A/N: Okay, the review count is up to 22! Thanks everyone, and please keep reviewing!
I decided to make this story the first part of a trilogy series called Pokemon Black. Revu was going to be my beta, but I haven't been able to contact him. So, asked Erika Extasy to help me out! This girl is an awesome writer, (specially if you like morbid, dark and disturbing works)!
I also want to suggest reading Rockin'Robin's fanfics. She's written a lot, and her Teen Titans works have been keeping me a little distracted lately! Now, as Erika betas chapters for me, I will be correcting the errors in my works. And, two surprise characters come in to play in this chapter! Who are they? I'm not telling, (insert evil laugh here)!
Alright, I have no more to add, so....lets begin!
~Lady Venamisa~
Chapter Five: Unexpected Reunion! Set A Course For Deltina Island!
Two days later, with Latios's full recovery at hand, the gang gathered for a first time as a whole. The group of seven- Ash, Pikachu, Shay, Koga, Prima, Sabrina and Latios- met in the sitting room to decide what they were going to do next. It was roughly four in the morning, and the sun had yet to rise. Koga and Prima, (who had been absent up until late last night), seemed to be getting along pretty well; the extent of their fighting had come up in a conversation between Sabrina and Latios yesterday at lunch. Sabrina had claimed that, up until their return, the two Elite were constantly bickering.
Normally, Latios didn't like dealing with humans. According to Mewtwo, a majority of them were selfish, cruel monsters, that used pokemon for their own needs. But then, why had his parents left the safety of Shimmer Valley to help the humans in Altomare? Why abandon their children and their clan? It didn't make any sense, from any standpoint. Perhaps there was more to this than he knew. After all, there had been stories of some humans that put pokemon above themselves; the many tales of one in particular were told so frequently that every pokemon in the Hidden Land knew them by heart: The Chosen One.
Many of the clan leaders said different things about the Chosen One: Mewtwo regarded him as one who sought peace and justice; Celebi and Suicune called him a hero, as did Latios's parents; Groudon, Kyogre and Rayquaza found him impressive and brimming with an inner strength; Lugia claimed that he was their legendary savior, their hope for the future. Even Ho-oh, who was normally unimpressed by humans, told stories of how kind and compassionate he was toward all pokemon, and how hard he worked to protect them. The last few years, however, the stories stopped coming, as did the updates on the Chosen One's newest adventures. It was as though he had dropped off the face of the Earth...
And then, his first encounter with Team Rocket happened. After losing Latias, he fell to the ground. It was only by mere chance that he had come across Sabrina, Shay and Ash. A lucky coincidence, but one that would answer a question that had been plaguing the Hidden Land for the past three years: What happened to the Chosen One; where had he gone? Of course, the one in question was not himself.
Shay's influence was suppressing Ash's real feelings, and replacing them with emotions she wanted him to feel. Instead of refusing to help, he was merely reluctant and troubled. In his heart of hearts, Ash wanted nothing to do with this fight anymore. The Ash he met in the forest was a fake, created by Shay's control over others emotions. Any feeling that would hinder her selfish endeavor to avenge Celebi were trapped within Ash's mind. In spite of their need for his help; Latios didn't like the means that the hedgehog was using. Sure, they were better off getting help from someone who knew as much about Team Rocket as Ash did, but this way was just a little too drastic.
The day before, Shay had visited Latios and explained herself. She wanted to avenge Celebi's death, which was understandable. In the past couple of years, the duo had become lovers, and so much more. It was a horrible thing that those wretched Rockets had done, and it seemed only right for Shaymin to end it. However, he couldn't deny that she was going about things the wrong way. Especially now that her plans included taking advantage of their supposed savior. Arceus, Lugia, the Birds, Suicune, and many others would be in a state of outrage if they knew. If Mewtwo ever found out...
Latios shuddered inwardly and went back to finishing his breakfast. During this time, he found himself looking over at the one called Ash. The feel of Shay's essence exuded from his aura, but it was so faint that he doubted Sabrina realized it wasn't supposed to be there. Pikachu didn't seem to notice anything off, ether. And even if he did, so what? Finding Latias was the only thing that mattered now. At least, that is what he tried to tell himself.
