Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon. If I did, I'd be rich. But I don't, and I'm not, so please don't sue me Nintendo.

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Grasping the Moon

Chapter 8 – Lost in the Garden

Part 2

As the process of unloading the crates became self-automated, and after Lance had handed over the briefcases of money, the Resistance Leaders decided to retire and discuss the finer points of their strategy. This time, Lance was adamant that Gary should be excluded. The Pallet trainer pressed, mainly to spite that jerk Lance, but Misty talked him out of it. Leaving them inside a dark building, he, Melissa and Eevee looked around for things to do.

"I'm going shopping." Decided Melissa, spying Team Rocket with small stalls strung from their necks selling their wares to Resistance fighters and Celadon locals. "Catch ya around."

Gary waved as she went off, and then looked down to his pokémon for ideas. Eevee made a 'don't look at me' face.

Sighing, the Pallet trainer cast an eye around at the relaxing soldiers and noticed Snap playing card with a Resistance fighter who might have been a Celadon native.

The unidentified fighter saw Gary looking and recognised him. He stood and jogged over, giving Gary a second to figure out who he could be. He was tall and had a slight gut. His dark hair was hung limply over a red headband in a fashion that looked familiar. Gary looked at the soldier's baby-ish face as he approached.

"Gary? Gary Oak?" He said, with a gentle, humble voice. Something about it kicked Gary's memory into action.

"Tracey?" Gary uttered in surprise, shaking his old friend's hand. Tracey Sketchit smiled down at Eevee.

"Hey, do I know you?" He asked the pokémon, scratching it behind the ears. The dog squealed in delight. "Related to your Umbreon?" The pokémon watcher asked Gary.

The Pallet trainer didn't want to explain just yet. "Sorta." Tracey grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him over to where Snap was shuffling cards on a crate and smoking.

"Come on, play with us!"

"You two know each other?" Asked Snap apathetically. Gary noticed he kept his rifle close at hand.

"Yeah, he used to work for my grandfather, Professor Oak." The grandson said, sitting on a rock facing the hippies on the other side of the street, who were regarding the Resistance troops warily.

Tracey laughed nervously. "Yeah, Professor Oak…" he said. Gary didn't notice the way Tracey glanced to the side, but Eevee did and suspected that he was hiding something.

"Game's Blackjack." Snap said, dealing cards. Eevee took position around the crate, hoping to be dealt in. Snap didn't oblige the dog.

Gary looked down on his cards only half-interested, and tossed money into the pot. "I thought you'd have bailed for the Orange Islands." He figured Tracey as a pacifist as well.

Tracey matched the bet. "Well, it sure crossed my mind, but since I knew, y'know, Ash and everyone, I figured I was personally involved."

Considering Gary wouldn't be here at all if it weren't Ash ruling the nation, he couldn't argue with that reasoning. "Fair enough. What's been up? Still drawing?"

They chattered a while, catching up – Gary leaving out the less conversational stories on his part. Eevee piped up to add his opinions, and occasionally to ask to be dealt in, but he was always ignored. After a while, they began to feel some pressure to involve Snap, who was quiet save for the gambling.

"So, 'Snap'." said Gary, flattening some notes on the crate. "What, were your parents drunk?"

The sniper grunted. "My name's Todd." He explained shortly. "Snap's my last name."

"Still a stupid name." Gary commented, smirking. Snap was dead silent.

Sensing that this wasn't endearing the old photographer to them, Tracey turned the direction of the conversation.

"Did I see you coming in with Misty?" Tracey asked, glancing back at the building where Command was discussing matters.

Gary was surprised to learn Tracey had been watching them without his noticing. Perhaps a Pokémon Watcher learnt a few tricks about observing without being observed. "Uh, yeah."

Tracey smiled dryly at him. "Not a girl it's wise to work your magic on." He advised. Gary glared.

"Shut up, it's not like that." He said, looking back at his cards.

Amused, Tracey looked back to the impromptu command base. "I wonder what they're talking about?"

-- --

"That's so hypocritical!" Misty declared, slamming the table. Maps and the figurines marking them went flying. Brock came up to grab her by the shoulders and calm her down but she beat him aside.

Lance sneered. "And how's that?"

