Shamouti island was as divided as the Teams that resided on the islands just off its shores. Consisting of three small towns located to the Western, Southern, and Eastern parts of the island. While every other part of the large island was little more than dense forest and wild mountain terrain. Each of these towns mirrored the location to the Team islands. This was done to stop the fighting among their teams. With towns that catered to each island's needs there was no need for them to cross paths with each other. However, the forest and mountain terrains of Shamouti island were neutral grounds. Which often lead to battles if the teams managed to lock eyes with the other. Fights were a matter of principal. Each Team wanted to prove themselves a master of pokemon in their own way. This was often done by trying to get ahold of rare pokemon to show their superior training methods. Teams often went so far as to recruit members from other regions just to flaunt newer pokemon that they could not get normally around the Orange Islands.

One of these such trainers was Mark Fischbach. A seventh-year member of Team Instinct. Laying casually across a bench outside the pokemon daycare center at the outskirts of the western town of Shamouti island, known locally as 'Thunder Town.' Mark was listening to a playlist of songs on his flip phone. Tapping his heel to the music, he was alert to everything from under the black brim of his baseball cap. As a member of Team Instinct, he dressed the part. Flaunting his colors with pride. His hat was black with the bright yellow bands on the sides and the obvious Team logo for Zapdos in an upside-down triangle on the front in yellow. He wore a bright yellow sleeveless tank top with Zapdos in black design with black leather pants. Along with a black leather jacket with a yellow leather Zapdos on the back. Even his shoes and gloves were detailed in black and yellow. The legendary electric bird was his team's mascot since Team Instinct had its headquarters stationed out on Thunder island. The home of Zapdos. Mark didn't expect to run into any trouble this close to Thunder town, but he always kept an eye out for trouble. Just in case.

He was enjoying the sunny morning while he waited for his teammate to pick up his pokemon and its new baby. Team Instinct was known for breeding their pokemon and bonding with them at a young age. It taught trainers responsibility and selflessness. To them pokemon were companions and partners. They were not the pokemon's master. They were the pokemon's caretaker and friend. They believed in journeying with pokemon and letting the pokemon choose when their journey together would begin or end. All of Mark's pokemon had made their own choice to join his team. He had not battled for them or captured any of them. He simply set his ball down and let them decide... Except for one. Mark closed his eyes for a brief second and when he opened them... There it was. Sitting on the top of the bench, staring at him with those glinting yellow eyes through the small cuts in the canvas of its makeshift Pikachu body. The lifeless doll like head cocked to the side awkwardly, causing Mark to let out a loud unmanly scream in horror. His Mimikyu.

Scooting back too fast, Mark fell off the bench headfirst and unintentionally backflipped hard into the soft fresh grass. Staggering up onto his knees, he shivered and yanked his earbuds out to snap out. "Son of bitch! Don't sneak up on me like that, Chad! Shit!" The door to the daycare center burst up as the staff and his teammate rushed out. Mark clutched his chest, taking deep breaths as his teammate asked him. "Mark? You alright?" Mark nodded, gesturing to Chad as he stated out unsettled. "Ya... He's just being creepy again." His teammate chuckled, telling him casually. "If he freaks you out that much why not trade him out with someone else at headquarters?" Mark swallowed, scooting away as Chad crept closer along the bench toward him. Keeping his eyes on Chad, he answered his teammate anxiously. "No... I can't do that. As fucking creepy as he is... He has sentimental value." His teammate hefted his Eevee up onto his shoulder, asking curiously. "What kind of sentimental value does he have?" Mark slowly climbed to his feet, uttering out rather grimly. "He... He was given to me by my dad... before he... It's complicated."

His teammate winced a little, mumbling out apologetically. "Oh, man... I'm sorry. Was he your dad's companion?" Mark glanced at Chad, who caused the lifeless doll head of his canvas covered body to tilt in the other direction. Mark shivered again, removing his pokeball from his belt holster as he stated aloud. "Oh, hell no. My dad was from Kanto originally. Had a Charizard as his companion. No. This... Chad was the result of my dad trying to capture me a Pikachu and instead he got... Whatever Chad is..." His teammate chuckled, watching Mark recall Chad into his pokeball. Once Chad was safely put away, his teammate asked him almost excitedly. "So, you're not from the Orange Isles? Where do you come from? Kanto?" Mark shook his head, fixing his hat as he said happily. "No. My dad was from Kanto. My mother was born and raised in Alola. You could say that I'm an islander... Just not from this island. I'm Alolan born and raised." His teammate grinned brightly, moving closer to question him hopefully. "Really? Is it nice there? I've never been but I've heard it's a paradise."

