Catch As Catch Can (Part one)
Aug. 27th, 2021 12:36 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bonnefoisTitle: Catch As Catch Can (Part one)
Series: TF2(/Pokémon)
Character/pairing: Scout/Miss Pauling, ensemble
Rating: did it finally reach PG-13?
Word count: 6,250
Summary: Pokémon AU. Scout may be an elite member of Team Fortress, but he routinely fails at being a villain.
Author's note: I wasn't going to write this AU, but I ended up finishing a snippet because the notes I had for Miss Pauling's pokémon team were cute.
For Sarah!
Previous entries: Catch Me | Catch You | Catch These Hands | Catching Flight | Catch Him | Catch Up | Catch 'em All.
"What's up, babe? You look glum? Or you just tired?'
"A little of both, I suppose."
She pulled his coat a little tighter about her. He was always willing to give up his clothes for her at any given moment. His hat when it was too sunny, and the glare was harsh on her glasses, his coat when it was cold, and his shirt peeled off at literally any excuse.
She pulled his coat tighter about them. His Rapidash had helped build a fire, and still kept them toasty as it rested.
"What's to be glum about? You brought the entire team back together. That's some feat--I knew you could do it, though. You're just that awesome."
"Just thinking, I guess. I've worked in Team Fortress my whole life. The base was the closest thing I ever had to a home."
"Seriously? Your ma let you sign off on that? Mine barely let me have a paper run. All the other kids were off goin' on Pokémon adventures, and she didn't wanna see us goin' so soon. She missed dad, I guess."
"Come to think of it, you never speak of your father. Just, your mother."
"Yeah, there ain't much to tell. There's this picture on the mantle, real handsome guy and ma picks it up and is all wistful like."
"Kind of sounds like she's dating a secret agent."
"Seriously?"
"Well, I suppose anything is possible."
"Come to think of it, you never mention your parents, either. Or much of anythin', but you said it's top secret."
"I mean, I never knew my parents, and I didn't grow up in an orphanage. All I can remember is working for Team Fortress. Well, a room full of boxes with Pokémon. That's the earliest memory I have."
"No wonder losin' the base was so hard on you. To me, it was just some cold dungeon of a place, but to you, it was home."
She stared down into the flames.
"I don't remember my dad at all. Guess that's common, dads go off and conquer the world and we hear about it on TV. Kinda messed up, though. Think I'd never do that to my kid. Future kid, anyways."
"I wouldn't know. I never really had that. I wouldn't know what to miss..."
Well, she did in some ways. She'd see some commercial for mother's day with a tag line like Don't forget your mother and it would remind her of this empty space she had. Usually she filled up that empty space with work until she didn't think of it anymore.
He smiled at her. "Listen, you got the Team back together. Gettin' the base back will be easy. And you could probably redecorate it. Put some curtains or somethin', make it feel less like a prison."
"We got the Team back. I couldn't have done it without you."
The campfire crackled. Above them were thousands of stars in a clear sky.
"Y'know, I don't miss it as much as I thought I would? Kinda makes sense, after all. Like, I don't miss those cold metal halls and crap. Don't get me wrong, I missed the guys tons. But the base? Eh, I could take it or leave it."
He glanced to her, and his expression turned suddenly apologetic.
"Sorry, I know you liked the place. I'm good at puttin' my foot in my mouth sometimes."
She shifted closer to the fire.
"No, it's okay. You weren't really there as long as I was. And you weren't even in the base much. Just to bring back the few Pokémon you caught and managed not to pass on to the first kid you saw along the way."
He chuckled. "Yeah, you got me there. I found plenty for you, though."
"There was barely any left for the actual Team by the time you were done," she said.
"It's kinda nostalgic, you know?" Scout said.
"When I was younger, I almost joined Team Rocket. Ma didn't want me goin' off on a journey, but we didn't have much. I thought, I could maybe stay near. Ma flipped out, dragged me out by the collar."
"So when Team Fortress wanted me, sure I was flattered, and not too surprised---" He smirked at that.
"But, I figured I'd turn 'em down. And of course they'd be devastated at the loss of a chance of havin' a complete champ like me on their rolls, but I wasn't about to make ma sad. Then, through that room, I caught sight of you. You were lookin' down at a clipboard. Then you looked up and I knew in that instant I'd join."
He licked his lips. "I just had to join."
"Sorry for dragging you down with me?"
"Draggin' me down? What are you talkin' about? I love my job. Catchin' Pokémon is great. I made so many kiddos happy. Bein' a part of Team Fortress is the best choice I ever made. Just seein' all those smiles--it really is a great job."
Miss Pauling stared down at the fire.
I don't know how to tell you that we aren't the heroes.
But, she thought, they still could be. It wasn't too late.
*
How surreal, to finally see fruits of all her work, and many of her old teammates back. Well, the main nine, at least. Getting all the Grunts back would likely be impossible, as many defected to Team Machine or other teams during that time. Scout might have their names on file, given that he was possibly the most extroverted person in the entire universe, but the amount of time it would take to go through his massive contacts list would likely leave them open for attack.
So, it would be just them against potentially hundreds, maybe even thousands of Team Machine Grunts, Sentinel Pokémon, and robot Grunts.
Still, Miss Pauling wouldn't let the odds get to her. She hadn't let them get to her before, when she'd tracked down the team through different lands, with little but rumors, questionable tips from Spy, and Scout's hunches to go on.
She laid out the map. Before she could even say a word, Spy cleared his throat.
"Is that map even still valid? It has been some time since the main base was turned over," Spy said. He blew out a stream of smoke and rested his gloved hand upon the approximate place where the main entrance was. "For all we know, it has been entirely remade. Team Machine, and indeed Gray Mann certainly do have a certain--aesthetic. And he would protect that aesthetic at all costs."
"Yeah, they're like if Sci-fi flippers was a thing. That'd be pretty cool, actually. Designin' houses to look like somethin' out of a comic book."
Spy pinched his nose and let out a sigh. "Could you please stop daydreaming for once?"
Engineer chuckled. "And you aren't glad that he's thinkin' about something other than Miss Pauling for once?"
"It's Scout; it's implied she's somewhere in that daydream," Spy said.
"True, I suppose. Anyways, no need to worry; I gotcha all covered," Engineer said.
He pulled out a new map from his back overalls--which seemed quite roomy, like he had some mini-teleporter in there to bring things straight from his own workshop.
Frankly, she wouldn't if he did.
"They were right lazy. Didn't even bother to take down my own security. I've been keepin' an eye the whole time."
Miss Pauling lifted her eyebrows. "Your own security?"
"Someone kept stealin' my lunch. I put up notes, but they were ignored. So I needed to get some evidence to confront the culprit. So, I put up a few hundred hidden cameras up. Now, I suspected Scout, but it turns out it was some bratty little Grunt doing the stealing. But the whole Team went tail up before I could do anythin' about it."
Engineer balled his fist at that. Maybe it was best that the Grunt in question was no longer in Engineer's sights any longer. There was no telling what kind of revenge he might enact. Only Medic would show more potential for wrath.
All in all, this was news to her. Just how much about Team Fortress plans did he know? And had he been keeping it for blackmail potential or his own purposes? The talk of lunch stealing could be nothing but a ruse, or an excuse to put up heavy surveillance.
She certainly wouldn't look at him the same after this. Engineer might seem to have southern charm and be the most mild-mannered of them, but he was crafty. Craftier than even she had thought.
But, that would have to be set aside for later. Now, she had to focus on the storming of the castle--as Scout would surely put it. And for now, his underhanded ways was a big boon. He smiled, but his goggles were down, so she couldn't quite see if it was gentle, or perhaps, something harsher, that didn't quite meet his eyes.
"All right. Rest up. Tomorrow, we strike."
