Locked Away, Chapter 53
The first few minutes of their slow trek through the forest was met with silence, as to be expected. They knew each other, but they weren't best friends. May wasn't prepared for a pep-talk, and Ash wasn't in the mood to make conversation. She found the way back to her ribbons easily enough, and found that because of Ash's lack of navigational skills, they had gone in some variation of a circle. They were still about ten minutes away—and May was in no better condition when they started, she was simply less inclined to rely on Ash to carry her.
Eventually, they settled into a steady rhythm of their shoes hitting the floor, and the distant sound of rain.
"...Do you think the trainers in Pallet Town had their pokemon...you know... turn on them?"
"It's hard to say. I don't know how those things work." May admitted quietly. Max was always more of the technology geek, while May was the adventurous one. For example, she was the one more likely to stumble off in the dead of the night for medical supplies while the rest of their group slept. She wasn't able to sit around and wait for events to catch up with her; she chased them down.
It was a curse and a blessing.
"Ash...can I ask why you're here?" She finally thought to ask, but then immediately regretted it.
His eyes were obvious compasses to his soul. He wore his emotions on his sleeve no matter how much he tried to hide it, and asking what Ash Ketchum was doing in Pallet Town after a highly advertised, and speculated explosion 'claimed the lives' of his two best friends, was like asking why the sky was blue. It was a complex answer made into a simple one that he had no easy response for.
"Dumb question." She stuck out her tongue. "Sorry."
Her first attempt at conversation went no where, and so May begrudgingly tried again.
"Was that your first time witnessing something like that?"
Ash nodded, but kept his eyes to the ground.
"Yeah, I was only thirteen or so my first time—I had just gotten my license to be a pokemon ranger when the chips were first put on the market—I had only been one for a year when they started malfunctioning."
When Ash didn't appear interested in her story, because his mind was elsewhere—probably infernape's condition. She exhaled. "You know, I did try pokemon contests once. A long time ago."
Now, he looked up if only to sympathize with her attempts. At least he still gave her a bone. May smiled awkwardly.
"It was right after they took away my ranger's license—so..five years ago, maybe? It's so strange to think that rangers have been obsolete for so long..." she tapped her lips. "It took years before we convinced everyone that the chips were more harm than good. And by that time, Giovanni was already going to jail and Hoenn region was left in political turmoil from the destruction caused—you saw it, major cities had pokemon battling banned."
Ash cleared his throat. "How...did they manage to remove rangers?"
"Well," May scoffed. "We stopped people from poaching pokemon—if we stopped that, there would be no one delivering pokemon to pounds anymore."
Ash fumbled, "...I thought they got their pokemon from trainers who didn't want them anymore?"
"That's what they tell you." May grumbled, crossing her amrs. "Poachers sell them to the facility—the pounds. The pokemon there were originally wired with a chip that controls their behavior. However, as you just saw they... don't work. They were supposed to stop using them years ago. It's inhumane."
Ash breathed an angry sigh, at himself, at their situation. "Why did anyone think they were ever a good idea?"
May shrugged. "I don't know. I just know we were demonized so they could continue putting innocent pokemon into jail cells. When it's the government that is up to no good—who listens to you, you know?"
Ash no longer looked entirely lost. Rather, a bit detached from his former perspectives and offered her a small smile of sympathy to accommodate her story. May wiped her nose.
"We were ground zero for the original test run of chips. Hoenn region is one of the poorer regions in the league—so we figured why not? We didn't think it was going to be an epidemic. Hard to convince people when everyone thinks you're a conspiracy theorist." May hesitated, her voice shaking and Ash blinked a few times, realizing that her and Max's acceptance of his dreams so many months ago might have meant something to them after all.
"Did'ya know I haven't even seen my dad in two years? Mom calls, but they won't let them leave league headquarters since the microchips were outlawed. People blame members of political power. My parents actively fought against everything after my-" May stopped, Ash vaguely recalled his old therapist mentioning an accident with May, but she clearly avoided the subject. "They were shamed even though they have been against Team Rocket from the start."
Ash didn't have time to add a comment to lighten the mood, since May already beat him to it with a kind, yet powerful smack to the shoulders.
"But we'll get 'em back, huh?" She continued with: "Max and I figured it was something like this when we met you. We're glad to be apart of the team—even if we're late to the show." She breathed, inhaling the forest air.
Stupefied by her absurd kindness, and the sudden authority and optimism in her voice, Ash blinked as he watched her back, approaching their destination a little ways down the forest path, hidden behind large trees in the cranny of a meadow.
For the first time since waking up, a realization washed over Ash, who was moved beyond belief. They all had something in common: one enemy. Everyone he met until now already had their foot in the door, some ideal to prevent the world from falling to terror and evil, and he had only realized the rally now.
Finally, he found the connection. It was more than just him.
XOX
Like May said, the building was an old laboratory used by Professor Oak in his golden days. The facility was to study a number of isolated events away from public view; away from the media's prying eyes. Back when Professor Oak would take a few weeks off to visit his vacation home, Ash didn't understand why Gary had to stay with him and his mom and steal his bed. If Oak was going on vacation, why couldn't he take Gary!? Looking at the place now, Ash understood.
It was quaint, and delicate, and supplied with only the bare necessities. Time had not been kind to the building, as the forest had taken it over with barbed vines, and impending trees destroying the foundation and structure. The top floors looked uninhabitable from the outside, but May wasn't leading him there. She lead them around the building, through a matted path, where a basement level door was left wedged open.
Voiced poured from the inside, frantic and concerned, but May spoke over them.
"We decided to stay out of the actual building, to avoid questions. Gary said the light from the upper floor can be seen from the high hills." May explained, and Ash dully nodded as they piled into the small fort.
