Team Rocket Neo
A Pokémon Nightmare by
Legal Disclaimer
Pokémon, the Pocket Monsters, their human friends and enemies and all technologies of the Pokémon universe are the legal property of Nintendo Entertainment, Game Freak Software and 4Kids Productions. No violation of any legal property intended. This is a non-profit work for free distribution through the Internet.
Author's Notes
Alright, this one is for you, Rocketboy. I've hit a bit of a writers block with 'Avenger' so I am going to write a little something different. One of the more interesting Alternate Universe ideas I have recently began to encounter involved either Ash or Misty joining Team Rocket and turning bad. You will probably see some stuff you recognise, as I have been inspired by many different works.
In any case, I wanted to write a story where both of them join Team Rocket and what happens. Brock fans, Gary fans and Sensational Sisters fans will hate me for the opening, but I had to come up with a half-way logical reason for them to do this.
This is set a year from Ash's victory in the Johto Division. Misty has just qualified as a League Trainer (as opposed to a Gym Leader), and now they are on the way to Viridian City for this year's Indigo Division championships.
One final note, I don't think this would ever really happen. I also don't think the family relationships between Giovanni, Ash and Jessie are anything like this either. I apologise if I get a little OOC, but this is a world where good and evil has been juxtaposed.
Censor: PG-13 for safety's sake
Ages: Ash is 14; Misty is 14; Jessie is 22; James is 21; Brock is 22; Tracey is 18; Gary is 16; Daisy is 20; Butch is 22; Cassidy is 26; Giovanni is 36; Delilah is 35; Professor Oak is 51
CONTENT WARNING: Ash whumping, Misty whumping, a very negative portrayal of Brock, Professor Oak and Delilah Ketchum plus a lot of POV musing.
Book 1 – Mirror, Mirror
Chapter 1 - Betrayal
Ash tensed as he looked at Gary and Daisy questioningly. He, Misty and Brock had been walking through the forest near Cerulean City when his oldest friend and Misty's oldest sister suddenly walked out of nowhere to face off against them. Something was wrong about this whole situation. Ash's danger sense was screaming in his head.
"What do you want?" he finally asked, trying to keep his tone light.
"You know, Ash," Gary said with a sick grin. "I never really thought you would do it! Winning the Orange League one year and the Johto League the next. Hell, you really are good… or lucky."
Ash shrugged. "A little of both, Gary," he said. "I hear you've been doing quite well back here in Indigo, too." He cocked his head. "But why are you all the way out here? I can't imagine you would go to the trouble to track us down just to tell me this. What do you want?"
"And what do you want, Sis?" Misty asked Daisy in a suspicious tone.
Daisy smirked and moved slightly closer to Gary. "Like, let's just say I've found my own Pallet Town Prince," she said in her airy voice. Misty caught Ash's eye and they exchanged surprised looks. Daisy and Gary? Well, perhaps miracles do happen.
"You see, Ash, I've got a good thing going in the League," Gary said. "Hell, I might even win the Division this year, but that won't happen if I let you in. You are just too good. Even Misty might be better than me from what I've seen."
"Tough," Brock snapped. "They are both qualified and that means that they are both in."
Gary laughed sourly. "That is the problem isn't it?" he agreed. "So I had this wonderful idea. What if neither of you was qualified? It would solve a lot of problems."
Ash looked at Misty in surprise. "What are you talking about, Gary?" Ash blurted in surprise.
"It's quiet simple, handsome," Daisy purred. "Who ever heard of a Pokémon Trainer without Pokémon? That's why you are going to hand them over. Now."
Ash was flabbergasted and then started to laugh. "Do you think we are just going to hand over our Pokémon to you? You're crazy!"
"No," Gary said in a dangerous tone. "I didn't expect you to just hand them over, but I owed you the chance for all the good times we've shared."
There was a long, dangerous pause. "You can't mean that," Misty said.
"He can," Daisy confirmed. "And so do I, baby sister. You have got too big for your boots. I always knew you would come crawling back to the Gym, and after this you will have no other choice. Hand them over. Now!"
Above, in a tree, Pikachu began to crackle with electricity. "No," Ash said simply.
Gary rolled his eyes. "Why do you always insist on doing things the hard way, Ash?" he asked. In a single smooth move, he threw a Pokéball forward. "Go Arcanine!"
"Gyarados, I choose you!" Daisy added. The giant fire-type dog and the even larger water-type serpent materialised with a white flash.
Ash's instincts, honed to a fine edge by years of conflict with Team Rocket, allowed him to react at once. "Pikachu, Lightning Bolt on that Gyarados!"
Misty released Staryu and had him fire a Water Cannon attack at Arcanine. Pikachu's attack connected, but Arcanine was able to dodge. Misty was fast enough to recover. "Shuriken attack, Staryu!"
Gyarados roared in pain as electricity boiled around him. "Ice Beam!" Daisy ordered. Pikachu jumped from the tree branch where he was standing just before the Ice Beam turned it into an ice sculpture. "Body Slam!" Daisy added.
"Agility!" Ash countered. His little yellow friend easily dodged Gyarados' clumsy attack. Even so, the huge water-type had an advantage and Ash knew that.
To the right, Arcanine tagged Staryu with a Flame-thrower attack. "Oh no, Staryu!" Misty shouted, filled with concern for her Pokémon. "Staryu, return! Clefairy, I choose you!"
Clefairy materialised and launched into an immediate Metronome attack, throwing Arcanine back. Simultaneously, Gyarados hit Pikachu with a sweep of his huge tail, throwing the electric mouse back into the bushes. Pikachu didn't return, he had probably fainted; so Ash called out his Pidgeotto. The bird did his best, slashing at Gyarados' side and back with razor wing strikes.
Ash broke out into a sweat. It was just too close to call. He and Misty were the better Trainers, but Gary and Daisy had far more powerful Pokémon at their command. "Brock, we need you!" he shouted.
Brock smiled gently. He was standing there, watching the battle with a strange air of detached interest as if he were watching it on TV or something. "Yes, to tip the balance," Brock said thoughtfully. "Now… which one shall I choose? Ah yes! Go, Onyx!"
Ash grinned slightly. Onyx, Brock's hundred-foot long, ten ton rock snake, was easily his most powerful Pokémon. This would be short and ugly. "Onyx, tail swipe!" Brock ordered. Ash froze for a second when he realised that Brock was pointing at him. Ash and Misty were too stunned even to scream as Onyx's tail slapped them hard across the path. Ash hit a tree head-on and blacked out. Misty tumbled to a stop, feeling bruises, and probably fractures too, all over her ribcage. As she looked on in horror, Onyx grabbed Clefairy in his huge coils and crushed the little psi-type unconscious. "Brock!" she shouted. "What are you doing?"
As she looked on, Gyarados and Arcanine knocked Pidgeotto out of the air. One body slam from the water serpent and it was all over. Misty tried to get up, but she was in too much pain. "Brock," she whispered, crying. "Why?"
"You have to ask that?" Brock snapped. "You two have been dragging me around, laughing at me and generally ruining my life for four years now. Well I've had it with 'Team Twerp,' Misty. Gary and Daisy have made me a better offer. Between them, I'll get to be a top Breeder at last and I won't have to put up with your arguments and your sniggering whenever I can't get a date." Brock's gentle face was twisted with anger and hatred. She could barely recognise him anymore.
"Enough with the accusations," Gary snapped. "We've got a job to do, remember?"
Brock nodded. He walked over to Ash and undid his Pokébelt and pulled it off. "Stop that!" Misty shouted.
Brock didn't listen. He just raised a Pokéball to recall the unconscious Pidgeotto. He pulled out another Pokéball and looked around. "I don't see Pikachu," he said. "We should look for him."