"So, what did you call us all down here for, Ash?" Prima asked, her light yet greedy tone.
"Did you rethink our offer?" Koga added rather smugly. Anger shot out of Pikachu like one of his lightning attacks, almost choking Sabrina, Shay, and Latios with its intensity. Neither the ice queen nor the poison master noticed. Ash thought he did, but Pikachu composed himself before Ash could tell.
"Sort of." the trainer answered evenly. "We are going to break into a Rocket Base in order to save some pokemon." the two Elite smirked, and there was a secretive, yet giddy feeling between them. Their reason wasn't easy to figure out; somehow, one of them was blocking it off. It would be best to just leave those two behind completely...
"Oh, which pokemon?" Prima inquired. Shay shared an uneasy glance with Latios. Whoever these people were, it was obvious that they didn't really care about Latias. For whatever reason, they wanted Ash on their side. Sabrina stared at them, with the same, blank expression as the boy in question. Being a proper psychic, she kept her true motives and intentions hidden. However, Latios knew that she could be trusted. In spite of her appearance, her heart was definitely in the right place; he knew this because her concern for him in the forest was truly sincere Ash looked over at Latios, silently asking permission to reveal his true identity. When Latios shook his head no, Ash nodded wordlessly before answering.
"All of them, of course." he replied coolly. "And if we succeed, I might reconsider."
Ash knew that he was lying, but the duo had apparently heard the answer they wanted to hear; their eyes danced with excitement at the prospect. Koga and Prima obviously wanted him to be the poster boy for their cause, and that was just something he refused to do. It was one thing to fight Team Rocket on his own terms, but the trainer didn't want to be dragged in to an unnecessary battle that could result in Pikachu's capture. In fact, he was already starting to have second thoughts about this. Technically, he didn't owe Latios anything. Right now, Ash could just back out and flee Valma City with Pikachu at his side; Pikachu and the other pokemon would understand. This wasn't a run in with Jessie, James and Meowth; the ones who came after them now were much more deadly. Worse yet, they had all the money, power and technology needed to make their shadiest desires reality.
And all I have is a body count. Ash thought bitterly. There were no friends or fellow trainers he could call on; he hadn't contacted anyone from his journeys in quite some time, (save Bill and Professor Oak), and most of his inner circle were...out of his life. What did these people want? What could he possibly give that others already hadn't?
"I say we go find Team Rocket's base and save the pokemon!" Lucas shouted, slamming his fists on the coffee table. "The longer we sit around, the more time they have to do Ar- I mean God-knows-what with them!" Lucas's eyes blazed with an inner fire that caught Ash off guard. There was something to be said about the raw, brutal force of those crimson orbs; for a moment, Ash had forgotten that "Lucas" was really a Latios.
"Yeah!" Shay cheered, enthusiastically. "Free the pokemon!" Shay's demeanor matched Lucas's and the urge to abandon them died just as quickly as it had come. If these two were willing to risk everything to free Latias, then so should he! Shay looked up at Ash with big, watery eyes. "You agree, don't you, Ash?"
"Of course I do," he replied, feeling Shay's sweetness tug at his heartstrings. Just one look in to those jade eyes stirred protective feelings inside him. She was, after all, an orphan like him. At the hands of Team Rocket, no less. "but we just can't barge in without a plan!" the raven searched around his backpack, until he found a decent-sized map of the Bamia region. He smoothed it out on the table, and pointed to a little red dot in the center. Everyone gathered around it in order to get a better view.
"This, is where we are, Valma City." Ash dragged his finger across and down, until his finger rested on a small, black dot. "Their only base is located on Deltina Island, which is about twenty miles away from the coast of Velblue Beach."
"Hmm...that should take roughly three weeks," Sabrina added, her tone thoughtful. "maybe a month. It depends on what lengths we go to avoid any unwanted attention."
