Heartbreak and Forgiveness, Chapter 3
By Arina Ketchum
{Begin Live Feed. Camera 1. Pull back on opening shot of a stage that looks like a comfy living room as audience cheers and claps. Camera 4. Pan shot of audience.}
Liza: Welcome to Liza Talks. Today we're talking with the #1 Pokemon Master, Ash Ketchum. Thank you for being here, Ash.
{Camera 2. Close up of Ketchum's face.}
Ash: Thank you for having me.
Liza: We all know the story of how you became a Pokemon Master - what's it like being at the top?
Ash (slight grin): It's sort of a weird feeling . I mean, I spent years and years training, my goal from the very beginning to be the number one master; I never thought I'd actually accomplish that.
Liza: In the astounding last battle of the Pokemon League matches, you switched your Charizard for your Pikachu, even though electric types are weak against grass. What made you switch at the last minute?"
{Switch to Camera 2. Move in 5 feet.}
Ash: (patting Pikachu on the head) Pikachu and I had been together for a long time before that battle. I have a lot of faith in Pikachu - in all my Pokemon, really. But I knew Pikachu would get the job done.
Pikachu: Pika! (makes the victory sign)
Liza: (laughs) Has anyone ever challenged you for the #1 title?
{Camera 4. quick pan of audience. Then switch to Camera 5.}
Ash: Oh sure, a lot of trainers have. Every year when a trainer who looks especially promising reaches the final round, I'm called in. Whoever wins the final round goes onto face me. (Laughs.) So far, no one's been able to beat me.
Liza: You seem pleased about that.
Ash: Oh, I don't mean to sound malicious about it. It took me ten years to become what I am today, I don't plan to give that luxury up anytime soon.
Liza: Let's move onto your personal life. You're married to Misty Waterflower, the youngest trainer from the Cerulean Gym. How did you two meet?
Ash: Back when I was ten, and had just begun my trek from my home in Pallet Town, I got into a fight with a Spearow. The rest of its flock didn't like that, so they all started chasing me and Pikachu. To get away from them, we jumped into a river and floated downstream. We reached calmer waters two miles away and Misty happened to be there, fishing. So I grabbed her line and she pulled me out.
Liza: Was it love at first sight?
Ash: (shakes his head): Hardly. Pikachu had been beaten up by the Spearows and she told me there was a Pokemon Center a few miles away. What did I do? I grabbed her bike standing nearby and started away, leaving her ranting and raving. The Spearows chased us through a gigantic thunderstorm, and in the end, the bike got totally destroyed.
Liza: Oh no!
Ash: Oh yes! Of course, Misty caught up with me later, after finding her bike, and demanded a new one from me. I couldn't pay her back immediately, so she tagged along with me until I could pay her back. Years passed, our relationship turned from "you-owe-me-a-bike", to friends, and eventually, I couldn't see a future without her, so I proposed.
{Audience "awws", then claps. Switch to Camera 4.}
Liza: Isn't that lovely! Now you have a two-year-old daughter, Arina, right? What's she like? Is she a cutey?
Ash: Oh definitely. I never saw myself with kids, but the moment I held her in the hospital ... {pause} I knew. She's very special to me, both of us. Right now she loves playing dress-up and performing. She'll hear something on t.v. and immediately spit it back out at you. Like a commercial or something. She's very special to us, and I'd be torn to pieces if anything ever happened to her.
* * * *
"Mommy! The kitty ad is on again!"
"Is it?" Misty Ketchum didn't bother to look up from the list she was reading. "That's nice, Arina. Let's see, shorts, t-shirts, and swimsuit...Arina, where's your swimsuit?"
"In my room."
"Well, please go get it so I can close our suitcase."
Arina ran out of her parents room down the hall to her room, happily singing the dancing cat jingle. "Prancing cats love kitty treats..."
"I'm home!" Ash called as he came into his house in Elegant City.
"Daddy!" Arina shrieked and ran downstairs.
"Hi, Ash! I'm upstairs packing!" Misty called as she leaned over the banister.
Ash pounded up the steps, holding Arina in his arms. He put Arina down and grabbed Misty at the top step, giving her kiss. "Maybe we can put Arina down early tonight." he whispered into her ear, making Misty giggle.
"Honestly Ash, in front of Arina." she smiled and walked back into their bedroom.
"What'd I say? I just want to get on our vacation off on the right foot."
"Uh-huh." Misty deflected any of that discussion to go further by asking, "Are you all packed?"
"Yup, and all our Pokemon besides Pikachu and Togepi are at Professor Oak's for a relaxing two weeks." Ash turned to the television beind them. What is Arina watching? Not the interview again!" Ash groaned.
"Well, ever since it aired this week, Arina watches nothing else. She really looks up to you, Ash." Misty smiled as she tucked Arina's bathingsuit into an outside pocket of the suitcase.
Arina started to laugh hysterically when Ash, on t.v., flashed a her picture for the camera. "I'm on t.v., just like Daddy!" she cried.
Ash came up behind Arina and picked her up. "You're getting heavy, shortstuff. Have you been eating bags of sugar again?"
Arina laughed. "Put me down Daddy!" she squealed happily.
"Hang on!" Ash plopped her down on top of suitcase. "You hold down the top and I'll zip it closed."
