A/N: I know I like leaving you on cliffhangers lately. The story is going to start picking up again. Do not fret this is going to still be a slow developing story. Frankly there is a lot left to cover and yes at some point I will explain how Ash got freed. I do mean freed not escaped. Some torture elements, and apparently when on vacation with family I can turn out chapters when I can just lounge by a pool all day and not have to worry about other things. Please Review or give any sort of feedback positive or negative.
Charlie was getting annoyed at the training Ash was merely having him carve out from a couple of the firewood logs he split now carving them out into a bunch of chopsticks. Including Pikachu sized ones which were even harder to make. August looked over seeing the frustration starting to build inside of Charlie. Once he got done with the 30th pair for Ash, and the 10th pair for Pikachu, Charlie threw down the tools he was using and was ready to storm towards Ash who was chilling with Pikachu on a lawn chair.
Misty noticing by the eyes it was Domino, Misty reached for her Gyarados' Pokeball and released it just as a bunch of Team Rocket Agents dropped down surrounding Misty and Skye. "Gyarados, Hyper Beam!" Misty commanded Gyarados. Leading to it unleashing a powerful beam that Domino dodged and a few other Team Rocket Grunts took hits, at which Skye released her Milotic. "Milotic use Dragon Pulse!" Skye commanded Milotic using its attack, driving off more Team Rocket Grunts. Just as Gyarados was going to launch another Hyper Beam attack, four black tulips exploded around it, electrocuting it and making it unable to move.
Misty exclaimed, "Gyarados!" Just as Skye was going to have Milotic attempt to free Gyarados, when two more tulips exploded, trapping and made Milotic unable to move. "Milotic!" Skye exclaimed. Skye pulled out Scyther's Pokeball and after unleashing it, it was immediately put into one of those black tulip traps and before Skye could react both her and Misty were hit by a pair of them causing their knees to buckle as they knelt before Domino who was walking slowly towards them.
"Did you really think Misty, we wouldn't be prepared?" Domino asked.
"No." Misty said through gritted teeth, "But it's not like I haven't found ways to beat y'all before."
Skye tried to stand up defensively in front of her mom, she had just pressed the call function on her phone to Charlie, "You were too afraid to take on me and my friends a few months ago, what did Lawrence have that you wanted?"
Laughing Domino replied, "Information, that apparently you now have as well." Pressing a button Skye felt her tulip power up again causing her to scream in pain.
Misty got to her feet and tried to rush Domino only for Domino to press the button again this time causing Misty to buckle over in screams.
When Charlie was about to yell at Ash to tell him to explain how all these meaningless seaming chores would actually help him be a Pokemon master his phone rang. Seeing it was Skye he picked up only to hear screams of pain. "SKYE!" Charlie exclaimed, hoping Skye would respond back that she was fine. At that Ash and August looked over and immediately Charlie put it on speaker. Through the phone they heard, "You are a pretty good fighter, what a pity you have no interest in joining Team Rocket." Ash's face immediately reacted upon recognizing it as Domino. Next they heard what sounded like Misty's voice, "Let my daughter go you BITCH! I am clearly the one you want." Only for it to be followed by her scream in agony. Ash's face contorted in anger listening to Misty in pain. They heard footsteps, then a comment from Domino's voice, "What's this?" Domino's voice chuckled quite audibly, "Am I to assume Charlie you are the one who stopped us from torturing Lawrence back on Tangelo Island?"
"Release them right now Domino, we have been recording this call and already have officer Jenny coming." Charlie attempted to bluff in his best confident voice.
"Ho-ho-ho, even if I believed you." Domino responded back, pressing what sounded like a button, Misty and Skye's screams filled the speaker, "Nothing we have said even can tell you where we are, your friend and her mom you will never see again."
At that Ash took the phone and said, "Listen here nice and good Domino, I know you recognize my voice and I wonder if your boss even knows that you failed to keep me captured on your watch."
