I managed to write in another chapter before the break was over and the next semester would begin. I hope you guys are looking forward to a new year of 2015. You now have the experience of 2014 at your backs. Use what you've learned wisely and go forth, my readers.
The room was left in a nearly deathly silence. Various members of the group were still internalizing what James had shared on the action that pushed Ash over the edge, the final move that broke his tolerance towards Team Rocket, and the fatal moment that significantly ruined his innocence. The answer to Dawn's question was astonishing, to say the least, even though such behavior would be expected from Team Rocket. That didn't mean such crimes would be easily forgotten, much less pardonable.
"He… 'ended' Marowak?" Dawn gulped, unconsciously wiping tears that rolled down her cheeks without her notice.
"Please explain," Brock requested. "Even though your answer was clear, there's something more to it. How does this explain Ash's Marowak?"
"That Marowak he has now was then a baby Cubone," James continued gravely. "The Marowak that Proton killed was its mother. They were previously captured for future experimentation, but they managed to escape during an inventory check. Through them, we were led to him and his Pikachu. Team Rocket would've captured him for sure if it weren't for that Dragon Champion's intervention."
"That poor baby Cubone," May mourned, hugging her brother tightly for comfort. "Poor Ash!"
"That would definitely drive someone over the edge," Max mumbled, still shocked from the reveal while keeping his arms wrapped around May. "To think it happened before his own eyes."
"Yeah, Executive Proton was a real work of art," Jessie remarked. "If there was anything I'd ever agree on with you children, he's a cold-hearted monster whether or not he gets very angry, second only to the Boss himself."
"And now, we know where that rough and tough Marowak of his came from," Georgia concluded. "That little one was raised by Ash and no doubt turned into one of his most powerful and most loyal partners."
"So, Ash took Cubone under his tutelage and Lance took them under his wing to lead the Team Rocket overthrow," Cilan followed up. "That's quite the chain of events that led to the potent combination that is Ash and Marowak."
"You youngsters are smarter than given credit for," James chuckled with a suave grin. "I don't see why I should continue on since you're easily piecing this puzzle together."
"No, you got to continue," Misty pleaded. "I know it's safe for us to assume now that both Ash and Lance were able to take down Team Rocket for good, but something still doesn't add up here."
"What is it, Misty?" Iris asked.
"I'm not sure how else to say this, but−."
"We still don't know why Ash is still the way he is after finishing off Team Rocket," Dawn answered in the stead of the Cerulean City Gym Leader. "Why he's been avoiding us and not even trying to remain in contact with any of us."
Misty and Iris shared worried glances towards the Twinleaf Town Coordinator. This alleged rejection she experienced from Ash was enough to shake her up and get her to close herself. While Iris remained sympathetic to Dawn's plight, Misty was still willing to give Ash the benefit of the doubt. Having spent the most time with him, she believed that he would never do such a hurtful thing to his friends on purpose. Unless the reason was grave and very serious, the Pallet Town Trainer would endure the hardship until a third and preferable option would make itself known.
Ash was a good guy through and through, so what was his reason for pushing Dawn away?
"Wait, what were you three doing during all this?" Max brought up.
"Boyo, let's just say we knew when to toin heel when Proton moidalized Mama Marowak," Meowth confessed. "Even speakin' out against his brand of violence branded us as traitors fasta' dan you can say 'overcooked noodles.' Proton had his goons imprison us and set us three for execution. Dose were our woist moments of our young lives."
"That's just cruel, even for them," Misty muttered. "Though I'd say you guys had it coming. They were bound to betray you guys, considering how much you kept failing on catching Pokémon, especially Pikachu. But still, not even you guys deserved that fate. So much for loyalty among thieves…"
"It was what it was," James passed off, leaning down on his lap with folded arms. "It was then we decided to never turn back and never look at Team Rocket the same way. In short, we were able to break out of our imprisonment, given that we helped build those prison cells, and covertly communicated with those two heroes on when and how to break into Rocket Headquarters."
