Chapter 5
"Secret Identity"
"So…now what do we do?" I asked nervously.
"Um…Let's make this simple. We'll just stop them and ask them to hand over all their Pokémon."
That's not gonna work…
See…I knew those Pokémon trainers. Misty, Brock, and Richie. They weren't gonna give in that easily…but I couldn't let Billie know that.
"…We don't have to say our…'motto', do we?"
"Of course!" she replied, "Come on, they're getting close."
"But I don't even know how it goes!" I protested.
She shoved a piece of paper in my hand. "Just read off the script. Now come on! It's time for your first steal!"
She jumped down to the path. I paused and looked at the 'script'.
Boy, does she write fast… I thought, before I followed after her.
"Prepare for trouble!!" she shouted out.
I can't believe I'm doing this…
"Uhh…Make it double," I read.
"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To…unite all peoples…within our…nation?"
That sounds familiar…
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"Huh? This is exactly the same as-!"
She smacked me, and I decided it was best to just play along.
"To extend our reach to the stars above!" I yelled hoarsely.
"Billie!"
"Uhh…Why does this say-?"
*whack*
"Tom!!" I cringed.
"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now, or prepare to fight…"
"Huh? Again?" said Brock.
"But…I've never seen you two before…" said Misty.
I rubbed my head.
They don't recognize me? This must be a good disguise…
"Enough with the small talk!" snapped Billie, "Give us all your Pokémon!"
"Not on your life!" retorted Brock.
"We don't have time for this!" yelled Misty, "Have you guys seen Ash!?"
I blinked.
I have…
Billie growled. "Why…would we care about some half-wit Pokémon kid who was stupid enough to get kidnapped?"
Hey!
I glared at her. She chose to ignore me.
"We just want your Pokémon!"
"Well, you can't have them!" Misty shouted back, "Now get lost!"
Too late for that…
"Uh…Maybe we should try another tactic?" I asked.
"Huh?" Billie asked.
"Um…We would really appreciate it if you would lend us your Pokémon…" I said.
Everyone stared at me.
"…He looks kinda familiar…" said Richie.
Really!? It's about time…
"That'll never work!" said Billie, "You've got to take their Pokémon! They can't just give them to you!"
"You never know…" I said quietly.
"Move it, or lose it!" Misty interrupted, "Just forget about getting our Pokémon! We're in a hurry here!"
They really care about me…Aw…
"Hey!" I brightened, "What if…you give us your Pokémon, and…I'll tell you…a secret!"
"What…kind of a secret…?" Billie asked, giving me a meaningful look.
I just grinned.
"Yeah, what kind?" said Brock.
"Well…I'm sure you want to know…….But first I need a Pokémon!"
"TOM!" Billie strained.
"It…doesn't even have to be yours!" I said happily, "You could just catch a wild one and give it to me! Yeah! That counts as stolen, doesn't it, Billie?"
She was losing her temper, but she tried to control it.
"That's…cheating…" she glowered.
"But…Team Rocket always cheats, doesn't it?"
I guess she couldn't say anything without bursting, because she didn't say anything.
"Richie! Why don't you go catch something and give it to me?"
"Huh? I didn't tell you my name!"
Oops…
"Uh…! I saw you on TV! You're really good! Heh…So is that Ash…guy that you're looking for…"
"That was a terrible cover-up," Billie whispered.
I know that…
"Uh…So whaddaya say?" I asked.
"I say that we don't have time for this," said Misty, "Come on you guys, let's get going."
She pushed past us and continued on her way. Brock and Richie followed after, with a few glances at Billie and me.
"Wait!" I shouted desperately, "Don't you want to know my secret!?"
"Tom!" Billie stressed.
"You'll like it!! It'll help you find-mmf!"
Billie covered my mouth with her hand and started dragging me away.
"Shut up, kid," she whispered.
"Mmm m mmm mmmm!" I protested.
"…Hold it!" called Richie.
