Summary—We find out who originally owned the Tunnels, and Ash has his first set of Pokémon battles in a long time.
Chapter 4:
Battling a Rocket
"You're hopeless," Shamin sighed as they sat on the curb.
Ash shrugged. "I'm not a thief."
"Hey, it's either them or us, okay?" Shamin snapped, hating his blasted morality. "Look." She waved her hand at the pedestrians. "I can see their wallets! I mean, if they're going to show it off, then that means they have enough." Ash looked at her disapprovingly. "You have too much of a conscious."
"And you don't have enough," Ash retorted, stretching out his legs. "This is pathetic."
"No, Shan, you're pathetic!" Ash didn't even respond to her remark. Shamin huffed and blew the segment of lime green hair the resided over her right eye away. Her hair was only a little past her shoulders and very wild. "Look, you wait here and I'll get some cash." Again Ash looked at her, but didn't say anything. He had grown past that. Avoiding his gaze, Shamin took off after a potential candidate.
Ash sighed, looking at his shoes. Shamin was annoying in her views of the world. As far as she was concerned any money that wasn't hers should be hers, and she was set on forcing her views onto him. Even Miriam gave up after Ash had found a lost wallet with over a hundred bucks in it and had taken it to the police station. After that, Miriam had made sure he didn't go out on his own—not that he could—in case he did something "stupid" like that again.
He remembered his first few weeks in the Tunnels, the collective name of the network of tunnels, both sewer and otherwise, that ran under most of the southwestern edge of the city. Johnny, one of the more vocal members of a committee of half-assed leaders, had claimed that it was a rule that no newcomer could be left alone or allowed to travel up-top. Ash thought he just made up the rule just to irk him, but it didn't matter because everyone else followed it. No one would ever let him up the manholes, even with their fear of Pikachu. Ash had received more than one nose job because of his repeated attempts, and Pikachu could really learn to hate anything that dealt with rubber. While she was able to get out, Ash never could, and she would never leave him.
Part of Ash wondered why they bothered to keep such measures for him to remain here, not that he totally minded. The Tunnels did provide a sort of quaint home until the weather warmed up, but that was just it. He was going to take off in the Spring. Miriam even said so, although Ash had to admit that while Miriam did have weight on some things, because of how long she had been here, the Tunnels were run by (quote unquote) pea-brained men. Ash never bothered to question anyone, because the only way to get answers was to ask the right person, but he usually wondered.
It was each person's responsibility to get his or her own money, which was usually by stealing it. True, Ash could have used the money, but the means didn't justify the end to him. Even still, Miriam dragged him around, because of how he impressed her with tracking Shamin, to learn the art of the trade, and he usually went topside because of a lack of anything better to do. Although, of course, he was on the proverbial leash, as almost everyone who was up-top watched him.
Of course, there were other ways of getting cash, and honestly too. Cornflower thrived on street entertainment, although cops insisted upon breaking up loiters. If you could play any instrument decently (or pityingly pathetic) patrons of the sidewalk usually threw you a few bucks and listened or told you to get lost, depending on your talent and their tolerance. The money was usually split fairly. That is to say, whoever was higher up in the social scale got the most, if not all, of the money. Ash was lucky if he got a dollar to his name if he ended up "volunteered" with the wrong troupe of four or so. Everyone knew he had skill on the flute—meaning he could actually play—so he was a worthwhile investment in that area. Of course, things would have always gone better if they could have practiced, because then it wouldn't have been just Ash playing.
It was amazing how the place ran. Ash couldn't quite figure it out. There was always food—for lack of a better term, understand—for meals, but no one seemed to be buying it. The Tunnels was just like a little apartment were kids lived—some, the home-sick ones, for a only a day or so—and watched each other, and Ash knew the meager meals had to come from somewhere. He didn't think they could steal so much on a regular basis. The cable TV in the Elite Rooms, as the "leaders''" rooms were called, he could understand, because all you had to do was tap into someone else's receiver. Someone had to do the cleaning too, because the place was clean, but Ash never saw anyone doing any work.
He shook his head and stood up to lean up against the wall of a store and looked inside. At least Pikachu was okay. No one dared bother either of them when Pikachu walked through the halls (minus when he tried going up manholes), and Ash had to chuckle. It wasn't like Pikachu tried to scare them, but she did.
Ash was ready to leave the Tunnels though, and continue on his journey. For the most part, the kids here were all right, but there were a few that seemed to have a vendetta against him. Craig used any spare moment to bring up so biting comment, although he wouldn't bring an all-out attack on Ash if Pikachu was around. Especially as of late Craig had doubled his efforts.
"I thought ya weren't supposed to left alone?" said a teasing voice from behind.
"Hallo, Miriam," he said in a less than thrilled voice. Ash seriously doubted if he was actually "alone". He had seen several Tunnel members cross the street a few moments ago.
Miriam walked to the other side of him and leaned against the wall as he did. "So where's Shamin?"
Ash grinned slightly. Miriam was terribly protective of Shamin, whom she has found on the streets herself a couple years back. From what Ash figured out, Shamin had taken off when her folks split, or something to that extent. No one talked much about his or her problems; that is unless it was decided that their problems endangered the secrecy of the Tunnels. Anyway, Miriam seemingly saved her from some street thugs and brought her to the Tunnels. Miriam was an expert pickpocket-er and usually took it upon herself to train worthy students. They usually ended up being the best on the streets, but Miriam wasn't a pickpocket anymore. His smile faded, and he could remember the conversation him and Shamin had had on the West Ridge Bridge.
It had been Valentine's Day, or around that time. Ash wasn't sure, because he never paid any attention the mushy dates like that. He only knew by the very large number of hearts that hung from the windows. Shamin had said it was the best day to get good pockets because husbands never remembered the date and carried huge wades of cash around to buy last minute gifts.
Ash had probably saved countless suckers by arguing the point of how much troubled the poor guys would go through when they came home giftless. Shamin had crumpled under his constant nagging about it, and they hung around the bridge for lack of anything better to do. She had suggested it, although Ash would have been happy to return back to the Tunnels and spend some time with Pikachu.
"Pikachu! PIKACHU! Is that all you can think about?" Shamin had demanded as she lifted herself up to sit on the ledge of the bridge.
"Yes. Pokémon trainers have to think of their Pokémon," Ash sighed, looking down at the water down below. It was covered in a thin sheet of ice, and he flicked a pebble down onto it.
She kicked her heels against the side of the bridge and leaned back, only saving herself by having a death grip on the ledge.
"You'd better be careful, or you'll end up falling in," Ash warned, watching her out of the corner of his eye.
Shamin laughed. "I'm not that stupid, Shan." Then she paused. "Would you go in after me?"
"I think I'd be under contract to. Miriam would kill me if I didn't."
"You'd only go in only to save your own butt?" she asked incredulously. She was terribly gullible when they got on some things.
Ash looked at her. "No. She'd be the furthest thing from my head if you fell in. I was only joking, Shamin. If you fell in, I'd jump in right after you without another thought." Shamin smiled at him. "Just don't you it, okay. That water probably cold."
She laughed. "I'll try not to, for both our sake's."
"Aren't you even cold?" he asked her after a moment. She was wearing only where a short green Tee and blue jeans that couldn't get any shorter. The only thing that actually covered her up was her knee high black high-heeled boots. He couldn't understand why she wore that particular outfit on that cold night instead of her normal grey sweatshirt, which was twenty sizes too big for her, and plain jeans.
Shamin shrugged. "A little."
Ash sighed and removed his fleece jacket, handing it over. "Put this on," he said, rolling his eyes slightly. "You have to dress for the weather."
She took the coat carefully, eyes shining. "Thanks, Shan." With a practiced ease she put it on. "How's it look?"
"Like my coat on you." She frowned at him, but the smile quickly returned.
"Isn't the sky pretty?"
Ash looked up momentarily. "Looks fine, I suppose. Can't really see the stars though."
Shamin turned her blue eyes on him. "You can see them."
"Not really. Too much pollution. On a clear night in a decent city they shine like diamonds." Ash pushed himself off the bridge and started to walk down the center to warm up. Shamin watched him rub his arms.