Shrugging, Mark uttered out a little flatly. "It's fine. It's like any other island for the most part." Mark dusted himself off when his teammate blurted out. "Why did you leave?" Mark stiffened for a minute, before collecting himself enough to answer seriously. "Too many memories there... I needed a change of scenery." His teammate puffed his chest up, stating out boldly. "I know what you mean. Evan and I have been thinking about transferring to another region. We were thinking about going to-" Right then, Mark's phone began to ring. Mark raised a finger to stop his teammate from talking, stating out nicely. "Ya, hang on to that thought." Flipping his phone open, he stepped away from his teammate to answer it. On the line, he heard his Team Leader, Spark, question him lightly. "Hey, Mark? Are you still at the daycare center on Shamouti?" Mark raised an eyebrow nervously, glancing around to see if he would see him in the surrounding woods. Spark was the youngest of the three Team Leaders.

Barely older than himself, but he was friendly and tried to get to know all his recruits on a personal level. Although, it was still rare to get a personal call from him. He was usually so busy. Getting the feeling that something was wrong, he asked him in a low tone. "What's going on?" Spark didn't waste time as he informed him a bit rattled. "I'm getting word of suspicious people that arrived to the South in Ice Town by the harbor. I've just sent out a mass text to inform everyone. The only reason I called is because you seem to be the closest to where they were last seen. Mind checking it out for me?" Mark shrugged, carelessly muttering out. "Is it something we should be concerned about? Could be the rare tourists just passing through." Spark didn't sound like his usual confident self as he told him lightly. "I'd feel better if we looked into it. I'm told they are wearing Team Rocket uniforms. My sources said they were seeking out Team Mystic... I'm not one for snooping most days... But if Blanche is teaming up with Team Rocket, we need to know."

Mark nodded in understanding, before answering seriously. "I'll look into it. I'll call you the second I know anything." Spark sounded relieved as he added in quickly. "Awesome. Be careful, man. Just observe and report. Don't engage unless you have too. I wanna know what they are up too but not at the cost of losing anyone. Got it?" Mark removed two pokeballs from his belt, answering a bit distracted now. "Got it. Might wanna send someone to come pick up Lewis though. He shouldn't be left out here alone with the new baby if Team Rocket is looming around." Spark's confident tone was back as he chuckled into the phone. "Way ahead of ya. I got someone heading his way. Just tell him to stay inside until he arrives. Good luck." Mark smirked, stating out. "Over and out." Snapping his phone shut, Mark told his teammate seriously as he put his phone away and expanded his pokeballs. "Get inside and stay there until someone comes for you. I've got to go." Lewis pouted, asking firmly. "Oh, come on! I wanna go!" Mark shook his head, tossing his Ultra Balls into the air as he said aloud. "Can't. Senior member mission. Besides. Your pokemon just gave birth. You shouldn't leave her alone."

Lewis nodded reluctantly, admitting aloud. "You're right... Just be careful." The yellow and black Ultra balls popped open in the air, expelling a bright white light that formed into two different pokemon before him. Ultra balls were Team Instincts primary balls over the basic red and black pokeballs. Mostly because they matched their uniforms, but it also had to do with the power they had to contain the more energetic pokemon. Before him stood a small pokemon that looked like a flying squirrel. Much like Pikachu is was an electric rodent. Emolga. Then beside him was a sleek dog with yellow and black fur. His Boltund. A fast running and light footed electric pokemon. The Ultra balls were drawn back to his hands by the tech in his gloves, allowing him to shrink them and put them away. Extending his arm out for Emolga, Emolga quickly dashed up to his shoulder as he told his Boltund. "Chica, scout for me?" Chica puffed her chest up, then dashed silently into the woods to check for any wild pokemon. She was normally able to sense them by the energy their bodies gave off. Without waiting too long, he jogged into the woods after her. Keeping his distance, he began to sneak around through the thick brush.

He knew generally where they might go. Lately, Team Mystic had been taking research teams up to the mountains to dig for dusty old fossils. For the most part, Team Instinct cared less about the study of fossilized pokemon. They cared only for the ones in the present. Just as they were reaching a meadow clearing, Mark sank to a knee within the bushes of the wood line. Pulling out an earpiece, he slipped one into his own ear and then another into Emolga's big rounded ear. The earpiece would amplify what Emolga's keen ears heard for him. Allowing him to hear conversations at a safe distance. Standing before a cave, a young man and a woman in her early thirties were looking over a table covered in science gear and papers. He recognized the woman as Blanche. The long white-haired Team Leader of Team Mystic. All round them, Mystic members rushed about with fossils and supplies. Mark pressed the earpiece deeper into his ear to listen to her tell the young man coolly. "It's fascinating, isn't it? I've never seen anything like it."