"Hey, forget the rat," Daisy remarked. "After Gyarados worked him over, I don't think he'll be back." She smirked in a cold, hateful way. "I don't think he'll be back ever." Gary laughed evilly and walked over to the woman and kissed her in a remarkably passionate way. Brock laughed hollowly and walked over to Misty.
"Hand over your belt, Misty."
"No!" Misty pulled her legs under her and got ready to fight.
Brock shook his head. "Daisy is right," he remarked. "You really are too stupid to know what is good for you." Brock twisted slightly and delivered a crushing kick to Misty's already battered chest. Misty cried out with pain and fell back. Brock sneered in cruelty. "Hurts doesn't it?" he asked. "Well that is just a taste of the pain you caused me over the years." Suddenly Brock laid into Misty, punching and kicking her again and again until the girl was unconscious. Daisy dragged him off. "Hey! Calm down," she hissed. "We don't want them dead, yet." Brock drew in a deep breath. He spat on Misty's still form.
As Brock began his beating, Ash got to his feet. "Leave her alone, you bastard!" he shouted. Ash charged Brock, but Gary got in the way. He tripped Ash over and then grabbed him by the lapels of his sports jacket and dragged him to his feet.
"This is what you get for trying to be the best when I'm around," Gary snapped. He delivered a crushing punch to the face that sent Ash tumbling to the floor. "And this is for being a champion before me," Gary added, kicking Ash hard in the stomach. Gary paused for a moment, then added several more kicks to face, stomach and chest for good measure.
All Ash could do was lie there and cough blood as Brock unbuckled Misty's Pokébelt and pulled it off her frighteningly still form. Brock nodded firmly. He turned back to his new allies and handed the stolen belts over to Gary, who stuffed them into his pack. "Let's get out of here," Gary said. "They're both finished, one way or another."
"Shouldn't we take Misty?" Brock asked, recalling Onyx. "I thought you said you wanted her to work for you at the Gym again, Daisy."
Daisy smirked sadistically. "I do, Brock dear," she said. "But in the end…" she sighed. "I think that we will avoid a lot of trouble in the future if we just let it end here instead, don't you think?"
"I see your point," Brock said with a slight laugh. He took a moment to spit on Ash's bloodied body before walking away. The three conspirators turned and left the small clearing without one backward glance.
Ash was still semi-conscious. He crawled over to Misty and touched her pale face. Her breathing was shallow and her pulse was uneven and weak. "Misty…" he murmured. Then he allowed the pain to overwhelm him and he sank into the darkness.
***
Jessie, James, Butch, Cassidy and Meowth were walking through the forest. Butch had released his Raticate, who was walking at his side. It had been a rare good day for them. They had just carried out a very successful raid on a Pokémon breeding centre. Several hundred newly-hatched Pokémon were on their way to the Boss. Giovanni was, for once, pleased, and he allowed his five field agents a day's furlough in Cerulean City.
"I still say that powder blue has become the new black," Cassidy insisted. "It goes with virtually everything. All the top designers are using it this season."
Jessie shook her head patronisingly. "My dear Cassidy," she said with a smirk. "Nothing will ever replace black. Blue is just a passing fad. Right James?" she turned to her tall partner for confirmation.
James started at his inclusion. "Black and grey are more adaptable," he declared. "They were saying what they are now saying about blue about green last year."
"What do you know?" Cassidy asked with a pout. "You're just a man."
"He knows a lot more about lingerie that most men," Butch added with an acidic laugh. Cassidy laughed too. James' somewhat… unusual tastes were legend in Team Rocket.
James flamed a bright red. "At least I've got a fashion sense," he snapped. "It's better than you two!"
"Hey, I know about fashion!" Butch protested.
"Then tell me what goes best with green slacks and no helping him out, Cassidy!"
Jessie laughed again. "She won't be much help," she remarked. "I mean, she keeps her hair in pigtails for God's sake."
Cassidy's face burned bright red. She liked her look a lot. Butch told her that it made her look cute and innocent. She liked it when Butch complimented her like that. She liked it a lot.
The argument started to build and Raticate sighed deeply. "Rati-rat-rat-cate-ate-icate!" [For once we win and still they argue!] he said with a disbelieving roll of his eyes.
"Meowth! I tink dat they like it dis way," Meowth said.
Raticate scowled at his Trainer and the other humans, who were now close to blows over what was the universal colour for underwear. [I think humans put too much emphasis on those ridiculous outer coverings. Our hides are good enough for us, why not them?]
"Have you evah seen humans naked?" Meowth asked. Raticate looked up at him and shook his head. No. "Well I have," Meowth continued. "Meowth! I've known evah since why dey wear dat stuff!"
[Not a pretty sight?] Raticate asked in interest
"Impractical," Meowth revealed. "Dere are bits dat tend to wobble around too much."
"Pika-ka-pi! Chu-kachu-pikachu!" called a familiar voice.
Meowth turned and gaped at the sight standing nearby. "Meowth! Hey, it's dat Pikachu!"
The four human Team Rocket agents stopped. It was indeed that Pikachu, the one that they had been trying to capture for years. Now he was standing and gesturing to them wildly. "What does he want, Meowth?" James asked.
"Meowth! He says we gotta follow him!"
"He wants us to follow him?" Butch asked in disbelief. "He's crazy. Raticate, body slam that mouse!"
"Furry attack, Meowth," Jessie shouted. "We can't let them get the credit for this capture!"
Meowth charged, but Pikachu easily dodged the clumsy attack. He then Thunder-shocked poor Raticate, who fell onto his side, his eyes crossed. "Chu-kachu-pikachu!" he called again.
Meowth picked himself up. "He still saying we should follow him," he said. "Meowth! He sounds desperate."
Jessie knelt down and looked at the electric mouse carefully. "He's been through a battle," she said. "He looks kind of weak. What could have happened?"
"Hey, do we care?" Cassidy asked. "If he's looking for help, maybe the twerps are out cold, we could claim all their Pokémon in one go." Besides if someone is in trouble, she added to herself. She shook her head. She was Team Rocket now, and she shouldn't worry about such things.
Jessie, ever the competitive one, took the initiative. "Whatever," she said. "Let's see what the little rat wants."
***
"Oh… my… God…" Butch muttered. Ash and Misty were barely alive. Someone had hit them with a melee attack that had very nearly caved in their ribcages. Then whoever it was had beaten them before stealing their Pokémon.
"Where's Brock?" James asked, looking around. "We've got the Twerp and the Brat, shouldn't he be around?"
"I don't care," Butch said. "Well, there are no Pokémon here except the rat and the girl's Togepi. Should we… uh… try to capture them?" Even Cassidy shot the big man a horrified look. Butch looked down in shame.
"We might be thieves," James said, "but we must have some standards. They are half dead, Butch."
"Yeah…" Butch muttered.
"Dere were fire attacks and watah attacks here," Meowth reported. "An' I see tracks from Brock's Onyx. Uh… I know dis sounds dumb, but it looks like dat Onyx was da one dat knocked dem down."
Jessie was horrified and amazed. "Brock's Onyx?" she shook her head. "That's… disgusting! Why would he do such a thing?"
Butch listened to Meowth's report before saying something. Something that was obvious to someone of his remarkably straight-line mind. "Maybe someone paid him off."
"You will never understand friendship, will you Butch?" Cassidy asked rhetorically. She was examining Misty's and Ash's broken ribs and their numerous other injuries with some concern. "This happened after the attack that knocked them down," she said thoughtfully. "They must have been in agony, but they still fought whoever did this, trying to protect their Pokémon." Cassidy found herself thinking about what would happen if someone were to take away her Drowzee and Sandslash. She would be devastated. They were her closest friends, next to Butch. She shivered. "Jeez, they are going to feel horrible, assuming they live."
Jessie looked at the little Togepi closely. He was in tears as he pleaded with his Trainer to wake up. "I… I can't do it," she finally said, tears prickling at her eyes. "I can't just leave them here to die… we've got to help them."