It smelled of dust and decay, but was homey none the less. Ash was surprised to see that the lights worked. They had done well to keep the place clean, the couches were pushed away from the walls to form a circle at the center of the room, where a coffee table held most of their valuable information. At the corner where Ash believed at some point might have been a kitchen of some sort was a table, ten tear old television, and laptop, and a million notes scratched onto a notepad. Sitting on the torn couch was none other than Gary Oak staring up at him dumbfounded. Brock stood above Oak, holding a book, whereas Drew and Max were sitting on the same couch; preparing a rescue mission that Gary was advising. Even though it was late, they were all wide-eyed staring back at him. Quietly.
Uncomfortable with the silence, May rubbed her neck, and gestured to Ash:
"Hey, I'm back—and I brought-"
"Ash." slipped from Brock's lips as he crossed the distance of the small room within seconds to grab the smaller trainer into a bear hug.
"'ey Brock." Ash muttered, jaws fell, then one stood up with angry onyx eyes.
"May where in the world did you go!? I was out for a few minutes and you were gone! You shouldn't be walking around!" Max immediately scolded, breaking up the reunion between Ash and Brock who remained absolutely silent when May kept her shoulders high, unflinching.
"Yeah, well, I didn't see anyone else going for supplies."
"You could have at least told us!"
"So you could tell me not to go? No way—besides, I found Ash, what more do you want?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I don't think Ash is the best thing since sliced bread, so if you could find a better reason to run out in the middle of the night with a concussion, I'd appreciate it!" Max countered with a sarcastic venom Misty would have been proud of. Gary reached forward to settle the younger trainer with a touch to his wrist, then jerked him down to sit.
"Shut up, Max." even for Gary, the tone was brutal and unrecognizable for the new professor. Ash saw the rings under his eyes which were red from sleeplessness. Leaf was taken, May mentioned briefly, and Ash realizing, on some level, the pain that must have caused Gary, brushed past May to hug Gary in his seat—who was still awkwardly sitting.
The exchange was quick and unwarranted; but a small reminder to everyone the kind heart within Ash that was being slowly buried by a mountain of terrible situations. Ash was still Ash, caring, and selfless, and yet bruised and battered.
"Are you okay, Gary?" asked Ash, jerking away from the slightly older male.
For a few moments, Gary looked stunned, his eyes watered in an uncharacteristic way, and then he shook his head and Ash backed away to sit beside him.
"They took Leaf, Ash..."
"May told me." Ash replied quickly, seeing the rage slowly return to Gary's barren eyes. He wondered for a moment if that's what he looked like less than an hour ago, when he was planning to go commando on all of Team Rocket.
Nothing else was said for a few minutes, until May cleared her throat.
"Misty's just in the other room still if-" She gestured with her hands, but Brock pipped in to guide them to the door. Ash wasn't surprised when he looked over to see togepi and pikachu already standing at the door, staring back at Ash, and not feeling too terribly social. The pokemon knew from the moment they stepped into the small laboratory where his other half was. Ash looked up at Brock with large brown eyes; clearly scared of what he was supposed to see to warrant Misty to stay separated from the rest of the group. Gary was beaten up, and he saw the bandage covering a wound on his leg—and Ash had spent the last hour with May's concussion.
Still, he rose without much hesitation, and left the group to follow Brock. Brock clasped him firmly on the shoulder, not letting his exhaustion waver his happiness of seeing the young man.
"She's out last we checked—but she's okay; we think." he added, feeling Ash's shoulders tense up at we think. No one spoke until they entered the room and stepped into the dimly lit room, and shut the door behind them. Immediately chatter started, but Ash put it out of his mind at the sight before him.
Both men were surprised to see that the woman, with vibrant red hair Ash hadn't seen her don since her first met her, sitting up in bed, and pulling her shoes on. Now Ash realized that she had obviously heard them in the other room; and was attempting to stand up when Brock and Ash intruded. Both pokemon were on her like a stampede, flailing their arms around, while Ash stood frozen. Misty caught his eye immediately. The same bright, living, sea green eyes staring coolly at him. Even now her gaze caught him off guard, nearly knocking him over. Brock didn't seem to notice the connection when he rushed to her side.
"You're not supposed to be standing, Misty." Brock scolded, swatting her hands away from her boots, and tugging on her blanket, insisting that she rest.
"I'm fine, Brock-" She argued, swatting back at him until they were glaring at one another like two toddlers. Clearly, this was a common fit the two of them had. Always the stubborn one.
"You ruined the surprise anyways, I heard that you were back-" She glanced back up at Ash, who wobbled forward until he was a foot from her bed.
He felt silly, standing so awkwardly, watching her with such a confused look. He stared at every mark on her face, every bruise—including the bruise above her left eye, darkening her temple. A sling kept her right arm up, her wrist was wrapped by crude bandages; and that was only what he could see. She wore what appeared to be one of her signature yellow vests over a ratty tee-shirt that belonged to someone clearly larger than her, and a pair of torn blue jeans that looked ten years old.
Misty shared a brief glance with Brock, concerned for Ash's mental health—as he had said nothing at all, even pikachu and togepi were watching him. Misty chuckled, trying to play off the tension.
"Well, you missed a good one," She raised her injured arm. "Sprained and dislocated my arm when lapras hit me—maybe a few ribs—and, of course, the concussion—maybe."
No response. She looked worriedly at Brock:
"How long was I out?"
He pat his chin. "Little over four hours? May left for medical supplies while you were asleep."
"She what?" Misty asked, concern washing over her face. Brock shrugged.
"It was...dumb, but we needed them. Gary's leg will get infected otherwise. Wish she had told someone but..."