"Night or day? Dawn or dusk? These things must be thought through thoroughly, and not left to chance and hastiness." Spy gave Scout a sidelong glance as he said that.
Leave it to Spy to second guess her, and assume Scout had someone made her more impetuous. She narrowed her eyes. "I helped run Team Fortress for years. I personally helped institute almost every single order from the Administrator. So, yes, I thought things through."
Scout cupped his hands about his mouth. "Kick his ass, baby! That jackass didn't know what he had comin' by goin' after you!"
"There is no reason to shout," Spy said, irritation and fatigue filled his voice. "We are in the same room. And, we are part of the same Team."
"Fft, please! I'm Team Pauling first and always, and Team Fortress second. You're just--Team Smelly. When the hell you last washed that ski mask?"
"It is not a ski mask, it's a balaclava."
"Okay, now you're lyin', because that's a treat! I ate one recently, kinda tasted papery with a bit of honey? Still was pretty good."
Spy let out a long sigh and shook his head.
"Hey, waaait! We could go back in time and prevent the place from ever bein' taken over. Now, there's a plan so good, Marvel would want to Wasn't there that one time pokémon? But wait, would that kill what Miss P and me had goin' on? I mean, I'm sure I would win her over again eventually, but it might prevent our future kids from bein' born--"
A collective sigh came through the room. Though, Miss Pauling had to admit (though not aloud) that it was kind of cute. So that was why he kept looking at jewelry while they were out. She'd only thought they were presents, not promises. Her cheeks flushed at the thought.
"Was it Dialga? Look, I'm not a fan of the region--way too many mountains to climb, but it was one of them. Anyways, I think we'll save that for a plan B or plan....F."
Spy smirked. "F indeed."
Engineer cleared his throat. "Settle down, y'all. Now ain't the time for any roughhousin'. If I may, some intel might help us right along."
He pointed down to his updated maps.
"Team Machine's human Grunts don't roam about after dark. Too busy calibratin' their systems. Now, they got some machines you'd have to get by--metal pokémon they use as guards, mostly, though some robots, too. From the feeds, there's plenty of Magnetmites and Magnetons to watch out for, especially around the outside grounds. Guess we know who will be stormin' the outside," Engineer said.
"Guess we do," Sniper said.
Right, he probably had a whole army of Sandiles by now.
"Thanks for the intel. It gives us a good plan of attack," Miss Pauling said. Scout watched her, adoringly as she laid out the rest of the plans.
"Pyro, go with Sniper. Your fire types will help with all the steels types, and help keep everyone from getting surprised by pokémon."
"I work alone," Sniper said, with a disdainful side glance.
Pyro ducked down and gave a sad hudda.
"You jerk, you're gonna make smokey over here cry! Then we'll all die when they turn out to be just a dragon in a hazmat suit!"
"You can work separate directions. The front is pretty big and from Engineer's data, there's a lot of surveillance pokémon out there especially."
Pyro perked up at this.
"It's okay, Pyro. You can burn things. But don't go overboard and almost burn down the entire base again, all right?"
"I will take the back door, and sneak in, and cut down some of the more powerful and troublesome ones," Spy said.
"Sure, you do that," Miss Pauling said.
Heavy and Medic were bound to go in together. If she tried to separate them, Medic would be just petulant and unhelpful and probably get his revenge somehow. Besides, they were a devastating pair, especially with Medic's healing specialties and Heavy's high-health, study pokémon. His Snorlax in particular was extremely strong.
"Heavy, Medic and Demoman, and Soldier, you're going to go full frontal assault. But within reason. No booming the buildings, okay?"
She counted on her fingers. Scout grew more excited by the moment that she was going to come to him. It was too damn cute, honestly.
Though now was not the time to fuss over her boyfriend. Though, she supposed, she could make room for a stolen kiss here and there.
"And Scout?"
"You and me are going to be storming down that door personally."
"Ooh! Fuck yeah! This is so hot! Like Die Hard 53: Now it's personal!"
She couldn't quite keep it entirely professional, or keep the smile from her face at his outburst. Around them, many eyes were rolled, but she didn't care if her boyfriend annoyed their coworkers.
*
The old man, Administrator of Team Machine flickered over the large television screen. "Do you think a mere force of that size could destroy my army of robot Grunts?"
Scout smirked. "Just a few? Think you miscounted the numbers of Team Fortress, pally. We got an army!"
Children from every route pushed through that door. Tubers and preschoolers, bug catching children and little ninjas, lasses and boys who loved comfortable shorts, and many, many more. It seemed endless. Even older trainers had joined them--from brains and brawn pairs who reminded her a bit of Heavy and Medic in spirit, to school girl pairs who seemed more than friends, and pyschics and even a few medium grandmas. People from all over the globe.
"Aww, you all came! I was hopin' you'd all get here in time! Thanks for helpin' out! And you're even wearin' the t-shirts I had made!"
They were red, with a big fractured circle beneath it, in big gold letters that said Team Fortress.
"Remember the chant we got, for team spirit. 'We're Team Fortress, and we ain't goin' to let you hurt pokémon!'"
"This is what you meant when you said you had to make a few calls?"
"Course. I always keep the numbers of anybody I fight or give pokémon to. Good thing my phone's got lots of storage, because I got a ton of them."
There had to be hundreds, no thousands of trainers. And they were still coming.
"So, Miss Pauling. Think we got enough fire power?"
"I, uh, would say so," she said.
A huge dust storm had risen up. That must be Sniper and his whole herd of Sandiles, who had all taken to his Krookidile, like it was their mother and Sniper was their slightly drunken, reserved, adopted father.
An explosion rocked the earth. Flaming debris flew about, loud enough that it almost overshadowed the triumphant laughter.
"I said no blowing up the building!"
"Ach, we just had to take out this one wee door!" Demoman called back.
She sighed. At this rate, they'd have to make plenty of structural fixes before it was over.
"Let's go, before they blow the whole damn place up," Miss Pauling said.
*
They'd sure done a lot of changes to the base since it'd been taken over. Beeping lights and machinery filled the hallways. Grunts, both human and robot came running.
"Did you think you could just waltz in?"
"Waltzin' in? I like the sound of that. I bet you we could beat them while dancing."
"Hey, Scout!"
Two teenage girls came up. One wore all black, and the other wore an elaborate fairy tale dress.
"Is that the Miss Pauling you're always talking about?"
Scout's chest puffed up. "The one and only! Unless somebody made a clone of her. Which would be super cool. Confusin', but cool!"
"She's just as pretty as you said she was," the fairy dress girl said, with a faint blush.
"Thanks, Estella!"
"Humph, she's all right," said the girl in the dark clothes and leather jacket.
"Aw, Ray, don't be jealous," Estella said.
"We'll take care of them! Go on ahead!"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, the pokémon you got us grew up really big!"
The little girl in black brought out a Hounddoom, while the one in the elaborate, frilly dress brought out a Blissey."
More trainers--all friends of Scout's, stepped up.
"Go on ahead. Take back Team," Heavy said.
Miss Pauling ducked under a blast of flames.
"Hey, be careful out there! That's my treasure you're almost flambeing!"
"Sorry!"
The walls were filled with large flat television screens. A Magneton slammed into one nearest the front door, rocketed by the blast of flames. A single image of a haggard, wizened old man in a suit came across every single television.
"Do you think I would make it that easy for you?"
The door at the end of the hallway began to close.
"Quick, we need to get there before we're locked out!"
"I got this."
He grabbed a pokébal from his belt, and out came Rapidash.
He climbed on with surprising speed, and held out his hand.
"I don't think there's enough time--"
"No way I'm doin' this without you."
With no time to think, she grabbed his hand.
"Rapidash, let's blow this popsicle joint! Use Agility!"
She clung tight about him as Rapidash rushed this incredible speed and grace towards the closing metal door. The vents near there opened and several Magneton's floated above.
