Chapter 12
"Secrets"
'You did it Ash. I'm so proud of you.'
That's what everyone seemed to be telling me. I mean, it was nice to have all of the compliments, but…that wasn't what I wanted. I really didn't care that I had won that battle. Sure, it was a big accomplishment, but……all I wanted…was my Pokémon. All I could think of was the six…or…seven of them…trapped in their Pokéballs…with……him. I couldn't let them stay like that. I had to get them back……but…I didn't know how…
"Ash! Go to sleep! It's past your bedtime, and you want to be wide awake for your battle tomorrow!"
That was my mom, of course.
"I'm going!" I called back.
I actually had been getting ready for bed. It…just seemed weird without Pikachu…
The phone started ringing. Someone picked it up.
"……Ash! It's for you!" called Professor Oak.
"Huh?" I said.
I stopped what I was doing and ran to get the phone.
"Hello?" I asked.
"Ash…Isn't there a vidphone in the building?"
That voice……Not him!
"…What do you want?" I asked.
"…I want to talk to you over a video phone, at the moment."
I sighed. "Mom! Is there a video phone in here?"
"Yeah!" she answered, "There's one downstairs."
"Hold on a sec," I told him.
Since it was a portable phone, I took it with me, picked up the vidphone, then hung up on the other one.
"Hello," I said again.
The boss stared back at me with his usual unfriendly gaze.
"I saw your match today. I must say, it was quite impressive."
"Uh…Thanks."
"…You do realize that you must win your next one also."
"……Yeah."
"……You won't win with just three Pokémon."
"…Huh?"
"In the final round, each trainer can use six Pokémon each. Yours don't stand a chance by themselves. I'm going to send you three more…I expect……you'll be rather pleased…"
I blinked.
"Say what?"
He showed me the three Pokéballs in his hand.
"You'll be receiving these shortly."
He put them down, and a few seconds later, they were transported here one by one. I picked them up and looked at them.
"…What Pokémon are they?" I asked.
"…Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Pidgeotto," he answered.
I froze. Those Pokémon……I…
"…Are…Are they……mine?" I stammered.
He nodded. "You've earned them."
"Ah……uh……um……"
"Yes?"
"Uhhh…What about Pikachu?" I asked.
"…You already have an electric Pokémon."
That ruined my suddenly joyful mood.
"Oh."
"You had better win the next battle, Ash. All of Team Rocket is counting on you."
I gulped.
"…Failure is not an option."
He hung up.
I stared at the blank screen for a few seconds. "…Bye."
I looked down at my three 'new' Pokémon.
"…Well you guys…I'm really glad to have you back…"
I turned to go back upstairs. My mom was standing on the second step. She looked a little worried.
"Ash? Who was that on the phone?" she asked.
"Huh? Oh…uh…no one."
I don't think she believed me.
"…If it was no one, then how come Professor Oak says he heard someone on the other line?"
"Uh…I mean…it was no one important!"
Bad, Ash. Really bad.
"…Oh……"
"…It's no big deal, Mom," I said, "Just…somebody. That's all."
"…I see……"
…Something fishy's going on here…
"…What's the matter?"
"Huh? Oh……I'm…I guess I'm just worried about you Ash." She sighed. "First, you disappear for two days, then, afterwards, you've been behaving really strangely. You don't have any of your old Pokémon, and there's some other girl following you around……It just seems that a lot of weird things have been happening to you……I'm worried about you, Ash…"
She doesn't know I'm on Team Rocket… I realized.
"Ummm…………"
"………Ash, is there something you're not telling me?"
What do I do now? Should I just say, "Yes, Mom. I'm part of the world's most wanted criminal organization now, Pikachu's being held hostage, and that girl is my partner. Any other questions?"
…No…That wouldn't work.
"…Ash? Honey? Is everything all right?"
"Mom……I'm tired………I…I think I'll go to sleep now……Heh…Big day tomorrow…eh?"
She didn't look away from me, making me really nervous.
"Okay, honey……I understand…"
I laughed nervously, then edged past her, up the stairs, and into the bedroom, where I quickly got ready for bed, and…went to bed…I didn't fall asleep though.
* * *
…Have you ever noticed that girls seem to have an endless supply of advice, and that it always contradicts what other girls are saying…?
"Ash!"
I sat up. Misty closed the door behind her and glared at me.
"Ash, how could you?"
"How could I what?" I asked, honestly confused.
"I can't believe you didn't tell your mom that you're on Team Rocket!"
"But-!"
"But nothing! Doesn't she deserve to know?"
"Uh…"
"Well…You've got some explaining to do tomorrow…I expect you to tell her…Sorry I woke you up…Bye now."
"Uh……Bye?"
…Later that night…
Billie sat up in bed. Everyone else had already fallen sound asleep. She looked over at me.
"…Ash? Ash, are you awake?"
I waited a moment before answering. "…Yeah, why?"
"…I…I just want to tell you…that…you did the right thing."
I turned my head towards her.
"What are you talking about?"
"……About…keeping our secret…It's best if no one finds out until the boss wants them to…It's always best to do what the boss wants…"
I stared at her through the darkness…She really needed to forget about this boss thing.
"……Billie?"
"…Yeah?"
"………Why do you always…insist on doing what the boss says?" I asked.
There was a long moment of silence. I thought for a second that she hadn't heard me.
"…I……I can't do otherwise…" she answered quietly.
Huh?
"What do you mean?"
"………Ash………….You know……You of all people would understand…"
Huh!?
"…Why me?"
"……Because……Because of your situation."
She looked at me, even though I was sure she had just as much trouble seeing me as I did her.
"You have to do what the boss says too…Because if you don't, you'll never see your Pokémon again…"
"Uh-huh…" I said, nodding.
"……I………I listen to him……because………"
I sat up.
"You can tell me."
I thought I heard her muffle a sob.
"…Because………I have no other option………Without Team Rocket………I would just be a nobody……No home. No family………I…I was…jealous…when I saw you…with your mom………I…I'm the only one left in my family………They all……"
I stared for a moment, suddenly seeing her in a new light…regardless of the darkness in the room…
…So that's her secret……I…wonder what made her join Team Rocket?………Maybe its better not to ask…
"…I'm sorry," I said softly.
She shook her head. "Don't be…It's not your fault…You had nothing to do with it……It's…ancient history……"
I frowned. "Billie, you can't tell me whether or not to be sorry. If I want to be sorry, then I'll be sorry, and I want to be sorry. Billie, I'm sorry."
She laughed quietly. "Thanks, Ash…"
I shrugged. "Whatever…"
I think she was smiling.
"…Good night, Ash."
"Night."