Faith in a Child
Chapter Six: Old Enemies Now Friends
Ash looked sadly over to his mom. She sat staring back at him a great fake smile across her beautiful face. Tears shown brightly in her amber brown eyes.
Ash couldn't help wondering if he would ever she her again.
He was all packed. Togepi would stay with his Mom for the time being. He could leave now. But his legs wouldn't move. Ash didn't want to leave. He was sure that if he did he would regret it. But he also knew if he didn't leave he would regret it as well.
Finally, Ash was able the wrench his feet from the ground and turn back to the door. As soon as he had his hand on the door knob, the door swung open almost crushing Ash behind. Ash backed away from the door as if he had been burned.
There on the ground lay a trio of characters that Ash had almost forgot about
The group lay at Ash's feet in exhaustion. Their faces were chalk white with fear.
"Team Rocket?" Ash smiled in disbelief.
Mrs. Ketchum wandered over to Ash's side; Togepi tucked safely in her arms. She stared at the trio sadly, "Are you three okay?"
Jessie was the first to look up at who was talking. She almost burst in to tears of delight once she did. Jessie flung herself at Ash's feet again and began blubbering for forgiveness.
"Ash! Oh! Thank the heavens we found you! I am so sorry for anything we ever did to you. I- I mean James will take full responsibility for it all!"
Ash and Mrs. Ketchum blinked in utter confusion.
The other Team Rocket members looked up, their reaction's the same.
"Ash! Ash! Ash!" James bowed continuously.
"Now dat yer here, you can tell dat Pikachu of yers to stop chasing us!" Meowth cried.
"Pikachu?" Ash gawked.
"Yes! Please! That crazy thing has been chasing us from town to town-" Jessie cried.
"I think now if I held a light bulb it would light up!" James muttered.
Ash let a chuckle of amusement. Mrs. Ketchum looked startled that Ash found this amusing.
"It keeps claiming dat it's Zai and Zai wants death ter all da weaklings!" Meowth sobbed, "You don't tink we are weaklings, do ya Ash?"
"You just have tell your Pikachu to stop!"
Ash looked somber for a second and then smiled, "Sorry, I can't do that."
"Oh! How can you be so cruel?!" Jessie shouted.
"No, really… I can't control what Pikachu does anymore."
"What?" Team Rocket barked.
"I sorry for whatever Pikachu has done to you… but now if you excuse me," Ash nodded stepping over the trio and out into the pitch black day, or was it night?
"Sorry? You're sorry?!" Jessie cried standing up. "Aren't you gonna help us?"
Ash continued walking down the path. He shrugged his shoulders and called back, "A thousand apologies, Team Rocket!"
"Grrr… That brat." Jessie muttered under her breath.
"It's twerp," Mrs. Ketchum smiled stepping out beside the trio.
They looked at her in confusion. She ignored them.
"There he goes again… off to save the world," Mrs. Ketchum sighed waving off to Ash. Ash waved back.
"Save the world?" Team Rocket asked perplexed.
"Uh huh," Mrs. Ketchum smiled getting a devilish look in her eye. "So brave. A true hero."
"When was da last time we got dat kind of respect?"
"Shut up Meowth!" Jessie snapped. "What if the boss found out you were considering to do something for the good guys?"
"Who said the boss would have to find out?" Mrs. Ketchum smiled slyly.
Team Rocket looked at each other for a brief second and smiled,
"Who says the boss would find out?!" James repeated.
"Ya! This could be our big break!" Meowth cheered.
"Maybe…" Jessie beamed.
"HOLD UP! ASH, WE ARE COMING TOO!!" Team Rocket called dashing after him.
"Oh. I'm good," Mrs. Ketchum grinned.
"Tee hee!" Togepi giggled.
"You want to help me?" Ash asked bewildered.
"Yeah! We want to help!" James smiled jumping up and down excitedly, "We want to help save to world!"
"Down Sparky," Jessie snapped at James who stopped jumping immediately but still wearing his big dorky grin. "So will you accept us? Partners for the time being?"
She held out a hand to Ash. Ash gazed at it in confusion and then took it.
"Sure. But you follow my rules!"
"Eye, Eye, El Captain!" Team Rocket saluted.
"Where are you going?" Jessie asked as Ash continued down the path.
"To the valley…" Ash answered blankly.
"Good guys. So dense," Jessie sighed to James. "Well, which is more I can say for the bad guys…"
Jessie eyes James wearily as he was playing tic tac toe in the sand with Meowth.
"Well, what do suggest?" Ash snapped angrily.
"We will go to the valley. But forget walking… We travel in style!" Jessie smiled pointing to their Meowth balloon hiding in the bushes behind her.
"Three in a row! I win!" James grinned.
"Dat's it! I swear Jess! James is cheating!" Meowth growled. "He lost to himself for heavens sakes! How can he beat me?!"
Ash looked a little repulsed so Jessie added, "You get used to it. Trust me."
They traveled along in the hot air balloon. Ash would of enjoyed it a whole lot if it hadn't of been for James being so ecstatic. After what felt like ages to Ash, he spotted the valley.
"There it is!" Ash cried.
"You're sure dat's it?" Meowth asked.
"Positive! I don't know how I just know that that's it!" Ash beamed.
"What the heck is that?" Jessie asked pointing to the castle ahead of them, "It looks like it seriously needs to be remodeled. Maybe a bit more natural tones. Makes a terrible real estate venture."
Ash turned pale.
"Uh… Aren't we getting awfully close to it?" Ash asked fearfully.
"You're right," Jessie nodded calmly. "James, Turn us about."
"What are you talking about Jess? You remember that Pikachu zapped the rudder off?"
"Pikachu zapped it off," Jessie laughed…
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"
The balloon's side scraped the tower ripping huge hole in the balloon. They all fell towards the ground screaming…
To Be Continued…
Please R+R! I will write the next part up when I get some free time!