"Oh no, I don't think so. Rapidash, Flame Charge!"
They were surrounded by flames as Rapidash charged, a comet, a ball of flames straight for that door. The Magetons were thrown back into the walls.
"There won't be enough time!"
Rapidash took a leap, and the door just slammed shut behind them.
*
Miss Pauling clung tight to Scout as Rapidash made a sliding landing. Rapidash let out a troubled neigh, as it tried to find support. But the shiny floors were as slippery as ice to the pokémon.
"Hold on, Rapidash!" Scout held tight to the flaming mane, as Rapidash spiraled and spun. Rapidash spread out its legs and finally came to a stop inches from the wall. Miss Pauling let out a sigh of relief. "Finally....Phew..."
Rapidash's hooves made clip-clopping noises over the floor as they came to a stop.
"Rapidash, why don't you take a break for a sec? You gotta be tired out after a run like that."
He called Rapidash back into the pokéball, and put the little red ball at his belt.
"Looks like it's just you, me, and our pokémon for now, Miss P. At least until we catch up with any of the others. Or if Demo and Soldier blow through a wall, which is actually pretty likely, now that I think about it."
"I hope not. The structural damage would be so bad, we might have to abandon the base, depending on how much materials we could salvage," Miss Pauling said.
Scout glanced about the former base. "Think on the bright side, Miss P, we maybe get some beachy place."
"Nah, Team Aqua has a lock on all of those," she said.
"They're still around? I thought they disbanded after their leader tried to kill everybody by bringing back Kyogre."
Which was definitely a mood at times. She understood how Archie felt more than she cared to admit.
"Anyways, from what I learned, they disbanded but then Archie and Max combined teams and ahem other things. Now Archie funds research on preservation, and moonlights as a male model. I think the team is basically their fanclub at this point. Still, they've kept all the prime cave bases to themselves."
"Aw, that sucks," Scout said.
They came to a middle room with many snaking metallic corridors. There were many beeping lights deep down each way, and many thick, metal doors. Miss Pauling pulled out her map and looked it over. There were so many corridors like this, she couldn't even tell one from another.
"Weird, none of this looks even remotely familiar," Scout said. "And I worked here for like, ages. I figure I'd at least kind of know the place. But I don't recognize this at all."
"They certainly did a lot of renovation," Miss Pauling said.
Though, he technically hadn't gotten that much clearance. Likely because of his certain habit of bragging and blabbing top secrets to anyone who would listen. And like many things about Scout, him claiming that he knew so much about the base was an exaggeration. He always knew the way to her office, and the lower levels where the pokéballs were kept, and the cafeteria. Engineer had personally locked Scout out of his work room, and Medic kept Scout out of his infirmary at all costs, unless Scout was injured.
"How bout this, heads we go left, tails we go right," Scout said.
Except, there were eight corridors. They'd have to do multiple coin tosses, and that just didn't seem feasible after all.
"What if we use our pokémon to sniff it out?" Scout said.
"Hmm, that's a good idea. Though it'd have to be pokémon which actually remember what the base was like."
"I know just who to call. C'mon, Zebstrika! Lead the way!"
The quick pokémon twitched its ears. Then it took off on a run so fast that even Scout had to try to keep up.
Miss Pauling was quickly outpaced by them. Unlike, Scout, she didn't have a daily jogging regimen.
Scout Alarms started to blare as they raced down the hallway. Above them, every single light broke down the hall, plummeting it into darkness. A vent came out, and a low whirring sound rose up.
"They're sendin' one of those ugly eyeballs at us again. Let's melt 'em back into scrap metal, Zebstrika!"
The Magenezone crackled with electricity, its eyes turned down in a frown.
The air was filled with electricity. The thundershock was so close that Miss Pauling felt the hair at the back of her neck stand on end. Zebstrika's spiky mane stood straight up, like a lighting rod drawing in all the electricity.
"Flame charge!"
The same electricity shimmered powerfully about Zebstrika. With a neigh, Zebstrika rushed so fast that flames came about it. It slammed into the Magnezone, but more came from the vents.
*
"Zebstrika led us right to--the cafeteria?"
The cafeteria had changed little. There were still the same rows of uniform plastic tables, all gray and mottled. They even had the same graffiti that Scout had left on them. Hints of a crush that wasn't particularly hidden, even then, a heart in ink under the table beside the chewing gums left like craters, with his initials and hers inside.
It hadn't been upgraded since the 60s, and the equipment sure showed it. She remembered the time someone had cooked fish in the microwave and nearly driven everyone outside from the stench. She never could tell whether it'd been a Grunt, or one of the mercenaries. Either way, she'd had to don a gas mask and clean it herself.
Another pokéballs at his belt shuddered, and Rapidash came out as well. Both of them nosed near the coffee pot, where the sugar cubes had been kept. Some things hadn't changed.
"Y'know, this is close to your office. I always thought you were lucky, havin' the legit cafeteria so nearby. You could go get snacks whenever you wanted!"
"I'm afraid it isn't as cool as it sounds, considering I was constantly having to find progressively stronger noise canceling headphones just to focus. Then I'd miss calls and get reprimanded for that."
"Aww, that's crap. If those Grunts were here, I-I'd give 'em a piece of my mind."
She smiled. "Er, thanks."
Never mind that he was the most loud of them all.
Surprised this place ain't packed. Usually there were always some Grunts and mooks in here. Comin' in for coffee and crap like that. Just hangin' around, you know? Gossipin' about the water cooler."
"Oh, I remember. I had to tell them to stop messing around constantly."
"Oh, hey, it looks like the pantry is still stocked."
"Scout, there might be--"
"Intruder alert! Intruder alert!"
She didn't get to finish those words, because his scream cut through. A glass barrier slammed down about him. Two robot Grunts, and a Magnemite surrounded him.
"Scout!"
Miss Pauling rushed, her heartbeat suddenly overbearing, desperate. Her fingers were splayed across the glass. She balled her fist and slammed it against the barrier. She drew her fist back in pain. The glass was so thick that it hadn't even made a dent.
Shutters closed about the barrier. Scout's scream was muffled. Through the last undone shutter at the top, she could see electricity fill the room.
Miss Pauling threw out every single one of her pokéballs.
"Help me find him," she said. Her voice shook--with fury, with a desperation.
She'd make those Grunts pay.
*
Spy had left a trail of destroyed robots, the little devices along the way, and his pokémon had helped with the constant stream of annoyances. The Magnemites, Voltorbs and other sentry pokémon.
Grunts dragged along a captor. He wasn't surprised to see Scout had managed to get himself caught. He was so impetuous, full of love and lightness. There was little Spy saw of himself in Scout.
Scout easily persuaded pokémon to love him, and people, too. Just look at those many trainers he had amassed.
Spy had never been prouder of him.
"Go to hell," he muttered as he placed the little device which destroyed robots in seconds. As the Grunts shuddered and sparked, he caught Scout before he fell to the ground.
He'd been in many Teams before this, and gotten the police chasing after him. He couldn't be much of a father on the run, though Colleen had never hated him for it.
It'd felt like a second chance. To meet his full-grown son. He hid his pride behind snide words, and coldness, and arrogance. It was easy to put on the mask of someone his son would hate. Then he would never question him.
He deserved Scout's hate, anyways.
He lifted up Scout, and held him close. "Now, don't you make your mother cry. I've already done enough for both of us," he said softly.
The electric shocks had left black marks across his skin.
"And you know, you're the only thing from keeping Miss Pauling from turning into some diabolical Team leader. She'd go try and find some godlike pokémon to bring you back. kidnap Arceus and Giratina, just to make a deal with one of them and find you again."
