The Year of Rocket's Revenge
Session: February, Part 2 (02.06.06/08.23.07)


Ash finally came to visit me, but he wasn't the only one. Lieutenant Surge found out I was here in Saffron as well, and asked me some oddly weird questions regarding Erika's research. Given that the League reassigned her work to him, I guess I should've seen this moment coming. But still, I have a feeling he won't try to keep his findings under the radar like Erika did.

And no matter what happens, I'm finally back together with Ash! Things are starting to look up!

So... why do I have this feeling of apprehension twisting on my insides?


Friday, February 1st, Saffron City Pokémon Center

An hour or two later, a fully-awake Ash and Pikachu walked into the main lobby, only to find the Center even busier than before! There were long lines over by the videophones, to which service had just been restored to. Nurse Joy and her help were swamped with work, as the main Center phone seemed to ring off the hook non-stop with people reporting injured Pokémon and wanting to bring them in.

The duo made their way out the front door, where the streets were vibrant and full of people and Pokémon. Apparently, life was indeed returning to normal. Despite the fact that a few neighboring properties that still had damage to them that hadn't been repaired.

Ash and Pikachu stood there for a few minutes, just watching the locals go by as they waited for Misty, who was supposed to meet them there.


Twenty minutes later...

"I didn't make you wait long, did I, Ash?"

Ash was about to answer with a snarky reply, but as he turned around he saw Misty stand there in a nurse's outfit, apparently taking the 'Nurse Joy helper' bit even more seriously than she did the day before.

"I know you wanna help Nurse Joy and all... but isn't the outfit a bit much?"

"I'm only wearing this because all my clothes are in the wash!"

"Oh."

"That's the only reason I wore one of your shirts last night, by the way."

"Oh yeah... I was wondering about that."

"Pika," Pikachu sighed.

Ash and Misty walked over to a nearby bench, where they sat down and continued their talk.

"So, Ash... how do we explain last night?"

Ash scratched his head, dumbfounded and unable to come up with an answer. Misty proceeded to sigh in disbelief.

"You really don't know anything, do you?"

Ash growled. "Why do people keep saying that?"

Misty smiled. "I will have to remember to get your mom to talk about that."

"Sure..."

"But there's the matter of us that has to be resolved."

"Uh huh," Ash nodded in agreement, before coming to his senses. "Wait, what about last night?"

"That was about the past and Duplica. Today, it's about our future. Or rather, whether we should have one."

"That's easy. I love you. You love me. End of stor..."

"Love isn't as easy as beating Team Rocket! Well, Jessie and James, anyway. There's a lot of things to consider."

"I don't see how it can be any more harder than 'we still like each other, so let's stay together.'"

"How about the fact that I don't feel confident that you'll avoid kissing Duplica again?"

"WHA? But I said..."

"Or, probably more likely, she'll come back and trick you into letting her kiss you again!"

"I told you," Ash waved his arms about in defense as Misty glared daggers into him, "I don't have any feelings for her, and she doesn't want to break us apart!"

"What about all those other girls you've spent time with? How do I know you haven't been doing things with them behind my back?"

"What girls? I don't know what you're talking about, Misty!"

"Oh yeah? Didn't you get chummy with that girl Jeanette in her own hometown just weeks after my Pokémon League Novice Tournament?"

"We just happened to cross paths in a local tournament there, that's all!"

"And how about that ex-agent, Cassie, who you camped out with for a time? Or the experienced Sally, the girl that helped you during your first days of the League? Oh, and may I certainly not forget that hussy, Giselle, whom you practically let LIVE WITH YOU FOR A MONTH!"

"That's crazy! I haven't been in touch with Sally since we parted ways, and Cassie and Giselle both have boyfriends! You know that!"

"You think I was born yesterday, Ash Ketchum? Especially since I've been away... you don't think since being named Junior Master that any of them would suddenly be ringing you up to take advantage of your newfound fame? Especially that Giselle... she's such a gold digger!"

"Uh... I thought she was rich already. That's why she went to and graduated from Pokémon Tech."

"BUT YOU KNOW SHE'D DO IT ANYWAY TO SPITE ME! She's that kind of person."