"Jessie, they're our enemies," Cassidy said gently. "They… oh shit, who am I kidding?"
On an impulse, James leaned down and tried to comfort Togepi. "There, there, little one," he said. "They will be all right."
"You think so?" Butch asked in surprise. All three looked at him again. Butch began to fret. He was no intellectual, and he was starting to get the picture he was missing something. Then it hit him like Cassidy's favourite mallet. "Yeah, we've got to call the medevac blimp," he realised.
Within ten minutes, young Mondo was flying the huge Meowth-shaped airship overhead. "I guess you owe us this time, kid," James said, stroking Ash's black hair with an affection that surprised him.
***
The man known as Giovanni diRocketti looked into Ash Ketchum and Misty Waterflower's faces as he stood in the Headquarters' medical ward. Contradictory and confusing emotions flashed through his mind. Ash and Misty had been a class-1 irritant to him for years now, but he couldn't forget what the boy was… and if the girl was important to him, well that made her important to Giovanni too. "What is the prognosis, doctor?" he grated.
"We have repaired the damage to their bodies," the doctor reported. "Now we can only wait for them to wake up."
Giovanni nodded. He had to get out of here, now. "Tell me the very second one of them regains consciousness, doctor," he ordered and fled the ward.
A few minutes later, he was sitting at his desk. He had shouted at old Mondo until his lieutenant realised he didn't want to talk about Team business right now and had fled the room. Giovanni was doing something that would have shocked any of his agents. He was crying.
In his hand he had a faded photograph. The picture was of two young people, a black-haired man with a cheerful face and an elegant woman with long red hair, both wearing the white uniforms of Team Rocket field agents. Joseph and Miyamoto Ketchum. A little girl with red hair stood in between them. Their daughter, Jessica Musashi. And in Miyamoto's arms was a tiny baby. Their son, Ashton Satoshi. Those two had been his mother's best agents… and his brother and his sister-in-law. John Ketchum, as he really was, leaned forward and wept as an ancient pain raced up to grab him again.
He still remembered the agony when he heard that the rumours of rare Pokémon held at Dr. Samuel Oak's labs in Pallet Town was, in fact, a trap. Joe and Miya had fought like demons and had rendered over thirty Security Police officers unconscious before their last Pokémon was blown into the next life with a rocket launcher. Then, without giving them one chance to surrender, the SPs gunned them down. Giovanni had risked a lot to recover their bodies from the Pallet Town mortuary. His beloved baby brother and his beautiful wife were utterly unrecognisable. Between them, they had been shot more than a hundred times.
He remembered the name of the officer in charge now… Jenny… Jenny something. Oh yes, Jenny Blake. She had received a fat bonus and a big promotion for murdering them. He still remembered with rage her public appearances and TV interviews in which she described her people's heroism against 'overwhelming odds.'
Giovanni was a busy man. As much as he would have liked to have raised the orphans himself, he could not do the job well, he knew that. Jessie and Ash were both placed with foster parents. Jessie was placed with two former Team Rocket field agents, and Ash with Miyamoto's sister, Delilah, who took the surname 'Ketchum' to stop awkward questions about the boy.
Delilah wasn't Team Rocket, so she had no reason to know why Ash's uncle was so very angry when she moved to Pallet Town and started dating one Professor Samuel Oak. The arguments soon led to an ultimatum that Giovanni quickly regretted issuing. It was too late, however, and he had lost contact with his nephew. Over time, the memories grew dim.
Jessie's foster parents turned out to be unequal to the task the Boss gave them. Jessie was traumatised by the loss of her parents and had retreated into a kind of amnesiac denial. She ran away from home when she was just eight years old and disappeared. Then, five years later, she was back in Giovanni's life as a newly-inducted Black Rocket.
As far as he could tell, she had no functioning memory of her real father and mother, and certainly none of him. She had joined under the name 'Jessica Scarlet.' As far as he knew, she genuinely believed that to be her real name. So he let matters rest. She had her chosen life and a young man that she was apparently wild about. If she was happy, then it was the most he could ask for.
Giovanni smiled sadly as he remembered the first time he heard of Ash beginning his Pokémon Journey. At first, he hadn't been sure, but as he read the reports from Jessie and James, he became more and more certain that this was his nephew. At first, he was disappointed that the boy was so insipid as a Trainer, but as time progressed and he grew in his skills, Giovanni no longer had any doubt that this was the son of his brilliant brother.
When they faced each other at the Earth Gym, every last hint of doubt left Giovanni's mind. Ash was Joe's son all right. He had the same lethal tactical brilliance and the same incredible bond with his Pokémon.
It was a strange experience, reading Jessie's comments on her lost and forgotten baby brother's tactics and the way he repeatedly defeated their genuine efforts to capture his Pikachu. Giovanni had been in a quandary. Should he call his agents off? Ash had never met him in his entire conscious existence. As far as Giovanni knew, Delilah had told him nothing about his real parents and had raised him as her own son. Giovanni could not afford to make exceptions for a boy that was only a relation in the most purely biological way. His responsibilities to the Team meant that he had to keep Jessie and James on the case. Later he occasionally assigned Butch and Cassidy too, hoping that rotating the opposition would keep his nephew on his toes. And boy, had he lived up to his uncle's confidence.
Jessie and James, bless them, had somehow begun to understand Giovanni's ambivalence. They stopped really trying to capture Pikachu soon after Ash started voyaging in the Orange Islands. Ash seemed to recognise this and Giovanni could only look on, enthralled, as brother and sister became involved in an elaborate shadow-play of trap and response, strategy and tactics. It was a game of chess and Ash and Jessie played it well. To the outside observer, it seemed real, but Giovanni knew them too well to be fooled.
Then there was James and Misty. Giovanni felt odd, worrying about both his young relations' closest friends, but he still felt responsible for them. Both of them had very passionate and unpredictable relationships, but it was obvious that Jessie adored James and Ash worshipped Misty, even though both were too proud to ever admit it. The feeling was mutual. Giovanni could see it in Jessie and James' body language and he saw it when Misty ran out to embrace and kiss Ash when he won the Johto Division.
A champion of two whole divisions in successive years! Giovanni had been so proud. Then the boy had taken a whole year off and had gathered a menagerie of Pokémon unlike any Giovanni had heard of before. He imagined that his senior staff must have been very surprised when he came to watch the Indigo Division Challenge Cup on the big screen TV in the recreation room last year. They must have been amazed at the way he cheered when Ash won the cup and guaranteed his admission to the League for the next year. Giovanni had put a lot of money on Ash winning the Indigo League. Well, it looked like he had lost that bet.
Now Giovanni put down the picture and looked at his agents' reports. He had to agree with their conclusions. Brock Slate was involved in this horrific attack, somehow. The man was never far from Ash and Misty's side. His absence from the site of the battle and the tracks of his Onyx were all extremely suggestive. Not proof positive, not yet, but that would come in time.
The intercom sounded. Giovanni hit the 'answer' button in annoyance. "This had better be good," he snapped.
"Sir," said Doctor Williker, "Ashton Ketchum has regained consciousness. You said you wanted to know. Sir? Sir, are you there?" Williker didn't know it, but he was talking to an empty room. Giovanni was already running towards the hospital.
Chapter 2 – In the Hands of the Enemy
Ash looked around him. The room could be one from any hospital he had ever been in, and he had been in quite a few over the last four years. Almost at once, however, he noticed one thing was wrong. There were no windows. None at all.
"Mis… ty…" he croaked. His voice was scratchy and his throat felt like sandpaper.
"Don't try to talk, Mr. Ketchum," a pretty blonde nurse said as she measured his vital signs. "You've been on oxygen for a week now, so your throat will be very dry."
A week! Ash thought in amazement. Then, irreverently, he was thankful Brock wasn't here. He would really gum up the wheels of progress by trying to proposition the nurses. Then the memories struck and he began to cry. Brock… oh God, why? He remembered the man's scornful laughter and the pitiless way he had beaten Misty. Misty! Please, God let her be alive! "Misty!" he said more firmly.