"You want your coat back?"
"No, you wear it. I'll be fine." With a running start, Ash did a cartwheel for the heck of it. His hands landed in a cold snowdrift. "Damn."
She drew her legs up so her heels rested on the bridge railing, then wrapped her arms around them. "Why'd you do that for?"
"No reason." He looked at her. "You sure you ain't cold? We can head back, you know." He leaned up against the bridge next to her, hoping she'd take the hint.
Shamin smiled at him, then looked back up at the stars. "You know, Miriam said she's got a hard night ahead of her tonight." Her smile wavered for a moment.
"What's she do anyway?" Ash asked vaguely, kicking a stone away.
The blue eyes quickly shot over towards Ash. "You don't know? I thought everyone in the Tunnels did," she murmured.
Ash raised on eyebrow at her. "Well, I don't."
She tilted her head and leaned back on her hands, but she slipped against the ice. The scream was barely out of her throat when Ash grabbed her arm.
"I told you'd fall," Ash grunted as Shamin slid off the ledge and against him. He wrapped an arm around her. "Come on. Let's get back. You're shivering from the cold."
"Okay." She leaned against him, taking a deep breath.
"So what's Miriam do anyway?" he asked after a fair amount of time passed, when Shamin had more or less stopped shaking from her near fall.
Shamin raised her eyes momentarily to look at his innocent face. "Well . . ." she started in a quiet voice. "Miriam charges men to do things that some women won't charge you a cent to do."
Ash looked down at her. "Pardon?" he asked, confused.
She sighed downheartedly. "Never mind. Let's get back to the Tunnels."
"About time," he smiled, holding her closer absently.
Ash shook his head to remove the sudden memory, then looked at Miriam. "She's out doing 'business'. How you doing?"
Miriam smiled. "Just fine." She fingered tendril of her hair absently and they drifted towards silence.
The people walked past rapidly, and Ash could see the undying talent of Miriam as her eyes followed pockets and purses. He rolled his eyes slightly. He was pretty sure he could pick a pocket without the owner noticing, but something always stopped him at the last second. He could almost see his mom and dad standing behind him and shaking their heads disapprovingly.
Miriam sighed. "So how are ya and Shamin doin' for business today?"
"Ask her."
She clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Ya really worry me, kid. If ya had the choice between untold riches and capturing a million Pokémon, ya'd choose the rodents, wouldn't ya?"
"At least I'd know what I'm getting. You did say those riches were untold," Ash replied slyly.
Miriam rolled her eyes. "Hopeless."
"Well, don't you have a dream or something?"
She made a bitter smile. "Dreams are for kids, Blondie. They don't get ya anywhere in the world."
"Neither does stealing," he retorted. "If you want something, you got to work for it. And that's what I plan to do."
Miriam kicked up some slush. "Pretty much Spring, ya know."
He banged his heel. "Yep. Me and Pikachu'll take off."
"Well, if I don't say it then, I'll say it now. I'll miss ya. We all will."
"Most of you," Ash corrected.
She looked at his face. "Ya know ya're goin' be a mighty handsome guy?" Ash blushed and looked away. "Serious. Ya got them wide, innocent-type eyes. Can see why some of the girls got the hots for ya." She grinned when Ash turned his head back abruptly, blushing up to his ears. "And don't tell me ya didn't notice."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Ash admitted.
Miriam could hear that he was telling the truth. "Blondie, ya really are blond. And blind," she added. "Half the girls are castin' sheep's eyes at ya. Got a lot of the guys jealous. If it wasn't for that rodent of ya's, they'd probably be hiding in yar room." She grinned wickedly.
"Hmm."
She looked at the budding Romeo, then realized with a smile that he'd probably never be one in the traditional sense. The kid was too . . . sweet for that, and too damn dense. Especially the latter. Miriam shook her head. Just wait until those hormones kick in though. That'd be the decider.
Even still, Miriam looked at his face while he paid attention to the people milling around. If only he was a few years older . . . She grinned wickedly.
"Miriam!" Shamin yelled, suddenly appearing from around the corner.
"Hey, kiddo," she smiled, wrapping an arm around the girl. "How much ya get?"
Shamin pulled out five wallets with a grin. "Easy pickings, once I got rid of the party pooper here." She waved her thumb towards Ash. "What do ya say now, Shan?"
"I say bravo," he said uninterested, kicking up a puddle. "Can we head back now?"
Shamin rolled her eyes at him, but Miriam nodded in agreement. "Yeah. We have to. We have guests." She spoke sarcastically.
"Oh, not again," Shamin moaned, leaning against the wall in a pout. "What do we have to do this time?"
"Just a small job, nothing big. We'll find out the details tonight."
"What are you talking about?" Ash asked as they pushed off.
Shamin made a face. "We just have to pay the landlord."
"Huh?"
"The Tunnels were originally so underground base some guy made up. He left them years ago and we moved in. He lets us stay so long as we do a few chores," Miriam explained.
"Such as?"
"Rob his competitors, I guess. I actually haven't gone on a lot of them. Usually it's a handpicked group. Sort of like an initiation." They ducked into the side alley and down into the sewers. "Kinda sucks while they're here though, but hey, what else can we do?"
Ash didn't respond, looking around. "I'm going to go check on Pikachu. She's probably bored silly."
As he took off, he heard Shamin snort. "Stupid rodent. It's all he thinks about."
"Don't worry 'bout it, Shamin. He's a guy. What'd ya expect? Feel lucky it's not about cars."
*****
"You hungry?" Ash grinned evilly. "Cause I know I am."
"Pikachu!" Pikachu laughed, leaping onto his shoulder.
"Then let's go!" Ash leaped off the bed and went towards the door. Usually the bunkers held two people, but, thanks to Pikachu, he had one to himself. He opened it, then stopped himself. "Hey, Shamin. What cha doing?"
She blushed. "I was, um, just, umm, going to tell you to get down to the mess hall," she replied, not meeting his gaze. "Hey, Rod—Pikachu!"
"Pikachu!" Pikachu greeted, pleased with the correct title. No one ever called her Pikachu down here, aside from Ash. "Chu ka pikachu pi pika."
Shamin kept her smile plastered on her face, having no idea if Pikachu just cussed her out. Guiltily she remembered that she had accidentally stepped on mouse's tail, an event she was not willing to repeat. "What did she say, Shan?" she asked through her smile.
Ash smiled at her. "She said her tail's fine. Come on. We're starving."
"When aren't you?" she asked rolling her eyes. Ash merely grinned back at her and they started to walk towards the mess hall
"So when are the mighty quests supposed to come?" Ash asked.
"They're already here."
"Really? Wh—"
"PIKAPI!" Pikachu yelled, pointing suddenly, half off Ash's head.
"What?" Ash tried to see what she was pointing at, then took a deep intake of breath when he spied the familiar red 'R' on the shirts. "It's Team Rocket."
"You know of them, Shan?" Shamin asked, surprised.
"They're Pokémon thieves!" Ash said darkly.
Shamin shrugged. "Hey, everyone's a thief. Everyone steals something sometime in their lifetime." Ash narrowed his eyes at her. "Even you. Come on, let's go get something to eat. These guys are real pigs. Worse than you." She gripped his arm and started to pull him towards an empty table.
"Pikachu, you save our spots," Ash sighed. "And feel free to shock any members of Team Rocket, all right?"
"Shan!"
Pikachu nodded her agreement, sitting happily at the table. "Pikachu."
"You're pathetic, you know?" Shamin sighed as they went up to the counter.
"You told me that already."
"Hi Shan," Zoe, a ditzy blond, giggled. Her troupe smiled at him as well. Shamin narrowed her eyes at them.
"Hallo," he said uninterested as he scooped up some potatoes. "All I'm saying, Shamin, is that Team Rocket is trouble. Where I come from they caused all sorts of problems."
"Say, you want to sit by us?"
Ash looked up at them like he had just noticed them. "You can sit by us. Pikachu's saving a table right over there." The girls followed his nod, trying not to make a face at the lone rodent who waved at them.
