Chapter 9- I'll come back to you

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Rapidash reared up again, thrashing out dangerously with its hooves, and Ash had to try hard to keep his balance, as well as hold Misty. Eyes rolling, the Rapidash leap up again, jumping straight over Giovanni's head. Ash and Misty ducked to avoid their own heads being ripped off on the low ceiling. Hooves thundering, Rapidash began to gallop. The fastest pokémon- not including legendaries- was a bit of an understatement. Rapidash could easily outrun any pokémon, so humans were a fleeting image.

Ash gripped Rapidash's mane, feeling Misty wrap her arms around his waist to remain in her seat. Mew, where are you? Come on down, we've been spotted! Mew replied, annoyance in the light, perky thoughts 'I know! There are alarms sounding up here like you wouldn't believe! It must have been when you broke Misty free. Hurry Ash! I can't reach you just yet. Get outside' Ash nodded, bending down, streamlining himself on Rapidash's back, and Misty followed his lead.

Peering hard at the wall that they where approaching, Ash could feel the muscles to one side of his pokémon begin to tense. The stallion was readying to turn. But before it could do so, Ash had held up his hand, blowing a huge hole in the wall with a pearly pink blast. He felt a little embarrassed to be related to such a girly colour, but now was not really the time.

"Yah! Go Rapidash!" Cloven hooves pounded harder, and Rapidash tossed his head with a snort, mane whipping around Ash's face, but the teen just leaned away from it, to the side, watching where they were headed. Ash gave the Rapidash a light kick, and he whinnied again. Pushing off with his back legs, the steed made a close-to-ground bound, covering a lot of distance.

Suddenly they where galloping over green grass, dirt kicking up behind them. Rapidash nickered suddenly. A Wartortle stood in front of it, and water was spewing from the ground, like geysers in many places. Ash could feel the spray, it was icy cold. Feeling Misty wrap her arms around his waist a little tighter, Ash kicked the Warhorse again, and it spun, twisting, and beginning to gallop again, in another direction.

'Ash! You're surrounded! I can see you, but they've got water pokémon pouring in! I don't think I've ever seen so many! Rapidash could jump those geysers, but not with the both of you riding it' Ash heard Mew, and began puzzling over this straight away. Surrounded… absolutely trapped. He couldn't believe it… what had he done wrong? It had been so perfect. Well… apart from the broken leg- it still hurt horribly, Mew hadn't been able to slow enough to use recover- and the alarm system. The noise he'd made when he'd blown open the roof… Ok, maybe it wasn't so perfect.

Rapidash neighed loudly, and Ash looked up to see another Rapidash coming at them. He grinned, thanking his lucky stars his Rapidash had been trained for battle. He never knew why, but he'd had this Rapidash trained for Jousting Tournaments… maybe because they were coming back into popularity… either way, Rapidash would have an edge here now. "Right, you know what to do Rapidash" Grinning he took up the name the Rapidash had once been called in the training field, Bolt. Rather a fitting name, the Rapidash owned by Ash and bred by Brock had been one of the fasted on the field.

"Alright Bolt" Ash watched those ears twitch at the familiar name, and also saw the stance switch. That name brought back memories of fighting. "You can do it Bolt" Ash then turned to Misty "Misty, you'll have to follow my lead" Time seemed to be running slow, and Ash wondered briefly if it was Mew's doing. Misty nodded, gripping his waist even tighter, and Ash thought he would choke. Grinning as time returned to normal, Bolt leapt forward, and Ash leaned to the left, away from the oncoming Rapidash and rider, Misty leant with him. Bolt twisted, and slammed his shoulder into the other Rapidash's skull, knocking it sideways effectively. Now, having followed trough with the motion, Bolt had its rear end to the staggering pair. Rear end of a Rapidash was not a good thing… it also meant rear legs.

Pivoting onto his front legs, Bolt struck out behind him with his hind hooves, feeling them connect with flesh and snorting. Front legs buckling from the weight he was carrying, Bolt hurriedly brought his hind legs back down, and they all flinched at a crunching sound, followed by a whinny of pain and a rockets miserable shout. Spreading his weight again, Bolt began charging once more through the Rockets. 'ASH! What are you doing? That Rapidash cannot jump over that water with such a weight on its back!' Mew screamed down in its thoughts, furious as Bolt charged towards the geysers. I know Mew… I know. Take care of Misty, get her out safely. Mew gave startled worried mutters, but Ash ignored them, turning around to look at Misty.

"Misty, Bolt can't make it over this water with both of us riding… I want you to be careful ok?" Misty stared for a moment, and began to protest, but Ash halted her with a hand. "Will you be careful?" Misty sighed, and nodded solemnly. Ash turned back around to be sitting properly.

There was a loud snort from behind them, and Bolt twisted to face the battle challenge. Ash's mouth gaped open. A perfectly black Rapidash, by far larger than Bolt reared, thrashing with its hooves, and smashing them back to the ground. Its eyes glittered with a dark platinum silver colour, and its flames had the same ripple running through the black. Giovanni sat aback the steed as a flamethrower came hurtling at them. Bolt countered with his own flamethrower, the two hot flames met, and formed a huge, growing sphere of heat. There was a muffled 'boom' and the sphere exploded, sending both steeds backwards and filling the air with smoke. Taking the opportunity, Ash had jumped off Bolts sleek back. They where now in an area with more trees, but he couldn't see more than a foot or so because of the smoke.

"Take care of Misty Bolt" He told the Rapidash, before looking up to the girl he longed to hug, to be with forever; and to see her look back at him with the same feeling in her eyes. "Misty… This is for your safety. You have to go before the smoke clears" He was about to go on when she lent down and kissed his cheek lightly.

"I don't want to go Ash…" She started, but the boy simply looked at Bolt, whose ears were very flat back against his skull. Giving Misty a small push so she would be seated properly for fast single person riding, Ash smiled up at her, before slapping Bolt hard on the rump and the Rapidash whinnied and sprung straight to a gallop.

"I'll come back to you!" He cried out to Misty. 'You are so STUPID!' Ash heard Mews fury, and replied: Go with her Mew, I'll be fine. Though he didn't believe it.