"We worked within our timeframe before our supposed day of demise," Jessie continued. "At the meantime, your mutual friend and the Champion both prepared to storm the headquarters while avoiding capture. This was no game, I can say this. It was war."
"Without dem resources and funding, Team Rocket was fallin' apart," Meowth added. "Dat was why dey were adamant in eliminating any threat that would cause dem to collapse like da company of losers dey truly are."
"The Boss needed to focus his anger on something after many setbacks, and those two just happened to be in the vicinity," James resumed. "But with one being a Champion Master and the other being a constant thorn on Team Rocket's side, I suppose he had his reasons on concentrating all attacks on them."
"What happened on the day Ash and Lance stormed Team Rocket Headquarters?" Brock queried in order to get the former Rocket trio back on track.
"Team Rocket's been known to underestimate their opponents, so let me just say that such arrogance ultimately led to their downfall," James answered. "While they made their way inside the building, we three renegades enacted our own plan of sabotage. Jessie helped the Champion free the captured Pokémon while Meowth and I led the main hero to the Boss."
"According to Poké Ball Seven and Meowth, his confrontation of the Boss at his head office was pretty epic," Jessie commented. "I kind of wished I was there to have seen the whole thing for myself."
"So clean out ya ears and prepare yer imagination caps cause dis battle between da kid hero and Giovanni was a doozy," Meowth advised eagerly.
Their young listeners nodded resolutely, ready to accept the full story of their troubled friend from Pallet Town. The three former members looked at each other the same manner and confirmed their plan on divulging the story.
Within the past year…
"Lance the Champion called in the Pokémon G-Men to assist in arresting the members that were already taken down," James narrated. "Once we cleared the way for the boy to take down the Boss, we rendezvoused with the Champion and called in additional support from Interpol to secure the incarceration of the Executives and the Boss once Team Rocket was weakened enough to take into custody."
"Den Agent Jimmy and I went back up to the Boss's office to see how our kid hero was doing while Jessie waited with Dragon Boy," Meowth continued. "We were lucky to see him at da doorway so dat we could have front-row seats."
"And you didn't help Ash against your ex-Boss?" May interrupted sardonically.
"We already did what we could, miss," James replied. "It was down to him. We only followed as witnesses and, at worst case scenario, the last line to take him down."
Ash gingerly placed a hand on the knob on the right-sided office door, discovering that it was unlocked. The only clue that revealed that the lock was tampered with was a few claw marks surrounding the key hole. Hiding at a corner, Meowth rubbed a paw fondly, pleased with his handiwork of picking locks with ease, including the Boss's office door.
The Pallet Town Trainer then pushed the door in and swiftly disappeared inside. James gave the signal, to which Meowth climbed up into the air duct leading into Giovanni's office while his blue-haired comrade guarded the door. The Scratch Cat Pokémon nimbly crawled through the vents until he spotted an opening. Faint voices were coming out of it.
"I must commend you, boy," Giovanni's dark voice resounded as Meowth inched to the opening, observing through the vent canopies the ultimate confrontation. James kept the door ajar enough to see and hear what was going on. "Not many children your age would dare try to infiltrate the headquarters of a powerful organization such as Team Rocket, even with help from a Champion Master and the Pokémon G-Men." He slowly paced about like a predator in wait, coolly analyzing his prey. "Truth be told, I'm actually surprised on how quick you've made it here as there were supposed to be a couple of guards standing out there. Sigh… I guess those 'traitors' managed to do more damage than expected before you and that wretched Champion barged in. No matter."
"… It's over," Ash declared boldly. "But before I turn you in, I have to ask… why?"
"Pardon?" Giovanni replied with a raised brow.
"After all this time, why have you done the things you've done? Against Pokémon? Why do you treat them as nothing more than tools?!"
"It's nothing personal, dear boy, but strictly business. As with any organization competing in the world, we aim to reach for the top. That is why we are called 'Team Rocket.' Of course, this is more than just having the most money or resources than any other company. It's all about having the whole world under our control."
"… What?"
