Disclaimer: It's really hard to keep on thinking new ones! Well, since I'm REALLY tired, I'll tell you it's not from working on new Pokémon eps that's made me tired, it's SCHOOL!
To start off with ... I have one simple request: READ ALL THE WAY THROUGH! Events in this part are NOT as they appear to be, and don't tune out! PLEASE!?
Now ... enjoy!
A Year in the Life of AAMLIt had only been a month ... But to Delia, it had been the most wonderful month of her life.
It was the late weeks of a sweltering July, where temperatures had been recorded as the highest ever. Ash and Misty were sat outside in the garden under a large beach umbrella. They were the only two left, Brock having decided to go home and check on his brother at the Gym. May had gone with him, on her way to take on the Indigo League. They had left three weeks ago, Brock promising to be back within 4 or 5 weeks. May, on the other hand, had promised to call after every important battle.
"It's so quiet around here now," Delia commentated, sitting out in the garden next to Daniel. Her eyes watched as Pikachu and Togepi played together, running around and playing Tag.
"I'd have thought that was what you wanted?" he asked her, Delia turning to look at him. "Y'know, peace and quiet before there's a screaming baby in the house?"
"Thanks Dan, I feel a whole lot better!" Misty called sarcastically from her seat not far away. She turned around to look at them.
"Glad I could help," he retorted, raising his glass of lemonade to Delia's and clinking them together in victory. They took a sip from them before Dan leaned down and kissed her.
"Awwwww!" Misty exclaimed in playful voice, raising her fingers and wolf-whistling at them. In doing so, she woke the sleeping form next to her who shot up in surprise.
"I'm late!" Ash shouted out automatically. Realising where he was, a blush formed on his cheeks and he turned around to see everyone laughing at him. Their long bout of laughter was cut short by the faint shrill melody of a mobile phone ringing.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Dan apologised as he reached into his trouser pocket for his phone. Finding it, he took it out, flipped open the silver case, and put it to his ear. "Hello?" he spoke into it. A look of realisation and seriousness spread over his face and he said, "hang on a min," before he placed his hand over the phone.
"Who is it?" Delia asked.
"The hospital. It's about a patient, so I'll take it over there," he explained, standing up and walking over to the other side of the garden. "They're not listening now, you're free to speak," he said into the phone.
"Good," came a deep reply from the phone. "How is your assignment coming?"
"Excellently," he said in a professional, subordinate voice. "They all trust me implicitly."
There was no reply from the phone, the caller obviously pondering his options. "Then, we begin tonight."
"Tonight!?" he exclaimed loudly, grabbing him the attention of Ash, Delia and Misty. He put his hand over the receiver again and quickly explained it was about an operation. They smiled in understanding and he turned his back to them, bringing the phone back to his mouth. "Isn't that a little too soon?" He glanced down at the floor, seeing Pikachu glancing up at him. He threw him a smile, and turned his back to him. Seeing that the call was important, Pikachu moved away.
"All the criteria have been met," the voice said bluntly.
"But sir-"
"But nothing!" the voice shouted. "You will follow your orders Agent A! Or do I have to send you for rehabilitation!?"
Daniel gulped. He'd heard about the Team Rocket Rehab Facility and what happened to you there. "They will be at the Roka Restaurant in Viridian at 8pm night, sir." After the Boss cut the call, he snapped the phone shut. No ... he couldn't let himself become emotionally involved with the Ketchum's. He ran through his Team Rocket training in his head whilst he walked back over to them, the phone being placed back in his pocket.
"Are you ok, sweetie?" Delia asked as he sat back down next to her. The look of disappointment on his face was immediately replaced with a smile.
"Nothing could be better," he told her. "Because ... I just managed to book us all a table at the Roka Restaurant, in Viridian, tonight."
"What!?" Misty exclaimed in disbelief, standing up and walking over to him. "But ... it's so expensive there!"
"Daniel-" Delia began before he interrupted her.
"I insist," he told them all firmly. "Unfortunately ... " he trailed off, turning to look at Ash and Misty directly. "No Pokémon are allowed."
"Huh?" Ash said confusedly. "I thought they had an added-on Pokémon section."
"That was closed down, after a few incidents," he explained. "Anyway, we eat at quarter-to-eight."
"We'll have to leave at about five-thirty if we're gonna get to Viridian on time," Delia pondered out loud. "But I think it'll be worth it!" Kissing Daniel excitedly, she stood up and pulled him up as well, leading him inside the house to help choose an outfit for the evening.
Pikachu, a suspicious look on his face, wandered over to where Ash and Misty were sitting, under their umbrella. "Pikapi," Pikachu began, Ash sitting up and looking at him. "Pika ... pika pikachu pi Pichupi."
"What?" Ash said in disbelief. "Why Pikachu?"
"What's wrong?" Misty asked, sitting up herself and wiping the sweat from her forehead.
"I think Pikachu said that he doesn't trust Dan," Ash informed her.
"Pika pikachu! Pika pikapika pikachu, pi kakapi ka, "pika pika pikachu!" Pika pichu!" Pikachu explained, deepening his voice in parts.
"Uh ... Something about Dan's phone call ... " Ash relayed to Misty, still trying to figure out exactly what Pikachu had just said.
"Pikachu, you shouldn't eavesdrop on people's conversations!" Misty scolded. "Doctor's have to be confidential about patients!" Togepi waddled over to them and she picked him up, placing him on top of her bump.
Seeing he was getting nowhere with Misty, Pikachu turned back to Ash, a pleading look in his eyes. "Pikapi, pika pikachu pichu pika," he asked.
"Pikachu you can't though," Ash told him, reaching out and rubbing his furry head gently. "No Pokémon allowed, remember?"
Pikachu stared into Ash's eyes, contemplating his thought. He didn't want to, but he had to. This was too bad a feeling for him to ignore. "Pikapi ... pika pika pi."
"Pikachu ... " Ash sighed out. "You'd ... be willing to do that? Even though there's no danger?"
"What did he say?" Misty asked Ash. Togepi's face displayed a look of utter shock.
"He said he'll go in his Poké ball," Ash said quietly. "But ... Pikachu, there's no-"
"Pikapi, pi pi!" he shouted, finalising his decision. Ash, realising he wouldn't win this argument, nodded his head.
"I don't know why ... but if you want to," Ash reluctantly said. Pikachu smiled happily and jumped into Ash's lap, hugging him as hard as he could. Ash hugged back, confused at Pikachu's action and decision. He trusted Pikachu implicitly and his instincts as well. But, at the same time, he trusted Dan. His Mom was so happy with him. He smiled down at Pikachu, deciding to let him do this if he wanted to, even though he thought it was a complete wild Pidgey-chase.
"Hey Tracey," Ash greeted as he opened up the door to the Lab. Almost immediately a thundering of approaching footsteps could be heard, before Bayleef launched herself past Tracey into Ash, forcing him to the ground. Pikachu and Togepi moved out of the way, not wanting to be trampled or squashed.
"Bayleef!" Ash called out playfully. "Don't do that, I need this suit in one piece!" Bayleef called out in understanding and climbed off of Ash, allowing him to stand up and wipe his new tuxedo clean.
