"Pikachu…hey buddy you can wake up now…" murmured Ash as he gently nudged his pokemon's golden arm as he lay on a small bed in the Pokemon Centre. Since the end of their last battle, over an hour ago, Pikachu had barely stirred and remained unconscious with long, deep breaths. Rubbing his face and running his hands through his hair, Ash looked upon Pikachu once more before deciding to check on Misty and Gyarados.
Making his way out of the little room, Ash thought back over their trip since leaving Pallet Town that had begun well enough, but had proceeded to go from bad to worse, starting with the near loss of Azurill and continuing until the day's events.
Pausing at the open doorway to Gyarados' room he took in Misty's red face with tear marks streaking their way down her cheeks. Hearing him at the doorway, she glanced up from where she had been stroking Gyarados' brow to pass him a faint smile.
"How is he?" Ash asked softly as he took the seat next to Misty.
"He's ok really. Nurse Bliss has sorted his eyes and other than that he should be alright by tomorrow morning. I'm just sorry we can't take part in the final…" she bit her lip slightly to hold back the tears that threatened to spill again as images of her enraged Gyarados flashed before her again. "I just feel so stupid!"
"Hey come on, none of this is your fault in any way!" reassured Ash as he pulled her into a hug. "This could happen to any pokemon and it's just unfortunate Amanda used those tactics on Gyarados. Everyone knows Gyarados have short tempers and what happened is no surprise and in no way is it your fault." He stated firmly at the end as she started to pull away a little.
"No, I should have returned him the instant I saw that Spearow heading for his face. When he was still a little Magikarp, my sisters had a little accident when refreshing his pool to get the salts and such to the right concentrations. Lilly wasn't paying attention properly and knocked over a large pot of salt right into Goldeen's eyes. She went on a mild rampage around the pool and although the other pokemon were ok cos they could get out of the way, Magikarp wasn't so smart or lucky and she crashed into his face with her horn. Somehow though the experience didn't affect him as much as you'd think as he doesn't mind other pokemon, or people resting on his eyebrows. But the pain from the Spearow's beak must have reminded him of the pain he endured for those few days." She sniffed and rubbed at her eyes to dispel the tears.
The two remained silent for a moment, both in their own thoughts until Nurse Bliss poked her head around the open doorway. "Hi there, I just thought you'd like to know that your Pikachu has just woken up." She gave them a quick smile before disappearing.
"You should go see him. He was fantastic and deserves all the ketchup he can eat!" smiled Misty, turning away from him to check on Azurill who was sleeping soundly beside Gyarados on the bed.
He watched her for a few moments with a slight frown of worry before getting heavily to his feet, pausing to rest his hand on her shoulder slightly in a reassuring manner and walking out the door.
"Pi pikapi…" croaked Pikachu once Ash entered his little room and the small pokemon noticed his trainer's arrival.
"Hey buddy. How ya feelin'?" he asked, taking his seat next to the bed.
"Pika…" (Tired…) he replied, his ears flopping to either side while a small smile remained over his face.
"I'm not surprised since you managed to knock out two relatively fresh pokemon on your own." Laughed Ash while he scratched his friend just where he liked it, behind his left ear. "We've withdrawn from the final since neither of you are in any shape for a battle."
"Pi pika…" he replied as his small ears drooped in response that their team had had to withdraw and sadness crossed his face.
"Don't worry buddy. It's no one's fault." Reassured Ash while he continued scratching Pikachu behind his ear. "Just a bit of bad luck. Now you should get some rest and I'll come to see you a little later when I'll take you back to our room if Nurse Bliss thinks that's ok. Who knows…might run into a ketchup stand!"
He laughed quietly as Pikachu cooed his agreement before letting his eyes drift shut and take him back into his slumber. Leaving the room once more, he was surprised to find Misty, her face tear free and eyes filled with hope, waiting for him in the corridor with Azurill slumbering in her arms.
"Nurse Bliss recons that Gyarados is going to be ok and he'll be fine to travel with us tomorrow but I think I might send him home to the Gym, just to be safe." She told him with a small smile and an expression that radiated relief.
"That's great Misty." Smiled Ash in response as they began to walk slowly back to the main part of the pokemon centre. "Do you want to call them now and check or just do that tomorrow?"
"I'll put off having to speak to those three for as long as possible and just do it tomorrow." She decided. "What I wouldn't mind doing however is getting something to eat!"
"I'll agree with you there Mist." Replied Ash with a grin as his stomach gave an ominous growl.
The two began to relax a little, laughing and joking in a manner that came to them all too easily after the recent events. Together, they agreed to eat at a small café they hadn't seen before, tucked away near the stern of the ship.
Half way through their meal, Azurill blearily opened her eyes and gave a wide yawn before tottering slightly to her feet. "Hi there sweetie, how are you feeling?" asked Misty softly. "Are you hungry?"