"Yes, Mr. Pokemon Master!" Arina grinned.
Ash tried not to roll his eyes. "Ar, just call me 'Daddy', ok?"
"Why? Other people call you Pokemon Master on t.v., why can't I?"
"Arina, people call him Pokemon Master because he trains Pokemon very well." Misty explained.
"Why don't they call him Mr. Ketchum, like the people at the store do?"
"Your turn." Misty said as she went into the bathroom to pack her toothbrush.
"Um, well, shortstuff, some people don't know me that well, and those that do call me either Ash or Mr. Ketchum. And when people see me, they say I'm a Pokemon Master, because I've trained Pokemon so well."
"Hmmm," Arina looked down at her lap in thought. Then her head shot up, her royal blue hair jerking past her shoulders, and with a grin, she asked, "Can I be a Pokemon Master?"
Ash smiled. "One of these days, Arina, I think you will be."
* * * *
The next morning, the Ketchums were up bright and early. Well, except Arina. She never liked being woken up before eight, and thus, this morning, was irritable. She threw a tantrum while Misty tried to help her dress and she refused to eat breakfast. Much to Ash and Misty's relief, she fell asleep in the car on the two hour ride to the beach.
"I hope she's not like this the entire two weeks of vacation." Misty yawned, tired herself.
"If she is, I'll ship her home in a packing crate with very tiny airholes." Ash said.
"Oh, Ash." Misty laughed along with Pikachu, knowing he was joking. Togepi had fallen asleep in Misty's arms.
Arina turned out to better than expected. After arriving at their rented seaside house, Arina kept Togepi and Pikachu occupied by showing them her picture books while Misty and Ash unloaded the car, then quickly unpacked.
"Oh, I'm so glad we came." Misty collapsed onto the couch and Arina and Togepi fought over who's turn it was to sit in Mommy's lap.
"Where do you want to go for lunch?" Ash asked as he came into the livingroom after storing their suitcase in their bedroom.
"Nowhere. I'm happy just vegging out here."
"Then why don't I take Arina and Pikachu out and let you get some rest."
"Mm, now I know why I married you."
"Great health benefits?" Ash joked. "Ok, 'Rina, let's go for a walk on the boardwalk and you can pick the place we eat."
* * * *
Mommy! I wanna go swimmy!" Arina cried the next day.
"Just a minute, Arina, I'm getting our towels." Misty came into the main room of the beachhouse.
"Ready to go, Ash?" Misty called back to her husband.
"Yeah!" Ash shouted from the bedroom.
"Is Daddy coming swimmy, too?"
"Yes! And I'm going to dunk my little girl!" Ash ran in suddenly, wearing nothing but his swimming trunks, and grabbed Arina, turning her upside down. Arina screamed, delighted in the game. Ash gently lay her on the floor and she ran into the kitchenette area, hiding behind a seat. Ash roared and ran after her. Arina then ran and hid behind her mother.
"Oh, you two!" Misty laughed, and pulled a colorful towel off the back of a chair. "Come on, let's go swimming!"
* * * *
And the little girl learned that Pokemon can be her best friends too." Ash glanced over at Arina, sound asleep, with Pikachu and Togepi at the foot of her bed. Ash put the book down on the dresser and leaned over the bed, kissing his daughter good night. He got up then, and walked across the hall to his and Misty's bedroom.
"She's asleep?" Misty asked from the bathroom adjoining their room.
Ash nodded as he crawled into their bed. "Yep, I think she's beat from all that swimming she did in the ocean today."
"I can't wait till tomorrow when the summer carnival comes to town. She'll love it." Misty yawned. "Mm, I'm beat too."
"We should get some rest. Arina, Pikachu, and Togepi will want to get to the carnival early."
"Isn't it funny, Ash," Misty said as she turned off her lamp on the dresser beside her, "that when we were kids, we'd stay up till eleven o'clock or even try to pull all-nighters, and now that we're older, we can barely stay up till nine."
"Uh-huh." Ash yawned.
"Goodnight Ash."
"Goodnight Misty."
* * * *
"I can't wait till tomorrow, I'm so excited!"
"You keep that up, and you're bound to give us away."
"Who said I'm not allowed to be excited over someone's misfortune?"
"God, you really are evil."
"You're in awe; I'm surprised."
"He was unfortunate that we were watching the program he was on. He'll lose everything that's dear to him."
"Mmm. Watch me in action tomorrow at the carnival, you'll see how evil I really CAN be..."
* * * *
The sounds of the carnival filled the air as Misty, Ash, Pikachu, and Togepi walked down the boardwalk to the carnival in the early afternoon of the next day.
"Wow! Mommy, Daddy, I want cotton candy and ice cream!" Arina cried.
"Hold on, shortstuff, we just got here." Ash laughed.
"I want to go on that!" Arina pointed to the roller coaster. "Can we go on that? Please?"
"Arina's afraid of escalators, and she wants to go on a roller coaster?" Ash asked over his daughter's head to Misty.
Misty shrugged. "She's too young anyway to ride it. Hey, 'Rina, let's go on the airplane ride."
"Yeah!" Arina cried happily, forgetting about the roller coaster. "Planes!"
As Misty and Arina boarded said ride, Ash wandered over to a nearby booth, and bought some cotton candy.
