The truth is revealed! If you remember in chapter 5 why Mudkip was sad, will be revealed in this chapter, I warn you though this chapter is SAD. Plus I'm glad that I'm getting this story updated sooner!

Chapter 10

Mudkip's Memories

Mags was stirring, as she started to wake up. She looked at her surroundings. The room was dark, small, and there was only a small lamp hanging from the ceiling as the light shone down on her. Where was she? Where was her Mudkip?

She started to hear muffled sounds not too far from her. She saw her Mudkip, tied up in rags with his mouth strapped in duct tape, inside a cage.

'' Mudkip! Don't worry I'll help you!'', Mags cried.

She tried to get up. No use. She saw that she was tied to a cold, heavy metal chair. She couldn't help her friend out. She was trapped herself and nobody knew where she was. Other then her Mudkip... she was all alone. Mudkip muffled a bit before he had an idea.

He used his iron tail attack to cut the ropes off of him and pulled the tape off his mouth. He gasped some air in and banged against the cage like a wild animal, but it was no use. There was no escape.

'' Mud kip...''. (Oh no...)

'' Mudkip, where are we?''

'' Mud kip kip mud kip.'' (Team Rocket's base.)

'' They have a base too?''

'' Mud mud.'' (Uh huh)

'' How do you know this place?''

'' Mud...'' (I...)

Mudkip couldn't explain to mag about his lonely past memories, especially...

Mags saw Mudkip put his hand over his forehead to cover his face as mixed emotions whirled in his head. He needed to give Mags an explanation even if it meant going back to his past and his loss...

Mudkip's heart dropped and tears filled his eyes as he let out a shaky breath to calm himself down. This was an emotion he was covering up for sometime using his sarcasm as a defense mechanism to cover up his true emotions. Why did this have to be so hard to tell for him now? Was he afraid to show his inner emotions, especially the way he feels about his new trainer?

He had to tell, pain brought up to him clear as the day the whole entire situation happened. He had to confess and explain, even if it revealed the way he has felt for sometime. Mudkip's eyes shivered as he held in his tears not wanting to reveal what he was feeling. This was unlike him.

Mudkip turned to Mags and looked at her,'' Mud kip mud kip''. (I was captured.)

'' Captured? You belong to somebody else?''

'' Mud.'' (No.)

'' Explain.''

Mudkip let out another shaky breath,'' Mud kip mud kip kip.'' (I was really young when it happened but I still remember.)

'' What happened? I promise that I won't interrupt.''

Mudkip's mind was focused on his past memories, as he looked down on the floor of his cage.

(Flashback...)

Mudkip was in a lush meadow while sitting on top of a rock. He seemed to be playing a game with somebody. He looked around and saw another Mudkip, smaller then him.

'' Mud kip mud kip kip kip'', Mudkip narrated. (I was playing with my sister, while waiting for our mother to bring some food for us to eat.)

The smaller female Mudkip tagged Mudkip and laughed while running up a hill. Mudkip smiled and ran up the hill along with her sister. The meadow that they were in was full of life. They were on top of a hill as they looked at the lovely view of the meadow around them. The meadow was full of wildlife. Below them was a small sparkling clean lake. The water was so clear that there was no source of pollution that made the water murky and unsuitable.

The lilly pads were actually Lotad's happily giving small pokemon a ride across the water, as Yanma flew above their heads. Nearby was a Stantler drinking some water from the lake, as Pidgey picked unwanted insects from their body. To the Mudkip's this was their home. Their Paradise, and nobody would try to ruin it.

The two Mudkip's were being called by a larger Mudkip that was below the hill. That was their mother, beside her was a large leaf, on top was an elegant entrée of assorted berries for them to eat. The two Mudkip's smiled and used the hill as a slide to get down to eat.

Mudkip chose a kelpsy berry to eat; his favorite, as his sister chose a pecha berry to munch on.

'' Mud kip kip mud kip kip kip mud mud kip.'' (We were just settling down for lunch, when we heard the pokemon chatter and scream.)

They saw a Stantler run past them in terror, they knew that something was up. Something was definitely wrong. Then they saw Pidgey fly overhead in fear, and not far from them were humans.

'' Mud kip kip kip.'' (It was team rocket.)

The mother Mudkip warned her two offspring of the danger that was approaching. They dropped their meal and started to run, with their mother behind them, urging them on. Mudkip tripped over himself and fell down to the ground. His mother and sister stopped to help him up, then a net was thrown over them. They were trapped.

'' Mud kip mud kip kip mud. mud kip kip mud kip''. (We were captured and thrown in a cage. Then we were put into a van.)

A rocket member picked up the net while the frightened Mudkip's whimpered out loud in fear, and threw the net into a cage. They felt the car being driven.

'' Mud kip kip mud kip kip. mud kip kip mud.'' (Our mother told us to be brave. Everything was going to be alright.)

They found themselves in team rocket's base. they were immediately shoved in a cage all together in a dark room, with about 20 other Mudkip's looking and staring at them, knowing that they were next.