"You said you wanted to come in," Tracey reminded him, walking into the Lab with Bayleef following him. Ash picked up Togepi and Pikachu, closing the Lab door behind him.
"Tracey, I need you to keep a secret," Ash pleaded of him, putting Pikachu and Togepi down on the table. "I only need you to look after Togepi, but say you also looked after Pikachu."
"Why?" Tracey asked him.
"Pikachu wants to come with me," Ash informed him, reaching into the pocket inside his jacket. "He's got a bad feeling about this, and I tried to tell him otherwise ... But he wouldn't listen."
"Ash, the only way to get Pokémon into the Roka Restaurant is ... " he trailed off as he saw what Ash had taken out of his pocket.
"He's going in the Poké ball," Ash said with reluctance, holding the thunderbolt-marked object in his hand. Pikachu looked at him sadly, but straightened up his body and clenched his paws together.
"Pikapi, pikachu!" he shouted out, summoning all of his courage. He hated this. He really hated this. Ever since that day ...
It was a bright, sunny day over 8 years ago. Pikachu was running around in the forest, playing with the younger Pikachu and Pichu. He heard softly approaching footsteps and the snapping of twigs. He signalled his playmates, telling them to run back home and tell the head Pikachu that there were people in the forest. After hearing their brief protests, Pikachu forced them to leave and ran over to where the intruder was.
"Oh, hello there!" a kind voice exclaimed. Pikachu froze and turned round to see an old human man standing there with a clipboard and a large bag on his shoulder.
"Pika pikachu!" he shouted in as threatening a voice as he could muster. He was secretly scared inside, scared at the thought of what Pokémon the man could throw out at him and make him battle.
"Don't worry, Pikachu," the man assured him. "My name's Oak."
"Pika pika pichu!" he told the man, his least care in the world being what the man's name was.
"Pikachu, I was wondering if you'd do me a favour," Oak began, kneeling down to the ground. "You see ... I've got this problem. Pretty soon we'll have four new trainers leaving Pallet Town to begin their journey. But, there's only three Pokémon available. So ... I have to catch one, or there'll be one disappointed trainer. Most likely Ketchum, if his class attendance record goes by anything ... "
Pikachu shook his head defiantly, watching as the man put his hand into his bag and pulled out a Poké ball. "Chu pika pi!" he shouted angrily.
"I'm sorry Pikachu," he apologised, holding the Poké ball out. "This is my last chance to catch a Pokémon for that fourth trainer, and you're the only one aside from a Magikarp that I've seen all day."
"Pikaaaaaaaaa!" he cried out loud, hoping his friends would hear him. He watched the man with a reluctant look on his face throw the Poké ball towards him. He tried to run away but to no avail, the ball hit him and he fell to the ground.
It was then a strange sensation came over him, a tingling as a wash of red flooded his eyes. He saw the grass under his eyes grow larger and larger, whilst feel himself being pulled up into the air. It seemed so slow to him ... but then as reality caught up with him, he realised he was caged inside a dark prison. Darkness ... The walls so near to him ... He ran against the walls, feeling his prison tilt slightly with each onslaught. Rock ... Tilt ... He felt his energy being sucked away from him rapidly. It was harder to struggle, to put up a fight.
Despaired, frightened and his will broken, he collapsed on the floor of his confinement. He was trapped ... in more ways than one. As the walls closed in on him, he shut his eyes to block it out and began singing a song they'd always sing around a campfire at night. And as the instinctive knowledge settled in that he was captive to this Poké ball, he fainted.
Seeing the fear on Pikachu's face, Ash didn't think he had the heart to do this to Pikachu. When Pikachu's life had been in serious danger he had refused to go into his Poké ball, and now, when Ash saw nothing was wrong, Pikachu was so determined to go in. "Pikachu," he began, "I don't think I can-"
"Pikapi pi!!!" Pikachu shouted out, sparks coming from his cheeks. Togepi dashed to the other side of the table, not wanting to get hurt. He couldn't believe what Pikachu was about to do ...
"Pikachu!" Ash called out, holding the Poké ball out directly in front of him. " ... Return." As like with all of his other Pokémon, the red light shot out and engulfed Pikachu. Ash watched as his eyes widened in shock and he was pulled inside the Poké ball. When Pikachu had completely gone inside, Ash pulled his arm close to him. "You did it buddy," he whispered, before pressing the button on the centre of the ball. The Poké ball shrank in size and he placed it back inside his jacket.
"He did it ... " Tracey murmured in disbelief. "Poor guy, he must have hated it."
"Not half as much as me," Ash told him, straightening up. "Do I look ok?"
"Knock her dead," Tracey encouraged. Smiling, Ash left Tracey in the Lab and climbed into the back seat of Daniel's car, next to Misty.
While Dan was busy turning the engine on, Misty turned to whisper in Ash's ear. "Did he do it?"
Ash kissed her on her cheek and lightly patted his chest. "Yeah," he replied. Taking her hand in his, they began the long drive to the restaurant.
"It's ... so ... wow!" Delia exclaimed as she stepped out of the car in front of the restaurant. Dan, Misty and Ash also stepped out, Dan handing the keys to the chauffeur. As the car was driven away, the group of four walked into the entrance of the cinema. Ash kept on throwing glances in Misty's direction, amazed at how lovely she looked in her shimmering blue dress. It had taken her forever to choose it when they had bought it, Misty wanting something that would lessen the size of her bump.
"Welcome to the Roka Restaurant," a man greeted wearing a white waiter's shirt and black trousers. "I hope you have booked a reservation, as we're quite busy tonight."
Dan looked him squarely in the eye. "Hanson," he informed the waiter. "Seven forty-five." The man's eyebrows raised in recognition as he scrolled down a list of names behind his post desk. "Ah yes," he confirmed. "Slightly late sir. Table 13. If you'll just go take a seat over there," he directed them, pointing his hand in the right direction. They all thanked the man, Misty's mood dropping when she saw his disapproving glance towards her as they walked away.
"I wish people would stop doing that," she said sadly as they sat down at their table, Ash holding Misty's chair out for her.
"What's happened, dear?" Delia asked, Ash and Dan taking their seats next to Misty and Delia respectively.
"People looking at me, like ... " Misty sighed out. "I know, I really should be used to this by now, but-"
"But nothing," Ash gently silenced her, placing a reassuring hand on top of hers, resting them both on the table. "They're just stupid, prejudice, jealous morons," Ash whispered, leaning over and kissing her. The sound of someone clearing their throat broke their kiss.
"Are you ready to order?" a woman asked them, flicking her pen against her notepad. Separating from their kiss, Ash and Misty sheepishly picked up a menu each, glancing at Delia and Dan as they told their choices to the waitress. Ash and Misty doing the same, the woman took the menus from them and moved away to inform the chef's of their choice.
"Dan, how are you going to afford this?" Misty asked him.
"Misty, no more arguments," Dan said firmly. "This is my treat, and all of you deserve it. Have whatever you want." He smiled at all three of them, and then glanced down nervously at his watch.
"Something wrong?" Delia wondered, noticing how quickly Dan's mood had changed.
"No, no," he reassured her. "I ... was just seeing what the time was." He let his eyes wander again to his watch. 20:01 ...