"This is exactly the same as my plan!" She screamed. "Except you're the one fighting Ash!"

Brock flinched at the name, and Lance drove his palm onto the table. "No it's not. Your plan was a delusional farce formulated to spare your dear husband the death he so rightly deserves." Lance, the Legend-Stalker, jabbed his thumb into his chest. "My plan is to crush him thoroughly while the rest of the League army is distracted."

"You moron!" Misty cried back, blood pounding in her face as she leant over the table. "That's basically my plan!"

Lance shoved his enraged face closer to hers. "No it's not! Your damned husband is going to sit at the back like the 'trainer' and have all his 'pokémon' – some of the best Gym Leaders in the world – fight us." He hit the table again for emphasis. "That's why Sabrina and I are getting reinforcements from Johto and attacking from behind!"

Her fist shaking, impatient to lash out, Misty snarled down in the Dragon Master's face. "And Magikarp can fly! You're just gunning for Champion again!" She accused, knowing that Ash had left instated a law providing anyone to defeat him in a straight pokémon battle would get his title.

Seeing that they were about to come to blows, Sabrina stepped into their peripheral vision.

"Enough." She said. Seeing her speak decisively was enough to calm the pair down, and they pulled themselves upright. The psychic invisibly relaxed – they didn't know that if they had even attempted to strike out, she would have frozen their bodies solid.

Brock came up by Misty's side. "For what it's worth, Misty, I think it's a dumb plan too."

Misty couldn't help but feel vindicated, even though Brock had previously shot down her plan too. It was also relieving to be out of Lance's personal space again – there was something disturbingly familiar about it. She crossed her arms and raised her chin triumphantly at Lance.

Legend-Stalker grew angrier at this action, and glared at Brock.

"Then I suppose you have a better plan?" He said with disdain, flicking his cape.

"Actually," Brock said, scratching his nose. "I do. I think you're all going about this the wrong way – focusing on fighting Ash in a pokémon battle."

Sabrina weighed the Stone-Baron's words carefully. "Do you mean to fight him directly, hand-to-hand?"

Brock shook his head and hands. "No no, you're all trying to match him at his strengths! We've got to get him in a way he can't possibly defend against."

Misty couldn't catch what he meant, but Lance narrowed his eyes. "You mean the sniper."

Everyone was stunned. Sabrina silently considered the option, Lance growled with open aggression, while Misty gaped at Brock in dumb shock. Did he just suggest killing Ash straight?

"That… that is…" Lance spat, unable to accurately express his disgust in words, but his tone was doing well enough. "How dare you desecrate the memory of the Indigo League with that… suggestion?"

Brock couldn't understand his resistance. "What? It'll work, right?"

Stabbing his gloved finger into Brock's sternum, Lance elaborated. "We're not here to kill the Champion. We're here to restore the League. If we don't do this the Indigo way, then we've betrayed everything."

"But A – the Champion will win 'the League way'!" Brock protested. "That's how he became Champion in the first place!"

The other leader was stubborn, however, and Brock looked across at Misty, who was still in silent shock. He sighed, irritated at his lack of support, before looking to Sabrina, who was still considering the plans.

"Looks like you've got the deciding vote." He said in defeat. "We've all got a plan we want, you pick the one you think is a winner."

A long moment passed as Sabrina regarded each of those present carefully. They thought it probable that she was looking into their minds, investigating their hidden designs, motivations and whatever else she wanted to know. At length she cocked her head slightly, signalling a decision.

"I feel it is unwise to rest our plans on a single figure, particularly ones not directly loyal to the Resistance." She advised, her eyes going to the Dragon Master. "I feel that Legend-Stalker has the plan that employs our strengths to greatest effect with minimum dependence on outsider unreliability."

Misty and Brock looked pained at her words, but Lance puffed up proudly.

"Excellent." He announced, wrapping himself in his cape in kingly fashion. "We'll begin preparations to march on Vermillion in three days time."

Without further words, he turned to leave the room in triumph, which meant that the meeting was over. The others followed him out, though not a single person among them intended to stick with the stated plan.

-- --

Having spent the remainder of the evening discussing candidates to replace Falkner as Viridian Gym-Leader and other boring administrative matters, Blaine was quite happy to leave the dimly lit hall. Sighing contentedly, he stretched his back and muttered about growing old.

