Hey all! Thanks for your reviews on my fic. Now, for my first order of business, I will answer my fan mail.
Mike Prower: You'll just have to wait and see. Thanks for the giggity!
FanficFemale: I will reveal more about the past as the story progresses. Trust me, it's gonna be good. At least, I hope so. I haven't made it up yet.
KaliAnn: The real question there is, who was the cat?
h1tm0nl33: I had wanted to, but it didn't work out so well. People would have guessed it in a flash even if I hadn't said anything...
thedarkpokemaster: Thanks! I plan on it.
Lucy: Well, it's not like they're going to sit around doing nothing. They have to do something to make it a challenge.
Hedgi: May did get her, huh? Or did she…….?
Mel: Sorry I made you wait so long. I hope it was worth the wait though J
Magus Black: Oh, it will be lots of fun. They still need to rescue all those Pokémon, after all.
ShadowMario45: The mysterious father of Ash is indeed a mystery.
Now, onto the story!
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Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. They are a property of Nintendo/Gamefreak/. However, I do claim creative ownership of all characters outside the canon, and this plotline is mine. Also, pancakes. That is all.
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"So," Norman started. "How's it been for you Ketchum?" The plane was on Auto pilot heading south towards warmer weather. It was fortunate that the plane had been fully fueled when the former Echo agent had commandeered it from the leader of Team Rocket. With any luck, it would take them to Eterna City, where they could regroup and plan. Maybe even refuel. It was a nice plane.
He shrugged. "It's been long. I was in the middle of an investigation when I got word of the kidnappings.
"Yeah? What were you investigating?"
"There had been some interesting activity going on in Michina Town. Echo sent me to investigate some claims, try to find some explanations. Then I got a call from Professor Oak. I was pretty surprised when he called, actually. I keep forgetting that he has all those high up connections. He told me that Delia had gone missing. I called some friends of mine still working Team Rocket, and they pulled up some chatter between known operatives. The rest is history. I called in a favor, got dropped outside the base, and proceeded to rescue your sorry butts." He smiled over at Norman. "What about you? I haven't heard anything from you since you retired."
Norman chuckled. "I try to keep my past separate from my present activities. I'm a gym leader now. I'm too old to be a military agent."
"Nonsense! You can't be more than a few years older than me."
"Maybe that means you should retire, you crazy fool!"
The two laughed at the inside joke.
"Seriously, though. What's been happening?"
Norman sighed and looked out the front window, watching the clouds go by as they flew, and the sun traveling across the sky. "Nothing, really, until now. It's been very peaceful. I've settled down. I married Caroline as soon as the papers were finalized, and opened up my gym. It's a Normal specialty."
"That's Norman for you," Ketchum chimed in. "Normal Norman. You look so harmless, then you bring out that Vigeroth and all hell breaks loose."
"Please, you're one to talk. Opening with that Electivire, then hit it with a Thunder Punch first chance you get. Then, next thing you know, you have a monster nothing can catch! Well, short of your Weavile anyways."
"You think she's fast now, wait till you see her boosted up on Agility."
"That speed demon knows Agility? What, do you stack X Speed on it too?"
Ketchum didn't say anything, and then smiled. "That's an excellent idea!"
"Oh God, what have I done?"
Ketchum laughed at his friends face. "So, you were saying?"
"Yeah, yeah. I opened up my gym, and had two kids. It's been quiet ever since."
"Until now, that is."
"Yeah, until now. I wonder what prompted this, anyways."
"Actually, I had a chat with Giovanni before I met up with you guys."
Norman looked at him in surprise. "Really? What did he say?"
"He said that it was all because of my son."
"Ash? What did he do?"
"You know, I'm not entirely sure. Something about messing up some plan or another of Team Rockets. I'll see if Echo has him earmarked on anything in particular."
"Yeah, that'd be a good idea. Hell of a trainer he is, by the way. He managed to get my badge."
"Really? You must be going soft in your old age, Norman."
"No, it's not that. I just don't think it's fair to use my full team against league trainers."
Ketchum rolled his eyes. "If you say so."