Scout let out a cough. His eyes slowly flickered open. Spy clutched him closer, for every year he'd had to let go and protect his family by staying where no Team member, or international police could ever reach them.
"Think I'll get superpowers now?"
Spy couldn't hold back the laughter. His cigarette fell from his mouth, as he coughed.
"Whoa there. Maybe you should slow down on those cigs if you wanna live to see....actually, I got no idea how old you are. Ninety?"
"Merde, I'm only forty-five."
"Wait.... Spy...You from Kalos?"
"Oui."
"Miss P says my dad's from Kalos. She's real smart. She could even read that charm I got."
"You think...you ever met him?"
"Your father was in intelligence."
"So, like a professor? I sure don't take after him then," Scout said.
Spy pinched the bridge of his nose. "Intelligence.
"Funny, that's what Miss Pauling said. ...So, he's gone?"
"He was...my my teammate. A very good, upstanding man. He loved his country as much as he loved your mother, and you, and your brothers."
"Was? Man...now I'll never meet him."
"Non. We parted ways, I still hear from him. He does many important things to keep the world safe. And....he was always proud of you. He always told me how much he loved you, your mother, your brothers...But the only way for him to keep them safe was to stay far away. Where dark forces could never cause them any harm."
"I really did have a superhero for a dad," Scout said.
"I missed him, though. All the time."
"He was always looking over you. He was always watching you and protecting you."
"Y'mean like a guardian angel?"
Spy nodded. "Yes...just like that."
"That makes me feel kind of bad. I grew pissed at him for never bein' there when I got older. When I was a kid, I always thought he'd come. Like, believin' in Santa Claus, you know? But I grew up and realized he wasn't gonna show up.
He was a coward until the last. But, a dream was better for Scout to have. A dream wouldn't let them down like Spy would.
*
The cafeteria was stained with soot. Each pokémon, as well as Scout's own, had left dents in the barrier. But it was built of such high-intensity material that it had even survived that onslaught.
"Maybe I need to leave to find the others. But, if I leave, the barrier might disappear and then..."
"Scout!"
She ran to him and pulled him close, tight enough that he gasped for breath.
"Whoa! If I knew I was gonna get a welcome like this, I'd get kidnapped more often."
"Merde, I was so worried!"
"You pickin' up Kalos talk now?"
"Well, it gets it past the censors," Miss Pauling said.
Scout chuckled, but his gaze turned concerned. He reached up to touch her face.
"You're all sooty and crap! You okay?"
"We were all trying to get you back. I thought you--" She cleared her throat, unable to say the words were gone forever.
"Aww, you really missed me, huh? But those Grunts weren't any match. Spy sprung me out. He's the one you should thank. He told me about my dad, even," Scout said in reverent tones. "Turns out, my dad was a real hero all along. He wanted so badly to come back to mom and I and my brothers, but he had to go save the world--See, tell 'em, Spy."
They looked back to find nothing at all.
"Aw, he went and disappeared. I wanted him to stay a little longer."
"Words I never thought I'd hear from you," Miss Pauling said, with a playful lilt.
"Aw, he ain't so bad once you get to know him. He seems like a jerk, but maybe people from Kalos are just like that. He was a friend of my dad's, y'know. Maybe he'll tell me more someday. Maybe he's even got pictures or somethin'. Or he could send messages that way..."
"But if your father is some secret agent, then there's probably no pictures around of him, for safety's sake," Miss Pauling said. She hated the fact that she even had to say the words.
Scout's shoulders slumped. She felt an ache in her chest at the sight of his eagerness disappearing. "I guess. It was real stupid to hope, wasn't it?"
"No, it's never stupid. Maybe you'll find your father one day."
She wrapped her arms about him and pulled him close, as close as she could manage. She couldn't pull him to her chest with their height difference, but she could rest against him and maybe her feelings would seep in, even if she wasn't great at expressing herself. Not like Scout who made friends easily and was always full of such kinetic energy.
"Thanks for always bein' there, Miss P," Scout said. "I didn't mean to lose it like this. I know we gotta focus on gettin' the base back."
"No, it's okay. I just wish I could--do more."
"Whatcha talkin' about? You do so much. You used to work like a thousand hours a week when we were a part of the Team. You did all kinds of stuff. Paperwork stuff, sorting stuff, ordering people around stuff--that was hot. Seriously, you got the whole Team back together. Ain't nobody else who could do somethin' like that."
"Well, there's someone. You certainly did your share of helping," she said.
He broke into a big smile. "I always wanna be helpin' you out."
"Well, good. Then you can help me utterly destroy Team Machine right down to the last gear," Miss Pauling. An edge came to her voice, and there was a viciousness in her green eyes.
Not only had Team Machine stolen their base, and defeated Team Fortress, they'd done the unthinkable: and hurt Scout.If it hadn't been their base she was getting back, Miss Pauling would've burnt it down, and if Gray Mann was still inside, all the better.
"H-Holy crap, you look so cool! It's a real honor to be able to kick Team Machine's ass with you!"
Their reunion was cut short as Scout's Rapidash and Zebstrika came close to nuzzle him.
"Aww, guys! I missed you, too! Is that why Miss Pauling is all sooty? You gotta be careful with her. She's my greatest treasure, the most important person in the world. Well, right up there with my ma, you know."
*
"When did this place get full of Joltiks?" Scout said. He watched as a little fluffy yellow spiders climbed across the ceiling.
"Probably attracted to the electricity of all the machines," Miss Pauling said.
"Oh yeah?"
Scout smiled, and pulled out his pokéball. Out came Zebstrika, shimmering with electric charge. Joltik's came from the ceiling, attracted to the charge.
"You're thinking of catching pokémon even now?"
"Well, I wouldn't want these cute little guys hurt by Team Machine. We'll have to go heal up all these sentry pokémon later," Scout said.
"Speaking of which--"
A Magnezone and robot Grunt blocked their path.
"Intruder alert...intruder alert..."
Before they could even make a move, a shock of electricity filled the room. It was drawn to Zebstrika, like a lightning rod. Each of the Joltik's also glowed with electricity. Zebstrika's stripes glowed with power as it ducked its head.
"Hey, Zebstrika, why don't you Take Down those creeps?"
Zebstrika charged at the robot Grunt, crackling with intense electricity. As it hit the Grunt, each Joltik let out a thundershock of their own. The hunk of metal shuddered, a long cry of intruuudeeerrrr before it burst into several pieces The Magnezone drew back, an alarmed look on its face. Or what passed for a face, at least.
"Yeah! Zebstrika! Joltik friends! You did it!"
Zebstrika kicked up its shimmering hooves. She could've sworn that the Joltik's threw up their fluffy spider arms a well, but maybe that was wishful thinking.
"That was--brilliant!"
"Yeah, it was, wasn't it? I mean, no surprise considerin' it was me but--I sure did wanna hear it from you."
"Now, there's just the Magnezone--"
But the Magnezone made no effort to move. In fact, it looked as if tears came out of its large eye.
"Aww, It seems like it don't wanna fight. Poor things, Team Machine is makin' them do their dirty work. Hey, little guy. You wanna take a break in this pokéball? I'll find you a nice little trainer. Maybe some bug collector who could use a friend." He laid the pokéball right in front of it, and the Magnezone bumped it.
"I wonder if it used to have a trainer. It don't seem very wild," Scout said.
"I wouldn't put stealing pokéball past Team Machine," Miss Pauling said.
"Yeah, probably..."
Scout glanced over at his Zebstrika/Joltiks combo.
"You Joltiks look pretty tired, too. That was a real cool feat. Let's take a break in a pokéball, okay? When this is all over, I'll let go stay in Engie's rooms."
"These doors look pretty boss level to me. Like, real ominous and villain crap. You ready to beat Team Machine's ass?"
"I've never been more ready in my life to show no mercy," Miss Pauling said.
