A flight from Sinnoh to Kanto was nothing, really; the flight lasted barely an hour, maybe. Short enough to almost feel pointless, until one recalled that going by boat was an overnight trip. The cramped feeling of being confined to seats and aisles only barely started to register, by the time you were free to get up.
The same could not be said about a flight to Unova. Ash and Dawn had barely considered the implications of traveling across the world, rather than the eastern isles, before looking properly at their tickets. By the time their jaws had dropped at the reality of an eleven-hour flight, they were already waiting in line at the airport, and it was basically too late to turn back.
The two of them (and Pikachu) simply held their noses, and dove into that reality. But, not without making sure to buy an overstuffed bag's worth of snacks, some trainer and coordinator magazines, and a book for Dawn, of course. Those would have to last a whole half a day.
For the first leg of the flight, they'd tried to fill the air with chatter, before a grumpy businessman behind them shushed and complained. Even under the guise of hushed whispers, though, they'd eventually run out of things to talk about that didn't tread a bit too close to their recent traumatic happenings. Ash and Dawn tried holding hands, affectionately brushing the back of the other's with their thumbs. It was nice for the minute of pitter-patter their hearts attuned themselves to, before it started to get repetitive, and Dawn recoiled at her hand starting to sweat.
They took turns massaging Pikachu, since that didn't carry the unspoken expectation of magic sparking between a couple every second. The little guy could use the TLC, anyway. But even he got overstimulated, and decided to nap; sleep had been scarce for him, lately.
Ash and Dawn had expected to be up for a while, too, given how recently they'd woken up. But, they soon realized that sleep had been scarce for them, too; for a couple of hours, they slept peacefully, heads leaned against one another. Ash found, to his surprise, that his head was the one to lean on Dawn's shoulder, now… When had she gotten so tall?
But, that lasted until their bodies decided they were rested, and they were left with the cramps of awkward sleep, and snacks & reading material filled the rest of the flight. It eventually passed, and the sweet relief of that 'ding' that told them they could unfasten their seatbelts came. They were free to go, and take their first steps, officially, into the Unova region!
Stepping out of that long, soulless gray corridor into the light of the Nimbasa International Airport! There were high glass ceilings letting in the morning sun, people wandering about and waiting, tons of Pokémon that none of the three present recognized…
Oh, right. Pokémon.
Despite Dawn's quickly budding fatigue, she reached for her partner's capsule, and wearily tossed it into the air. "You deserve to get some fresh air too, Empoleon."
"Pol~!" For the first time in Arceus knew how long, the gallant bird was free! He wasted no time in stretching his wings; his lustrous steel gleaming under the sunlight coming through. He squawked out a yawn. Smacking his beak a little, he started to assess his surroundings.
…Or rather, those surrounding him.
"No way! What's that Pokémon!"
"It looks so cool!"
"I think it's a Prinplup!"
"It's called an Empoleon, stupid!"
"How would you know!?"
A group of children had taken to him; some looking to be just below trainer age, and some just above. Fawning over his cool and novel appearance, they clamored for his attention.
"Heyyyy… hey, all of you!" Ash called out through a yawn. "Don't surround the poor guy! Give him some breathing room!"
Something Empoleon seemed to need none of, as he was striking a variety of gallant poses, and allowing the smaller children to climb atop his wings.
"I don't even know what I expected," Ash huffed with a deadpan expression.
"Pika-chu…"
"They said that Unova's Pokédex is totally unique, right?" Dawn recalled. "So they've probably never seen an Empoleon before."
"Must be exciting," Ash agreed. "Seeing new Pokémon…"
"Ash?" Dawn asked. "Is something wrong?"
He shook his head. "Nah, it's just… There're entirely new Pokémon around here, too." A young woman was carrying a small, white and teal otter in her arms, who tapped at her phone. A large, dark blue and beige eel floated alongside another traveler. A few monkeys that seemed to be Water, Grass, and Fire-type played in circles near one of the departure gates. "I should be geeking out about it. Am I really that down and out of it?"
"Ash, please. You were on about wanting to see new Pokémon for the first half hour of the flight," she reminded him. "You're just tired… I am, too. It's probably that thing your mom warned us about."
"Oh, yeah. Jet lag, right?" After hours and hours of flight, Ash definitely felt like it should be night. But, it was clearly daytime, and the nearest clock said that it was just past 9AM.
"Well, as long as Empoleon's showing off… Look! There's a little tourist shop right over there." Dawn pointed past her partner. Next to a snack kiosk was a walk-in shop with all sorts of Unovan trinkets and merchandise.
Ash shrugged his shoulders. "Might as well see if we can find anything nice, before we head to Bertha's and crash. Hey, Empoleon! Stay here for a minute, alright?"
"Pol!" Empoleon saluted them, blowing a few bubbles to show off, before a security guard asked him to keep it to a minimum. Ash and Dawn could hear him huff in annoyance as they trudged on in.
There were little pins and ceramic figures of Pokémon the trio had never seen, shirts proclaiming the wearer's love for Unova and Nimbasa, sports paraphernalia… One shirt for a team called the Gurdurr 11. It caught Ash's eye, before a cap on clearance did, next, for the Nimbasa Legends. Ash and Pikachu's faces soured, recalling the sham set up by Grings Kodai.
"Well, I know what we're not going to buy," Ash spat out.
"Not if you paid me to take it," Pikachu agreed. He then gasped and pointed somewhere. "Ash, look!"
"Huh?" He looked over, only to find a rack full of different sorts of hats.
Ash walked over to the hats, picking up the various caps. Some were made of straw and others were made out of leather, perhaps. Finally, Ash spotted the one he knew he had to have. It was a visor with a logo of a very dated brand, probably popular back when he was a kid! He grinned, snatching it up. He looked over his shoulder. "Hey… You think Dawn'll need a hat? It's kinda hot now, and she's sort of pale… She might need to keep the sun off."
"Miss-wears-a-jacket-and-kneehighs-in-winter?" Pikachu mumbled out, probably sounding a little ruder than he intended in his moniker of teasing of affection. He was tired and grumpy. "Yeah, the heat's not her scene. Go for it."
Ash flicked his eyes between the two wide brimmed sun hats. White or yellow… He snatched the white one up, deciding it came close to matching the color of Dawn's dress.
Walking over to Dawn, he smiled weakly. "Ready!"
Dawn held up a small booklet as well as a few pamphlets. "I found a coupon book for a local amusement park! They've got special events on certain days and stuff! Plus, it's got local restaurants, too!"
"... They sell coupons in books?! They sell coupons?!" Ash asked, confused.
"Don't worry about it," Dawn answered with a wave. "Let's just go check out"
Dawn got out her wallet to pay for their purchases, and Ash spotted something small and bright yellow behind the counter. A sticker boasting what he could only assume was a low price for such a ware drew his eye even more. Ash put his hand on the counter, interrupting Dawn's purchase. He pointed towards the instrument, eyes gleaming.
"I want it."
Dawn looked back before balking. "Can you even play a ukulele? When did you learn to play a ukulele?!"
"Good eye!" the shopkeeper cheered, putting the instrument on the counter. He grinned. "It's an oldie, from back when Caitlin joined the Elite Four here!"
"... Wait, wait, Caitlin, as in…?" Dawn inquired.
"The one from Sinnoh, the well-off lady? Yep!"
Ash let out a low whistle. "Guess everyone's making progress." The thought should have made him excited; to spur him on to keep growing. Though in the moment, he could only stew on a more pessimistic question; was he even moving ahead, himself? Could he, at this rate?
It was a thought that went unvoiced, and unheard, as Dawn completed her purchase and handed Ash one of the bags. "C'mon. Let's go find Bertha's place. I think I need another nap."
