A dull pain clouded the corners of my vision, but I could somewhat see. I deduced from my uncomfortable position and my view that I was laying on the floor with an elbow bent painfully awkwardly.
A clicking of heels echoed from down the hallway. Black boots came in the room. "Oh, so you're awake," a rude voice said, yanking me up by the hair. A boy a few years older than me with longish blonde hair and violet eyes smirked at me. "Are you uncomfortable?" he said in a tone of mock sympathy. He sneered, throwing me down again. "I really don't care, just in the case that you don't understand sarcasm."
"Shut up," I growled. "Do you want me to put you in a worse position than this, down in--"
"Now, now, that's no way to treat your host," he tsked, interrupting me.
"I don't give a crap!" I yelled. "Do you really think that I care about manners?!"
"You seem to be irritated; your ears and tail are laid back aggressively," he observed. "But again, I don't care how you feel."
I ground my teeth fiercely, my face flushing with loathing. I took a deep breath, but instead of letting it out silently, I yelled as long and loud as I could.
"Hmm, so you know Hyper Voice?"
"You really think that was a strong move?!" I jeered. "This is a strong move!" I instinctively poised my legs to jump, then my ears, forehead, shoulders, thighs, and tail started tingling. "Shadow Force!" I yelled. I leaped up towards a shelf on the wall crammed with weapons of torture, but with just enough room for me to squeeze on to the top.
A jangling of heavy metal, then a force pulling back on my wrist. I fell back down, right on to my butt. Then the attack came. Pure blackness exploded out of the floor, waves of darkness consuming everything in sight.
A blue sphere with darker blue streaks waving through it appeared by the wall. Through it, I could see a Jirachi holding its hands up defensively.
When the darkness cleared, the Jirachi let its Protect down and did a somersault, turning into a girl in the process! She had brown eyes and pink hair, with thick-framed glasses and a Jirachi beanie. She had a black blouse and a short polka-dotted skirt. She smiled, her expression easy-going, yet brave.
"Serena?" Brandon gasped from a corner. He had marks on his clothes and face, either from a beating or my previous attack.
I looked at my manacles. The attack hurt, but at least it made the chains easier to get off. I slipped it off my right wrist as Serena went to Brandon and undid his bindings.
The boy was almost passed out, laying on the floor. I smirked and walked over to him. I yanked him up by the roots of his hair. "Are you uncomfortable?" I said, repeating what he had said to me before. I put the manacle on his wrist, locked it, and then kicked dust onto him.
I looked around. Serena and Brandon were talking to each other, "catching up" or whatever. Then I realized that Fionna wasn't there, and Alice was unchained, crouched by the door. She didn't seem to have a scratch on her.
"Where's Fionna?" I called to Brandon.
He looked around. "I- I don't know..." he said, worry manifesting on his face. He turned to face Serena. "Do you?"
She shook her head no. "My partner might," she said, hope causing her voice to be slightly strained, yet happy.
A Victini flew in, a cheery expression on its face like any of its species. This one had an air of timidity, but it seemed like it was a loyal, strong friend.
When the newest Pokémon transformed, it became a girl with long black hair, peach skin, and little blue eyes. She had a red shirt and black jeans. "What about me?" she asked shyly.
"Do you know where a Lucario went? She's not here with Brandon and July," Serena explained.
"Yes," the Victini girl said. "Kaewa knows, too."
"July, this is my cousin Samantha, Samantha, this is July," Brandon said.
"Oh, do you know everyone here? Where are we?" I asked.
"Team Rocket's lair," Serena answered. "And we're here because," she leaned in and whispered, "we're spying on them."