Chapter 21
"Home Is Where The Heart Is"
'Ash?…Ash? Where are you, Ash?'
'Misty!?'
I looked around and saw Misty walking towards me, holding Togepi in her arms and calling out for me.
'Ash! Where are you!?'
'I'm right here!' I answered, waving at her so she would see me.
She kept walking towards me, but it didn't seem like she saw or heard me.
'…Misty?' I asked, confused.
Finally, she was right in front of me. She turned her head and jumped when she saw me.
'Oh, sorry. I didn't see you there…Have you seen Ash?'
'Wha…? Misty! I am Ash!!'
She looked at me for a moment longer, then nodded.
'I see…I guess I'll just have to keep looking then. Thanks anyway.'
'Misty!!'
She walked past me and started to walk away, still looking for me.
'Misty, wait!! I am Ash! I'm Ash! I'm right here!! Misty!!! Misty, come back!! I am Ash!! MISTY!!!!'
* * *
Ashura! Wake up! Wake up, Ashura!
I was being shaken, and I didn't like it. I pushed at whatever was shaking me, then opened my eyes. I was staring at ghost.
I screamed as loud as I could, and the…Mew…put its paws over its head.
Aghh! Don't do that, Ashura!! he groaned.
I blinked. I'm Ash!!
Whatever…You were having a nightmare…I could tell, because you were sending out some major distress signals…
I'm not distressed!!
He put his paws over his head again.
Would you stop yelling? I'm getting a headache…
I'm not yelling!!! I yelled.
Urrrgh…I said stop.
I'm not gonna stop! You can't make me stop!!…I'm Ash!
…Yes…You said that already……
Then don't try to stop me!!
I floated up, ready to zip out of there.
Ashura, what is the matter with you!? Sit down!
Quit yelling!!!
Wha-!? Ashura! Stop it! Sit down!
No! I'm not gonna stop! I am going home!…And for the last time, my name is Ash!!
Ashurr…Ash!! You can't leave! That's not your home anymore! You have to stay here!!
His 'voice' was already fading into the distance. I was going home, and there was no way one little Mew was going to stop me.
Misty, please recognize me……
I couldn't understand why Misty wouldn't recognize me…but it felt like that dream was more than just a dream…I couldn't understand it……
I hit my head hard on something that had appeared out of nowhere. I looked up and saw Nekiro in front of me, a pink sphere surrounding him.
Get outta my way!! I screamed at him.
He didn't say anything, but I felt his power surround me…and it was becoming difficult to move.
Stop it!! Stop it! Let go of me!!
…We have to go back, Ashura…… he said.
I'm not gonna let this guy stop me…I have to go back…but not where he wants to go…
I focused hard on my own power. I built it up inside, and then used it to break free of his psychic hold. I didn't waste any more time. I Teleported away. I tried to get to Saffron at least, but something knocked me down before I got halfway there. The next thing I knew, I was being tackled to the ground while I was in the sky.
Let me go already!! I shouted.
I can't do that! he returned.
We were both falling and fast. I tried to pull upwards, but he was pushing down, and gravity was on his side. Before I knew it, the earth greeted me by slamming into me and knocking the breath out of me for a good five seconds.
We have to go back, Nekiro said again.
I'm not going! I spat, You go back if you want, but I'm going home!!
You can't call that a home, Ashura! It's full of humans!
And I'm one of them!!!
I was getting sick and tired of this…
I used my most powerful attack on him and he was blown a few feet away. That was enough for me. I Teleported again.
You can't do this, Ashura.
I could see it! Saffron! The golden city! The city where Richie and Billie and Pikachu and Misty and Brock and Mom and…were! The place I had been longing for!
…Something was holding me back.
I turned around. Nekiro was holding onto my tail with a vengeance.
What are you-!? Let go of that! That's mine!
I can't let you go, Ashura. It would be backing out on my duty, and I can't do that. I said I would take good care of you, and I am going to!
By chasing me like this!?
I wouldn't have to chase you if you wouldn't keep running!
I'm running! I'm going home! I told them I wouldn't leave them, and I'm not going to!
Nekiro's expression changed ever so slightly.
…Ashura, maybe we could work this out…have a little talk…
Okay…Stop calling me Ashura, and stop following me!
That's not what I meant, Ashura…
Hey! I just told you to stop calling me that!
…Ash…Fine…I'll call you Ash. Happy now?
No. Not yet. You still haven't let go of my tail.
He sighed. I can't Ash-……I can't let go, because I can't let you go back to the humans…You're my responsibility…You don't have any idea how shameful it would be to let you put yourself in anymore danger……You won't like that anyway, so stop trying to get yourself into trouble.