And then they went about talking as if Ash weren't here; listening how May left and Misty didn't mean to pass out. Brock assured her the drowsy spells were lessening, and in a few days she would probably be good as new. 'Probably' the possibility of something happening that Ash wasn't sure about. But listening to her speak; the both of them talk, and chuckle made him rethink his plans, his shortsighted actions and the moment Misty looked over at him again to make a comment about his silence, he lunged at her.
"Oh, ow. ow." She gasped when his arms draped around her shoulders, wrapping her into a tight embrace as a million emotions spilled out of his chest and into his arms. She was really alive. May had said as much, but seeing her was completely different. She was breathing, talking—practically normal underneath all the extra baggage of injury, but she was here. Living. Wincing in pain—but living.
Beside them, Brock smiled happily, and then leaned in only to have Misty's one good arm shove him away. She stared up at him with a warning.
"Ash is clearly having a mental break down, but I can't have both of ya' leaning on me. I'm still hurt you know."
At that, Ash immediately pulled away, embarrassed, as displayed by the pink tinge on his cheeks. Gently, Misty rubbed her sore shoulder as they all shared in a laugh as she softly brushed the relieved tears from his eyes and hugged him in return.
XOX
Ash didn't leave her side for more than a minute after seeing her again. He gave Brock the backpack that he brought with him full of supplies, and after leaving Misty with a clean wrap and sling, Brock ventured back into the living space while Ash helped her unwrap the bandage around her wrist and shoulder. He tried not to think of the many reasons they couldn't go to a real hospital, of what they could not see, and instead, relish in her presence.
"Really, I don't need help." She urged while he clumsily finagled the bandage. He tugged in the wrong spots and hurt her every so often, but she was so spellbound by his help, she wasn't sure she wanted to make him feel guilty for causing her pain.
"I want to."
"Yeah, but I'm okay." Since Brock left, the somber look returned to Ash's eyes, and she saw all the mixed emotions swirling there. In a month, he went from a young man to a seasoned trainer with dark rings under his eyes, and dirt under his nails.
"Are you really?" He asked sincerely, watching her forced smile fall. Her eyes shifted.
The simple answer: no. She wasn't okay. None of them were. However, she opted for the long answer, and forced a smile to her lips again.
"Did they tell you what happened?"
Ash chuckled. "Big boom?"
Misty rolled her eyes. "Brock, Drew and I were headed to Pallet Town to talk with Gary about the discs that we retrieved from Silph Co-"
"You guys made it in?" Misty raised her finger to his lips to shush him. He frowned cutely, but she would never admit to noticing it.
"And when we got here, the place was a wreck. Team Rocket took Leaf, and told Gary if he followed, there would be consequences. Well, you know us—we went anyways. May and Max lead us to where they saw them drag Leaf to a few days prior and of course we did the whole attempt at a rescue."
At that moment, her face screwed up and she exhaled. "May, Gary and I got on lapras and, well—I don't remember the details, but I went under and...lapras took the brunt of the damage."
"...Is she okay..?"
"No." Misty closed her eyes, recalling the memory and feeling a shudder run down her spine. Ash could relate, thinking of what he saw of infernape only moments ago. He instinctively stroked the pokeball, to remind himself it was there, and how he needed to see a doctor as soon as possible.
"May was thrown off, and Gary was burned from the shock wave—I went under after lapras turned over on me. If it hadn't been for May I probably wouldn't be here." She winced. "Girl's got stamina. Brock said even though she nearly hit the shore line, she dove back in after us."
"Yeah." Ash scoffed, though he would rather not think about the possibility of Misty not being here, he knew he should also thank May later. He twisted the new bandage over her wrist, being more delicate now that he saw the bruised flesh around her wrist. A small sprain, but it was her formerly dislocated shoulder that looked the worst.
"I think I have a few fractures—maybe some broken ribs if the pain means anything...but I'm managing." She inhaled. "I'm okay."
For awhile, Ash couldn't meet her eyes, instead, they stayed glued on her fingers, so delicate yet rough. Her nails were still done neatly, her hair was dyed, which meant she had a few days of normalcy. When Ash didn't respond once again, she started to fidget.
"I mean, things are kind of blurry, but I'm pulling myself back together. I mean, we've already put together our retaliation, and Team Rocket has another thing coming if they think-"
"I thought you were dead." he interrupted, taking a moment to stare up into her eyes and signify the dread mixed there. His words wounded her, and she tried to smile.
"Yeah, so does the rest of the world, apparently."
A pause followed. What more was there to say? Ash couldn't break down, regardless of her being here, he hadn't changed his mind, wavered, but he knew what he was going to do next, despite their plans. Ash was going forward with his own to stop Giovanni directly—before their situation was worse. Before someone really died. As if reading the kamikaze expression over his face, Misty swallowed hard, before finally speaking again.
"They took Delia and Cole, Ash." Now her tears swelled, and Ash stilled himself, staring at a rather interesting crack in the tile. "We went to Viridian City to check on them—and the place was... Oh god, it was..." When she stumbled, he realized he couldn't listen to this and held up his hand with a heavy exhale.
He had thought since he saw her name on those documents in Unova that this could have happened—he might have put it out of his mind. Sat in denial. But the thought was always there. he did not want to believe that Team Rocket would be so evil; but they had attempted to blow up Misty and Gary, so apparently the rules were off the table. Again, these facts he already knew; if anything, it only solidified his former thoughts. Action now. Thoughts later. His hands shook against his knees, clutching at them white knuckled.
"Ash," Misty called to him. "Say something." When he looked at her eyes, he saw that the tears had already dried up; she had never been one to openly cry, despite the circumstances.
Chanting his prayer to himself; he stuck to his previous decision. After, he would grieve, he would worry. Until then, he had to remain focused on the current task. If he got distracted, people could die. Fighting the rage boiling over in his chest at the things he couldn't control, and trying to bury his anger. His facade cracked with a wobbly lip, and then he recovered.