'' Mud kip kip''. (She was wrong.)

A few days past and they were just beginning to settle in. A rocket member entered the room to see which Mudkip or Mudkip's would be facing their opponent. The rocket member chose the mother Mudkip with her offspring to the challenge... with her babies!

They were taken out of the cage and restrained to be taken to the room. The room with no windows and only one door. That was a room commonly known to the Mudkip's now as the life or death battle.

They were all thrown into the room as the door slammed trapping the little Mudkip's inside with only a rocket member inside with them, armed with a pokeball. He threw the pokeball and out came a Tyrannitar, ready for its commands.

Mudkip's mother was ready for battle, ready to defend her beloved offspring... her babies.

'' Mud kip mud kip kip mud kip kip mud kip kip mud.'' (We were thrown into a room for our life or death battle.)

The mother used a water gun attack, but it wasn't much effect, since she was in a low level. The Tyrannitar shook itself dry and prepared to attack. It opened it's mouth and an orb began to show as it glowed, aiming for the baby Mudkip pups.

The mother tried to tell her offspring to move, but they were frozen in fear and terror. The Tyrannitar was about to hit the baby Mudkip's with a powerful Hyper Beam attack!

'' Mud kip mud kip kip.'' (A Tyrannitar was about to hit us with a hyper beam attack.)

It aimed for them. The mother had to do something, even if it meant sacrificing her life...

She jumped up in front of her babies and took the hit. In a flash... the mother took the powerful hit and collapsed to the ground, breathing weakly and to get a last glimpse of her babies. They ran to her to see if she was all right.

In a raspy and weak voice the mother spoke,'' Mud kip kip. Mud kip kip...'' (Take care of yourselves. I love you...)

Then her head collapsed to the floor. That was the last time the two mudkip's saw their mother alive...

They sprayed her in the face to revive her, and shaking and nudging her...

'' Mud kip mud kip...'' ( My mom took the hit...)

... But to no avail. She was dead. They stood by her lifeless body and hugged each other, crying. Why'd did this have to happen? What did their mother do to deserve this?

''... Mud kip kip mud. mud kip kip mud kip kip mud...'' (... and lost her life. She sacrificed her life to save us...)

The hyper beam attack was too much for their beloved mother. They huddled together and continued to cry. They were the only ones left of their beloved family... and their mother would always remain in their memories.

(Flashback ends...)

Mudkip tried to hold back his tears, but a few escaped his eyes. He was beginning to cry.

'' That's so sad. Team rocket... killed your mother. What happened to your sister?'', Mags asked, in a melancholy tone of voice.

'' Mud kip kip kip mud mud kip... mud kip kip mud kip...'' (She got critically injured after the Tyrannitar attacked her with a thunderbolt attack... She was taken out of the room. I never saw her again after that...)

'' How'd you escape?''

'' Mud kip... kip kip mud.'' (I ran... like a coward.)

'' Is this the reason why you hate me? You don't trust humans?''

'' Mud mud.'' (Uh-huh.)

'' Don't cry. If I wasn't tied up I'd give you a hug.''

'' Mud kip? mud kip kip mud?'' (Really? After I've been so mean to you?)

'' Yes. Even if you hate me, I'd still love you.''

Mudkip heard those words. She had to be sarcastic... but she wasn't. She was speaking the truth. Mudkip never knew that humans could love, or even care. Now he's found this human willing to take care of him and love him like family... should he accept it?

He only knew love's warmth was from his sister and mother... but from a human? That was just beyond belief. He looked at Mags, was she a kind-hearted person, somebody he could trust?

There was only silence. Was his wish coming true? Asking for help, but from a human? Was this human the key for helping to save his 59 other comrades he considered a family?

Mudkip had so many emotions whirling in his head, as he was beginning to have a headache. He looked at Mags again, starting to feel a certain connection and bond with her. He could've just run off into the wild when she let him out of his pokeball, but that would've lead him nowhere. He suddenly remembered his Mudkip comrades were still in this building. He had to tell her.

He dried the tears off of his face, and faced mags a third time,'' Mud kip kip mud?'' (Can you help me?)

'' Help you with what?'', Mags asked.

'' Mud kip kip mud''. (Saving my friends here.)

Mudkip would expect a no, but...

'' Yes. I'll help you... what do I have to do?'', Mags asked.

Unbelievable! This human is accepting his favor. Mudkip thought she was being sarcastic. Nope.

'' Mud kip kip.'' (Save my friends.)

'' You have friends here? How many?''

'' Mud kip kip mud... mud kip kip.'' (Not counting me... fifty-nine.)

'' That's so many! You must be the sixtieth one.''

'' Kip.'' (Yep.)

'' No matter how many pokemon have to be rescued from here... we have to save them. They've gone through enough torture as there is!''

Mudkip's jaw dropped. Her reply was unexpected, and the truth was... she wasn't being sarcastic!

'' Let's try to make our escape'', Mags said.

As soon as those words left Mags' mouth, a door opened and two Rocket members entered...

TBC...