Note - Most of this story will be Kplus, with no vulgar language. However, it has the T rating for occasional depictions of violence and injury, such as this chapter in particular. If any chapter contains these themes, I will leave a note like this so you can skip them if not interested.
- O - O - O -
Sparkling in a navy blue sky, the moon proudly beamed, cloaking the forest in the soft glow of it's moonlight. For Meowth, the sight of the planet caused bittersweet feelings and memories to arise, but it was no doubt his favourite time of the day. Basking in the luminous light, the scratch cat Pokemon paused to philosophise their situation: the trio had failed to capture the twerp's Pikachu, or any other rare Pokemon for that matter, however by stretching their 'involvement' in the destruction of Team Flare, the boss had seemingly granted them permission to head to the nearby region, Alola.
"We really got off easy," the cat thought silently to himself, glancing back at his two teammates, both in deep slumber. Fortunately for them, Giovanni had more important matters to attend to rather than read their disappointing reports, enabling them to avoid being fired despite their incompetence.
Meowth was determined for that to change; a new region meant there were discoveries waiting to be made, thefts waiting to be committed, information waiting to be reported, and, of course, Pikachu. The name Team Rocket would strike fear into the hearts of the Alolans who heard it after they were finished with it.
Living in a world of fantasies was better than reality.
A new confidence blossoming inside him as he set aside any anxieties, alongside logic and past failures, Meowth picked up the guitar set on his lap, proud that they finally had the chance to redeem themselves. "How about a victory song?"
Just as the normal type Pokemon did this, he caught a glimmer in the corner of his slanted eye. Raising his iris, he noticed something extremely far away, almost missing it completely due to it's distance, even with his superior cat eyesight. The thing was made up of a range of vibrant blues and soft purples, expanding slowly but surely as the seconds ticked by. Oddly enough, Meowth believed he could make out something emerge from the strange, portal-like thing, a cold shiver chilling his spine as the agonising feeling of cluelessness pushed away any possible rational thought.
"What is dat?"
- O - O - O -
"See you, Ash!" Two familiar chirpy voices called, their figures fading into the distance and Ash advanced further towards the ferry, eager to arrive at the region as soon as possible, having already said his official goodbyes to his Kalos companions. Tearful, Serena had refused to join the rest of the group in seeing the Pallet trainer off in fear of bursting into tears, though she had wished him the best of luck on his journey. Splitting paths with traveling buddies had always felt awful for Ash and Pikachu, no matter the Region, but the broad sea of endless regions kept them hopeful for future adventures waiting to be had.
Grinning, Ash picked up the pace, wanting to board the ship as soon as possible so he could see any new fish Pokémon on their way to Alola, but a twitch of Pikachu's nose and a soft murmur halted him in his tracks. "What's up, Pikachu?"
The electric mouse perched on Ash's shoulder had caught the faintest whiff of a terrifying scent, one that he could not remember sniffing since his days as a wild Pokemon. Though reluctant to follow the smell, worry pushed Pikachu forward as he swiftly leaped down to the cobble ground, dashing in the direction his nose informed him in hot pursuit.
"Wa-ah? Pikachu, wait!" The trainer called after him, stumbling out of shock as he followed the anxious Pikachu.
As the scent grew stronger, Pikachu entered a small forest nearby the docks, or what remained of it. Every row of trees had been crushed to wooden shards, as if a Pokemon had plowed through the clearing in a violent rage. Frightened whimpers came from some nearby Pokemon inspecting their shattered homes, though none had visible injuries. The scent lingering in his nose was stronger by one of the destroyed trees, urging the mouse to inspect it. Lifting a heavy branch, Pikachu was assured that his hunch was right, that he knew the smell he had been tracking.
It was blood.
A limp body had been trapped under the tree, it's fur lined with crusted blood and dirt, though still fresh enough for Ash's Pokemon recognise it as a day old at most. Several bruises were evident, more hidden under the mess caking the Pokémon's body, the smaller ones bore shades of brown and bold blacks, while more brutal bruises could only be described as an ugly mauve. Deep claw marks were implanted in it's torso, small drips of the scarlet substance pouring out. Many blisters were dug into it's skin, some fragments of the remained trees, and some from the broken instrument clutched in it's unmoving paws. A croaky gasp emitted from the small electric type's mouth as it recognised the Pokemon, even in the terrible condition the body was in.
Pikachu and Meowth were not best friends. Hardly, Pikachu and Meowth were more like rivals. No, Pikachu and Meowth were enemies, but it was jarring to see someone so familiar to him so hurt. While the relationship between the two was strange, with how the scratch cat's goal was to capture him, they certainly did not hate each other, and this was a fate he would not wish upon his worst enemy.
Though, was Meowth Pikachu's worst enemy?
No. While it was Pikachu's dream to stand beside Ash as a Pokemon master, Pikachu was sure that Meowth had his own dreams and ambitions, and the mouse Pokemon had been unlucky enough to be involved with them. Pikachu knew deep down that Meowth could not be truly evil, since it was impossible for a Pokemon to really feel that way, only committing bad deeds if under human influence. A mix of emotions flooded Pikachu, before settling on increasing dread and anger.
