Secrets Exposed
Part 8 : Reunion, or not?
By Freakachu
Ash and Misty had arrived in Ebony City the same night Lilja had, and booked two hotel rooms. Both Ash and Misty's reaction to Ebony City had been marvelous. The city was so big, and every building was a tall black structure. It looked as if the whole place was made out of ebony. The sight was breathtaking. Streetlights and neon signs reflected off of the smooth dark towers making it seem like they were in a world of mirrors. As Ash dozed off to sleep that night, he wished Lilja had been there with him when he had first entered the city. The darkness was so intense and beautiful. He missed her terribly, but wondered if he didn't deserve the separation by letting Misty kiss him.
"My father?! Who is my father?!" Nyarthashi jumped up instantly, and her eyes scanned the computer screen in front of her. She let out a gasp. The surprise was shocking. Her father was someone she knew, not a stranger as she had thought. "Oh my god, oh my god... if only I had known before!"
Lilja looked at Nyarthashi. "If you had known before, then you wouldn't be here with me now. You wouldn't have saved me, and I would be locked away somewhere, as a test result."
Nyarthashi's eyes turned cold. "NO! No I wouldn't! I'm eternally grateful to you for letting me see the world outside of the lab! Even if I did know who my father was before, that wouldn't have stopped me from being a friend to you!"
"You say that now, but if you had known before, I'm almost sure you would be just like your father, and would not have run away from the lab." Lilja replied softly.
"Damnit! Life is so unfair! Especially mine! I'm not like normal people, I was changed! TO SERVE THE PERSON NONE OTHER THAN MY FATHER, GIOVANNI!" She broke down and wept. "Even if he is my father, I still hate him for what he did to me!"
Her head hung down, and filled with sadness for her best friend, Lilja tried to comfort Nyarthashi. "Maybe we can find out who your mother is."
Nyarthy shook her head. "Not we, me. You have badges to earn, places to go. And a life to live. I'll go straight to TRHQ and find out myself. If I get caught, I don't care. I can defend myself, and if not, then at least I'll have died trying."
"Don't talk like that! I know you'll succeed, and I know you'll be fine! Just remember to find me afterwards and tell me who, because I want to know as much as you, and I want you to be happy."
"Well, okay. I'll come back for you. When I'm sure there's no danger."
Lilja hugged Nyarthy. "Don't leave just yet. Let's spend a while in this city and have some fun. We can go shopping, and you can watch me battle for my badge."
A smile slowly appeared on the young meowth-girls face. "Sure, why not?"
Giovanni walked into the lab section of TRHQ in Viridian. A place he rarely went, because he thought of his workers as if they were below him. Everyone in the lab rushed to one side to keep out of his way. Giovanni was not a good man to displease. Especially in the mood he looked like he was in.
One of the younger scientists was busy reading a file as she walked, and didn't see the towering man about to run over her. Giovanni collided with her, knocking her to the floor. Her eyes widened in surprise, and then to fear.
"I'm really sorry Giovanni, honestly! It was all my fault really!" She apologized frantically as she picked her glasses and papers up, and then stood. Most of the other workers watched in fascination.
"Heh. Phoebe's going to get it now. The boss looks angry." One guy whispered to another.
The other guy shrugged. "Giovanni was mad before he came in. Phoebe just made it worse."
There were more whisperings among the workers.
Giovanni stared long and hard at Phoebe for a minute, then turned his attention to the rest of the group. "I want you all to listen up! Rumors have been going around that the child and her pokemon we were after have gotten away. This is fact, not fiction." He picked up a clay model of the meowth DNA code and crushed it in his hand. "It was Nyarthashi who made her escape possible. I want you to start on another hybrid, but this time, use an older subject. I don't have an eternity to wait." He turned to leave, and then stopped. "And one more thing. Make sure this one is loyal. I don't want any more dangerous creatures running loose and killing an arsenal of my men. Understood?" With that, he left the room and slammed the door behind him so hard the windows rattled.
There was a buzz of excitement in the lab. Another hybrid? The workers began chattering over what pokemon would be best to use.
Phoebe, the woman who Giovanni had knocked down, sunk to the floor once again and began sobbing. Another woman came up to her, and hugged her, while the rest of the workers returned to what they had been doing before.
"It's okay Phoebe."
Phoebe shook her head. "No it isn't. Why must he be so cold now, Mavelle?"