I'm not getting into trouble. I'm getting out of it……If you just let me go, then I can prove it…
I can't! I've been trying to tell you, but you just won't listen!!
You're the one who's not listening!! I've been trying to tell you that those guys are my friends! I know I can trust them! I know it!!
Ash…You're young…You can't understand the dangers of-
Alright. That's it.
I grabbed onto the fur and skin around his neck and pinched.
You think I don't know!? You think I can't understand the dangers of going back there? Well let me tell you this. I have been attacked, punched, kicked, fried, kidnapped, served for breakfast, lied to, exiled, electrocuted, brainwashed, frozen, drowned, and even killed! If you think I don't know how dangerous it is…!
You've been killed?
I loosened my grip and backed up.
Well………yeah.
And you still want to go back?
Yes! There was a lot more good stuff than bad…There was Pikachu, and Misty, and Brock, and Mom, and Richie, and Billie, and…and I'm never gonna give up the good stuff, even if it means I have to take the bad with it, okay?…Because I've tried avoiding them…all of them…once…and I didn't like it…at all……so…please……just let me go already.
Uh…… He shook his head. …Look…I'm sorry…but I can't let you convince me otherwise…You can't go back to the humans…
You……! Alright. That's it. If you're not gonna let go, then I'm just gonna have to bring you with me!
What!?
I turned around, then aimed straight for the ground. I didn't pay any attention to Nekiro, or that I might crash into something. If I did crash, at least Nekiro might let go.
I found the building easily. I recognized it from the time Jessie and James had trapped us in there, plus, I could sense Rockets inside. Since I didn't want to go through the front door, I crashed through one of the upper windows, and just as I had hoped, Nekiro finally let go.
…Oww… I groaned.
I picked myself up and moved away from the broken glass. Nekiro did the same, but moved in the other direction.
Do you have any idea what you are doing!? he hissed.
Yeah. I'm finding my friends, and then I'm going home.
"…Is this a two for the price of one deal?"
I whirled around. Of course. It was Giovanni. He was sitting at a table and looking at the two of us…I couldn't understand it, but he seemed different somehow……
"…I knew that you'd come back here first…If you're looking for Philantha and the rest, you're too late. They left for Pallet a long time ago……but before you go, will you please tell me which one of you is my Ashura…?"
What!? I'll never be your Ashura!! I barked.
He gazed at me, then turned around so we couldn't see his face.
"Go home, Ash…They miss you…"
Huh…?
Wh…What did…you……say…?
"I said go home. Your friends, your mother…They miss you…Don't keep them waiting."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I had to make sure it was real. I floated towards him and landed on the table so I could look him eye to eye…I couldn't believe what I saw……Giovanni…the great boss of Team Rocket…the villain of all villains……the man I'd sworn to hate forever………He was crying……
"…What?" he demanded of me.
It didn't have the same impact that it used to…His face was red and wet, and his voice was bitter with sorrow…
"I told you to go home, Ash……Why haven't you left yet?"
This man…This man…He is my father………Is it possible that I've hurt him as much as he's hurt me…?
…Dad…
He looked up at me again…He was so surprised that he'd stopped crying.
I……
I didn't know what I wanted to say next…I didn't love him, or even really like him…How could I after everything that he's done?…But how could I hate him…after seeing him sitting there…crying…for me…telling me to leave him…alone……
I'm……sorry……
He shook his head.
"Stop worrying about me. I told you before, and I'll tell you again. Go home…You don't belong here…with Team Rocket……and I finally understand that………so leave."
Uh………Right………um…Bye…
………Wait!! Nekiro cried.
He dashed up and landed next to me.
Now what? I asked him.
You…can't go……there……You just can't! It's bad enough that I let you come here, but…
"…Excuse me, but who are you?" Giovanni……Dad…asked.
I am a Mew, and that is all that you need to know, human.
Gi-…er…Dad…seemed impressed.
"…You may be a Mew, and I may be a human, but that doesn't give you any right to prevent Ashura from doing what and going where he wants to."
Did I just hear him say that?
"……I told him to go home, and that is where he is going. I can't let you stop him…Mew."
You can't stop me…I have a duty as his designated guardian-
"And I am his father……Right, Ash?"
Uh…Hehheh…That's right……
"So that makes my duty more important than your duty."
But you are only a human!! Nekiro protested.
"You are only a Pokémon. I could capture you if I had a mind to."
What!? he shrieked.
"But I don't really want to. I've had my fair share of trying to control Mews and Mew clones……It has to be the most difficult job in the world…Both of you had better go back to where you came from……"
Yes sir!! I said, saluting.
Wh…What!? Nekiro gasped.
Bye, Neki! I'm goin' home!
I floated up then Teleported myself back to Pallet Town.