Who did this?
Is there someone harming Pokemon?
Is he... dead?
"Pikachu!" Ash's shrill voice shouted loudly, the mouse himself recognising the worry in his tone. He attempted to alert him with a cry, but could only manage a rasp squeak. The trainer rushed over to him, sternly staring him down, "Why did you run off like that?"
The Pokémon's gaze was fixed on it's source of distress, causing Ash to glance over, choking at the sight. "O-oh-! We need to get help!"
Cradling the injured Pokemon in his trembling arms and attempting to balance an unsettled Pikachu on his shoulder, Ash hastily ran back to the docks, shakily looking around for anyone that could treat the cat. A faint heartbeat pressed against his chest, signalling that the Team Rocket member was indeed alive, but it was slowing, each beat becoming more sluggish. The boy did not know if he could handle the death of someone he had known for so long, even if they were not on the best terms.
"Is anyone a Pokemon doctor? My Pokémon is badly hurt!" He desperately screamed, but to no avail, the minimal number of passerbies ignoring his pleas. On the way to the docks, he had not seen a Pokémon centre for a couple of miles, and found that his only chance would be if there was a Pokemon medic onboard the ferry. Diving into his pockets, Ash dragged out his tickets: one child, one Pokemon.
Ash winced, turning to Pikachu as he realised that one tickets would not get both Pokemon on board unless he hid one, and while he was far from a criminal, drastic situations call for drastic measures. "Pikachu, you need to get in my back pack - now."
The mouse nodded in agreement, tampering at the zip until it opened, allowing for him to be concealed inside, closing the pack as much as possible from the interior. Hurriedly, Ash had began speeding towards the boat, practically shoving his tickets in the face of a member of staff. Dismissively, the female ushered them in, her uncaring demeanour suggesting that she would not have bothered to stop them if she knew he was smuggling an extra Pokémon on with him.
Noticing a huge board containing a map of the ship's layout, the trainer examined it for anywhere that could give Meowth the treatment he needed. Ash found he was in luck, finding an area on the map labelled 'SICK BAY', the closest thing to any medical service for miles. Checking the cat's pulse as Pikachu slipped out of his pack, Ash began quickly navigating towards the room, knowing that he had no room for error. Thoughts of what may have happened to the fragile feline he held crossed his mind, which were just as swiftly dismissed as they arrived due to their gory nature. "This can't happen to him! It's just not how it's meant to be!"
Finally, he had found the bay, and had no hesitation in slamming the door open, fearing the cat's condition. A Nurse Joy blinked at the sudden arrival of the trainer, and the abuse to the door, before masking her irritation with a fake politeness. "Yes?"
"Please, Nurse Joy! I don't think he'll last for much longer!" He desperately begged, offering the injured Pokemon to her. A stunned Blissey quickly took the wounded feline from his grasp, immediately hooking him to a machine as Nurse Joy began rooting through drawers for medical supplies. "Can you help him?" Ash stammered, eyeing the Pokemon nervously. Of course, he had seen Pokemon hurt by battle before, even serious results after intense fights, but he had never seen one physically bleed before, and on such a fragile one too, often fainting after a single attack during Team Rocket's schemes.
"We'll do the best we can," Nurse Joy calmly stated, dropping the nice act as she gathered tools and bandages, instead giving an indefinite answer, "but you need to leave."
Ash flinched at the sudden request, reluctant to follow the order. "I want to stay with him; I need to know that he'll be okay."
"Pi," the trainer's Pokemon nodded, determined to stay until informed that his familiar was not in critical condition.
Joy frantically shook her head, positioning Meowth as she urged them to leave. "We need concentration to ensure your Pokemon makes it, do it for it's sake."o
The realisation that he could be pushing a Pokémon, or any creature, closer to death, quickly silenced him, as he clumsily stumbled out of the room, Pikachu's heavy breaths echoing in his ear as he carefully shut the door. Alongside the frightened pants, he could still hear Meowth's heartbeat, slowing all while Ash attempted to assure himself that everything would turn out fine.
- O - O - O -
"W-Where am I..?"
Meowth woke up to a flash of white light skimming across his bloodshot eyes. Not the most pleasant wake up call, but it worked, to say the least. Looking down, he was more than surprised to see fresh bandages wrapped around his torso, arms and legs, not to mention the indescribable pain in his limbs, The bandages covered most of his wounds, but many stitch marks and scars were still visible. It had been a while, if ever, that he had been in such a bad state. Maybe back in his 'top cat' days? Dismissing irrelevant questions, Meowth still had one remaining: what happened?
The feline racked his brains for memories, only being able to scrape together the basic idea that he had been looking at the moon, possibly thinking about their new placement in the Alola region. With a scenario that vague, Meowth was hesitant to believe that it had even happened that night, since it was a common thing he did given his philosophical nature.