"I said, don't try to talk," the nurse repeated. She took pity on him and pointed to the right. Ash felt like his head weighed tons, but he could move it enough to see Misty in a bed next to him. She was a nasty sight, covered in bandages, bone braces and various tubes. Ash imagined he looked a similar horrific sight. He could see the readings of the life support monitors were steady and strong. He relaxed. All he had to do was wait for her to wake up. She had better do that soon. Ash wasn't ready to accept the alternative.
"How is he, nurse?" asked a man in a medical green uniform, clearly the doctor. His whole uniform looked familiar. There were the usual medical touches, but something about the shape and the general feel of it…
"All his vital signs are stable, doctor," the nurse replied. "He has fully regained consciousness. His EKG shows no hint of concussion and his visual acuity is good."
"That is excellent," the doctor said. He walked over to Ash. "Now don't try to talk. I know you are very confused, but I promise that we will answer all your questions in due time." Williker noted the way Ash was looking at Misty. "Oh don't worry, Ash. Misty will be all right. We are expecting her to wake up any time now. Now, if you don't mind, I have someone outside who wants to speak to you."
Ash didn't feel in the mood for any visitors, but that made it all the more important that he receive this one. He felt as low as he had ever been, lower than when he crashed out of the Indigo Division that first year, and he needed the cheer a visitor would bring. He nodded weakly.
Of all the people in all the universe Ash expected to see, the last one he expected came through the door. Giovanni diRocketti, the Gym Leader of Viridian City's Earth Gym. The leader of Team Rocket. Ash gasped and instinctively tried to rise up, but his battered body betrayed him. The man in the stone-coloured Team Rocket uniform walked right up to Ash, who cowered away. He and Misty were dead, he knew that now. Once Giovanni had finished amusing himself, they were facing torture, brainwashing or worse.
Then Ash noticed something. The man was… nervous. Almost hesitant. It was as if he didn't know what to say. This wasn't the confident terrorist leader he knew. The man was almost as terrified of Ash as he Ash was of him. "Hello, Ash," he said gently. "Don't be afraid. You are in Team Rocket's headquarters on Black Island. Jessie, James, Butch, Cassidy and Meowth brought you here after they found you and Misty on the verge of death in a forest clearing near Cerulean City."
Giovanni drew in a deep breath. "Don't be afraid," he repeated. "I am not going to hurt you or your Pokémon. You are safe here, and I want you to concentrate on getting well. Once you are up and about, we'll see about getting back the rest of your Pokémon and helping you reclaim your life."
Ash looked up in fear and surprise. He noticed that there was something familiar about this man. Something from his oldest and dimmest memories. "Why…?" he croaked.
Giovanni sighed and ran his hand through his black hair. "Well, I should leave this for later, Ash," he said. He looked at the expression of desperation on his nephew's face and relented. "Ash," he said. "It is a long story but the short version is…" he paused. "My real name is Jonathan Ketchum, and I am your father's brother." Giovanni smiled in a shaky way. "Yes, Ash. I am your uncle."
Ash's mind screamed. He almost stopped breathing. No…that isn't possible… he protested. He is evil, he can't be a part of my family. It can't be true, can it? 'Uncle John…' it seemed familiar. It brought back memories of a smiling black-haired man… a beautiful redheaded woman who wasn't his mother but seemed to think she was… and of a little girl with a silly smile and fiery red hair. Ash felt his world begin to crack open and collapse around him.
"Just rest, Ash," Giovanni said. "I will answer all of your questions in time."
***
Jessie and James were hopping from one leg to another, incredibly nervous. No less a figure than The Boss had just walked out of Ash and Misty's room and strode past, wearing an expression that boded ill for anyone who failed him today. Dr. Williker walked out of the room and stared at the two nervous field agents in a way that seemed to combine disapproval and scorn. "Yes, what do you want?" Williker demanded.
"Er…" James stuttered. Jessie kicked him. "We… we would like to see the patients," he finally blurted out.
"James! Try to make it sound less official," Jessie protested. "We would like to see Ash, doctor," she repeated. "We were the ones who brought them in, remember?"
"Ah yes!" Williker said more warmly. "Well go in. Young Mr. Ketchum is awake, although I'm afraid that Ms. Waterflower still hasn't regained consciousness."
Jessie nodded in comprehension. The two entered the room.
"Hello, Ash," James said in a friendly tone. Jessie waved nervously.
"Hi… guys…" Ash whispered. "Your… boss… tells me… that… you hauled… us in…" Ash swallowed and licked his lips behind the oxygen mask. "I… guess… I should… thank… you…"
James shrugged in an attempt at nonchalance. "Ah, you would have done the same for us… and you have, now I think about it."
Ash smiled weakly. Jessie was feeling a storm of contradictory emotions. She dealt with it by arranging the bunch of flowers she had brought on Ash's bedside cabinet. She wished she could figure out why Ash seemed so familiar from the beginning of that first confrontation… why she felt she had always known him.
"How… is… Pikachu…?" Ash asked quietly.
James laughed. "He has been rejuvenated and is tearing up the Pokémon habitats wanting to get at you," he revealed. "We've left Togepi with him, and that makes him feel better."
"You… leave… them… alone… bully…" Ash whispered with a wan smile. He could well imagine that Pikachu would hate being kept away from him with him so ill.
Jessie reached forward and touched Ash reassuringly. "He is yours, Ash," she said. "The Boss has promised us that." That made Ash feel better. The touch especially. From the first moment he had met Jessie at the Viridian City Pokémon Centre, he was sure he knew her from somewhere. He still thought that, but couldn't figure out from where. Then there was the mystery of Giovanni's claim to be his uncle. All in all, it was turning out to be a long day.
James shifted nervously as a couple of nurses began to fuss over Ash's intravenous drips. "Well, you're tired," he said. "We shouldn't keep you up right now. We'll visit tomorrow."
"Bring… Pikachu… and Togepi," Ash asked.
Jessie blinked and leaned forward. "There are no Pokémon allowed in the medical bay," she whispered. "How would we do that?" Ash grinned up at her as best as he could. Surely as accomplished a tactician and a thief as her could work something out. Jessie got his drift and grinned carnivorously. "Dumb question," she said.
"We'll figure it out," James promised.
Ash leaned back, incredibly tired. He had so much to think about, but his head hurt. If he closed his eyes, it would make it hurt less. Yes, just rest his eyes…
***
"Mr. Ketchum," said a voice. "Ash, wake up, son."
Ash rolled his head. "Go 'way…" he murmured. "Wan' sleep…"
"Mr. Ketchum, Ms. Waterflower is awake and is asking for you."
Ash snapped his eyes open. He was still in the intensive care ward at Team Rocket HQ. Damn. He had hoped that was just a bad dream. He was glad this part wasn't a dream, though. Misty looked at him from her bed, her expression tired and fearful as Team Rocket medics checked her vitals. "Ash…" she whispered.
"I'm here, Misty," he said. The doctors had taken him off of external oxygen and his voice was more assured today. "We're safe, don't worry."
"Ash… Brock… why?" she asked, her beautiful face reflecting her torment.
"I wish I could tell you," Ash said in a horrified, empty tone. "But you are still here, still alive and that is all I need."
Misty looked at him unsteadily, an ancient question in her beautiful green eyes. "Yes, Misty," Ash said gently. "I love you. I always have and I always will."
***
Jessie and James returned the next morning, as promised. They were a lot less nervous as they strode into the Intensive Care ward. Misty was very nervous as she watched them enter. Ash had explained what little he knew, so she understood that they were in Team Rocket's headquarters somewhere, but she couldn't stop feeling like a prisoner. Like it or not, Team Rocket had been their enemy from the first day, and now their very lives were in the hands of that same enemy.