"Not only that, though, but he got my daughter to actually appreciate Pokémon. They traveled together for a while, you know. "
He nodded his head. "Yeah, when he was traveling through Hoenn. She's a coordinator, right?"
"Doing pretty well, too. I hope she's okay."
"Well, she wasn't kidnapped. That must mean something."
"All that means is that Giovanni didn't want her kidnapped yet. I wonder why, though."
"She's involved in this somehow. I've kept some tabs on my son over the years. Not a lot, just enough to know who he's with, what he's doing. Making sure he's okay and all."
"And?"
"And the people closest to him, aren't here. Your daughter, Brock Slate, Misty Waterflower, and Dawn Hikari."
Norman pondered for a minute. "Two of those names sound familiar."
"Brock and Misty were both Gym Leaders in Kanto. Brock's been traveling with Ash since he left, and Misty until he went to Hoenn."
"Then who's Dawn?"
Ketchum smiled. "She's a trainer he picked up in Sinnoh. Her mom is in the back here."
"Really? That's a shame."
"Why?"
"May really had a thing for him. But to hear you tell it, your son is never long without some kind of female companionship."
He shrugged. "What can I say? He's a Ketchum."
Norman shook his head and looked back out the windows.
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In the plane behind the two pilots, there was lots of commotion. The Slates were reunited, all eleven of them. That's a huge family, Delia thought to herself. Holidays must be a nightmare.
She turned her attention to the Waterflower sisters, who were also crying and carrying on, distraught over their recent captivity. Caroline was comforting the only child not a Slate, who Delia assumed was her son. That left the only other woman on the plane. She seemed so alone, unsure of what was going on, and very afraid. Delia walked over and sat down next to her, holding out a hand in greeting. "Hello. I'm Delia Ketchum."
The other woman looked at the offered hand for a moment before shaking it. "Nice to meet you. I'm Johanna Hikari. You wouldn't by chance be related to Ash Ketchum, of Pallet Town, would you?"
Delia smiled. "Actually, he's my son. Do you know him?"
Johanna nodded. "My daughter, Dawn, is traveling with him, actually."
"Oh! So you're Dawn's mom! I've heard such great things about your daughter from Ash. She seems like a really nice girl."
Johanna smiled at that, seeming to relax a little. "Yes, she is. I've heard nothing but praises about Ash, too. It seems like he's stolen her heart, the way she talks about him."
Delia sighed. "Oh, that Ash. He never does seem to realize the effect he has on some girls."
The two mothers laughed like old friends. When the laughter subsided, however, Johanna's mood took a downturn. "I'm really afraid for her. I didn't see her anywhere. You don't think that-"
Delia shook her head. "I'm sure she's fine. If she's with Ash, he won't let anything bad happen to her."
"I hope so." She was quiet for a little bit. "I'm really scared though," she said, her voice choking up at the end. "What's going on?" she asked, bursting into tears. "Who are these people? Why did they kidnap me? Where are my Pokémon? Where's Dawn? I'm just so confused, and I don't know what's happening, and, and…I just don't know!"
Delia wrapped her arms around the distraught Johanna. "There there, it's going to be okay. My husband is going to make it all better, just watch. And hey! I know where Dawn is."
"You do?" Johanna asked through her tears. "Where?"
"If my guess is right, she's in Cerulean City, in Kanto."
"Kanto?" Johanna sniffed. "What's she doing there?"
"That's where my son is. He asked me to buy him three plane tickets from Hearthome to Celadon a few days ago. From there, he's probably planning on going to Cerulean. I think there's a good chance that Dawn is there in Cerulean with him."
Johanna nodded, wiping away her tears. "Probably. But still, I'm worried."
"I know just what you mean," Delia said, trying to comfort her."
"So do I," said another voice. Delia looked up to see Caroline Haruka.
"Caroline! It's so good to see you again. Here, sit down." Delia patted the seat on the other side of her, urging her to sit down. "Johanna, this is an old friend of mine, Caroline. Our husbands used to work together. Caroline, this is Johanna."