Shamin smiled to herself. "Why are you putting on so much ketchup?" she asked innocently.
"Pikachu loves ketchup," Ash grinned and he banged some more of the red goop onto his extra plate. The girls made a mutual face like they were sick. "Well, see you girls later." He picked up his tray and headed off towards the table. Shamin resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at the girls.
"Here you go, Pikachu," Ash smiled, giving the Pokémon a small plate. "Fruit, some of those little cake thingies, carrots, and ketchup. Enjoy."
"Pika, Pikapi," she smiled, settling down to eat. She liked eating this kind of food instead of Pokémon pellets or whatever they were called. Brock's were okay, but the store brand Ash would have been forced to buy were nauseous.
"So what actually goes on here with Team Rocket around, anyway?"
"Nothing big, really. Not usually, anyway." Shamin made a face. "Some of the men are a bit forward though."
Ash paused in bringing his fork to his mouth. "Oh?" Shamin didn't go into details, and he continued to eat, although slower now, as if burdened by some deep thought.
They ate in silence until Pikachu tapped Ash's shoulder. "Pikapi?"
"Hmm?" he asked, his mouth full. She pointed to her plate, which was now empty. "Already?" He rolled his eyes. "Excuse me, Shamin.
"Right, Shan," she smiled, watching him walk away with Pikachu in his arms.
"Man, we got to get training. I think you're getting over-weight."
"Ka!" Pikachu said indignantly and loudly. About five people that were around them jumped away, and Shamin giggled.
"Hello, darling," said a deep gravely voice at her side, causing her to jump, her peas scattering.
"Ah, hi," she muttered, turning her head over to looked at the man. A member of Team Rocket, for sure. The red "R" on the black shirt was a good give-away. He had bluish hair, over twenty, and not very handsome.
"What's your name?"
"Shamin," she said quietly, looking away.
"Shy, huh?" He smiled at her. "I'm a pretty nice guy, ya know." She twirled her food, wishing he'd go away. "You wanna go somewhere?" He placed a hand on her arm, and she flinched.
"No thank you."
"Come on. It'll be fun, trust me." He gripped her arm tighter.
"No."
"Come on, Shamrock."
"NO!"
He pulled harder. "Come—"
"She said no. Can't you hear?" Ash growled, coming up suddenly.
"Who are you?" the Team Rocket member snarled. "Get lost."
"First, leave her alone."
"I will if I want to, so I suggest you'd better get lost if you know what's good for you."
Ash sneered. "Same to you."
"Listen, kid, I don't like your attitude," he growled, standing up.
"Then leave."
"I will. Come on, girl." He gripped Shamin hard by the elbow and wrenched her up. By now, everyone was watching them carefully. No one stood up to the Team Rocket members.
"Let me go!" Shamin pleaded. "Shan!"
"Let her go!" Ash ordered.
"Make me," he challenged.
A twisted smile crossed Ash's face and he shrugged, reaching behind his back. "You asked for it." With that, he grabbed the metal tray and brought it towards the Team Rocket-er's face. The man crumbled, gripping his nose. "Come on, Shamin."
"And where do you think you're going?" the man demanded, although muffled. His hand was next to his nose, and blood was running down. "Raticate, go!"
The whole hall backed up even more. The Raticate was terrifying. At least the little mouse the kid had was cute.
"You folks here are scared of Pokémon, aren't ya?" he grinned at Ash, who had an arm extended over Shamin protectively. "Tackle!"
"Pikachu, quick attack!" Ash yelled.
"Pi-KA!" she yelled appearing out from the side to intercept Raticate. The Raticate rolled, surprised at the attack.
"You guys aren't supposed to have Pokémon!"
"What? Can't battle?" Ash taunted. "Where's the Team Rocket motto, huh?"
He gritted his teeth, bring his gloved hand away to let the blood flow freely. "Is it a battle, you want? You got it! Raticate, hyper fang!"
"Agility!"
Pikachu leaped away from the rat, moving rapidly around the brown creature.
"Tackle it, Raticate!" The rat tried to jump onto Pikachu, but she was already gone from her past position.
"Thundershock now!" Ash ordered, leaping onto the table with Shamin.
"CHU!"
The metal floor absorbed the electricity as it had before, this time shocking everyone in the room. Their screams filled the air, and then they collapsed to the ground.
"Pi ka!" Pikachu panted, then leaped up to Ash as he helped Shamin down.
"Good job, Pikachu. You all right?" he asked Shamin, who eyes were like saucers looking between Pikachu and the Raticate.
Shamin nodded mutely, looking at the Raticate and Team Rocket-er. "Thanks." Her eyes shone gratitude from the unshed tears.
He smiled. "No problem. You got to thank Pikachu too." Pikachu leaped up into his arms.
"Pi!" she agreed.
She forced a laughed, almost crying. "Thanks, both of you."
"Marvelous show," said a man. Clapping filled the area. They turned quickly to see whom it was coming from.
"Pika!?"
"Shan! It's the head of Team Rocket!" Shamin whispered fearfully, ducking behind Ash.
Ash narrowed his eyes as the man. "No. That's the Viridian City Gym Leader, Giovanni."
"Who?" Shamin demanded.
"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?" Johnny yelled, suddenly appearing with some of his groupies at the opposite entrance and looking around at the fallen bodies. He spotted Ash standing there and vaulted over the bodies to grab the front of the younger boy's shirt and brought him against the table. "Shan! I know you bloody did this!"
"Let me go, all right! I didn't start it," Ash said hotly, trying to push Johnny off.
"He's telling the truth, Johnny," Shamin exclaimed. "That Rocket-er was going to attack us with a Pokémon! That ugly thing right there!" She pointed.
Johnny momentarily shifted his gaze to see the unconscious Raticate.
"Pika . . ." Pikachu started warningly, setting her tail on him.
He looked down quickly, then quickly removed his hands from Ash. "Get your stupid rat—"
"Wonderful attacks," Giovanni said calmly, walking up to look at Ash. "A very well-trained Pikachu. What's your name?"
Ash looked at him in silent loathing. "His name's Shan, Sir, the one Tommy told you about," Johnny said quickly, narrowing his eyes at Ash for not responding.
"I didn't actually believe anyone over here was a Pokémon trainer. This is a pleasant surprise, Mr. Shan, to see that this rumor is true." He looked down at Pikachu, who started to back up and growl. "A very powerful creature, isn't he?"
"Yes, she is," Ash said darkly. So there was a reason he was kept here.
Giovanni's smile faded momentarily at the correction. "My mistake."
"Are you hungry, Sir?" Johnny asked quickly. Giovanni didn't respond so much as just leave, and Johnny turned to Ash. "Listen, Shan, don't you dare piss that guy off," he hissed before he too turned to leave.
"Pikachu," Pikachu growled, jumping onto a table.
"I'm outta here," Ash said, turning to leave.
Shamin grabbed his arm. "You can't," she said, her voice higher than usual. She paused for a second, taking a deep breath. "They want everyone down here. You can't go, Shan. They'll just have a reason to drag you down."
Ash narrowed his eyes at her, but sat down anyway seeing the doors actually being guarded. Pikachu leaped into his lap, and he petted her head. "This is trouble, Pikachu."
"Pi," she agreed, sending small electric bolts out of her cheeks.
*****
A ring of empty tables surrounded the one table, isolating it from all perspectives. Ash didn't care, eating his mystery meat angrily. Pikachu sat next to him, looking at growing numbers of Team Rocket that were coming in suspiciously. Too many attempts on kidnapping her had given the mouse a very strong mistrust of them.
"Lighten up, you two," Shamin pleaded. "Look, they're okay, for the most part."
Ash snapped his head at her. "Do you think if you say it enough that it'll be true?" he demanded harshly, although he didn't raise his voice as loud as he wanted. Out of the corner of his eye Ash could see Giovanni studying him.
"Chu," Pikachu growled, pushing herself closer against him, noticing all the hungry stares the outlaws were giving her.
He gathered her in his arms. "It's all right, Pikachu. They wouldn't dare," he soothed, although Ash knew he was probably lying through his teeth. Pikachu could tell.