"What?!?!" Lucas cried indignantly! "But the pokemon could be dead by then!"
"I agree with Lucas!" Prima yelled. "Those poor pokemon need our help! There has to be a faster way!"
"Now, Prima-" Koga tried to calm her down, but to no avail.
"Don't you DARE side with her! We've been waiting too long for a chance like this!" Prima interrupted furiously. "And what if that base isn't even there? We would be wasting all that time for nothing!" Sabrina sighed and took a swig of her orange juice.
"It IS there!" Ash insisted, a flare of frustration running through him.
"And how would you know?" the ice queen demanded. Pikachu glared at the woman venomously. His little cheeks sparked menacingly. Ash shot the mouse a look that said "back off". The mouse did as he was told, albeit grudgingly.
"Because we've been there before, of course." he shot back, as though it were the most obvious answer in the world. "Three months ago, Pikachu and I were coming from the Aki Region. We stopped by Deltina Island, and came across their base." He paused, fighting off a pang of sadness. He got out his backpack, and pulled out what appeared to be blueprints for a large building.
"How did you come across those?" Koga asked, his tone and eyes brimming with interest. "Prima and I have been looking for something like this!" Prima's just sat there, gaping wordlessly at it, and Shay and Latios were very surprised. In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Ash smirked.
"Ever hear of Bill the Pokemaniac?" he inquired.
"The name sounds familiar." Sabrina replied evenly. "He's the youngest leading official on pokemon since Celio, if I am not mistaken..."
"Yes, that's him." Ash answered. His smile dropped. "When I came to Velblue City, the first thing I did was call him up and ask if he could find the blueprints to their base here. I got them a couple days ago, and have been reviewing them since." He felt a twinge of guilt as he looked in Lucas's direction. "That is why I haven't visited you while you were recovering." Lucas shrugged.
"Eh, it's fine. Whatever it takes to save L- the pokemon." Lucas's red eyes met his own, and once more, Ash found himself stunned by them. There was a look in those eyes that reminded him of himself. Pride? Determination? Confidence? No, that wasn't it. It was something deeper, but he couldn't place it.
"Alright, then, We should spend this day making sure everything is ready. We're leaving at four in the morning, and if you aren't ready to go, I'll leave without you, understood?" There was an empty silence, which Ash decided to take as a yes. "Alright, Shay, Lucas, meet me in the backyard. I have a surprise for the two of you."
"Uh, okay." Latios replied, slightly taken aback. Shay just gaped at him in disbelief. And with that, they continued discussing their plan to attack the base.
After The Meeting...
"I wonder what it could be?" Shay mused, as they walked down the long, marble hallway. She giggled childishly, as Lucas fought back the urge to smack her.
"Why should you care," he hissed, letting the venom seep from his voice "unless it's a Rocket, tied up and ready for you to kill?" Shay stopped dead in her tracks, and watched as he continued to walk down the hall. When he realized she wasn't following, he too stopped, and turned to face her. "What? Don't you want your little 'gift' from him?"
"Why are you so angry?" she asked defensively, walking up to him. "I got him to help us, didn't I?" Her eyes and aura showed no signs of remorse. If anything, she was proud of herself for finding Ash the way she did.
"Whatever. Let's just get this over with." and with that, he walked on, leaving her behind to stare at him. Upon going outside, the coolness of the breeze sent chills down Lucas's back. The yard was half the size of a football field, and instead of trees and flowers, there was a man-made stadium that humans used to battle pokemon in.
"Where's Shay at?" Ash asked.
"She's on her way." Lucas assured him coolly. And sure enough, in about two minutes, she was running over to them. Ash smiled lightly, and there was something about him that suggested that he didn't do it very often.
"Alright, now that you're both here, I want you to have these." He reached in his pocket, and pulled out two poke balls. Latios and Shay shared sudden looks of dread, but took them anyway. "I contacted Professor Oak, and he sent over a couple of pokemon that were still at his lab." His expression was hard to pin, but there was a feeling of both happiness and sadness mixing painfully inside him.