"Well Dan, if we can have whatever we want, then I will certainly take you up on that!" Ash joked, eliciting a playful nudge from Misty.
"Leave it to you to say something like that!" Misty retorted playfully, making all of them laugh.
A commotion growing gradually in volume interrupted Ash's planned retaliation to Misty's statement. He turned around in his chair to see the same waiter man that they had spoken to at the entrance of the restaurant, arguing with a man whom he couldn't see from his seat. Eventually the man gave and exasperatedly sighed, before marching loudly out of the restaurant. The waiter seemed overly relieved, wiping his forehead with his hand before heading back to his post.
"Ash?" Misty asked him, interrupting his thoughts. "What's wrong?" He turned back round to face them all.
"It was nothing," Ash told them. "Just an unsatisfied customer, I think." A loud shriek came zooming towards them and all four of them jumped up from their table, Ash and Misty turning around.
"Bomb!" a female voice relayed over what had quickly become an all-out panic.
"Bomb!?" Ash and Misty exclaimed together. Almost as soon as they had said it, a thundering blast shook the restaurant sending a thick grey cloud with it. Ash instinctively pulled Misty close to him, feeling small pieces of the ceiling plaster drop on his head.
"Dan?" Delia called out in the confusion, reaching for his hand. Instead, it rested on Ash's shoulder.
"Mom!?" Ash cried into the chaos. "We need to get out of here!"
"What about Dan!?" Delia panicked. "We can't-"
"Delia!" Misty shouted out to her, finding her hand and gripping it. "Dan's a doctor, he'll be helping people. He'll also want us to get out of here!" The smoke began to overwhelm her, and Misty began coughing.
"Come on!" Ash ordered, and he began moving towards where the front entrance had been, keeping their heads down and out of the way. Ash lead them with Misty walking at the side of him, Delia tagging along behind them. But in their vision-impaired environment they walked into someone blocking their way.
"Move it mister!" Misty called out. "We need to get out of here!"
"You're not going anywhere, except with us," a deep voice boomed out. They raised their heads in the now thinning smoke to see a well-built man standing in their way, two more flanking him behind. They wore black uniforms, with black strips covering their eyes. A symbol well known to Ash and Misty was on the chest of their uniforms, in bright red.
"Team Rocket!" Ash cried out immediately, briefly remembering all the times he had done that when he had been on his Pokémon journey. "Mom, Misty, run for it!"
"But Ash-" Misty protested, being silenced by a quick and brief kiss from Ash. Before she could protest, she felt herself being tugged away by Delia.
"Go!" he called off to them, turning back round to face the members of Team Rocket. "What do you want?" he asked them defiantly.
"All three of you," the lead man said, striking the fear into Ash.
"You take me and leave my Mom and Misty alone!"
"No," a member standing behind the large man said, holding up a gun. Before Ash could move out of the way, the gun was fired and Ash felt a sharp prick on his left shoulder. He turned his head and looked down at it, moving his hand up slowly and pulling it out. He felt the energy being sucked from him and he crumpled down to his knees. His vision blurred, and before he lost consciousness he felt himself being picked up.
Misty and Delia, meanwhile, were still trying to find their way out through all the commotion. Misty had stumbled over, cutting her leg slightly and tearing her dress, whilst a light piece of plaster had stuck in Delia's hair. Misty was torn up at leaving Ash all on his own to fight Team Rocket, but she knew that deep down inside, Ash could look after himself.
"Stop!" a female voice cried out to them. There was a slight pause where Misty and Delia stopped, wondering if they really heard a voice, or if they were making it up. "Help me!"
"What's wrong!?" Misty asked over the loud atmosphere, moving to where she heard the voice coming from. Her hand was still gripping Delia's and they were now both coughing through the smoke. All Misty wanted to do was to get out of there and make sure herself, Delia, Ash and their baby were ok. But she wasn't the kind of person who could leave anyone who was in danger.
"I'm trapped!" she replied, the voice close to them. Reaching the edge of a dining cubicle, Misty rounded the corner to see-
"Team Rocket!" Delia shouted in surprise.
"Fooled ya!" the women said in an arrogant tone. She wore a uniform different to the other men she had seen earlier. She wore a small black dress with the large red 'R' emblem, as well as black tights. A white cap rested on top of her brown hair.
"Who the hell are you?" Misty asked angrily.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," the woman gloated. "I'm one of the highest Team Rocket Agents there are. I'm Double-O-Five, Angel. But I'm known throughout the ranks of Team Rocket by the code name Black Cat. Anyway, that's not important right now. The boss of Team Rocket requests your company."
"We're not going anywhere near Giovanni!" Delia shouted defiantly, stepping closer to Angel. A loud sharp noise could be heard and Delia fell to the floor, raising a hand to her cheek. Misty leant down and helped her to stand up.
"You don't have a say in the matter," a male voice said from behind them. Recognition hit Misty and Delia, and they turned round to face-
"Dan?" Delia spoke out quietly. She shook her head in denial. "Please don't say you're in-"
"Team Rocket?" Angel finished for her, walking over to Dan. "He's Agent A, the best Team Rocket infiltrator there is. Double-O-One"
"Enough talk, we need to go," Dan said quickly and professionally, pulling a gun out from his pocket. Afraid for her baby's life, Misty hugged herself close to Delia. Seeing her distraught state, Dan couldn't help but reassure her. "It's a tranquilliser, it won't hurt the baby."
"That doesn't-" Misty had begun, before being silenced by what she noticed as an arrow sticking out of her right shoulder. She glanced at Delia, seeing one in her shoulder, and then averted her eyes to Angel, watching her as she lowered her gun. Next to her Delia fell to the ground with a gasp, pulling Misty along with her. Noises around her blurred together and she vaguely heard Dan speaking to Angel before walking over to her. He bent down and heard the word, "sorry," spoken in her ear as she was raised off the ground.
It was then she lost consciousness.
"Push!" Ash shouted out to her. She couldn't exactly refuse him, she being the one who was labour. Whilst resting back for a few seconds, panting, she glanced at the scenery around her. A wooden thatched cottage, with Miltank and Tauros grazing in the fields outside. Ash was by her bedside, gripping her hand. Sitting up to push hard again, she saw Nurse Joy at the foot of the bed, reaching inside her nightgown.
"Once more!" Joy called out to her. And push once more she did, screaming and feeling Ash kiss her forehead. Suddenly, the burden coming from within her disappeared and she fell back, exhausted, closing her eyes and feeling Ash kissing her on her cheek and lips. She thought that time was dragging itself out, because she waited and waited to hear the baby start crying.
"What's ... wrong?" she asked nervously, sitting up with Ash's help. Opening her eyes, she was in the hospital, Doctor Wilson holding her baby, Doctor Hanson standing behind her.
"Still birth," she informed her sadly, holding the baby out to her. "Some kind of chemical, like a tranquilliser, essentially put the baby into a coma."
"You did this!" she screamed at Dan, managing to jump out of the bed. Before she moved to attack him, she turned and looked at Ash, sitting down dejectedly next to the bed.
"No, you did this," he accused, pointing a finger at Misty. "You let yourself get shot by him." He stood up and walked over to her. "You killed our baby." She watched as he walked over to the door of the room.