With perhaps a ten minute walk, the group of four arrived at the high rise they'd been given the address to. After a short conversation with the lobby receptionist who recognized their names on a list the official resident had approved, they were given the spare key and allowed to go up.
To their amazement, the apartment was luxurious.
Dawn dropped her backpack off her shoulder, eyes drawn to the huge television. It was pitch black and thinner than Charizard's patience! Ash, meanwhile, walked over to the fridge and immediately grew disappointed when he saw it was empty except for a box of baking soda.
"Oh, wow, the master bedroom is super nice!" Dawn chirped as she entered it.
Rosa popped out of her Poké Ball, and stretched out with a yawn.
Empoleon had flopped onto the couch, as had Pikachu. The electric type was currently trying to figure out how to use the remote control.
"Oh, the bathroom is even nicer!" she cooed, drawing Ash's attention.
As he waltzed into the room, Dawn had practically sunk into the sheets, cooing. "It's so nice to be in a proper bed again, and not a cramped aisle… I'm ready to pass out!" After a beat, she muttered out what Ash could sparse as calling dibs on the bed.
The trainer frowned. "Well, where am I gonna sleep?"
"In the other bedroom, duh."
"Dawn."
"Hm?"
"There is no other bedroom."
"...Oh." Dawn reluctantly forced herself to sit upright. "Well, what about the couch?"
"Oh, great idea." Ash yawned. "It ain't perfect, but it'll…"
"...Ash?" Dawn asked, after a couple of moments of silence.
"Empoleon's dead asleep on the couch."
Indeed, the penguin had taken up the entire sofa, belly up. Pikachu sat on the sofa's arm with a bit of an irritable look. He didn't look like he'd be there long, either.
"That… figures," Dawn yawned. "Well, there's no moving him. C'mon."
"...Huh?" Ash stammered. "C'mon, what?"
"Well, we're obviously going to have to share," she retorted.
Ash nearly choked. "W-what!? Dawn, that's…"
"Well unless you feel like sleeping on the floor, I guess," Dawn replied.
"Not particularly," he deadpanned. "But, isn't that… weird? The two of us?" As new as he was to everything, even Ash was aware enough of the decorum surrounding… that.
"How? We napped together when we held out in that cave," Dawn countered. She, apparently, was not.
"Yeah, but that's…" Ash trailed off, frowning. He was tired, and not at all in the mood to deal with this, let alone explain it. "Yeah, whatever. I'm sure we can find enough room to get some shuteye." He wasn't in the mood to get into more comfortable clothing, either, so he settled on kicking off his shoes and his socks, before hesitantly sliding in and under the covers.
He could see why Dawn was so in love with it, though; the mattress was firm, but soft, and the pillows were heavenly; just cool enough to practically sink into. Maybe he could just turn over and make some room…
"Ow! Ash, you hit me with your elbow."
"Sorry," He apologized, shrinking into his side of the bed. "Hey! That's your foot…"
"Sorry, sorry… If you'd just move over a little more," Dawn grumbled.
"Dawn, I'm literally at the edge of the bed," he huffed. "If I move over anymore, I'll fall."
"You can't be serious. So am I!"
Sitting up, the duo was forced to recognize that this bed… definitely wasn't built for two.
"We have a problem," Dawn said. "And I'm not missing out on my beauty sleep."
"Like you need it," Ash replied.
"Cute, and thank you, but I'm not in the mood for flattery."
"If that's how you feel, we're really in trouble."
"No kidding," Dawn agreed, rather than taking offense. "C'mon, let's just huddle up."
"...Yeah, alright." Ash fought the burning in his cheeks. Since when did he get like this!? "I guess relationships are full of hurdles and what-not, huh." He rolled over towards his end of the bed and scooted closer.
"This is a pretty small hurdle," Dawn pointed out, scooting up and wrapping her arms around him. She nestled her chin into Ash's shoulder.
"Easy," he winced. "That's where my scar is. But… Yeah, hah, maybe you're right."
"I still have to ask you about.. that.. by the…" Dawn started to trail off, and didn't finish her sentence. With her gentle breath on the back of his neck, he could only assume that she'd nodded off, already.
This was… oddly nice, he figured, despite his rigid posture and burning cheeks. For the first time in days, he figured, he felt rather safe. He could get used to that. But, maybe not so much the Pikachu nestled into a pillow he wasn't using by his head, giving him a funny look.
"What."
"Oh, sorry. Am I embarrassing you?" Pikachu snorted. An answer Ash blinked at, before the possibility struck him that, after the Buneary incident in Celadon, Pikachu was being petty.
"Now, you know if the shoe was on the other paw, I'd be Thunderbolted by now." Ash answered, and immediately felt cold, rather than warm, when he realized his faux pas. He could see the horror on Pikachu's face, and he was awfully sure it had nothing to do with Buneary.
"That's…"
"I know," Ash squeaked out. "Sorry."
The mouse shook his head, closing his eyes. "You didn't mean it. Let's get some shuteye."
"Sounds good, Buddy."
Was such a feeling of tunnel vision natural? A complete, acute focus on the blue wisps of flame coming his way, to the point where everything in its peripheral was a dead gray. A Thunderbolt tore them asunder, though the dark violet ghoul set in his crosshairs vanished.
Despite that laser focus, his acute hearing served him. His ear perked at a ghostly wail behind him, and his body swerved at that split second. For that long, he saw the terror in Mismagius's eyes. Something in him screamed for his body to stop moving, but it didn't happen. His iron-coated tail cracked into the back of her head, and pinned her beneath the rubble.
When the dust cleared, and she laid motionless, the part that didn't feel any pity won out over the part that did.
Why?
Ariana's cackling and boasting echoed in his ears, and reinforced the former.
Because they were weak.
A chasm opened below him, dooming him to falling Mew knew how deep. A nasty attack, coming from such a soft trainer. Pikachu felt furious; insulted that he thought he'd fall to that. His heart hammered in his ears; adrenaline fueling every precise action that followed. Clinging to a falling rock, he sprang to the next elevation with pinpoint precision. Several more mad dashes later, and he found himself airborne.
The fiery ambush was no match for him; not when he poured out every ounce of electricity his body could muster. It was so much leaving his cheeks at once; too much. He felt his muscles and pouches burning, even as Fire Blast was overtaken. Why couldn't he stop? Why wouldn't he? Somehow, he wasn't satisfied until the snapping of electricity, scorched fur, and pained bellowing hit his hyper focused senses.
In a scene that both disturbed and sated him at once, somehow, Tauros fell over, unconscious.
Next, his skull was buried in Pidgeot's side. Aerial clashes with her pushed his body to the brink; every breath was in a hurry; he couldn't get oxygen into his lungs quickly enough, yet he couldn't stop. Not now, and not when his Iron Tail smashed into her wings over, and over, and over.
When would it stop? When would his lungs stop burning? When would he stop beating his own friend relentlessly!?
Not until she laid in a charred heap. Not until he saw the light leave that boy's eyes; he could see his will to fight beginning to waver. He couldn't offer any rebuttal to the claims that he'd never make Pikachu strong, his way. All he could do is put one more body between himself and Pikachu.
A body…?
What was wrong with him!? Why was he thinking this way, and how could he stop!?
When the next, gargantuan, and yet so flimsy looking foe was unresponsive to his lightning, he recalled; Ground-types were immune to his Thunderbolt. Torterra wouldn't be hurt by that…
Ash knew this. He trusted Torterra to fight him.
It was a brief moment of lucidity that brought out his sentimentality for both, but it didn't last. The succeeding moments were a blur, and he felt his tail cracking Torterra's shell. Burying them in debris.