"A-are these pokemon?" Latios breathed. It wasn't exactly a crime for a pokemon in human form to use another pokemon, but it wasn't usually done. This type of thing had never come up in the rules and laws he learned while taking on the position of a clan leader. After all, what pokemon would need to rely on another pokemon to defend themselves? Ash nodded.
"They're old friends of mine," he answered fondly. "They've helped me out of a few tough spots, and now they'll help you too." Pikachu just gaped at Ash, undoubtedly more surprised by this action then Shay or Latios could be.
"But, I don't need a pokemon!" Latios protested. Ash frowned, and his aura vanished. Litteraly. Neither Lucas nor Shay couldn't grasp even the faintest of his emotions.
"You may be a pokemon," Ash said, moving closer to him so that Ash was looking down at him. "but you can't let Team Rocket know that, now can you?" His tone had hardly any feeling in it, and his face didn't betray an inkling of feeling. The only hint was in those deep, dark eyes that held the faintest hint of desperation. "You know, just as well as I do, that you have to keep your real identity a secret." He moved his face real close to Lucas's ear. "Or do you want to become their next victim?" Ash's hot breath sent goosebumps down Lucas's neck, and the harsh, cold tone he used only made it worse. When Latios didn't reply, Ash stepped back and turned away.
"You really know a lot about them, don't you?" Shay spoke, managing to keep the excitement out of her tone.
"And I wish everyday that I didn't." His aura reappeared, and bits of remorse and regret made themselves known. "Spend the rest of today getting to know your pokemon." he instructed, still facing the mansion. "When we start travelling, I plan on teaching you how to train them."
"But what if they-"
"They'll listen to you. I guarantee it." And with that, he walked off, with a confused and sorrowful Pikachu walking behind him.
"This is insane!" Shay shouted, as soon as Ash and Pikachu were gone. "We can't be expected to-" She never finished her sentence because Latios summoned out the pokemon he would be taking care of. She stared in awe as the large, dragon-like pokemon let out a loud growl.
"Which one of you are Latios?" it demanded, before releasing a breath of flame in to the sky.
"I am." Lucas answered. "And you are?" The beast chuckled.
"I am Charizard!" he roared, causing Shay to squeak in fear. It didn't surprise Latios, really. Shay is, after all, a grass type. Charizard is both a flying and fire type- she'd be toast if he decided to attack her. "So you're one of those 'Legendaries', and yet you need me to protect you?" Latios nodded, and it laughed.
"Just until my sister is free!" he insisted, miffed at being made fun of. "We just have to face Team Rocket, and-"
"Team Rocket?" he interrupted, his tone angry and dark. "So that is why Ash told us to protect you two?" There was a bubbling, festering rage that hadn't been there before. For whatever reason, mentioning the criminal organization had provoked something within the Flame Pokemon.
"Us?" Shay mumbled timidly. Charizard shifted his gaze toward the poke ball. With a look of comprehension, Shay summoned her pokemon as well. Unlike Charizard, it bore the resemblance of a small, long-necked dinosaur with yellow skin. She had a necklace of leaves around her neck, and a leaf on top of her head, too.
"Ash?" she cried excitedly. "Where's Ash?"
"He's not here, Bayleaf." Charizard said, in an exasperated tone. "Ash told us that we're going to be working for someone else remember?"
"Oh yeah," she muttered in disappointment. Charizard rolled his eyes. "you must be...uh what was it? Say? Sally? Sue?"
"It's SHAY!" the dragon boomed impatiently. "Damn, you grass pokemon are all alike!" Both Shay and Bayleaf glared at Charizard.
"Oh yeah?" the dinosaur challanged. "And how about you fire types? You're all just hot-heads!"
Both Shay and Latios sighed. This was going to be a long day...a very long day indeed.
In Ash's Room...
Ash watched Shay and Latios start to get to know their pokemon. It was amazing how quickly they bonded with their respective trainers. Latios and Charizard seemed to already have an understanding, and Bayleaf took to Shay pretty well; Latios must have started translating what they were saying to Shay, because the four of them were talking to each other. This shouldn't be a problem. Whatever it took to stop Team Rocket, right? And yet, he hadn't been expecting this when he talked to Professor Oak a couple days ago...