"Dang, I love it when you get all badass," Scout said. "Let's go kick their butts!"
Series: TF2(/Pokémon)
Character/pairing: Scout/Miss Pauling, ensemble
Rating: did it finally reach PG-13?
Word count: 6,250
Summary: Pokémon AU. Scout may be an elite member of Team Fortress, but he routinely fails at being a villain.
Author's note: I wasn't going to write this AU, but I ended up finishing a snippet because the notes I had for Miss Pauling's pokémon team were cute.
For Sarah!
Previous entries: Catch Me | Catch You | Catch These Hands | Catching Flight | Catch Him | Catch Up | Catch 'em All.
"What's up, babe? You look glum? Or you just tired?'
"A little of both, I suppose."
She pulled his coat a little tighter about her. He was always willing to give up his clothes for her at any given moment. His hat when it was too sunny, and the glare was harsh on her glasses, his coat when it was cold, and his shirt peeled off at literally any excuse.
She pulled his coat tighter about them. His Rapidash had helped build a fire, and still kept them toasty as it rested.
"What's to be glum about? You brought the entire team back together. That's some feat--I knew you could do it, though. You're just that awesome."
"Just thinking, I guess. I've worked in Team Fortress my whole life. The base was the closest thing I ever had to a home."
"Seriously? Your ma let you sign off on that? Mine barely let me have a paper run. All the other kids were off goin' on Pokémon adventures, and she didn't wanna see us goin' so soon. She missed dad, I guess."
"Come to think of it, you never speak of your father. Just, your mother."
"Yeah, there ain't much to tell. There's this picture on the mantle, real handsome guy and ma picks it up and is all wistful like."
"Kind of sounds like she's dating a secret agent."
"Seriously?"
"Well, I suppose anything is possible."
"Come to think of it, you never mention your parents, either. Or much of anythin', but you said it's top secret."
"I mean, I never knew my parents, and I didn't grow up in an orphanage. All I can remember is working for Team Fortress. Well, a room full of boxes with Pokémon. That's the earliest memory I have."
"No wonder losin' the base was so hard on you. To me, it was just some cold dungeon of a place, but to you, it was home."
She stared down into the flames.
"I don't remember my dad at all. Guess that's common, dads go off and conquer the world and we hear about it on TV. Kinda messed up, though. Think I'd never do that to my kid. Future kid, anyways."
"I wouldn't know. I never really had that. I wouldn't know what to miss..."
Well, she did in some ways. She'd see some commercial for mother's day with a tag line like Don't forget your mother and it would remind her of this empty space she had. Usually she filled up that empty space with work until she didn't think of it anymore.
He smiled at her. "Listen, you got the Team back together. Gettin' the base back will be easy. And you could probably redecorate it. Put some curtains or somethin', make it feel less like a prison."
"We got the Team back. I couldn't have done it without you."
The campfire crackled. Above them were thousands of stars in a clear sky.
"Y'know, I don't miss it as much as I thought I would? Kinda makes sense, after all. Like, I don't miss those cold metal halls and crap. Don't get me wrong, I missed the guys tons. But the base? Eh, I could take it or leave it."
He glanced to her, and his expression turned suddenly apologetic.
"Sorry, I know you liked the place. I'm good at puttin' my foot in my mouth sometimes."
She shifted closer to the fire.
"No, it's okay. You weren't really there as long as I was. And you weren't even in the base much. Just to bring back the few Pokémon you caught and managed not to pass on to the first kid you saw along the way."
He chuckled. "Yeah, you got me there. I found plenty for you, though."
"There was barely any left for the actual Team by the time you were done," she said.
"It's kinda nostalgic, you know?" Scout said.
"When I was younger, I almost joined Team Rocket. Ma didn't want me goin' off on a journey, but we didn't have much. I thought, I could maybe stay near. Ma flipped out, dragged me out by the collar."
"So when Team Fortress wanted me, sure I was flattered, and not too surprised---" He smirked at that.
"But, I figured I'd turn 'em down. And of course they'd be devastated at the loss of a chance of havin' a complete champ like me on their rolls, but I wasn't about to make ma sad. Then, through that room, I caught sight of you. You were lookin' down at a clipboard. Then you looked up and I knew in that instant I'd join."
He licked his lips. "I just had to join."
"Sorry for dragging you down with me?"
"Draggin' me down? What are you talkin' about? I love my job. Catchin' Pokémon is great. I made so many kiddos happy. Bein' a part of Team Fortress is the best choice I ever made. Just seein' all those smiles--it really is a great job."
Miss Pauling stared down at the fire.
I don't know how to tell you that we aren't the heroes.
But, she thought, they still could be. It wasn't too late.
*
How surreal, to finally see fruits of all her work, and many of her old teammates back. Well, the main nine, at least. Getting all the Grunts back would likely be impossible, as many defected to Team Machine or other teams during that time. Scout might have their names on file, given that he was possibly the most extroverted person in the entire universe, but the amount of time it would take to go through his massive contacts list would likely leave them open for attack.
So, it would be just them against potentially hundreds, maybe even thousands of Team Machine Grunts, Sentinel Pokémon, and robot Grunts.
Still, Miss Pauling wouldn't let the odds get to her. She hadn't let them get to her before, when she'd tracked down the team through different lands, with little but rumors, questionable tips from Spy, and Scout's hunches to go on.
She laid out the map. Before she could even say a word, Spy cleared his throat.
"Is that map even still valid? It has been some time since the main base was turned over," Spy said. He blew out a stream of smoke and rested his gloved hand upon the approximate place where the main entrance was. "For all we know, it has been entirely remade. Team Machine, and indeed Gray Mann certainly do have a certain--aesthetic. And he would protect that aesthetic at all costs."
"Yeah, they're like if Sci-fi flippers was a thing. That'd be pretty cool, actually. Designin' houses to look like somethin' out of a comic book."
Spy pinched his nose and let out a sigh. "Could you please stop daydreaming for once?"
Engineer chuckled. "And you aren't glad that he's thinkin' about something other than Miss Pauling for once?"
"It's Scout; it's implied she's somewhere in that daydream," Spy said.
"True, I suppose. Anyways, no need to worry; I gotcha all covered," Engineer said.
He pulled out a new map from his back overalls--which seemed quite roomy, like he had some mini-teleporter in there to bring things straight from his own workshop.
Frankly, she wouldn't if he did.
"They were right lazy. Didn't even bother to take down my own security. I've been keepin' an eye the whole time."
Miss Pauling lifted her eyebrows. "Your own security?"
"Someone kept stealin' my lunch. I put up notes, but they were ignored. So I needed to get some evidence to confront the culprit. So, I put up a few hundred hidden cameras up. Now, I suspected Scout, but it turns out it was some bratty little Grunt doing the stealing. But the whole Team went tail up before I could do anythin' about it."
Engineer balled his fist at that. Maybe it was best that the Grunt in question was no longer in Engineer's sights any longer. There was no telling what kind of revenge he might enact. Only Medic would show more potential for wrath.
All in all, this was news to her. Just how much about Team Fortress plans did he know? And had he been keeping it for blackmail potential or his own purposes? The talk of lunch stealing could be nothing but a ruse, or an excuse to put up heavy surveillance.
She certainly wouldn't look at him the same after this. Engineer might seem to have southern charm and be the most mild-mannered of them, but he was crafty. Craftier than even she had thought.
But, that would have to be set aside for later. Now, she had to focus on the storming of the castle--as Scout would surely put it. And for now, his underhanded ways was a big boon. He smiled, but his goggles were down, so she couldn't quite see if it was gentle, or perhaps, something harsher, that didn't quite meet his eyes.
"All right. Rest up. Tomorrow, we strike."
"Night or day? Dawn or dusk? These things must be thought through thoroughly, and not left to chance and hastiness." Spy gave Scout a sidelong glance as he said that.