"Hi guys," Ash said in greeting. "Good to see you again."
James nodded in greeting and Jessie winked at Ash in a very conspiratorial way. "Nurse, please leave the room and close the door behind you," James ordered in a distinct tone of command.
The brunette nurse looked up in surprise. "I'm sorry?" she asked in surprise.
"Leave. Now," Jessie clarified with a dangerous scowl. "We are here to interrogate the prisoners, and the Boss feels that the information they have is too sensitive for unauthorised ears."
Misty's fear jacked up a notch or two and even Ash felt uncertain as the two teens watched the nurse splutter and stutter. "I wasn't informed that they were scheduled for interrogation!" she finally said.
"That's right, you weren't," James agreed with a broad smile.
The nurse scowled and left, closing the door behind her. There was a long dangerous pause as Jessie and James looked at Ash and Misty. Then the two White Rockets burst into gales of laughter. "You should see the look on your faces!" Jessie sobbed. "Oh, how I wish I had a camera."
Ash blew out a breath in relief and relaxed. Misty looked furious but she clearly didn't know how to respond. "Very funny," Ash said. "Next time why don't you just point a gun at us or something?"
Jessie shook her head. "That isn't a nice thing to say, especially when we brought you some gifts!"
"Gifts?" Misty parroted in surprise. "What gifts?"
James pulled two Pokéballs off of his belt. He activated them and threw one at Ash and one at Misty. The balls split open. Pikachu materialised and ran up Ash's body to hug his face excitedly. Togepi materialised and bounced down next to Misty. Both youngsters gasped in amazement and began to greet their friends.
"You were as good as your word," Ash said. "Thanks, both of you." Misty was crying as she hugged Togepi, but she managed a slight smile of gratitude around her tears.
***
A week had passed and the time had come to test Doctor Williker's work. Both Ash and Misty were signed onto a standard physiotherapy program to reverse the muscle degeneration and bone decalcification caused by their long bed rest.
There was a bit of a surprise. "I'm afraid we had to cut your clothes off of you when you were brought in," the young nurse explained to them. "With your injuries, there was no other choice. We do have civilian clothing available if you want it, but… er…" The woman seemed nervous and she paused as she considered how to say the next part.
Ash shot Misty a surprised look and turned to the nurse and stared until she continued. "Mr. diRocketti ordered that you be issued these clothes instead. He also ordered me to tell you: 'This is not a demand or a threat, Ash and Misty. It is an open invitation. You have been betrayed by nearly all those whom you considered your friends. It is a lonely world for those who have lost everything, but I can offer you new friends and a new family.'"
Ash and Misty just sat there, staring in blank surprise at the black Team Rocket uniforms that the nurse had hung up by their beds. "Oh," Ash said after a long moment.
Misty reached out and touched the uniform by her bed. She jerked back as if she had been burnt. "Ash," she said in a quiet, desperate tone. "What do we do?"
***
"I thought that you would want to read that, sir," Mondo told Giovanni.
"Well done, Mondo," he replied. He looked at Ash and Misty's obituary in Indigo Today with a feeling of sick rage.
That bastard, Sam Oak, hadn't even waited for bodies to be found. From his agents in Pallet and Cerulean, Giovanni learnt that Misty's oldest sister, Daisy, and Oak's grandson Gary had been named Ash and Misty's 'heirs' in a 'will' that Brock Slate produced at a press conference. They would inherit all of their Pokémon, and Gary would defend Ash's championships 'in his name.'
Giovanni nearly threw up as he read the interviews with Slate, Gary Oak and Daisy Waterflower. If there were any doubt that they were all involved, it was gone now. Oak's actions were least surprising. The grandfather was a two-faced traitor and liar, so why shouldn't the grandson follow in his footsteps? Well, he would see that the books were balanced, but only in due time. He noted that the elder Oak seemed to be an active participant in this filthy business. He had been telling reporters about how Ash and Gary had always loved each other like brothers and how Ash had told him that Gary was his chosen successor if anything happened to him.
Poor Delilah was inconsolable. Giovanni felt sorry for her. She was a sensible woman who had genuinely tried to do her best for Ash, but she had never understood why her sister joined Team Rocket. She had tried to keep Ash out of harm's way, but the boy's destiny would not be denied. Giovanni wondered what lies Sam Oak had told her. He briefly considered sending her word, but no. That would be counter-productive at this time.
He turned to a medical report. Physical therapy was progressing well. Emotional damage was harder to assess, but Ash and Misty were helping each other. There was a darkness in the boy, though, a darkness that was manifesting itself in unarmed combat and firearms training as a lethal skill and hateful accuracy. Giovanni had seen a similar darkness in Joe, and it had always worried him. The boy needed help, but the question was, what kind of help did he need?
Perhaps all he needed, all that both of them needed were what Giovanni could so easily provide. A cause and a purpose to believe in. A direction to walk, now that all of their previous hopes and dreams had been taken from them by a cheap, malicious betrayal.
Giovanni sighed. It had been six weeks now. Ash and Misty were almost up to Williker's exacting standards. Now the hard choices were coming.
"Trainees Ash Ketchum and Misty Waterflower to see your, sir," reported his secretary.
"Send them in," he ordered.
Now there was a sight that he had dreamt of ever since Ash won the Earth Badge, but he had never really believed it would happen.
Ash stood in the inlaid Team Rocket sigil on the floor. His ebony black hair, from what he could see under his uniform cap, was neat and his brown eyes had, thankfully, regained a little of their warmth and humour. Misty stood at his side, her ginger hair in a neat ponytail that stuck out from behind her uniform cap and her green eyes shining with vitality and kindness. Both were resplendent in new black uniforms with a bright red 'R' on a white circle over their hearts. Giovanni noted that Misty had no make-up on, preferring simply to be 'clean.' Interesting. She was nothing like Miyamoto at all. Both young people snapped to parade rest and stared blankly into space, awaiting his word.
"Dr. Williker says that you are almost back to full health," Giovanni said in a neutral tone. "And I understand from my training staff that you are both showing definite promise in the skills that we teach. Have either of you thought about what you want in the future?"
"Yes sir," Ash said formally. "With your permission, we want to stay with Team Rocket. In a way, we died in that clearing. Now we are going to have to find a new life."
"Is that your view too, Ms. Waterflower?" Giovanni asked.
"Yes sir," Misty replied respectfully. "We have nothing left from our former lives anymore."
Giovanni sat back and sternly fought back tears. "Perhaps this might change your views on this matter," he said firmly. He threw the paper over to Ash who caught it. Misty leaned over his shoulder and they read the highlighted articles with interest. Giovanni watched his nephew's face twist with anger and fury. Even Misty, who was normally an oasis of calm, looked outraged. "That… shit!" Ash snapped. "How could he lie so easily? That…" Ash's face flamed in embarrassment when he remembered where he was. "Sorry, sir," he mumbled.
"It seems Messrs Slate, Oak and Waterflower are profiting from your disappearance," Giovanni remarked. "However, if you were to reappear and denounce them…" he let his voice trail off.
"I don't think they would have been so stupid not to plan for that," Ash announced, slowly getting control of his emotions. "If they have Professor Oak's help, and it looks like it from what I see here, I'm sure they have arranged that they would know if we tried to upset their little plot. I doubt they would make the error of leaving us alive twice."
"Yes, that is my analysis too," Giovanni purred. "So, what do you want, Ash Ketchum?"
Ash looked at Misty, who smiled reassuringly. The level of love Giovanni saw flash between them shocked him and made him wonder when Dr. Leona Morgan was next scheduled to rotate back to Headquarters. "I will follow you anywhere, Ash," Misty said. "You've always known that."
Ash smiled in gratitude and turned back to Giovanni. "Then our decision stands," Ash said. "Our future lies with Team Rocket." Ash smiled humorously before adding: "Boss."
