped forward. "Shan blasts off at the speed of light I gave you a choice now prepare to fight." Shan laughed a bit. She knew that the rockets weren’t hear for her they were hear for the pokemon. She didn’t care about the reason all she knew was she was going to stop them.

"Char!" Charmeleon said. Shan looked at the Rockets who were glaring at her with intense hate. Shan laughed as Silvia walked forward.

"Are you making fun of us." She asked. Shan nodded.

"You bet I am. I won’t let you take the pokemon that are hear. They belong to people who care about them." Silvia took out a pokeball and smiled.

"What a bleeding heart. Well you might change your tun." She said. "Go pokeball." She said. Shan watched as the red beam formed into a Raticate. Charmeleon taped Shan on the leg.

"Charmeleon char char." She said.

"Your right girl," Shan said. "I think I will teach you a lesson before I make you run." Shan took out a pokeball. "Go Rattata." In a flash of red Ratatat appeared. Shan smiled as Silvia gasped at his size. Shan smiled.

"That thing is huge." Chase said. Silvia smirked.

"It’s not as big as my Raticate." She said. Shan crossed her arms in front of her and smiled again.

"Size doesn’t matter. Skill matters, and you are about to wish you had never ran into me. Get ready to feel the heat." Shan said. "Rattata combination quickatack and Supperfang." Rattata ran forward and lunged at the Raticate. After a few swift blows the Raticate fainted. Rattata smiled and walked back to his master. Silvia angrily recalled her Raticate.

"You lose," Shan said. "Good work my Brave Rattata." Rattata barked at Silvia and jumped next to Charmeleon.

"This is not happening." Silvia said and began to cry. Shan and her pokemon looked on with puzzled expressions. "I lost, I can’t believe it I failed."

"Silvia we shall defend your honor." The three guys said in unison. Shan stifled a laugh.

"Are you for real?" She asked. "I mean compared to the Rockets Iv ran into you guys are not that much of a threat. Just leave." Shan said walking towards Nurse Joy.

"Stop right there." Chase said and jumped in front of her. "You’re going to get it now." He tried to throw a punch but Shan quickly jumped out of the way and he fell forward landing face first on the ground. Shan walked over him and untied Joy.

"Get out of hear right now." Nurse Joy shouted. "I will not tolerate any fighting in my pokemoncenter." The Rockets clenched their fists at their sides. Shan recalled her pokemon and narrowed her eyes.

"Let’s take this outside." Shan said. The rockets were about to attack her when the doors opened. Shan stood ready to defend herself as Joy untied her Chansey.

"Attention," Pilot said. The rockets stood staring straightforward and saluted. Shan filled with rage as she saw Tachi walking towards her.

"Joy get out of hear." Shan said.

"What about you?" She asked. Shan glared at Tachi.

"I’ll be fine find a way out." Joy stood up and ran towards the back. The rockets were about to stop her when Tachi raised his hand.

"Forget the nurse. I have planed ahead." He said smiling. Shan heard a high-pitched scream.

"What did you do to her?" Shan demanded.

"Nothing yet." He said. Shan continued to glare at him. Tachi looked over his shoulders at the four Rockets. "I wasn’t planing on catching you just yet. But when Yano found out that these idiots had attacked the pokecenter I had to act ahead of schedule." Slivia sniffed and Crew stepped forward.

"We were just trying to get some pokemon. I mean isn’t that what the boss wanted us to do so that we can take them on the SS Ann." Tachi spun around and glared at Crew.

"You idiot." He said and punched him in the stomach. "You just gave away our plan." Shan laughed.

"Thanks for the info I am sure that the cops will be interested in that information." Tachi turned and looked at her.

"And who said you were going to get the chance to warn them." He said calmly. Shan was about to grab one of her pokeballs when something grabbed her belt from behind.

"Oh no you don’t." Seth said laughing. Shan glared at him.

"You give those back." Shan said. Seth took off Charmeleon’s pokeball and smiled.

"Your Charmeleon is now mine and so is all of the other pokemon that you have." Shan smiled.

"Charmeleon and the others won’t listen to you." She said. Seth smiled and slung Shan’s pokebelt over his shoulder.

"Seth get going." Tachi said. "Tell Naru to be ready for our special guest of honor." Seth saluted and started to leave. Shan's eyes flashed blue and she threw her hands forward a massive amount of energy shot out at Seth knocking him into the wall. He groaned and slowly stood up. Shan bit her lip, she was still week from the battle with Surge. Shan ran to Seth and grabbed her belt. Behind her Tachi smiled and took out a pokeball.

"Impressive," he said. "But now you are completely drained. Am I right?" Shan put her belt on and breathed heavily. She frowned, he was right. Shan was now completely drained of her powers. The battle with Surge and now this was just too much for her to handle.