Misty felt faint and dizzy as she heard that voice. She felt like she might pass out and as though her mind was playing a desperate trick on her. She guessed she was hoping that it was Ash's voice coming to rescue them, and he would appear in the same gallant manner he did when his own mom was abducted by Entei. Skye then yelled, "We are just outside of Pewter City near the Viridian Forrest!" Domino pressed her button again, causing Skye to scream in pain before passing out. "SKYE!" Misty exclaimed, crawling towards her daughter. At that Domino smashed the phone and ordered the grunts, "Load them into the helicopter, search Misty for her phone this way the Elite Four can't track us, and load their Pokemon onto the trucks and just make sure to press the button if they act up."
Ash kept exclaiming, "DOMINO!" repeating it over and over hoping she would respond to him when Ash saw the call ended and he tried calling it back only for it to say, "This number can't take your call right now." Grunting Ash handed Charlie back his phone. Pikachu was looking at Ash pace back and forth mumbling like he wasn't fully present in the moment right now. August pulled out his Braviary's Pokeball calling it out.
"Ash we gotta go, if we want to find any trace of them." August said insistently.
"You won't find them." Ash said despondently.
Charlie only kind of heard Ash's statement as he was calling Professor Oak.
"Hey Charlie, is there –" Oak started.
"Professor Skye and Misty have been kidnapped!" Charlie interrupted.
"Huh, slow down Charlie, you said kidnapped?" Oak clarified.
"Yes, just between the Viridian Forrest and Pewter City." Charlie said, trying to stay calm, "Professor, can you contact the Elite 4 and proper authorities?"
"Yes, I will Charlie, please do not do anything stupid with August." Oak said.
"Don't worry Professor we won't." Charlie said.
"Why did you lie to him like that?" Ash asked Charlie who was surprised he was next to him.
"I didn't." Charlie tried to say calmly though his voice betrayed his mind was racing all over.
"Trying to find your friend while admirable is stupid. You will not find them." Ash said, "I would know, after being held captive by them for 6 years."
"But you are standing right here." Charlie argued.
"And not even close to the man I was." Ash retorted.
"Ash I don't know what happened to make you want to stay hidden, but I can't abandon Skye." Charlie said walking over to August and his Braviary, "And by your own actions on the phone you won't abandon Misty either."
Pikachu with its scars pulled on Ash's leg almost insisting Ash help them.
August decided to ask, "Are you coming with or staying here?"
Ash paused, not saying anything as he looked down. Then looking up with some trepidation he said, "Well you won't find anything going to Pewter City, follow me."
Ash called out Charizard and with that they all set out from Mt. Silver.
Slowly waking up, Skye began to notice she wasn't outside anymore. Trying to move she felt the braces of the black tulip still around her arms and stomach. Making it harder to stand, but when she did she noticed the bars to a cell she was in.
Across the aisle from her, Misty was also beginning to come to it. Her arms were trapped at her sides due to the tulip wrapped around her stomach and arms. Fear was beginning to overtake her because she knew she was alone, and worst Skye had been taken as well. Then her eyes saw Skye across from her, rushing to the bars she called out, "Skye."
"Mom." Skye responded, noticing her mom across from her. "Where are we?"
"I do not know honey." Misty said before she said, "We are going to be ok, Skye."
"Ok mom." Skye said, though as she kept looking around she was finding it harder to believe her mom's words.
"Besides being electrocuted, are you ok Skye?" Misty asked.
"Yeah I think so." Skye responded. "Hopefully Charlie can get help." Misty smiled at her daughter. Though she knew while he was possibly stupid enough to try and save them. He wasn't as far she knew as stupid lucky like Ash.
When Charlie, August, and Ash landed, they landed in Vermillion City. Ash put up his duster hood recalling his Charizard. Pikachu got up on Ash's shoulder. "So why did we come here instead of Pewter City?" Charlie asked.
"Because if you went there all they would do is take your phone and hope to get a recording of the phone call." Ash said, "Standard procedure is they smash phones then dispose of them in some body of water."
"That doesn't explain why we are here though." August said gesturing at Vermillion.
"Ever hear the Pokemon Radio Show?" Ash asked.
"Sure what does that have to do with Team Rocket?" Charlie answered.
Coming to a building with a radio tower signal on top of it. Ash finally said, "Everything." Entering the building a Meowth in people's clothes was gesturing at the light saying "on-air" that the radio broadcast was still ongoing. "Meowth tell them it's the Twerp calling." Ash said not acknowledging the warning.