Giovanni smiled. "You have no idea how much this means to me, Ash," he said. He stood and walked over to his two newest agents. He shook their hands warmly. "Ashton Satoshi Ketchum and Misty Kasumi Waterflower. I welcome you to Team Rocket."
Chapter 3 – The First Mission
"Agents Ketchum and Waterflower report to Briefing Room 6. Agents Ketchum and Waterflower report to Briefing Room 6. That is all." Ash looked up from where he had been puzzling over a manual on the skills of sabotage and electronic warfare when he heard the tannoy blare his name.
This was it. The time that he knew would have to come ever since Giovanni had given them the blood red 'R' necklaces that signified that they were fully accredited members of Team Rocket. The Boss had been kinder and more generous than Ash had any right to expect, but now Misty and he would have to start paying their way. "Come on Pikachu," Ash said to his little friend, who had made a comfortable nest on the pillow.
Ash vaulted off of his bunk and pulled his uniform jacket from his foot locker. Pikachu jumped off of the bunk and ran over to Ash. Ash leaned over and let him run up his arm to his shoulder. Using his 'stealth' training so he would not to disturb the other five sleeping Black Rockets in his dorm, he walked out, pulling on his uniform cap as he left.
Outside Briefing Room 6, he saw a familiar and welcome sight. Misty was leaning against the wall, frowning in a preoccupied way. Togepi was levitating besides her, smiling with his usual good humour. "Hey, Misty," Ash greeted her.
"Ash," Misty said, smiling warmly. "Have you any idea what is up?"
Ash shrugged. "We'll find out when the Boss wants us to know," he said. "You know him: a puzzle box within a maze behind a secret panel."
Misty laughed, then sobered hastily as the door to the Briefing Room opened. "Come," ordered a familiar voice.
Ash and Misty walked in smartly and stood at attention before Mondo Jones Senior, the grandfather of the Mondo who was Jessie & James back-up. There was no sign of Giovanni, something for which Ash was absurdly glad. He had never mentioned the bit about being his uncle since that first day, and Ash still hadn't decided what to think. Not being around the Boss made it easier to avoid those hard questions.
"Sit," Mondo ordered. When the two neophyte Black Rockets were seated at the desks that curved amphitheatre-like around the room, Mondo lifted a remote control and pressed a button.
The lights dimmed and the large screen at the back of the room flashed on. It was displaying a familiar map. Pallet Town. He tensed. It looked like Giovanni had chosen to test his loyalty from the outset. "The Oak Pokémon Research Centre," Mondo announced, circling the appropriate portion of the map with his laser pointer. "The largest Pokémon ranch and research facility in south-western Indigo." Another press of the button and the wall display showed a blueprint of the Centre. There was no need, Ash knew it very well. Mondo continued his briefing. "For some time, we have been monitoring Professor Samuel Oak's work here and have determined that he had developed a thorough database of Pokémon pathology and immunology. As the biggest threat to our operations remains the possible use of tailored biological weapons, we must have access to that information.
"Your assignment is to gain entry to the Research Centre, download a full copy of Oak's research and then destroy the lab containing the computers. We anticipate that Oak will be alone with his assistant, Tracey Sketchitt, at this time, so we do not expect much resistance. Any questions?"
"How much effort should we go to in avoiding being seen, sir?" Ash asked.
Mondo shrugged. "Remember, Ketchum, you will be blowing up a large laboratory. I don't think it will be possible to go undetected."
"I meant until then," Ash said, blushing with embarrassment.
Mondo laughed slightly. "Try to avoid being seen before you make your entrance. It would probably be best if no record of who broke in survived."
Ash swallowed. Tracey was there, and Ash didn't know what he would do if the likeable Pokémon watcher walked in on him and Misty while they were in the middle of data piracy and sabotage.
"How should we handle Oak and Sketchitt?" Misty asked.
Well, bless you Misty, Ash thought in relief. Trust her to ask the question that haunted him. He was grateful for her remarkable empathy towards him sometimes.
If Mondo was surprised at Ash's nervousness or Misty's question, he didn't show it. "They are not a mission priority," Mondo replied.
In other words this isn't an assassination, Ash added silently.
"If either of them discovers you during the mission," Mondo continued, "take whatever steps you feel are necessary to complete the mission. I leave the details up to your discretion and imaginations." He looked at the two young people questioningly. "Any other questions? No? Good. You will be issued a single Pokémon, security avoidance equipment, demolitions equipment and a class A1 air transport. You will proceed at sea level to the coast to avoid radar detection before approaching Pallet using the hilly countryside for cover. Once you arrive, our planners anticipate that it will take no more than fifteen minutes to complete your mission."
Mondo pressed the button again and the Briefing Room lights returned to normal. Ash and Misty stood. "Dismissed," Mondo said and watched them leave.
***
Giovanni watched from the balcony as the two-seat blimp headed off to the north and Indigo Island with a loud roar from its twin turbofans. "They are on their way, sir," Mondo reported.
"Good," Giovanni replied neutrally. "Are Butch and Cassidy on station?" Mondo nodded. Giovanni sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "It is a big assignment, Mondo. Do you think they can handle it?"
"They are the most remarkable Trainees we've had since… well since your late brother and his wife, sir," Mondo said. "I think you will find they are equal to any challenge."
***
Pallet Town was beautiful on this moonlit night, Ash thought. How odd that he was sneaking around the place when his first instinct was to run to his home, kick the door of its' hinges, grab his mother and get her away from the place as quickly as possible. It was also strange to be at the Research Centre not as a visitor or as a pupil but as a raider.
He and Misty were now very close to the new biology lab building. They were using every bit of their security training to defeat the building's defences: laser beams, motion detectors and, amazingly enough, alarm wires in the wall. Ash thought for a moment but suddenly Misty was tugging at his arm. She pointed up and mimed a laugh. A skylight was open. Oh please, Ash thought with a grin. This was too easy. He would bet his entire pay for the year that Tracey left that open.
Access to the roof was gained without too much trouble. Ash paused and opened a packet of powder and let it waft through the skylight. As he expected, there was a criss-cross pattern of lasers guarding the entrance. Ash gestured to Misty and she started handing him some apparatus they had been issued. They were a series of prisms and mirrors that they placed across the lasers, ensuring that the laser beams remained uninterrupted while they went through the skylight.
Ash lowered Misty in on a rope, keeping it slow so that the motion detectors would not pick them up. Misty, with a series of almost dance-like movements, moved slowly to the centre of the room. She placed and activated a box. The Brownian Interference Generator (irreverently called the BIG Jammer in the dorm rooms) effectively blinded the motion detectors. Ash lowered himself in after Misty.
"Right," she said, walking to the computer. "Let's get this done. I'll handle the computers, Ash, you set the charges."
"Yes ma'am," Ash said with a grin. He opened his backpack full of explosives and began to set them out.
Things were going smoothly. A little too smoothly. Ash had finished laying the bombs and Misty had beaten the password protection on the computers. As Ash watched, she attached an external memory pack to a serial port, inserted a disc full of espionage software into the floppy drive and began to download the data the Boss wanted.
At that moment the door opened and the lights snapped on. Ash turned and looked at Professor Oak and the beefy security guard with some surprise. "What the…? Who the hell are you…? What are you…?" Oak spluttered. The security guard charged them recklessly. "Pikachu," Ash said, pointing at the man.
"Pika-CHU!" the electric mouse squeaked. An electrical discharge flared around the security guard, making him jump and jerk like a badly operated puppet before he collapsed in an unconscious heap. Oak turned to run but he was seized by an invisible hand and thrown across the room. He hit the far wall with a solid thump and hung there, three feet off of the ground.
"Togi-togi-priii-to!" Togepi chirruped happily.
"Nice work, Togepi," Misty said calmly and with a broad smile.
