Art of War: Game of Chess

Chapter 27- Mutiny on the Ship

"What d'ya do for a living, kid?" Drake asked Ash, "You've met Steven, I presume?"
"Yes, just in passing, I believe. " Ash commented dryly. "He was one of the judges, I'm led to believe. Is it true that the SS Anne incident killed 4000 people and more than 18000 Pokémon, Excluding Team Rocket scum?"
Drake deflated: "It's true. They've followed up with this incident... and a spate of bombings and attacks. In Lavaridge City, Hoenn, they killed Mr Moore, the Gym Leader. They destroyed a reserve, enslaving some 4000 Pokémon and killing 16000 more, somewhere between Cerulean City and Vermillion City. Bombings included the death of several Elders of the Blackthorn Clan of Wataru. In Blackthorn City, Johto, 200 humans and 6000 Pokémon, Dragon- Type Pokémon, lost their lives. Dangerous times, these. Lance can only do so much. He fought the remaining Elders to take over leadership of the Wataru Clan. Steven, Bill and the Elite Four of Four regions are involving multiple resources, including that of multinational corporations. Even Samuel Oak is getting involved in the equation. "
Samuel Oak wasn't the kind of person who could've willingly introduced himself into the equation, Ash knew that very well. So there had to be an extremely serious problem if the usually docile old fellow had to be involved.
"Great... and still we haven't pinned Team Rocket down?"
"They've got men in every region. It's hubris. We didn't pay a bit of attention to Team Rocket, thinking of them as a mob. By the time we did, it was too late. They've got huge membership, Elite- level trainers, armaments, powerful Pokémon, spies and... above all, the Legendary. "
Ash sobered up and thought.
"So, shall we be arriving at Cinnabar Island shortly?"
"Yes. Shortly-"
Shots suddenly flew through the deck, killing several of Drake's loyal boys.
It was Shelley and some others, all in Team Aqua uniform. They hadn't just mutinied, but had been working with Team Aqua.
"Captain, I see you've remained on the wrong side... again. "
"Shelley! How dare you! How can you betray me like this! How can you join Team Aqua of all despicable people!"
Shelley smirked and then blasted Drake's Salamence- straight through the head.
"NO!"
The terrible scream of pain echoed from the old man as he sank to his knees. It wasn't his main Salamence, but it could've made it to his main team soon. It was merely a baby, and Drake had grown fond of him.
"I really didn't want to do that, Drake, or you wouldn't listen. And neither of you try to offer any restrictions. Or... I'll be forced to shoot a few other Pokémon as well. "
Ash and Drake were disarmed and were about to be taken to the holding cells.
But then, Team Rocket submarines, speedboats and helicopters arrived to counter the new threat. Ash quickly seized his and Drake's Pokémon... and kicked Shelley into the water.
Team Rocket, it seemed, were rather concerned at the attacks by their... rivals on SS Turbulence.
"You thundering typhoon!" Shrieked Executive Arianna of Team Rocket, as he came up in a gunship.
Ash shot her straight in the face.
Then they both headed down, leaving the members of Team Aqua and Team Rocket to fight it out. Killing several guards, they got to the lifeboats and evacuated as the ship SS Turbulence exploded behind them.
Reinforcements led by Cinnabar Gym Leader Blaine soon arrived... and the three- way battle, made easy by the fact that Team Aqua was already devastated when the League Forces arrived, was won by the League.
______________________________________

"Today, we're hear to offer condolences for the death of Executive Ariana, and Celebrate our successes. " Grand Executive Pierce began his welcome.
On several ends, others were seated, particularly Dr Zager, Executives Archer, James, Jessie, Butch and Cassidy, Professor Sebastian, Dr Namba, the Grand Marauder Mask and Commander Tyson. The most powerful members of Team Rocket were here, other than the Boss, who was already absent.
"You said that they aren't capable of taking out Team Aqua?" asked James.
"Don't question that. They did. They've taken out Shelley of all people. We're already the dominant power in the Indigo and around, as well as Unova and the minor regions. We'll have Hoenn under our grasp shortly. "
"What next?" Cassidy asked.
"Finding out a mole from Team Galactic, one who hides among the scientific community of the Indigo. That job goes to... Archer. "
______________________________________

(A/N: 1. This has much more to do with Terrorist group rivalries than anything else.
2. Shelley was a spy. In the anime. She was working for a Team Aqua while in Team Magma, remember?
No status about her death yet.
3. Drake's Salamence is the Shelgon who defeated Ash's Pikachu in the anime. Not Drake's ace Pokémon Salamence. )