Blaine nodded at the scarfed Psychic Master, Will, who walked out of the hall, returned the nod and teleported away. Turned around to wait for his party, Blaine saw Janine poked her head out, looking around for someone with uncharacteristic vulnerability. She didn't see them and strolled out in relief.

She only just came up beside Blaine as Lorelei strode swiftly through them and down the hall. The two lackeys hurried up by her side. The Fire Master glanced back to see the others leaving the meeting, the League Champion and his Pikachu chatting amiably with Erika.

"Question:" Blaine asked, once he was confidently out of earshot. "Why'd we not tell him about his wife?"

"Ketchum is emotional and weak." The Ice Queen answered without looking back. She was in a hurry to get back to their hunt. "He would have done something unadvisable."

"But what about the Elite First and the sorceress?" Janine asked in a subdued tone, still feeling out of her depth with the other two. "Surely they knew that she was with the rebels?"

Lorelei grimaced. "The witch and the monster can't be accurately predicted. Who knows what their intentions are?" The Elite Fourth halted suddenly at a T-junction. Left would take them down to the Fearows that would carry them back to their camp. "Janine, you have a special assignment."

The ninja stood up at attention. "Yes ma'am?"

Lorelei looked down her half-oval spectacles into the girl's face. "You go to Saffron and kill all the witnesses. If word gets to the Champion that his dear wife was there and we failed to mention it, there will be problems. Blaine and I shall head for Celadon."

Janine nodded, but stopped when she heard the last sentence. "But what about Vermillion? Couldn't they have gone there?"

Scoffing, Lorelei spun on her high-heels. "Celadon is a refuge of rebel sympathisers and useless characters – of course they went there."

His hands behind his back and biting his lip, Blaine raised a query. "Question: what is our course of action when we get there?"

She looked at her comrade like he was stupid. "We'll do what should be done to all trash – by doing what you do best, 'Kindler'." There was no smile on her chilled features, but the delight welled up inside Blaine. "We burn it up."

-- --

"Are you trying to burn us to death?!" Gary screamed, stomping out Snap's cigarette. "Don't throw those around!"

The day had worn on, and the blue sky was growing dim. Melissa was done with shopping and sat in on the game, which had changed to poker, unwilling to bet what little she had. The sniper smirked and shuffled the cards. "You're just angry because we're cleaning you out."

Gary glowered. "You idiot, look at this place!" He waved his hands over the vine-drenched streets of Celadon. "This whole town is a damn fire trap!"

Blowing aside Oak's rebuke with a chuckle, Snap dealt the hand and took out another cigarette. Tracey looked nervous, partially at all the shouting, and partially that a trio he had once counted as natural enemies had joined in their game of poker to gamble away their hard-earned cash.

"Oooo, Jesse! I got a lot of clubs!"

"I'll club you, dimwit!" She replied, striking her blue-haired companion over the head as he tried to show her. "Now shut up!" On the other side of him, Persian hummed and dropped his cards to the table.

"I fold and I'm out." The cat said, stretching. "I'm gunna roll in the grass a bit. See you two."

His partners waved and looked back to their cards. Eevee thought the other pokémon was onto something so went to join in. There was a brief period of poker-silence, when Jesse sighed suddenly, leaning back and hiding her cards on stomach.

The others looked at her expectantly. "We had a good haul today, didn't we James?" She said happily, looking at the empty stalls and thinking of the suitcases of money they had stashed away.

James beamed. "Sure did, Jess!" His smile faded when he recognised the sideways look Jesse was giving him.

"I think it's worth a little congratulations kiss," she said temptingly, completely unmindful of the morbidly curious audience. James broke out in a cold sweat.

"Ah, um, Jessica! We're in company!" He said, desperately trying to sound admonishing.

The red-haired girl looked positively shameless, leaning in close with a devilish look in her eyes. James squealed in fear.

Suddenly he slammed his cards on the table. "I fold!" He cried, and then ran off, hands in the air. Jesse watched him run with a naughty smile on her face, not put off in the least. She looked down at her cards and noted she had a queen.