Billie stopped, but she didn't take her hand off my mouth.
"……Tell us more about this…secret."
I yanked myself out of Billie's grip and faced the group excitedly.
"I can help you find-OUCH!!" I whirled around. "What was that for!?" I shouted.
"Shut up, you moron!! That's not a secret for them to know!!"
"I…don't care!…I…I need to get some Pokémon so……"
…so that I can get Pikachu back…These guys will help me. I know they will…but first, they have to know who I am…
"This isn't the way to do it," she said, "If you're gonna steal Pokémon, do it right. Fight them for it. You can't make them give them to you."
"I can," I said quietly.
"I don't care."
"…Billie……I know these people…" I whispered so only she could hear.
Her eyes widened. "You mean…?"
I nodded.
"We need to get out of here right away. We can't have them recognizing you," she hissed.
I grabbed her arm. "Billie, I want them to recognize me!" I hissed back.
"You can't do that! The boss won't trust you!…I know you don't want that to happen…" She glared at me distinctly.
She's right…
"…Who says he has to find out?"
She blinked. "…I'm not going to take part in any conspiracies against the boss…Do you know how much trouble we could get into!?"
"How do you think they came up with that motto?" I grinned.
She sighed, but didn't say anything else.
I turned back to my friends.
"Ahem! L…ady and gentlemen! I, the great…Tom Ato…will now…!"
"What?!" Misty exclaimed.
I grinned. "I said, I, the great Tom Ato…!"
"It can't be………Ash!!!?" she asked in disbelief.
Everyone stared at me again.
Perfect.
I paused for dramatic effect and looked at my feet.
"It's about time you figured it out," I muttered, "Now I can take off this stupid wig."
"Wait! Don't do that!" protested Billie.
I ignored her and yanked it off. I tossed it in her direction, and she caught it.
"Whew. What a relief," I sighed.
"Ash…It is you!" Brock said in awe.
"What…What happened?" asked Richie.
"…How dare you worry us all like that!!" shouted Misty, "We thought something really bad had happened to you! But instead, you're running around pretending you're in Team Rocket!"
"……I'm not pretending…"
"What!?" they said in unison, their jaws dropping.
"That's why I need Pokémon. The boss took all of mine, and he won't give them back unless I trade them with some Pokémon that I steal. So far, I haven't stolen any…That's why I'd really appreciate it if you'd help me out."
"I can't believe you!" Billie shouted, "You just gave away our biggest secret!"
"I had to!" I shouted back, "They weren't listening to you!"
"You little-!!"
"Hold it!" Brock said.
We stopped and looked at him.
"Ash…are you serious about this?"
I nodded. "That's why I wasn't at the Pokémon battle yesterday…I got kidnapped."
"By Team Rocket of all people…" muttered Misty.
"It wasn't my fault…They trapped me in super glue!"
"Huh!?"
"Uh…Nevermind…" I blushed.
"So what are you gonna do now?" asked Richie.
"I don't know…I can't quit until I get my Pokémon back…He's not gonna just give 'em back, either. I have to earn them…"
"Gee…Why didn't you tell us this in the first place?" asked Misty.
I glared at Billie.
"What? Don't look at me," she said.
"She didn't want me to," I said, in reply to Misty.
"…Oh," said Misty.
"…Does this mean you're out of the Pokémon League?" asked Richie.
"No!…It just means…It'll be a while until I get back in it…"
"…Ash……I would really like to help you, but I can't just give my Pokémon to Team Rocket!" said Misty.
"I know that…"
"We could just catch new ones, like he said before," suggested Brock.
"Really?" I asked hopefully.
"Hey, it could work!" said Richie, "Let's give it a try!"
I got this warm, fuzzy feeling all over me. "Thanks…You guys are the best…"
"We can't just leave Pikachu with Team Rocket!" said Misty, "Of course we're gonna help you!"
I smiled.
I hope none of us have to stay with Team Rocket…