Prey so easily toppled wasn't very fun. But, the tortoise was out of the picture, anyway, leaving a defeated young man… a lost child in its wake. He looked so helpless. So alone.
"Please, Pikachu… I'm out of options. You have to listen to me!"
"Listen to a weakling with no answers… I'd never!"
In the deepest pits of his heart, he cried out in sympathy, but bitter resentment drowned out what he wanted to say. It was like every time he tried to open his mouth, he choked on the air.
"It's me, Pikachu… Your best friend, Ash. You don't wanna be here, I know you don't!"
"I have no best friend!" He wanted to take that back. He so badly did, but he could only find himself doubling down. "I want nothing to do with someone so feeble!" He threw himself at Ash. Battering the child's sternum with all of his weight and momentum. "Definitely not a human who's ALWAYS come short!"
It was hard to tell, in the pounding adrenaline, guilt, and anger, whether his words had ended in that lost human slumping over, and telling him to end it. He was so sure it had, and he wanted to sprint into his arms and sob. To protect him. To end him. To leave this place with him.
"Just come and get me."
"Someone this weak would NEVER be a Pokémon Master!" He shrieked, cheeks crackling with heat, despite every synapse of his screaming at him to stop. Even through snaps of gold, he could see him. Ash no longer flinched at his words. His face looked pale, and cold. Eyes devoid of the fire that always raged within them. Maybe he could hear Pikachu. Maybe that was why they looked so, so glassy. "And now you never will be."
Lightning coursed through his body, and fired at the despondent soul. It was the last thing Pikachu saw, before . . .
"Pikapi!" Pikachu shrieked, jolting out of a restless sleep.
The shout rattled Ash and Dawn out of their slumber, too, both of them jolting up. Empoleon and Rosa were awoken as well, from the other end of the suite.
"Pikachu!" Ash wrangled his way out of Dawn's arms, sitting up in front of his partner. "Buddy, what's wrong?"
Pikachu took deep, panicked breaths. His fur was drenched with sweat, and his heart was still pounding in his chest. Beady eyes darted about the room. A crack of sunlight leaked through teal curtains, and the cushiony interior replaced cool tiles and smoldering wreckage.
He was no longer in that wretched base. It felt like he'd just surfaced from deep waters on the verge of suffocating, and he was flailing for safe footing. An anchor to the here and now. Beady eyes darted until they landed on… Ash. His trainer sat before him, his face struck with worry.
"Ash!" He dove into his arms, and buried his face in his chest. He clung to his button-up, trembling.
"Buddy…" Ash bit his swollen lip, and pulled Pikachu into his chest. "It's okay, Pikachu… I'm here."
Dawn frowned, rubbing sleepily at her eye. "Poor Pikachu… What even happened?"
"I don't know," Ash replied. All he could do was stroke his fur.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…!" Pikachu shook and sobbed. "I never…!"
The guilt practically leaking into Ash's conscience hurt. He could practically feel his regret, for god knew what. "Pikachu… Relax. It's okay. It's okay… I'm here. We're all here for you."
The mechanical click of a Poké Ball could be heard from the other end of the room. A light materialized from Dawn's bag in the form of her Buneary. She hopped onto the bed, hovering near Ash. Hearing Pikachu's cries, she'd worried.
Seeing the pain on his face, her heart ached. "Buneary…"
Pikachu's ear twitched. Pulling back from Ash, he looked around him to take in his surroundings again. Ash and Dawn. Empoleon, Rosa, Buneary. He was surrounded by people he loved. None looked to be hurt, beyond the few bandages Ash still sported, and a slowly fading green bruise on his jaw.
That injury made it hard for him to look at his trainer, actually. Looking at him at all felt too similar to what he'd just seen. He threw himself into Buneary's arms, instead. He felt the warmth and softness of her ears around him, and his trembling slowly subsided.
"Bun-eary," she soothed.
"...I think he had a bad dream," Ash concluded. "He kept saying he was sorry to me."
"It must've been what happened recently." Dawn furrowed her brow, fists digging into the sheets. The pain he'd been put through was inexcusable.
"Damn it," Ash hissed under his breath. "I said something about it, before we fell asleep… I'm sorry, Pikachu. I really am."
Pikachu shook his head, but declined to answer.
"There's no use in either of you beating yourselves up," Dawn said, frowning. Neither of them responded. She held a fingertip to her lips in thought. "Maybe we could use a change in scenery. Sitting here moping isn't going to be good for either of you."
"I guess that's a good idea," Ash ceded. "Pikachu, what do you think? Wanna go out and get some sunshine?"
"Neary," Buneary soothed, using her ears to set Pikachu back upright. She seemed to agree.
"Pika…" Pikachu wiped at his eyes. He didn't want to think about this anymore, nor did he want to give it any more attention. "Yeah, that sounds great. We haven't had the chance to see Nimbasa yet, at all."
Ash cocked a brow. He'd taken to the idea so quickly. But, he wouldn't look a gift Ponyta in the mouth. "Alright. C'mon, everyone. Let's open the blinds and get ready for a few hours out on the town. I know it's been rough, but today's a new day."
Empoleon took to using a light foam to give Pikachu's fur a gloss to polish him, after seeing the sorry state he was in. Looking his best friend over, he groomed his fur with a few swipes and preens. It seemed to put the mouse at ease a little.
"Leave it to Empoleon to freshen things up," Dawn smiled softly. It was nice to see, at least, that everyone was chipping in to make Pikachu feel better. "While we're on the subject, I'm going to take a quick shower and freshen up. I'm not letting Unova see me with bed head, especially in the middle of the day."
Ash snorted. "Oh, yeah. You didn't have anything to say about us seeing it," he pointed out.
"I accepted you seeing it a while ago, when I found out you and Rosa wake up early," she replied. "But Unova's not going to. If you hurry up, Rosa, I'll brush your fur before I step in!"
The Lucario had been sitting on the edge of the bed, paws on her knees. Her eyes lingered to Dawn, and then back to Ash, her trainer noticed. She got up without acknowledging this. ~Yeah, alright, Ma.~
Even as the mood lightened, Ash hummed to himself. He didn't want to be a pessimist, but he felt like today was going to be just a bit of an odd day.
A large, colorful Ferris Wheel towered over Nimbasa's skyline, catching the eyes of the tourists that it dwarfed so many times over..
"That's gotta be the biggest Ferris Wheel I've ever seen," Ash remarked, wide eyes fixated on the turning carts that looked miniscule from the ground. "I kinda wanna see the view at the top."
"That sounds great," Dawn interrupted, "but look at the line! It'd take an hour to get on that thing." Dawn gestured to the crowd in front of them, lined up in a barricade that forced passersby to slip through if they wanted to move past the spinning attraction.
"Man, you're right," Ash agreed, deflated. "Bummer… Hey, there's that thing!" He pointed in another direction. "The, uh…. What's it called?"
"A carousel!" Dawn chimed. "What do you guys think?"
"Pi," Pikachu said noncommittally.
"Empol!"
"Pikachu says sure," Ash relayed. Frowning at his partner's indifference, he reached to scratch his partner's chin. "C'mon, Buddy. It'll be fun."
Though Pikachu didn't pull away, the fact that he didn't lean into Ash's fingers as he usually did felt incredibly unusual. He continued for the moment, but pulled away. He didn't want to infringe on his partner's space.
After a surprisingly short wait in a line filled mostly with young children with their parents, the occasional couples, and several children about right for the age to be beginning their journeys, our heroes made their way onto the massive ride. Decorative statues of various pokemon known the world over for their prowess as beasts of burden stood in an array of poses; some were mid-stride of a gallop and others had a leisurely walking stance.