"Ash!" she screamed, running over to him, only to be pushed away onto the floor roughly by him.
"Get away from me, I don't wanna see you again," he said coldly, looking upon her with hate in his eyes. Tears filled her eyes as she saw him walk out of the room and down the corridor.
"Ash!" she called, crawling along the floor to the open door. "ASH!"
"Ash!" Misty shouted out as woke up from her dream. Looking up, all she saw were the dimly lit surroundings around her. Tears gathered when she realised that, like in her dream, she was all alone by herself.
After several tries, she managed to get herself into a sitting position, and then get herself standing on her feet, leaning against the cold, yet smooth and damp wall that she assumed was made of stone. Seeing the bars that were to her right, Misty walked over to them and leaned against them, trying to see down the corridor. She glanced a clock on the wall and managed to make out that it was 19:03, and that the date was the 25th. Wait a minute ... It had been the 23rd when they had gone to the restaurant. Did that mean she had been knocked-out for two whole days? Suddenly hearing footsteps approach, Misty moved away from the bars and into the centre of her cell.
"How are you Misty?" a voice wafted down the corridor from. Angel appeared in front of her, two low-rank Team Rocket men carrying a large bundle between the two of them. "Don't try anything," she warned, Misty noticing the handgun that was attached to her skirt. Angel unlocked the door to her cell, allowing the two Rocket Grunts to walk in and drop their bundle on the floor, a moan coming from inside of it. As they exited and Angel locked the door, Misty moved over and removed the blanket that covered the person.
"Ash!" she exclaimed in surprised, seeing his unconscious form wrapped inside. She placed a hand on his cheek and tried to wake him up.
Angel laughed as she watched her. "Here's that precious boyfriend of yours, all gift-wrapped."
"Bitch ... " Misty spoke in a low, quiet voice, diverting her attention from Ash.
"You can talk honey," Angel spat out, moving closer to her. "Pregnant at your age, with a 7-year Pokémon Trainer who's yet to win a tournament. No job, no money, no security ... " Seeing Misty's depressed face, Angel realised she was having an effect on her and moved even closer to the bars. "And who's to say that Ash'll hang around when the bastard-child's born? I mean, he didn't exactly vow to stay with you, did he? I don't see a ring on that finger, do I?"
"Shut up," a hoarse voice spoke out angrily. Misty glanced downwards, seeing Ash's eyes move to look up at her. "At least she's ever been loved by someone."
Fuming, Angel stepped away and closed her eyes briefly, quickly removing the anger that had settled in on her face. "You'll find water in the corner over there." Without saying another word, she marched out of their 'cave', the two Rocket members following quickly after her.
"Ash, are you ok?" Misty asked quickly, helping him stand up to his feet. Almost the second he was stable, he grabbed Misty and held him close to her.
"Are you ok?" he asked her back, making her giggle slightly. Feeling her nod against his shoulder, Ash separated them so he could kiss her.
"Where's your Mom?" Misty managed to speak out after their kiss. Ash stared at her blankly for a few seconds, thinking in his mind.
"Isn't she here?" Misty shook her head.
"She's here," a male voice spoke from the other side of the bars. Ash and Misty turned around to see the door swing open and Dan walk in, Delia in his arms. Ash watched, gob-smacked at seeing him in a Team Rocket uniform, as he placed her down on the floor quickly.
"You!" Misty cried out, moving forward to try and grab a hold of him, only to find herself restrained by Ash. "Why did you do this!?" Not wanting to have a fight with a pregnant woman, Dan exited their cell as fast as he could without making himself looked scared of them.
"I was ordered to," he told them with slight regret in his voice. "Delia's not hurt, I made sure-"
"Don't you use her name," Ash warned in a low voice. He let go of Misty and they both hurried over to Delia, Ash pulling her up to a sitting position. "Mom," he whispered. "Mom, wake up."
"Everything was a lie, wasn't it?" Misty asked him angrily, looking straight through the bars at him. "You didn't care about our family one bit, did you?"
"I-" Dan started loudly, suddenly remembering that she shouldn't be talking to them in the first place. "I did care," he whispered. "I do care."
"Then why won't you let us go!?" Misty shouted angrily. The compassionate look that had been in his eyes was replaced with a firm one, and he reached and tapped on his belt. A low-voltage zap of electricity shot through the bars, causing Misty to pull her arms back quickly, breathing heavily from the shock.
"Leave her alone!" Ash demanded, putting an arm around an exhausted Delia and helping her to stand up. As soon as Delia saw Dan on the other side of the bars she separated herself from her son and walked over to them. Ash moved to Misty's side and hugged her.
Delia's hands were clenched into fists by her side. She was feeling too many things all at once. All the things she wanted to ask him, say to him, and do to him. But one thing she wouldn't let herself do was cry. "I don't see how you have the nerve to be standing here right now."
"I can stand wherever the hell I want. I'm not the one who's being held in Team Rocket's most secure containment facility." Not wanting to have an argument, he turned to walk away. "Oh ... The Boss of Team Rocket will want to see you soon. I'd be honoured if I were you."
"Why?" Delia asked him, standing up for herself. "That Boss of Team Rocket is just a man living in his mother's shadow." She giggled slightly to herself. "I don't know how he can look after an entire criminal organisation, when he couldn't even look after a Pidgey properly!"
Dan turned his head to look her in the eyes. "People change," is all he said, as he set off walking down the corridor. Despite herself, Delia breathed a deep sigh of relief, and turned round to see Ash and Misty staring at her.
"You know a lot about Team Rocket, Mom," Ash said with slight awe.
"Well, that's because unfortunately ... " she trailed off, tears gathering in her eyes.
"Delia?" Misty asked her gently.
"I knew Giovanni before his Mom died," she told them. "I suppose, in a way, me, your father and him were a bit like you two and Brock were when you were a little younger." Realising what she had said, she corrected it. "Of course I'm not saying that Brock's gonna turn into a criminal, I mean that we were all very good friends." She smiled as she looked at the two of them. "And yes, me and your father paired off together just like you two did."
Feeling the romance from that story, Misty placed one arm around Ash's waist and leaned her head against his shoulder. "I wanna get out of here," she whispered suddenly. Ash pulled her to him and hugged her again, Misty resting her hand on his chest. Delia moved over to them and put her arms around Ash, all taking comfort from each other.
"We'll be ok, honey," Delia comforted both of them.
"Huh?" Misty exclaimed slightly, feeling a small bump underneath her hand. "Ash, what ... " she trailed off, a smile brightening her face. "Pikachu!"
"Where?" Delia asked, separating from them in surprise and turning in a circle as she looked. Misty also removed herself from Ash, allowing him to reach inside his jacket and take out the Poké ball.
"Here," Ash said, holding out the Poké ball.
"How did you get Pikachu to go in there?" Delia questioned him with amazement.
"Long story, Mom," Ash answered, throwing the Poké ball. "Go!" he commanded, throwing the ball. It hit the ground with a smack, the ball opening and raising itself up into the air. In a flash of bright light, Pikachu appeared before their eyes and the ball returned automatically to Ash's hand.