The others watched these events quietly, unable to formulate a suitable comment. Tracey coughed lightly.

"So, you two are a couple now?" He asked hesitantly.

Jesse smiled broadly. "Oh yes, for a while now." She explained running her hand through her hair happily. "Of all the men I've known, he's the one who's always been beside me, through thick and thin."

Snap lit up his cigarette. "Is that right?"

A suddenly conspiratorial look came to the Rocket's face as she leant in and whispered to those at the table. "And on top of that, he's set to inherit kajillions of dollars from his parents." She rubbed her hands together, the thought of even more future riches exciting her. "It's like the perfect match!"

"But…" Melissa began, but was unsure whether to continue.

"He's gay." Snap finished, displaying his disdain for tact.

Jesse suddenly became angry, slamming the crate over which they played the game, causing the pot to shake. "He is not! He's as straight a man as a man can be!" She roared. Nobody was convinced.

"He's picking flowers." Gary noted, watching the Rocket in question pick pansies from the grass around where Persian and Eevee were playing. James had his foot raised in girlish fashion. Jesse went red.

"Okay, so he's a little effeminate. So what?" She huffed, crossing her arms. She froze as James pirouetted passed them, singing in falsetto into an invisible mike. Except for James, it wasn't falsetto.

"I'm a Rocket maaan – Rocket maaaaaan! I'm going to fly away-hey-heeeyy…"

As he spun by, the other poker players stared at Jesse, who was quaking.

"I'll have you know," she said, measuring her tone with amazing control. "That Elton John is a very talented artist…"

They kept staring and after a moment Jesse couldn't take it anymore. She threw down her cards and shot to her feet.

"I don't have to take this!" She screamed. "James! James, let's cuddle!"

Grabbing her partner and dragging him away kicking and screaming, the others couldn't bring themselves to say anything. Persian came up, watching his partners disappear around the back of a building, and sighed.

Tracey looked down at the pokémon and opened his mouth, but no words came out. Persian knew what he was going to say.

"Listen, dat relationship is something dis cat ain't curious about." He said. Then Eevee leapt on his back, causing them to go tumbling. "Whoa, jeez! I dunno if I should be playing wid a dog!"

As the two pokémon play-wrestled away from the crate, Gary looked at his two partners. Tracey shrugged, and Snap pulled the cigarette from his mouth.

"Are we going to play poker?" He asked roughly.

They were about to get back into it, Gary unconcerned that he was losing so bad (he had more money than he could lose in a million poker games), when he was tapped on the shoulder. He looked up to see no one there, and then groaned and looked over the other side, where Misty was smirking down at him.

"Having fun?" He asked.

"Same to you." She replied before hoisting him to his feet. Melissa observed them silently. "Come on, Erika wants to see you."

Letting his cards fall to the table, he looked stunned. Snap and Tracey didn't appear so. "Erika? Like, the Celadon Gym-Leader Erika?"

"Yep, she just got here from Indigo just now." Misty responded, pulling Gary away in a fashion that made Tracey smirk and shake his head. Melissa watched them with a concerned look on her face. "She heard you were around, so she asked after you specifically."

Gary let himself be carried along, but asked his question. "So, is she with the Rebellion too?"

Misty sucked in her lip. "Well, no. She's still in the League, but she's cool. I'll let her explain."

She opened the door to the private meeting room for the Resistance leadership and dragged the Pallet trainer inside. Ignoring the dusty smell, Gary looked around the room and saw the expected – Lance in all his arrogant glory, Sabrina floating near Brock, who was chatting with a small Japanese girl in a green kimono.

The girl, presumably Erika, turned as they entered.

"So, you're Gary Oak?" she asked, able to recognise him from his sixteen-year old visage when he was League Champion. "Why are all of Destiny's favoured handsome as gods?"

This opening flattery shocked Gary for a moment, but he soon smirked wide. "Hey hey, you coming on to me? That why you're dressed up so nice?"

Erika rolled her eyes and turned to face him fully. Gary noticed she still wore the red headband from when he challenged this gym when they were younger "I am Erika of Celadon. I just rushed here from the Plateau after an official meeting."

Lance laughed shortly. "You got here fast." He said, pointless venom in his words. Erika glared at him from the side of her eyes.