"I wouldn't expect a child like you to understand, but much of the world today is run not only by the latest advances in technology, but by these creatures known as Pokémon. Hmph, humans and Pokémon working together… If only men had come to a better understanding on how to bring out the complete usefulness of Pokémon−."
"Not by the way you do things!" Ash interrupted.
"Boy, curve that unruly tongue of yours," Giovanni snarled coldly. "Have your parents not taught you any manners in respecting your superiors?"
"… You're no superior," Ash rebuffed. "You're just another thug stealing other people's Pokémon for your own selfish gain."
"Business is business, my boy. Some actions need to be taken and some sacrifices need to be made to ensure success. Isn't that what makes a Pokémon Trainer?"
"What are you trying to say…?"
"Simple: You go out of your way to catch wild Pokémon, not even bothering to know where they came from, if they had friends or family, and so on," Giovanni replied, taking out a Poké Ball to show off. "You pull them out of their habitat to see how strong they are and if they fit your standards. And nce they do, you put them through training day after day to force them to become stronger so that you could prove yourself stronger than other Trainers. Isn't that right?"
"That… that can't be right," Ash muttered, unable to find the right words to argue back.
Both James and Meowth wanted to help take down Team Rocket, but Lance had given them the orders to only intervene as a last desperation move. After all the abuse, disrespect, and betrayal handed to them, they were more than willing to give a bit of retribution once the chance came around.
"Well, boy?" Giovanni taunted. "What do you have to say to that? Not so different, are we?"
Just before either James or Meowth could step in to help Ash, the Pallet Town Trainer took a new confident stance. The aura around him blazed of power and righteous fury. They could tell that he certainly had enough of talking as he placed a hand on the edge of his cap.
"I challenge you… to a three-on-three battle!" Ash demanded.
"What?!"
"He's really going for it," James muttered intensely under his breath.
"Da twoip's got dat look in his eye again," Meowth commented, uneasy from the rising tension in the office.
"It was there that he made the gamble of his life against Giovanni," James noted. "The future of Team Rocket against his own, he was willing to lay out everything he had if it was what it took to disband Team Rocket forever. Only he needed were two wins out of their rounds of three to win and get away with his life."
"If his mom knew about this, Ash would be so much trouble," Misty remarked offhandedly.
"Ahem."
"… Sorry."
"Very well," Giovanni conceded with a Poké Ball on hand. "But here's my final warning to you. The Pokémon I will use in this battle are considered some of the strongest ever in these parts. Aside from the usual capture and obtainment, I personally made sure that they lived up to my expectations and beyond. Did you know that I was once a Gym Leader that specialized in Ground-types?"
"… If you're referring to the Viridian Gym, then yes," Ash said. "I faced Jessie for the Earth Bade many years ago and won it, even though they cheated. However, I don't see a Gym Leader standing in front of me, but the mad Boss of Team Rocket."
"Is that so?" Giovanni countered, fiddling with the Poké Ball with his fingers. "Well, boy… Do you really want to be a Master of Pokémon? It's time to test your skills… to see if you truly can call yourself 'Number One'!"
Ash & (?, ?, ?) VS Giovanni & (?, ?, ?)
"Pikachu, I choose you!" Ash declared.
The Mouse Pokémon complied and hopped of his best friend's shoulder and towards the center of the office. Giovanni tightened the grip of his Poké Ball, smirking as his arm lowered. Ash looked up, noticing him putting away the Poké Ball.
"You know what?" Giovanni proposed insidiously. "Hope you don't mind, but I have another Pokémon that's wanted a shot at that bothersome Pikachu of yours. After all, that battle never had its conclusion."
The Rocket Boss then snapped his fingers. A shadow leapt from behind the desk and into their decided battlefield, taking the form of his classy Persian. Pikachu tensed up, as well as Meowth did involuntarily. While he seriously wanted to jump in now and take out Persian with his own claws, Meowth forced himself to hold back and stay in the air vents. This was one of the few moments he seriously rooted for the Mouse Pokémon to win and destroy that pompous evolution form of his.