"Pika pikachu!" Pikachu seemed to almost curse, shaking himself. Blinking his eyes, he saw a messed-up Ash standing in front of him. "Pikapi!" he cried, launching himself at Ash.
"Pikachu!" Ash called happily, hugging him close to him. Suddenly the serious of their situation hit home and Pikachu stopped hugging and looked around at their surroundings. "You were right Pikachu," Ash admitted. "Dan was up to something." Seeing the anger in Pikachu's eyes, Ash carried on. "He's one of Team Rocket's best agents."
"Pikapi, pi pikachu!" Pikachu reminded him. Ash smiled.
Even more footsteps were heard approaching from down the corridor, interrupting the ray of hope that had settled within the three of them. Seeing the quick and panicked look that Misty threw him, Ash shrank the Poké ball and put it into his pocket. Then, taking Pikachu with him, he hurried over to the wall furthest from the bars and lay down on the floor, facing the wall with Pikachu tucked up against him.
"Is poor Ashy sick?" Angel asked as she stopped in front of their cell, a Rocket Grunt placing a tray with three plates on it under the narrow space the bars left above the floor. At her 'diagnosis' of him, Ash coughed, pretending to be sickly. "I doubt he'll want his meal then."
"Like you care," Delia retorted, moving over to see if Ash was 'ok', Misty standing looking at Angel with her arms crossed over her bump. "But then again, all you care about is yourself, isn't it?"
"Now, remind me where Dan's birth mark is, Delia," Angel asked her, trying to get her own back. "Is it on his right hip or his left upper thigh? Hmmm ... " She smirked when she noticed the look of jealousy flit across Delia's face. "I'll just go and check," she thought out loud, her voice thick with smugness.
"Permission to be excused, Black Cat," a young and tall Rocket Grunt requested from her, hand raised to his head in a salute. When she spoke her acknowledgement and walked off, his eyes wandered to those of Misty's. She watched the surprise on his face when he realised she was pregnant, and she placed a protective hand over where her baby rested. Her eyes pleaded with his, seeing the conflict on his face. But, in the end, his obedience to his employer won over, his eyes changing to a neutral gaze as he turned sharply, marching out.
"Why did it take so long for him to leave?" Ash asked when his marching was out of hearing range. He stood up from the floor, Pikachu climbing onto Ash's shoulder.
"I think he was a little surprised when he saw me," Misty replied honestly. She walked over to the door of their cage, shaking it with her hands. "Ash, could Pikachu break the lock?"
"Pika ... Pika pikachu!" Pikachu promised, jumping down from Ash's shoulder and hurrying over to the door. Misty picking him up, Pikachu looked into the lock, reaching a paw in and fiddling around inside of it.
"Pikachu, I meant ... " Misty trailed off, watching as the door swung open and Pikachu jumped out of her arms. "To shock it," she finished, looking back at Ash, Pikachu now sitting back on his shoulder. "Never mind."
"What are we waiting for?" Delia asked them, walking out of the door, Ash following after her, grabbing Misty's hand and leading her. Out in the corridor they took the route that Angel had taken on her way out and walked along it, their footsteps echoing around them. They exited the area where the cells were and walked along a narrow corridor.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu warned them all, jumping down from Ash and hurrying ahead of them. Ash let go of Misty's hand and walked ahead after Pikachu.
"Pikachu! What's-" Ash stopped, seeing who was standing in front of him. It was Angel, pointing the barrel of her gun in his face.
"One move and he's dead," she warned them all, stepping closer to Ash. As she pressed the gun into the side of Ash's head he saw the Rocket Grunt behind her holding Pikachu in his hands, rubber gloves protecting him from the sparks that were flying out of his cheeks. "You really thought that I didn't notice your little rat?" she asked him, laughing slightly. Two more Rocket Grunts passed them and walked to Misty and Delia, each taking one firmly by the arms.
"Where are you taking us?" Ash asked Angel. Quicker than he could avoid, the hand with the gun moved to hit him sharply across his cheek. The impact made him fall into the wall less than a foot away. Pushing himself back up, fighting against the pain, he felt the gun press back into his head again. Behind him he could hear Misty gasp in surprise,
"Silence," Angel ordered. "I'd have thought you'd get it by now, Ketchum." She glared at him before breaking it and looking at her subordinates holding Misty and Delia, moving her head to indicate that they should move ahead of her. That they did and all of them walked along the winding corridors, taking various turns of left and right. After what Ash guessed was a minute or two, they exited the rock tunnels and now they began walking along a metallic corridor, various people dressed in Rocket uniforms and lab coats, some in pairs or on their own.
Then in front of them Misty, who had been looking like she had been struggling from the effort of their marching captives, tripped over her tired legs and fell on her knees, her escort pulling on her to get her standing again, but only succeeding in giving her friction burn against the sleeveless dress. "Get up," the Grunt ordered, their moving group coming to a halt.
"I ... can't," she said against exhausted breaths. It was then that, in Ash's opinion, Angel went one too far and took the gun away from Ash's head, pointing it straight at Misty.
"Get up!" she shouted with authority.
"No!" Ash cried, managing to pry himself away from her grasp and place himself between Misty and the gun, spreading his arms wide. "Shoot me, not her!"
"Ash, no!" Delia and Misty protested together. They heard someone clearing their throat and they all turned their heads to see who it was.
"What's going on here, Double-O-Five?" asked Dan as he leaned forwards and removed the gun from Angel's hand. "There's no need to put a bullet in his head just because he wants to help her stand up." As they were speaking, Ash had helped Misty to her feet and they were now hugging each other as if they couldn't let go.
"Dan-" Angel began, being cut off.
"Sir," he corrected. "Now, I believe that Giovanni has requested your company, and it isn't right to keep him waiting is it?" He moved to the front of the group, putting on a pair of gloves he had just taken out of his pocket. Reaching the Grunt who was holding Pikachu, Dan picked up Pikachu and walked to Ash, handing him back.
"What are you-" Angel started before being cut off again.
"Let go of her," Dan ordered to the Grunt who still had a firm hold on Delia. He complied, moving to stand at attention a short distance away. "They're prisoners, not criminal. There's no need for excessive violence," he commented on the bruise that was appearing on Ash's face, moving back to stand next to Angel. "Let them walk together, Pokémon too."
"It might be the last time you're all together," Angel told them, laughing slightly. Ash, restraining the urge to smack them all in the face, grasped the hands of his Mom and Misty, who were standing either side of him. Pikachu had climbed up onto Ash's shoulder, clinging carefully to the hair that had now lost its hold from the gel, sticking out all ways. "Move out," she ordered, and they began their marching again.
They continued walking for a further five or so minutes, Dan stopping them briefly when he saw Misty was again getting out of breath. Every time he did this Angel had to stop herself from exploding at him, making Ash want to laugh at her. It was the only thing that made him want to laugh. As they neared the end of the corridor, Ash was glancing around, wondering just how big the Rocket facility was, and how they managed to keep it concealed from the Police, Ash having heard so many times from Officer Jenny's that they had no idea where Team Rocket worked, all the undercover officers having been killed.
"We're almost there," Dan informed them. They reached the end of the hallway and Dan pulled a card out of his uniform, swiping it through a device that was attached to the wall. The red light that was displayed to them turned green and the walls swished open, revealing an elevator. The group of three were 'encouraged' inside, only Dan and Angel following them. The Rocket Grunts only stood to attention as Dan pressed the button and the doors closed, the elevator beginning its journey.