"Wait a minute... why's this all about me? How do I know you aren't seeing anyone behind my back? I mean, I haven't seen you in a month, either!"

"What? I'm not the type to..."

"Daisy told me about Mikey."

Misty suddenly became silent.

"She said to her, you two looked cute together."

"That's a lie! Daisy tricked me into what I thought was a blind date, and..."

"Wait, a blind date? You mean Mikey's blind now?"

Misty sweatdropped. "No, it means I didn't know who Daisy had hooked me up with until I actually got there."

"But you were on a date! Isn't that what you mean by cheating?"

"But... it was a blind babysitting gig!"

"You were going as if it were a date, though."

Misty stuttered. "Well... yeah... but still..."

"How is right that you're cheating and wrong that I am?"

"Hey now! First of all, cheating is never right, and second, I wasn't cheating!"

"Then... why did... you go along?"

"I was trying to humor my sister, Ash. I never seriously intended to go just to look for someone since you weren't around..."

"I wasn't around? I wasn't around because I'm traveling around Johto, being a Pokémon trainer! You know, on my way to be a Pokémon Master? It's only been my goal since Day One!"

"Oh! And you're saying it's my fault I couldn't come along because I'm busy trying to manage a Pokémon gym?"

"You did a REAL good job managing the gym this month, by the way," Ash quipped sarcastically.

"Hey! I couldn't manage the gym because I ran away..."

"And why'd you run away, Misty? Tell me... WHY?"

Misty opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out of it.

"It couldn't be because you really wanted Duplica and I to be together," Ash thought out loud. "And yet, you did nothing to stop us? Am I right?"

Misty remembered standing at the entrance to the balcony, watching Ash and Duplica lock lips, and just staring in shock before slowly walking away.

"You regretted that it happened! And you kept me from explaining my side of the story because you figured, if no one ever proves what your eyes saw, you can deny it actually happened! Well, Mist, I regretted that night, and so did Duplica! But you don't see either of us trying to forget it!"

"But..."

"That's why you ran away. Because you couldn't face the truth!"

Misty's eyes began to tear up, as she came to realization that Ash had her emotions pegged. Surprisingly to her, to the letter.

"YOU'RE RIGHT, ASH! I wanted to pretend it never happened! But... but... the more I tried, the harder it got, and... and... and..."

Misty grabbed two fistfuls of Ash's shirt just as the flood gates opened up, and she used his shirt to try and wipe away the tears.

"I love you, Ash, and I don't want anyone else to have you!"

"Mi... Mi... Misty..."

"In fact, I don't want to spend another minute in which I'm not by your..."

Suddenly, a ringing sound filled the air, and it was coming from Ash's right pants pocket. Ash reached in and hastily pulled out his Pokédex, which was flashing as if it were a high-end cell phone. Opening it, his screen indicated he was getting an incoming call on his Poké-Com unit.

"Uh, hello?" Ash asked, pressing the 'answer' button.

"Oh, I got through!" Lance remarked, appearing on Ash's screen. "I guess the communication lines are back up in Saffron after all."

"I'm sorry," Misty cut in, "but we're kinda in the moment..."

"Ah, so Kanto's favorite redhead is there as expected, too! Good timing indeed!"

"But..."

"I want you here tonight, Misty! You have a lot to explain to the Elite Four regarding your month-long disappearing act, and we'd like to make a ruling on the matter by day's end!"

"I know, I know, but..."

"As for you, our Junior Master, ever been to America?"

"Who... me?" queried Ash, pointing to himself.

"The New England States League will be hosting this year's annual Pokémon Master of North America Tournament, and they want the world's first Pokémon Junior Master, you, to be the new champion's first opponent!"

Ash yipped in excitement. "Really? I don't know where America is, but they must think I'm exceptional if they're inviting me to face off against their best Pokémon trainer! Ha ha ha ha!"

"Modesty is not thy middle name," Misty grumbled.

"I've already taken care of your travel arrangements," Lance told Ash. "You're to leave Saffron immediately as well. After all, it's a very long flight to Boston."

Ash and Misty suddenly heard a car horn beeping at them. They looked away from Ash's Pokédex and gawked in shock when they saw a limousine had come to a stop right by the curb.