"Azu, azuzurill" she trilled in response, wandering over to peer at the two choices available. One was a dish she didn't really mind, vegetable domburi (JP dish of rice and vegetables, see I does my research!) but the other…oh the other was easily her favourite, Soba Noodles and a Miso Soup! Her small eyes lit up at the sight of the small feast but she immediately paused when Misty cleared her throat from behind.
"Azurill! Don't be so rude! Come on, have some of my rice and stop bothering Ash." She gently scolded while making a small pile of her own rice and a few vegetables on a small side plate she'd requested just in case the small pokemon had awoken. With slightly drooped ears, Azurill turned her back on her favourite meal to wander across the table again to take the food her trainer offered her.
"Aww don't be so mean Misty. Of course she can share some of mine." Chuckled Ash, making a small pile of his own food at the side of his plate for Azurill. Azurill paused in the middle of the table for a moment to watch her mother's face of slight surprise soften a little before she nodded her approval. Azurill trilled happily again and proceeded to bounce back to the plate of coveted noodles and soup. However, she tripped over a stray spoon and went sailing across the rest of the table to land smack into Ash's bowl, splashing the table, the floor and Ash himself.
"Azurill!" exclaimed Misty as she quickly leant forwards to pick up the small creature who giggled with pleasure of being covered from ear to tail in her favourite food, a few strands of noodles hanging from one ear.
"Don't worry about it Misty. You just enjoy your meal and we'll get ourselves cleaned up, right Azurill?" chuckled Ash, taking Azurill from her and putting the little pokemon on his lap to clean off with some napkins.
"Are you sure?" she asked, not quite believing what was going on.
"Of course! I'm just demonstrating what excellent manners I have and I'm sure that you know, if you have any yourself, that the polite thing to do right now is to accept my proposal and get on with your meal." He gave her a look of knowing while stifling the broad grin that threatened to cross his entire face and ruin the perfect moment he had to get back at her for earlier in the day.
Misty's face fell for a moment, her mind racing at how to come back with a suitable comment, but non came so she smiled softly, muttered her thanks before picking up her fork again to finish her rice.
Watching her best friend look after Azurill in such a caring way could only bring a smile to her face, the care and devotion he applied was just right and Azurill certainly loved him, maybe as much as she did, but nothing could ever come from her wishes so all she could do was store them away in her compartment of feelings to be locked away forever. Telling him, or even hinting to him how she felt would probably scare him more than saying "Boo" to an Abra and he'd be gone just as fast.
She soon realised that her ponderings must have given her a rather spaced out appearance when she was jerked back to the present by Ash waving his hands in her face, calling her name to get her attention.
"You ok?" he asked, his spoon midway between his bowl and mouth which Azurill promptly claimed as her own.
"Huh? Yeah I'm fine." She reassured him, turning her attention away from him and back to her bowl.
"Hey buddy, feeling better?" asked Ash while he gently stroked Pikachu's ears to bring him back to the world.
Stirring slowly he opened first one eye, then the other while still trying to appear asleep. It didn't work though. Ash knew him better than he knew himself and scratching just in that spot behind his ear could bring any Pikachu from the land of nod.
"Cheeky. Come on buddy, Nurse Bliss recons you can come back to the cabin with us now, that is only if you want to of course." He told the electric rodent who stood up and tested his strength by letting off a few sparks of electricity. "Hey, hey! Careful!" Ash gently warned his pokemon while holding up his jumper with the little Azurill fast asleep within its folds.
"Pi pika chu pika pichu?" (Why have you got Azurill?) he asked, completely confused while peering over the edge of his bed to see the baby nestled comfortably in the soft material and breathing deeply in her slumbers.
"There was a small accident at lunch when someone," he glanced Azurill, "wanted to share my lunch and tripped on her way across the table. Next thing we know both of us are covered in soup so rather than Misty getting covered in soup as well I offered to carry her. What?" Pikachu had proceeded to give him a range of rather strange looks whose meanings weren't entirely clear.
"Pika" he shrugged nonchalantly before effortlessly bounding up Ash's sleeve to perch on his head rather than shoulder, for a little change of scenery.
Getting to his feet, Ash winced when Pikachu dug his claws into his scalp to remain in position. "Do you have to sit there? Without a hat that really, really hurts!"
"Pika!" (Yes) he cheerfully replied while dropping his head to stare, upside down at Ash from his perch. Chaaaing under his breath with a slight chuckle he kindly returned to Ash's shoulder, wedging his feet in his usual claw holes in the back on Ash's very worn jumper.
"Someone looks better." Said Misty when she saw the cheerful yellow pokemon perched on his trainer. She had just checked on Gyarados to find he had awoken half and hour before in a calm, happy and contented mood, if still a little sorry for himself. Nurse Bliss and she had decided it would be best if he stayed the night in the centre before being sent home in the morning. Spying his favourite human in the world, other than Ash, Pikachu leapt onto Misty's shoulder where he decided to remain, just for a change.
"Shall we go?" he asked, gently moving Azurill into a slightly more comfortable position.
"Sure." She replied with a smile after petting Pikachu gently behind his ear.