Pikachu spotted a Rapidash and found an odd solace in it. He found the slick, smooth surface of it too difficult for him to get a hold of and instead sat on the bench behind it. Likewise, Empoleon could tell by one look that he wouldn't fit on top. Perhaps a bit jealous of the small children still able to enjoy the ride, he took a seat beside Pikachu on the bench that might have passed for a sleigh if it were properly equipped.
"Well, guess we know where we're ridin'," Ash joked. "I want this guy!" He hopped upon the back of the white and black pokemon. It looked a bit similar to Rapidash, but sported a golden saddle with a similarly colored bridle. "I dunno what it is, but it looks snazzy! Maybe it's an Electric-type? It's sure got some thunderbolt lookin' horns on its head."
"Sure looks like it!" Dawn agreed, sitting on the back of the Rapidash beside Ash, careful to keep both of her legs on one side. She missed her shorts and her skirt even more. Moving about in long dresses was cumbersome, off the Contest stage…
But, soon, the ride started and the group found that they enjoyed it. The ride wasn't exciting, but the gentle rises and dips of the carousel were a little fun, in their own right.
After that, they browsed the park.
For a while, Dawn and Ash relaxed in the nearby shade of a small grove surrounding a splash zone. Empoleon played with the young children who shrieked and giggled at the sight of such a huge and friendly foreign pokemon.
After that, they went to the carnival booths. There, Dawn won herself a very pretty but plastic toy crown from a weight guessing game. The poor attendant had no chance! Dawn's waist was very tiny, but her legs were strong as heavy as a traveling trainer's ought to be; there was no way he could have guessed she was so much heavier than she really looked, not with her sundress!
She had no earthly idea what she'd do with it, as contests only rarely involved accessorizing, and basically never did in Kanto. But, it'd make a nice souvenir.
The next winning game was with Ash and Empoleon. The two competed as a team while Dawn and Pikachu watched. With Ash's excellent coaching and Empoleon's proud eagerness to win driving them, the duo absolutely bested their competition at a water based shooting game. The prize was a coupon for a handsomely discounted meal at a novelty restaurant at the park.
"'Princess and the Croagunk?'" Ash frowned, looking at the coupon. "I thought this was for a restaurant, not a movie."
"It is for a restaurant," Dawn pointed out. "It's a Unovan movie based on a Kalosian fairytale. It must be one of those novelty restaurants you hear about at theme parks!"
"I hope they're not expecting us to eat Croagunks, there!" Ash blanched. He suddenly dearly missed Ernie's shack.
"What? No!" Dawn scoffed. "The Croagunk is one of the protagonists, Ash. They'd never!"
"Protaga-whats?"
"It means the hero. The main character," she explained. The irony of the conversation was lost on them both. "Ash, they went over this in school." She blinked, remembering who she was talking to. "...Never mind. I'm getting hungry, anyway; we haven't eaten since snacking on the airplane. What do you say?"
"Yeah, I'm with you," Ash agreed. "Pikachu? Empoleon?"
Empoleon squawked excitedly, while Pikachu just nodded along. It was settled.
As it turned out, this café was an outdoor one, with a kiosk set up much like many of the other food stands in the park, if not more finely decorated and properly staffed. The occasional statue resembling the titular Croagunk or Princess decorated the area, showtunes played on speakers nearby, and the service workers were dressed up like what Ash assumed to be the villain.
"What gave it away, the cane, or the top hat with a skull on it?" Pikachu drolled, clearly in tune with Ash, at least for the moment. Ash smiled, appreciating his efforts. He ruffled his head.
"Well, you know kid's shows & movies. They have to make the villain obvious." But, he wasn't in any mood to dwell on villains, today. He stepped up to the booth with Dawn. "So, I guess we order here, or…?"
"Just leave your hopes and wishes with us, and we'll deliver!" The cashier delivered with practiced enthusiasm. "Be careful, though. It may come with a price… a modest one!"
"Cheap food at a theme park?" Ash grinned, nudging Dawn with his elbow. "That might actually be a dream come true." But, knowing his partner's mood, he turned to him, first. "Whatcha want, buddy?"
The mouse, for his part, looked at the tables. "Cha~!" He spotted ketchup bottles - lots of them! Spicy ketchup, sweet ketchup, and even ketchup with fruits or vegetables in them. He looked to the menu, spotting a simple order of fries. "Chu! Chuchu!"
"You're gonna have some fries with your ketchup, huh?" Ash asked, not entirely joking. "Right! I'm gonna have… Oh, boy, a chili dog! And… What the heck is a corn chip pie?" He tilted his head. "It's got chili, cheese, and corn chips…" He shrugged. "Nachos, kinda?"
"I don't know, but it sounds delicious!" Dawn's eyes sparkled. "I'd love to try some Unovan gourmet… I'll have an order of that, please!"
"Does that sound like gourmet?" Ash asked. "Come to think of it, all of this sounds more like fast food than anything dreamy."
"Wellll, it's the spirit of your surroundings that counts~!" The cashier chimed with a plastered-on customer service grin that said 'can these teenagers stop picking apart a children's product and sit down.'
"Pol!" Empoleon pointed towards a photograph of fishsticks plastered beside the menu..
"Right! And an order of fishsticks, please!" Dawn tagged on. "Oh, and there's even an option to take care of our entire teams…! Will there even be room?"
"There's a place for the Pokémon over there," Ash gestured a thumb to a clearing not too far off from the tables and benches scattered about. Other trainers' Pokémon ate together in peace; many Pokémon the group didn't recognize. "We'll take the full Pokémon course! Two teams!'
With their orders submitted, the group released their resting teams of five each in the area designated for Pokémon. Rosa, Mismagius, Pidgeot, Tauros, Torterra, Buneary, Pachirisu, Togekiss, Typhlosion, and Absol all appeared in a group.
The group was greeted to plenty of Pokémon they'd never seen, and the same seemed to be true in reverse. A rather rotund pig with patterns of orange and black walked over, introducing himself to Typhlosion. He expelled flames from his nostrils, showing off.
Ash pointed his Pokédex at the newcomer.
"Pignite: The Fire Pig Pokémon. The evolved form of Tepig. Whatever it eats becomes fuel for the flame in its stomach. When it is angered, the intensity of the flame increases."
Typhlosion took to them quickly, and the teams of Pokémon started to mingle. Empoleon, quick to be the center of attention at all times, wandered in to socialize with the rest.
"Mis! Mismag~!" Mismagius floated to the forefront of the group, circling Ash and Pikachu. Stopping before the latter, she chirped and nodded towards the group. "Mismagius!"
"Pi…" Pikachu frowned, unresponsive beyond that chirp.
"Hey, Buddy," Ash coaxed. "I think they want you to go along with them!"
The mouse met Mismagius' eyes. Something in him made him recoil, and he shook his head.
Ash frowned. "Buddy…"
"Pikachu!" Pikachu snapped, making both Ash and Mismagius flinch.
"...C'mon. Sorry, guys. Pikachu's gonna eat with us." Ash reached, patting the top of the ghost's witch hat. Hiding the light of his eyes beneath his visor, he retreated to the table they'd picked out.
"...Ash? What was that about?" Dawn prodded, sitting across from them.
"Don't worry about it," he said curtly. The times that he had any sort of spat with Pikachu were rather rare, but they rarely left him in a chatty mood. "He's just… having a rough week. You know how it is."
The coordinator furrowed her brow. "Hey, after we eat, let's go do something else! I was looking at the brochures for the park and I saw a court we could check out!"
":
Leaning his cheek into his palm, Ash looked at Dawn, puzzled. "A court?"
The Small Court. A multi-tiered dome with a closed ceiling and a golden, rounded top. Grand arches looped around the roof's second tier. By no means was it small, in its own right, but the nearby Big Stadium might've justified the name.