"Pikapi," she scolded, giving him a mild shock as a reprimand.
"Hey!" he laughed, poking her in the stomach. "Fine, they're all after you! So watch yourself!"
She leaped from his arms and onto the table, paws out like she was ready to box. "Pi! Ka! Chu!" she said, accenting each syllable with a jab.
Shamin made a face. "They're running for cover now," she jeered sarcastically, leaning her head against her hand and looking at the tiny mouse. Yet, although unspoken, she did have a new respect for the rodent.
"Pi!"
Ash frowned at her, then broke out into a proud smile. "You just wait. Pikachu can handle these idiots, can't you?"
"PIKA!" Pikachu said confidently, nodding her head.
"Over-confidence is never a pretty thing to witness," Shamin sighed, watching the two.
"Well, Pikachu could beat them one-on-one, most of the time, anyway," Ash argued, sticking up for his Pokémon against the "nonbeliever". "But if they all ganged up on us, we'd be toast." He looked around the room again. The once empty tables around them were starting to be filled with the outlaws. "Did we choose a bad table?"
Shamin looked around. "You had to fight that ratty thing. No Tunnel members are gonna sit close to you now that you've made an enemy with Team Rocket."
"It was a Raticate," he sighed. "Fine. Next time I'll let it attack us."
"I didn't say that."
Ash gave her a small smile as he leaned back on his chair. "You're sil—Wh-OA!" he yelped as his chair suddenly disappeared and he fell to the ground.
"Thank ya for the chair!" Miriam smiled, straddling her legs on each side and smiling at the fallen previous owner.
He stood up and tried his best to ignore the laughter, grabbing another chair to sit on. "Thanks a lot, Miriam." He glared at Pikachu, who was rolling around with laughter. "You saw her, didn't you?" Pikachu tried to look innocent.
"Of course she didn't," Miriam said loyally, looking around. "Love the table position, by the way."
"You missed the show," Shamin sighed. Miriam looked at her curiously. "Shan was in a Pokémon battle with this Ratty-cape."
"Raticate," Ash corrected again.
"I don't care. It was ugly."
Ash blinked. "No it wasn't."
"Well, it wasn't cute like Pikachu."
Pikachu looked at her happily. "Pi!"
Miriam set her head down on her arms. "Ya won, I trust, Blondie? No, don't answer that." Her eyes looked at over the room again, then let out a low whistle. "The Big Guy's here? This is gotta be somethin'."
"Doesn't Giovanni usually come?" Ash muttered sarcastically.
She squinted her eyes and chewed on her thumbnail. "Is it just me, or he lookin' over here?"
"Probably is," Shamin said. "He talked to Shan. Said he was impressed."
The eldest let out another whistle, looking at Ash. "Blondie, ya're in trouble now."
"Double trouble," Ash agreed.
Miriam shook her head. "Ya don't get me. Usually we have somethin' to entertain the Rocket folks, music or . . . other ways," she said lamely. "If what's his name was interested in ya, or the Rodent, and he's got how many Pokémon, well ya figure it out."
Ash frowned. "You think he's going to have me battle? That's crazy. Pikachu wouldn't stand a chance against fifty separate battles. She'd lose from exhaustion, and I don't have any potions in case she gets hurt. It'd be dangerous for her."
She looked at him sympathetically. "Like he cares, Blondie."
Shamin was thoughtful. "Well, Pikachu can't battle. The whole place is metal, and every time she thunder-whatevers, well, we go with it," she reasoned.
Miriam looked her in a mixture of amused sadness. "This is Team Rocket we're talkin' about, darlin'. They'll find a way. And this place is pretty large."
Ash looked at Pikachu intently, and both could see that the other was nervous at the prospect. Pikachu had lost to Team Rocket before—Jessie, James, and Meowth—and they had seemingly been the idiots of the group. One slip-up now and it was . . .
Suddenly the chatting room was bustling with ssshhhhh's from every corner, and the table looked up to see Giovanni standing up importantly, the Persian at his side, and a Rocket member at his other. When everyone was silent, Giovanni smiled, or at least moved his lips into the sense of a smile.
"There certainly are a lot more faces here." His eyes flickered over to Ash and lingered.
"Blondie, ya are in trouble," Miriam sighed, turning her head to look at him as well.
"Double."
"Do you want anything, Sir?" Johnny asked after Giovanni was quiet.
The head turned momentarily towards Johnny. "How about some Entertainment. I have the sudden interest to see a Pokémon battle."
Ash could hear everyone shift in his or her seat to look at him, and he gritted his teeth. "Pikapi," Pikachu whispered, seeing the Team Rocket members look at her like fresh meat.
"Let the games begin," Giovanni said.
*****
Ash knelt next to Pikachu, petting her head softly. The pent-up worry was radiating off both of them, but neither added their worry to the other's. "Just try your best, all right," Ash murmured, trying to ignore the fact that there were guards blocking his exit. "You know they're going to send out Rock, Grass, Dragon, Ghost, or Psychic, what you're bad against, okay? Which means your Thundershock won't be that helpful, so we have to save it. And be smarter than they are. I know that shouldn't be too difficult, but hey."
"Pika," she nodded, taking reassurance in Ash's calm voice, his thoughtful inspection of their oncoming battles with her (something he had rarely done before going to Z.P.S.), and her latest victory. Neither of them had battled in over a year, seriously, anyway, because protecting the house from wild Pokémon wasn't the same as fighting trained Pokémon, and that was going to be a serious disadvantage.
"It's like riding a bike," Ash whispered. She looked up, startled. He had seemingly read her very thoughts. Ash looked at her worried. "Something wrong, Pikachu?" She looked at him curiously, at his worried face, and saw that he probably just said it for his own confidence and not so much for her. Probably, anyway. Pikachu smiled at him encouragingly. He smiled back. "Do your best," he repeated.
"Chu pi, Pikapi," she said.
He grinned. "I will too."
"Are both trainers ready?" demanded a voice. Ash nodded as he stood up. "These will be a one-on-one battle with no time-limit. Trainers"— the announcer snorted—"choose your Pokémon."
"Go get them, Pikachu."
"Pika!" She dashed off into the center of the field. They were using a section of the Tunnels that was tiles with old stone, for it had once been a training ground, and Giovanni had welcomed all Tunnel residence to watch. Almost everyone did, and they sat waiting expectantly for their first (or, is some cases, second) Pokémon battle.
"Go . . . Golem!" the Team Rocket choice yelled, throwing the Pokéball into the ring.
The Golem appeared in a tremendous roar that shook the very walls, and Ash and Pikachu did a double take. It was enormous. Ash didn't have Dexter anymore, so he wouldn't have been able to find out that the average size for a Golem was 4'7", but Ash did know that this Golem was a lot bigger than a normal Golem. He could literally see the tiny cracks forming in the stones under it.
The Rocket-er smiled at their mutual expressions, a cool motion on her thin lips. "Golem, tackle!" It started rolling down, right towards Pikachu.
"Pika—" She froze.
"Move, Pikachu. Use your tail as a spring and leap over it!" Ash yelled.
She quickly complied, just in time. The Golem skidded to a halt for a few yards, causing the stones to break from their holdings.
"Golem, earthquake!" It stomped its overly large foot against the ground, shaking everything. Spectators and trainers alike struggled to keep their footings and seating in place. Ash quickly rolled aside to get crushed by a stone that had freed itself from the ceiling. Seeing that the Trainer was distracted, the Rocket-er ordered, "Rock throw!"
Pikachu was busy worrying about Ash. "Pikapi!"
"I'm all right! Quick, use Agility! NOW!" His mind quickly sought for something as Pikachu dodged the flying stones easily. "Pikachu—"
*****
"What'd he say?" Shamin asked, stretching up in her seat to see Ash and Pikachu. "I can't see him. Maybe we should get closer." She looked hopefully at her friend.
"Darlin', we're like thirty feet away. Ya got a close enough view," Miriam smiled, wiping off the rock dust. "Bit too close, really."
"Aren't you even interested in watching?"
Miriam shrugged, although her eyes did glance up at brief intervals. "It's borin'."
