Disclaimer: I have spent my long absence in a poker game and have won the rights to Pokemon by barely legal means…I WISH, but nah, I don't own Pokemon…yet...mauhahahahahaha

Well it wasn't AS long of a break as last time. I finished my exams and am actually pretty happy with the results so now its summer! I should be able to update faster now! *claps happily and skips around the room* so yes we are getting towards the climax of this story but just to drag it all out and make you bang your head against the table wanting more we have…

Brock's POV

"There how does that feel?" I asked. I had just used two tent posts and some wrappings to splint Gary's broken arm.

"Like a Taurus ran over it." Gary sighed, "How can you have all of those medicines for Pokemon but nothing for humans?"

"Shockingly enough despite everything that they do Ash doesn't get injured that often. Nothing more then a bump, bruise or the occasional shock from Pikachu." I smirked "Just never needed them before I guess."

"I figured Ashy-boy would be running himself off of the side of cliffs daily." Gary laughed as we began walking down the nearest hallway.

"Nah, he has a few times but someone always catches him."

"Pity."

I knew Gary was joking but it still made me paused for a second. The two boys had patched up their problems years earlier but this new thing with Misty was obviously bringing up past troubles.

"Are you coming?" Gary looked over his shoulder at me and I nodded, jogging for a few feet to catch up.

We walked for a while, mostly in silence but occasionally chatting about Gary's new research or my training to become a Pokemon Doctor. It was easy to see what Misty saw in Gary, he was smart, easy to talk to, determined and fiery. What struck me most though was how much Gary really was like Ash, if Ash was more mature that is. Gary had grown up a lot since I last saw him, he had a career, a life and wasn't nearly as obnoxious. It wasn't such a crazy thing for Misty to fall for Gary after all, when I had first heard about them I admit that I was surprised, confused and part of me thought she must have fallen on her head or something but now it made sense.

"You know what she's going to do in the end right?" I asked suddenly.

Gary didn't need to ask who I was talking about, he sighed and ran his good hand through his hair. "Actually I don't."

"Gary-"

"I know that she loves him okay? I'm not blind but you and Ash don't know everything. It wasn't just a 'hey we're dating' and that's that thing. We were happy. We went on dates, we spent time together, we've kissed, a lot. It did mean something and while I know that she has cared for Ash longer then she has cared for me I also know that Ash isn't always around."

"Neither are you. You travel for your research." I pointed out.

"But that's only for a week or two and I call her almost everyday while I'm gone. Ash is gone for months at a time and he hardly ever calls. We know that he can't always call and aren't angry at him for that but still. You can't have a relationship with someone who's never around can you?" When I didn't answer, Gary continued. "Exactly, that's why no, I don't know who Misty will choose."

"You do have a point…" I nodded thoughtfully.

"We aren't little kids anymore, running through the forest, trying to get the newest and best Pokemon. We're older now and Misty and I are both looking for something more…permanent in our lives. Ash is still on the go all of the time and I don't think he'd stop that for anyone, not even Misty. And I'm not saying that's a bad thing, being a Pokemon master is his dream and honestly, I think he can actually do it. He's not like a lot of the other chumps in the world who are all talk but don't know the difference between a Nidorino and a Nidorina. Ash is good, really good. Better then I ever was."

"I never thought I'd hear you admit that." I smirked.

"Yeah well don't let Ash know I said that." he grumbled.

"Don't worry I don't want his ego to get any bigge-" I stopped suddenly "Did you hear that?" I lowered my voice, whispering now.

"It sounds like people arguing." Gary nodded. We both crouched down and looked around a nearby corner.

It didn't take long to figure out who it was, Jessie, James and Meowth were pretty much unmistakable. The three stood at the end of a hallway arguing about something or other.

"Can you hear them?" Gary asked softly.

I shook my head "No, I can't."

"We should grab them. They probably know something."

"Sounds good." I nodded. Gary reached into his pocket and discreetly called out his Electivire.

"Go around the corner and use Thunder Wave." he commanded and Electivire jumped around the corner. Team Rocket looked up surprised but before they could even think of reaching for their own Pokemon Gary's Electivire had paralyzed them. Gary and I stood up and walked over to the three who laid in a heap on the floor.

"Where's Pikachu?" I asked while Gary returned Electivire to his pokeball.

"Why should we tell you twerp?" Meowth laughed.

"Because we will tie you up and deliver you to Officer Jenny." I shrugged.

"We're not going to say!" Jessie said determinedly.

"Why are you three here?" Gary stepped up "Alone, in the dungeons of this place. You guys captured Pikachu. Shouldn't you be on top of the world by now? Where's your reward? Your riches? You finally did what you had been trying for years to do. Didn't your leader give you a reward? Did he even thank you?" Gary scoffed "I doubt it, he knows that you're no threat to him no matter what you do."

"We are very threatening!" James said offended.

"Then prove it." Gary growled "Tell me where they took Pikachu. Show your boss that you're not just like every other grunt here."

"They took him to the boss's office." Jessie said through gritted teeth. "But he's not doing anything except standing there. He just looked Pikachu over, put him back in a cage in the back of the room and sent us away."

"Its like he's waiting for something." James added.

"What's he waiting for?" I asked.

"Ya think if we knew dat we'd be sitting down here?" Meowth asked.

"Where's the bosses office?"

"You need to be a member of Team Rocket to get in. We'd have to show you ourselves." Jessie said triumphantly "So you're going to have to unparalyze us."

"Should we trust them?" Gary looked to me uncertainly.

I hesitated before nodding "They may be a part of Team Rocket but they've helped us before. I think this time they realize that they're better off with us then with their boss."

"We can hear you!" Meowth snapped "Now unparalyze us!"

I sighed and took a paralyze heal out of my bag "Close your eyes." I instructed and when they did, I sprayed it all over them. It took a minute for it to take effect but soon they were standing up.

"Which way?" Gary asked impatiently.

"Keep your pants on. It's this way." Jessie led us to a staircase hidden behind a tapestry.

"One more thing you might want to know…" James said slowly. "We heard some of the guards upstairs talking about catching two twerps."

"What!" Gary asked "Who was it?"

"It must be Ash and Misty. Dawn was alone, remember? And I doubt that there's anyone else roaming around this place besides the five of us."

"We need to go faster." Gary told Jessie who rolled her eyes and picked up a faster pace.

"We'll be there in a minute." She told us "I'd have your Pokemon ready for a fight."

…...

There's the new chapter! Yay!

Next, we'll find out what's happening with Misty and Ash, the more reviews I get the faster it will come out! So REVIEW!