"Heh," the Meowth retorted, barely looking at Ash, "Nice try, the Twerp hasn't shown his face in 11 years. Whomever you heard that codeword from really screwed with you." Pulling off his hood and Pikachu sparking his cheeks, Ash pulled Meowth by the collar of his shirt to his face saying, "Do I look like I am faking it's me, Mewoth?!"
"BAH?!" Meowth reacted, "Twerp, you..you..you're alive?"
Charlie and August reached in trying to get Ash to let go of Meowth, after that Ash let go of Meowth, with Ash saying, "Did you know?"
Catching his breath Mewoth asked, "Know what?" Upon meeting Ash's eyes he quickly said, "No, we didn't know where you were, we were pretty sure it was Team Rocket."
"Did any of you three try to find me?" Ash asked, walking closer almost cornering Meowth against the door to where the Radio show was taking place.
Responding in a panic Mewoth said, "Cross my heart, we did, none of the remaining contacts we had, knew nothing, I swear on Meowsie's life."
Bursting through the door came a violet haired woman and a blue haired man, "Meowth what is with all the ruckus going on?" The woman yelled. Coming almost nose to nose with Ash, the woman seemed to recognize Ash right away and said, "TWERP?!"
The blue haired man looking closer at Ash began pointing saying, "WE, we thought you were dead?"
The frown on Ash's face made it pretty clear he was in no mood for a storytelling session. "Cut the crap you three, clearly I am alive, no thanks to you three." At that his frown softened till he looked almost distraught when he said, "So I am asking you three to help her, since you couldn't help me."
"Huh?" The three of them said in unison, the violet haired woman asked, "You don't mean original Twerpette?" At that nickname Ash almost lunged at her, but thankfully August and Charlie and the blue haired man were able to restrain him in time. Ash meanwhile was nearly frothing at the mouth saying, "You won't refer to her in that way again JESSIE!" At that blue haired man leaned into Ash's ear saying, "Look I know that was uncalled for by Jessie but we can't help you if you beat her to a pulp." At that Ash began to relax saying, "Fine James, but you will never refer to her that way again got it?"
"Crystal clear." Jessie said though she had a look like she didn't really trust Ash to not rush her after calming down. Taking a breath Jessie said, "How bout you tell us what you know first."
Ash, August and Charlie began to tell the former Team Rocket trio, all about what they heard on the phone call from Skye. Including the detail that clearly showed it was Domino who led a strike team to capture Misty. Jessie chose to be a bit more teasing in her tone, inquiring, "So how do you have Misty's daughter's number?"
Charlie blushed slightly at her tone's implication before saying, "We met at the Indigo and have been traveling together the last few months."
"Seems awfully cute that out of all the people she could have called in her situation, it wasn't her uncle, or aunts, it was you…" Jessie said, still teasing.
August intervened asking, "What exactly can you three do to help us?"
"They used to be members of Team Rocket." Ash said before the Team Rocket Trio could.
"Huh?" Both August and Charlie said.
"It's too long of a story to tell right now, but he is right, we were once involved with Team Rocket." James said.
Meowth piped up saying, "We haven't been since this guy became the Monarch nary 11 years ago." Gesturing at Ash.
Ash didn't really acknowledge the accomplishment saying, "Can you help us or not?"
"Well all this tells us is that Domino is still very good at her job, but outside of that we don't have much else we can offer." James said.
Ash then looked away before saying, "What if Domino had been trying to break into the Cerulean City gym just a couple of weeks ago?"
"Huh?" The rest of the table said looking at Ash like he rose from the dead in front of them.
"A guy gave me a tip, that Domino was going to kidnap Misty and anyone else who tried to intervene." Ash said.
"This guy got a name?" Jessie asked.
"Nope." Ash said.
"So you stopped it?" August asked.
"Yes I staked out there when I got the tipoff, and I saw it and did exactly what I set out to do which was to protect her, when the threat was gone and he didn't tell me she was still in danger I left." Ash said.
"Why didn't you reveal yourself to Misty?" Charlie asked.
"Well I don't know about you but you don't just let someone who is pretty sure you are dead, then drop in on them saying, "Oh, Hi! I have been alive these last 11 years how are you?" Ash said in a rather sarcastic tone.