"I'll make you proud, sir!" Ash exclaimed before closing up his Pokédex, instantly ending the call.

A brown-haired man in a suit emerged from the limo's back seat and walked over to the duo.

"I'm looking for Ash Ketchum and Pikachu."

"You must mean me," Ash deduced, glancing at Misty, and then down at Pikachu.

"Pika?"

"Your flight leaves in 45 minutes, sir," he told Ash. "We have to leave now if we're going to make it."

"We'd better hurry then... hey, wait! What about my backpack?"

"We have a second team on the way to pick up your things. They'll bring it with them on the next flight out."

"But my Pokéballs are in there..."

Before they knew it, Ash and Pikachu were shoved into the back of the limo. Seeing this act of roughhousing, Misty began to get suspicious.

"Hey! Didn't you hear him? And why are you being so rough on him if you're representing the League?"

"We're just in a hurry to make this flight, so if you don't mind..."

"I DO MIND!" Misty yelled defiantly.

The man closed the door, and the limousine pulled away from the curb in a hurry, with tires squealing as it barreled down the nearly empty street. Misty turned and started to run after it, but she was cut off when a Pidgeot emerged from a Pokéball, right in front of her.

"Whirlwind!" shouted the man in the suit.

Before Misty could do anything, the Pidgeot flapped its wings in a spinning circular pattern. Misty was quickly ensnared and blown off her feet... and back-first into a nearby tree. The impact nearly knocked all the wind out of her, as she fell face first down onto the sidewalk.

"Let's go!"

Pidgeot sprinted towards his master, flapping his wings as if he was about to takeoff. His trainer jumped on to Pidgeot's back at the last second, as Pidgeot lifted off the ground and up into the air. He then made a U-turn and headed off in the direction of the speeding limo.

Meanwhile, Misty could hear them escaping, but she found herself unable to get up off the ground. In fact, she barely had enough energy left to look up from the pavement and get a glimpse at her attacker.

"This girl just got attacked!" she heard some young woman yell. "Get a doctor, quickly!"

Misty didn't hear a word after that, as she blacked out.


Monday, February 11th, Goldenrod City

A missing poster with Ash's face on it was taped to a lamppost when it was blown off by someone passing by real fast on a bicycle. That someone was an irate Giselle, who was working her way through the streets of her newly established home-away-from-home, on her way back to her apartment after a post-work trip to the local supermarket. Why irate, one may wonder?

Could it be because she had to bike up a fairly steep hill to get to her place? After all, unless it has something to do with her Pokémon training, Giselle despised any task that required hard work.

Maybe it's because every male aged 13 to 30 couldn't help but gawk at her beautiful figure as she passed by? But she was used to that happening pretty much every day. The fact that she was wearing a form-fitting cycling jersey probably played a part in that as well, even if it was partially hidden under a stylish zippered gray jacket.

But she was irate because not only were men staring at her, but so were women, children, and Pokémon! And all because in her basket, just in front of the handlebars, were 36 boxes of chocolates, all stacked one on top of the other, resulting in a tower of sweets that was almost twice her size!


45 minutes later, Giselle closed the door to her apartment and fell to her knees, groaning in anguish as the aforementioned three dozen boxes of chocolates lay before her. Some on the kitchen counter, some on the floor in front of her, and the rest on her couch.

"No wonder I skipped Valentine's Day every year at Tech!" Giselle whined. "To have to give a box of chocolates to every guy I work with or I'm close friends with! THAT'S INSANE!"

Giselle got to her feet, picked two boxes up, and walked over to the fridge off in the far corner of the kitchen. On it was an ad for an inexpensive, yet fair-quality box of chocolates for 300 Poké. She opened the door and cleared out a section to put the boxes. In the process, she moved a 6-pack of strawberry yogurt and an untouched, plastic-wrapped piece of carrot cake aside.

"Of course, being me, I had to get the best money could buy..."

As she placed the boxes in and walked off to fetch a few more, the 7000 Poké price tag became visible on each of those boxes now in the fridge.


