Author's note: Sadly, another largely expositional chapter. Don't worry, action will resume soon.
Delia and Professor Oak entered the waiting room of the Pokémon centre. Ash was there, head down and cap pulled over his eyes. Misty held his hand and gazed at him with concern. Brock and Tracey were pacing up and down the room. Pikachu was trying to keep Togepi from getting bored.
As the two adults entered, Ash looked up, "Mom! Are you okay?"
"Yes, dear. I'll be fine. The doctors have placed a cast on my arm and it should heal soon. What about Charizard?"
Ash looked away.
After a silence, Tracey answered, "It's not looking good. Charizard took a real pounding from those Pokémon. We may have to stay here for a while".
Oak shook his head, "I'm afraid that's not really possible. Giovanni while most likely have resumed the hunt by now. We don't know if he's operating alone or if he has reorganized Team Rocket, but if he has, you can bet that he knows where we are already and is probably after you right now, Ash".
"What are we going to do?" Misty fretted.
"There's only one thing you can do. You'll have to leave immediately. Charizard can remain here and heal while you set off. You'll have to come back and pick it up when you get the chance", Oak continued.
"I can't leave Charizard behind!" Ash protested, "He's my friend, he risked his life to save us…"
"Yes, but to stay behind and wait for him to recover would risk your lives again, Ash. I don't like to say it, but Giovanni will come and kill you if you stay here too long".
OoOoOoOoOo
Charizard lay curled up in the ward, breathing shallowly. The door opened and Ash entered with Pikachu. The dragon opened one eye and managed a weak smile.
"Hi, buddy, how are you doing?" Ash asked.
Charizard rumbled his reply, something Ash could not translate but Pikachu understood, "Been better".
Pikachu jumped onto Charizard's bed and sat next to him, cuddling up to it for comfort. Charizard's smile almost broadened, then he remembered his assumed persona of a tough warrior and declined to acknowledge the offered affection.
"Listen, Charizard, I want to thank you for saving our lives back there", Ash said quietly.
Charizard grunted in reply, "Don't mention it".
Ash couldn't speak Pokémon, but he could often roughly understand what his Pokémon meant by their body language and the sounds they made. He stroked Charizard's scaly hide.
"I know me and you are good friends now, Char. We've been through a lot together, and I know we'll get through this. You'll be okay soon, and then we can keep battling side by side as a team".
This time, Charizard did smile. He looked at Ash.
"But…but that man and his Pokémon. Professor Oak thinks they're out to kill me. And we can't stay in one place for too long, otherwise they'll figure out where we are".
Charizard's smile vanished. His eyes were grim.
"So…so if we stay here to wait for you to recover, we'll be in trouble. So you'd better stay here and heal. Don't worry, Nurse Joy will take good care of you".
"Pika pika", Pikachu added, offering words of encouragement to the huge flame Pokémon.
"I guess…we'll see you soon, Charizard", Ash murmured, turning to go, Pikachu following.
Charizard whimpered.
It was such an astonishing sound to hear from the fearsome battler that it stopped Ash and Pikachu in their steps. They turned to look at it. What Ash saw amazed him. For a second, it seemed that the proud, powerful and slightly aloof Charizard was gone. In its place was the small, pitiful Charmander that Ash had first known years ago, huddled under a leaf to stay dry in the rain. There was the same look of hurt in its eyes, the same dreadful fear of abandonment.
The fire type whined softly again, saying, "Please don't leave me. Ash. Please don't leave me. Please…"
Ash didn't understand the words, but he understood the fear in Charizard's eyes. The fear he had shown when he had been abandoned by Damien, his former trainer, when he was just a Charmander.
"Charizard, I'm sorry! You're right, I can't leave you here", Ash rushed backed to his friend and embraced him as best as he could, "You'll come with us. Everything will be just fine…"
OoOoOoOoOo
Giovanni paced angrily in his office. His Persian was curled up by his desk. In the room were about ten top Team Rocket agents, who regarded Giovanni nervously. The boss was frustrated and angry.
Two of the agents, Butch and Cassidy, exchanged anxious looks. They had rarely seen their overlord so angry. It had taken him two years to resurrect Team Rocket from near-destruction when he was believed dead. The criminal organization had no longer been the high-profile, police mocking empire it was.