"No, it's not," Shamin countered.
An impish grin danced across her face. "Ya're only sayin' that because ya li—hey, what is he doin'?" Her head jerked past Shamin onto the ring. "The little Rodent's gonna get sga-wished!"
Shamin's gaze was sucked right back at the field. "Oh, God!" Pikachu was running around the field with that . . . that thing rolling after her. "Why doesn't she just use her thunder-whatevers!"
"Blondie probably has his reasons," Miriam said, although she too was in doubt. "Run ya bloody rodent!" she screamed, jumping up.
"You're cheering?" Shamin teased, although she too was up and watching Pikachu dodge the rolling stone. "She can't keep this up. What's Shan doing?"
"Damn, shut up!" Miriam snapped at her. Shamin thought that was a bit harsh, since everyone was laughing at Pikachu, believing she was done for. "He said somethin'!"
"What?"
"How should I know? Ya were talkin'!" Miriam pointed suddenly, leaping up and down. "She bloody stopped! He ordered her to stop! IDIOT!"
Shamin practically bit off her fingertips as she watched the Golem rush towards the still Pikachu. Now that it had a still target, she could see it speeding up as it neared.
"NOW!"
With that word, the Golem less than three feet away, Pikachu leaped up and over the rolling ball. Now, as the creature struggled to halt, battling inertia, Shamin watched as a wide grin escaped her lips. At its high speed, the Golem couldn't stop its momentum, try as it might, and the tiles started to leave their homes and build a hive around the Pokémon.
The trainer was glued to the spot, a horrified grin on her face as the Golem headed straight for her. "STOP YOU STUPID THING!" she demanded, running away too late. The creature smashed into her and carried them both towards the wall, burying her in the debris as well.
"I knew he had somethin' up his sleeve!" Miriam yelled, grabbing Shamin's arm and jumping up and down. "He won! He won! Show them blasted Rockets that we're just as good! HA! ALL RIGHT, SHAN!" She let out a piercing whistle.
"Bored, aren't we?" Shamin teased, half-listening to the announcer declare what they already knew.
"Hell yeah!" her white-haired friend grinned. "If I was havin' fun, I wouldn't even be here!"
Shamin tried to work the logic in her head, but couldn't. "Let's go down before they can start up another one!"
Miriam gripped her wrist like a mother would to a five-year-old's, then started to weave over the people in front of them. "Right. Move over, comin' through! COMIN' THROUGH! Damn, don't ya have any manners! Move for the ladies!" She planted her foot on a guy's back and pushed him forward. "Thank ya!"
After much fighting to get down the few bleachers, they dashed over to Ash, who did have a small ring of admirers around him. Miriam pushed through in her own way while Shamin followed in the wake, rubbing her wrist. "Ya're a bloody idiot, Blondie! Rodent here could've gotten sga-wished!" the "den-mother" scolded almost instantly.
Ash smiled up at them, kneeling next to Pikachu, who was resting up. "But she didn't, did she?"
"That's not the point!"
"Why didn't you just have her Thunder it?" Shamin demanded.
Ash blew a sweaty wisp of hair out of his eyes. He was sweating from the heat of the stadium more than from actual work, for that was a relatively easy battle. The Rocket member didn't put nearly as much thought into her attacks, probably believing that Golem's size promised easy victory. "Golem is a rock type, and Electric attacks aren't any good against it unless they're paired with a Water type. I would have preferred to use Squirtle. If I had one," he added quickly.
"Pikachu!"
He smiled down at her. "It would have been easier on you, so don't deny it." His eyes shifted towards the other side, where a group of Team Rocket members were planning their next trainer. "It feels good to be back on the field, doesn't it, Pikachu?"
She nodded. "Pika!"
"Where'd ya get the idea to use Physics?" Miriam asked, examining her nails thoughtfully.
Ash's brow wrinkled. "Never heard of that attack."
"Blondie! It's not an attack! Momentum with the . . .mass and fiction and . . . stuff," she finished lamely waving her hand as if drying her nails, knowing that she had no idea what she was talking about.
"Don't strain your brain," he advised with a small smile.
"And I think you mean 'friction'. Not fiction. Fiction's what you read," Shamin said teasingly.
"Cute. Regular Egg Benedicts." She narrowed her eyes, daring them to contradict her.
Ash and Shamin made brief eye contact and smiled at their friend's lack of schooling in some areas. "So what's going on over there?" Shamin asked, standing up on her tiptoes to look at the Team Rocket members. They seemed to be circling one member in particular.
"Looks like they finally chosen one," Miriam said calmly. "Wonder what Pokémon this one'll use?"
"Hope it's cute," Shamin sighed.
"You're pathetic," Ash snapped off-handedly, wondering the same thing as Miriam, although a lot more worried.
She crossed her arms in a pout. "Touchy." Biting her lip, Shamin looked between the two platforms that the trainers stood on. "Can I watch from here?" she asked in a rush. "Please? I won't say a word. Promise! Cross my heart!"
Ash looked at her sideways, then behind her.
"What are ya lookin' for?" Miriam asked as he circled Shamin.
"The duct tape she's gonna use," he said matter-of-factly. Miriam quickly hid her smile behind her hand.
Shamin bunched up her face and smacked him upside the head. "Jerk!" She was tempted sorely to kick Pikachu as well, for the mouse was laughing, but the insulted one thought that might be pushing it a wee bit.
Shamin didn't have much of an arm, but Ash rubbed the back of his head anyway. "I don't know why you'd want to. But you can, I suppose." He added quickly, "It's not really regulation, though."
"Nothin' is ever run regulation down here, or with Team Rocket," Miriam stated, a smile still on her face.
Ash nodded his agreement, watching as the chosen one started to walk out. The referee also started for his position. "Are you gonna stay down too, Miriam?"
She shook her head, then looked at the ends of her hair as they swished in front of her face. "I have split ends!" Miriam walked back to her seat, doting her hair as she did so.
"She's really enjoying herself, just so you know," Shamin said reassuringly. Ash took no notice of the statement.
"You sure to want to be down here?" He didn't wait for her answer, not even looking at her. "You can stand off the platform, that way you have a good view but no one really sees you."
"You don't want them to see me?" she sniffed teasingly.
His head turned briefly to look at her, worry on his face. When he saw that she was only joking, Ash smiled. "I don't need them saying that I need help from a girl to win."
"You do," she stated empathetically as she walked off.
"Do not."
"Do too."
"Not."
"Too. Too. TOO!"
"NOT! to infinity!"
"Too to infinity times ten!"
"Infinity times infinity tripled Not!"
"PIKAPI!" Pikachu yelled, finally getting through the mock (and very childish, in her opinion,) argument. She pointed over towards the Rocket member, who was waiting as patiently as Team Rocket does. That is to say, he wasn't very patient in waiting.
"The home team chooses Pikachu," the referee stated loudly as Ash ordered Pikachu out. "Big surprise there, huh folks?" A mild chuckle went up through the crowd. "The challenger, please reveal your Pokémon."
The Rocket Member had been tossing the Pokéball in into the air and catching it in a self-assured manner. There was a grin on his face when he threw it, yelling, "Go, Sandslash!"
"Ooh, that one's kinda cute," Ash heard Shamin coo from behind him. He didn't bother to give her a look, trying to remember what he could about Sandslash. Heaven help him, all he could recall was that evolved form of Sandshrew and was strong against electric attacks. (Actually, he didn't remember that detail, but correctly deduced that it would be.) He licked his lips nervously, feverishly wishing he had his Pokédex.
Ash blinked at a sudden thought. He was too reliant on his Pokédex for a Trainer. After all this, Ash promised himself, he would make himself learn everything about all the Pokémon so he'd never get in a fix like this again. It put Pikachu in danger, for one thing, thanks to his own Ignorance. It was a sickening thought when Ash realized all this in a picosecond.
"Sandslash, fury swipes!"
"Avoid them, Pikachu!" Ash yelled.
"Poison sting now!"
"Saan!" the Sandslash agreed, releasing the poison bars into the air.
Pikachu dodged as many as she could, but several found home in on her. "Pika!" she yelled in pain, being thrown back.