Persian slowly stalked around with its long tail up and erected, ready to pounce on command. Pikachu remained alert and stalwart, wanting to get back at the Classy Cat Pokémon for blasting him and Ash back in Unova in addition to all the trouble they caused with the Forces of Nature.
Unable to contain himself any longer, Ash commanded the first attack.
"Pikachu, Quick Attack!"
"Persian, use Fake Out!"
Persian was the first to disappear from sight, just as Pikachu engaged in his Quick Attack. Before long, the Classy Cat Pokémon reappeared in front of Pikachu with front paws spread wide apart, as though it was about to grab him. Instead, Persian swiftly clapped them together and unleashed a stunning shockwave that pushed Pikachu back.
The Mouse Pokémon was momentarily disoriented, shaking his head to regain his senses after getting out of a cringing position. Ash bit down on his teeth hard, struggling to contain his anger against the cold man before him. Giovanni gained the upper hand so far with that sneak attack, but the battle wasn't over yet.
"Let's try this again! Quick Attack!"
"Now use Shadow Claw!"
Pikachu charged forward again with another speed boost while Persian waited with a ghastly Shadow Claw prepared to reap its target. It crouched low and observed the Mouse Pokémon coming closer and closer within seconds, anxiously gripping the floor with its sharpened claws.
"Go into Iron Tail!"
Once he reached top speed, Pikachu powered up his tail and leapt up to preserved his momentum. Persian was able to clash against the Iron Tail with its Shadow Claw due to its naturally sharp reflexes, but the speed boost from Pikachu's Quick Attack gave him more power to push back. Giovanni remained stone-faced despite his personal Pokémon losing that collision of attacks.
"Power Gem!"
It became another repeat from their time in Unova as Persian unleashed a bright, glittering beam from its forehead gem, shooting Pikachu while he was still airborne from the last attack. However, Pikachu managed to maneuver out of the Power Gem and regain his balance for a proper landing.
"… We're not falling for that twice," Ash remarked. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
The Mouse Pokémon retaliated with his great electrical power, giving Persian quite a shock while it had finished its previous attack. The Thunderbolt caused an explosion, through which additional shockwaves knocked Persian back. It still had plenty of health left, evident of its graceful landing.
"Not bad," Giovanni admitted begrudgingly under his breath. Meowth noticed his lips still moving with his gruff voice barely audible, so he used his sensitive hearing was able to pick up a bit more of the Boss's mumbling. "… This kid… he's really getting me worked up… more than anyone has ever done… Why?"
"Now use Electro Ball!"
"Forget it… Persian, Giga Impact!"
Pikachu had already leapt up in the air, balancing the Electro Ball on the tip of his tail, but was caught off guard by the sight of Persian flying up towards him like a rocket. Encapsulated in powerful energy, Persian knocked Pikachu out of the air and disrupted the Electro Ball, creating additional damage from the explosive backlash.
Ash watched somberly as Pikachu fell out of the haze, lingering smoke clinging onto his small body. Pikachu was able to get up on all fours, but it was more than clear that he was reaching his limit after taking on those strong hits.
"I have to commend your Pikachu for lasting this long against Persian," Giovanni applauded darkly, followed with a low chuckle. "I can see why those three persisted in capturing that yellow Pokémon after all this time. A pity such potential won't be around for long once I'm done with you."
"It's not over yet," Ash countered. "Thunderbolt! Let's go!"
Still having enough stamina to persevere, Pikachu complied with the command, striking upon Persian with massive amounts of voltage while it recharged from its Giga Impact usage. Despite having sharp attack power and sharper speed, Persian's defenses were pretty much comparable to that of glass. Its stamina was whittled down further. Now both Pokémon were close to their last legs.
"Impudent brat," Giovanni growled.
"Now Pikachu, Quick Attack!"
"Persian, use Power Gem!"
Pikachu went to close the distance between himself and Persian to finish it off, but Persian's Power Gem kept him at a distance. Every time he found an opening, Persian was quick to change its aim and Pikachu was forced to maneuver about to avoid the Classy Cat Pokémon's attack.