~Flashback~
After leaving their apartment, Ash and Pikachu visited the Pokemon Center. He innocently sat at his computer and logged on to his yahoo account. There were several emails, but the one that got his attention was the one from pokefreak (at) yahoo . com It read:
Ash,
Glad To hear from you! I am doing fine, as always! Guess what? Professor Hastings is going to have his new rangers use the improved catcher system I made! Pretty cool, huh?
Things in Kanto are the same as when you left. Pallet is back to normal, and Team Rocket has yet to make a serious move here. How about you? How is that tournament going?
And yes, I managed to find those blueprints you requested. I won't ask why you need them, only that you don't do anything foolish. Sorry about sending them to you so late, but I have
been busy on a new project. With any luck, it will be complete by next year! Good luck and stay safe!
Bill
P.S.: I'm going to be in Velblue for some valuable research in about three weeks. Think you can come?
Ash clicked on the attached file, and, sure enough, they were the exact blueprints he asked for. With a small grin, he printed them and sent a reply back to Bill.
Bill,
Glad to hear that you are well. Congrats man, if anyone deserves it, you do! It's good to know that things are okay. As for me, well, I was attacked by a member of Team Rocket during
the tournament, and now it's cancelled. Eh, I've got more important things to do. Good luck with your project, and thanks for the blueprints! You're a real life saver!
Ash
P.S.: Yes, I should be there, if all things go well. Hope to see you soon!
Satisfied with his response, Ash clicked send and closed out of yahoo and dialed Professor Oak's number. It rang twice before he picked up. Almost imediately, he appeared on screen.
"Ash!?!?!" he gasped in shock.
"Hello, Professor. It's been a while, eh?" Two years, in fact.
"Yeah, but Bill has kept me up to date." The researcher said, his face grim. Ash shrugged, hiding his discomfort.
"Well, things are tough all around, you know."
"Indeed." There was a pause. "So...not that I'm not happy you called, but now isn't exactly the best time to talk..." His tone and body language suggested that he was even more uncomfortable then Ash.
"Sorry," the raven apologized, somewhat disappointed by Oak's unenthusiastic hello. "but I need you to loan me a few pokemon to protect someone." he added, noting Oak's bewildered expression. "Do you have any to spare?" Oak's expression lit up considerably.
"Actually, I have a couple of your pokemon here." Ash stared at the monitor in disbelief.
"Y-you do? But, I thought-"
"A day after you left, we found Snorlax, Bayleaf and Squirtle hiding in the forest away from town." the professor interrupted, frowning slightly. "Snorlax and Squirtle were already dead, but Bayleaf was found in critical condition," At the mention of his old pokemon, Ash stopped breathing for a moment. He had figured that all of them had been taken by Team Rocket. "and in need of medical attention. She's fine now, though." he added, noticing Ash's pained expression.
"And, the other one?"
"Ah, well believe it or not, Charizard recently arrived here." Once more, Ash was thrown for a loop. Charizard was supposed to be with others of his kind, training to become stronger. Oak's explanation only confirmed his fears. "Chariciffic Valley was attacked by Team Rocket, not even four months ago." Ash struggled to prevent himself from letting out a cry of rage. He wasn't surprised. Not with the way Team Rocket seemed to go after everything he cared about! Undoubtedly, this had been another stab at him, for not surrendering Pikachu. When Ash remained speechless, Oak continued. "Unfortunately, every other Charizard in that area was captured, and the woman who ran that place - Lisa, I think- was found with nasty burn marks on her body." He paused again. "She died before we could get her proper treatment."
"That's Team Rocket for you." Ash dismissed, not really wanting to deal with this newest revelation. It seemed that they were ready to destroy anything even remotely connected to him. But, how had they found out where Charizard was? And did this mean that Butterfree and Pidgeot were unsafe as well? Would they stoop low enough to track down the two remaining members of his first team?