Together they emerged from the back rooms where injured pokemon stayed to recuperate into the main reception area. Once out on the main deck again, they noticed that the prize winners for the tag team competition, Sam and Janine with their Shiftry and Ludicolo respectively were receiving their first place ribbons and the prize. They paused politely to clap along with the crowd before moving to the side of the ship to admire the red sky as the sun began its descent into the sea. Ahead of their course, land could just be seen where the ship would dock the next day for them, and other passengers to disembark for their separate directions. For them lay the path to Ash's next gym battle against Sabrina in Saffron City.
"Ash? Ash? Are you up yet?" called Misty from the bathroom which she had reserved for herself first thing the next morning. They only had another half an hour left before they had to leave the ship and things were beginning to get difficult as bags were still not packed and Gyarados hadn't been collected.
"Oh go away…" mumbled Ash while pulling his pillow over his head to block out Misty's calling. She emerged momentarily to discover his prone figure still lying in his bed where she had left him half an hour ago, but this time with a bemused Pikachu sitting on the floor rather than snuggled up against his trainer.
"Right I didn't really want to do this but you've left me not choice…" she stated simply under her breath while removing the largest mallet ever made from behind her back. Pikachu gave a wicked little grin before scampering out of the way to sit beside the well rested Azurill on the other bed.
WHAM!
"Well it serves you right for not getting up when I told you!" chided Misty while Ash groaned in agony beside while they accepted Gyarados from Nurse Bliss in his pokeball.
"But did you really have to hit me ithat/i hard?" he continued to moan while rubbing the significant lump on his head.
"Well, yes." She replied simply after a moments thought. "You should have got up when I told you. Will you move!" she shoved him roughly in the back in the direction of the doorway once bidding goodbye to Nurse Bliss. Together they jogged through the now familiar corridors of the ship to the top deck and descended the gangplank to the docks.
"Pi pika pi pikachu." (She's right you know.) Mentioned Pikachu to his trainer as they wandered through the town to the Pokemon Centre.
"Great, so now even you're siding with her. Why didn't you just ask her to stop and thunderbolt me instead?" he protested.
"Cos that wouldn't have hurt you as much, right Pikachu?" said Misty as she dropped into their conversation.
"Chaaaa!" he agreed, bounding purposely across Ash from his shoulder, up over his head to the other shoulder to see Misty better.
"You just had to do that didn't you." Ash glared through gritted teeth as pain throbbed through his broken head.
"Pika!"
"Are you sure you'll be ok with him?" asked Misty over the phone to her sister, Daisy. Gyarados had just been transported and his prescription of painkillers was to be picked up at the Pokemon Centre in Cerulean later that day.
"Like, of course little sister, he'll be, like, just fine with us!" protested Daisy as her shining blonde hair bounced with her every move. "We've, like, looked after the pokemon when they've been, like, ill before and they were just fine!"
"Hmmmm" Misty cast her mind back over the past when her sisters had been in charge and quickly recoiled from the horrific memories. She gave her sister a final glare before succumbing to her good nature and bidding goodbye.
"Well that wasn't too bad…" commented Ash from where he had been standing, just out of sight of the camera screen.
"Yeah, it did go better once I straightened out that it wasn't Psyduck I wanted to send back. Argh, why won't you just stay in your pokeball?" At the mention of his name, the yellow duck had emerged from his pokeball to stand beside them, clutching his head while still looking particularly clueless.
"Psy psy?" he asked, tilting his head to one side.
"I just don't have the energy to deal with you right now Psyduck." Sighed Misty as she rummaged through her bag for his pokeball before promptly returning him. "iWhy/i out of all the Psyducks in the world did I have to get stuck with this one?" she pondered aloud to no one in particular.
"He might be difficult most of the time, but when that headache reaches its peak, the last thing I'd like to be is on the receiving end of any of his psychic attacks." Supported Ash with a smile of confidence.
"I guess. Shall we get going?" she asked as she stepped outside in the morning air and heading for their destined path that wound its way through the dense forest that bordered half the town.
"Sure, if we make good time we can be in Saffron by this afternoon." Replied Ash as he hitched his bag further up his back to a more comfortable position which Pikachu swiftly adapted to.
Together they left the little town by the sea as the ship that had brough them from Fuchsia sailed off into the horizon on its endless circular route around Kanto.
"You've been strangely quiet today." Stated Misty once they had chosen a nice spot beside the road to eat their lunch.
"Huh?" Ash shook his head lightly as if to shake his own shield to the world from around his head to drop to the floor. "Sorry did you say something?"
Considering the use of her mallet for a moment but deciding against is as two hits in one day from her newest acquisition may just finish him off, she had to content herself by growling threateningly.
Chuckling lightly Ash flopped to the ground beside her, commenting, "I've just been thinking and I guess I must have been in there pretty deep."
"You? Thinking? How hard did I hit you this morning?" she exclaimed, seating herself beside him with Azurill on her lap and bringing her bag before her to rummage through and search for the new loaf of bread purchased in the previous town.