"Dose last moments, Pikachu couldn't touch dat Persian," Meowth narrated. "But of course, da boy thunk quickly and came up with anotha' killer strategy."
"Pikachu, Electro Ball! Don't fire until the time comes!"
Still engaged in his Quick Attack speed boost, Pikachu conjured the brilliant electric sphere around his tail, but kept it clinging on as part of his Trainer's command. He continued evading Power Gem blasts while maintaining top speed, ensuring maximum power for the Electro Ball. He knew Ash was waiting for Persian to tire itself out and let its guard down long enough for a counterattack.
After one more round of firing a Power Gem beam, Persian cringed out of exhaustion. At that critical moment, Pikachu flung the Electro Ball squarely into his opponent's astonished face. The explosion upon impact threw Persian into a wall, creating a small crater in the shape of its body, rendered unable to battle.
"Excuse me!" Max interrupted. "I've actually been meaning to ask this. So Team Rocket was previously in charge of the Viridian City Gym? Have they found a new Gym Leader yet?"
"Dese interruptions are just gettin' ridiculous now," Meowth grumbled.
"Yes and yes," Misty answered, ignoring the surly Scratch Cat Pokémon. "I'm surprised we haven't told you this already. A really tough guy with red hair named Silver took the position a while ago. He doesn't have a type specialty, which makes him really hard to defeat for the Earth Badge. It helped that he's also a Viridian native."
"I haven't heard much about him from Forrest," Brock admitted. "He told me that he's pretty distant and unapproachable at times."
"True but once you get to know him, Silver's a real softie and loyal friend," Misty explained lightheartedly.
"Sweet lil' Rayquaza! Can we get on with this?!" Jessie demanded, irritated by the constant interruptions. At least the Boss's kid is getting direction in life.
"… That's one down," Ash noted, a smirk curled on the left corner of his lip.
"Don't get uppity, boy," Giovanni warned, recalling Persian into its Poké Ball while pulling out a new one. "I know now how to deal with the likes of you at the cost of my dear Persian. You'll pay for that. Try this on for size!"
His next Pokémon was a monstrous Nidoqueen. She gave off a fierce roar upon release. Pikachu was not intimidated by the nest Pokémon, but knew he had to get back as his round of fighting was over. Ash chose his next Pokémon quickly.
"Krookodile, I choose you!"
Ash's Ground/Dark-type Pokémon took to the field with cool confidence, staring down Nidoqueen through its sunglasses with folded arms. The intensity of their second round battle had gone up a notch. Ash knew that if he won this round, then Team Rocket will be done for. This was his moment to stop their evil once and for all.
"A Krookodile, eh?" Giovanni remarked, amused. "It looks like my kind of Pokémon. Strong, intimidating, and a Pokémon that's part Ground-type, my specialty. A bit of a step up from Pikachu, really."
"Krookodile is nothing like your Pokémon!" Ash shot back.
"As long as it's with you, it'll reach up to its true potential unless it was under my command."
It became increasingly difficult for Ash to control his temper after hearing such mockery from the Rocket Boss, even after training on emotional control during battle with Lance. His body was trembling in anger and indignation. Without further hesitation, he issued the first attack of their second battle.
"Krookodile, Dragon Claw!"
"Counter with Dragon Tail!"
Krookodile stomped forward, holding up a claw imbued and shaped by draconic energy. In defense, Nidoqueen twisted her body in preparation for Dragon Tail. Once Krookodile came in close enough, she swung her tail, also encased in draconic energy of the same light and formed larger and scalier, forward.
The expected collision resulted in powerful energy shockwaves that forced both large Pokémon back. Being as nimble as he could be, Krookodile used the force to backflip into safety while Nidoqueen forced her feet into the floor to control her traction.
"Krookodile, use Stone Edge!"
"Earth Power!"
Both attacks were launched simultaneously once they had recovered from the aftershocks. Krookodile had sent several sharp rock pillars in straight forward line while his opponent slammed a fist into the ground, sending a wave of natural earth energy to counter the Stone Edge.