Oak frowned at the two Black Rockets violating his laboratory. There was something familiar about these two. Something odd. Still, he had one tiny chance left. They hadn't seen the Pokémon that had been with him. "Rattata! Get help!" he shouted. The Rattata turned and fled.
Ash cursed venomously. "Pikachu, pursue and disable," he ordered. Pikachu ran out, looking as angry as Ash was. He turned back to Oak. "That was dumb, old man," he snapped. "Now keep quiet or else."
Oak's jaw dropped open, partially at the threat, and partly because he recognised the angry boy standing in front of him. "No…" he whispered. "It can't be. You're dead! My grandson killed you! YOU'RE DEAD!"
"That's right," Ash said with a dangerous smile. "I'm a Ghastly now, and I've come back to haunt you!" He jumped forward and shouted "BOOGA-BOOGA!" making Oak jump in fear. Misty laughed. "Honestly, Professor, do we look dead to you?" Ash asked with a smirk.
Then it happened. The moment Ash had feared, but had known was bound to happen. Tracey Sketchitt walked through the doorway. "Professor, don't you ever sleep," the man said with a yawn. "It's two in the… morning…" Tracey gaped at the two Black Rockets in surprise and fear. "What the… let him go!" he shouted. "Scyther, I choose you!"
Tracey's giant fighting bug, Scyther, materialised in the middle of the room. "Oh damn, go Charmander," Ash countered, releasing the fire-type issued to him by the organisation. He hoped James' claims about the quality of Team Rocket Pokémon training were justified.
Scyther raced forward looking for a quick Slash attack. Ash gestured to the left and Charmander dodged the charge. Scyther agilely turned and slashed at his opponent, but Charmander back-pedalled out of range and, at Ash's command, unleashed a flame thrower attack that flared around Scyther making him screech in pain. Ash winced, he didn't like this, but he couldn't let Tracey and his friends get in the way.
"Whirlwind Blade attack," Tracey ordered. Scyther started to spin, turning into a whirling cutting tool that could carve through even the toughest of hides.
"Back off," Ash ordered. Scyther pushed forward, trying to drive Charmander back against a wall. Ash let him think he was succeeding. Then, at the very last second, he countered Tracey's move. "Under and Fireball 'M,'" Ash ordered. Charmander ducked under the whirling Scyther's blades and spun around to unleash a fireball attack. Scyther blocked the fireball with his blades, but the suffix 'M' meant multiple attack. The second, third and fourth fireballs found their mark, causing Scyther to moan in pain. Ash winced in empathy. "Good job, Charmander, now finish it. Pound attack!"
"Char-man-der, Der!" [Coming up, Boss!] Charmander shouted, jumping at Scyther and brining his powerful hind legs down hard on the giant bug's head. Scyther toppled onto his face, unconscious.
"Oh no, Scyther!" Tracey shouted in disbelief and empathic pain. "Return." Ash turned to see Tracey draw another Pokéball. If he had any sense, it would be Merril, but Ash had no desire to injure any more of his old friend's friends. He pulled out his P92 semi-auto pistol with under-slung laser spot and lined up on Tracey. At the very last moment, he moved the red spot from the centre of Tracey's forehead to next to his right ear.
In the small lab, the pistol shot was amazingly loud. Tracey gasped in fear and pain, deafened by the shot. A nine-millimetre hole had appeared in the wall beside his head. His hand opened and the Pokéball, still locked shut, dropped to the ground. "Smart move," Ash said. "Charmander keep guard on this person. If he so much as twitches towards a Pokéball, set light to his clothes."
Charmander nodded and walked over to Tracey, watching him with a fierce expression.
Tracey looked at the two Rockets resentfully, then he really saw them for the first time. "Ash? Misty?" he breathed in disbelief. "Is it you?"
"Yeah it is. Hi, Trace," Ash said brightly. Misty looked up from the computer with a preoccupied frown, but managed a wave and a smile.
"But… in Team Rocket uniforms?" Tracey said, caught between joy and horror. "You… you're dead! Everyone says you were killed in a training accident in Viridian Forest! It… it was Team Rocket wasn't it?" Tracey's voice became pitying. "Oh, Ash. What have they done to you?"
"They told me the truth. It was the first time in my life that anyone did that, Tracey," Ash replied severely. "Then they gave us the chance to choose sides. I think I've chosen the right one."
"Ash, Misty, I don't know what they've told you… what lies they filled your head with," Tracey said gently, "but it isn't the truth. They are a force of evil and you have no place with them. Now stop this and let me help you."
Misty sighed. "Tracey, we haven't been brainwashed," she said. "Team Rocket saved our lives after Gary, Brock and my sister Daisy attacked us and left us for dead." Misty paused and glared up at Oak. "From what I've heard, this isn't the first time your family has been involved in back-stabbing."
Oak managed an expression of wounded innocence. "My dear, I have no idea what you are talking about," he protested. Come on Rattata, he thought. Bring help! "It is obvious that Team Rocket has filled your minds with propaganda and possibly filled your body with drugs to reduce your ability to tell reality from lies. Now, put me down and I will help you." Tracey nodded frantically.
Ash shook his head. "I don't need your help, Professor," he said. "I read the lies you, Brock and Gary have told about me. I've read about how you backed up Gary's ludicrous claim that I chose him to inherit my titles. I know what side you are on, and it certainly isn't that of the truth."
Tracey swallowed. He hadn't believed it when he read it, and now Ash was saying his instincts were right.
"Ash," Misty suddenly said with horror. "I was looking up our old Pokémon." Ash was beside her in a second. She began to cry. "Oh Ash, it's horrible. Oak has… rehabilitated them."
"Oh no," Ash said and started to cry as well.
Tracey gasped in horror. Rehabilitation was an incredibly restricted form of treatment for Pokémon. It involved reducing their experience levels to zero, effectively deleting their memories and making them like fresh starters again. It was only used when a Pokémon had been badly abused by a Trainer. And it could only be done by a few League officials, which Oak was most definitely was not.
"Why?" Tracey demanded. "That's barbarity! Why, Professor, tell me that!"
"Isn't it obvious?" Oak snapped. "Gary told me that several of their Pokémon knew what really happened. If they told the others, he and Daisy would have a mutiny on their hands. I had to make sure there was no witnesses. None that mattered, anyway." He scowled at Ash. "What a tragedy that Gary didn't make sure of you, boy."
"Do you… have a good reason for doing this?" Ash asked gently, his face twisted with fury. Misty paled. Ash sounded like that in unarmed combat class when he was getting ready to rip an instructor limb-from-limb.
Oak rolled his eyes. "Grow up, Ash," he said. "Gary wants to be a Pokémon Master, so did you. You were better than him. So he acted to remove the opposition. A remarkably clear piece of thinking from my grandson, I must say. Of course I helped him, he is my blood and I owe him that."
Tracey looked like he wanted to be sick. Ash looked at him compassionately. "I don't think you have to guard him anymore, Charmander," he said. He recalled the fire-type to his ball. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way, Trace. I know you idolised this piece of filth. Truth be told, I did too."
Misty came out of her trance suddenly when the memory unit bleeped cheerily. "We've got the data, Ash," she reported.
"Good," Ash replied. "Pack up, we're blowing this place back to hell."
Pikachu walked in. He looked at Tracey in a weird way before turning to Ash. "Pika-chu-kachu-chu-pi, Pika-pi," [That Rattata is no longer a problem, Ash,] he chirped in a cheery tone of voice.
"Good work pal," Ash replied. "I'm sure your remember Professor Oak, Gary's grandfather. It seems he has rehabilitated all our old friends." Pikachu's ears flattened against his back in fury. "I thought you would feel that way," Ash said. Ash turned to Oak. "You are going to pay for what you have done, old man."
Oak sneered. "Really, Ash?" he asked mockingly. "I know you, you won't kill me. You are too gutless to do that. You proved that when you spared this pathetic queer idiot's life earlier." Tracey flushed angrily at the homophobe comment.