"Hard enough for me to still have a headache!" he grumbled in response as he too went through his bag to bring out some cheese, spread and other luncheon things.
"Well come on then, what were you so deep in thought about?" pestered Misty as she was determined to know why she had been forced to walk along in silence for the entire morning.
"Oh, nothing in particular really." He calmly stated, although wishing she would cease her interrogation. His thoughts were his own and ones of a nature he really didn't want Misty to discover, just not right now anyway.
"Oh yes Misty, nothing in particular at all has kept me, the impulsive little boy who talks about everything that comes to his head, silent for the last four or five hours!" she sarcastically scorned and took a large bite of her heavily laden slice of bread.
"Fine, if you're going to be like that I'll tell you…" grumbled Ash.
"I'm waiting." She stated, starting to get a little annoyed with his attitude.
"I was, thinking of, thinking about…battle strategies, against Sabrina." He told her while his attention became fixed on something across the road in the bushes.
"I'll believe that the day my sisters stop saying 'like' every three words." Grumbled Misty but she decided to let it drop. He obviously didn't want to share what he had been thinking about and pursuing the topic would only get him annoyed and lead to a frosty silence rather than just plain old silence.
Without a word, Ash suddenly got to his feet with a frown and wandered across the deserted road to the other side to peer into the bushes where a pair of eyes stared right back at him. "Hello." He stated.
"Coo?" the miniscule creature tentatively hopped out of the bushes and onto the path to reveal that it was a Pidgey. The poor creature was obviously exhausted as it collapsed once becoming reassured that it was in a safe place. Ash gently lifted it from the ground and carried it over to where they were seated on the other side of the path.
"Poor little thing." Said Misty as she stroked its feathers. The Pidgey was smaller than normal and appeared to be quite young while small cuts and bruises covered its body. "I wonder where its parents are. It's not like a Pidgey to travel alone. Don't they usually fly in large flocks?"
"Yeah…come to think of it, this is the first wild pokemon I've noticed since we left the ship. I wonder what's going on." Mused Ash as a frown crossed his face. Usually woods such as these were a haven for wild pokemon that varied from little Caterpies and Weedles to large Pidgeots and Fearows.
Pikachu approached the prone figure and gently poked it a few times to bring it back to consciousness. Noting that their new friend was awake, Misty tore off a small piece of bread and offered it to the young Pidgey which cooed happily before devouring the tasty morsel. Misty let out a small giggle at the cuteness of the little bird and proceeded to feed it in larger and larger chunks.
Suddenly a loud, low sound echoed throughout the forest from the other side of the pathway and the Pidgey's head shot upwards and its entire body became tense. The noise resounded again, this time louder, suggesting that whatever it was was getting closer to their little camp. Without a moment's thought the Pidgey turned around and hurriedly hopped away into the bushes behind them.
"No, Pidgey, come back!" called Misty to the retreating little bird as it vanished from sight. She began to pursue the Pidgey but was held back by Ash placing his hand on her arm and shaking his head while motioning to be quiet. Quickly and silently they packed away their lunch and stowed away their bags securely upon their backs.
"You'll be safe in your pokeball Azurill." Whispered Misty before her blue pokemon was pulled by a red light into the pokeball. Placing the pokeball beside the others in her bag, Misty joined Ash behind some thick vegetation on their side of the road. The long, low, moaning noise came again on the gently breeze and once again the two teens noticed the absence of wild pokemon whose cried would usually fill the air with noise on a beautiful day such as today.
Their wait was ended by the emergence of a large robot on giant treads like a tank. The main body was supported on four legs that crossed diagonally over the main cabin that was suspended where the legs met. The main cabin was a disc shape and the outline of two people could be seen behind the tinted glass. However, the group in the bushes were less concerned with whom was driving the monstrosity and more concerned by a giant cage that bounced and swung around beneath the cabin. Inside the cage was a multitude of wild pokemon that ranged from a Spinarak to a Stantler all crushed inside and in varying degrees of health.
Ash and Misty remained silent while the tank negotiated onto the roadway and began moving in the same direction that they had been travelling. They followed at the side of the path in the bushes, remaining well out of sight of the operators in the control cabin. The large letter R on the back of the robot gave away the organisation that could be behind such an atrocity.
Pausing for a moment to converse with each other, Misty pointed out that although the glass stretched across the front and half way down each side of the cabin, there was a huge blind spot directly behind which any flying pokemon could negotiate and remain undetected. In hushed whispers, Misty explained her plan to the attentive Ash and Pikachu.
Agreeing wholeheartedly with her, Ash silently removed a red and white spherical ball from his belt and called forward the beast within. Swellow emerged in the middle of a loud battle cry but was swiftly pounced upon by Ash, Pikachu and Misty to be silenced. The four of them lay together on the dirt among the mulching leaves of last autumn to hear the mechanised monstrosity grind to a halt and the sound of a door swinging open.