"Want me to send them over?" Oak asked, when it became apparent that neither of them had anything else to say. Ash merely nodded.
"Piika?" Pikachu inquired, looking up at him with sad, concerned eyes. Ash reached down and scratched him behind the ears. In a matter of three minutes, the poke balls arrived. Without even saying goodbye, Oak hung up. This was to be expected, considering the double loss of both Delia and his grandson. The trainer knew that he wouldn't exactly be welcomed by Oak because he was a reminder of that night...and the cause...
"Let's get going, Pikachu." Ash said, bolting out of his seat. He wouldn't go down that road again, not now! When there were others to consider, moping was not an option. Luxuries like self-pity and brooding were not allowed, and anger would only cloud his mind. After years of dealing with Team Rocket, Ash had discovered that calm and controlled was the best way to be. "We better explain the situation to them." he took both of the poke balls in his hand, and smiled softly. In spite of the bad news, at least someone survived.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed, climbing on Ash's shoulder.
~Flashback End~
It was weird, seeing his pokemon work with other "trainers". Part of him was envious: it had taken him a long time to get Charizard to listen to him, and yet, the dragon seemed to be obeying Latios without a problem! Bayleaf was also minding Shay's orders almost perfectly, and Ash was suddenly wishing he hadn't offered them his pokemon. However, times were serious. Shay needed the protection of a pokemon, and Latios had to keep his cover, or Team Rocket would capture him too. It wasn't like he could incorporate them in his team without screwing up the order royally. Each of his pokemon covered each other's weaknesses, some designed for speed, and others, brute strength. Over the time spent traveling, he had taught them various attack and defense formations, just in case. Unfortunately, Bayleafcould not replace Tortera's ground type, and while Charizard was a powerful pokemon, he'd have to replace ether Staraptor or Infernape. Even then, there would be the problem of having two flying or two fire types in his team. The end result would leave uncovered weaknesses. And, after all this time, there was no point in getting a new team. Staraptor, Infernape, Torterra, Mimey, Pikachu and Flotazel had been with him through his darkest moments.
Charizard and Bayleaf were merely the phantoms of more innocent days. And, like all those he cared for back then, their partnership was no more. At least they'd have good trainers this way, and maybe he could convince Bill to take Charizard in once Latias was rescued. The Flame Pokemon would definitely get a good home, three square meals a day, and possibly provide protection for Bill, just in case Team Rocket decided to pay him a little visit...
A knock on the door snapped Ash out of his thoughts.
"Ash, I'm going to the market. Want me to get you anything?" The tone was, undoubtedly, Prima's. Her tone was that fake, overly-syurpy tone used when one wants to suck up to someone.
"No thanks." he said blankly, which caused Prima to storm off in a huff. Pikachu shifted slightly on his lap, still snoring in that adorable fashion of his. Ash looked down at the little fur ball and petted him softly.
"Chuuu." he moaned happily in his sleep. For the first time in a long time, the trainer from Pallet chuckled.
Things will be different this time around! he thought, his mood darkening slightly, as Bayleaf executed a perfect Energy Ball at Charizard. Charizard blew it away with almost little effort, and let out a loud roar or triumph. I'll make dame sure of it!
Later That Night...
Everyone gathered together for what would be their last meal in the mansion, for a while. In celebration of their up-coming journey, Bastion fixed a delicious meal that consisted of roast chicken; garlic-butter mashed potatoes; a wide array of grilled vegetables; a sweet, (yet healthy) marshmallow-fruit salad; and, for dessert, a chocolate cake with coconut sprinkles on top. A little ways away from them, Pikachu and the other pokemon were eating bowls of specially made pokemon food, and sweet, oven-baked poffins. Predictably, Charizard scarfed down almost as much food as Snorlax would have. Koga and Prima regaled Shay with tales of particularly difficult gym and league matches. Sabrina remained silent, but then again, the woman was a huge mystery. Perhaps, like Ash, she just liked to be quiet. Once the meal was finished, the group headed outside to watch the stars once more. Latios and Shay lied on ether side of Ash, with Sabrina beside Shay, and Koga between Prima and Sabrina. The pokemon played a strange game of tag, not too far away. Apparently, Pikachu was "it".