"Nice to meet you Johanna," Caroline said, smiling.
"Same," Johanna said.
"What were you saying earlier, Caroline?" Delia asked.
"I have a daughter, too, and I don't know where she is. Last I knew, she was in Slateport getting ready for a contest. Now, I don't know. I don't even know where we are."
Johanna nodded, understanding. "What about you?" she asked Delia. "Aren't you scared for Ash?"
Delia sighed. "Of course I'm scared. But I also know that being scared isn't going to help much. I'm sure that Ash is fine, wherever he might be. He has good friends to keep him safe, and his Pokémon to help him every step of the way."
Caroline nodded in agreement. Then a look of surprise flashed across her face. "Ash Ketchum! Why didn't I see that before? My daughter traveled around Hoenn with Ash. Isn't it a small world?"
Delia nodded smiling, and then looked at the other occupants of the plane. Caroline's son was playing with the other children, and the Waterflower sisters had calmed down. Mr. and Mrs. Slate were asleep in each other's arms, grateful to be back together. Her smile turned into a frown, remembering her conversation with Giovanni. "Yes, and getting smaller."
"What do you mean?"
Delia pursed her lips. "Unfortunately, this all has to do with Ash."
"What has to do with Ash?" The three sisters had seen the group of women chatting, and decided they wanted to be a part of it. "He's not in trouble, is he?" Violet asked. "We like him. He's good for Misty," Daisy agreed
Delia headed that off before Caroline or Johanna could ask about Misty. A war between daughters was one thing. A war between mothers (and sisters) was an entirely different monster. "Actually, he's probably in a lot of trouble. He's made some pretty powerful people very mad, and they're out for revenge."
The sisters looked at each other nervously. "I hope it isn't too bad," Lily said. "He was coming to visit Misty at the gym. You don't think they'll try anything there, do you?"
"Who is Misty?" Johanna asked, curiously.
"Oh, she's our sister, and Ash's girlfriend," Violet said offhandedly. "He just doesn't know it yet."
Johanna and Caroline laughed. "No, my daughter is Ash's girlfriend," the two said in synchrony. The two women then glared at each other.
"Ladies, not now," Delia said, stopping the pending feud. "We have bigger problems at the moment."
Caroline sighed. "You're right. We'll discuss your son and his amorous activities later."
It was then that Delia heard her husband's voice over the intercom. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we are beginning our descent. Everyone needs to be in a seat and buckled in firmly. It's going to be a rough landing."
Delia looked at her new companions. "You heard the captain. Sit down and buckle up." They all went to their respective seats and sat down, their seatbelts clicking as they were strapped on. Delia stayed seated next to Johanna. "Everything will be okay, you have no need to worry," she reassured the woman as she buckled her belt.
"I hope so," Johanna responded, opening up the window to watch the descent. "Because everything is turning crazy in my life."
Delia patted her leg, keeping the smile on her face. "Trust me. It will be."
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Patrick and Jane were the best agents Giovanni had. They were the best for two reasons. One, they always had a back-up plan, an exit strategy. If one thing failed, they went onto their next option. Then the next. Then the next. The second reason they were the best was because they were very, very patient. Nothing phased them, and they were always willing to wait a person out. Because of those two strengths, Patrick and Jane had yet to fail an objective.
Patrick looked at his watch, and then radioed his partner. "Jane, are you ready?"
Jane was outside the gym, underneath a window. She pulled out a pokeball and released Alakazam. "Yeah, I'm ready," she radioed back..
Patrick was back at their headquarters, looking at several computer monitors. The extraction teams had planted bugs throughout the gym when they had kidnapped the Waterflower sisters, and he was looking at the surveilance footage being recorded now. "Everyone's asleep."
"Roger," Jane responded. She nodded to Alakazam. The Pokemon closed his eyes, and began to glow slightly. The window slid open slowly, barely making a sound. A few moments later, something came out the window. Jane reached out and grabbed it as the window closed. "Got it. Preparing to plant it." Jane and Alakazam stealthily moved around the gym to another window. Again, Alakazam opened the window. Jane tossed the object into the air. She watched as it stopped as it was about to fall, and glide slowly into the room. Before to long, the window closed.
