Chapter 15
"One Of Their Own"
I stood in the spotlight with three other trainers as Mr. Goodshow read off the names of the top trainers in this years Pokémon League. Normally, I would've liked all the attention, but right then, I just wanted to go home and be alone…No more Pokémon League…No more training…No more Team Rocket…No more smiles…No more…None of…this…
"Ash Ketchum!"
I squinted as the light on me got brighter. I waved half-heartedly at the cheering crowds.
Just let me go home…with Pikachu…
Mr. Goodshow started giving a short description of my battles, just like he did for the other winners, but then he did something a lot different. Mr. Goodshow walked up to me and put the microphone in front of me.
"Ash," he said, "When you disappeared, we were all worried sick. Could you put our minds at rest and tell the world what happened to you for those two long days?"
I completely blanked out. I couldn't tell them the truth, but I couldn't lie about it…
I need an out, I need an out…
I scanned the crowd for my friends. I found them pretty quickly. They didn't look too happy about this either. Billie stood up and tried to say something, but Misty and Brock pulled her down.
I wonder what she was going to do…?
"…Well Ash?" asked Mr. Goodshow.
I yelped. I guess I was more nervous than I thought.
"Uhhmm…" I started, "Well…uhh……It's uhh……It's…kinda……umm……"
Think, Ash!!
"…Yes?"
"Uhhm…"
I felt tiny beads of sweat running down my neck.
…Maybe tell him the truth? No…Maybe………uh…Make up some excuse……or…lie…or……or……Tell the truth?…Wait! That's it!
"Uh, I, uh…I think you'll have to wait on that…" I said, my voice quavering.
He blinked in surprise.
"Huh?"
"Well, uh…You see…I…um……Now isn't really a good time! Uh…Eh…Maybe……Maybe you'll find out…um………I know! You'll find out…after I beat the Elite Four! Heh heh…"
Pleaseworkpleaseworkpleasework…!
He gave me a kind of confused look, then turned back to the audience. I sighed audibly. That was a great relief.
"Well, folks! I guess we'll just have to wait! Now would all the participants please line up to receive your commerative badges!"
The four of us had already received ours, and we were supposed to just stand there and watch, but I didn't feel too good. After making sure I wasn't the main attraction anymore, I told one of the official guys that I needed to sit down, and he pointed me to the exit.
"Thanks…"
I pushed open the door and let myself into the cool hallway. There was a slight breeze. That was a great relief from the heat of that platform out in the stadium. I walked slowly down the hall. I just needed to get away from it all. I didn't want anyone to come and find me, because then it would be all that pressure again. I needed a place to sit down.
I made my way to the lobby. It was empty, because everybody else was watching the ceremony. I sat down on a bench and sighed.
Pikachu…where are you, buddy? Why can't you be here with me?…Everything would be all right if I knew you were okay…
I covered my face with my hands. I felt like crying, but no tears would come out.
This is all Team Rocket's fault. I wish…I wish I could pay them back somehow for everything they've done to us…but…
…but that'll just make it worse…
…Life is so unfair…
I didn't move from that spot for I don't know how long. I couldn't find the will to get up or go anywhere. I just wanted Pikachu back…
"…There you are!"
I looked up.
Not them again…
"Listen up, twerp," Jessie said spitefully, "We have to get to Viridian City, so stop moping, and let's get moving!"
"This is no time to be feeling sorry for yourself," James added, "Millions would do anything to be in your shoes."
"I'd be more than willing to trade places with them," I said quietly.
"…What was that?" Jessie asked.
"…Nothing," I sighed.
"Come on, kid!" Meowth said, "We don't have all day!…Er, I mean, night!"
"…Ash!"
I turned my head. Mom, Misty, Brock, Richie, Billie, Professor Oak…What were they doing here?
They ran until they were all in the lobby.
"Ash, what happened? Why'd you leave the stadium?" Misty asked.
What can I tell her? That I don't really care about the Pokémon League anymore?…She'd never believe me…
"Ash, are you all right?" Richie asked.
"Ash, you're missing all the excitement," my mom added.
I didn't look at their faces. I didn't care about celebrations. I wanted my Pokémon.
"…What's the matter, Ash?" Billie said.
I stood up, slowly.
"…Nothing's wrong," I lied, "I…I have to get going…"
I looked up. Suddenly, I regretted saying those words. I suddenly wanted to stay. The Indigo League only has a tournament once a year. To miss the celebration now, when I was so close…
I shook those thoughts out of my mind. My Pokémon were waiting for me. I couldn't let them down.
"So…I…I guess I'll…be leaving now…"
"It's about time," James said impatiently.
"Ash, you're not going by yourself!" Misty said.
"Yeah…I'm coming too," Billie said.
Well, that was a given.
"Same here," said Misty.
"Me too," Brock nodded.
"I'll come too," Richie said.
"Well, there's no reason for me to stay here if you're not here, Ash," Mom said slowly.
"That goes for me, too," said Prof. Oak.