"It sure is lovely out." Shay said placidly.
"Indeed, it is." Koga agreed contentedly. "It's hard to believe that there is so much ugliness in the world, when things can be this...beautiful."
"Not necessarily." Sabrina replied coolly. "The world is a balance of good and evil. Without one, there cannot be the other." she paused, as though pondering something. "No matter how many ugly things torment us, there is beauty to put us at ease. If not for just one moment. You just have to find it."
Latios looked over at Ash, who seemed to be looking for a deeper meaning in the stars. Here he was, stargazing with the infamous Chosen One! Tomorrow, they would be heading on a quest to find Latias. Even though he felt terrible for the way things were, the Eon Pokemon couldn't help but appreciate the nature of his luck. The Chosen One wouldn't fail him, for he had never failed in the past. The way Shaymin did things pissed him off, but, without her influence, Ash would still be a bitter person without a goal to keep him going. Perhaps, in some twisted way, Shay was doing the right thing after all. Cresselia could heal mental scars with her power by suppressing and removing negative memories. Maybe that was what the hedgehog was doing, but with emotions. Only time would tell if this was for better or worst. For now, he simply wanted to enjoy this last, simple night. Latias would be alright, and Shay would quit when they were finished anyway. No harm, no foul.
And yet, something just didn't feel right. Ash had willingly loaned them his pokemon, even though it hurt him to do so. And the way Ash's aura and emotions just vanished from his senses...
"You may be a pokemon, but we can't let Team Rocket know that, can we?" Because he wasn't used to reading other's emotions without the use of his powers, it had taken Latios quite some time to realize the bitterness and frustration that laced his seemingly even tone. "Or, do you want to become their next victim?" He had a gut feeling that the Chosen One wasn't referring to Latias when he spoke; there was an eerie sense of foreboding in those words that sent shivers down Latios's spine. It was as though he had seen something like this before. And, even now, he could still feel Ash's warm breath on the nape of his neck. One thing was for sure:
Things were going to become a lot more complicated around here...
Meanwhile, Somewhere In The Mansion...
"Ly, what news have you?" A shrill, feminine voice demanded.
"Not much." a man spoke coldly. "They never begin their discussions until after I have left, and any bugs that I plant are deemed useless because of the psychic energy Sabrina emits."
"Well, there has to be something! Didn't you think to listen in like a normal person?" she yelled. "We need to know what the boy is up to!"
"Sabrina blocks off any conversations they have as a group. That woman doesn't seem to trust me at all. Not even listening in through the keyhole worked!"
"You're completely useless, Lysander!" she shrieked. "You mean to tell me that you don't know anything about what they are planning?" The man pondered it for a while, and smirked sinisterly.
"I do know one thing..." he whispered, his blue eyes gleaming with nastiness. "The boy, his Pikachu, and the others are planning on leaving here tomorrow morning, at four in the morning. If we act at when they are least expecting it, the boss will finally have what he has been seeking all this time." The girl, on the phone chuckled darkly.
"I didn't know you were so sneaky, Ly!" she hissed, like a content Arbok who just finished off a Pidgy. The man smirked.
"Please, Selsie, address me by my proper name for once!"
A pause.
"Fine," she muttered, as though it really didn't make a difference what he was called. "Bastion, then! Whatever! I'll make some calls to the local members around here, you just make sure that the boy stays put long enough for us to attack!"
"But of course," the butler said, as though amused. "what fun would it be if they got away?" And with that, he hung up on her, and gazed out the window. Enjoy this night, "Master" Ash, for it will be your last...
A/N: I am setting the stage for a rather INTENSE departure....(laughs evily) Please review! If you do, I promise cookies! :)
On another note, yes I know Ash's eyes are brown, but I kinda like black on him better.
Toodles until next time!
;)
~Lady Venamisa~