"Objective complete. Returning to base. Over."
"Roger. Over and out."
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Giovanni was upset. He had been so sure that he wouldn't be able to penetrate this base. But, that had proved to be wrong. Again.
Pulling out a bottle of aspirin, he stuck two in his mouth and took a swallow of water. Nothing to give you a headache like an old enemy showing up where he isn't supposed to be. He let out a sigh and picked up the phone in his battered office. Next time I get a reinforced steel door, he thought as he dialed some numbers on his phone. Well, hopefully there wouldn't be a next time.
A mechanical voice came on the phone. "Please say your name."
"Giovanni."
"Voice recognized. Transfering."
The phone rang twice before it was picked up. "This is Officer Jenny, how can I help you sir?"
"We have a Class S security threat who just left the Snowpoint base. We need them confined. They took my plane, so use the tracking on it. Make sure that they don't leave the country under any circumstances. Use whatever force you deem necessary."
"Understood, sir," she said and then hung up.
Giovanni placed the phone on the hanger and then picked it up again, dialing another phone number. Another mechanical voice answered. "Please enter your twelve character phrase."
"Nine seven queue es four be kay six five gee tee aye."
"Recognized. Transfering."
Again, the phone rang a couple times before it was answered.
"Doctor Bacchus," an older gentleman said.
"Where do you have the Delta One Nine shipment?" Giovanni asked him.
"Currently they're here in Goldenrod, going through their seperation stages. We haven't begun any experimenting with them yet."
"Split them up as much as possible. Scatter them throughout the Johto bases, and be on alert for the slightest of security breaches. If anyone breaks protocol, give them the most severe punishment option. We have a Class S threat who may be coming for them. "
"You can count on me, sir."
"I'd better be able to." Giovanni hung up the phone again, and picked it up to make one more phone call. Again, a mechanical voice answered.
"Activation phrase."
"East of the moon, west of the sun."
"Top clearance granted. Connecting." The phone rang a few times before a woman answered the phone.
"This is Jane."
"Jane, how is progress coming?"
"Just fine sir. We are right on schedule."
"Good. This had better work. We have a Class S threat on the move."
"Class S? But isn't that... Oh, crap."
"Yes. You can't afford to fall behind. Stay on schedule. I'll keep him over here for as long as I can."
"Yes, sir."
Giovanni hung up and leaned back in his chair again. Why couldn't anyone let him take over the world in peace?
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Why can't they just let us be in peace? Misty asked herself for the hundredth time. Everything seemed to conspire against her the last few days, and she didn't think it was fair at all. First, there had been the movie thing. May had fallen asleep on the couch, curled in a ball with her Glaceon, resting her head on Ash's lap - his lap! And every time Ash tried to move, she would 'conveniently' reach out and grab his leg. If she was really asleep, than Misty was a goldeen.
Then the next day, Misty had wanted to make a nice dinner. But then Dawn wanted to help. Misty had reluctantly agreed, and set her to making the Caesar salad. And somehow, in some way, Dawn had managed to set the dang thing on fire! She'd heard the saying before, that such-and-such is such a bad cook they could burn a salad, but she had never actually seen it before. And Dawn over reacted and had Piplup whirlpool the kitchen. So not only was there no salad, there was no anything! Her dinner was ruined, and she ordered pizza at Dawns suggestion. Which, it turned out, Ash loved. Ughhh!
And every single time that Misty thought she might be alone with Ash, some pokemon or another had to be in there and demand attention, or do things that were embarrassing, or sabotage her efforts. It was the most infuriating thing she'd ever encountered. Even more so than her sisters. Enough was enough! She didn't deserve this. She deserved some uninterrupted time with Ash. And she would get it, through hell or high water... or rival.
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AN II: Yes, it is short. Yes, it isn't that great. But, I recently find myself with free time and hope to update more frequently. My muse isn't being friendly with me at the moment, so I apologize for the uninspired work. I only hope that I come up with some good writing soon. Penguin King, out~