"We should bandage your ribs."
Misty's shoulders fell at his lack luster reaction—not that she wanted him to get angry and storm out, but anything was better than nothing.
"Ash, you shouldn't bottle-"
"I can't talk about it." he addressed quickly and sternly, cutting her down. "Not right now. I'm still catching up after thinking you and Gary were dead for the last twelve hours. I'll process it, and we'll deal with it—but one thing at a time, Misty. Please."
Misty wilted at his comments, his voice growing more desperate with each word, until she finally nodded and stared down at their hands. The two of them could hear Max and May fighting on the other side of the door, with Drew playing referee and Brock and Gary quietly talking. And here, they sat completely frozen. Exhaustion limited their energy, and their minds and bodies were tired. Toppled with the grave importance of their immediate future weighing down all of their current decisions and limiting their time together, as well as fearing at what cost they would win. Because they would win.
"I..." Misty started, desperate to obtain a motif from Ash that wasn't so lost in the darkness. "I told Lance to screw himself."
Surprised by the proclamation, Ash blinked up at her, eyes wide, then a smirk he couldn't hide. "You what?"
She shoved the pain down caused from her jerking forward to exaggerate the story and used his attention to tell him everything else that had happened, up until that point. Watering some of it down, of course.
Not too surprising, Ash didn't share his thoughts on his most recent adventures with Jessie and James, about his not-so-heroic thoughts and deeds, and mostly listened to Misty retell the events surrounding Silph Co. Feeling exceptionally proud of Clemont, who was being held captive. Once or twice he chimed in that he knew his mom, and Misty teased and goaded him for information.
"Would you two stop flirting? We have work to do!" Brock shouted from the other side of the door, causing the both of them to jump and glare angrily at the door where they heard him stalk off to the table.
"Brock's been no fun since we got here." Misty said in a whisper, Ash leaned in to listen. "Not that he should, but it's been hard. We found out what was on those discs, Ash, and it's not good."
Ash felt a bit guilty for not asking May about them, but his thoughts were elsewhere previously.
"Can I take a guess?"
Misty sat back. "..Sure?"
"Something that makes the chips in pokemons heads go haywire?"
Misty glared at him. "how'd you know?"
Ash was about to start on the story about infernape, and the forest, but when he looked up at her, he froze and shook his head. It was just another reminder of how much he had changed, and he wasn't ready for Misty to judge him. Not yet. Pikachu's eyes watered up at Ash as he waited for the man to retell the events that painted pikachu in a crazed light, and yet Ash swallowed down the words, and forced a smile she saw through immediately.
"Good guess?" he said unconvincingly,
"What happened." She demanded rather than asked, and he shrugged.
"We really should change your bandages now, Mist."
She scoffed, knocked his hands away; "Don't you Mist me, what happened?"
Ash hesitated, wondering why he was so scared to tell her. She hadn't judged him for anything up until this point; lectured and scolded, yes, but she was never his judge. He shook his head, and she goaded.
"C'mon. Out with it." He fidgeted under her words, and broke eye contact.
"I'm not going to judge you." she added in a serious tone; Ash's eyes softened innocently, and he smiled warmly at her.
"I know, but..." It's too hard to talk about. He and May beat infernape down until he was a bag of broken bones under a layer of fur and flesh. He held living people down with the help of charizard, ran aimlessly up mountain tops, stole airplanes and pikachu even—The retelling was at the tip of his tongue when Brock barged in apologetically.
"You're going to want to come see this. Both of you. Right now." He ordered, then rushed at them both; without a second of thought, he pulled them from their seats and into the living space where Gary, who had clean bandages, May, Max, and Drew sat around a television which bleeped something from the news station.
Glaring at them was a face Ash knew all too well; and one that they all knew, at least somewhat. Iris's brown eyes bore daggers into the screen. Her purple hair was tied into a high ponytail, her lips were turned into a tight frown as she barked at the screen.
"-accused us of war. You want to know the truth? Well I'm bringing it to every region live on all the news networks." She got closer to the camera. "Yeah, you think Kanto's the only one with the technology to hijack all the satellites—you have a new thing comin'!"
She sat back once again, looking more proper, but just as angry. Ash started to look to his companions for answers of any sort, and then his eyes fell to Misty, who shrugged. Apparently, this was news to everyone.
"Now before they shut us down again, let's get something straight! We did not attack Pallet Town harbor, or the league—or anywhere in Sinnoh. After all, how could we, we were locked in a prison cell for the last three years! But wait, that's not the best part, that research facility you keep pandering about? Yeah, that was our prison, and a damn good one I might add. We were there, for three years, all the while everyone else went on with their lives." She licked her lips, motioning to someone off the screen, and glared.
"And what do I hear when I return? That we've started a war. A war we clearly have no way of being involved with. Four years ago, our capital fell to Team Rocket, and our cities were destroyed. Four years ago the Kanto region sent in a regime to help us, and they turned their backs while Team Rocket tore us down and held us captive. They left us for dead even when my companions and I fought to the very end. We were separated from the world and spit on."
She paused as a voice warned her that they would lose control of the satellites in just a few minutes. Iris dusted off her broad shoulders, they could see she was wearing rags, and her clothes were charred. She cracked her neck on live-camera and practically growled.
"Let it be known that, I, Champion of the Unova Region, Iris, on behalf of everyone harmed and attacked during these last four years, declare war on the corrupted pokemon league and all who support it."
"You wanted a war? I'll give it to you."
And the image cut out, quickly replaced by a news anchor who was not prepared to come back so quickly. It was the same blonde from before, her hair was a mess, standing up in all directions. She looked to her fellow cast members, trying to find the proper words to say, but had none.