"I’m just getting warmed up creep." She said. "I may be low on power but I know how to fight the old fashion way to. Come on," Shan said raising her fists. "Let’s see what you got." She said. Tachi smiled slightly and took out a pokeball.

"Maybe latter." He said. "First I want to show you something. This is the first pokemon I got when I became a Rocket," Tachi said holding out his pokeball. "I got it because I was the top recruit and because no other could touch me when I started to battle. Not many people see this pokemon," he smiled. "You should feel honored that I am going to show you what it is." Shan took a step back.

"You don’t scare me Tachi." Shan said lowering her hands slightly. Tachi tossed the ball down. The light formed into a black floating pokemon. It glared at Shan with evil looking eyes. Shan swallowed.

"What is that?" She asked.

"Meet Haunter," Tachi said. "A ghost pokemon that is strong against psychics. He is no ordinary pokemon. As you are about to see."

"Haunter," the dark pokemon said and flew towards Shan. Shan began to walk backwards, unfortunately she ran into the wall.

"Nice pokemon," Shan said nervously. Tachi stepped forward.

"I only use him when I am up against a tuff opponent or when I am running out of time." Shan glared at him. "In this case I am running out of time. Haunter hear has learned some brand new moves," Tachi smiled. "These attacks have never really been seen."

"Just leave me alone." Shan said. Tachi snapped his fingers and the Haunter flew over to him.

"Haunter use your psychic attack." The Haunters eyes began to glow a bright red. Shan suddenly found that she could no longer move. Shan strained to move her arms.

"What are you doing to me." Shan said. Suddenly she was lifted off of the ground.

"Nothing," Tachi said. "Haunter dream eater." Shan gasped as the Haunters eyes turned orange. It waved its hands in front of her. Shan felt a weird energy rush though her. She fell to the ground uncontious.

"Finally," Tachi said. "Take her to the boat and lock her up there." He said. The rockets picked Shan up and left. Tachi had finally captured her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Naru sat quietly as Tachi spoke to the boss. She frowned at Tachi when he turned to look at her. Tachi had lied to her yet again. "Explain to me why you didn’t tell me of your plan." Naru said angrily. Tachi smiled and walked up to her.

"I didn’t want you to get reprimanded if I failed." He said. Tachi put his hand gently on her cheek and smiled. "I had your best interest in mind." Naru shook his hand away and ran her hand though her blue hair.

"I wanted revenge on her Tachi," Naru sat down and crossed her legs. "You had no right to leave me out." Tachi chuckled.

"You sound jealous." Tachi said. Naru smiled and turned her head away.

"Please don’t make me laugh." She said. "I am not jealous of that freak." She said.

"You should be happy that she is finally caught. Now we can get promoted to Supper Elite." Tachi walked up to Naru and hugged her close. "Our dream will soon come true." He looked into her blue eyes and smiled. Naru blushed and pushed him away.

"Lets go check on our passenger." Naru said and left the room. Tachi followed.

They walked in silence down to the lower decks of the SS Ann. Once they entered the Room Naru smiled evilly.

"How is she?" Tachi asked. A woman in a lab coat turned and frowned.

"Your Haunter almost killed her you know." She said.

"Oh now that’s a shame." Naru said glaring at the still uncontios Shan. The woman frowned.

"I have done some readings on her powers," she sat down and began to type on a nearby computer. "Even though her powers have been weakened by your Haunter she is still very powerful." Tachi rested his hand on his chin and smiled.

"I see," he said. "Will she be able to be controlled?" He asked. The woman shook her head.

"She is to old for the brainwashing treatment to work. If we had found her when she was younger we might have been able to control her." She said.

"What do you mean might?" Naru asked. The woman stood up and crossed her arms in front of her.

"Her power is erratic," she said and looked over at Shan. "I am amazed that she has survived this long with this amount of power." Tachi looked at her.

"I wonder how she got to be so powerful?" He asked. The woman smiled.

"I don’t know but I can find out." She said. "I took a blood sample and I sent it to our main lab via computer. We should get the results soon."

"Report to me when she wakes up." Tachi said. Naru frowned as he left.

"What is your name?" Naru asked.

"Rita," she said. Naru glared at Shan.

"I also want to know when she wakes up. Make sure you let me know before you let Tachi know. Got it." Rita nodded and watched as Naru left. She turned to look at the young girl who laid uncontious.

"God kid your lucky to be alive after that attack." She said sadly. "Don’t worry your going to be fine though." She sat back down and began to work at the computer. She felt sorry for the girl but there was nothing she could do to help her. She sighed as she began to scan the girl’s powers again.