"Whee! That was fun!" Arina cried as the ride ended three minutes later and she and Misty met up with Ash again.
"What do you want to do next, Ar?" Ash asked as he handed her some of the sticky pink confection.
"Mmph." Arina replied as she stuck the sugar treat in her mouth.
"Now she'll be up all night with a sugar rush, I suppose." Misty said blandly as she took in the sites from her spot.
"Oh Misty, c'mon we're on vacation!" Ash shot back.
"If you want to be up with her all night, please, be my guest." Misty shrugged.
"She's NOT going to be up all night." Ash huffed. "Here, 'Rina, you want some -" Ash held out the cotton candy to her. "Arina?"
Misty looked down, and noticed Arina was gone. Frantic, she and Ash looked around them.
"Arina!" they called together, shouting.
"Go Pikachu, find Arina!" Ash cried.
"Pika!" Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder and ran into the crowd.
"I'll keep looking for her. Misty, go find an officer!" Ash commanded. Misty stood there in tears, unmoving. "Misty, c'mon, she couldn't have gone far!"
* * * *
An hour later, after a non-stop search, Misty and Ash were sitting on a bench at the carnival, being questioned by the police. The carnival had been shut down for the rest of the day The entire city police force, along with volunteers, were out looking for Arina at the moment. Once word was carried out that the #1 Pokemon Master's daughter was missing, every media in the region was hounding the police chief for any information and begging to talk to the distraught parents.
Misty and Ash were holding each other tightly as officers stood around, looking suspiciously at anyone passing by that wasn't in uniform.
"What was she wearing?" an officer that looked like the male version of Officer Jenny, asked.
"Um, she was wearing a little pink shirt, and khaki shorts. . ." Misty trailed off as she burst into tears again.
Ash gripped her even more tightly, as he struggled to hold back his own emotions. "They'll find her Misty." he whispered.
Several hours passed with no news of Arina. Search parties had formed around the city, looking for the little girl, while Misty and Ash had gone home to wait in case she might find her way back to the beach house. Sailor Raichu and Tuxedo Takeshi crouched on the roof, listening to the crowd inside the house relaying the information. After a half-hour of intently gathering the information, they looked at one another. "Think it's them?" Takeshi asked quietly.
Sailor Raichu gave him a slight nod. "I've no doubt in my mind."
"Then let's go find them." Tuxedo was about to leap to the next roof, when Raichu grabbed his arm. "If we interfere now, we put Arina in serious danger, and she might very well be killed. It's better to wait and see what develops first."
"She'll be killed if we *don't* act soon!" Takeshi argued.
But Raichu shook her head again. "I know them; they don't want Arina, they want something else."
"But what? Surely not Ash's Pikachu, I thought they'd given up on it years ago."
She shook her head, "I don't know, but whatever happens, we have to be vigilant for any follow-ups."
Days passed, and the search parties on land still hadn't found any trace of Arina, and the coast guard wasn't having much luck either. Then a shocking blow came; someone had found little girl's clothes laying in a ditch by the main drag into the coastal town that matched Misty's description. Misty and Ash gave positive identification that they were the clothes Arina had been wearing the day she had disappeared, and terrified they might find Arina's body next, they sent out a plea to keep looking for her, and to whomever had her, give her back.
"I will do ANYTHING to see Arina again." Ash begged in a televised conference. "Just bring her back safe to us."
Ten days passed, then fifteen. Slowly, even Ash and Misty were beginning to lose hope of finding her alive.
After 18 days, the search was called off all together, depsite desperate pleading from Ash and Misty. That night, after a final search around the town, they came back to the beach house, escorted by an Officer Jenny, feeling agony, defeat, and certainly a great loss. Neither of them had anything beyond 15 hours of sleep in the last three weeks, terrified they might miss the call, the announcement that Arina was safe and sound.
The house was an absolute mess from the police camp-out. Dishes were piled up in the sink, papers were scattered everywhere. The only thing that hadn't been touched was a small pile of Arina's toys next to the couch. Misty saw it as soon as they walked in, and fell to her knees, sobbing hard.
"My baby! My precious angel..." Misty kept repeating. Officer Jenny felt her own tears brimming. No parent should ever have to suffer this much pain. She could find any words of sympathy that would sound forced and uncaring at the moment.
"Misty, c'mon, please, lie down for a little while."
Misty needed no further urging from Ash. Like a robot, she mechanically drew herself up and started for the bedroom.
Ash turned as soon as his wife left the room. "Thank you, Jenny, for everything."
Jenny forced herself not to spit out the phrase, "Just doing my duty!" This was an emotional case - neither she nor her team ever liked handling them and they all wished such terrible things never happened at all.
"I'm very sorry, Mr. Ketchum, we did the very best we could -" Jenny was cut off by Misty's scream from the bedroom. Without a second thought, Ash and Jenny ran to the back of the house, and found Misty sitting on the edge of the bed, shaking, a piece of paper in her hand.
"Misty?"
"They have her, Ash! Team Rocket has Arina!" she held out the white sheet of paper and Ash took it, Jenny reading it aloud behind him.
"Greetings to the #1 Pokemon Master and his wife,
Do not be alarmed, your daughter is safe - for the moment. She is being held at a secret location under the close watch of my Rockets.
