#012 - Rocket Showdown
(Pokémon and related elements ™,©1995-99 Creatures/GAME FREAK/Nintendo.)
Storyline, art by Robert H. Magnusson

A muffled cry came from the Ultra Ball as Percy took advantage of Chue's shock to grab it from the ground. "You can schtop schtruggling, kid... as schoon as I presch this button, you will be schent schtraight to the BOSCH!"

Chue would have sighed if he weren't so filled with rage - he didn't know whether he hated Percy's voice or the stereotype of the villian telling his plans more. "WHY do you want a Pikablu so bad?!"

"You fool - ANY of the undocumented Pokémon would be EXTREMELY valuable to -" At that point the ball shattered in his hand, sending a surge of energy straight into Chue. "- HEY!"

"I TOLD YOU, I HATE THAT STUPID, DERIVATIVE..." All at once, Marrilyn was free and punching out Chue who lay on the ground. "Easy, Lyn, you're out!"

She stopped immediately. "Oh, yeah... ah, thanks, Chue!"

"any time..."

Percy scowled. "Your freedom is only TEMPORARY, girl - you BOTH will be prisoners of Team ROCKET!"

"NEVER! You'll find that BOTH of us are unmatched fighters when we HAVE to be!" Electricity was literally arcing from Chue's cheeks to his hands to his tail by now.

"Right! You'll NEVER get away with this...!" Marrilyn had formed a bubble in her paws, preparing her most powerful water attack, which would come right about...

"NOW!" Suddenly, Marrilyn's Water Gun and Chue's electric surge hit Percy at about the same time, sending the Persian to the ground, shaking off unconsciousness and rubbing his head.

Chue ran off, with Lyn close behind. "Come on - we have to see Champ and warn him!"

"We make quite a TEAM, Chue!... Wait - WHY are we warning CHAMP?"

"If Team Rocket fixed MY match, and they're after us, they'll OBVIOUSLY try to fix..."

"Hey, Chue! What's the hurry?!" Chue came to a screeching halt, and Marrilyn crashed into his back. Chue's old antagonist, Sandy, had shown up...

"For your information, Sandy, we're running from Team Rocket!"

"Team - ?! QUICK, follow me; I think I know where to HIDE you!"

"FORGET it, Sandy, I figured out YOU'RE with THEM! But WHY?"

The question remained unanswered as Sandy knocked Chue down with a hard right followed by a strong kick. As Chue began to pick himself up from the ground, he suddenly vanished BENEATH it...

"CHUE!" The ground began to buckle as the two tunneled underneath, the occasional spark of electricity breaking above the soil during the sounds of the continuing scuffle. Marrilyn knew Chue's powers were useless when he was grounded like that... Thinking quickly, she prepared another Water Gun and, avoiding the free electric sparks, began to splash water into the opening where Sandy had pulled him underground. Within seconds, Sandy's head broke from the flooded tunnel as she gasped for air. Chue was next, clearly badly injured but pulling the weakened Sandy up from the ground.

"Nice thinkin', Lyn! Now let's - OUCH!" Chue suddenly dropped Sandy from his hold as he felt a sharp pain in his chest. Chue and Marrilyn were shocked to discover sharp quills imbedded into Chue's chest where he had held Sandy, who lay in a shivering heap at his feet.

"What's HAPPENING?!!" The scene was suddenly filled with a tremendous amount of light...