Leave it to Spy to second guess her, and assume Scout had someone made her more impetuous. She narrowed her eyes. "I helped run Team Fortress for years. I personally helped institute almost every single order from the Administrator. So, yes, I thought things through."
Scout cupped his hands about his mouth. "Kick his ass, baby! That jackass didn't know what he had comin' by goin' after you!"
"There is no reason to shout," Spy said, irritation and fatigue filled his voice. "We are in the same room. And, we are part of the same Team."
"Fft, please! I'm Team Pauling first and always, and Team Fortress second. You're just--Team Smelly. When the hell you last washed that ski mask?"
"It is not a ski mask, it's a balaclava."
"Okay, now you're lyin', because that's a treat! I ate one recently, kinda tasted papery with a bit of honey? Still was pretty good."
Spy let out a long sigh and shook his head.
"Hey, waaait! We could go back in time and prevent the place from ever bein' taken over. Now, there's a plan so good, Marvel would want to Wasn't there that one time pokémon? But wait, would that kill what Miss P and me had goin' on? I mean, I'm sure I would win her over again eventually, but it might prevent our future kids from bein' born--"
A collective sigh came through the room. Though, Miss Pauling had to admit (though not aloud) that it was kind of cute. So that was why he kept looking at jewelry while they were out. She'd only thought they were presents, not promises. Her cheeks flushed at the thought.
"Was it Dialga? Look, I'm not a fan of the region--way too many mountains to climb, but it was one of them. Anyways, I think we'll save that for a plan B or plan....F."
Spy smirked. "F indeed."
Engineer cleared his throat. "Settle down, y'all. Now ain't the time for any roughhousin'. If I may, some intel might help us right along."
He pointed down to his updated maps.
"Team Machine's human Grunts don't roam about after dark. Too busy calibratin' their systems. Now, they got some machines you'd have to get by--metal pokémon they use as guards, mostly, though some robots, too. From the feeds, there's plenty of Magnetmites and Magnetons to watch out for, especially around the outside grounds. Guess we know who will be stormin' the outside," Engineer said.
"Guess we do," Sniper said.
Right, he probably had a whole army of Sandiles by now.
"Thanks for the intel. It gives us a good plan of attack," Miss Pauling said. Scout watched her, adoringly as she laid out the rest of the plans.
"Pyro, go with Sniper. Your fire types will help with all the steels types, and help keep everyone from getting surprised by pokémon."
"I work alone," Sniper said, with a disdainful side glance.
Pyro ducked down and gave a sad hudda.
"You jerk, you're gonna make smokey over here cry! Then we'll all die when they turn out to be just a dragon in a hazmat suit!"
"You can work separate directions. The front is pretty big and from Engineer's data, there's a lot of surveillance pokémon out there especially."
Pyro perked up at this.
"It's okay, Pyro. You can burn things. But don't go overboard and almost burn down the entire base again, all right?"
"I will take the back door, and sneak in, and cut down some of the more powerful and troublesome ones," Spy said.
"Sure, you do that," Miss Pauling said.
Heavy and Medic were bound to go in together. If she tried to separate them, Medic would be just petulant and unhelpful and probably get his revenge somehow. Besides, they were a devastating pair, especially with Medic's healing specialties and Heavy's high-health, study pokémon. His Snorlax in particular was extremely strong.
"Heavy, Medic and Demoman, and Soldier, you're going to go full frontal assault. But within reason. No booming the buildings, okay?"
She counted on her fingers. Scout grew more excited by the moment that she was going to come to him. It was too damn cute, honestly.
Though now was not the time to fuss over her boyfriend. Though, she supposed, she could make room for a stolen kiss here and there.
"And Scout?"
"You and me are going to be storming down that door personally."
"Ooh! Fuck yeah! This is so hot! Like Die Hard 53: Now it's personal!"
She couldn't quite keep it entirely professional, or keep the smile from her face at his outburst. Around them, many eyes were rolled, but she didn't care if her boyfriend annoyed their coworkers.
*
The old man, Administrator of Team Machine flickered over the large television screen. "Do you think a mere force of that size could destroy my army of robot Grunts?"
Scout smirked. "Just a few? Think you miscounted the numbers of Team Fortress, pally. We got an army!"
Children from every route pushed through that door. Tubers and preschoolers, bug catching children and little ninjas, lasses and boys who loved comfortable shorts, and many, many more. It seemed endless. Even older trainers had joined them--from brains and brawn pairs who reminded her a bit of Heavy and Medic in spirit, to school girl pairs who seemed more than friends, and pyschics and even a few medium grandmas. People from all over the globe.
"Aww, you all came! I was hopin' you'd all get here in time! Thanks for helpin' out! And you're even wearin' the t-shirts I had made!"
They were red, with a big fractured circle beneath it, in big gold letters that said Team Fortress.
"Remember the chant we got, for team spirit. 'We're Team Fortress, and we ain't goin' to let you hurt pokémon!'"
"This is what you meant when you said you had to make a few calls?"
"Course. I always keep the numbers of anybody I fight or give pokémon to. Good thing my phone's got lots of storage, because I got a ton of them."
There had to be hundreds, no thousands of trainers. And they were still coming.
"So, Miss Pauling. Think we got enough fire power?"
"I, uh, would say so," she said.
A huge dust storm had risen up. That must be Sniper and his whole herd of Sandiles, who had all taken to his Krookidile, like it was their mother and Sniper was their slightly drunken, reserved, adopted father.
An explosion rocked the earth. Flaming debris flew about, loud enough that it almost overshadowed the triumphant laughter.
"I said no blowing up the building!"
"Ach, we just had to take out this one wee door!" Demoman called back.
She sighed. At this rate, they'd have to make plenty of structural fixes before it was over.
"Let's go, before they blow the whole damn place up," Miss Pauling said.
*
They'd sure done a lot of changes to the base since it'd been taken over. Beeping lights and machinery filled the hallways. Grunts, both human and robot came running.
"Did you think you could just waltz in?"
"Waltzin' in? I like the sound of that. I bet you we could beat them while dancing."
"Hey, Scout!"
Two teenage girls came up. One wore all black, and the other wore an elaborate fairy tale dress.
"Is that the Miss Pauling you're always talking about?"
Scout's chest puffed up. "The one and only! Unless somebody made a clone of her. Which would be super cool. Confusin', but cool!"
"She's just as pretty as you said she was," the fairy dress girl said, with a faint blush.
"Thanks, Estella!"
"Humph, she's all right," said the girl in the dark clothes and leather jacket.
"Aw, Ray, don't be jealous," Estella said.
"We'll take care of them! Go on ahead!"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, the pokémon you got us grew up really big!"
The little girl in black brought out a Hounddoom, while the one in the elaborate, frilly dress brought out a Blissey."
More trainers--all friends of Scout's, stepped up.
"Go on ahead. Take back Team," Heavy said.
Miss Pauling ducked under a blast of flames.
"Hey, be careful out there! That's my treasure you're almost flambeing!"
"Sorry!"
The walls were filled with large flat television screens. A Magneton slammed into one nearest the front door, rocketed by the blast of flames. A single image of a haggard, wizened old man in a suit came across every single television.
"Do you think I would make it that easy for you?"
The door at the end of the hallway began to close.
"Quick, we need to get there before we're locked out!"
"I got this."
He grabbed a pokébal from his belt, and out came Rapidash.
He climbed on with surprising speed, and held out his hand.
"I don't think there's enough time--"
"No way I'm doin' this without you."
With no time to think, she grabbed his hand.
"Rapidash, let's blow this popsicle joint! Use Agility!"
She clung tight about him as Rapidash rushed this incredible speed and grace towards the closing metal door. The vents near there opened and several Magneton's floated above.
