Faith in a Child

Chapter Twelve: Hung Out To Dry

Ash stood up and followed Team Rocket to the door on the other side of the room again. This time, James was having a hard time opening it. He finally collapsed to the floor. He threw his hands into the air and called, "I give up! I thought if a twerp could do it, I could too. That shot my theory out the window!"

Ash smiled and groped for the door handle. Again, at Ash's light touch the door swung open.

Ash and Team Rocket stood in bewilderment at what lay ahead of them. A long deep ocean.

"Wha- how- who- did –what?" Jessie sputtered.

"It looks like water is next," Ash smiled his eyes twinkling with excitement. "This is going to be fun."

James got to his feet and looked down at the water which was about two feet below them.

"So… Should we swim?"

"No way!" Meowth spat as if the very idea was inhuman.

"Well, actually Meowth is right," Ash smiled. "That water looks to be full of poisonous Tentacruel and Tentacool. One sting from them might only stun but two or three…"

Ash's smile turned into a serious frown, "I would hate to be that person."

Jessie face turned pale.

"So do we cross or do we turn back?" Jessie asked.

"I say turn back," Meowth shouted. "I am not stupid enough to swim with dos little fishes!"

Ash smiled once more.

"Who said we would have to swim?" He was looking up at the ceiling as he spoke. Team Rocket's eyes trailed up there as well.

"Well I'll be darned," Jessie grinned looking at beams on the ceiling. "This Zai character was being decorative and forgot what was in this room."

"Or he wanted us to cross," Ash muttered.

"Well, this is no time to debate! Who wants to go first?" Jessie grinned looking at the shaking pussy cat.

All eyes fell on Meowth.

"What? What are yall staring at?" Meowth asked looking timid.

"OH MY GAWD!! I THINK I'M GOING DIE!" Meowth screamed bloody murder.

"Don't worry, Meowth," Ash encouraged Meowth to continue. "I'm right behind you. I'll catch you if you fall."

They were all going across the beams Meowth in the lead, Ash second, Jessie third, and James last. The only one who was losing it was Meowth. They had almost reached the middle now for the door was in sight.

"This is no time to lose it, Meowth!" James shouted angrily. "We are almost there!"

Meowth put out another shaky hand and placed it on the next beam. Everyone did the same a lot faster then Meowth.

"This going to take forever…" James groaned as they moved a little bit more.

"I think my hair is curling," Jessie cried. "The humidity is getting to it! Hurry, Meowth! I need to get to a mirror!"

"Oh shut your yap! I don't care if yer hair all fell out. I just-" Suddenly Meowth's paw slipped and he fell to the waters below.

"MEOWTH!! NO!!"

Meowth uncovered his eyes and found himself suspended a few feet above water. He glanced upward to see Ash hanging on desperately to Meowth's tail with one hand and the beam at the with the other.

"You saved me?!" Meowth struggled with the words in his amazement.

"Anytime," Ash said through gritted teeth.

He somehow managed to pull Meowth back up and still hold on to the beams. Jessie and James were thrilled.

"Nice catch," James grinned.

"Yeah. I dare say if you joined Team Rocket you would be like … I dunno… First class agent," Jessie smiled trying to think of the highest jobs when she mostly had all of the lowest.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," Ash sighed continuing to cross again.

They made it to the other side without any more problems. Meowth literally flung himself to the ground and began kissing it shouting, "Oh I'll never leave you again! I love you! I love you! I love you!"

Ash jumped down from the beams with ease and landed next to Meowth. Jessie and James followed.

"That was kind of fun," James smiled. In return, he received a whole lot of death glares.

"Just kidding!" James beamed innocently.

Ash gazed out at the sea that they had just crossed. It never occurred to him that he might wake up one day and Misty would be gone. He always thought he had time to tell her.

"That girl is gone… But we may be able to save others from turning out like her."

"Come on twerpo!" Meowth called. "We need someone intelligent to open the door."

At the comment, Meowth got clobbered by both Jessie and James.

Ash laughed. He wished life could go back the way it used to be. When it was Misty or Brock making him laugh.

To Be Continued…

Please R + R!

Okay! That might have been short for you but I have some people coming over to my house so I might be not able to type for awhile. I will be back on as soon as I can! But in the mean time go see Atlantis – The Lost Empire! It's a really good movie!