"Probably but Ash, you still have –" Charlie began to retort.
"We are not talking about that, the point is do you three have any secret bases we do not know about?" Ash asked.
The Team Rocket trio paused thinking in their heads before Jessie said, "There is one base that the boss kept on a very need to know basis, it's at Snowtop Mountain."
At that Ash said, "Thank you." Ash got up causing Charlie and August to get up as well, Ash then paused and turned around facing the Trio saying, "Meowth I am sorry for treating you that way, I just don't want what happened to me to happen to Misty."
"Hey Twerp," Meowth started, "We are glad to know you are alive, and we promise not to tell anyone without your approval."
"Thanks." Was all Ash said as they exited the building. Calling out Charizard, Ash climbed aboard with Pikachu when Charlie said, "Who gave you the tip to help Misty?"
August called out Braviary and Ash just replied, "The guy who freed me, Pikachu and Charizard."
"You are not in a talking mood are you?" Charlie said.
"No, not until Misty and Skye are out of Team Rocket's clutches." Ash said. At that they all took off heading towards Snowtop Mountain in Johto. August decided while they were trailing Charizard on Braviary to talk to Charlie, "You need to stop trying to pry about his relationship with Misty."
"He needs to answer it, if he is possibly Skye's father he needs to step up and be one for her." Charlie retorted.
"I am not disagreeing if he is, but we have no way to know for sure outside of Misty admitting it can only be him." August said. "Right now we need to just focus on getting Skye and Misty out."
"But –"
"Look Charlie, I get it, but have you looked at Ash? August asked.
"Huh?" Charlie said like he couldn't understand why August would ask that question.
"Whatever happened at the hands of Team Rocket clearly messed with him, and as he said it kept happening to him for six years." August said.
"He just needs to face it." Charlie said.
"That's easy for you, the person who didn't have to go through it." August said, "Trust me he wishes he could just face it but there is a reason he stayed hidden for 5 years after he was freed."
"Guess you're right." Charlie said, "I just wish there was something we could do."
"There really isn't much, 'cept being supportive, and advising him not to hurt someone in response to those feelings, like Meowth." August said.
As they drew closer to the Northern section of Johto between Ekratek City and Olivine City, Ash landed way short of the mountain. Getting into warmer clothes they started treking towards the mountain. Ash asked August to be on the lookout for Rocket Grunts, when August did find one Ash sized them up and without warning attacked knocking out the grunt and taking his uniform and puting it on. Charlie was very surprised to see him in the gear looking like a Rocket Grunt. August noticed another and did the same disguising as one himself. Ash then came to Charlie and said, "I am going to need you to trust me."
"Huh?" Charlie said, Ash then immediately spun Charlie around and held him like a cop placing a suspect under arrest. Binding Charlie's wrists together Ash began walking him towards the mountain. August walked alongside like he and Ash were meant to patrol the area together.
"Why are you doing this?" Charlie asked.
"To make it easier to access the base." Ash said, before he looked at Pikachu and said, "Buddy you are going to have to wait with Charizard, you will know when the time is."
"Pika." Pikachu said with a salute and ran back to where Charizard was hiding in the woods. As the base was closer Charlie just kept looking ahead and thinking, this has got to be the craziest idea ever. He also knew after taking a minute to absord August's words that he did not want what happened to Ash to happen to Skye. The thought had him burning inside, causing him to say, "Stay calm, stay calm."
"I am calm." Ash said.
At that Charlie looked back defiantly and muttered "I was talking to myself."
Ash's eyes met Charlie's and in that moment Ash looked at Charlie a bit differently. Internally Ash was like I would be that crazy if I was his age, he also wished he could go back to that time and be honest with Misty about how he felt about her. Maybe then it wouldn't have felt like the time they did have together was so short. Yet as he rememberered she never really tried to stop him, instead she followed him much to her detriment and safety. Including the time she busted her ankle when they were protecting Sam and Celibi. Though he stood in front of her attempting to protect her. He knew the odds were not in his favor he just didn't want anyone to hurt Misty. Now here he was several years later, rescuing her and her daughter despite not having spoken to her in 11 years. He knew even if they got out of this alive, he was a dead man walking.
When he found out the truth behind some secrets he was going to wish he was already 10 feet under for real.