"All right, Sandslash!"
"You all right Pikachu?" Ash yelled as she forced herself up.
"Pi, Pikapi," she said bravely.
Ash gritted his teeth, knowing she was just putting up a brave front. Already the poison was making her stagger.
"Sandslash! Under the ground!" The mouse Pokémon dived under instantly.
Pikachu turned her head wildly, looking frantically. "Pi! Pikapi!" she said in a panic.
"Pikachu, be quiet and listen!" Ash ordered. "Use those ears you have! Like at home!" He was talking about when they'd listen to the stories below to tell if anyone was coming up the stairs during one of his father's meeting-supper things. Ash always slipped out of them as soon as possible, claiming flute practice or an unstated amount of homework, (so he'd never actually lie, per say,) but some of the guests, Carmen, or his father always felt the need to check on him. The guests were the worst because (aside from the fact that they didn't think it was necessary to knock before entering) they always wanted to "check" on his progress into the "exciting" world of business shudder, and usually wanted to hear him play something. Ash just wanted them out as soon as possible so Pikachu could get out of the pillowcase and resume breathing. "Remember?"
Her ears tweaked slightly as she closed her eyes. The crowded rolled in laughter, shrieking that she was falling asleep on the field. The Rocket member was torn between being insulted at the action, and gleeful at the promising luck for attack to the "unsuspecting creature".
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Shamin whispered.
"Quiet!" Ash snapped, not turning to face her, ears also perked, although there wasn't a snowball's chance in Hell that he'd hear anything.
"Sorry," she muttered, leaning back and waited for the attack. Shamin was really worried about Pikachu. Those barbs looked like they hurt, but Ash didn't seem that concerned for the Rodent. She had no idea that this Pokémon junk was so heartless.
Everyone waited, but the Rocket-er gave no order for attack yet. Pikachu sat poised, eyes still closed, trying to listen past the mumbling of the audience. Ash watched her, praying that she could tell where the Sandslash was waiting. He even blinked in surprise when she relaxed and yawned in a bored sort of way, but then nodded at her smile. She knew where the Sandslash lay and was ready, and Ash relaxed as well. All they need to do now was play the wait game.
"Pikapi, chu pikachu. Pi pikachu pika ka pikachu?" Pikachu asked conversationally, resting on her hunches.
Or simply draw it out. He couldn't hide the smile, sitting down like she had said. "Soon. Maybe after all this."
"You are in the middle of a battle, ya know," Shamin said reproachfully from her position, looking around at the audience, who was finding the situation humorously shocking.
"I thought you weren't going to say a word."
Shamin stuck her tongue out at his back.
"Chu ka pika pikachu?"
Ash looked pasted Pikachu, then smiled as he leaned his head against his hand. "He's insulted," he mouthed to her quietly. She nodded slightly. "Listen, Pikachu, when that Sandslash comes up, I want you to aim for the underbelly, all right. No quills. Softest, most vulnerable part." I hope, he added mentally. "You know what I mean, right?"
She nodded, twirling in a circle and making an occasional loop-de-loop for effect. "Pi, Pikapi."
"Look, that guy over there is getting exceedingly pissed off that you're not taking this seriously!" Shamin hissed. "At least stand up."
"Aren't you going to use that duct tape?"
"I don't have any!"
"Then get some!"
"I hate you, you know! I'm only trying to help."
Ash turned his head slightly. "Look, we know what we're doing, more or less, all right. It's all an act to get that guy to make the Sandslash come up faster. Pikachu knows exactly where it is."
Shamin snorted. "Yeah, probably right under her."
He turned his head back to the field. "Maybe."
"It probably is," she muttered, crossing her arms defiantly.
"Pi-ka-pi-ka-pi-KA!" Pikachu sang as she rocked.
Ash let his eyes briefly fall over to the Rocket-er, who was in a silent rage at the total lack of seriousness Ash and Pikachu were showing to the battle. It was exactly what Ash wanted. Angry trainers make stupid mistakes, such as having their Pokémon leave a great vantage point. It was a very childish maneuver that was very effective on those with too much pride.
Ash knew he would have fallen for it himself.
The red was overtaking the face now, and the eyes were narrowed as they watched Pikachu show lack of gravity for the situation she was in. (Right now she had climbed on top of a pile of tiles and was acting like she was placing a flag in the ground.) Other Trainers had not reacted this way to this attack. They had ordered their Pokémon to continue moving so the Sandslash couldn't get under them, thus tiring their own Pokémon out. This riff-raff Trainer seemed willing to let the Sandslash attack, as if he had an ace up his sleeve he was waiting to deploy. What was even worse was that the opponents and audience were laughing at him.
The Rocket-er's eye started to twitch.
"Go, Sandslash!" he roared as Pikachu leaped high into the air and was returning.
The Sandslash jumped from his home under the ground and towards the falling Pikachu, quills ready. Pikachu was ready as well. Using the tiles that had flown free above the Sandslash, she gripped a small stop and leaped away to the ground. Then, as ordered by Ash from before, she leaped smartly back up and delivered a tiny but effective and powerful kick to the Sandslash in the underbelly. The Sandslash struggled to swipe Pikachu in the air as she gripped its soft fur, but the momentum of its own arm passes and her kick turned it over in midair and caused it to lie on its back. The quill dug into the ground, impaling it in place.
"Thundershock, Pikachu!" Ash ordered, seeing that it was stuck. Sandslash may be strong against electric, but at its present position, the most vulnerable area exposed, Pikachu might hit home.
"CHU!"
The high-voltage rodent let out her shock, and continued it for as long as her Thunder sacs would allow, over a good two minutes. Finally Pikachu subsided and looked at the Sandslash, its quills still holding it in place. Its eyes were twirling.
"Sandslash is unable to battle," the referee announced, although he sounded disgusted. "The match goes to Pikachu."
Ash made no comment as the statement was made, calling Pikachu to his side. Carefully he kneeled down and picked her up. "That was good," he whispered. "You feeling all right?"
"Pika!" she nodded, somewhat breathless.
He set her down, dimly hearing Shamin come up. "I'm going to massage your sacs, okay? That was a really strong attack."
Pikachu smiled up at him, pleased with the treatment she was going to receive. She laid happily on his lap and allowed his palms to go over her cheeks.
"You were lucky," Shamin stated. "If it hadn't gotten stuck—"
"It did, though," Ash stated quietly, rubbing gently. "We take what happens. Pikachu kicked it, and it rolled. We had something to do with it, anyway."
"Still lucky."
"You take what you get," he repeated quietly, studying Pikachu.
Shamin followed his gaze. "What are you doing?"
"Just massaging her sacs." Shamin snorted, and Ash raised an eyebrow at her. "That electric attack was really strong, so I'm relaxing her electric sacs—they're in her cheeks—in case she has to use another attack like that."
"It looked like a very strong attack."
"It was," Ash agreed proudly. "She's a high-power Pikachu."
"Pi!" she said happily.
Shamin was silent watching Ash massage Pikachu's cheeks. It was a somewhat soothing sight to watch the two friends take care of each other, mentally and physically. To her, the blond-haired boy was different from the others down here, and not just because he liked Pokémon. There was just something . . . charismatic and innocent about him.
It seemed that in no time at all Team Rocket had chosen its next champion.
Now, when Shamin looked at her friend—she purposely left out the gender-defining word—she saw that he started to look worried, and was casting frantic glances at Pikachu. All this was trying on her, and he knew it.
The referee stood center as the two trainers took their positions. "Release your Pokémon, trainers."
"Go, Pikachu."
"Pika." She scurried out, ready.
The Rocket-er looked confident, even more than the others had. With a graceful ease, he threw back his arm, not even bothering to yell its release. The second Ash saw it a cold sweat lined his brow.
"Oh, no," he murmured.
"What?" Shamin asked, suddenly worried as she looked at the yellow Pokémon holding its ridiculous metal spoons. "What's wrong with this one?"
"It's Alakazam, a Psychic Pokémon, one of the strongest around." She saw him nervously bite his lip. "The only thing actually strong against them is a Bug or Ghost Pokémon."