"If your rat tries anything in here, the girl will get it," Angel warned.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried angrily, glaring at Angel. Ash's hand, separated from Delia for a second, wandered up to Pikachu and touched his paw, trying to calm him down.
Angel paused a moment, eyes showing surprise for a fraction of a second before returning back to normal. "My, my, such rude words for such a young Pikachu," she commented, Pikachu suddenly looking very nervous at a reference to his age.
"Pikachu's not young," Ash fought back.
"Then you know nothing about your Pikachu," Angel silenced him. "Whereas Team Rocket, we know all about him, just from a simple Pokémon scan. For example, we know that Pikachu had barely just evolved when he was introduced to that Poké ball of his, and he wasn't even a year old. For a wild Pichu/Pikachu, its evolution was extremely fast. But, with Pokémon that evolve too quickly, they miss out on some interpersonal skills, and usually have a weakness somewhere mentally. A weakness that is very easy to exploit."
"Angel ... " Dan warned her softly, not wanting her to start an argument.
"And another fascinating subject," she began, turning her head towards Misty. "Togepi."
"What about him?" Misty asked, suddenly worried. She felt a squeeze on her hand from Ash, and she returned it.
"Well, your Togepi is unbelievably behind in its growth. Only about a year and a half behind Pikachu, it should have learned far more attacks than it does now. But, having been mothered by an unloved child all his life, I'm not surprised it hasn't evolved yet, meaning there's some defect in the happiness he feels."
"Are we talking about Misty's Togepi or yours?" Ash asked cockily, referring to the 'unloved' part of her explanation.
"If I'd have hit you just a little higher, you'd be in a coma now, Ketchum," Angel reminded him, stopping as the lift slowed and came to a halt. As the doors opened, they walked out to a setting another world apart from the sparse militaristic corridor they had walked along. Plush red carpets lay beneath their shoes, dark wood panelling furnishing the walls that they passed. They stopped in front of two very large oak doors, Dan and Angel holding Misty and Delia back.
"You two first, Ash," Dan said, referring to Ash and Pikachu. Dread quickly filling Ash's heart, he removed his hand from Misty, turning around and kissing her desperately. He hoped deep in his heart this wouldn't be the last time he saw her.
"I love you," Ash whispered against her ear, running his hand across her belly. Pulling apart from her and seeing the tears forming in his eyes, he quickly hugged his mother.
"And don't have the rat try anything, thunder attacks won't work," Angel informed him, a wide smirk on her face. As Ash took a deep breath and, after opening the doors, entered the room that lay beyond, the tears that she had fought back ran their course and Misty fell against Delia, crying quietly as Dan closed the doors.
Inside, Ash entered a room furnished the same as the corridor they had walked along after exiting the lift. A fire burned in the corner but Ash got the feel that it was not real, the room itself being cool, temperature wise. Then, behind the large wooden desk, Ash saw a huge leather chair, turned away and facing the bookshelf behind the desk. Ash was ready to burst out laughing at how everything seemed so James Bond like, until the chair turned around quickly, revealing their captor, and the current leader of Team Rocket.
"We finally meet, Ash Ketchum," he greeted. Pikachu jumped down from Ash's shoulder and stood by Ash's feet, ready to pounce if the order was given.
"Giovanni," Ash returned. He clenched his hands into fists, trying not to lose it and go for him after all he and his minions had done to them.
"You don't remember me, do you?" he asked, puzzling both Ash and Pikachu at the same time. "Not saying that you would, the last time you saw me was when you were a baby."
"What are you talking about?"
"What do you mean? I'm your father, Ash," Giovanni said, a smile on his face. Ash's face, on the other hand, displayed nothing but total and utter shock.
"No," he stuttered out. "M-Mark was my father. You were just ... Brock," he said, not able to think of a better word in his bemused state.
"Your mother was with me first, and when she first told the two of us she was pregnant, it was about the same day that me and her had ... you know," he informed Ash. "Your mother had decided to move onto Mark by then, but-"
"But nothing!" Ash shouted, making Giovanni flinch slightly in surprise at his outburst. "I think my mother would know who's the father of her only child!"
"Enough of this!" Giovanni exploded. "You are my child, no matter how hard you will deny it, and it is your duty to carry on this family's tradition!"
"What tradition!?" Ash shouted, not really caring. Pikachu jumped back onto Ash's shoulder, going along for the ride as Ash started walking back towards the door.
"The Team Rocket tradition!" he shouted. Ash stopped in his tracks and turned around slowly.
"You expect me to become the leader of Team Rocket?" Ash asked him, the room holding an uncomfortable silence around them, Giovanni thinking up his next move. Ash, personally, couldn't believe that Giovanni expected him to do that, that after so many years of foiling the amateur plots of Jessie, James and Meowth, he expected him to become the ultimate master mind behind all the schemes of Team Rocket. "I won't, and never will, leave the life I have now."
"Well ... " Giovanni sighed reluctantly. "I suppose, I'll have to get rid of the one thing that ties you to your old life." He walked back round to the other side of his desk and pressed a button, opening a side door in the room that wasn't noticeable, it being covered in the same wood panelling. Giovanni reached into his desk drawer as a figure emerged from the opening.
"Misty!" Ash exclaimed, happy at her presence. Noticing him, her eyes widened with happiness and she began to move towards him. It was then, that time slowed down for Ash as a loud bang was heard throughout the room and Misty stopped in her movements, pain slowly overtaking the smile that had been on her face. Ash's smile faded from his face, replaced with horror when he noticed the blood that had appeared on her dress, near to ... her heart.
"No!" Ash screamed, feeling dizzy as time caught up with him. Misty turned around to see who had shot her, another bang being heard fired. Misty turned back to Ash, Ash being able to see all too clearly where Giovanni had shot her a second time. The baby ... Their baby ... Murdered, right in front of his eyes. He rushed forwards and caught her, Misty collapsing to the floor as the life drained away from her.
"No," she whispered weakly. "Ash ... " she trailed off, her breathing ceasing as a cascade of tears fell on her from both Ash and Pikachu, who jumped down next to her.
"Misty!" he shouted, holding her close to him. It couldn't end like this for them. In the space of five seconds, the man who presumed to be his father had shot dead his entire future. As Ash sobbed into her dead form, flashes of what their life could have been together rushed through his mind. Proposing to her ... Marrying her ... More children together ... Growing old together ... His dreams had been crushed in an instant, and now all Ash wanted to do was die along with her.
Inside, he felt his heart being ripped apart by his grief, his will for living being starved of oxygen. If only he'd left the baby ... The baby might have stood a chance ... It was something, anything to remind him of her. Placing her down on the floor, needing to do something to stop her leaving him, Ash opened her mouth and gave her the kiss of life. Maybe that would work. Misty couldn't die, she wasn't the type, she was just taking time-out, right? Eventually seeing the hopelessness of his actions, Ash gave up unwillingly and the tears began to fall again.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu sobbed out, his own grief, along with his Trainers grief, overwhelming him completely. Ash noticed him through his tear-filled eyes and Pikachu jumped to him, Ash hugging him as tightly as he could. Not wanting to be away from her, Ash leaned over her still form, himself and Pikachu crying into her.