"Did you hear that?" growled an unseen male voice. "I could have sworn it was a pokemon crying out to be captured."
"Well I heard nothing so you can just shut up and get back in here. If we're not back at the base with all these pokemon in half an hour, the boss will skewer us like a pair of Grumpigs." Screamed another voice, this one had a much higher pitch and was obviously female.
The noise of the man's grumbling could be heard as the engine was started up again and the door slammed shut before it went trundling down the road again.
The four let out a deep breath as one before removing themselves from the tangle to allow a rather battered Swellow to stand up, ready for orders. The small space they had beneath the low boughs of a tree made moving awkward but Ash and Misty forgot all about it in the goal to rescue the imprisoned pokemon.
In more hushed whispers, Misty explained her plan to Swellow who kept his beak shut, nodding to show his understanding. Waiting a little longer for the machine to move further out of sight, Swellow hopped into the air to glide on silent wings for the back of the cage while Ash, Misty and Pikachu ran along behind the bushes lining the road.
Swellow glided closer and closer to the cage and was just about to reach out with his feet to grasp the thick bars when a large red hand appeared on a mechanical stalk from the back of the cabin to grab Swellow and hold him captive.
Acting upon his natural impulse, Ash leapt out of the bushes to run to his pokemon's aid but halted in his tracks when both doors to the cabin opened to reveal the commanders of such an operation.
"So, you thought you could sneak up on us, did you?" asked the tall, blonde haired woman in a black dress and an unmistakable red 'R' emblazoned across her chest. White boots rose up her legs, over her knees and almost to the end of the hem of her dress while a pair of white gloves covered her arms up to her red and white bound sleeves.
"I don't think these little brats know who they're dealing with." Added the male in a rough voice with green hair that flopped across his face. He wore an outfit similar to his partner's, black trousers and jumper with another red 'R' across his chest. His white boots contrasted against the black suit to match the white gloves that covered his arms up to the elbows.
The two adults leapt upon the top of their robot while the giant hand clutching Swellow moved the bird into the cage among the other captive pokemon. "I guess they never saw out little back views then!" laughed the woman as she tapped her foot upon three cameras that were perfectly camouflaged at the top of the cabin, allowing the pair inside a full view of any activity behind.
"I think they should prepare for trouble!" laughed the blonde with glee.
"And tell them to make it double!" croaked the man with a hint of malicious intent.
"Now here's out mission, so ya better listen!" they spoke together while leaping into the air.
"To infect the world with devastation!" said the woman, her blonde hair shining in the sun.
"To blight all people within every nation!" wheezed the man as he struck a pose.
"To denounce the goodness of truth and love!"
"To extend our wrath to the stars above!"
"Cassidy!" she said.
"Butch!" he added.
"Team Rocket, circling the Earth all day and night!"
"Surrender to us now or you will surely lose the fight!" finished Butch as they stood side by side, back to back with their arms crossed while a giant red letter R had appeared behind them.
"Now, what were you two little twerps about to do?" mocked Cassidy while Ash, Misty and Pikachu glared up at them.
"Let those pokemon go!" cried up Ash with clenched fists while Misty and Pikachu added their own views.
"Well I think we should just help ourselves!" cackled Butch as he took over control of the giant red hand that had captured Swellow with a remote control and directed it down to grasp Pikachu around his waist and lift him effortlessly into the air and away from his trainer.
"Get your hands off that Pikachu!" screeched a voice from the treetops, behind and to the left of Ash and Misty. Once this cry was delivered, a branch promptly snapped and three figures fell to the ground with a thump.
"What…on…earth…?" asked Cassidy as she peered disbelievingly to where the three silhouettes began to emerge onto the path.
"Are you two ever going to get the motto right?" cried a woman with bright red hair. "It's to 'Protect the world from devastation' not 'Infect the world'!"
"Yeah, and 'To unite all people within our nation', not 'Blight all people'!" continued the purple haired man.
"And you two are never going to get in the boss's good books as just a pair! You need three in a team to pull off as many successful missions as us!" piped up the last figure as they emerged into the light to reveal themselves as Jessie, James and Meowth.
"You three losers couldn't pull off an operation if it was already finished for you!" scorned Cassidy as she through a look of loathing at the pathetic trio.
"I'll have you know we've completed many successful missions! It's just they're much too high a status for either of you to ever be informed." Replied Jessie with a smirk.
"Well if that's true why are you three down in the bottom ranks while we are the boss's top executives?" asked Butch once placing Pikachu within the confines of the cage.
"That's because the boss doesn't want to let everyone know we're his top agents by staying under cover. Of course I'd have never thought a man with a calibre such as yours Biff could ever work that one out." Responded James with Meowth backing him up.
The argument between the two teams began to heat up while Ash let out a sigh of frustration and shook his head in disgust at their behaviour. Responding to Misty's nudge, he followed her gaze to where Cassidy had left her door wide open, with the key still in the tank. Nodding in agreement, Ash and Misty began to edge their way towards the door, out of sight and out of mind of both teams whose argument was beginning to get physical when Jessie reached forward to yank Cassidy's hair which she swiftly responded to with a swipe across her enemy's face with her nails.