"Eh…Okay," I shrugged.
There was no point in trying to convince them otherwise. They would just come anyway.
"So…Who's riding in our truck?" James asked.
* * *
"They…can't exactly come with us…can they?" I said to Billie after we had arrived in Viridian.
"No. They can't," she replied.
I sighed. "Sorry guys. Team Rocket only, from here on," I said bitterly.
I didn't like the fact that that included me.
We separated. Mom and Professor Oak had already gone ahead to Pallet Town. The rest of the non-Rockets headed to the Pokémon Center, and then we went to the Team Rocket HQ.
"Ash, you'd better see the boss right away…" Jessie said.
I was a little surprised that she actually called me by my name, but I just gave her a strange look instead of actually saying anything.
"…Well, we'll see you twerps later…"
They turned down a side hall and left Billie and me alone.
It was quiet as we walked down the hall. I guess neither of us had the guts to say anything…
Before I knew it, we had reached the boss's office door. We stopped in front of it and just stood there.
"…Do you think he wants to see just you…or me too?"
"I dunno," I replied.
She shifted uneasily. "Well…I guess we'll just have to find out, huh?"
"Guess so."
Since she wasn't doing anything, I knocked on the door.
"…Who is it?"
"Uh…" I glanced at Billie.
"Billie and Ash," she sighed.
"Ash?……Could I see you privately, please?"
"Sure…"
Billie stepped back shyly. "It's all yours…Good luck, Ash."
"Yeah. I'm gonna need it."
She turned and shuffled quickly down the hall. I opened the door and let myself in. As expected, there was the boss…waiting for me.
"…You did good, Ash," he said.
Good? I did 'good'?! That's the best compliment he could come up with!?
"Uh…Thanks…"
"……I suppose you want your Pokémon now…" he said slowly.
Do I ever!
"Yeah…"
He glared at me with his normal expression of contempt, but I saw the corner of his mouth lift, just a little…It was disturbing.
"You can have them."
What?
I stared at him.
"…Really?" I managed to say.
He nodded slightly.
"Yes. You've earned them, Ash. You may take them back……Well…all except one…but I'm sure you wouldn't want it anyway…"
"Which one!?" I demanded, "Not Pikachu. I have to have Pikachu back!"
He looked disgusted. "You can have that furball. I'm talking about Charizard."
…Charizard?
"Charizard is a Pokémon with great potential. I don't see why you didn't train it properly…I guess you just couldn't handle it…"
That's easy for you to say…
"Well, it doesn't matter now. I'll train Charizard from now on, and you'll be free to use whichever Pokémon you choose…Of course…the ones that you're not using will have to stay with me…I would hate to see you transfer them back to that muddle-head, Professor Oak…"
"Professor Oak is a muddle-head?"
I didn't even know what a muddle-head was.
He seemed frustrated. "That's not important. I want you to choose the six Pokémon that you want to train, and get started. It won't be easy to take on the Elite Four, and I want you to be prepared…I take it you'll want Pikachu…What else?"
I suddenly remembered the sixth Pokéball that Taper had tried to give me.
"What else…do you have?"
"You should know…Kingler and Muk."
"Kingler!? How did you get Kingler? I didn't have it with me when I came here!"
"…I have my ways…"
Oh…He must have had one of his…team members…steal it…
"Well…I know I want Pikachu!"
…but I don't want to leave anyone else with him either…
"…Is that all?"
Who else should I take…? But for every one that I take, I'll have to give him one…I don't want to do that…
"…How about if I get the Sandslash, and you'll get the Pikachu?" he suggested.
Give him Sandslash…? But then I'll get Pikachu…
"Okay……What about Pidgeotto?"
"What about Pidgeotto?" he asked.
"Pidgeotto got hurt pretty bad in the last battle…It needs to get healed as soon as possible…"
"I'll take it."
"…Will you be able to heal it?"
"Yes."
"Okay…"
"…So who else do you want in return?"
"Um…"
Kingler, Muk, or Sandslash…
"I know. Instead of trading your Sandslash for Pikachu, why don't you go ahead and keep your Sandslash and just trade Pidgeotto instead?"
"That would work…"
"…Are we done here?"
"……Yeah…"
Sorry, everyone…
He stood up and walked around his desk. He held out his hand.
"Give me Pidgeotto, and I'll give you Pikachu."
"Okay…"
I took Pidgeotto's Pokéball from my belt and gave it to him.
"…You promise you'll take care of it?"
I knew I couldn't take his word, but I still needed some sort of comfort that Pidgeotto would be all right.
"…Trust me, boy. I would never hurt one of my own…"
He turned around and entered the locked off room full of Pokéballs. Pikachu, Kingler, and Muk were in there somewhere, and I was getting one of them back…
He returned in a few minutes and handed me a Pokéball with a small lightning bolt on it.
"Here's your Pikachu…I want you back here at this time tomorrow to check on your progress…Don't be late."
I gulped. "I won't…"