No one was surprised when it cut to a commercial break.
"Leave it to Iris to come in at the worst possible time." Ash chimed in.
"I thought she was dead?" Gary asked, but no one answered—clearly all as surprised as the next.
"...They...they were there? At that facility? I didn't even think." Misty mumbled, eyes wide when she glanced up at Brock and Ash who were still watching the screen of some new pokemon-league badge.
"They're going to blame all of this on Iris." Brock deduced. "Everything. The raging pokemon from this chips, and the signal towers. Team Rocket won't be thought of."
He smashed his fist into the couch. "You know, that probably wasn't even broadcast today—they're just setting themselves up! Seconds after shooting off that flare—this is too good to be true!"
Ash inhaled, "We've been playing into Giovanni's hand the entire time."
Then the next question, following the rise in panic. "Jessie and James... they didn't betray us, did they?"
"I don't think so. But we'll know in a few hours. They'll be arriving in Pallet Town at first light." Ash scratched his neck.
"So what do we do now? That plan with the signal towers was clearly activated if infernape's attack meant anything, and we're all beaten and bruised." Drew piped in, glared at each persons face, Misty's head snapped to look at Ash, who didn't meet her eyes immediately. Well, at least the news was out in the open. As a panic started, with Misty questioning Ash, Brock trying to cool them down, and Max and May trying to pipe in their two cents—Gary, who had remained relatively quiet until now, stood up, and tossed the small television across the room with one heave that demanded everyone's attention, and complete silence.
"The plan doesn't change." he said, and Ash looked to his companions—he wasn't aware that they had a plan, well, besides his own. This was one, however, they had been meticulously plotting out since they arrived in this small basement.
"We split up into groups, and we take out these damn towers. We find this Giovanni character, and we end him. Nothing has changed—we just need to stop sitting on our hands and fucking do something!"
No one spoke.
Gary inhaled to relieve his anger, control himself. Quickly, he grabbed a cellphone off the table and practically threw it at Drew. "Call Dawn, see if she can contain the hysteria and get her started on that tower in Sinnoh—if Cynthia isn't evil, convince Dawn to get her to talk with Iris, give us some time. After that, take flygon to France." Gary then pointed at May and Max.
"You two get on any kind of water pokemon—I don't care which, it could be a boat, or a unicorn, and get your asses to Hoenn region." The two of them scampered off to join Drew, who was already trying to get a call through to Dawn—but imagined doing so was going to be nearly impossible thanks to the newest addition to their pool of crazy.
"Gary—we're not-" Brock tried to interject, but Gary simply wasn't having it.
"You're going back to Saffron City for a funeral, aren't you, Brock? I think you should also pay a visit to that tower on your way there."
Then his eyes settled on Ash and Misty, softened briefly, and then the rage returned. "And you two." He inhaled.
"You two are going to go find Giovanni."
Misty had enough of Gary being in her face, and shook her head. "And how in the hell do you expect us to do that? There are seven large prisons in the league and he could be at any of them. If he's even at those."
"I don't really care—but I know you two have had the most contact with Team Rocket, so surprise me!"
"Gary, back off." Ash motioned between them, putting some distance between his childhood friend and girlfriend.
"How do you expect us to just find him? Ash was with Jessie and James-" She jumped in, but Misty misunderstood Ash's actions. He didn't want to see the two of them fight, but Gary wasn't wrong. Actually, this was perfect.
"Gary's right, we need to face them head on." he said quickly, interrupting Misty before adding: "And I actually have an idea of where to start."
Misty jerked her hand away from Ash's, feeling like this was a suicide mission disguised as bravery. "But what are we supposed to do when we get there? Get shot by guards? Eaten by some kind of guards-dragon?"
That was always her problem, she had to have everything lined out perfectly; as it was with her admission into the Elite Four, her time with Ash. Misty's greatest strength was also her greatest weakness—sometimes, she had to leap in.
"I don't know." Gary hissed, then his glare fell on Ash. "I saw that gun in your back pocket, Ash, so get creative?"
Silence fell through the room, and all eyes went to Ash, including Drew who was talking with an operator in his attempt to reach Dawn. Gary immediately wanted to retract his statement when he saw how betrayed Ash looked. When Ash didn't respond, Gary slowly unwound from the internal conflict he had just created. Realizing he had been a jerk, he exhaled and then shook his head; offering a muttered apology before speaking again.
"All I'm saying, is that you two can't go back into the public eye, Misty's supposed to be dead, so that gives us some advantage on him, and you're an international terrorist, Ash—you're the best two to find him. You can't be seen, so you might as well use it to your advantage—you have the benefit of surprise."
Ash couldn't meet their eyes, feeling their judgment, but when no one moved away from him, and the conversation continued; it was in a much calmer tone.
"And what are you going to do, Gary?" asked Misty a bit too hasty to change the subject.
"I'm going to Johto. I know the area, shouldn't be too hard to take out a tower or two."
"And we know taking out signal towers will work?" Ash grumbled, having his doubts about all of this; including the part where everyone ran off alone or in pairs. They had all barely gotten out with their limbs attached this time, now they were being thrown back into the fire.
"Yeah." Brock said, grabbing some papers off the table to keep the conversation rolling, but Ash noticed how stiff Brock had become near him. "They've built several of them in the five regions that correspond with the same frequency supplied to the microchips. When those towers are cut off, the chips turn off and the pokemon should, theoretically go back to normal. We can stop a complete uproar before it starts."
"Then..." Ash stared at everyone, reminding himself not to downgrade their own abilities. They were all here because they wanted to help. If they still wanted to press forward after what they witnessed, who was he to speak against them?
"It's...it's a plan?"