"G-ghost?" she repeated nervously.
"And Pikachu's really tired," Ash continued weakly.
"Alakazam, confusion," the Trainer smiled.
"Ala!" it grunted, its eyes suddenly a-glow.
"Pi!" She turned ridged.
"Pikachu! Come on, try and fight it! Use your mind against it! Come on!" Ash ordered.
Pikachu clearly tried, but against a Psychic Pokémon at this high level and after so many battles already, she didn't have much energy left. Ash gasped as she was thrown up into the air and brought down hard, again and again.
"Come on, Pikachu!"
"Can't you do, anything?" Shamin screeched. "Isn't there something she can use to fight it?"
Ash gritted his teeth, trying to form a hopeless strategy as Pikachu yelled in pain with each hit of the ground. He could tell that the Alakazam was playing with Pikachu—it could have beaten the mouse easily, but, like a typical cat, it had to play with its prey.
"Isn't there something that could take her mind off the attack!" Shamin demanded. "Damn, psychic crap is all mind games, anyway! Mind over the other mind, right?"
"It's not that easy!" Ash snapped, wishing Shamin'd just shut up. He had to concentrate on Pikachu, but Ash knew that if he didn't give her some kind of information the girl would never shut up. "If we had been training over the past year, Pikachu might have had some experience with psychic Pokémon, but this is like her third battle ever with that type. She doesn't know any kind of psychic attacks! And what you're saying, if it's even plausible, she'd have to have a stronger outside influence than what the Psychic Pokémon is giving her! Something would have to break through the shield, or she'd have to have a really strong will."
"Well, don't you have anything that'd do more make her think about something else and break the trance thingy? She's getting hurt!"
Suddenly Ash's mind blinked and he whirled around. "Go to my room and get the black case on the nightstand!" he ordered.
"W-w-what?" she questioned.
"Just go! And hurry!" He turned quickly back to the field. "Hold on, PIKACHU!" His head jerked sideways. "Dammit, Shamin, GO!"
Shamin blinked, then ran blindly out and down the corridor. It was empty except for a few miscellaneous riff-raff, as everyone was at the tournament.
Unfortunately, the room she needed to get to was at the exact opposite end of the Tunnels.
She was out of breath when she got to the door and wrenched it open, immensely relieved that it wasn't locked. (It wasn't actually common practice to lock doors, because at left two-thirds of the tenants knew how to pick locks.) The room was bared except for the bed, bag in the corner, and the nightstand. Her eyes fell towards it, and, just were Shan had said it'd be, was the case. Without a thought, she grabbed it and dashed back to the battle like the entire Cornflower Police Squad was after her.
"Here!" she gasped, tossing him the case.
Ash fumbled with it, quickly opening it. Shamin couldn't find the breath to question what it was, and in a moment she saw as he jabbed the silver ends together. "Damn, I hope this works!" he muttered urgently.
"—?" She couldn't even get out a question before he let out a shrill, shrill note. It probably wasn't even a note it was so seemingly high.
"PIKACHU!" Pikachu yelled in pain, gripping her ears as she came back down.
But this time she stayed down, her mind much more focused on the piercing (and, to her, very painful) note Ash had released.
"Get away from it, Pikachu!" Ash ordered instantly, once she was free.
"Chu!" she nodded, and tried to run off, but she was so tired so it wasn't up to her usual standards.
The trainer was blinking in surprise, for the helpless rodent was now free from his Alakazam's grasp. "Alakazam, Psybeam!"
It crossed the spoons at the order. "Zam!"
"Watch out, Pikachu!" Ash yelled as the beam headed towards his friend.
Although she tried to dodge, the beam caught her in a glancing blow.
"Pika!"
"Shan! Aren't those spoon thingies metal?" Shamin questioned. She just didn't catch onto the idea of not talking.
"Yeah, but Alakazam'll just use Recover to, well, recover. Move, Pikachu!"
Shamin bit her bottom lip. "What it fit could get wet, and Pikachu shock it a lot like last time?"
"If there was . . . water," Ash trailed off, looking around the make-shift gym.
"I'll get a hose!"
"No!" Ash narrowed his eyes. "Listen to me, Pikachu! Stop! Now!"
"Pikapi!" she questioned his insane order, but stopped anyway because he had ordered her to.
"What the hell are you doing?" Shamin yelled, practically jumping up to kill him. Ash ignored her.
"Pikachu! Look up!" She did quickly, but didn't understand.
"Pikachu!" she questioned frantically.
"The spigot!"
"Psychic attack!"
Once again Pikachu was lifted up into the air, and she hung limply, almost unable to continue. Her eyes were locked with Ash's determined ones, and she tried to read past them as they flickered aside and the flute was brought back up to his lips. Her own gaze followed to see a metal spigot. A metal spigot . . .
She was being thrown up at an alarming pace when Ash blew the note again. Her mind momentarily free again, and still moving upwards, Pikachu gripped onto the spigot and held on. And slowly it started to turn . . .
Water gushed out, a full stream that expanded out and she brought her weight into it. She let go of the slippery metal.
"THUNDERWAVE, NOW!"
"Pika-CHUUUU!"
The electricity flowed with the water as it doused everyone under the sprinkler, including both trainers and Pokémon. The very air was a massive current, and it seemingly gave Pikachu a platform to stand on as she fell to the ground. Once her paws touched the ground, she could no longer continue the attack and allowed the air to return to normal, except for the falling water.
"Go-od job, P-Pikachu," Ash got out, not being one of the lucky who escaped the attack. Neither was the other Trainer, although he was in worse shape, being psychicly connected to Alakazam. It laid in the middle, unconscious, as its Trainer couldn't order it to Recover just yet.
"The m-m-m-match go-go-goes to Pi-pika-chu-u," the referee stuttered.
Ash got up and went to pick up Pikachu, who was almost in a faint. His left eye was twitching wildly, and his hair was standing out on end. Even still, he made his voice heard to everyone, especially Giovanni.
"No more! I forfeit all Battles!"
Then he turned and carefully walked out, caring for Pikachu all the while, heedless of the eyes watching him. The guards halted his process for a moment, and he glared at them. They still didn't budge, looking at Giovanni for their next move. Ash turned his head slightly to sneer and humbly beg permission to leave.
Giovanni waved his hand slightly, and they separated. Then, petting the Persian, he nodded and smiled. Definite promise, most definite.
****
"Are you feeling better, Pikachu?" Ash murmured, rolling over on the bed. What he really wanted was a potion of some sort to give to Pikachu, but he had to settle with simply lying down for a bit. There was no way he was going to go up and ask a member of Team Rocket or Giovanni for one. Actually, Ash edited his thought, he would go up and ask for one, no matter what the cost, but only if Pikachu was in dire need of it, in near death or similar.
Luckily she wasn't, so he did need to. He was afraid of what'd they ask for in return.
She smiled. "Pi," she nodded bravely, pushing herself up.
"I should have stopped after the first match," Ash berated himself, rubbing her ears. "I shouldn't have battled at all."
Pikachu patted his arm and shook her head no. He ignored her motion.
"Shan?" a call came with a careful tapping.
He pushed himself up. "You can come in, Shamin."
The door was opened carefully, and a white-haired familiar face smiled. "Can I too?"
Ash sighed. "Of course."
Shamin rudely pushed Miriam in. "Everyone's talking about the battles!" she gushed. "You really impressed them."
Ash made a disgusted face. "I shouldn't have done them. It put Pikachu in danger."
Miriam rolled her eyes. "Give it up, Shanny. Ya didn't have a choice, in any case. Besides, Rodent didn't do so bad." She tapped Pikachu's head in a mild pet.
"Pika!" Pikachu smiled under her hand. Miriam rarely gave her compliments that were sincere.
"We were thinking of going to a Congrats Dinner. We'll pay." Shamin grinned evilly.
"I'll bet," Ash smiled back.
"Rodent can even come along," Miriam added happily.
Ash smiled, looking at Pikachu, who was leaping up and down with excitement at the prospect of leaving the Tunnels. He ran a hand through his hair, then made a face at the greasiness of it. "Look, I'll meet you. I really need to clean up."