There were no professional athletes to watch at work in the Small Court, they found; it was a recreational facility open to the public, where trainers and their Pokémon could sign up to occupy one of the tennis courts for half-hour or hour intervals.
In a city as buzzing as Nimbasa, they'd feared there would be a long wait. But, after their time spent napping, eating, and exploring the park, the sun was beginning to set on Nimbasa, and the court's activity was dwindling. Ash and Dawn were able to secure a court, right away!
Unfortunately, it was just one, so Ash and Dawn would sit it out and watch their Pokémon play.
"Alright. We have rackets! Just enough for you guys to play doubles." Ash held two tennis rackets in each hand. "Uh… how many of you guys'll even use rackets?" Could any of them even hold one in the first place?
Buneary hopped forth to take a racket from him, holding it with her ears. It was comically even larger than she was, but that was no issue, with her dexterity. "Bun!"
Typhlosion was next, claiming one for herself. "Phlo!"
~I can!~ Rosa was next, taking one into her hands. She inspected the racket, finding the object totally foreign. She swung it around experimentally.
"Well, I guess that's everyone who can hold one," Ash said. He'd spoken too soon, as the racket floated out of his hand, and was wielded telekinetically by Mismagius.
"Mag~!" She chanted, letting the racket orbit her with Psychic.
"Or, maybe not," Ash deadpanned.
~Wait, wait! We don't even know how to play this!~ Rosa said, frowning. A chorus of agreement came from the other Pokémon.
"Oh, yeah. I guess we've never played tennis with you guys, have we." Ash folded his arms.
"Hey, it's a lot like Pokémon Ping Pong, right?" Dawn suggested. "I think the rules are almost the same!"
"Hey, yeah!" Ash snapped his fingers. Here, he saw a great opportunity. "Ambipom may not be with us right now, but Pikachu played alongside me. Why don't you explain the rules, Buddy?" He winked at his partner, petting his cheek.
As reclusive as Pikachu had been, this was a good chance for him to break the ice.
Pikachu sighed. His trainer had him, this time. While he knew Ash was trying to help, he couldn't help like he'd been cornered. But, he was cornered, especially looking at the expectant smiles on the group's faces. "Alright." He relented, hopping down to stand before the gathering of Pokémon.
"...So, Ash said we were playing doubles! Naturally, that means two Pokémon on each team," Pikachu started, laughing nervously. Arceus, that sounded too obvious. "So, two will stand on each side of the net, whether you have a racket or not."
"And what do we do, if we don't have a racket?" Pidgeot asked, tilting her head.
"Oh, that's… easy," Pikachu trailed off. "You can…" He was losing his train of thought quickly. Meeting Pidgeot's eyes was terribly uncomfortable, all of the sudden. Her pained, strained squawk played over in his memory; he could almost feel his skull crashing into her ribs.
Her eyes had been wide and vexed; her expression futile in the face of defeat, before lightning charred her. How could they look so chipper and bold, looking right at him? He felt wretched.
"...Pikachu," she said, her voice gaining an air of sternness that startled him. "You're breathing heavily."
"I-I am!?" Pikachu sputtered out. "Well, sorry, I…"
"Ohh, he probably just forgets the rules! Don't mind him." He felt Empoleon's cold wing patting his back. "You can take it easy, Pikachu. You've got a Pokémon Ping Pong Champion on your hands! I practiced with Barry and Kenny's Empoleon, plenty, back in the day."
"Didn'tchajustwatch?" Pachirisu pointed out.
"Ahem! I strategized with them. Don't underestimate—"
Pikachu tuned out the conversation from there, feeling grateful for his close friend. Whether he was keen to Pikachu's stress or simply proud, he couldn't be sure, but he'd take the opportunity to walk back to Ash and Dawn, in any case. and excuse himself from the situation.
Buneary watched him head off, with her paw to her muzzle. He didn't board Ash's shoulder, either, choosing to sit down beside his seat. He went to great lengths to avoid eye contact.
Ash, for his part, wasn't sure why. Was Pikachu angry with him for pushing him too early? "Hey, it's good, Buddy… You tried."
"It seems like Empoleon has it under control," Dawn added. The penguin was gesturing with such confidence and charisma that they likely didn't have to worry.
"Yeah," Ash agreed, watching the group. It was only then, though, trying to distract himself from Pikachu, that he noticed a bit of a problem. "Uh, hey, Tauros! Torterra!"
The two large Pokémon looked over, bringing a halt to Empoleon's lesson.
"I'm afraid you guys might have to sit this one out. Sorry." Ash smiled apologetically. As quadrupeds without much agility to work with, playing tennis sounded impossible. "You wanna come hang out with me instead?"
Tauros hung his head, snorting heavily. Agreeing with Ash, he trudged over, sitting beside his trainer. Ash smiled sympathetically, patting the bull's back.
"Terra!" Torterra, however, cried back. He hadn't moved away from the group at all.
"Torterra?" Ash asked. "Are you sure…? I'm not sure how-"
"Torterra!" The Pokémon argued back, stomping his way onto the field. He seemed determined to prove his trainer wrong. He took one of the corners of the court, and cried back for the others to join him.
Rosa joined Torterra on his side of the court, while Typhlosion and Pachirisu took the other half. Buneary, despite holding a racket, still seemed transfixed on Pikachu, missing her chance to volunteer.
"It looks like he really wants to try it," Dawn said, watching the Pokémon arrange the game. Rosa was set to serve, it seemed, as the most dexterous of the group.
Ash didn't say anything, choosing just to watch.
The Lucario tossed the tennis ball high, eyes glued to the object as it came back down. Using her best timing, she swung . . . only for it to miss. The tennis ball bounced off the court floor, and a heavily blushing Lucario swung a second time, sending it over the net!
Typhlosion clumsily swung her racket, but missed. The first point went to Rosa and Torterra!
Per Empoleon's coordination, Pachirisu was up next to serve. Without a racket, she simply tossed the tennis ball and spiked it with her tail. This shot went way out of Rosa's path, headed right for Torterra!
~I'm not gonna make it!~ Rosa exclaimed, diving for the spike in vain. The point was all but lost.
Tough claws dug into the court's surface. A rumbling roar uprooted solid ground, taking the shape of a vertical wall. Rock Climb had obstructed the tennis ball, sending it bouncing back
the way of Typhlosion!
Ash gasped, leaning up and out of his seat. "He can use Rock Climb like that!?"
The competition continued, as Typhlosion returned the shot. This time, Rosa was able to follow-up and parry it. By the time Rock Climb reverted into the court, Pachirisu smacked it back again. Torterra stomped with his opposite foreleg, raising another slab of rock. The ball bounced off it, spiking back to the other side of the court. Although Typhlosion swung, it bounced out of bounds.
Torterra and Rosa cheered, exchanging congratulations.
"That was incredible!" Dawn cheered, clapping her hands together. "I had no idea Torterra could do that!"
"Yeah…"
"Ash?" Dawn asked, put off by his lack of enthusiasm. "Is something wrong?"
"No, it's great! I mean…" Ash grumbled, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. They felt jumbled, and it was becoming hard to pin down why. "...I'm happy for him, that was amazing. I'm just… I had no idea he could use Rock Climb that way. And, and he tried to tell me, but I didn't believe in him… that's not like me!"
"Ash," Dawn frowned, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You're spinning this into something it isn't. Are you feeling okay?"
Ash sighed, leaning back into his seat. A part of him knew Dawn was right. "Sorry. I know I'm acting funny. I just feel like I'm not doing a good job understanding Torterra. Just like I haven't been doing a good job understanding Pikachu."
Down at Ash's feet, Pikachu flinched. Without so much as another word or sound, he sprinted off towards the exit to the court. There were cries for him to stop, but he tuned them out.