You will bring one million dollars to the city cargo boat docks, Pier 10 at midnight Sunday. Fail to show, bring play money, money that has dye packs, or bring help of any kind, and the deal is off and Arina is ours.
Sincerely,
Giovanni"
"What do we do?" Misty asked quietly. "We don't have a million dollars."
"I'll organize a squadron immediately and contact all my relatives. We'll bust into every know Rocket hideout and get Arina back -" Jenny started, but Ash held up his hand.
"No. Doing something like that would be suicide and Arina would be the one hurt for it."
"Ash?" Misty asked.
"We'll comply with Giovanni. Somehow we'll get the money and then we'll get Arina back."
Sailor Raichu, from her position on the roof, nodded. "Yes we will Ash, we will get Arina back."
* * * *
Family and friends were only too willing to help Ash and Misty raise the one million dollars. They gave as much as they possibly could, but even then, it wasn't enough. They were short 100,000 Saturday night. The only way to get that money was to do something drastic...
"We'll have the bank at home wire us the money, and then we'll pay them back."
"100,000? Ash, we don't have that kind of money! We spent most of your prize money on the house..."
Ash nodded solemnly. "We'll sell the house in Elegant City and move somewhere like Pallet, with a smaller house. It'll be worth it if we get her back. I will not lose Arina to Team Rocket."
Misty nodded shakily. There was no other choice left.
Sunday night, Ash and Misty arrived at Pier 10 five minutes to midnight. The air was heavy, and damp. The pier had few lights, most of which were laterns aboard docked ships in the harbor, which didn't lessen the darkness at all. Ash was gripping the steel case with the one million in cash while Misty clung to Ash's other arm tightly, and held one of Arina's favorite toys, a plush "Hello Kitty", dressed in a pink bunny outfit. Officer Jenny, against Giovanni's instructions, had several plainclothes police men, dressed as stevadores, posted around the area.
"Arina? Are you here?" Misty asked aloud.
"The child is fine - for now." a female shrouded in darkness answered her. "Do you have the money?"
"Right here." Ash tightened his grip on the case.
"Give it to us."
Ash gritted his teeth. "Show me Arina; I want to see her and know she's all right."
There was a tense silence. Then, a female Rocket with short blond hair, garbed in a black uniform came out, leading Arina by the hand.
"Arina!" Misty gasped, forcing herself to stay back. One wrong move and Team Rocket would wisk Arina away forever.
"Hi, Daddy!" Arina said, cheerful as ever.
"Open the case and show me the money."
Carefully, Ash opened the silver case, and showed it to her. Pleased, the woman stepped back, and put one hand on her hip, knowing she had the upper hand now. "Give me the money -now-, or I'm taking her for good." she belted out harshly.
Solemnly, slowly, Ash walked to her and Arina, and handed over the case.
"Giovanni thanks you." the woman bowed a little, and started to back off into the cover of darkness again, still holding Arina.
Ash realized now he'd been tricked. They hadn't planned to give Arina back at all! "Let go of her!" he yelled angrily, and started to run after them.
There was a sudden, angry yell of "Snap! Crack! Thunderwhip!" and an unnatural streak of lightning breached the darkness for a split-second. A cry of pain came from the Rocket; Ash only worried that Arina was alright.
Sailor Raichu walked out with Arina then. The little girl ripped her grasp from the hero, running into her father's waiting arms. Ash picked her up, unable to hold back his sobs of joy at having his little girl back again. Misty ran to them both, crying as well.
Police officers surrounded them, either going after the Rocket, or securing the area. Sailor Raichu had teleported away almost as soon as she had appeared, but watched the scene from a rooftop nearby.
"You did well, SR."
Sailor Raichu turned to face Tuxedo Takeshi, wiping away a tear that had formed at the corner of one eye with one gloved hand. "Thank you. For a minute though, I thought..."
"But it didn't happen. Now let's go home; another little girl is waiting for you to tuck her into bed." Takeshi put his arm around her waist as they both disappeared into the darkness of the night.
"Daddy?" Arina looked at Ash, still happy.
"Yeah, short stuff?" Ash answered her, still wiping tears away.
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light! Surrender now or prepare to fight!"
Ash was so startled that he nearly dropped Arina. "What? Honey, where did you hear that?"
"Cass'dy told me I half to say dat to you."
For the first time that night, Misty noticed what Arina was wearing - a kid size female black Rocket uniform, complete with black boots. "Honey, where did you get those clothes?"
"I got new clothes!" Arina said happily. "Cass'dy gave 'em to me! She said if I want to get Pokemon, I have to dress like this."
Ash looked at Misty, Misty looked at Ash and mouthed the word, "Brainwashed".
"Let's go home." Ash finally said, softly.
{Camera pulls away slowly, revealing more of the scene as it pulls back in an aerial shot. Police have roped off the area. Reporters are now swamping the place.}
"This is Kate Mackey for Channel Six News. The scene you are witnessing is a view of Pier 10 from our Channel 6 helicopter. It's not clear what exactly is going on down there, but we believe Ash Ketchum's daughter has been found, although we are unable to confirm that - wait, ladies and gentlemen, I'm getting word from our station manager, yes, Arina Ketchum has been found, alive and well..."