Aware that he was in some kind of medical room, he flinched at the touch of a Blissey applying another bandage to him, noting that this was probably the first time he had been near the egg or happiness Pokemon without being whacked in the face. The scratch cat was notorious for recalling irrelevant details in dire situations, which only bothered him more that he was unable to recall the events of last night. Maybe his injuries were just getting to him.
Upon noticing the cat's awakening, Nurse Joy examined his current condition, wondering whether he needed to spend more time in the sick bay. "Luckily the only broken bone is in your ankle, a surprise considering how little and brittle your bones appear to be," she explained , referencing Meowth's small size compared to the rest of his species, even if he did stand upright, "your ankle and the rest of your wounds should heal with time, just don't try walking on it. I'll contact your trainer and let him know he can pick you up."
His trainer? Did she mean James? So Jessie and James were here too, a good thing since the feline felt he could use a reality check right about now. While he did not appreciate being called someone's Pokemon, it was better than trying to explain to her, especially since he would have to keep a low profile around a person who would definitely have multiple contacts to the authorities. If he spoke, he would have ironically let the cat out of the bag, or wherever this place was.
Nurse Joy dialled the room number on the scrap paper the trainer had left on one of the many occasions he had returned to check on the scratch cat's condition. She began speaking in a hushed tone, while Meowth only heard snippets of her side of the conversation, "recovery...", "ankle...", "stitches..." . It was not that her quiet tone prevented him from hearing it fully; his sensitive, feline ears could easily pick up her statement, but the cat had mainly blocked out her words since he assumed that he would over exaggerate his state. He had suffered from many painful, explosive blastoffs before, and Meowth was sure that this was nothing he could not easily walk off. Not that he could literally since his ankle was broken. Stupid Nurse Joy: going and ruining his expressions like that.
In under a minute, Meowth began to pick up footsteps, but they were too light, too clumsy. While his teammates were not the most elegant humans, whoever was on the other side of the wall was practically falling, more like a child. The knob twisted, and the door opened hurriedly, revealing the face the cat was least expecting to see.
Twerp?!
Was the dizziness getting to him? Considering the bandages bound to him, he would not have doubted it: maybe a side effect of some medicine the nurse had used? Before he could dwell on it further, he was wrapped in a tight embrace, the fur ball that was Pikachu also joining in, though careful not to strain him. Looking up at the boy's face, Meowth found it hard to read his expression, before deciding that it could one be one thing, even if he found it hard to believe himself.
Pure relief.
More questions bubbled in Meowth's head, but the little scratch cat knew that this was hardly the time to ask them. Without breaking the silence, Ash picked the Pokemon up, wrapping it in his arms. The cat's expression jumped from bewilderment to slight irritation, trying to push the boy away, however it's lack of energy meant it could only manage a feeble tap. Mildly frustrated, Meowth realised that it's own bad condition may be a slight problem. After all, who could keep this annoying kid from preaching his morals? At least now he might get an explanation.
- O - O - O -
When the three had first arrived at the room, Ash had babbled incomprehensibly about how scared he was of the situation, constantly repeating how glad he was that the normal Pokemon was okay. Meowth's annoyance at the trainer had died down considerably, acknowledging that he was genuinely concerned for his health, but he had trouble trying to figure out why. Back in Unova, when the feline had temporarily allied with the twerps, Ash did not give too much attention to his state, despite the pain that he had inflicted upon himself to make it look convincing. Nothing too much, just battered himself up a bit, but the fact that he had seemed so distressed about it now planted seeds of worry. Surely it he was fine, right? Meowth settled the blame on the lack of an influence of an older companion, as here it was just him and Pikachu.
The Pokemon could see the evident exhaustion in the young trainer's eyes and urged him to rest. When they could hear soft snores, they began their own conversation.
"W-Why did you help me?" Meowth muttered, his tone laced with confusion rather than anger or resentment.
Pikachu was baffled by the strange question, wondering why anyone would ever need to ask one like that. "(Maybe we're not all too close, but we'd never leave you out there to die!)"
The response's intention was to encourage Meowth, but it left him with the opposite effect. "Wait, to die? What happened?" Pikachu glanced at the bandages surrounding his body and the scars and bruises left on his body, wincing slightly at the fact that the cat was oblivious to them.
"(Well, let's say I found you in... poor health. Though, I hoping you would be able to fill us in on the details.)"
Meowth mentally groaned, his next words coming out as a hoarse whisper. "Okay... have you seen... de rest of Team Rocket?"
The electric mouse looked at the Pokemon beside him, noticing that despite their usual height similarity, it was almost as if Meowth had shrunk during the incident and treatment, barely coming close to his size now. He regarded the feline with pitying eyes as he shook his head.
"Right," Meowth sighed; just his luck. A memory of reading somewhere that Meowth were considered lucky Pokemon crossed his mind, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. What a joke that was, with everything happening today, or in his entire life for that matter. The steady rock of the room abruptly caught his attention, having not noticed it before. "Are we on a boat?"
A nod.
"Where to?"
"(Alola.)"
Oh, then at least one thing was going to plan.