"Pikachu!" Ash was among them, leaping out of his chair, and over Tauros.
"Ash!" Dawn called out.
"Just wait here," he called back to her, sprinting out the sliding door to the court. "I'll be back!"
Pikachu was fast as ever, and this was one of the very few times Ash wished he wasn't, as he slid out of the recreational room, sneakers squeaking as they slid across tiled flooring. "C'mon. Even he couldn't have gotten too far, already!"
He hadn't. The faint 'pui-pui' of Pikachu's flighty feet that Ash knew so well sounded faintly; increasingly so. "There you are," Ash muttered to himself, and gave chase.
Following Pikachu resulted in a chase around Nimbasa. A cycle of chasing his partner and losing sight of him, due to his superior speed. Whenever that happened, Ash would stop to feel for his Aura, which in a city as crowded as this one, was a nightmare. Whenever he got lucky enough to spot the outline of a jagged tail or a pointed ear, he sprinted for his partner, again.
Luckily, unlike his trainer, Pikachu didn't seem to be running away from Ash in particular. Or, at least, he didn't have a built in sense to let him know where his trainer was.
That eventually led Ash to Nimbasa's largest and flashiest attraction; the Ferris Wheel. With daylight waning and the attraction currently turning, there was no line. Not much of an audience, luckily, when Ash found Pikachu sitting in the shade of the contraption.
He came to a halt, panting with his hands on his knees. His lungs ached, and he felt like he'd run around half the city. "I… finally found you…"
The mouse frowned, looking off. Avoiding his stubborn trainer didn't seem to be an option.
"Look, Pikachu…" Ash started, still catching his breath. "I'm sorry. I've been pushing you and screwing up all day-"
"Would you stop that!?" Pikachu snapped.
Ash flinched. "Stop what!?"
"That! You're… you're doing that, again."
"What is that? You're not making sense."
Pikachu fiddled with his paws, trying to piece his thoughts together. "I told you to stop, when you found me. Acting like you're behind everything. You didn't hurt anyone, I did!"
"Hurting everyone…?" Ash frowned, crouching down closer to his partner's level. "Pikachu, what the hell are you talking about?"
"Pardon me for intruding," a third voice spoke, startling the two. "I'm quite surprised to meet someone else who understands the hearts of Pokémon. You're the first I've met. Although, it seems that there's still an obstacle between the two of you."
A young man had inserted himself into the conversation. Rather tall; maybe just a bit more than Delia, with long, wild green hair held down by a black and white cap, his mane tied into a ponytail. He wore a white jacket over a black shirt, and several peculiar pieces of jewelry. Rambling at a mile a minute, he looked upon Pikachu with kind, blue eyes.
"What… who are you?" Ash stammered out. The man ignored him, crouching before his partner.
"Sorry, friend," he apologized to Pikachu, completely ignoring Ash. "May I ask you what's troubling you? Your thoughts seem complicated; too complicated for a Pokémon."
Pikachu felt that he definitely should've felt insulted by that remark, but somehow, he wasn't. Somehow, the peculiar stranger heard him. He felt an odd sense of innocence from them, like they cared.
"...I was forced to hurt my friends, not long ago. I was made to beat them down, badly. Now, whenever I look them in the eyes, and whenever they speak to me, it all just comes rushing back to me," Pikachu explained. Fresh tears dotted his beady eyes, as the guilt he'd been bottling started to spill. "I feel horrible."
"...I see." The man's expression was unreadable. His gaze, now far more steely than kind, turned on Ash. "This is your trainer, yes? He made you hurt your fellow Pokémon?"
"What!?" Ash snapped, hands balling up into fists. Before his fury could bubble over, though, he very quickly remembered the part he had played in it all. He avoided the stranger's eyes. "I…"
"No!" Pikachu denied, shaking his head. "No, he didn't. Ash would never do anything to hurt me. He's my best friend. And, that's been part of the problem," he went on, looking back at Ash. "He's been doing his best, even when I've felt too sick to say anything and explain it to him! I feel like a stubborn jerk who's been hurting everyone around me, and I don't know what to do about it!"
"...I see. Then he played no part in your suffering. It stands to reason that a trainer that rare would be able to hear the heart of his Pokémon." Before Ash or Pikachu could decipher that any further, he returned his attention to Pikachu, and reached to gently pet his head.
Pikachu felt soothed at the touch, somehow, and leaned into it.
"I suggest that you speak to your fellow Pokémon with an open heart. Unlike humans, Pokémon will always act in a way that's congruent with their nature. Even if this 'Ash' isn't the culprit… you have been tainted by human ways of thinking, in some form or another." The man tutted, disappointed. Nonetheless, he smiled. "Your friends will understand your genuine feelings."
"...I guess they would," Pikachu relented, sighing. "We've known each other for a long time. They'd want to know if I was feeling this tense around them."
"I agree," Ash said. "All of them would understand. It's been a rough week for all of us, but you're our friend. We care about you, Buddy. But, that aside…" He turned to their guest. Eyes wide with confusion and curiosity. "I'm surprised you can understand Pikachu, too… none of our other friends — human friends — can do that! No matter how long they've known him. And you just waltzed in here."
Their guest smiled. "The hearts of Pokémon are easy enough to grasp, for someone who understands how they feel. I see that you can hear Pikachu's… have you tried listening closely to your other Pokémon, as well?"
"I…" Ash opened his mouth, but only then did he realize how much something so vital had slipped his mind. "...I haven't. I started understanding Pikachu in the middle of all this mess, and it's been so insane, and hurtful that I just… haven't gotten around to it. I guess I'm a little afraid, whether it'll even work."
After all, he'd only barely succeeded in this business with Pikachu in the most dire of moments. What if he couldn't hear the others at all? What would that mean for them?
"Then I suggest you take to heart what I've said already of Pokémon; those doubts and inhibitions cloud your mind and your heart. I think you should have a nice, long talk together, and hear each other's concerns." His thumb brushed over Pikachu's fur once more, before the stranger stood to take his leave. "I wish you the best with your friends, trainer. You as well, Pikachu."
"Oh… Yeah. Thank you. That is great advice, actually." Ash watched the man leave, somewhat awestruck. He'd broken it down all so simply. Such a wise guy, and he understood Pikachu? "Hey, wait!" Ash called out.
The green-haired man stopped. "Yes?"
"I really appreciate you helping out Pikachu. What's your name?"
"My name…?" The stranger shook his head, and chose to remain just that, walking on. "I'm just a traveler."
Ash and Pikachu watched this 'traveler' leave with his backs to them, before disappearing into what remained of the park's crowd. The two exchanged a look, as if to silently share the same train of thought.
"...So. That was weird, huh?" Ash forced a laugh.
"Extremely," Pikachu agreed. "But, I… can't help but feel like he's right. I'm sorry, Ash."
"Hey, none of that," Ash replied before Pikachu could get started.
"I don't want to hear you blaming yourself, either!" Pikachu huffed. "you heard me."
Ash gently ruffled the top of Pikachu's head, smiling. "Yeah, I did. So, let's ditch the blame game. But… apology accepted. Let's go back to the court so you can talk to the others, huh?"
A small squeak of joy slipped out, and Pikachu scampered to climb atop Ash's shoulder. His trainer stood upright, and he leaned into his cheek. "Yeah, that sounds good. But I'm going to need you along with me."
"You think I'd have it any other way?"
The walk back was a brisk, comfortable pace, compared to the earlier scramble. It allowed Ash and Pikachu to enjoy the relative silence and each other's company. With the setting sun and brisk breeze of the oncoming evening, it was easy on their spirits.
Or maybe, they felt just a bit lighter.
