"Tap... tap... tap..." Hurried footsteps echoed through the emergency stairwell.
"Stop, you little brat! I've hated your guts for ages! Why does some kid get to be an executive?! I've worked here this long, and I'm still just a squad leader!!!" one of the pursuing Team Flare members complained loudly. They had spotted the pair on the security room's monitors and immediately given chase.
"They really won't give up." Xiao Yan panted, his legs beginning to wobble. They had already run from the first floor to the twenty-first.
"But this game of chase is almost over." Moonlight streamed through the exit ahead, reflected in Xiao Yan's and Red's eyes.
They finally reached the highest level, the roof of Lysandre Labs. Fierce winds howled through the night sky, scattering every strand of cold moonlight. The entire city looked like an enormous dream.
Twenty-two floors above the ground, night winds surged up from below, whipping their hair wildly.
"Heh heh, let's see where you can run now!" The Team Flare members caught up, advancing on Xiao Yan and Red step by step with Poké Balls in hand.
Xiao Yan grabbed a Poké Ball from his belt, ready to fight, but Red stopped him.
"Wait. If we fight here, we'll probably attract that old fox Lysandre's attention. He holds the lives of countless Legendary Pokémon in his hands right now." Red gripped Xiao Yan's wrist and slowly took a Poké Ball from his pocket.
"Get ready!" Charizard emerged from Red's Poké Ball, and Red jumped onto his back. Xiao Yan followed, clutching the soft, squishy green Clefairy in his arms. A moment later, Charizard rode the relentless night wind high into the sky.
So this is Red's Charizard... At such close range, Xiao Yan could clearly see the definition of Charizard's muscles. He