"Ash," a soothing voice came, as well as a hand placed on his shoulder. Ash's head lifted up and his eyes filled with rage recognising the voice of her killer. Pikachu now clinging onto Misty instead of Ash, Ash jumped up and pounced on Giovanni, knocking him to the floor. Ash on top of him, he now began punching his face. Left, right, left, right ... With every blow, Ash remembered a part of what he had just lost. Every memory, every experience ... Their first kiss ... their first real kiss ... that night at Snowela, a dream come true for him ...
When the pain-filled cries of Giovanni ceased and Ash realised he had lost consciousness, he stood up off him, the aching in his fists starting to have a voice. It was then his eyes fell on the gun, resting on the desk. He picked it up in his hand, looking upon the weapon that had destroyed him inside. He turned around and looked at Misty, then looked back at the gun. For several seconds he considered using it on himself, but then remembered the man who was standing outside. The same man who had pretended to love his mother, whilst at the same time arranging this day to happen. Daniel.
Fighting against the nausea, Ash began to walk towards the door. But, suddenly, they opened, Delia rushing inside, hair all messed up. "Ash!" she shouted, stopping when she saw him, the doors slowing swinging shut behind her. Her eyes widened and filled with tears when she saw Misty lying on the ground, Pikachu with her. "No," she sighed in disbelief. She ran to Ash and hugged him tightly, Ash hugging her like he did when he was a small boy.
"Mommy," he whispered quietly, his legs buckling underneath him. Delia caught him enough to stop him falling straight to the floor and lowered him down, kneeling and hugging him tightly. The gun fell from his hands and clunked to the floor, the safety having been placed back on it. "He ... shot them both," he continued crying. Pikachu ran over to Delia, nestling himself in between herself and Ash. They stayed there together, crying at their loss, Delia rocking them backwards and forwards.
"You'll regret that," an angry voice spoke after several minutes of tear-filled silence. Delia's eyes opened and saw Giovanni in the distance, picking himself off the floor. Immediately Ash pulled apart from his mother and picked up the gun, pointing it towards Giovanni.
"Looking for this?" he asked, standing up. Giovanni turned around to look at him, a smirk on his face as he saw Delia with him, picking herself up.
"It's empty," Giovanni smugly said, laughing when Ash pulled the trigger and only heard a clicking noise. "Hello Delia."
"You couldn't kill me and Ash eighteen years ago, so you decide to kill Misty and Ash's baby instead?" Delia asked him angrily. "And even all those years ago, you decide to kill Mark! Were you born to just destroy Ash's life!?" Ash looked at his mother in surprise, moving towards Giovanni. Delia put a hand out to his and gripped it, Ash deciding to stand by her and listen to what was happening.
"Mark wasn't even a part of his life!" Giovanni angrily replied. "I'm Ash's father! Delia, don't remember what happened that night after my twenty-first birthday-"
"You raped me," Delia said defiantly, Ash shocked by the truth. He squeezed her hand reassuringly, giving Delia what she needed to go on. "You were too drunk and went too far. I wasn't screaming because you were so fantastic, I was screaming because I wanted to get out of there! And Mark knew about it, because he helped me through it all. If Ash's birth wasn't premature, and that medication didn't work, then maybe he would have been your child. But Ash was eight weeks early, Giovanni. Ash was conceived eight weeks after you raped me."
"No," he denied, shaking his head. "Mark said-"
"Mark said what he said because you had a gun pointed at his head!" Delia shouted. "And then you killed him anyway, and tried to kill me! But you missed, and I got out of there!" Delia opened her mouth to continue, but Giovanni beat her to it.
"Lies!" he screamed, hitting a control panel of buttons on his desk. The noise of machines powering down could be heard, and Misty disappeared from in front of their eyes.
"Pikachupi!" Pikachu called out in surprise, jumping off Ash's shoulders to where she had just been resting.
"Misty!" Ash shouted out, moving over to Pikachu, then stopping as he noticed the blood disappearing from his hands. "What the-"
"Holograms," Delia murmured, walking to stand by Ash, hands on his shoulders. "Giovanni always used to play around with holograms." Realising his original plan, Delia's stomach turned itself in knots. "You were going to let Ash think she had died!?"
"She's alive ... " Ash whispered to himself. His relief and happiness were accompanied with anger, all directed at one person. "Where the hell is she!?"
"Will you find her in time?" Giovanni asked him cryptically. "Black Cat has her orders, and I've just received notification that someone's infiltrated the facility." Seeing the shock on their faces, Giovanni smiled. "Ten minutes."
"Pikachu!" Ash ordered, Pikachu jumping onto his shoulders. He picked up the empty gun and the poker from the now obvious holographic fire. He grabbed hold of Delia's hand and pulled her along with him, running out of the room and shutting the door. He took the poker and pushed it through the handles, stopping anyone from entering or leaving.
"Angel took her this way," Delia told him, leading the way. They reached another elevator, opening it and pressing the only button in there. "Dan stayed with me, but when I heard the gunshots, I managed to kick him down and get inside." Seeing his face at the reminder of his traumatic experience, tears threatened in his eyes again.
"I ... I wanted to just die with her Mom," Ash spoke as the elevator took them on their journey. "Everything flashed though my mind, and all I could think about was her."
"Ash, honey," Delia sighed, pulling him into a brief hug, reaching up very slightly and kissing his forehead. "What he put you through was inhuman, and nothing no one should go through." The elevator then pinged, indicating they were at their destination, wherever that may be. Ash held the gun out in front of him, prepared to take hostage of whoever was on the other side of that door.
Instead of a Rocket member in front of them, they were greeted to the sight of a brown-haired girl wearing a red bandana. Seeing the gun, she screamed her head off loudly and put her hands up. "Don't shoot, I have so much to live for!" she pleaded. Opening her squinting eyes, she saw the gun had been lowered, and that Ash Ketchum was looking at her. "Ash!" she shouted in relief, hugging him tightly for a second.
"What's-" another voice added, before shouting in relief. "Ash!"
"Brock, May, what are you doing here?" Ash asked, not able to believe it was them he was looking at.
"I called them," yet another voice added to their conversation.
"Tracey?" Delia said in disbelief. "Look, we need to find Misty." The three of them moved out of the way so Ash and Delia could step off the elevator before it returned back to Giovanni.
"Looking for this?" a voice asked them from down the corridor. The whole group all turned around to see Angel, Misty next to her with a gag on her mouth and her wrists tied together.
"Misty!" Ash cried, moving towards her when he noticed the gun pressed into her side.
"One more move Ketchum, and you'll get to see the live action replay of the show the boss just put on for you," Angel warned them all.
"What's she on about?" May asked quietly. Delia tapped her shoulder and put a finger to her lips, telling her now was not the best time to ask. May felt a movement in her bag and out of a pocket popped Togepi, chirping at his new found freedom. May picked him up and held him in his arms, forgetting for a second that his Trainer and mother was being held at gunpoint a few metres away.
"Take me," Ash offered Angel. "Let Misty go, and take me instead."