"We still need more people. I don't want everyone running off alone." Misty grumbled, then stared at Brock, seriousness in her eyes. Ash strangled a sigh, thankful they were on the same page, until: "When you get to Saffron City, my sisters will no doubt be there. If you tell them I'm still alive, they'll help you."
Both Brock and Ash gawked at her.
"Why would they trust me? And your sisters, I don't know they're-"
"Stronger than I am." Misty cut him off, and fished for an object out of the vest she was wearing; something she never took off, and something that Ash was familiar with because he wore one around his neck at all times. The cascade badge pendant Daisy gave her before she left for the league party. It was hard to believe she hadn't seen her sisters since then. "Give them this."
A sentimental pull tugged at her heart strings and she sniffed. "They'll either think ya' killed me or I'm still around."
"I won't lose it." Brock answered, dropping the necklace around his neck. Instinctively, Ash grabbed for his own, checking for the familiar lump beneath his shirt and then dropped his hand.
"You better not, it's practically a family heirloom." Misty warned jokingly, but then smiled. Clearly the only one who was still uncomfortable with this mission.
"So, are we ready to go be superheros?"
"We're still missing super powers though." May chimed in giddy, "Well except for Ash—he has super healing."
Ash pursed his lips, unimpressed by her comment. Concerned by how she knew. "I do not have super healing."
"I bet if I stabbed you, you would heal three times faster than me." Misty taunted.
Ash rolled his eyes. "Maybe I have better genes."
"Ash, you woke up from a ten year coma, and you're not a vegetable, that doesn't scream something at you?" Brock inquired, wiggling an eyebrow. Since when had he become a topic of conversation?
"Yeah, it screams I'm special."
"Yeah, special." Misty mocked, and the four of them had a good laugh as Gary, Max and Drew looked to one another bemused by their humor.
"Yeah, I don't get it either." Drew said, though he had plenty of time to adapt to the laugh in the face of danger philosophy, he was not quite there yet. He occasionally chuckled, but to make a joke about the whole thing—he, Max and Gary, were all lagging behind.
XOX
Ash wasn't sure where they were going to start; but he had a few leads already mapped out. Jessie and James would find him. They always did. In the mean time, he would seek out his old therapist, Dr. Abby. They suspected she might have been working with Team Rocket before, and if she had connections to Sebastian, Ash had a feeling that he could lead them to Giovanni. Otherwise, they could recheck route twenty-five, or old Team Rocket hide outs.
There had to be some clue. Giovanni wasn't an effigy. He was a normal human, sure, a scary human with power—but he could be stopped. They might have been a group of rag-tag young adults, but they were as efficient as it came. Ash stood next to the best of them, and he had to tell himself that they could do this. After all, a full out, frontal attack was what he wanted... right? He wasn't the only one on the same wavelength—they all knew this was it. Now or never.
Yet, it was late by the time they all settled down; taking a list of the corresponding towers in each region. May and Max were mapping out the quickest ways to get to their goal, planning details. Deciding on taking out the power plant first, and then focusing on generators; an idea that Drew would mimic once he reached Dawn, if he reached Dawn.
He was having no luck getting through to the Sinnoh princess, and would more than likely be paying a visit rather than calling which meant they could need the help of someone in the region already, or leave the former Kalos region for last. May, Max, and Drew made back-up preparations, just in case. Brock was already suiting up, with Misty's help. She gave Brock pass codes and information, and anything that would get him through security checks safely. Gary was working under an incognito operation, so Ash relinquished his control of Gary's personal card key and badge, and after an hour, they fell into their own groups.
They would leave tomorrow, before dusk after a full day of rest. The agreed that they should travel under the radar, so trains were off limits. Pokemon and personal transportation only. Which was fine. Most of them had better mobility than the quickest cars.
As daybreak peered over the horizon, Misty's drowsiness returned, and she retreated to her own cot alongside Ash. After an awkward spell, revolving around the process of how to bandage ribs, which involved Misty needing to remove most of her shirt, they bumbled through the process. Once or twice Misty offered to have May help her, but as stubborn as he was, he refused to give up. Gary wasn't in favor of leaving his chair; Brock was still trying to map out every detail of his invasion, and May had crashed on the second bed in the room about an hour ago. She sure liked to sleep.
"So..." She muttered, her back to Ash while he tried to bandage her as quickly as possible. "Iris is alive."
"I saw." Ash said, focused.
"How do you feel?"
"Happy." he paused. "Terrified. I can't believe she declared war like that."
"Yeah, well, wouldn't you?"
Ash didn't say anything. Misty kept going. "Where'd you get the gun?"
Ash fumbled, nearly dropped the tape, and exhaled. "Oak's place. He kept one in his safe."
As if she needed to ask, but she did anyways. "Why?"
"To defend himself." after the strangled noise that escaped his lips, he dropped the topic, tied her bandage, and backed away while she adjusted the black shirt he discovered was Brock's after hers was ruined in the explosion, and zipped up her vest which was covered in small, burned spots. Unable, or not wanting to think about the issue, she changed topics again.
"What's your lead?" She asked, and Ash blinked clumsy, taken off guard.
"Uh...Dr. Abby."
"So we're going back there, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess so... Seems like so long ago, huh? To think I tried everything to get away from there, and hey, I'm going back. Willingly. As a criminal." Ash hid his concern with a carefully cut mock tone, but Misty nudged him knowingly, and smiled warmly.
"You're not a criminal—but hey, maybe we can see Agatha while we're there?"
"Ah—I almost forgot about her, I have to thank her."
Misty blinked a few times; "Yeah? For what?" She asked curiously with eyebrows quirking.