The End.
By Arina Ketchum
{Begin Live Feed. Camera 1. Pull back on opening shot of a stage that looks like a comfy living room as audience cheers and claps. Camera 4. Pan shot of audience.}
Liza: Welcome to Liza Talks. Today we're talking with the #1 Pokemon Master, Ash Ketchum. Thank you for being here, Ash.
{Camera 2. Close up of Ketchum's face.}
Ash: Thank you for having me.
Liza: We all know the story of how you became a Pokemon Master - what's it like being at the top?
Ash (slight grin): It's sort of a weird feeling . I mean, I spent years and years training, my goal from the very beginning to be the number one master; I never thought I'd actually accomplish that.
Liza: In the astounding last battle of the Pokemon League matches, you switched your Charizard for your Pikachu, even though electric types are weak against grass. What made you switch at the last minute?"
{Switch to Camera 2. Move in 5 feet.}
Ash: (patting Pikachu on the head) Pikachu and I had been together for a long time before that battle. I have a lot of faith in Pikachu - in all my Pokemon, really. But I knew Pikachu would get the job done.
Pikachu: Pika! (makes the victory sign)
Liza: (laughs) Has anyone ever challenged you for the #1 title?
{Camera 4. quick pan of audience. Then switch to Camera 5.}
Ash: Oh sure, a lot of trainers have. Every year when a trainer who looks especially promising reaches the final round, I'm called in. Whoever wins the final round goes onto face me. (Laughs.) So far, no one's been able to beat me.
Liza: You seem pleased about that.
Ash: Oh, I don't mean to sound malicious about it. It took me ten years to become what I am today, I don't plan to give that luxury up anytime soon.
Liza: Let's move onto your personal life. You're married to Misty Waterflower, the youngest trainer from the Cerulean Gym. How did you two meet?
Ash: Back when I was ten, and had just begun my trek from my home in Pallet Town, I got into a fight with a Spearow. The rest of its flock didn't like that, so they all started chasing me and Pikachu. To get away from them, we jumped into a river and floated downstream. We reached calmer waters two miles away and Misty happened to be there, fishing. So I grabbed her line and she pulled me out.
Liza: Was it love at first sight?
Ash: (shakes his head): Hardly. Pikachu had been beaten up by the Spearows and she told me there was a Pokemon Center a few miles away. What did I do? I grabbed her bike standing nearby and started away, leaving her ranting and raving. The Spearows chased us through a gigantic thunderstorm, and in the end, the bike got totally destroyed.
Liza: Oh no!
Ash: Oh yes! Of course, Misty caught up with me later, after finding her bike, and demanded a new one from me. I couldn't pay her back immediately, so she tagged along with me until I could pay her back. Years passed, our relationship turned from "you-owe-me-a-bike", to friends, and eventually, I couldn't see a future without her, so I proposed.
{Audience "awws", then claps. Switch to Camera 4.}
Liza: Isn't that lovely! Now you have a two-year-old daughter, Arina, right? What's she like? Is she a cutey?
Ash: Oh definitely. I never saw myself with kids, but the moment I held her in the hospital ... {pause} I knew. She's very special to me, both of us. Right now she loves playing dress-up and performing. She'll hear something on t.v. and immediately spit it back out at you. Like a commercial or something. She's very special to us, and I'd be torn to pieces if anything ever happened to her.
* * * *
"Mommy! The kitty ad is on again!"
"Is it?" Misty Ketchum didn't bother to look up from the list she was reading. "That's nice, Arina. Let's see, shorts, t-shirts, and swimsuit...Arina, where's your swimsuit?"
"In my room."
"Well, please go get it so I can close our suitcase."
Arina ran out of her parents room down the hall to her room, happily singing the dancing cat jingle. "Prancing cats love kitty treats..."
"I'm home!" Ash called as he came into his house in Elegant City.
"Daddy!" Arina shrieked and ran downstairs.
"Hi, Ash! I'm upstairs packing!" Misty called as she leaned over the banister.
Ash pounded up the steps, holding Arina in his arms. He put Arina down and grabbed Misty at the top step, giving her kiss. "Maybe we can put Arina down early tonight." he whispered into her ear, making Misty giggle.
"Honestly Ash, in front of Arina." she smiled and walked back into their bedroom.
"What'd I say? I just want to get on our vacation off on the right foot."
"Uh-huh." Misty deflected any of that discussion to go further by asking, "Are you all packed?"
"Yup, and all our Pokemon besides Pikachu and Togepi are at Professor Oak's for a relaxing two weeks." Ash turned to the television beind them. What is Arina watching? Not the interview again!" Ash groaned.
"Well, ever since it aired this week, Arina watches nothing else. She really looks up to you, Ash." Misty smiled as she tucked Arina's bathingsuit into an outside pocket of the suitcase.
Arina started to laugh hysterically when Ash, on t.v., flashed a her picture for the camera. "I'm on t.v., just like Daddy!" she cried.
Ash came up behind Arina and picked her up. "You're getting heavy, shortstuff. Have you been eating bags of sugar again?"
Arina laughed. "Put me down Daddy!" she squealed happily.
"Hang on!" Ash plopped her down on top of suitcase. "You hold down the top and I'll zip it closed."