No matter which was the case, they returned to the Small Court, and immediately drew the attention of their peers.
"Ash! Pikachu!" Dawn exclaimed, running over to greet the duo. "You're back."
"Yeah," Ash replied, winking at her. "...Hey, do you mind if we have a talk for a minute? Me and the Pokémon," he explained, gesturing to the ensemble that was coming together by the tennis court. The group was clearly showing a great deal of restraint, eyeing Pikachu with concern and confusion.
"Huh? Yeah, sure." Dawn agreed, stepping back. She was out of the loop, but that was hardly the priority. "Do what you have to."
"Guys?" Ash walked up to the assembled Pokémon, crouching down. "Pikachu has something he needs to talk to you about. Can you hear him out?"
The group agreed in a chorus, predictably!
"Alright. Be strong, Buddy." Ash placed his partner down in front of him, patting his back. "This is your job, but I'm right here with you."
"Thanks, Ash." Pikachu took a deep breath and stepped forward. "I owe an apology to all of you, today… some of you, especially." His gaze drifted from Dawn's Pokémon, who merely expressed their concern, to Rosa, who had his own anxiety written all over her face, to his fellow teammates, who he couldn't yet bring himself to look in the eye. "...Man, this is hard."
"Hey, it's okay." Buneary stepped forth, patting his shoulder with her ear. "Of course it's hard. We just rescued you, you goof. We don't expect you to be perfect!"
"...Eheh, yeah." A red flush filled his cheeks, out of embarrassment, more than anything. Buneary was right. He gave her paw a squeeze, and gathered himself. "You're right. You all did help me that day. Everyone. I guess it's been hard to look at it that way, after everything I did to you."
"Did to us!?" Mismagius exclaimed, orbiting him. "Surely, you jest!"
"That demon I saw, that night… that was not Pikachu," Torterra grumbled. Pikachu winced, which Pidgeot caught onto.
"You're not helping," she chided, tapping him with her wing. Her strong, motherly gaze fell on Pikachu. "But, he is right. You were a shell for whatever rotten gadgets they forced upon you. They had your might, but not your will."
"But I was there!" Pikachu belted out. Surprise and confusion was written across his peers' faces. "I… I could see it happening. I wasn't myself, but I heard it, and saw it all. It made me a monster. When I look at some of you, I…" He pawed at his wettening eyes. "...I feel like I'm there, again."
He felt a strong nudge against his cheek while he was guarding his eyes. It was cold and wet. "Well, then, you just gotta keep lookin' at us." It was the gruff voice of Tauros, who'd nudged him with his nose. "Break on through, 'till all the memories you have are new ones."
"How fitting for a Tauros," Typhlosion quipped.
"Hey, it ain't steered me wrong yet," he rebutted.
"My experiences with you may be slim," Mismagius interjected, floating over and around Pikachu, as if to take in a presence she was still getting to know. "But to call such a foul performance a closing act for our camaraderie… Not a single rotten Tamato berry would be wasted on that foul act, I say! The show must go on!"
"...Jeez, yeah." Pikachu laughed weakly. A little self-deprecatingly, still. "It would be pretty stupid to avoid you guys forever, on that note, wouldn't it?"
"Of course it would! A performance panned by all critics, from Kanto, to Sinnoh, to Unova!" Empoleon squawked, reaching to pick up Pikachu and hug him within his wings. "The tale of Ash's Pikachu will be one of success! One of the very best! And we won't accept anything less!"
"C'mon," Pikachu laughed, feeling quite suffocated. But, at least this time, it was with warmth. "Talk about being dramatic!"
"Dramatic, maybe," Pidgeot trilled. Pikachu could see her, once he wiggled out of his friend's wings. "But deserved. I've known you since our early days, Pikachu. You're kinder than anything I saw that day, and stronger than the worst Thunderbolt I felt. I'd never accept your surrender."
"More like, we'd never!" Torterra roared. "It's cool if you feel guilty… We can't help that. But, just remember. We're made of tough stuff, too. We'll walk off a lil' beating, you got it?"
"...I got it." Pikachu smiled, once more drying his eyes. It was in vain, as he started to sob some more. But, these were tears of happiness. "You guys are such great friends…! Not just my team, but all of you!" Of course, that meant Dawn's. "Without you, I wouldn't…"
"Let's skip the hypotheticals, shall we?" Togekiss cooed, cutting that upsetting thought short. "We were there because we're all a team, just as we're here, now for the very same reason."
~We won!~ Rosa belted. ~We went there to rescue you, and we did. Just like you saved Papa and I from the Game Corner.~
"We love you, hotshot," Typhlosion grunted. "It ain't just one of us, over here." Her foot nudged Buneary, bringing a strong streak of red to both lagomorphs' faces.
"Typhlosion!" They both complained.
"No prudence for such a fragile moment?" Absol scoffed at the Fire-type.
"It lightened the mood," she defended.
"Better he's red in the face than blue!" Pachirisu chittered, laughing.
Pikachu snorted, shaking his head. "You've got me there. Anyway…! Thank you, so much. All of you. I'll try to be more honest with everyone, from now on."
It was a scene that could only be described as heartwarming, on all fronts. A helping hand extended by the mysterious stranger had emboldened Pikachu to do the same, and perhaps, pried open the cold shell of the phantom Poké Ball sitting back in Pallet Town, just a little.
Ash could see that, even from the great distance that stood between them. At least, between him and every Pokémon but Pikachu. Hearing one, but only one of their voices…
"Ash? Are you okay?" Dawn asked, now beside him.
"Dawn!" He jolted back to reality. He shook his head. "...I'm okay. We ran into someone, out there, who gave us some advice. It looks like it worked, but… now I just can't help but think."
"About?" She asked, reaching to take his hand. Holding it tended to calm him down, in moments of tension.
"The way I can hear Pikachu… it's making me think about listening to my other Pokémon."
The stark, awful lighting of Giovanni's main office had become a familiar sight, but it never grew anymore welcoming. Meowth, who believed himself to be the sharpest of the three, had begun to suspect that this was an informed choice.
Persian's glowing red gaze peering from over the desk told him as much. It gave him a deeply uncomfortable sensation in the pit of his stomach. Meowth swallowed heavily, and braved his trepidation. "...Y'called us here, Boss?"
"That would be why you're here before me, yes." Giovanni's baritone voice echoed off the high ceiling. As heavy, present, and sinister as ever. "I would like to discuss the matter… of your recent assignment. You were tasked with disposing of those two children."
"And we had every intention to do so," James insisted, before his boss's words even trailed off.
"Are you telling me that you were unable to capture a mere couple of runaways…?" Giovanni trailed off, his ring-clad fingers drumming along Persian's short, fine fur. His eyes could barely be made out in the shadows of his fine leather chair. His pearly whites were easier to see, even, grit and grinding. "...or, unwilling?"
The last word came with a hiss, that to Jessie, James, and Meowth, might as well have been a swan song.
"D-don't be ridiculous!" Jessie sputtered out, before realizing her mistake. "Ahem… Sorry, sir, but I'm afraid that, even for us, failure is sometimes a reality. We did seek the twer- our targets, and they were nowhere to be found."
"We did our best," James followed, "and that clearly wasn't good enough… But I pledge, you give us our next assignment, and we'll make up for it, post-haste!"
"Tell me. Do you understand how an organization such as ours functions?" Giovanni asked, paying their protests no heed.
Jessie, James, and Meowth feared there was no right answer, and stayed silent.
"Team Rocket is a well-oiled machine, with many moving parts. Its smallest and most superficial gears and bolts can be replaced at a whim. A rogue or incompetent grunt, an ignorant and aloof pencil-pusher… Losing them is paltry for Team Rocket, and it's no great expense to replace them. Doing so outweighs the cost of keeping them in our ranks… I'm sure you three remember when you were, above all else, outrageously costly to our pursuits."