"I convinced the Champion to lend me his Noctowl for the trip." She explained before returning her attention back on Oak. "He knows you're here. In Kanto, that is."

Gary shrugged. "Took him long enough."

Sighing deeply, the small Japanese woman looked down at the ground. "I don't suppose I could convince you to talk this over with him?"

Laughter. "I don't suppose you could stop the sun and moon spinning?"

Brock, who had been trying to schmooze with the Gym-Leader, suddenly changed his tune. "Look, there's no diplomatic way out of this. He's a monster, and we're taking the whole mess apart."

Erika shook her head condescendingly while Gary cocked his head, interested in witnessing this exchange.

"You're wrong, he's not a monster." She argued. "He used the League to stop the first wars. He united Kanto again." She drew her dainty hand from her sleeve and gestured over the assembled. "You are the ones perpetuating misery and war by dissenting."

Misty glanced around at the Resistance Leader's reactions. Sabrina floated closer to Lance in case he exploded as he tried to tie down his temper. Brock hummed with displeasure. Gary spoke up.

"No one here's going to chicken out." He said. "So, does that mean you're going to fight us?" A smile played on his lips as he set a hand on his rifle, which was itching for a work out.

The Celadon Gym-Leader looked grim. "No, I'm not." She answered. "I don't want any more death at all. I've made sure that Celadon is a place where all sorts of people can live in peace – even if I find their beliefs objectionable."

Gary had wondered why such a high-class lady led a city full of hippies, not to mention why a loyal League Gym-Leader would allow hostile rebels in her city. However, he failed to see how this would abate violence.

"But either we'll beat the League or they'll figure you out." He argued, eyebrow bent. "This isn't exactly a long-term solution, hey?"

Celadon's Leader bowed her head, and suddenly she looked much smaller than she already was. She folded in on herself, causing Gary to pause. "I know, but what else can I do?" Said Erika, so low that it was like a forced whisper.

Nothing came to Gary's lips in response – he could only look shocked at how vulnerable and contrite the powerful Grass Master had become. He was so fascinated by her weakness that he didn't notice Misty get agitated at him staring at the Japanese woman like that. Brock coughed lightly, breaking the spell.

He came up beside Erika, who looked up at him, regaining her composure suddenly. "Well, thank you Erika for coming to speak to us. Unfortunately, we're kinda set on our course of action." A smile split his face and a strange sheen washed over his slit-eyes. "However, if you'd like to speak about this over dinner, I'd love to…"

Everyone in the room – maybe even Sabrina – groaned, and Misty clocked Brock in the side of the head with one of the figurines from the table. Erika, having set her eyes on the legendary 'Gary Oak' and not in the least inclined to accommodate Brock, decided to leave.

She said her farewells, slipping in another caution to join the League before Kanto was burnt to the ground, and disappeared. Gary watched her leave.

"What a weird woman…" He said, causing Misty to cross her arms angrily.

"She's just a coward." Declared Misty before she grabbed Gary by the sleeve. "Come on, I'm sick of business." She dragged him from the room while the others prepared to head their own ways. "I want to get in some cards before it gets dark."

-- --

After adjourning the meeting, Ash launched immediately into training. May had figured it would be the regular routine, and, having nothing else to do, she decided to sit in.

The Champion, however, seemed to be spurred on by something, pushing himself and his pokémon far harder than normal. They jumped and struck and attacked and all that well into twilght, which left May bored stiff. She surprised herself by casually wondering where the psychic Will was – roving eyes aside, he was at least decent conversation.

Come to think of it, he's not been making any 'attempts' on me recently… She thought, wondering what other distraction could have snared the bored bookworm's mind.

May flanked Ash as he strolled through the palace halls, towelling himself off. Pikachu galloped at his feet, more visibly excited than he had been in a long time. Dressed for practise like he was, he looked ridiculous in the middle of the sculptured art and rich carpets of his own palace.

She couldn't help but glance at his sweaty form as he unconsciously showed it off in a dark workout singlet. He was muscular and handsome, but that wasn't what was so fixating about him.

It was because she couldn't have him.