"Yes, Mr. Pokemon Master!" Arina grinned.
Ash tried not to roll his eyes. "Ar, just call me 'Daddy', ok?"
"Why? Other people call you Pokemon Master on t.v., why can't I?"
"Arina, people call him Pokemon Master because he trains Pokemon very well." Misty explained.
"Why don't they call him Mr. Ketchum, like the people at the store do?"
"Your turn." Misty said as she went into the bathroom to pack her toothbrush.
"Um, well, shortstuff, some people don't know me that well, and those that do call me either Ash or Mr. Ketchum. And when people see me, they say I'm a Pokemon Master, because I've trained Pokemon so well."
"Hmmm," Arina looked down at her lap in thought. Then her head shot up, her royal blue hair jerking past her shoulders, and with a grin, she asked, "Can I be a Pokemon Master?"
Ash smiled. "One of these days, Arina, I think you will be."
* * * *
The next morning, the Ketchums were up bright and early. Well, except Arina. She never liked being woken up before eight, and thus, this morning, was irritable. She threw a tantrum while Misty tried to help her dress and she refused to eat breakfast. Much to Ash and Misty's relief, she fell asleep in the car on the two hour ride to the beach.
"I hope she's not like this the entire two weeks of vacation." Misty yawned, tired herself.
"If she is, I'll ship her home in a packing crate with very tiny airholes." Ash said.
"Oh, Ash." Misty laughed along with Pikachu, knowing he was joking. Togepi had fallen asleep in Misty's arms.
Arina turned out to better than expected. After arriving at their rented seaside house, Arina kept Togepi and Pikachu occupied by showing them her picture books while Misty and Ash unloaded the car, then quickly unpacked.
"Oh, I'm so glad we came." Misty collapsed onto the couch and Arina and Togepi fought over who's turn it was to sit in Mommy's lap.
"Where do you want to go for lunch?" Ash asked as he came into the livingroom after storing their suitcase in their bedroom.
"Nowhere. I'm happy just vegging out here."
"Then why don't I take Arina and Pikachu out and let you get some rest."
"Mm, now I know why I married you."
"Great health benefits?" Ash joked. "Ok, 'Rina, let's go for a walk on the boardwalk and you can pick the place we eat."
* * * *
Mommy! I wanna go swimmy!" Arina cried the next day.
"Just a minute, Arina, I'm getting our towels." Misty came into the main room of the beachhouse.
"Ready to go, Ash?" Misty called back to her husband.
"Yeah!" Ash shouted from the bedroom.
"Is Daddy coming swimmy, too?"
"Yes! And I'm going to dunk my little girl!" Ash ran in suddenly, wearing nothing but his swimming trunks, and grabbed Arina, turning her upside down. Arina screamed, delighted in the game. Ash gently lay her on the floor and she ran into the kitchenette area, hiding behind a seat. Ash roared and ran after her. Arina then ran and hid behind her mother.
"Oh, you two!" Misty laughed, and pulled a colorful towel off the back of a chair. "Come on, let's go swimming!"
* * * *
And the little girl learned that Pokemon can be her best friends too." Ash glanced over at Arina, sound asleep, with Pikachu and Togepi at the foot of her bed. Ash put the book down on the dresser and leaned over the bed, kissing his daughter good night. He got up then, and walked across the hall to his and Misty's bedroom.
"She's asleep?" Misty asked from the bathroom adjoining their room.
Ash nodded as he crawled into their bed. "Yep, I think she's beat from all that swimming she did in the ocean today."
"I can't wait till tomorrow when the summer carnival comes to town. She'll love it." Misty yawned. "Mm, I'm beat too."
"We should get some rest. Arina, Pikachu, and Togepi will want to get to the carnival early."
"Isn't it funny, Ash," Misty said as she turned off her lamp on the dresser beside her, "that when we were kids, we'd stay up till eleven o'clock or even try to pull all-nighters, and now that we're older, we can barely stay up till nine."
"Uh-huh." Ash yawned.
"Goodnight Ash."
"Goodnight Misty."
* * * *
"I can't wait till tomorrow, I'm so excited!"
"You keep that up, and you're bound to give us away."
"Who said I'm not allowed to be excited over someone's misfortune?"
"God, you really are evil."
"You're in awe; I'm surprised."
"He was unfortunate that we were watching the program he was on. He'll lose everything that's dear to him."
"Mmm. Watch me in action tomorrow at the carnival, you'll see how evil I really CAN be..."
* * * *
The sounds of the carnival filled the air as Misty, Ash, Pikachu, and Togepi walked down the boardwalk to the carnival in the early afternoon of the next day.
"Wow! Mommy, Daddy, I want cotton candy and ice cream!" Arina cried.
"Hold on, shortstuff, we just got here." Ash laughed.
"I want to go on that!" Arina pointed to the roller coaster. "Can we go on that? Please?"
"Arina's afraid of escalators, and she wants to go on a roller coaster?" Ash asked over his daughter's head to Misty.
Misty shrugged. "She's too young anyway to ride it. Hey, 'Rina, let's go on the airplane ride."
"Yeah!" Arina cried happily, forgetting about the roller coaster. "Planes!"
As Misty and Arina boarded said ride, Ash wandered over to a nearby booth, and bought some cotton candy.