Ash smiled dangerously. Misty walked alongside him and touched his arm warningly. "Don't worry, Misty," he said quietly before turning back to Oak. "You are right, Professor, I don't kill," he announced. "But I do take revenge, every now and then. Pikachu, kindly let the Professor understand the meaning of the pain we both feel."
"Pikachu-chu-ka, Pika-pi," [My pleasure, Ash,] Pikachu hissed angrily. There was a blue white lightning storm that connected the little rodent with the man that Togepi was telekinetically holding against the wall. Oak screamed and thrashed for a good thirty seconds until Pikachu stopped pumping across the kilovolts.
Misty touched Togepi and the little psychic-type released Oak, who slumped to the ground, only semi-conscious. Ash turned back to Tracey. "The timers are set, Tracey," he said. "You have five minutes to get them all out of here, and then…" Ash fell silent and mimed an explosion. "Good luck, old friend. Maybe we'll meet again under better circumstances."
***
Ash and Misty were airborne in their blimp when Tracey dragged Oak out of the building, his Venonat and Merril dragging the stunned security guard. As they floated overhead, Ash armed the blimp's weapons systems. Through his helmet-mounted sight, he centred the 2MW laser cannon on Oak's grey head and his finger caressed the trigger thoughtfully. No, Ash decided. He's right about one thing. I can't kill in cold blood. He knows that I know, and that is punishment enough for now.
Then the biology lab simply disintegrated into a bright yellow-white fireball that lit up the scenery for miles around. Misty cheered loudly. Ash shouted his glee too. "Hell, I love it when stuff falls apart nice and neat like that," he said approvingly.
Misty suddenly leaned over Ash's shoulder from her rear pilot/navigator's seat. "Hey, Ash," she said. "Take a look at that." Down below, hundreds of the Pokémon kept at the centre were running about, confused and disoriented by the explosion. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Mr. Raider?" she asked with a broad smile.
"I'm no psi-type, but I know what I want," Ash replied. As Misty piloted the blimp over the largest concentration of Pokémon, Ash pressed a button that released two hundred Pokéballs from a storage bay under the crew car. The Pokéballs began to split open and suck in the surprised Pokémon before they even realised they were under attack. The balls automatically levitated back into their bay. Ash checked the blimp's computer. "We got over 120!" he exulted.
"Yeah, that's what I like to hear," Misty said with a vulpine grin. "Come on, let's get out of here."
"One last thing to do," Ash said. "The Professor and Tracey know, but what if there was no proof…"
Misty raised her brows at that and then nodded approvingly. "It will certainly create confusion and give us time to let the trail go cold," she agreed.
Ash powered up the blimp's 70mm rockets and selected an explosive/incendiary payload. He lined up on the second floor office where the security videos were recorded and stored and pulled the trigger. Five rockets reduced the room to a fiery ruin. "Now we can go home," Ash said with satisfaction.
Sitting on his lap, Pikachu nudged him. "Pi-chu-pika-ka-pi-chu-pi, Pika-pi?" [Did we do the right thing, Ash?] he asked.
"Yeah, pal," Ash responded confidently. "We did the right thing and are doing the right thing."
Tracey saw the gunship blimp turn and fly away from the burning Pokémon Centre with a roar from its engines. He recalled Merril and Venonat, looked down at Professor Oak with a deep sense of scorn and turned. He walked away and never once looked back.
***
Somewhere over the Southern Sea, heading towards Black Island, it suddenly hit Misty hard. She began to cry. In the confines of the fighting aircraft's cockpit, Ash couldn't really see her, but he managed to catch her eye in the rear view mirrors. "What is it, Misty?" he asked gently.
"It has suddenly struck home," she said. "Up to now, this was a game, like a make-believe session at school." She sighed and closed her eyes, tears running down her cheeks. "But it isn't a game. We are Team Rocket terrorists. We've just committed multiple thefts, assaults and several acts of sabotage… My God… how did it come to this?"
"I don't have any answers, Misty," Ash replied. "All I can say is that I don't think we have any choice about the direction we are going. We didn't from the moment Brock decided to sell us out. The only way we have left to ensure justice is done is to go marching under the banner of Team Rocket."
Misty nodded gently. She understood the reasons. Hell, she was the one who originally talked Ash into staying with Team Rocket in the first place! What other choice did they have? Even so, she knew that she had lost something this night. Something she would never regain and would miss forever. She no longer had her innocence.
***
"All the objectives completed and over 120 Pokémon stolen without a single trace left behind. Well done, both of you," Giovanni said, reading Ash's report. "Very well done; an exceptional job all told."
Ash smiled smugly and Misty's expression became more relaxed. "Thank you sir," Ash said. "I wouldn't say that we were perfect, sir," he continued in a tone of modest demur.
Giovanni rode right over him. "But I would, Mr. Ketchum. You both displayed all the qualities that Team Rocket needs in its' agents. You were swift, efficient, brutal where necessary, but also displayed a keen understanding of mercy and right. You can both be justly proud of your performance."
By now both Ash and Misty were blushing a brighter shade of red than the Team Rocket sigil. Giovanni had mercy on them. "You will be glad to know," Giovanni continued, "that your assessors agree with my analysis. Your performance was better than good, it was faultless."
"Assessors?" Misty asked in surprise.
"Butch and Cassidy were watching, Ms. Waterflower," Giovanni explained. "They videoed the whole thing. You will be glad to know that it already is going the rounds around various teams as a favourite recreational title." Ash and Misty had the grace to look embarrassed and Giovanni had to laugh. "Enough," he said after a moment. "All that matters is that this was your final assessment as to whether you were ready to join the cause in its' long struggle. You are ready. You've proven that." Giovanni stepped around the desk and walked over to shake Ash's hand. Feeling a little daring, he even kissed Misty on the cheek. "I am glad to have you with us, Ash, Misty," he said gently.
"We're glad to be here, sir," Ash replied with a slightly silly smile. Giovanni stepped back and grinned indulgently as his two newest agents hugged happily.
"Now," Giovanni said, returning to his desk. "I'm assigning you to an experienced team to act as back up and assistance wherever needed. You will assist in their field operations and provide whatever physical or logistical support they feel is necessary." Giovanni looked up. "I know that you both feel ready to take on the world on your own, but this team has been operating successfully for some time. I want you to obey your team leaders without question. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir," Ash and Misty chorused obediently. Giovanni didn't believe them for a millisecond, but their promise was enough for now.
"Good," Giovanni said with a genuine smile. "I think you know them." The doors opened and Jessie, James and Meowth walked in.
Ash's face broke open in a smile and he shouted in glee. Misty ran forward and hugged Jessie excitedly. "Jessie! Oh wow, this is going to be great," she squealed.
Jessie chuckled. "That's what you think, Misty, we're going to work your pants off!" She hugged her friend back, a suspicion of tears in her eyes.
Ash walked over and slapped James on the shoulder. "We're ready," he said. "The question is: are you?"
James laughed in response. "I think this will be a learning experience… for all of us," he said.
"Meowth, dat's right!" Meowth said, rolling his eyes.
"Pika-ka-chu-kachu-pi," [You have no idea!]
Giovanni cleared his throat and the four humans and three Pokémon separated, looking at him in embarrassment as they remembered where they were. "I'm glad to see your team bonding is off to a good start," he said dryly. "Now you have your assignment. Get out."
"Yes sir," they all chorused. Giovanni watched them nearly run out of the door and heard their voices rise again as they ran across someone they recognised in the antechamber. He sighed and shook his head. Did I ever have that energy? he asked himself. He pulled out the tattered photograph again. "You would have been proud of them, Joe, Miya," he said to his dead kin. "Very proud indeed."
To be continued…
Concluding Notes
Woo! So what do you think? Comments, suggestions, praise and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism to
Should I continue? I have ideas for a total of three parts. Please… please review and let me know… please…