"Oh no, I don't think so. Rapidash, Flame Charge!"
They were surrounded by flames as Rapidash charged, a comet, a ball of flames straight for that door. The Magetons were thrown back into the walls.
"There won't be enough time!"
Rapidash took a leap, and the door just slammed shut behind them.
*
Miss Pauling clung tight to Scout as Rapidash made a sliding landing. Rapidash let out a troubled neigh, as it tried to find support. But the shiny floors were as slippery as ice to the pokémon.
"Hold on, Rapidash!" Scout held tight to the flaming mane, as Rapidash spiraled and spun. Rapidash spread out its legs and finally came to a stop inches from the wall. Miss Pauling let out a sigh of relief. "Finally....Phew..."
Rapidash's hooves made clip-clopping noises over the floor as they came to a stop.
"Rapidash, why don't you take a break for a sec? You gotta be tired out after a run like that."
He called Rapidash back into the pokéball, and put the little red ball at his belt.
"Looks like it's just you, me, and our pokémon for now, Miss P. At least until we catch up with any of the others. Or if Demo and Soldier blow through a wall, which is actually pretty likely, now that I think about it."
"I hope not. The structural damage would be so bad, we might have to abandon the base, depending on how much materials we could salvage," Miss Pauling said.
Scout glanced about the former base. "Think on the bright side, Miss P, we maybe get some beachy place."
"Nah, Team Aqua has a lock on all of those," she said.
"They're still around? I thought they disbanded after their leader tried to kill everybody by bringing back Kyogre."
Which was definitely a mood at times. She understood how Archie felt more than she cared to admit.
"Anyways, from what I learned, they disbanded but then Archie and Max combined teams and ahem other things. Now Archie funds research on preservation, and moonlights as a male model. I think the team is basically their fanclub at this point. Still, they've kept all the prime cave bases to themselves."
"Aw, that sucks," Scout said.
They came to a middle room with many snaking metallic corridors. There were many beeping lights deep down each way, and many thick, metal doors. Miss Pauling pulled out her map and looked it over. There were so many corridors like this, she couldn't even tell one from another.
"Weird, none of this looks even remotely familiar," Scout said. "And I worked here for like, ages. I figure I'd at least kind of know the place. But I don't recognize this at all."
"They certainly did a lot of renovation," Miss Pauling said.
Though, he technically hadn't gotten that much clearance. Likely because of his certain habit of bragging and blabbing top secrets to anyone who would listen. And like many things about Scout, him claiming that he knew so much about the base was an exaggeration. He always knew the way to her office, and the lower levels where the pokéballs were kept, and the cafeteria. Engineer had personally locked Scout out of his work room, and Medic kept Scout out of his infirmary at all costs, unless Scout was injured.
"How bout this, heads we go left, tails we go right," Scout said.
Except, there were eight corridors. They'd have to do multiple coin tosses, and that just didn't seem feasible after all.
"What if we use our pokémon to sniff it out?" Scout said.
"Hmm, that's a good idea. Though it'd have to be pokémon which actually remember what the base was like."
"I know just who to call. C'mon, Zebstrika! Lead the way!"
The quick pokémon twitched its ears. Then it took off on a run so fast that even Scout had to try to keep up.
Miss Pauling was quickly outpaced by them. Unlike, Scout, she didn't have a daily jogging regimen.
Scout Alarms started to blare as they raced down the hallway. Above them, every single light broke down the hall, plummeting it into darkness. A vent came out, and a low whirring sound rose up.
"They're sendin' one of those ugly eyeballs at us again. Let's melt 'em back into scrap metal, Zebstrika!"
The Magenezone crackled with electricity, its eyes turned down in a frown.
The air was filled with electricity. The thundershock was so close that Miss Pauling felt the hair at the back of her neck stand on end. Zebstrika's spiky mane stood straight up, like a lighting rod drawing in all the electricity.
"Flame charge!"
The same electricity shimmered powerfully about Zebstrika. With a neigh, Zebstrika rushed so fast that flames came about it. It slammed into the Magnezone, but more came from the vents.
*
"Zebstrika led us right to--the cafeteria?"
The cafeteria had changed little. There were still the same rows of uniform plastic tables, all gray and mottled. They even had the same graffiti that Scout had left on them. Hints of a crush that wasn't particularly hidden, even then, a heart in ink under the table beside the chewing gums left like craters, with his initials and hers inside.
It hadn't been upgraded since the 60s, and the equipment sure showed it. She remembered the time someone had cooked fish in the microwave and nearly driven everyone outside from the stench. She never could tell whether it'd been a Grunt, or one of the mercenaries. Either way, she'd had to don a gas mask and clean it herself.
Another pokéballs at his belt shuddered, and Rapidash came out as well. Both of them nosed near the coffee pot, where the sugar cubes had been kept. Some things hadn't changed.
"Y'know, this is close to your office. I always thought you were lucky, havin' the legit cafeteria so nearby. You could go get snacks whenever you wanted!"
"I'm afraid it isn't as cool as it sounds, considering I was constantly having to find progressively stronger noise canceling headphones just to focus. Then I'd miss calls and get reprimanded for that."
"Aww, that's crap. If those Grunts were here, I-I'd give 'em a piece of my mind."
She smiled. "Er, thanks."
Never mind that he was the most loud of them all.
Surprised this place ain't packed. Usually there were always some Grunts and mooks in here. Comin' in for coffee and crap like that. Just hangin' around, you know? Gossipin' about the water cooler."
"Oh, I remember. I had to tell them to stop messing around constantly."
"Oh, hey, it looks like the pantry is still stocked."
"Scout, there might be--"
"Intruder alert! Intruder alert!"
She didn't get to finish those words, because his scream cut through. A glass barrier slammed down about him. Two robot Grunts, and a Magnemite surrounded him.
"Scout!"
Miss Pauling rushed, her heartbeat suddenly overbearing, desperate. Her fingers were splayed across the glass. She balled her fist and slammed it against the barrier. She drew her fist back in pain. The glass was so thick that it hadn't even made a dent.
Shutters closed about the barrier. Scout's scream was muffled. Through the last undone shutter at the top, she could see electricity fill the room.
Miss Pauling threw out every single one of her pokéballs.
"Help me find him," she said. Her voice shook--with fury, with a desperation.
She'd make those Grunts pay.
*
Spy had left a trail of destroyed robots, the little devices along the way, and his pokémon had helped with the constant stream of annoyances. The Magnemites, Voltorbs and other sentry pokémon.
Grunts dragged along a captor. He wasn't surprised to see Scout had managed to get himself caught. He was so impetuous, full of love and lightness. There was little Spy saw of himself in Scout.
Scout easily persuaded pokémon to love him, and people, too. Just look at those many trainers he had amassed.
Spy had never been prouder of him.
"Go to hell," he muttered as he placed the little device which destroyed robots in seconds. As the Grunts shuddered and sparked, he caught Scout before he fell to the ground.
He'd been in many Teams before this, and gotten the police chasing after him. He couldn't be much of a father on the run, though Colleen had never hated him for it.
It'd felt like a second chance. To meet his full-grown son. He hid his pride behind snide words, and coldness, and arrogance. It was easy to put on the mask of someone his son would hate. Then he would never question him.
He deserved Scout's hate, anyways.
He lifted up Scout, and held him close. "Now, don't you make your mother cry. I've already done enough for both of us," he said softly.
The electric shocks had left black marks across his skin.
"And you know, you're the only thing from keeping Miss Pauling from turning into some diabolical Team leader. She'd go try and find some godlike pokémon to bring you back. kidnap Arceus and Giratina, just to make a deal with one of them and find you again."
Scout let out a cough. His eyes slowly flickered open. Spy clutched him closer, for every year he'd had to let go and protect his family by staying where no Team member, or international police could ever reach them.