Spying the wedding ring on his finger made her mad enough to clench her gloved fists. How could he resist? May knew she was as fine a woman as could be found – she ruffled her hair cutely as though to prove it to herself. Ash didn't even notice.

Why isn't he looking?! She asked herself angrily. The Great Kanto Trainer had hardly looked her that way since he learnt about this 'Gary Oak' character. May pouted. He hadn't even entertained their flirty to-and-fro!

At any rate, she could hardly seduce him without his paying attention, so the obvious option was to talk, even if it was shop.

"So, are you going to go out and kill this Gary guy?"

May suddenly existed again now that she mentioned battling, pokémon and war, and Ash looked down at her with a smile.

"Nah." Replied Ash, sipping on a bottle of water before tossing it down for Pikachu to share. May wrinkled her nose –

Eww…

"Gary's too smart." Ash went on, grabbing the towel around his shoulders with both hands and turning the corner. "He's much smarter than me. If I made a move like that he'd turn it around on me like a flash." Grinning widely, he flicked down the towel and hit Pikachu in the rear. "I'll wait it out here."

Pikachu was angry, turning around to strike back. The water was spilled and started to stain the carpet. None of them cared – maids would clean it up.

As the yellow rat leapt at Ash, the Champion caught him in his arms. May quietly watched Ash cuddle his pokémon. "So, you're going to order everyone else around to get him for you?"

"Yeah!" Ash said through a laugh as Pikachu batted playfully at his face. "Together, we can overcome anything!"

Throwing her eyes, May ignored the platitude and said nothing, plotting how to get what she wanted from Ash before the wife returned tomorrow…

That's when they heard the screams. The three of them turned around hearing the sounds of violence and destruction. May and Ash exchanged a look before rushing to meeting the disturbance.

About three steps later the wall at the other end of the hall exploded. Through the gaping hole a giant pokémon stepped into vision. It was like a cross between a crab and a spider, lumbering forward on four legs, shattering the floorboard with every step. The pokémon's hide was steely and rough, and streaked across its solid, boulder-like face was a X-shaped 'moustache', from which beamed a pair of malice-filled and deeply intelligent eyes. A Metagross.

Behind Ash, May went to tie on her bandanna, and Will teleported in from nowhere, a pair of pokéballs in each hand. Ash indicated for them to stop.

Spying its quarry, the Metagross came to a halt. From behind strode its trainer, a tall man dressed like he frequented casinos and won. He twirled his cloud-white hair casually and took a cocky stance in front of his steel tank.

"Ah, there you are." He said in a carefully apathetic voice, checking his knuckles.

May spoke up before Ash could ask who it was. "That's Steven Stone – on-again-off-again Hoenn champ. We met him as kids."

Scratching his chin, the Champion looked thoughtful. "Hm, can't remember him."

Pikachu jumped to the ground. "Chu, pika pika Pika-pi!" It accused the foreigner, pointing a finger.

Stone put his hand in his pocket. "A lot of people in Hoenn paid me a lot of pretty jewels to take you out." He said, apparently unfussed about three powerful trainers lined against him. "The Petalburg Gym-Leader gave me a particularly handsome diamond."

Starting at the mention of her brother, May tapped her fingers together humbly, drawing a glance from Will. "Max? Did he… mention me?"

The Hoenn assassin looked May up and down, and then smiled smoothly. "I think I would have remembered if he mentioned someone lovely like you."

May deflated. "Oh."

"So, Steven Stone," Ash said, sizing up the well-dressed trainer. "What other names do you have?"

The intruder shook his head. "We don't do this epithet nonsense in Hoenn." He responded, the distaste evident on his face. Ash shrugged.

"Well, I love it. Will here's got a tonne of them." Ash pointed over his shoulder at the spectacled psychic. Will pushed up his glasses. "And May's got some great ones, I think. You know what mine are?"

Looking bored, Stone waved a hand in the air. "I'm sure you're about to inform me." He said, leaning on his still Metagross.

Ash began listing them on his fingers. "Well, there's 'The League Champion', and 'The Great Kanto Trainer', but the one I think is most important here is…" He paused for affect. "… 'The Chosen One'."