"I got a better idea," Angel thought. "Since I'm the one with enough ammo in my gun, how about I take you all?" To prove her point, she took the gun off Misty and held it out at Ash. "Starting with you, Ketchum. Let's finish the job started before you were born."
"I don't think so," a voice behind Angel said. Turning around, wondering who had interrupted her, she was met with a metal bucket being swung at, and hitting, her head. Stumbling slightly, she fell to the floor, the gun in her hands gliding across the smooth surface of the metal floor. Ash immediately took the chance to move to Misty, removing the piece of cloth from around her face.
"Ash-" she began, being cut off by Ash's deep and needing kiss. She knew what he had been put through, Angel having told her as she had brought her down in the elevator. Whilst kissing her, his hands moved to hers, undoing the rope that had tied them together behind her back. When they were free, her hands moved to his face, wiping the tears away that she could feel against her cheeks.
"Team Rocket!" May cried out behind them, causing Ash and Misty's kiss to break, Ash holding Misty close to him.
"The one and only!" James announced. "Be thankful, we saved your life."
"Dat's right!" Meowth added.
"We haven't seen you in ages," Brock commented, being cut short by the building shaking around them.
"I'd say 'prepare for trouble' but I think I'd be too late," Jessie said about their situation. "We've got loads of time for catch up later, but we need to get out of here!" she bossed them.
"We're not gonna argue with that!" Tracey agreed with them. "Get us out of here!"
All three of them nodding an acknowledgement, Jessie, James and Meowth headed down one of the corridors at a jogging pace, the rest of them following after them, Pikachu on Ash's shoulder. Despite their situation, Ash couldn't help but think about a certain irony. Running along with him, all trying to escape from Team Rocket because all of them had tried to rescue him, was every Pokémon Trainer he had ever journeyed with. He couldn't say person, because of the absence of May's brother. Not that he would want him to be here, it was far too dangerous for his sister, never mind him.
Following 'Team Rocket', they turned left into a corridor that led into a rock-walled one. They continued to hurry along it, Jessie or James looking over their shoulders occasionally to see if Ash and friends were there, and if they being followed or not.
"Are you sure this is the right way?" Ash called out to their leaders. When he saw a small but growing glint of light in the distance and the look of annoyance that Jessie threw him, he decided that it must be. Exiting the tunnel, they found themselves facing a setting sun, surrounded by grass, trees, and-
"Bugs!" Misty screamed at the top of her lungs. Having noticed a group of Weedle and Kakuna in a few nearby trees, Misty clung onto Ash as hard as she could.
"Ow! That hurts!" he cried out in pain, putting his hands over hers to try and calm her down a little. "Calm down, they won't get you."
"Enough's of this, we's gotta get out of here!" Meowth shouted nervously. "We's three took a risk saving you! But then again, we's couldn't just leave you's there in danger," he added.
From behind them they heard a distant rumble and the noise of people shouting orders. "If we go all together, though, we'll be an easy target," James reminded them all.
"We'll split up," Ash decided. "Brock, you take my Mom. Tracey, go with May." He took hold of Misty's hand, indicating that only he would be her saviour this time.
"We'll meet up at my house tomorrow?" Delia suggested, looking at each one in turn and receiving a nod in agreement. "Thanks again," Delia said to Jessie and James. "You've saved my family today, and I'll never forget this."
"Tomorrow!" Brock called, putting a hand on Delia and both of them hurrying off into the forest. Ash and Misty next turned to Tracey and May, May looking especially uneasy having to split up from each other, and with going with someone she barely knew.
"Here's Togepi," May said, holding him out to Misty. Chirping happily, Togepi was accepted and hugged tightly by his mother. She kissed him on his middle spike tenderly before holding him back out to May.
"Can you look after him for me?" Misty asked of her. "I'd love to bring him with me, but with only Pikachu we can't protect him."
"We'll take care of Togepi," Tracey assured her, taking Togepi and holding him close. Misty smiled at him gratefully, grasping Ash's hand in hers as Tracey turned to face May. "Ready?" he asked her.
May nodded. "Sleep tight," she said, turning away from them and heading into the forest at a jogging pace, albeit in a different direction as Brock and Delia.
"We'd, uh, better head off too," Jessie told them, absently running a hand over her hair and checking that none of it was missing.
"Firstly," Ash began to ask. "Why? Why did you save us when you knew that this would happen? And why did Team Rocket recall you?"
Jessie sighed uncomfortably. She never wanted to show any weakness in front of anybody, especially somebody who she had been following since he had turned 10, nearly 8 years ago. Glancing at James who smiled at her gently, she turned back to face Ash and Misty. "We saved you ... because I couldn't bear to stand there and watch another baby die," Jessie explained. Tears threatened at her eyes and James moved over, placing comforting hands on her shoulders.
"You don't have to-" James began before Jessie interrupted him.
"I want to," she said sharply, silencing him. "Last October ... me and James slept together. I'd somehow gotten drunk and I was upset, and James ... just wanted to comfort me. And from that one night, I got pregnant. Team Rocket has very specific rules about its field agents, and ... somehow they found out." She raised a hand to her face and lowered her head.
"Butch and Cassidy were sent, along with a few other agents, to make sure that our entire team made it back here, to the main headquarters in and around Viridian City," James continued. "We were interrogated, beaten up, and to make it worse ... " he trailed off, pulling a now crying Jessie to him.
"They killed da baby," Meowth finished sadly. "Jess was awake and dey's made her watch as dey killed it."
"I'm ... sorry," Misty offered, choked up by Jessie's experience. "Thank you though, for saving my baby."
"This way I think!" a voice came from down the tunnel. All heads turned towards the sound before quickly looking back to each other again.
"Get going, now!" James shouted, grabbing a hold of Jessie's hand and picking up Meowth. "Don't let them catch you or you'll all be dead!"
"They'll never find us," Ash said defiantly. "Good luck," he said sincerely, nodding before pulling on Misty hand as they began to make their escape, Jessie and James making their way in the opposite direction.
All four groups ran through the forest together, all trying desperately to out-run their now numerous pursuers. Delia and Brock ... Tracey and May ... Jessie and James ... Ash and Misty ... But what will happen to them throughout the night?
Will they survive?
*~*
END PART FIVE
... Call me evil if you'd like, for what I did to Ash ...
I didn't mean it as 'Ash bashing'. It was only an interesting way of exploring what could happen if Misty did die at this moment, without it actually happening and me going through all of Ash's complete grief and writing a funeral, which I didn't even plan on doing in the first place. Never mind, things turned out alright in the end ... Or did they?
What's next? Expect the next four chapters to separately be each about the four groups and their escape from Team Rocket. As one or two people may know, I had a hell of a time trying to figure out an ending for this chapter, and well ... I managed to think of one!
Oh, re-uploaded! I TOTALLY forgot to mention this ... Rocketshipping ... Now, I'm not a Rocketshipper, officially, only because Jessie (Psyduck Queen) of PUK would hate me forever! If you are anti-Rocketshipping don't flame me about it! All that happened is that they slept together. So? Loads of drunk friends do that, a LOT that I know! Anyway, this will be explained in Jessie and James's forest tale.
Until next time, stay tuned!