Remember, where you see ... it means that it is telepathic speech. ^_^

Part #21 - Roketto-dan

Shigeru jumped from the couch. "I've got to go. Kira needs me."

"Am I needed for anything?"

"Not right now." The man looked at Satoshi, a serious look on his face. "Kira will most likely call for you when she needs you."

Saying nothing else, he left the apartment, leaving Satoshi alone to wonder. He stared out the window. He hoped his mom was alright.

"Pichu, Pikapi?"

"Yeah, I'm alright." He sunk back into the soft couch. "I think Kira was right, though. I don't think I was ready for this."

Raimei said nothing. He only watched his trainer as he leaned onto the back of the couch, arms outstretched, and his eyes looking up at the ceiling. He knew it was hard on Satoshi. He had found out too much too quickly. Just what Kira had been trying to avoid.

"And right now I don't know what I'm supposed to do." His eyes remained on the ceiling, a sigh escaping his lips. "Why am I even here?"

"Pikapii chu pikaa."

The chosen one looked at his pikachu. Granted he did not understand his pokèmon fully, but he got the basic meaning of it. "You're right. I was meant to be here. I have to prove to myself that I am still strong."

"Pika!"

"Thanks, Raimei." He smiled, scratching his pokèmon behind the ear. "You've always been by me and helped me helped me every step of the way. And you'll always be with me, won't you?"

"Kaa," he said with a nod.

Satoshi!

The young man nearly jumped from the couch. The voice in his head had startled him because it was his mom's. He stood from the couch with a slight scowl. He went to his room, grabbed the belt his ten pokèballs were on, and looked out the window towards Kira's island.

"Raimei, are you ready," he asked, turning to the pikachu that was now sitting on his bed.

"Pika," he said before jumping from the bed to Satoshi's shoulder, landing perfectly.

Satoshi nodded at Raimei then strapped the belt around his waist as he hurried from the room. He darted down the stairs, jumping the last five before running out the main door. When he left the building, he nearly ran into Takeshi who was running towards the building.

"Have you heard?"

"Yeah," Satoshi saw Kasumi hurrying towards them with her togetic, Kichou, flying up right behind her, "Shigeru was with me when Kira called him."

"I almost think this is a dream." Kasumi stopped beside the guys, catching her breath some. "This is just doesn't seem real."

"I know," Satoshi said, looking at Kira's island.

"So what are we going to do?"

Before either of them could answer Takeshi, the whirring of several helicopters began to echo through the area. They looked up, scanning the sky. They were wondering how Roketto-dan could have gotten there so quickly. Surely Kira would have had more warning than that.

"They have a kami helping them." Shigeru watched all of them turn to him. "It's easy for him to teleport them here. They only have to get through the barrier around the island now."

"How long will it take them to get through?"

"As long as the mews can keep up the barrier." Shigeru turned toward the breeding center. "We need to go get Murasaki."

The four of them headed across the green to the breeding center on the other side of the Pokèmon Center. Shigeru stopped cold, though, when they were almost there and looked off to his left, over the mountains. A hoard of mews was pouring down the slope. They passed the green and half hurried to the small island in the middle of the lagoon while the others went towards the Level One Research Center. When the ones headed for the island got there, a crackling barrier of pink energy surrounded the island then the color faded though the barrier remained.

"They're through."

Kasumi looked perplexed. "That was fast."

"They have a fourteen mewtwos with them. I knew the barrier would not last long. They still had to try, though."

It was then that they saw the helicopters coming over the mountain. Several spread out in different directions but four headed to the green. From two, Roketto-dan members in black began to slide down rope to the ground. Another began to land not far from the group.

The group was buffeted by the wind caused by the landing helicopter. Satoshi shielded his eyes from the dust that was stirred up. He was not worried about that helicopter, though. His attention was on the one that was still in the air surrounded by four mewtwos. He knew his mother was in it.

When the helicopter landed and the blades stopped, the door at the side opened. Sakaki stood there, his persian at his side. He smiled at the group then walked to them, stopping several feet from them. "I was upset you did not accept my offer, Satoshi. I will, though, give you a second chance."

Satoshi scowled. "You wish."

"Very well." His smile turned evil. "But you do know, I'm sure, that I have your mother. It would be a shame if anything should *happen* to her."

***

Kira saw Sakaki across the green. She also saw each of the mewtwos that he had created around him. There were many Roketto-dan members already on the ground, poised to attack the trainers that worked for her. So where was her brother?

Ginkaze, she yelled telepathically, trying to reach his mind.

You sound annoyed, big sis. His voice was calm, as though nothing was wrong between them at all. He was nowhere to be seen, though. Is there *anything* the matter?

***

"You will pay for not accepting my offer." Sakaki snapped his fingers and a mewtwo in body armor appeared at his side. "But, for now, I will make your friends suffer for you choice...then your mother."

A ball of blue and black energy formed in the mewtwo's hands then went flying at Kasumi and Takeshi. Kira attempted to use her own powers to stop the blast but it was blocked by a barrier. She cursed her brother and heard him laughing in her mind. She was only able to watch as the ball of energy flew at Satoshi's friends.

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Just as a reminder in case you forgot -

Satoshi = Ash

Shigeru = Gary

Kasumi = Misty

Takeshi = Brock

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To my reviewers -

Deedlit Magic/Fayal Wood - Mags...stop bouncing off the walls and sit back down...^_^...thanks for the review!

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Review me! Please? It only takes a moment...