Climbing into the cabin, Ash and Misty looked around for any way of releasing the hostage pokemon. Surprisingly, right before them on the dashboard with a large red button with a small label beneath that read, "Pokemon Release Button" on a brass plate below. Passing each other a look of complete despair over the utter simplicity of Team Rocket, they slammed their hands down on the button together and the floor to the cage fell through to release the pokemon. Once all were free the floor automatically rose back into place to clamp onto the sides of the cage while the door swung open again.
All members of Team Rocket ceased their fight when this happened and immediately began blaming the other team for the failure. However their argument was short lived when Ash and Misty had found the control to the giant red hand and used it to grasp Cassidy firmly around the waist and lift her into the air. With pathetic ease she was placed into the cage and the door swung shut to prevent her escape. Butch ran forward to help free his partner but was also claimed by the hand to be added to the cage beside Cassidy who hit him hard over the head for his failure and pathetic attempt at her rescue.
Jessie, James and Meowth took one look at Ash and Misty's grim faces before turning around to sprint off down the road as fast as possible. However, the pokemon who had just been released from their prison had other ideas and blocked the road, Pikachu at the front with his cheeks sparking. The three skidded to a halt, their hands aloft to be walked into the cage beside their "friends".
Together, Ash and Misty slammed shut the door with triumphant grins while the freed pokemon celebrated before making their own way back to their homes in the forest. Ash received Pikachu with a large hug at being reunited again while Swellow approached his trainer with a little more composure and dignity.
"Glad to see you're alright buddy." Laughed Ash while he tickled his buddy under his chin as Pikachu cooed in delight. "You were great Swellow, thanks for your help." He added before whipping out the pokeball and returning the large bird. "What do you think we should do with them?" he asked Misty while motioning to the group in the cage behind them.
"We could either let them go and promise them never to so something so terrible again or we can call Officer Jenny and let her make up the hard decision for us." Pondered Misty before she began to rummage through her bag for her pink pokenav. "What do you think Ash?"
Ash appeared to be pensive for a moment, as though he couldn't quite make up his mind while watching the five members of Team Rocket in the cage. Unable to take the pressure any longer, Jessie, James and Meowth zoomed up to the edge of the cage to fall upon bended knees with their hands upraised to plead with their captor. Butch and Cassidy turned away in disgust at their behaviour while fervently trying to work out a plan to get themselves out of their predicament while leaving the other three to take the fall for them.
"You know what Misty," began Ash as he played along with Misty's game to toy with Team Rocket. "I think I like the look of Team Rocket behind bars, especially those three." He motioned to Jessie, James and Meowth who looked up with tears in their eyes. "Let's just go ahead and call Officer Jenny and allow her to decide their fate."
Pikachu cheered his approval while Misty pressed the SOS button on her pokenav that would automatically call the nearest Officer Jenny to the spot. All they had to do now was wait.
A mild grumbling suddenly echoed around where the group was standing and Ash suddenly collapsed on the ground. Panicked, Misty ran to his side to help him sit up by holding on to his shoulders for him to talk to her.
"F…f…food…" he whispered while clutching his stomach. In all that had happened since meeting the little Pidgey by the side of the road, both he and Misty had forgotten how hungry they had been and it had finally caught up with Ash.
Misty rolled her eyes at him before letting go of where she held him around his shoulders and he fell heavily to the ground. "You have just reached an all new meaning of the word pathetic." She grumbled and took a seat at the base of a tree in the shade out of the hot sun.
Slowly, Ash crawled over to the tree while Pikachu scampered ahead to take a seat beside Azurill who had just been brought out of her pokeball. Bringing out the food that had been hastily put away, Ash, Misty, Pikachu and Azurill soon had a small feast laid out which they broke into with gusto while the heat of the sun only intensified to leave all five members of Team Rocket drooling and yearning for the food and drink.
Around them, the sounds of the forest and the pokemon who lived there began to filter back as those who had been hiding emerged and those who had been set free returned to their homes. Over the peaceful atmosphere came the far off droning of a motor cycle that grew louder and louder as it approached. Around the bend further up the road, the mode of transportation appeared with Officer Jenny astride.
Ash and Misty got to their feet to leave their pokemon in charge of the food to greet the upholder of the law and explain exactly what Team Rocket had been up to.
"Well kids, I'm very glad you managed to help us put a stop to all this. Over the last year pokemon around this entire area were beginning to disappear but with no hard evidence in out favour we've never been able to actually prosecute Team Rocket. I believe that this will provide enough evidence towards their intentions." She said while holding up a bunch of papers held together with string that held all the information for Team Rocket's current operations.