"Whee! That was fun!" Arina cried as the ride ended three minutes later and she and Misty met up with Ash again.
"What do you want to do next, Ar?" Ash asked as he handed her some of the sticky pink confection.
"Mmph." Arina replied as she stuck the sugar treat in her mouth.
"Now she'll be up all night with a sugar rush, I suppose." Misty said blandly as she took in the sites from her spot.
"Oh Misty, c'mon we're on vacation!" Ash shot back.
"If you want to be up with her all night, please, be my guest." Misty shrugged.
"She's NOT going to be up all night." Ash huffed. "Here, 'Rina, you want some -" Ash held out the cotton candy to her. "Arina?"
Misty looked down, and noticed Arina was gone. Frantic, she and Ash looked around them.
"Arina!" they called together, shouting.
"Go Pikachu, find Arina!" Ash cried.
"Pika!" Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder and ran into the crowd.
"I'll keep looking for her. Misty, go find an officer!" Ash commanded. Misty stood there in tears, unmoving. "Misty, c'mon, she couldn't have gone far!"
* * * *
An hour later, after a non-stop search, Misty and Ash were sitting on a bench at the carnival, being questioned by the police. The carnival had been shut down for the rest of the day The entire city police force, along with volunteers, were out looking for Arina at the moment. Once word was carried out that the #1 Pokemon Master's daughter was missing, every media in the region was hounding the police chief for any information and begging to talk to the distraught parents.
Misty and Ash were holding each other tightly as officers stood around, looking suspiciously at anyone passing by that wasn't in uniform.
"What was she wearing?" an officer that looked like the male version of Officer Jenny, asked.
"Um, she was wearing a little pink shirt, and khaki shorts. . ." Misty trailed off as she burst into tears again.
Ash gripped her even more tightly, as he struggled to hold back his own emotions. "They'll find her Misty." he whispered.
Several hours passed with no news of Arina. Search parties had formed around the city, looking for the little girl, while Misty and Ash had gone home to wait in case she might find her way back to the beach house. Sailor Raichu and Tuxedo Takeshi crouched on the roof, listening to the crowd inside the house relaying the information. After a half-hour of intently gathering the information, they looked at one another. "Think it's them?" Takeshi asked quietly.
Sailor Raichu gave him a slight nod. "I've no doubt in my mind."
"Then let's go find them." Tuxedo was about to leap to the next roof, when Raichu grabbed his arm. "If we interfere now, we put Arina in serious danger, and she might very well be killed. It's better to wait and see what develops first."
"She'll be killed if we *don't* act soon!" Takeshi argued.
But Raichu shook her head again. "I know them; they don't want Arina, they want something else."
"But what? Surely not Ash's Pikachu, I thought they'd given up on it years ago."
She shook her head, "I don't know, but whatever happens, we have to be vigilant for any follow-ups."
Days passed, and the search parties on land still hadn't found any trace of Arina, and the coast guard wasn't having much luck either. Then a shocking blow came; someone had found little girl's clothes laying in a ditch by the main drag into the coastal town that matched Misty's description. Misty and Ash gave positive identification that they were the clothes Arina had been wearing the day she had disappeared, and terrified they might find Arina's body next, they sent out a plea to keep looking for her, and to whomever had her, give her back.
"I will do ANYTHING to see Arina again." Ash begged in a televised conference. "Just bring her back safe to us."
Ten days passed, then fifteen. Slowly, even Ash and Misty were beginning to lose hope of finding her alive.
After 18 days, the search was called off all together, depsite desperate pleading from Ash and Misty. That night, after a final search around the town, they came back to the beach house, escorted by an Officer Jenny, feeling agony, defeat, and certainly a great loss. Neither of them had anything beyond 15 hours of sleep in the last three weeks, terrified they might miss the call, the announcement that Arina was safe and sound.
The house was an absolute mess from the police camp-out. Dishes were piled up in the sink, papers were scattered everywhere. The only thing that hadn't been touched was a small pile of Arina's toys next to the couch. Misty saw it as soon as they walked in, and fell to her knees, sobbing hard.
"My baby! My precious angel..." Misty kept repeating. Officer Jenny felt her own tears brimming. No parent should ever have to suffer this much pain. She could find any words of sympathy that would sound forced and uncaring at the moment.
"Misty, c'mon, please, lie down for a little while."
Misty needed no further urging from Ash. Like a robot, she mechanically drew herself up and started for the bedroom.
Ash turned as soon as his wife left the room. "Thank you, Jenny, for everything."
Jenny forced herself not to spit out the phrase, "Just doing my duty!" This was an emotional case - neither she nor her team ever liked handling them and they all wished such terrible things never happened at all.
"I'm very sorry, Mr. Ketchum, we did the very best we could -" Jenny was cut off by Misty's scream from the bedroom. Without a second thought, Ash and Jenny ran to the back of the house, and found Misty sitting on the edge of the bed, shaking, a piece of paper in her hand.
"Misty?"
"They have her, Ash! Team Rocket has Arina!" she held out the white sheet of paper and Ash took it, Jenny reading it aloud behind him.
"Greetings to the #1 Pokemon Master and his wife,
Do not be alarmed, your daughter is safe - for the moment. She is being held at a secret location under the close watch of my Rockets.