Perhaps it was because he wanted to see the light in her eyes a bit longer, or maybe it was his own unsure nature of holding Ho-oh on his hip, the responsibility that offered; but he simply gawked at the redhead, awkwardly kissed her nose to earn a blush, then grinned toothily.
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
XOX
By 5:00pm, they had all fallen asleep. Not a noise echoed from the basement. Drew and Max slept side by side, the butting-head rivals exhausted from their endeavors to reach Sinnoh, and figure out a contingency plan if they couldn't reach Dawn. Brock prepared several packs for each group, then quietly passed out on the third bed in the room where May, Misty, and Ash were sleeping—the three had passed out a few hours earlier than the rest of the group, and at the end of the rope, was Gary who sifted through the information they printed from Clemont's notes one last time.
Giovanni was creating an army to launch on the world; but for what? Maybe it was sleep deprivation talking, but he didn't care what made the man tick anymore—he just wanted him to stop, and for Leaf to be returned to him. Gary couldn't have been sure, but he didn't think Leaf was on that boat—he couldn't think that she was. After all, Iris had been missing for years, and she showed up seemingly out of nowhere. Not nowhere. She was held in prison.
Team Rocket had their fingers in every melting pot—why would Leaf be any different? They were planning to use this chaos as a means to get ahead, or prove a point—or wipe out the weak... but Leaf, she was something else. Could always hold her own in a fight. They wouldn't just take her mark off the map. Not like that.
Or at least, he had to hope, or he couldn't sleep at night, couldn't think straight, and the weight of his bones would surely crush him. He hoped he would see her face again, see her bright eyes and sandy brown hair.
...Then again, he had hoped for that before with his grandfather... and look where that ended him.
"If you think too hard, you might blow a muscle." Ash's gruff voice cut into the silence, hardly disturbing the boys sleeping on the couch.
At first glance, Gary had a plethora of questions; what he was doing up, why he would leave Misty's side after waiting so long to be reunited with her. If it were him in that situation, he would already be ten miles in the distance, only worrying about him—perhaps that was always the difference between him and Ash. Gary was inherently selfish and he knew it, whereas Ash was selfless. A hero.
"Yeah, well..."
Ash leaned back, the chair he sat in creaked under his weight when he kicked his leg up. He could still see into the cracked doorway where his friends slept—and could see togepi and pikachu as lumps on the pillow by Misty's head.
Minutes ticked by without either of the boys speaking, unsure of where to start. A wave of gratitude that Gary was alive, or guilt that he lost someone he cared about—more than one. Delia and Cole were gone too. Ash, with more time to think about it, found sleep wouldn't come, imagining the fate of his half brother and mother.
Finally, a crack in the dark was Ash smiling and he glanced at Gary.
"So...if my mom married your grandfather—that would make your dad my uncle—and you would be my...great uncle? I don't know, extended family has always confused me."
Gary's hand never rose faster to his face than that moment, but he felt like he had been hit with a shovel. His glare was no less menacing when he shot back.
"Never discuss this again!"
"But...wouldn't that mean that Cole is also your uncle? Which makes him my brother-uncle?"
"There's no such thing as a brother-uncle!" Gary snapped, for a few seconds, forgetting his grief as his face turned bright red.
"You know, I'm almost glad I wasn't awake for that marriage, because I'm not sure I would have been okay with you know, Oak...and my mom."
"They weren't married." Gary confessed, rubbing his face while Ash titled his head. "-Not, officially anyways. I mean..yeah, there's Cole, but they weren't like... in a relationship or anything. Your mom was—she was—it wasn't easy after you went down, okay? And gramps always viewed you as his own so...it was complicated."
Ash, a bit paler than before tried to imagine a 'happy' normal family between the three of them, and found normal to be impossible. "And now I've learned too much."
Gary's face was scarlet. "You started it!" he practically hissed.
Ash was laughing now, covering his worry with a grin.
Then, "I'm glad you're alive, Gary." Smartly avoiding the words okay, Gary glanced up at Ash—he was far from okay; Ash could see that a mile away, but he was alive, and that counted for something.
"Me, too." Gary sighed, staring at his injury. "You need to make sure you stay alive, too."
Meeting Ash's gaze, he exhaled. If he hadn't been so exhausted, or sleep deprived, or beaten with bags under his eyes, he might have teared up slightly, but instead, Ash saw everything else. How terrible the former heart-throb, nonchalant cool guy felt, how bruised and broken when he said:
"You're the only family I have left right now Ash. Don't die out there."
I don't think I could take it.
Ash nodded quickly, understanding better than anyone that request.
XOX
At some point after their conversation, Gary insisted he would try to sleep, and urged Ash to spend the last few hours of peace that they had with Misty. Or Brock, if he felt so inclined. With an eye roll, Ash skulked off into the darkness to find Misty once again, and she was more than willing to make room for him on her cot. How natural it felt to share the space, when only months ago they both would have ran from the idea, both denying it, and secretly wanting it. She was warm beneath the blankets when he tucked his body back in beside her.
For a few moments, he felt nothing at all. A numb sensation through his whole body, until she settled in with a quiet huff and nudged her shoulders against his chest.
"How's Gary?"
At least he wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep.
"He's managing."
"He would barely talk to anyone before you came." Misty responded quietly, nestling her head onto her pillow, her eyelids heavy and demanding sleep.
Not sure of a fitting reply, and having no good reason to make one since sleep captured her seconds after, he inhaled the scent of her hair. Even after a few days on the road, she smelled of strawberries and smoke, but nothing vile. Careful not to wake up, or hurt her with his arms, he wrapped them around her stomach and tucked her in closer, taking to heart what Gary said.
After all, they weren't sure how long this would last, and they certainly weren't sure when they would be able to rest like this again.