"It was no problem Officer Jenny." Smiled Ash as Pikachu leapt up onto his shoulder. "Those three have been pestering me for the last six or seven years by trying to steal Pikachu and my other pokemon so I hope this is enough to keep them locked up for good." He pointed out Jessie, James and Meowth who cowered at the back of their cage while Pikachu just couldn't help give off a few sparks at the mere thought of the miscreants.
"I'll have to radio for backup in order to take these five away but your all free to go if you wish." Said Officer Jenny as she approached her motor bike to radio for a van to come and take Team Rocket away.
Together, they thanked Officer Jenny and gathered together their lunch now that they had eaten their fill and set off down the road again for Saffron City.
Night was beginning to draw in when the faint lights of Saffron City came into view. In the centre of the town, the outside lights were in full operation around the Pokemon Centre, illuminating the large replica of a pokeball that rested atop the roof. The air had the same dark and menacing feel to it as it had done during their last visit that sent shivers down Misty's spine as she clutched Azurill tighter towards, as if afraid of losing her to the gathering darkness.
Making their way through the deserted streets towards the Pokemon Centre, both breathed a small sigh of relief to be in the warm and welcoming atmosphere. Approaching the desk where a Nurse Joy was sitting at her computer Misty spoke for both of them, "Hi Nurse Joy, would you happen to have any available rooms?"
Startled slightly, she looked up to see the two tired trainers before her and gave them a smile. "Of course we do. In fact, we're quite empty tonight so I can assign you a room each if you'd prefer."
"That would be great Nurse Joy, thank you." Said Ash as she tapped away on her computer before producing a pair of keys.
"Your rooms are interconnecting and just up the stairs on my right," she motioned to the stairs that spiralled upwards out of sight. "and straight down the corridor to the end."
"Thank you Nurse Joy. Come on Azurill, lets dump our stuff and get something to eat." Said Misty kissing the rather tired little Azurill gently on her head which brought her out of her sleepy trance.
"Hey Misty, why don't you go to the cafeteria while Pikachu and I take up our stuff. If our rooms are connecting I can take you stuff straight through." Offered Ash, reaching forward to take the red bag from his friend.
"Thanks Ash," she gratefully replied while handing her bag for Ash to sling over his shoulder. "I'll see you in there." She watched his retreating back as he climbed the stairs with their bags over his shoulders and his key ready in his hand while Pikachu scampered playfully before him.
Stepping into the cafeteria part of the Centre, Misty was suddenly reminded of the time when she and Ash had met up with Brock at Fuchsia City and of the confession she had made to Brock and herself. She faulted slightly and her gaze dropped to the floor as she remembered the intense feeling of relief she had felt once finally able to speak her true feelings aloud.
But since being able to make that confession, she had still made no effort to tell him. Every time she'd thought about it, her nerves got the better of her just before she could start her sentence when the moment of no return would already have been reached and passed. This morning with the constant silence had been torturous. Every second had been a moment to talk to him, ask him how he felt but every time her courage failed her and threw her into silent throws of her own despair.
"Azu?" pipped up a small voice from below and the pair of blue ears beneath her chin waggled slightly.
"Sorry little one, I was in my own thoughts again. Which table do you like the look of?" she smiled at the simpleness of her wonderful pokemon as she cheerfully pointed towards a table by the window with her tail.
Ash and Pikachu joined her moments later, the rodent frowning the instant he noted the distinct lack of ketchup present on their table and scampered off to a table where one was standing alone and unguarded.
With glee he leapt onto the table top, the large red bottle reflected in his eyes that had grown at the sight of his heaven. However, the instant he reached forwards to grasp the bottle with his little paws, another hand appeared and lifted it out of reach. He stared up with large, tearful eyes and a trembling bottom lip at the young boy who had claimed the bottle as his own.
The boy paused for a moment before returning to his own booth to see Pikachu's utterly devastated expression. It was too much. The boy lowered the bottle to Pikachu's height and held it forward for the small rodent to take. Delight spread from one side of Pikachu's face to the other as he grasped the bottle between his paws and the boy returned the smile before walking off in search of another bottle.
Pikachu hugged the bottle tightly before scampering off to rejoin his trainer and plonking himself down on the floor below the table where no one would wish to venture to take his ultimate prize away from him.
Ash and Misty had watched the entire episode and managed to control their amusement until their eyes met when they burst out into laughter and the cheeky creature's antics.
It was over an hour since Pikachu had claimed his possession of the large bottle of ketchup and he now lay flat out on the floor with the red liquid smeared across his face and the empty bottle by his side. His stomach was grossly distended since he had consumed about his own weight in the delicious elixir.
"If that's not gluttony then I don't know what is!" Chuckled Ash as he lifted the bloated figure off the floor and into his arms.
"Well maybe you should take a look at yourself every so often." Joked Misty as they made their way out of the cafeteria and into the main reception area of the Centre. "You'll see where he got it from, and I must say, he's learned it from the best."
"Hey!" protested Ash at Misty's vanishing figure as she raced up across the room and began running up the stairs.
Smiling to himself, Ash raced up the stairs after her, but paused at the top once he realised something. He hadn't told her yet.