"He was always a cold man. You of all people should know." Mavelle answered softly. "I know you're worrying, but everything will work out."
"Do you mean that?"
Mavelle helped Phoebe off the floor. "I promise it will work out."
Phoebe hugged her. "Thank you, I know you understand."
"Hey, what are sisters for? Lets join the rest of the group now. Somewhere we have to get a subject to make another hybrid."
A week after they had been informed of Giovanni's failure in catching the Freakachu, the four rookie members and the four intermediate members of the Rocket gang were travelling the towns in search of rare pokemon. Cletus had managed to swipe a Venusaur, Centerity, Magneton and a Gyarados. Zeke, a Victreebel (which was better behaved than James's), Araidos, and Jolteon. Vera had stolen an Elekid, Slowking, Nidorino, Annon, Bayleef, Dewgong, and Kingler. Sergio had thieved another Chansey (which he was keeping for himself), a Clefable, Pikachu (that Jessie and James had a fit over), Wigglytuff, and a Growlithe. Butch and Cassidy together had stolen a Dunsparce, Crobat, Hitmonlee, and a Feraligatr. Jessie and James (who had just started to get the hang of this) had gotten an amazing total of two pokemon. A metapod (because it's trainer was giving it away) and a Rapidash (from a farm, which James had fell out of a tree onto the poor thing). They had called Giovanni, and he had immediately ordered them back to the Viridian branch of TRHQ.They were confused as to why, Giovanni didn't elaborate. So they took off back for Viridian.
Lilja sat in the Mauve Town Pokemon Center and looked at the little pocket photo of her and Nyarthashi. It had been Nyarthy's idea to go in the photo booth. She had beat Rhea, the Ebony City gym leader. Rhea was only eleven, but was a tough challenge none the less. Rhea had evil type pokemon, and had almost beat her, but Lilja earned the DevilHorn badge anyway. Now, a month after Nyarthashi had left, and two days after Lilja had arrived in Mauve Town, she was getting ready to challenge Luna, the Mauve Town gym leader. Whenever Lilja felt sad, she gazed at the crazy picture of Nyarthy with her tongue hanging out, and her ears pulled down and herself grinning like mad. Lilja put the silly photo back in her pocket, and started the half hour run to the gym.
Ash too, had defeated Rhea and gotten the badge. Now he was in Mauve Town, and had entered the gym in good spirits. Until he saw the gym leader. She looked so much like Lilja that he thought for a minute that it was her. The only difference was that Luna had violet hair, and Lilja had dark red. Luna was the same age as Lilja would be, and about the same height. Ash blinked.
'It could be her,' He thought, 'She could have dyed her hair.' The resemblance was uncanny. It was either a major coincidence, or it was her.
"Do you challenge me to a match?" Luna asked.
"Yeah, I do!" If it was really Lilja, she didn't' recognize him.
Luna tilted her head to one side innocently. "You're kind of cute. What do you want to bet on the match?"
Ash thought for a minute. He didn't have much money left, and he didn't want to start wagering his pokemon. He shrugged.
"Hmm.. well how about this. If I win, will you go out with me tonight, for supper?" she asked. Misty slightly moved her head back and forth in a 'no' motion. Ash glanced at Misty and blinked, then turned back to Luna.
"Well, okay. If you want." He replied, slowly.
Misty started to turn purple. 'Why does he say yes to every girl asking him out except me?!' That was an exaggeration. Luna was the first girl who had actually asked him out to dinner. And Ash obviously wasn't really interested in anyone, but tried to remain polite. Also, Misty hadn't came right out and asked him. She had hinted, but he didn't seem to get the clue. She knew the only reason he started in the Rainbow League instead of the Indigo League was just so he might meet up with that girl Lilja again.
Lilja was almost to the gym when it started to rain terribly hard. She pulled the hood of her jacket up over her head and ran even faster. Finally she found herself under a balcony roof. The gym's balcony to be exact. Lilja was about to open the door, when it did so itself, and two figures came out. The second one bumped into her.
"I'm sorry!" A boys voice apologized. Lilja couldn't understand why his voice was so familiar. she looked up, but couldn't see a thing with the rain on her face.
"It's okay," She replied blindly, and grasped the door.
"I can't believe you lost. Now you have to go on a date with her." The other person was saying, the female voice fading as Lilja entered the gym, and the other two kids walked away.