The young man dressed in a Team Mystic uniform lifted what looked like a little sparkly white scale off the table, answering in one of the lighter accents from the Galar region. "It is very pretty... but what pokemon does this belong too?" Blanche took the scale carefully from him, slipping it under a microscope on the table, upon informing the man. "I don't know. The scale is a complete mystery to me. I've never seen anything like it... And what is more intriguing... This scale can't be as old as the fossils we've found. This is something else and something recent..." The man leaned on the table, uttering out simply. "That's impossible. It was just dug out... It had to of been in there for centuries. Whatever shed it must still be alive." Blanche looked up from the microscope, replying seriously. "I've contacted every researcher that I know. None of them can tell me where this scale came from... We could be looking at a new species." Another Mystic member rushed up to the man, handing him a data paper as he told him respectfully. "Sean, have a look at this. We ran the scale against the Milotic that evolved with it in the cave... The test came back negative."

Sean turned to look at Blanche with a stunned expression, upon retorting. "This scale made some random Feebas evolve into a Milotic within the cave pool? It turned an ugly fish into that beautiful creature? How is that possible? Feebas doesn't evolve! And to do it without candies or evolution stones?" Blanche removed the scale from the microscope, then handed it to Sean as she told him seriously. "I don't know. But get that back to headquarters. If it's a new species. I want Team Mystic to get the credit for finding it. It needs to be found and studied. We need to know if we should be worried. Get it back quickly. I wanna run some proper tests on it. I'll take the Milotic back before anyone sees it. Tell no one what has happened here." Sean slipped it into his jacket pocket and zipped it shut, telling her just as seriously. "Don't worry. It shall be done." Mark followed Sean with his eyes. If Team Mystic thought they were going to hide this from them, they had another thing coming. Whatever the scale was, Team Instinct had a right to see it. Tapping Chica's head to get her attention, he gestured toward the man and whispered to her. "Track him. Don't let him fly off." Chica sprang to her feet, dashing off through the bushes. Mark wrote a quick text to Spark about the new pokemon called 'Milotic' and then followed her.

When they were farther into the woods, Mark threw stealth to the wind. He couldn't risk the guy pulling out a flying pokemon and reaching the borders of Ice town or worse. Reaching Articuno island. Running as fast as his legs could take him, Mark watched Emolga glide off his shoulder to spring from tree to tree to keep up with Chica. Mark copied Emolga by dashing off nearby trees to increase his speed, until he burst from a cluster of bushes to fall from a small ledge to the dirt road path. Staying crouched a minute, he watched Chica ready herself for an attack facing Sean. Her low growls menacing to hear. While Emolga glided down beside her and raised his arms to look bigger and scarier than he was as little sparks came from his cheeks. Slowly Mark rose to his feet, announcing to Sean bluntly in a cold tone. "Hello. I'll be taking that scale if you don't mind." Sean crossed his arms over his chest, huffing out sarcastically. "You've got to be kidding me. I expected a Team Valor member to try something... Not Instinct... Were you dared?" Sean laughed to himself, stuffing his hands casually into the pockets of his blue zip up hoodie with long white sleeves. Mark clenched his jaw tightly. The other teams always bullied Instinct as the lesser team of the three.

Taking an offensive stance, Mark stated out darkly through his teeth. "Are you going to hand it over. Or am I going to take it from you by force, Nerd!" Sean stopped laughing, his eyes darting up to meet his. For a second, Mark was taken aback. Sean's eyes were as blue as ice. He hadn't expected that. Sean grabbed the black brim of a hat that was similar to his own. The only difference between their hats was that Sean's had blue sides and an Articuno in a hexagon shape. Turning the hat around on his head, Sean very lightly said aloud. "Just try and take it from me." Snatching two pokemon from his belt, Sean tossed his pokeballs up. The pokeballs popped open, expelling red light to places beside him. On took the form of an abnormally large black Charizard with bright blue flames leaking from its mouth and tail tip. Even its eyes were a bright blue. While the other took on an even larger form of what looked to be long neck dinosaur with white skin and sparkling sails down its neck. The ice crystals along its sides glinted in the light as an icy breeze picked up around them. Sean caught his pokeballs as they fell, chuckling out to Mark smugly. "Still wanna dance, big boy?"