He walked down the rest of the corridor to his room where he slotted his key into the lock and the door swung open.
"Boo!" leapt out at him from the darkness where Misty had been hiding. "Just came through to get my stuff and I just couldn't resist!" she giggled and picked up her bag from where it lay beside his on the bed. "See you in the morning."
"Misty can you wait a sec?" he asked with a heavy voice once he'd gently placed Pikachu on the cushioned chair in the corner.
Stopping where she was, Misty turned to face him to find he was oddly avoiding her eye contact. "What is it?" she asked. "What's wrong?"
"It's just…" he let out a deep sigh. "I'm not sure I'm ready to take on Sabrina at the moment."
"What?" she exclaimed, hardly believing her own ears. "How could you not be ready? You're the champion of the Hoenn League. You beat Koga just the other day, a feat very few people have been know to achieve. And have I not mentioned that you won another competition when on the ferry?"
"Yeah, but this is Sabrina we're talking about here. She and her pokemon are both psychic and last time I checked I don't have to moves to conquer that type." He continued with his attention focused out the window on the large building across the town that was the Gym. "I've already decided that I'm going to use Pikachu against Sabrina, but we just can't afford to until he's mastered the Volt Tackle yet."
"Well how long is that really going to take? An hour or so?" she asked with a trembling voice after dropping her bag to the floor and joining him at the window.
"I think it's going to take more than that. Maybe a couple of days." He spoke with regret that was obvious in his tone.
"Ash, you know how I feel about this place." Misty hurriedly insisted. It was only because she had been having such a good time over their meal that she'd forgotten where she was.
"I know Misty and I'm really sorry to have to do this to you. But I really think Pikachu and I need to have a training session together. Alone." He whispered this and turned his face away from her in order to avoid staring into her beautiful eyes that became full of hurt at his words.
"Where will you go?" she asked.
"In the woods around here. I thought you'd rather stay in the Pokemon Centre than in the woods with me anyway." He told her while feeling the pain he knew his words were inflicting upon her ten times over within his heart.
"Well, if you have to then I suppose you must." She too turned away so he could not see the tears that had over flown from her eyes and now ran unchecked down her cheeks. "When are you going?"
"Tomorrow morning." He stated detecting the sorrow in her voice and clenching his eyes tight shut to block his own tears.
"Right." She stated, becoming oddly brisk. "Well just make sure you don't leave me without saying goodbye." This last statement brought forth a sob she could not contain and she ran from the room, grabbing her bag on the way to close the door between their rooms behind her.
Once the door was closed to him, she allowed her sorrow to consume her as she sank to the floor with her face buried in her hands. Azurill came tentatively over and was immediately gathered into her mother's arms to be hugged close and for reassurance to be sought from her.
The moment the door had closed, Ash had also sunk to the floor, his face in his hands while he let out a soft cry, "Why does this have to be so hard?"
The next day was damp and overcast with patches of fog around the town and a perfect reflection of Misty's mood. Half of the previous night she had spent sobbing a quietly as she could into her pillow. He was only going to be gone for a few days but just the knowledge that he wasn't going to be there at lunch, or when she got up was tearing her apart in a way she never knew could happen.
Staring out at the sullen skies through the window of the Pokemon Centre the only thoughts going through her head were of the best way to get him to stay and just try to defeat Sabrina without their Volt Tackle. But already it was too late for that. When Ash made up his mind, nothing could ever change it. At this very moment he was handing his key back to Nurse Joy and retrieving Pikachu who had turned ill in the night from an excess of ketchup and been forced to be admitted. She had hoped that this would have prevented him leaving, at least for another day but Pikachu had been better than ever by this morning.
"Don't worry Mist, I'll be back in just a few days, I promise." He insisted, placing his hand on her shoulder and giving her a faint smile.
"I know…" she replied in a depressed tone. "Just make sure you don't get lost out there." She gave him a small smile while sorting out his collar that was twisted inside out.
"Thanks Mist. Well, guess I'll see you soon." He gave her another smile while shouldering his bag and walking out of the centre.
With sad eyes that threatened to spill more tears she watched his figure until the fog swallowed him and he was lost from sight.
Ash continued walking through the town with his head bowed and staring at the ground until he reached the outskirts. Taking one final glance back towards the Pokemon Centre to see that it was finally out of sight he began to skirt his way around the town until he came to the northern most point. There he re-entered the town and headed straight for the Magnet Train Station to be the first in line at the ticket office.
A whistle resounded through the station and he hurriedly made his way to the platform and boarded the train. Moments later the magnet train pulled out of the station to make its solitary way through the soup of fog to leave Saffron City behind.
Staring out the window with Pikachu on his lap, Ash let a small tear escape and it trickled slowly down his face to land on Pikachu's head.
"Pika!" he said to his trainer, patting his hand with a face as sorrowful as Ash's. Taking a glance at his most trusted pokemon friend, Ash gathered him up into a tight hug and let out a small sob into the golden coat.