Before she knew it, both the fridge and the freezer were filled to the brim! With the help of Dewgong, a Pokémon she had befriended a few years back, she tossed a few more boxes into a then-empty ice chest, which Dewgong used Ice Beam on to preserve them. That left eight boxes, which Giselle was resigned to just place on top of the ice chest. Since, given her small apartment and no other storage containers around, was her only option if she wanted to keep them cool until Thursday.

"Whew!" Giselle gasped as she reached up and wiped the small bead of sweat from her forehead.

At that moment, Giselle heard one of her Pokéballs open. Conveniently, the one in her jacket pocket, as her Farfetch'd popped out.

"Far farfetch'd!" it chirped.

It then spotted the boxes of chocolate on top of the ice chest and went cuckoo - since for some unknown reason, Giselle tended to play favorites with him by giving the duck sweets every once in awhile. But Giselle saw the look in his eyes, and quickly moved to shoot down any intentions he had of devouring her newly bought chocolates.

"LAY A FEATHER ON THOSE CHOCOLATES AND YOU'LL NEVER GET ANOTHER SWEET FROM ME FOR AS LONG AS I LIVE!"

"FAR!" freaked Farfetch'd, getting the point as he quickly turned tail and ran into the living room.

With that taken care of, Giselle reached into her jacket pocket and revealed that she had actually bought a 37th box of chocolate. But this box was much smaller than the others. That was because this last box wasn't filled with pre-made chocolates, but rather with cocoa powder, which she planned to use to make her own chocolates by hand. And all for a special someone in her life.

Or rather, a special someone that she wished was still in her life.


September 2000, Route 7, just east of Celadon City

"Use Vine Whip, Weepinbell!" ordered Joe.

Weepinbell unfurled his vines and sped them hastily towards his opponent, Graveler, as well as Giselle, who was a few feet behind the rock solid Pokémon.

"Graveler!" Giselle called out. "Dodge and attack using Rollout!"

Graveler curled up into a ball and rolled around Weepinbell's vines. He then made a beeline for Weepinbell and crashed into him, sending the grass-type flying into the air. Weepinbell landed hard on the ground, and was knocked out upon impact.

Joe lowered his head in dismay as Giselle stomped her foot in disgust, just as Graveler had rolled back to her side and curled out to a standing position.

"What was that? You have a clear type advantage and you still can't lay a finger on me?"

"Well..." Joe stuttered, full of nervousness.

"HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO GET INTO THE LEAGUE IF YOU CAN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FAVORABLE SITUATIONS?"


Giselle had changed out of her cycling jersey and into a more comfortable tan sweater and knee-length gray shorts. Now on the counter before her was the box of cocoa powder she had just bought, along with a nearly-full milk carton, a three-pound bag of sugar, and a bar of cocoa butter. There was a stainless steel mixing bowl and a wooden spatula there as well. With all of the materials she needed right in front of her, she rolled up her sleeves and got to work.


"Weepinbell, Razor Leaf!"

Having gotten right behind Graveler, Weepinbell used Razor Leaf to inflict some damage on Giselle's #2 Pokémon.

"Good," complimented Giselle with a smile.

Joe smiled back, happy to see his mentor and girlfriend pleased.

"But not good enough."

Giselle snapped her fingers, and Graveler went into another Rollout.

"Plan one-ninety-eight!" she stated with a smirk.

Joe gasped as Graveler not only continued to use Rollout, but was flinging rocks out from himself, as if he was using Rock Throw as well. Needless to say, the rocks launched from Graveler were flung at a higher speed than normal... and Weepinbell had no time to dodge.

A few large pebbles to the head were all it took to take Weepinbell out.

"You can beat any respectable trainer now," Giselle told him. "But you're going to have to step it up to beat a trainer of my high caliber!"


Giselle peered into the oven window, watching as the chocolate tempered and formed. It wouldn't be long before it would be ready for molding.

But Giselle wondered... would he lovingly accept her again after what happened...


Five months later (a year ago from the present)...

"And that will finish it!"

The crowd cheered as another Pokémon League Novice Tournament preliminary match at the Indigo Plateau came to an end. On one side, a Hitmontop was spinning on his head in celebration. On the other, a Weepinbell had his head lowered in disappointment. And so was Joe, having finished the round with only two wins in seven matches... two less than his previous attempt.