Mark cleared his throat awkwardly, watching Chica piddle herself as she looked at how big the dinosaur was. Emolga dashed back to him, hiding behind his leg with small scared squeaking sounds as the shiny Charizard snorted blue flames into the dirt. Sean shrugged, coolly stating out. "I didn't think so. Now run along now." Mark inhaled deeply, shaking his head as he growled back. "No. That scale doesn't just belong to you! We all have a right to see it!" Sean rolled his eyes, before nicely informing him. "It's just a scale. It needs to be studied to find out where it came from. Who better to do that than US? What would you bone heads even do with it? Release it? Kiss it to death? Fuck off. You're wasting my valued time." Mark curled his hands into fights, snapping back bolder than he felt. "I'm not leaving. You'll have to get through me first!" Sean shrugged, grumbling out impatiently. "Fine. So be it. Aurorus, ice them." The long necked pokemon lifted its head as it inhaled, causing air around them to rush toward the crystals along the sides of its body. The more oxygen in drew in, the brighter the light got in its open mouth. Mark knew this move. Ice beam!

Mark watched Chica run back to him with a loud whimper. He couldn't blame her. He had never seen a pokemon like this either and it was frightening. Kneeling, Mark wrapped his arms around his pokemon and shouted out desperately. "WAIT!" His voice was drowned out though by a loud 'BANG!' Mark peeked up to see Aurorus stagger and fall to the ground with a sharp cry of pain. Sean whirled around to look up at the sky at the thing that hit his pokemon with Dragon Pulse and Mark slowly rose back to his feet. Hovering in the air were two Dragonite pokemon with riders dressed all in black with a large red 'R' on their shirts. From the air, one of the men called down to them proudly. "Prepare for trouble! To inflict the world with devastation, to blight all peoples in every nation! To denounce the goodness of truth and love, to extend our wraith to the stars above! Team Rocket circling earth all day and night, surrender to us now or you'll surely lose the fight!" Sean recalled Aurorus back into its pokeball, before calling up shortly. "What do you clowns want?!"

One of the men leaned casually over the back of his Dragonite, sneering out in a dark voice. "We came for the scale and we're going to get it. Even if we have to kill you for it." Sean glanced between Mark and Team Rocket, then rushed himself up onto Charizard. Mark pointed a finger about to say something to Chica, when one of the Dragonites swooped in really fast to slam Charizard in the side with its powerful Dragon Tail attack. Charizard wailed in pain as it was knocked off the road and into a tree, causing Sean to get flung roughly across the grass. Mark lowered his hand, feeling for the poor Charizard. He had never encountered Team Rocket, but he had heard about how dangerous they were. Team Rocket wasn't just an average criminal group. They were well founded and top of the criminal chain since they owned most of the markets that sold supplies and potions to trainers. A Dragonite casually landed by Sean, while its rider chuckled out in a sweet tone of voice. "Sweet. Two shiny pokemon and a revived prehistoric pokemon at that! What else you got, kid? You just made this trip worth it!"

Sean stiffly staggered up onto his feet, snapping back darkly. "You just made a big mistake picking a fight with me, fucker." The rider grinned wickedly, retorting coolly back. "My name is Nate. And I don't think we've made ourselves clear." The second Dragonite landed, snarling menacingly at Mark and his pokemon. Mark kept his pokemon close to him, listening to Nate tell them both sternly. "Hand over your pokemon and the Prism Scale. This is your last chance, before we take them." Sean reached for a pokeball, only to have a vine snatch his wrist and yank him to the ground! The rider in front of Mark, hopped down from his Dragonite with a Bulbasaur nestled in his arms with long vines that had grabbed Sean. While Sean was down on the ground, another pokemon leapt off the Dragonite's back and scurried toward Sean. Mark recognized it as Ariados. It normally looked like a big red horned spider... but this one was purple. Another shiny? The Ariados shot a web over Sean to pin him to the ground, then whirled around to shoot one at Mark.

Mark didn't even have time to react before the large webbing stuck to him and his pokemon. The webbing was as strong as steel and stickier than glue. Sighing, Mark tried to stay calm. He didn't care what happened to himself, but he wasn't going to let them enslave his pokemon. Glancing over at the knocked out Charizard, Mark tapped Emolga and whispered discreetly. "Wake him up. See if he'll burn the webbing." Emolga wedged his tiny body around to slip through the webbing without getting caught in it. However, just as Emolga was charging up... an explosion hit the road! The heat from the blast melted the webbing around Mark before a powerful shock wave sent everyone to the ground in a cloud of dust and smoke. To Be Continued...