"Y-yeah! We's remember!" Meowth piped up. "It was a straight embarrassment, believe me! But, one lousy mission ain't much of a—"
Giovanni raised a hand, signaling that he wasn't quite finished. Realizing he'd interrupted him, Meowth clamped up.
"The most complex and core machinations of Team Rocket's design are far more vital. A core part, or a member of our ranks with far more weight… Administrators," he sounded out oh so slowly. "...are allowed such importance, because I know that they're reliable. That I can trust them to do their every function as expected. If I cannot rely on someone so close to my inner circle, then Team Rocket's grand design is compromised."
Jessie and James exchanged a horrified glance, as if to acknowledge that they might have taken a dangerous gamble. Had their mission been far more important in the man's eyes than they'd anticipated?
"Matori," Giovanni called on his attendant, sitting beside him. The turtle-faced, spectacle-wearing assistant made little effort to hide the vindictive sneer on her features, when she was turned away from their boss.
"Of course, sir," she complied, placing a small recording device down atop his desk. Without further ado, she pressed the 'play' button, and high-definition audio played through the room.
"...It's the Twerp!"
James let out an involuntary wheeze, recognizing his own voice.
"...And, the Twerpette!"
Jessie was sure she'd maul Matori in a wrathful frenzy, were she not frozen in terror.
"...And, Pikachu!"
Meowth felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand, and his legs tremble, as he watched his chances of one day replacing Persian in the Boss's lap evaporate before his very eyes.
The recording played on, and for Jessie, James, and Meowth, couldn't possibly end soon enough. Every traitorous word — "mutiny shmutiny" — was like a jab, with no avenue of escape.
"It's our responsibility as members of Team Rocket to maintain our ability to serve the boss! If we started crossing those lines, we'd be out of work, and they'd be out of geniuses! So, turning a blind eye is the right thing to do!"
"Right!"
"Right!"
The tape was finally put on pause. Though, by then, it was far, far too late. Giovanni had heard everything. Worse yet, he'd obviously heard it before calling on them to report.
"S-sir, please!" James croaked out, with a wavering voice. "We didn't—"
"What was it you said, James…?" Giovanni's use of his name, somehow, was beyond unsettling. It wasn't his way to speak so personally. "That, if you followed my instructions, you wouldn't be able to call yourself a Rocket again?"
"I-it was a figure of speech! A flub in the moment!" James protested in a panic.
"I believe you were quite clear. But, you won't have to terminate your little friends to fulfill that wish." Grinning eerily, he snapped his fingers. "Persian. Water Pulse."
Persian pounced out of Giovanni's lap and onto the edge of his desk before the command passed Giovanni's lips, with a vicious shriek. He sneered at the three agents, opening his mouth to conjure a bubbling mass of water before him. It quickly expanded to match the feline in size, and then again to dwarf him.
The mass was unsettling in its construction, despite being such a mundane attack in name. It bubbled and shifted intermittently, almost amorphous in nature. Ripples churned through its aquatic interior, as if anyone who entered it would be eaten alive.
"That is to say," Giovanni continued, "the fallen have no allegiance."
Jessie, James, and Meowth clung to one another for dear life, shivering and stammering.
"S-sir! Your highness! Your graciousness," Jessie pleaded, "we've served you loyally from day one!"
"Please, Boss! I wasn't meant to perish, so young!" James stuttered through sobs.
"Down to th' lettah, all except for just this once!" Meowth scooted his way around Jessie and James, in a vain attempt to shield himself from the worst. A cowardly effort he knew was in vain. "I was gonna be your Top Cat! Try and hear us out, would ya!? If ya get rid of us, you'll never have what we've retrieved for ya's!"
"Ah, yes… I was meaning to ask about that." Giovanni said silkily, as if this were nothing more than a business arrangement. "Something you retrieved from Executive Ariana, that was more valuable than that Pikachu? I'd hate to leave that business unfinished, in your demise."
"We have it! We have it, right here!" Meowth screeched.
The boss of Team Rocket snapped his fingers,and Persian's Water Pules imploded. Dousing the office floor, but leaving no victims in its wake. "Then, if you value your lives, procure it immediately."
"James," Jessie hissed in a whisper, nudging her teammate. The man was still frozen stiff, unable to move. She grunted, and swiped the small suitcase he'd carried in with them. She placed it on the desk with haste. "Here, sir."
"We f-found something dat… I t'ink you'll find quite interesting," Meowth promised.
Matori opened the case mechanically, showing no joy in the three before her continuing to hog up oxygen in the room. "There's a flash drive, and a biological sample," she relayed.
"Keep the sample sealed," Giovanni instructed, "and show us this supposed great bounty."
The flash drive was inserted into the room's main computer tower. bringing the many screens behind Giovanni to life. Violet lights bathed the dark room, as data and synopsis notes covered the many screens. The leader turned in his leather chair, reading it for himself.
Although the agents couldn't see it, he gained a wicked grin.
"You three might have managed to save your careers, yet… and your lives," he said in a low, cold baritone. "You should be terminated for acting against your superior, alone… but without your actions, this valuable data might have been lost. Take it to Dr. Zager, immediately, and you'll be dismissed."
"O-of course, sir!"
"Right away, presto!"
"You can count on us!"
The three rushed to retrieve the flash drive and the suitcase, clasping it shut at the speed of light. They scrambled to leave the room, before one last interruption.
"I have one more word on the matter, however," Giovanni said. "You've proven yourselves too valuable to simply dispose of… but, you've also proven that you cannot be trusted with your prior targets. Such sentimentality has no place in Team Rocket, and I won't tolerate direct disobedience. You're hereby forbidden from any further pursuits of those trainers and that Pikachu."
On any other day at all, there would have been loads of protest. But, the three could only be grateful to escape with their lives. "Sir!" They agreed, saluting him.
The shadowed man nodded. "Then you are dismissed. Don't make me regret my decision."
Giant double doors slammed behind them, and the trio backed up against the closest hallway wall, hyperventilating in a panic before sliding down into a sitting position.
"W-we…"
"...were almost done for. He was really ready to get rid of us!"
"I-I hate watah," Meowth stammered out. "Especially wet watah!"
All three needed a good moment to recuperate from their near-fate. Naturally, Jessie was the first to compose herself. "Alright… alright, focus." She patted her own cheeks to steady her own head. "We made it. We're alive."
"Only just barely," James whined.
"This is all because of that red-headed witch!" Jessie hissed. "I knew we were right not to trust her!"
"At least her failure saved our sorry behinds," Meowth sighed. "If she'd been more careful, she never woulda lost that damn t'ing… and our gooses would've been cooked!"
"It's hers that should be cooked!" Jessie snapped! Only then did she realize how close they still were to Giovanni's office, when James and Meowth shushed her.
"Yeah, yeah. Forget all dat," Meowth whispered. "It's done. Finito. Now we've got a new issue. The Twoips…"
"And Pikachu," James finished. "Is it really over? Truly?"
"You heard him," Jessie replied. "We can't afford to disobey him a second time!"
"Still… it feels awfully weird." Meowth huffed, crossing his arms. "Like it's th' end of an era."
"If it's come to this, though," James replied, "maybe it's for the best. I don't think I could survive an assignment like that, again."
"Still, it feels so wrong… Stealing Pikachu had been our entire lives, until just last year."
"For the sake of those lives, I'd say it's time we started a new one."
Meowth stared distantly up at the finely painted ceiling. Pikachu's vile, vicious words still played in his head, like the recorder that'd just incriminated them. "Maybe… that's for da best."