"Another challenger? Well it certainly has been a busy day. It doesn't really matter, you're my last match tonight. We better make it a short one." The gym leader called as she saw Lilja enter.
By the end of the three on three battle, it was clear that Lilja had beat Luna's electric Pokémon with her Freakachu, a Sandslash she had caught on the way, and a Dugtrio.
Luna smirked. "Well I guess you won. It doesn't matter anyhow, I'm not upset. I'm going out to dinner with the guy I just beat before you."
Lilja nodded vaguely. The boy who she had ran into? His voice had sounded so familiar, Lilja could have sworn she knew him.
Back at TRHQ labs, the workers had succeeded in finding a worthy subject. One of the younger members of the team, who was only 15. He had seemed excited when they told him about it, but not even halfway through the transformation he had started screaming something horrible. The scientists really had no idea whether or not the process was painful, Nyarthashi hadn't cried out. They boy was probably scared. His name was Draigh, meaning Dragon, and they thought it only appropriate that he should be part of some dragon type pokemon. The lead scientist had chose Dragonite, because it was large and strong.
"When this boy is finished, we'll have a killing machine! Not only is Draigh a feisty one, but he'll be much stronger now. A week of injections should get him tough enough to stop Nyarthashi and trap that girl and her Freakachu!"
"You've done a fine job, but I'm no longer in need of Rockets such as yourself. I'm laying you off."
The group of eight in front of Giovanni's desk gasped.
"Don't need us anymore?" James whined.
Giovanni ignored James and swiveled around in his chair, dismissing them. Cletus wasn't one for manners, so he piped up.
"Boss, just why're ya sendin' us away? We hain't done nothin' wrong as far as I know. We even brought ya all them be-uti-ful pokemon."
The chair swung around again, and Giovanni faced them once more. "We're making another hybrid to bring Nyarthashi back, and to get the girl and her Freakachu. The best Rocket members can do the job of stealing pokemon. Although you did manage to bring in some, I'm not running the risk of keeping on a whole bunch of members for no reason. The less, the better, at this point. So go. Your pay off is deposited in your accounts. Do whatever. Now, I have a lot of things to do. Paperwork, and dismissing other members." He waved them away, and they shuffled out of his office, and out of the building.
"We are..." Jessie started.
"Out of work." James finished, stammering. "It's bad enough that Meowth had left, now we don't even belong to Team Rocket anymore!" He clutched at Jessie, where they sat bawling.
"I be guessin' we're just normal everyday folks now, eh?" Zeke replied.
Vera and Sergio just stood there and blinked. The initial shock had rendered both them and Cletus practically comatose.
"Well, I'm going shopping." snorted Cassidy. "The boss did say that our payoff is in the bank."
"Shopping?!" Butch jumped back. "At a time like this? And anyway, don't you already have a million pairs of shoes and handbags? Not to mention clothes an-" He was cut off in mid sentence by Zeke, who clamped a hand over Butch's mouth.
"Ya keep him quiet! Can't stan' ta hear his voice!" hollered Zeke, to Cassidy.
Vera shrugged. If this was going to turn into a group shopping expedition, she was all for it.
Poking at his dinner with his fork, Ash started down at his plate. It was still raining horrible, and as much as he wanted to call Luna and cancel the date, he somehow couldn't. He wanted to tell her that he loved someone else, but hadn't been able to bring himself to say it. It was probably just a casual dinner anyway. Luna was nice to him, but her character was so radically different than Lilja's, or even Misty's for that matter. She was so confident and smooth talking, it seemed she could walk right into a large corporation and be able to persuade the boss into handing the company over to her. She wasn't exactly a seductress, but she had the same quality needed to be one.
Most of the meal had been silent, except for a few occasional words. Luna didn't look uncomfortable from the quiet at all, but finally she spoke up.
"Are you alright? You've hardly said two words the whole time. Let me guess, you have an old flame."
Ash looked up at her. "Old flame?"
Luna nodded, spearing a lettuce leaf with her fork. "Yeah, you know, an old girlfriend. Or even a steady one."
"Well, not exactly but-"
"Aha! I thought it might be something like that! The orange haired girl that was with you, right?"
Shaking his head, Ash was about to speak again, but was once more interrupted by Luna.
"Can you tell me what happened? I'll understand if it's none of my business." She pushed.