XOX
Ash opened his eyes to the dim light of a flashlight, Brock was prodding at him and Misty was no where to be seen. Pikachu was peering at him on his chest, ears alert and nose twitching.
"C'mon, we're ready."
One by one, they piled out of the basement, with Ash lagging behind. They carried back packs prepared by Brock, and stood in a circle, kicking their feet. Brock lead Ash around the area until stopping and exhaling.
Today was the first day of their rest of their lives. Ash took a spot next to Misty who smiled awkwardly at him. He noticed that the brace was gone, and togepi was resting on her uninjured shoulder, but he was expected to carry the backpack—not that he had any complaints.
"You'll need to stop somewhere to restock on food and water. If we're all becoming terrorist, you'll want enough to lay low for awhile."
May was practically bouncing on her feet, better than ever now that they were prepared to hit the road; and Max stood beside her more level headed. Drew was walking with them to the outskirts of Pallet Town, and they would stay together until he flew off to Sinnoh to talk with Dawn. Gary would be heading out on his own, he assured the group he has his own way to get to Johto undetected, and refused help from anyone else. Thanks to pain supplements and antibiotics, his leg was better, but his limp was unbearable from Ash's position.
Misty was wobbly, at best, and Brock told her to take it easy, and if everything went smooth, as they hoped that it would, it was smooth sailing from here. That being said, she had the stubbornness of a mule, and refused any babying.
Which was the exact reason Brock pestered Ash with information about head injuries instead. Watch for any drowsiness and sudden loss of vision—memory loss or sudden unconsciousness. Ash was to stick to her like glue every step, and if anything—anything at all—happened, he was to put Misty on charizard, screw the plan, and take her to the nearest hospital even if she was kicking and screaming the whole time.
Preparation for the event took little under an hour, and at the end they all looked to one another.
"When this is all over—maybe we should plan a place to meet?" May asked, looking at each member of the rebel force.
"Maybe we should meet here?" Ash looked at Gary, who shoved his hands into his pockets.
"How about where this all started?" Brock smiled, though they gave him a withering look when he playfully punched Ash in the shoulder.
"The Viridian City hospital. If things work out, it should be safe enough to go there, right?" Misty suggested, eyebrows raised. "Maybe then we can get actual medical treatment—love ya' to pieces Brock, but I would kill for a real doctor."
Snorts and giggles were shared to hide concern while the older man scowled.
"Then we'll meet at the hospital. That way if any certain brunettes decide to run off in the middle of the night, we can find proper treatment for her insanity." Came Drew's shrewd reply, much to May's chagrin.
"I didn't see you going out for medical supplies!" She snapped, clearly much better after a full night of rest and restoration. From Ash's position, he saw Misty smile affectionately at May, the girl wasn't even originally apart of their group, and she seemed to fit right in. Ash saw the approval long before she would ever say it—like Ash told her in the hospital so many months ago, these people, they were like family. They were good people. And they had a connection.
Goodbyes were hard, especially if they were the last—and yet, no one was sad about this goodbye.
Let's save the world, May said in unison with her brother, who shared a pseudo-hero outlook on their situation.
"Be careful!" Ash shouted to them as the four walked into the night side by side. Eventually, they would separate; Gary would be off to Johto, Drew to Sinnoh, and May and Max to Hoenn, but they had each others backs for a little while.
"You think they're going to be okay?" Ash asked once they were out of earshot, earning himself a disheveled look from Brock and Misty.
"Yeah." Brock answered nonchalantly, even waving his hand. After all, what else could he say? No was out of the question. When Ash approached them, Misty snagged Ash's shoulder and squeezed. He lied to himself that it was for comfort, and not because she was stumbling over her feet.
"Gary is going to be fine. We're going to break Team Rocket, and then we're going to find your mom and brother and Leaf, that's if we don't find them on the way."
"Yeah. They'll call us heroes." Brock mimicked May with a grin.
Ash smiled at that. "We're not doing it to become heroes, Brock."
"Of course you would say that." He scoffed playfully, crossing his arms and keeping the mood light. "You've already got the perfect pokemon team, and the girl; you don't need a cool reputation."
"Oh yeah, because telling girls your a danger magnet is going make them flock to you." snorted Misty with a sarcastic eye roll. Ash pursed his lips and stared sideways at her.
"...but wait—isn't that why you stuck around?"
Brock burst out laughing, but Misty cocked her head to stare at Ash grinned ear to ear. Togepi and pikachu both snickering behind her stayed close.
"I swear the two of you are going to give me gray hairs."
"Actually." Brock muttered, standing beside Ash and putting their heads together. "I think a bit of the hair dye is coming out—is that a silver strand that I see?"
Misty whipped around to fling her arms in Brock and Ash's direction, and their cheery laughs carried through the forest, reaching the other group, who turned to listen.
A smile played across May's face.
"I swear, they make the best out of every situation."
"You don't get used to it, either." Drew grumbled his familiar complaint once again while holding his pack on his shoulders.
Gary snorted, but his mood had lightened, listening to the distant sounds of laughter "I guess that's why we'll always be the sidekicks, huh?"
Author's Note:
Sometimes, when you get angry, you just gotta throw a TV.
At first, it was a fairly bland 'this is the plan, this is what we're going to do, let me spell it out for you' approach; but then I realized I kind of hated that, and so I kind of thrust you into a plan. I -think- it reads okay, and I want to show a general display of chaos as I start to unravel small hints of foreshadowing that have been scattered through the story so far: Case and point, Iris. I've hinted several times that she's not dead from as early as chapter five, to as late as the last chapter. I've been hinting at something big for her for awhile, even if we never officially leave Ash's POV to witness it in full scale. Hope you liked the chapter.
Thank you for reviews, favs/follows, PM's, messages and anything else. Enjoy -hearts-
NINT