"Think I'll get superpowers now?"
Spy couldn't hold back the laughter. His cigarette fell from his mouth, as he coughed.
"Whoa there. Maybe you should slow down on those cigs if you wanna live to see....actually, I got no idea how old you are. Ninety?"
"Merde, I'm only forty-five."
"Wait.... Spy...You from Kalos?"
"Oui."
"Miss P says my dad's from Kalos. She's real smart. She could even read that charm I got."
"You think...you ever met him?"
"Your father was in intelligence."
"So, like a professor? I sure don't take after him then," Scout said.
Spy pinched the bridge of his nose. "Intelligence.
"Funny, that's what Miss Pauling said. ...So, he's gone?"
"He was...my my teammate. A very good, upstanding man. He loved his country as much as he loved your mother, and you, and your brothers."
"Was? Man...now I'll never meet him."
"Non. We parted ways, I still hear from him. He does many important things to keep the world safe. And....he was always proud of you. He always told me how much he loved you, your mother, your brothers...But the only way for him to keep them safe was to stay far away. Where dark forces could never cause them any harm."
"I really did have a superhero for a dad," Scout said.
"I missed him, though. All the time."
"He was always looking over you. He was always watching you and protecting you."
"Y'mean like a guardian angel?"
Spy nodded. "Yes...just like that."
"That makes me feel kind of bad. I grew pissed at him for never bein' there when I got older. When I was a kid, I always thought he'd come. Like, believin' in Santa Claus, you know? But I grew up and realized he wasn't gonna show up.
He was a coward until the last. But, a dream was better for Scout to have. A dream wouldn't let them down like Spy would.
*
The cafeteria was stained with soot. Each pokémon, as well as Scout's own, had left dents in the barrier. But it was built of such high-intensity material that it had even survived that onslaught.
"Maybe I need to leave to find the others. But, if I leave, the barrier might disappear and then..."
"Scout!"
She ran to him and pulled him close, tight enough that he gasped for breath.
"Whoa! If I knew I was gonna get a welcome like this, I'd get kidnapped more often."
"Merde, I was so worried!"
"You pickin' up Kalos talk now?"
"Well, it gets it past the censors," Miss Pauling said.
Scout chuckled, but his gaze turned concerned. He reached up to touch her face.
"You're all sooty and crap! You okay?"
"We were all trying to get you back. I thought you--" She cleared her throat, unable to say the words were gone forever.
"Aww, you really missed me, huh? But those Grunts weren't any match. Spy sprung me out. He's the one you should thank. He told me about my dad, even," Scout said in reverent tones. "Turns out, my dad was a real hero all along. He wanted so badly to come back to mom and I and my brothers, but he had to go save the world--See, tell 'em, Spy."
They looked back to find nothing at all.
"Aw, he went and disappeared. I wanted him to stay a little longer."
"Words I never thought I'd hear from you," Miss Pauling said, with a playful lilt.
"Aw, he ain't so bad once you get to know him. He seems like a jerk, but maybe people from Kalos are just like that. He was a friend of my dad's, y'know. Maybe he'll tell me more someday. Maybe he's even got pictures or somethin'. Or he could send messages that way..."
"But if your father is some secret agent, then there's probably no pictures around of him, for safety's sake," Miss Pauling said. She hated the fact that she even had to say the words.
Scout's shoulders slumped. She felt an ache in her chest at the sight of his eagerness disappearing. "I guess. It was real stupid to hope, wasn't it?"
"No, it's never stupid. Maybe you'll find your father one day."
She wrapped her arms about him and pulled him close, as close as she could manage. She couldn't pull him to her chest with their height difference, but she could rest against him and maybe her feelings would seep in, even if she wasn't great at expressing herself. Not like Scout who made friends easily and was always full of such kinetic energy.
"Thanks for always bein' there, Miss P," Scout said. "I didn't mean to lose it like this. I know we gotta focus on gettin' the base back."
"No, it's okay. I just wish I could--do more."
"Whatcha talkin' about? You do so much. You used to work like a thousand hours a week when we were a part of the Team. You did all kinds of stuff. Paperwork stuff, sorting stuff, ordering people around stuff--that was hot. Seriously, you got the whole Team back together. Ain't nobody else who could do somethin' like that."
"Well, there's someone. You certainly did your share of helping," she said.
He broke into a big smile. "I always wanna be helpin' you out."
"Well, good. Then you can help me utterly destroy Team Machine right down to the last gear," Miss Pauling. An edge came to her voice, and there was a viciousness in her green eyes.
Not only had Team Machine stolen their base, and defeated Team Fortress, they'd done the unthinkable: and hurt Scout.If it hadn't been their base she was getting back, Miss Pauling would've burnt it down, and if Gray Mann was still inside, all the better.
"H-Holy crap, you look so cool! It's a real honor to be able to kick Team Machine's ass with you!"
Their reunion was cut short as Scout's Rapidash and Zebstrika came close to nuzzle him.
"Aww, guys! I missed you, too! Is that why Miss Pauling is all sooty? You gotta be careful with her. She's my greatest treasure, the most important person in the world. Well, right up there with my ma, you know."
*
"When did this place get full of Joltiks?" Scout said. He watched as a little fluffy yellow spiders climbed across the ceiling.
"Probably attracted to the electricity of all the machines," Miss Pauling said.
"Oh yeah?"
Scout smiled, and pulled out his pokéball. Out came Zebstrika, shimmering with electric charge. Joltik's came from the ceiling, attracted to the charge.
"You're thinking of catching pokémon even now?"
"Well, I wouldn't want these cute little guys hurt by Team Machine. We'll have to go heal up all these sentry pokémon later," Scout said.
"Speaking of which--"
A Magnezone and robot Grunt blocked their path.
"Intruder alert...intruder alert..."
Before they could even make a move, a shock of electricity filled the room. It was drawn to Zebstrika, like a lightning rod. Each of the Joltik's also glowed with electricity. Zebstrika's stripes glowed with power as it ducked its head.
"Hey, Zebstrika, why don't you Take Down those creeps?"
Zebstrika charged at the robot Grunt, crackling with intense electricity. As it hit the Grunt, each Joltik let out a thundershock of their own. The hunk of metal shuddered, a long cry of intruuudeeerrrr before it burst into several pieces The Magnezone drew back, an alarmed look on its face. Or what passed for a face, at least.
"Yeah! Zebstrika! Joltik friends! You did it!"
Zebstrika kicked up its shimmering hooves. She could've sworn that the Joltik's threw up their fluffy spider arms a well, but maybe that was wishful thinking.
"That was--brilliant!"
"Yeah, it was, wasn't it? I mean, no surprise considerin' it was me but--I sure did wanna hear it from you."
"Now, there's just the Magnezone--"
But the Magnezone made no effort to move. In fact, it looked as if tears came out of its large eye.
"Aww, It seems like it don't wanna fight. Poor things, Team Machine is makin' them do their dirty work. Hey, little guy. You wanna take a break in this pokéball? I'll find you a nice little trainer. Maybe some bug collector who could use a friend." He laid the pokéball right in front of it, and the Magnezone bumped it.
"I wonder if it used to have a trainer. It don't seem very wild," Scout said.
"I wouldn't put stealing pokéball past Team Machine," Miss Pauling said.
"Yeah, probably..."
Scout glanced over at his Zebstrika/Joltiks combo.
"You Joltiks look pretty tired, too. That was a real cool feat. Let's take a break in a pokéball, okay? When this is all over, I'll let go stay in Engie's rooms."
"These doors look pretty boss level to me. Like, real ominous and villain crap. You ready to beat Team Machine's ass?"
"I've never been more ready in my life to show no mercy," Miss Pauling said.
"Dang, I love it when you get all badass," Scout said. "Let's go kick their butts!"