"No, it's alright. I'll tell you if you want. When I was competing for badges for the Indigo Pokemon League, I went to Cinnabar Island to get my Volcano Badge. While I was there, I met a girl who was a couple months younger than me. She came with me, Misty and our friend Brock so she could watch me in the Indigo Pokemon League. We had become close friends."
Luna sat, her eyes fixed on his face. "Go on,"
Hunger. Lilja was hungry, and thought about nothing at that moment but a plate of hot food. The small restaurant across the street looked warm and inviting. It would be a great change from this driving cold rain, chilling her to the bone. It rained a lot in the spring. She crossed the street, cars stopping, and sending sprays of water around them, and walked over to the cozy looking restaurant.
"We were on our way back to my home in Pallet Town from a friends house. It had become clear that Misty and her didn't get along to well. I couldn't figure out why, but Brock said that they were probably in competition somehow. One night the two were arguing and she ended up going over the side of a cliff."
"Oh, I'm sorry. She died before you could tell her how you felt?"
Ash shook his head again. "No, it wasn't that. She's still alive. Somewhere."
"Somewhere?" Luna asked.
"Yeah. I jumped after her, and almost killed myself, along with her. But we made it back. She told me she loved me, and I almost cried because I didn't think so. Afterwards, Brock had helped us back to where we set up camp. After Brock went to sleep that night, Misty tried to warm up to me, and kissed me."
"Really? Wow."
"It wasn't wow. Lilja seen her do it, and after we were all asleep, she disappeared. She didn't leave a note, or if she did, it blew away. I never did compete in the Indigo League. I came over to the Rainbow League to look for her because thats where her uncle said she had gone. You look a lot like her. The first time I saw you, I thought you were her."
Walking up to the window of the restaurant, Lilja peered it. The longer she stood outside, the more inviting it looked. Everyone in there seemed to be having a great time, and the food looked delicious. She caught a glimpse of familiar purple hair and recognized Luna's face. She was with a boy who was back to her. Luna seemed to be silent, whereas the boy looked to be talking, moving his hands every now and then.
Luna suddenly perked up. "Did you say Lilja?"
Ash blinked. "Yeah, why?"
"You know, it might be coincidence, or plain luck, but there was a girl who I battled not even five minutes after you. Her name was Lilja."
His eyes widened. "What did she look like?"
Luna seemed to be in thought for a second. "Well, she was about as tall as me. And she had long hair. Hey, that girl standing in the window there, that's her!"
Ash turned around and looked in the direction Luna was pointing. Standing outside in the downpour was the girl he had been searching for, and had been for over a year.
When the boy had turned to look in her direction, Lilja knew at once who it was. He was Ash, the person she had been hoping to run into! But what was this? He was having a romantic dinner with the gym leader? She felt as if someone had tied a huge bag of sand to her and made her drag it here from home. She blinked back tears.
'He doesn't just like Misty then. She's nowhere to be seen. Fine then, Ash, have fun with your harem!'
He jumped up and ran towards the door, opening it and stepping outside. Lilja turned and ran, down the street, and into the wet darkness. But not before Ash seen the expression on her face. It was a mixture of surprise, and hurt. But mostly hurt. He called her name and ran after her. Running for a few blocks, he finally collapsed onto his knees in the rain. It was no good, she was gone.
'What does she think of me now?' He thought, 'She left because she probably thought I'd rather have Misty than her, and now I'm having dinner with someone else. To her, I'm probably just some guy like Brock who goes after every girl in sight!' He made his way back to the restaraunt, where Luna was standing outside underneath a lemon yellow umbrella with black lightning bolts on it.
"Hey, I paid." She said softly. "So don't worry about anything. I was wrong to go after you, and I admit that's what I was doing. Why did she run?"
Ash slowly shook his head. "She hates me now, I bet."
Luna put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure she doesn't hate you, Ash. But remember, there's still that other girl. Misty. She's probably waiting for you back at the pokemon center."
"But she's just my friend. There's no romantic anything between us."
She shrugged. "I'll I can say is, go after Lilja. Good luck in finding her. But if it for some reason doesn't work out, then take Misty. I can tell she likes you a lot."
"No..." Ash choked out, his voice raspy from calling Lilja's name. "I don't love Misty."
Luna nodded. "I know. Well, I better get back. It was a nice dinner, and nice meeting you." She smiled slightly as she too disappeared into the night.
As slow as possible, Ash started back to the Pokemon Center where Misty probably was waiting for him.