Steven was under-whelmed, but noted that it was only at this point that Will put away his pokéballs and May replaced her bandanna in her pouch. While his target's companions relaxed, Stone decided to follow this up. "And what does that mean?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm chosen." Ash explained, tapping his chest. "It's fate, it's destiny – it's all that." Grinning his famous grin, Ash widened his hands dramatically. "You can be sure I'm going to turn all the world to Ash."

All this monologue did was confirm to Stone that Ketchum was indeed mad and a world-class threat. He straightened up and prepared to issue orders to his patient Metagross. Pikachu laughed at him.

"Don't try it!" The League Champion advised. "Don't even bother, you can't kill me!"

Steven narrowed his eyes. "You shouldn't underestimate…"

"It doesn't matter how strong you are!" Ash cut in, waving his hands wildly. May and Will remained silent, while Pikachu had his arms crossed defiantly. "Who are you? You're just some random who popped in here. You hardly know me. Do you know how many Legendary Pokémon have chummed up to me? Do you know how often I've had the fate of the world in my hands?" Ash laughed dismissively, to Stone's great annoyance. "You can't stop me, destiny won't allow it. Even if you did kill me, I'd just come back like all the other times."

Stone was becoming distinctly uncomfortable with the direction this was going. "You're saying you've come back from the dead?"

Ketchum waved a hand as though it were nothing. "Yeah, heaps of times." Judging from his associates silence, they agreed with the claim.

"You're insane and you've got to die."

"Oh eventually," Ash remarked, sounding like he looked forward to the idea. "But when it happens, it won't be at the hands of a no-name like you."

Being brought up in a very wealthy situation and given his fame, Stone was unused to be addressed as unimportant. He grit his teeth and pointed at the Champion.

"Metagross, Hammer Arm!"

The giant lurched forward, but Ketchum only shook his head. The floorboards beneath Metagross splintered and erupted, a huge red dragon bursting forth, fire streaming from its great snout. Stone stumbled back in shock as the Charizard grabbed Metagross from underneath and threw the ridiculously heavy pokémon bodily into the wall.

Thrown to the ground, Steven Stone looked up with horror as the Charizard drowned his Metagross in fire.

"Pika chu."

Whirling, Steven saw Pikachu right up in his face, electricity streaming from his cheeks. His eyes were stuck in fright on rat's pudgy yellow face.

"He called you something nasty." Ketchum's voice floated in. "But it's not nice to speak that way of the dead."

Pikachu cut loose and Steven screamed.

-- --

Darkness fell eventually. Gary stuck to his crowd all night, though Team Rocket had disappeared somewhere, apparently in a hurry. No one cared, many having been constantly antagonised by those three in the past, and the party spent the time drinking and laughing. They kicked cans, climbed vines and were avoided by the locals, chatting away all thought of the war and blood all around them.

Tearing up the town eventually found them climbing up onto the roof of what once might have been a Pokémon Centre. Ignoring the anti-League abuse sprayed over the crumbling walls between the leaves, Tracey pulled Melissa up the last leg, while Misty refused Brock or Gary's assistance.

As the others laid down on the concrete to stare up into the night sky, Tracey bent over the ledge to look down at Snap.

"Hey, you coming?" He laughed out, smiling harder when Snap simply gave him the finger. "Fine fine, good night."

Snap wondered off, while Tracey staggered, drunk from fun and perhaps a dash too much alcohol to lie down among the others. Their rib-shaking laughter faded down into a pleasant hum in the chest as they looked at the stars. Scratching Eevee behind the ear, Gary mused the full moon shone like the glare on the pupil of God.

It was quiet for a while as everyone took in the sight of thick jungle-garden encircling the city and the cloudless sky. Tracey suddenly opened his mouth.

"Hey, what do you think the moon's made of?"

Melissa chuckled. "My mum used to say cheese."

There were scattered laughs. Gary decided to show off his scientific knowledge.

"Current studies suggest it's made of rock."

"Is that right?" Misty said while Brock gave a little cheer.

Something about the lunar body had snagged Tracey's mind. "You think we'll ever get there?"

Gary shrugged, causing Eevee to shift. "Sure. Eventually someone'll crop up with the brains and the will to pull it off."

Tracey nodded. "I think the moon's made of dreams."

