Jason could tell which building was the center of the conflict from the multitude of battles outside, as well as the obvious activity coming from inside. Bright flashing and flying debris was visible from the street. They scanned the people outside to see fresh Team Rocket members who were locked in battle with the trainers who had gone ahead.
The older man trainer glanced back and saw the two boys. "They ran inside! Get their asses!" He shouted as a powerful attack landed near his feet. He was flung backward and hit the ground hard. Percy slid in front of the man with Crash right behind him.
Another attack came from a Pokémon floating above the battle. A Kadabra released a beam of energy that carved into the ground. A white shield appeared before Percy as Crash used Protect. The shield shook beneath the power, but held firm. Percy quickly looked the man over before sighing.
He'd gotten the wind knocked out of him, but nothing appeared serious. He coughed as Percy lifted him to his feet. "This old dog still has some bite. You kids go. We can handle this for now. The trainers in the building need more help." His gruff tone comforted Percy slightly as he looked up at the Kadabra.
It looked like it was around level 35. It was a considerable power difference. He'd think more than twice if he wanted to fight it with a single one of his Pokémon. A pokeball opened at the man's waist as he smiled. "I just gotta even the odds." He said. Percy smiled as he turned toward the building.
The door was safe, and Jason was already inside. Percy came to a sliding stop inside as Jason was thrown across the room. He crashed onto a desk and rolled off. Four of the Team Rocket members who had battled earlier were standing with their fists up.
Percy raised his hands instinctively. 'Jason was fighting all of them.' He thought. "Stay out of the fisticuffs, Crash." He said. His gaze steeled as he realized these looked like competent fighters. The grunts and bottom-tier members were the only ones he'd encountered, except for a few. Each of these members was at least an Elite member, if not a Captain. It's the difference between a below average trainer and trained fighters.
Immediately, two were rushing Percy with wide eyes. Percy parried the first jab and avoided the other's kick. His back hit the doorframe as he ducked a hook. The girl's fist dinged off the metal door frame, causing her to recoil in pain.
Percy's fist shot forward, smashing into the other guy's nose. His foot shifted forward, tripping the man as he stumbled back. The girl had recovered and thrown a fast jab that connected against Percy's cheek. He grunted as he blocked her kick.
The man on the ground began crawling toward Percy and wrapped his arms around Percy's leg. He cursed as the girl powered through his block and threw him off balance. Without being able to move his legs, he fell. He covered his head and neck as the girl began kicking him viciously.
Percy's fist began smashing into the man's head. After the third smack, the man released Percy's legs and tried to grapple him. Percy grunted as his stomach took another kick from the girl. His aura had been on low intensity. In his head, he turned up the output. Strength flooded his body as each kick only stung now.
Percy grit his teeth as he lifted the man as he stood. He screamed as he flipped him over and smashed him into the floor. Another punch landed from the girl who pushed Percy back. With nothing restraining his legs, he launched himself shoulder first into her waist. He brought her straight to the ground and quickly finished her in three punches. Her eyes rolled back, unconscious.
The man he had slammed stirred in a semi-conscious state. Percy breathed out a sigh before standing wearily. He looked over to Jason's fight and saw him smash one of their heads over a desk. The other was unconscious already.
Jason looked less beat up than Percy by a decent deal. Jason winced as he walked up to Percy. "Upstairs time. I'll leave a Pokémon behind to make sure they don't get away." He said. A Spinarak appeared before them and quickly scuttled toward the unconscious members as Jason explained what to do. It was the same Spinarak from the egg that Percy had almost died for.
"Let's go." Percy directed as they ran up the stairs. They could hear Pokémon battles going on above. Crash followed closely behind him, and Jason released a new Pokemon that Percy hadn't seen him have before. He scanned it quickly.
Pokémon: Nidorina
Level: 28
Abilities: Poison Point, Hustle
Gender: Female
Potential: Dark Red
Moves: Growl, Poison Sting, Scratch, Tail Whip, Fury Swipes, Toxic Spikes, Double Kick [E], Bite, Sludge Bomb [E] (Inherent Move), Bulldoze [E] (Inherent Move), Protect (™)
Its back legs were like trunks of muscle, and its stare was serious. Crash breathed out a sigh as he ran up the stairs. He was still a little tired, but his brief break had restored a fair bit of his energy. As Percy and Jason breached the next floor, they saw a lanky, baggy-dressed trainer directing a level 35 Pokémon.
He had long, straw colored hair, an Alolan shirt, and wore open sandals. He directed his Pokémon calmly against a similarly leveled Team Rocket Pokémon. The TR member looked equally embroiled in the battle and didn't even notice the young trainers. The long-haired trainer glanced back at the two and waved his hand, as if to motion them to keep going.
They turned around and burst through the stairway door. Percy and Jason panted as they climbed to the last floor. As they ran through the top doors, they saw two Team Rocket members with captured Pokemon in their hands. It seemed another trainer had been victim to a different Team Rocket member.
They stood at the other side of the floor, across a sea of office cubicles. As Percy and Jason slid into the room, they set their sights on the captors. But two Team Rocket members hiding around the doorframe lunged at Percy and Jason. They each carried steel suitcases that were turned into dangerous weapons in the hands of stronger people.
They were fast, and before Jason could react, he'd been clocked over the head by the heavy suitcase. Jason's Nidorina screamed before lunging at the attacking member. Percy turned but was smashed in his solar plexus by the other's suitcase. He collapsed to his knees, his eyes wide and his mouth gasping for air.
His lungs were completely empty and in shock as he fell over, clutching his chest. Crash's powerful legs propelled him at the trainer, but he found a Pokémon blocking his path. Another Arbok, supposedly owned by the new attackers, hissed as Crash bowled into it. Jason hit the ground as he saw stars and struggled to get his limbs beneath him.
Crash's red eyes glowed bright as rage filled him from the sudden change in situation. His trainer and his trainer's friend were temporarily incapacitated. The responsibility fell on him to control the situation. He didn't know how strong his trainer's friends' Pokémon would be, but he had tested his strength against Quilava many times before.
He just hoped the Nidorina was competent. He quickly shot a series of ranged moves at the Arbok. He had learn his lesson. He shouldn't get into a close range fight with an Arbok when he was tired. It embarrassed him to be submitted by the other Arbok minutes earlier.
His rage could still be manifested in his ranged move as well. Steaming hot water slammed into Arbok's head, causing it to scream and close its eyes in pain. Large rocks pelted the snake, bruising its scaled body. It struck out, its fangs pulsing with electricity as it tried to sink its teeth into Crash.
Crash could dodge it, but he was standing directly in front of his still recovering trainer. He didn't have enough time to use a move either. He steeled himself with a toothy grin before electricity overtook his body. He was pushed back a foot, but stopped the powerful Pokémon. Electricity flashed off the two Pokemon before the Arbok pulled its head back. Crash fell to one knee, but he grinned.
A red beam pulled the Arbok into the Team Rocket member who'd immediately taken off once he hit Percy. Nidorina had fought off another Team Rocket Pokémon that had the same treatment. The four Team Rocket members in the room turned around, facing the window that looked down at the battle-torn street.
The Kadabra floated just on the other side of the glass. It held out its spoon before Psychic energy condensed around itself and the TR members. They teleported away, leaving a frustrated Percy.