Miriam leaned over to him, a worried frown on her face. She took a sniff. "Blondie, ya definitely aren't one of our men. They don't shower til they peel paint."
"We're going to the deli on the corner of Riverside and Jonas," Shamin smiled, picking Pikachu up and holding her close like a large teddy bear. "How long you gonna take?"
He thought about it. "Ten minutes about, for a shower and stuff."
Miriam's eyes lit up in horror. "Ten minutes? A ten-minute shower?" Ash tried to get out that he wasn't going to in the shower that long, but Miriam continued her prattle. "Oh, Lordy, I might pass out from shock!" Ash smiled at her, then tossed Shamin his pack.
"For Pikachu."
"See ya in twenty, then, Blondie," Miriam sighed. "And don't be late. Can't guarantee how long the food'll be there." She gripped Shamin's elbow when the younger's mouth opened. "Come on, Hon. He don't need any help workin' the soap." Shamin blushed up to her ears.
Ash watched as they left, unsure of the private message the girls shared. After the door closed, he peeled off his shirt and headed for the showers. He really needed one.
****
"Hey, kid!" a voice yelled behind him just as Ash was preparing to turn down the last section. He was desperately trying to remember how to get out through Riverside Avenue before anyone could see him, but his memory wasn't working.
Ash turned quickly to see the familiar "R" lettering on the front of the shirt. "What do you want?" he demanded, gritting his teeth.
The older man, a limehead, wrapped an arm unconcerned around Ash's shoulders. "Wonderful battling, I must say, today." The smile seemed forced and fake.
"Thank you," Ash responded after a minute, manners getting the best of him. "What do you want, now?"
"Just to talk. Walk with me." His arm tightened around Ash's neck and he started to walk the younger trainer.
Ash choked and pushed away, less than efficiently freeing himself. "I'm sorry, but I have to get somewhere."
"This won't take a moment."
"Sorry. I can't be late."
The Rocket-er slammed his hand against the wall, blocking Ash's way. "Listen, Kid, you don't walk away from a meeting like this."
Ash felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise, and slowly he turned around to see other Rocket members come from the shadows. "What's going on?" he demanded, a lot braver than he felt.
"You're a great Trainer," a voice said from the crowd. Ash couldn't find the owner.
"So?" he snapped as they formed their horseshoe ring around him.
"Well, we wantcha to join Us."
Ash recoiled instantly against the words. "No way."
"Listen, Shan, you don't have much of a choice," sneered a familiar voice.
Ash's eyes searched for the owner, finding Johnny and his little personal clique slowly detangling himself from the mob. "What are you doing here?"
Johnny ignored the question. "You're joining them, Shan."
"Yeah right. I'm not joining them, no matter what."
A hand was pressed up against his chest, gripping the shirt fabric, and Ash felt his feet leaving the floor. "We said you didn't have a choice," Craig growled. "You caused us a lot of trouble in your twisted little way." His eyes danced with an emotion, and Craig was just waiting for the order.
"What are you talking about?" Ash hissed.
"DON'T play STUPID!" Craig ordered, slamming Ash up against the wall with each word. Ash saw stars dance around in his brain, and he didn't want to cry out, but he might have murmured a wordless (not soundless, mind you) cry.
The crowd started up their own jeers, and Craig, seeing everyone was with him (or whatever), continued to effectively bang Ash against the wall. "Put him down, gentlemen. This is no way to approach someone we wish to join our group. We're giving him a terrible impression."
Ash was instantly dropped, and his knees hit the floor hard and his head roaring from pain. His back felt sticky wet, and Ash struggled not to think of what it probably was as he sneered up at Giovanni, the mob parting. "Too late for that, Gym Leader." He spat the title out like a curse.
He smiled momentarily. "So you know of me."
Ash's lip curled. "I'm not joining anything of yours."
Giovanni's eyes showed no emotion as he petted the Persian. "You really don't have much of a choice. We can break you."
"You're welcome to try!" Ash snapped without thinking, pushing himself up with shaky arms. "I'll never join up with your lot, and I'm not going to be worth the danger I could put you're little organization in." Ash figured he had something there. Nothing was worse than a loose cannon.
"We can break you," the leader repeated monotonously. "You wouldn't be the first we've had to 'entice', Shan, is it? We've gotten others, and they put up a lot more fight than you will. Yes, you have a great deal of Spirit, but we can break you." Giovanni's corners of his lips twitched. "Will you join?"
"No."
"Then we will break you." Giovanni raised his hand, watching Ash's apprehensive expression with a private delight, and his fingers snapped.
The bodies leaped at Ash as one, members of the Tunnels with Rocket-ers, attacking and beating like demons. Ash could only recall hitting the floor after a jab (more like three, actually) to the stomach and getting kicked right in the face before blacking out.
****
He moaned.
"He's waking up!"
"Already?" A grim sigh. "Just keep him settled."
Painfully Ash separated an eye (the other had no chance of opening) that didn't want to separate. A sickening sea of colors and blurs attacked his brain. He blinked rapidly, but it did nothing to help his nausea. In fact, it seemed to make it worse.
"Hey, Blondie?" asked a timid voice.
Ash licked his dry, cracked lips, trying to bring the face into focus. "Miriam?" he guessed haphazardly.
She smiled bravely. "Ya all right? Ya had a nasty fall down them stairs."
"Stairs?"
"Five flights," Miriam nodded.
"I—I didn't fall down any stairs," he protested weakly. "Team Rocket—"
"They found ya and brought ya here. Been out over a day. Shamin's been real worried." Miriam looked at him, at the severely bruised face—a multitude of colors. The nose was nearly broken, and right now the kid did not look much like a Prince Charming that Miriam would wish for. "She took off a few hours ago cuz she really needs some sleep, but otherwise she's been here the whole time, Kid." She said it importantly.
Ash struggled to push himself up, uncaring that Shamin had kept an unasked-for vigil over him but not so much of the pain that snapped his stiff muscles and ribs. "No, no, they—they beat me up!"
"Who did, Blondie?"
"Team—" He coughed and sputtered.
Miriam laughed, trying to push him back down. "Don't be daft."
He didn't go down, gripping her arm. His chest started to hurt as he breathed, and his breath was in gasps. "They did! They want—want me to join them! I gotta get out!"
"Hold it! Ya ain't going nowhere!" Miriam ordered, holding him down.
"I gotta!" he screeched. "Pikachu! Where's Pikachu?" If Team Rocket—Giovanni had her . . .
"Shamin's got her, Kid. Don't worry. I tole ya they're sleepin'. Now lay down!"
"I–!"
"NO!"
He struggled against her, adrenaline pumping. "I gotta!
"Ya can leave after ya're better! Ya can do yar journey!"
"No!" Tears streamed down his face as he struggled futilely against her, mixing with dried blood and newly opened wounds. "I have to go NOW!"
"Dennis! Give him a bloody tranquilizer! Giovanni ordered him put!" Miriam yelled, holding him down with her whole body. The "Gym Leader", as Blondie had called him, had said it personal once he had found out about the patient. He even got some decent meds for the kid, something the Tunnels severely lacked in. Miriam figured Ash must have really impressed him with the battling stuff, but the man's name only made the invalid struggle harder.
Ash barely felt the prick in his arm, but the effect was instantaneous as the liquid was shot home. Tears streamed down his face. "I gotta go," he repeated, eyes heavy.
"It's okay, kid," Miriam murmured, patting his arm. He rolled away slightly, curling into a ball.
"I wanna go home," he wailed in a whisper. "I want my Mom!" The eyes were closing, and all Ash could remember was a tall willow and protective arms that could kiss away all problems. Even the room where the man could talk his way out of anything shifted into his thoughts. "I want my —" He didn't finish the statement, drugs taking their effect.
Miriam ran her hand along his shoulder, rolling him back unto his back. "That must have been some fall," Dennis muttered, turning back to his work in the room over.
"Must have," she agreed, biting her lip as she looked at his damp face. Carefully she started to dry it, and something started to gnaw at the back of her little-used conscience.