Special Note: Ok, look. I know I've been a little slow lately with updating this, but a lot has happened over the past few weeks in my personal life. Anyways, I just needed a little time to let my wounds heal. Even so, this chapter I've decided to go a little easy on action and violence as a way of allowing myself to slowly get back in the swing of things.
Disclaimer: I only own Josh, Steven, Allison, and Harris. Everything else in this fic, excluding websites, is owned by Nintendo.
It's been only an hour since Meowth and Josh were tied up and left in a bare room, but to the two of them, it feels like a lot longer. Josh hasn't said a word and it's starting to get on the cat's nerves
Meowth: Josh.. JOSH!
The boy turns to him with a blank look on his face
Meowth: Look at yourself! You're giving up!
Josh: (coldly) Well, what's the point in trying anymore? We're all screwed.
Meowth: We are not screwed, I keep telling you!
Josh: Face it, Meowth. They won, we lost!
Meowth: They've won if you give up! But if you try and think of a way out of this whole mess, then maybe, just maybe, you can end up the big winner here!
Josh turns away and lets out a strangled breath, but slowly starts to get a little spark back in his face
Meowth: Are you going to let your parent's sacrifices be in vain, or are you going to do them proud and save your rescuer's life?
Josh finally starts to gain some emotion in his tear-streaked face and turns towards Meowth
Josh: Meowth, can I ask something?
Meowth: Sure.
Josh: All those years ago, why DID you help me escape from Sythe, knowing full well you could've been killed too!
Meowth: I helped you because I wanted to help you. Not for money, fame, or glory. I helped you because I didn't think, and still don't think, anyone deserves to be abused and tormented like that. Especially not someone as innocent and kind as you.
Josh gives Meowth a kind smile, one of nothing but sincere and heartfelt gratitude, which Meowth returns.
Josh: You're right, damn it you're right!
Meowth: (a little bit cockily) When am I not?
To their shock, the door is flung open and Jessibelle is standing in the doorway with a moth-eaten blanket
Jessibelle: (flinging the blanket at the two in contempt) Here!
Josh: (catching it with his tied-up hands) What's this for?
Jessibelle: Harris is too tired to finish you off tonight, so consider this your last night alive!
Jessibelle slams the door as Meowth and Josh look on in disgust
Meowth: (sarcastic) Well she's little miss happy, ain't she? How the fuck are we supposed to sleep at a time like this?
Josh: I don't know. (turning away and putting the blanket beside him) Counting pokemon?
Meowth: How the heck would that help?
Josh responds with just a deep sigh
Meowth: What? What?
Josh: (turning back towards Meowth) It's just, I remember how my mom used to sing me to sleep, in fact she did the night before the murders. She was always a great singer.
Meowth: (desperate to try and take his mind off the situation) What kind of songs did she sing?
Josh: Well I don't remember most of them. I only remember the song she sang the night before she and my dad were killed.
Meowth: Sing it to me.
Josh: (incredulous) Now? At a time like this?
Meowth: Come on, at least it'd take our minds off the current predictament. Besides, I could use a good lullaby right now.
Josh: (embarrassed) I can't. I've always been a bad singer.
Meowth: (in a coaxing tone) C'mon.. please?
Josh: Well. (giving in) Oh alright.
As he takes a couple deep breaths, Meowth scoots over to Josh and lays his head on his lap, much to the teen's bewilderment
Josh: Um, Meowth, what are you doing?
Meowth: (cutely) Just getting comfortable.
Josh chuckles then starts to sing softly to the cat-pokemon while calmly, with a little difficulty, putting his hands on Meowth's furry head
Josh: (singing in a soft tone a version of "I'll Try")
Meowth yawns and nestles his head into Josh's lap with a peaceful look on his face as the boy continues his lullaby
Josh: I'll try... to fly..
Josh stops singing and looks down to find Meowth asleep in his lap, snoring quietly with a look of calmness and serenity on his face. Not wanting to wake him, Josh, again with difficulty, picks up the blanket and slowly covers Meowth up, leaving only his head exposed. Then he looks at him sleeping so peacefully and he can't help but smile at how sweet he looks.
Josh: Look at him, even asleep he looks so gentle. (softly sighing) If only this wasn't our last night alive in this world.
A gentle soothing voice: It doesn't have to be..
Josh slowly looks behind him and when he sees who the voice belongs to, he nearly screams
Josh: (seeing who's voice it is) M-mom?
Sure enough, we see the spirit of Allison Taylor just sitting on the floor like it's no big deal and basking in an erethreal light
Allison: That's right, honey..
Josh: (VERY freaked out) Ok, it's offical. I've lost my mind!
Allison: (calmly) Calm down! I'm not here to haunt you. I'm here to tell you that me and your father are so proud of you. You're risking your life to save your friends from that madman and that traitor to the family name, that's very noble of you.
Josh: Well, after all they've done for me, what else could I do, run away?
Allison: Listen, you will escape. I know it!
Josh: But how?
Allison: Trust me, you've got the skill, bravery, and charm to get past anything. You will make it through this in one piece. Good people always do. Trust me..
Josh: If you say so..
Allison: Take care honey. Remember that no matter what happens, your parents love you.
With that, the spirit slowly dissapates until all that's left is a cold chill in the room
Josh: What did she mean by that? The skill, bravery, and.
Suddenly, Josh notices the charm on Meowth's head shine from the light bulb's sparse light and he starts to get an idea
Josh: (curious and hopeful) Charm... I don't suppose..
He rubs the rope binding up his hands against the rough edge of the charm as gently as he can as not to wake up the sleeping pokemon. Slowly, the rope starts to grow frayed, much to his delight
Josh: (rubbing a little harder) Just a little bit more..
Finally the rope falls apart, freeing his hands. With a small cry of victory, he unties the rope around his feet and the ropes binding Meowth's hands and feet too.
Josh: (chuckling slyly and looking skyward) Mom.. always with the cryptic clues..
After carefully laying Meowth down on the floor, Josh stands up and, taking the gun out of his pocket, cocks it once and looks again towards the sky.
Josh: Mom, Dad, I won't let you down again. I promise.
TO BE CONTINUED
Note: At the request of i've removed the lyrics to the song. I feel it takes away from the chapter, but they're the ones who asked me to do so.