Instead, it had gone underground. Literally. The base they currently were in was the Viridian City Headquarters. It was one of the larger bases, and like most of them, was constructed underground. The only entrance to it was through a basement in one of the houses.
Giovanni snarled noiselessly. Team Rocket had been completely devastated when he was pronounced dead. The operatives had scattered in confusion. Some had resolved to go straight from now on. Others had moved away to form their own gangster groups. Some had fought to take over what was left of Team Rocket. Others had simply mulled about in confusion.
When the crime lord had returned and made his presence known to the wrong side of the law, it had resolved things, but it had taken a while. The smart ones, like the top ten before him, had immediately returned to their duties in Team Rocket. Others had required a little more coaxing.
The other gangster groups required crushing. Minor, disorganized and squabbling with each other, these teams were demolished in time, and those that did not flee turned back to Team Rocket. All in all, it had taken two years for Giovanni to reassemble his gangster group to its former strength. They had maintained stealth and made sure their presence was unknown as they did their duty.
At last, Giovanni had decided they were ready to strike. A good way to announce their return would be the murder of Ash Ketchum, the boy who had almost destroyed them. It would have been an excellent way to say, 'We're back', and to get revenge. Sadly, he had escaped.
The Rocket agents stared at Giovanni like he was a furious Gyarados and they were tasty little Goldeen. Without warning, he smashed his fist on the desk and they jumped.
"Find them!" he roared, "Find Ash Ketchum and kill him and his friends! I want them all dead. I don't care what it takes".
"Yes sir", one grunt saluted, "We'll get right on it".
"Yes sir, he won't escape", another added.
"Not a chance", Butch intoned.
Giovanni rubbed his fingers over his eyes, "Remind me why you are the elite, please? You don't know where to start looking".
The Rocket members exchanged panic-stricken looks. They had no clue where Ketchum was. He had been clever enough to leave Pallet Town. But after that…Kanto was big. Who knew what means Ash had to get away?
"Well…we could…um…split up and can entire…continent", one suggested.
Giovanni glared at him with contempt, and then looked away as if his proposal was not worth the dignity of an answer.
"Hmm…didn't you injure their Charizard, boss?" Cassidy asked tentatively.
"Yes, my Pokémon all but killed it", her master replied.
"Well…maybe we could check the Pokémon Centre Records. Those kids must have checked in that Charizard. If we can find out where and when, we'll be able to track them down".
Giovanni smiled icily, "At last, someone with an IQ in triple figures. Do that. It may work".
Cassidy grinned smugly, "Of course, boss".
The gangster sat down on his chair and leaned back, "Cassidy, Butch, you two take some Rocket grunts and get on the job. As for the rest of you, get back to work. We can't let this personal quest for vengeance consume Team Rocket. It is important we continue as planned. From now on, there is to be no more sleuthing and creeping. Put the word out where you go – Team Rocket is back".
OoOoOoOoOo
In a secluded corner of the Pokémon Centre waiting room, Professor Oak looked long and hard at Ash, "I still don't know if this is a good idea".
"I agree", Brock said, "I still think it might be best if Charizard stayed here and healed".
"Sorry, you guys, but I just can't leave him behind", Ash tried to explain, "He's really frightened at the idea", as if to reassure his friend, Ash tapped the Pokéball that contained him.
"Charizard? Frightened? That's hard to imagine", Tracey murmured.
"Well, it's true", Ash insisted.
"Pikachu, pika!" Pikachu added, to little effect.
"Well, I say we do it", Misty slipped her arm around Ash's, "And the sooner the better. We can't stay here debating it forever".
Ash smiled at his girlfriend, "Thanks, Mist. Well, Nurse Joy has gone to get the equipment she says we'll need to look after Charizard. We can be on our way in a minute".
"Okay, Ash", Oak looked at Delia, "I'll drive you to Celadon City now. We best not give everyone a lift, because they may be looking for you on the roads. You'd better head into the wild".
"Oh no…" Misty groaned, "More wandering around forests for hours, completely lost".
"We don't exactly have a lot of options right now, Misty", the professor said sternly, "You'll all have to try and throw Giovanni off the trail as best as you can, and if that means wandering around irregularly until the authorities catch him, so be it".
"I guess you're right", Misty conceded, "I just got a bad feeling about this…"