Up in the second row in the stands behind Joe, Giselle was feeling sorry for her boyfriend. She knew he had put in enough training to at least make it past the prelims. But Joe had just fallen into a streak of bad luck at just the wrong time.


A few minutes later, Giselle met up with a dejected Joe as he exited the competitors' entrance at the stadium.

"You did..." Giselle began, "good."

"Don't lie to me, please!" responded to Joe. "Haven't I been patronized enough?"

Giselle was taken aback by her boyfriend's words.

"Come out and say it, I stink! After you personally trained me for six months to compete in the League, I came here and screwed it all up! I couldn't even win as many matches as I did the last time."

"But it's not all your fault. It does come down to luck sometimes. You just happened to come across a few trainers that were even better prepared than you were..."

"I should've beaten them all. That's what you trained me to do, Giselle. To rise above disadvantages in battle, no matter what!"

"True... but..."

"But nothing! You gave me all the tools to win, and I didn't use them properly! I'm a failure as a Pokémon trainer!"

"Joe!" Giselle said in shock. "Sure, you're still a little rough around the edges, but it's nothing that can't be fixed with a few more months of training by yours tru..."

"What's the use? At this rate, I'll never get into the League! You might as well forget about me, Giselle. I told you, I'm a failure!"

Giselle grabbed Joe by the collar and pulled him down a few inches so that she was staring straight into his eyes.

"Don't you dare quit on me! I believe in you, so you need to start believing in yourself! I didn't put off working my way up the ranks of the League to fool around for the last six months! You need to pull yourself together and focus on making it to the next Tournament!"

"But..."

"STOP MAKING EXCUSES! It's one thing to fail, but an entirely different matter to fail and give up! You went to classes with me at Pokémon Technical, and you know the path to becoming a Pokémon Master is hard work..."

"I left Tech, remember? To try and make it on my own!"

Joe slapped Giselle's hands away and turned his head to the side.

"I was lucky to make it this far, and your training definitely helped. But... if I can't get into the League after being mentored by a trainer as good as you... then I'll never..."

"Joe..."

"I appreciate all you've done for me, Giselle, but you probably don't want to waste any more time on a guy who's never gonna amount to anything. I think it's time to part ways."

Without another word, Joe ran off in the opposite direction. Giselle reached out, as if to stop him. But she appeared to have no intention to do so. Or go after him.


CRACK!

Giselle snapped out of her daydream and remembered that she was in the process of sculpting her handmade chocolate. It was a large piece molded into the shape of a heart, and she had pounded out Joe's face on it, as well as her own. But she had penetrated the chocolate's hard shell, resulting in a crack that went down the middle and split the confection exactly in half.

And right between where Joe's and her face were positioned.

"It'll be a year to the day tomorrow..." Giselle thought aloud.


"...and I haven't seen or heard of him since."

A few days after Joe had left, Giselle found herself standing in front of the sign leading into New Bark Town in the Johto region.

"Where winds of a new beginning blow," Giselle stated, reading the town's motto off of the sign.

She glanced past the town, as far as she could see, as she prepared to enter the Johto region for the first time.

"Why didn't I stop him from leaving? He gave up so easily, and yet I thought I taught him better than that. Heck, I taught myself better."

Giselle clenched her fist in anger.

"It's true what they say, getting a boyfriend makes you soft. Well, now that I'm not tied down anymore, I'm going back to being the old Giselle! Look out, Johto, 'cause you haven't seen a powerful trainer until you've seen me!"

She then ran down the hill, and started off on her Johto journey.


"No wonder I always skip Valentine's Day. I hate chocolate."

Farfetch'd was feasting on the remains of Giselle's failed chocolate product as she slumped down on her couch and watched the news on TV. And on the kitchen counter now was a photo that Joe and Giselle had taken together at Pokémon Tech several years ago.

The only photo that they ever took together.

"And in other news," stated the TV reporter, "there are no new leads in the search for Pokémon Junior Master Ash Ketchum, who disappeared a week and a half ago..."

To be continued next week in Part 3!