It felt as though time had stopped to Aiya. She saw, as if from a dream, Vulcan let out a roar and soar towards her. She heard a cry from a great distance away in Core's rough voice. Ryo and Kao let out horrified shouts and Kine's voice echoed in her mind, his words impossible to understand. She wasn't aware that she fell; only that she was caught.
Geoff sank to his knees, holding Aiya in his arms. A look of terror obscured his features as he stared at his sister. "Aiya!" He shouted, desperation in his tone.
Her Pokemon surrounded them, all but Core turning to defend their fallen trainer. Core stood there shaking, his eyes shining and his expression one almost of confusion. 'Ai-Aiya?'
Suddenly Kine leapt forward. Aiya, Geoff, and their Pokemon were surrounded by a deep purple light. Then they were floating, unable to breathe but having no need to. A moment later they were in the middle of a forest clearing, the very one that Aiya had left a few days previously.
"Kine…" Aiya's voice was hoarse and distant. Her eyes were glazed and full of pain. She turned her head from the powerful psychic type to Core. "Core, in my bag, find the two Rocketballs."
Core leapt over to her bag which was lying a few feet away on the ground. Kine had obviously teleported it from where it had been in the car. He searched through it and found two black and white Pokeballs marked with the Rocket R. Once he had them he hurried back over to his trainer and held them out. 'Here, Aiya.'
Aiya smiled weakly and nodded. She turned her head to Kine. "Take them back to their trainers, Kine."
Kine hesitated, his expression one of pain and determination. 'Aiya…I…'
"Please, Kine, there's nothing you can do for me now."
Kine's eyes shone for a moment, then he took the two Pokeballs from Core, concentrated for a moment, and vanished.
Aiya closed her eyes, her breathing slow and ragged. She tried to smile at her brother, but only managed a grimace of pain.
----
The first thing Kine heard when he reappeared was crying. He peered through the trees and saw a boy with messy black hair holding his face in his hands. Two other boys and a girl sat around him looking miserable. The girl was rubbing the boy's back and speaking to him in a low, soft voice.
"I know there's nothing I can say…but…I can at least say I'm sure he's all right. I mean…you know…he's gone missing before and things have always worked out in the end."
"Not like this," the boy sobbed, "now like this. Pikachu…" He could say no more.
Kine couldn't take anymore. He looked at the two Pokeballs, feeling the Pokemon inside. He nodded at the one in his right hand then held his head high and stepped into view. 'Ash Ketchum,' he said in a slow, psychic voice.
All four humans jumped and looked at him. The boy called Ash had tears still running gently down his face. Finally he spoke. "Al...Alakazam…"
'My name is Kine, 'said Kine in the same slow voice, 'and I belong to a Pokemon trainer known as Aiya. I believe you knew her as Cynthia.' He bowed as a look of anger and confusion spread across the four human's faces. 'Do not judge her too harshly.'
"Why are you here?" Ash demanded, jumping to his feet.
In reply, Kine held up the black and white Pokeball. Ash stared at it, his expression turning from anger to apprehension mixed with excitement. The Pokeball opened and in a flash of red light the small yellow form of Pikachu appeared. The little mouse shook its head and looked around. His eyes found his trainer and as one they let out a shout and ran towards each other. Pikachu leapt into Ash's arms and Ash buried his face in Pikachu's fur.
"Pikachu…I thought I'd never see you again," he choked, hugging his friend tightly.
'I thought the same,' said Pikachu, hugging his trainer just as tightly.
Kine smiled and bowed again. When Ash looked up, he was gone.
----
Kine stared at the den hidden in the roots of a large tree. He looked down at the second Rocketball then called out softly, 'Mightyena, come out.'
There was a moment's pause, then the large Mightyena mother that had attacked Aiya earlier emerged. She had a depressed look about her. A small pup clambered out of the den behind her, also with the same depressed look his mother had. 'Yes?' She asked, watching the Alakazam warily.
Kine dropped the second black and white Pokeball on the ground. There was a flash of red light and a small Poochyena pup appeared. It let out a cry as it emerged. The Mightyena stood stunned for a moment, then she darted over and nuzzled the pup. 'It's ok, Echi, it's ok, I'm here.' The pup looked up and licked his mother's nose with his tiny tongue. 'Thank you,' said the Mightyena, raising her head to Kine.
Kine bowed then lifted both empty Rocketballs into the air and destroyed them, severing the tie they held to the Pokemon that had been caught with them.
----
Aiya was only dimly aware of Kine's return. The large psychic type walked over to her and knelt down. 'Aiya?' he said softly.
"Thank you, Kine," she said in a barely audible voice.
"How much pain are you in?" asked Geoff, his voice shaking as he fought to control his grief.
"Not much anymore." She managed to smile up at her brother who tried to smile back.
"Why didn't you stay where you were? If you had…"
"Don't lecture me, brother. I would have done it eventually, as I would have for any of you."
Vulcan let out a growling sob. He was slumped on the ground, his head low and his eyes shining as he stared at his trainer.
Aiya turned her smile on him for a moment then she shuddered. She felt darkness clouding her mind, washing away the pain of her wound and making it hard for her to see. "Geoff," she said quietly, "I'm sorry I won't be able to see you reach the top. I'm sorry I won't be able to help you anymore and I'm sorry I won't be there with you when you take Giovanni's place as leader."
"Don't talk like that, Aiya, you'll be fine. It's just a scratch."
Aiya smiled dimly, her eyes glazing over. "I know it is…thank you, everyone," she looked around at her Pokemon. Core reached out a claw and laid it gently on her shoulder. Vulcan nodded, his ears drooping. Ryo nodded too, the gems on his tail and forehead flickering in a forlorn sort of way. A tear fell from Kao's eye as he inclined his head to his trainer. Kine didn't move but his eyes said everything.
"And thank you, Geoff," she looked at her brother, her eyes shining, "thank you, my cause." She smiled as her eyes closed at last, and her struggles for breath ended.
"'Aiya!'" The shout came from every creature in the clearing. Tears filled Core's eyes as he shook Aiya's shoulder in a vain attempt to rouse her. Two tears forced themselves from Geoff's eyes and he held his sister's body tighter in his arms.
Suddenly Kine pushed Geoff away and took Aiya in his arms. He stared at her, a single tear trickling slowly down his pointed face. 'She is not all gone yet,' he said, his eyes beginning to glow.
"What are you going to do?"
'I'm going to use my power to heal her, but,' he paused, his eyes fixing on Geoff, 'I am also going to use them to make her forget.'
"Forget what?"
'Everything. I will leave the knowledge of her name and a few fragments of her early childhood and basic knowledge, as well as us,' he moved his head to indicate Aiya's Pokemon, 'but nothing more. She does not need the life she had. It has done terrible things to her and I think, deep down, she knows this. She will start a new life and, I hope, a better life.'
Geoff did not speak for a moment. Finally he nodded. "I wish her luck. There are many times I wish I had never pulled her into Team Rocket. It just seemed like the only thing I could do." He bowed his head, guilt on his face. Then he raised his head again and said, "Let her start her new life in Johto. She loves that region more than any other. And it is her home, after all."
Kine nodded, his eyes glowing a deep purple. The color spread slowly over Aiya's body, soaking into her skin, healing her. The bullet appeared, teleported out of the wound. It was destroyed instantly. Then the wound began to close, the blood vanished from her shirt, and she took a long, deep breath. Kine looked up at Geoff and inclined his head. I'Goodbye,'/I he said softly.
"Goodbye," said Geoff, nodding.
Then there was a flash of bright purple light and they were gone.