You will bring one million dollars to the city cargo boat docks, Pier 10 at midnight Sunday. Fail to show, bring play money, money that has dye packs, or bring help of any kind, and the deal is off and Arina is ours.
Sincerely,
Giovanni"
"What do we do?" Misty asked quietly. "We don't have a million dollars."
"I'll organize a squadron immediately and contact all my relatives. We'll bust into every know Rocket hideout and get Arina back -" Jenny started, but Ash held up his hand.
"No. Doing something like that would be suicide and Arina would be the one hurt for it."
"Ash?" Misty asked.
"We'll comply with Giovanni. Somehow we'll get the money and then we'll get Arina back."
Sailor Raichu, from her position on the roof, nodded. "Yes we will Ash, we will get Arina back."
* * * *
Family and friends were only too willing to help Ash and Misty raise the one million dollars. They gave as much as they possibly could, but even then, it wasn't enough. They were short 100,000 Saturday night. The only way to get that money was to do something drastic...
"We'll have the bank at home wire us the money, and then we'll pay them back."
"100,000? Ash, we don't have that kind of money! We spent most of your prize money on the house..."
Ash nodded solemnly. "We'll sell the house in Elegant City and move somewhere like Pallet, with a smaller house. It'll be worth it if we get her back. I will not lose Arina to Team Rocket."
Misty nodded shakily. There was no other choice left.
Sunday night, Ash and Misty arrived at Pier 10 five minutes to midnight. The air was heavy, and damp. The pier had few lights, most of which were laterns aboard docked ships in the harbor, which didn't lessen the darkness at all. Ash was gripping the steel case with the one million in cash while Misty clung to Ash's other arm tightly, and held one of Arina's favorite toys, a plush "Hello Kitty", dressed in a pink bunny outfit. Officer Jenny, against Giovanni's instructions, had several plainclothes police men, dressed as stevadores, posted around the area.
"Arina? Are you here?" Misty asked aloud.
"The child is fine - for now." a female shrouded in darkness answered her. "Do you have the money?"
"Right here." Ash tightened his grip on the case.
"Give it to us."
Ash gritted his teeth. "Show me Arina; I want to see her and know she's all right."
There was a tense silence. Then, a female Rocket with short blond hair, garbed in a black uniform came out, leading Arina by the hand.
"Arina!" Misty gasped, forcing herself to stay back. One wrong move and Team Rocket would wisk Arina away forever.
"Hi, Daddy!" Arina said, cheerful as ever.
"Open the case and show me the money."
Carefully, Ash opened the silver case, and showed it to her. Pleased, the woman stepped back, and put one hand on her hip, knowing she had the upper hand now. "Give me the money -now-, or I'm taking her for good." she belted out harshly.
Solemnly, slowly, Ash walked to her and Arina, and handed over the case.
"Giovanni thanks you." the woman bowed a little, and started to back off into the cover of darkness again, still holding Arina.
Ash realized now he'd been tricked. They hadn't planned to give Arina back at all! "Let go of her!" he yelled angrily, and started to run after them.
There was a sudden, angry yell of "Snap! Crack! Thunderwhip!" and an unnatural streak of lightning breached the darkness for a split-second. A cry of pain came from the Rocket; Ash only worried that Arina was alright.
Sailor Raichu walked out with Arina then. The little girl ripped her grasp from the hero, running into her father's waiting arms. Ash picked her up, unable to hold back his sobs of joy at having his little girl back again. Misty ran to them both, crying as well.
Police officers surrounded them, either going after the Rocket, or securing the area. Sailor Raichu had teleported away almost as soon as she had appeared, but watched the scene from a rooftop nearby.
"You did well, SR."
Sailor Raichu turned to face Tuxedo Takeshi, wiping away a tear that had formed at the corner of one eye with one gloved hand. "Thank you. For a minute though, I thought..."
"But it didn't happen. Now let's go home; another little girl is waiting for you to tuck her into bed." Takeshi put his arm around her waist as they both disappeared into the darkness of the night.
"Daddy?" Arina looked at Ash, still happy.
"Yeah, short stuff?" Ash answered her, still wiping tears away.
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light! Surrender now or prepare to fight!"
Ash was so startled that he nearly dropped Arina. "What? Honey, where did you hear that?"
"Cass'dy told me I half to say dat to you."
For the first time that night, Misty noticed what Arina was wearing - a kid size female black Rocket uniform, complete with black boots. "Honey, where did you get those clothes?"
"I got new clothes!" Arina said happily. "Cass'dy gave 'em to me! She said if I want to get Pokemon, I have to dress like this."
Ash looked at Misty, Misty looked at Ash and mouthed the word, "Brainwashed".
"Let's go home." Ash finally said, softly.
{Camera pulls away slowly, revealing more of the scene as it pulls back in an aerial shot. Police have roped off the area. Reporters are now swamping the place.}
"This is Kate Mackey for Channel Six News. The scene you are witnessing is a view of Pier 10 from our Channel 6 helicopter. It's not clear what exactly is going on down there, but we believe Ash Ketchum's daughter has been found, although we are unable to confirm that - wait, ladies and gentlemen, I'm getting word from our station manager, yes, Arina Ketchum has been found, alive and well..."
The End.