Brock, Misty and Melissa all snorted in laughter at the cheesy suggestion, while Gary glanced across at Tracey critically. "I hope you're talking metaphorically."

It would be just like an artsy guy like Tracey to say something like that, but before he could elaborate on what he meant, Misty spoke up.

"Hey that reminds me of someone I met over Johto-way." She said. "You remember this Brock? There was a Pidgey named Orville."

Stone-Baron seemed to remember. "Hey, yeah! On that island full of fat Pidgeys."

"Yeah, yeah!" Misty sat up to tell the story properly. "So, this island's full of chubby Pidgeys who can't fly – except this one Pidgey."

"Orville." Interjected Brock.

"Orville. He'd been told these stories as a kid about a Pidgey being able to fly to the moon, so he's set on doing it himself."

Brock waved his arms around in description. "He's trained and trained, always trying to get higher -" he was cut off when Misty kicked him.

"Shut up, this is my story." She said, patting down her hair and getting back into the groove. "So, Orville's been training hard. We got there just as he was about to go for it for real, so we stuck around." She said, calming herself down to tell the story properly. "I thought it was really-" she faltered and cut herself off. "Well, anyway, we cheered him on."

Melissa was listening intently. "Did he do it?" She asked, before realising how foolish she sounded.

Misty ignored the question. "So he takes off, and we're watching from a balloon. He goes up – and keeps going. He goes up, up towards the moon." She said, making a rising motion with her hand. Something was happening to her voice. "He's flying up, higher and higher – he's set on it, he's doesn't care about anything else and just… keeps going up."

The mood of the tale had shifted, Misty's voice growing softer and faraway, while the others all leant in to hear, even Brock who knew the tale.

"We followed as best we could. It got cold – icicles were literally growing on his feathers. We're ten thousand feet in the air or more, and we're watching him go. To the moon."

Misty paused a moment, and no one dared speak.

"He got to the top of the atmosphere – right to the edge. After that you can't breathe." She made a sound almost like a whimper and lowered her head. She continued to speak, but she was whispering. "I mean, he got as far as anyone could. That's pretty damned impressive. But, y'know, he didn't actually get there. To the moon."

Everyone remained quiet for a long while before Tracey rolled.

"What's the moon mean to you?" He asked tenderly, so as not to rupture the feeling that had fallen on them like a hug.

Brock answered first. "True love."

Melissa rubbed her eyes. "Happiness, contentment, security, all that."

"I guess…" Misty started, drawing her knees up to her chin. "Childhood innocence."

The Watcher turned his eyes to Gary, who had been watching all of this himself silently. Eevee had grown strangely alert, standing by his hips and looking at everyone piercingly. Gary wondered if this reminded the dog of Bruno and Mount Moon as much as it did him.

"What about you, Gary?" Tracey asked.

Easy answer; to fight forever with Ash in a never-ending duel, the tides of advantage rolling in and out, pressing and holding in an eternal spinning war for nothing and over nowhere. But he couldn't tell them that. "To win. To be the best." He responded in a thick voice.

Nodding, Tracey turned his attention back to the lunar body in question.

"Everyone says it's something different." He said thoughtfully. "At least, there are a few different answers. We keep giving it names. I wonder what it really is – that thing we want."

Again, no one spoke. No one was willing to, as none of them felt quite like they could say anything profound back to Tracey, who was far more philosophical than the rest of them. Gary couldn't take his eyes off the glowing orb above, Eevee curling up around his head.

"The moon, I guess." Said Melissa, shrugging against the concrete.

Finally, Tracey sat up, chuckling.

"Man, I wish I brought my sketchbook." He said in a fresher tone. "Moments like these are why we stay alive."

-

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Author's notes:

I probably should have used 'Aya' instead of 'Janine' – its too similar to 'Jasmine'.

Strolling through the Internet, I happened on an episode guide about that Orville pidgey – it was so appropriate that I had to put it in.

Originally I had the last two sections swapped around, but I think I like this order better.

I had intended for Pikachu to be female, but I think I've unconsciously made him male. Ah, stuff it.

Giving Lance black hair was a decision I made because I always got the impression it was black from the games. Then I discovered that the anime – as animes are wont – gave him garishly red hair. I thought that was lame. Totally lame.

More action next time. Far more.