While their power levels were virtually identical, the properties of the Ground attack trumped the Stone Edge, crumbling it apart while slithering its way towards Krookodile. The Intimidation Pokémon ceased his attack leapt into the air to escape the Earth Power.
"Aerial Ace!"
Krookodile took advantage of his current momentum in the air and dove down with striking speed towards Nidoqueen with both arms spread out. His forearms were glowing, empowered enough for one of them to slam up under the Drill Pokémon's jawline. Nidoqueen tumbled back, saving herself from falling through the use of her thick tail. She jumped back, but was on her knees as she was still weakened from the previous attack.
"No!"
"Use Aerial Ace again, Krookodile!"
"… Not this time," Giovanni muttered cryptically.
Ash soon saw that something foreboding was formulating, but not much could be done now as Krookodile engaged into another Aerial Ace. Instead of landing back on the ground, Krookodile managed to fly upward like a plane from takeoff, preparing another painful strike from above.
However, this time around, as he prepared another clothesline maneuver, Nidoqueen managed to time her evasion successfully by falling back as he swooped in. Within the very short timeframe that he shadowed over her, the Drill Pokémon retaliated with a quick jab of her horn against Krookodile's abdomen, effectively forcing him to cancel his attack while throwing him back. Violet sparks and bubbles discharged from where Krookodile was jabbed.
"… But how?!" Ash cried out.
"Have you already forgotten who you're dealing with, boy?" Giovanni sneered. "The abilities of my Pokémon are not to be held by the same standard you're used to in your trivial competitions." Meowth's sensitive hearing picked up more words he mumbled under his breath. "… 'Trivial competitions'… He's actually getting me riled into this battle… What's going with me…? What's this feeling…?"
"Krookodile, Dig!"
Despite having his last attack fail and being poisoned upon contact from Nidoqueen's Poison Point, Krookodile mustered the strength to follow through his next command and burrow through the floor. Ash had taken the time beforehand to make sure it would be safe to use the move where he was.
*Rumble*
A few seconds later, the tremoring became heavier around Nidoqueen's area. The ground beneath her started to crumble and open up. Krookodile launched his surprise attack and sent Nidoqueen off her feet. While she was rendered vulnerable from that super effective hit, Krookodile quickly fled back to his side, pausing momentarily as his contracted poison sapped him of his stamina.
"Now there's an idea… Nidoqueen, Toxic Spikes!"
Nidoqueen managed to recover in midair long enough to conjure a venomous orb in her hands and shatter it to scatter dangerous purple barbs all over Ash's side. Krookodile shielded himself, even though the Toxic Spikes practically ignored him and that he was already poisoned. The barbs inserted themselves deep into the floor, invisible by sight.
"What was that for?" Ash questioned.
"A parting gift for your next Pokémon," Giovanni answered simply. "Ice Beam!"
As soon as Nidoqueen landed, she unleashed a powerful Ice Beam that squarely struck Krookodile in the abdomen. In an attempt to endure it, he was instead pushed and forced to tumble back.
"Dig!"
"Earth Power!"
Right as Krookodile was about to tunnel a new hole by jumping in headfirst, Nidoqueen had already sent an Earth Power wave in his direction. The ground he was going into erupted into messy debris, effectively blasting him in the face. Ash became worried when he saw Krookodile's trademark sunglasses fly up into the air from the attack.
"K-Kruhk?!" Krookodile growled in outrage.
"Krookodile, are you alright?"
When the dust cleared away, he noticed the familiar and immediate difference in his Krookodile's stance and attitude. He looked uncertain and lost, keeping his claws close to himself as his revealed eyes shimmered of weakness and shame. Ash had hoped Krookodile had gotten over this weakness upon reaching final evolution, but he never imagined going through this scenario again and in a battle against the Boss of Team Rocket, of all people. The Intimidation Pokémon's state of appearance became worse as the poisoning effect drained more of his health.
"I see how it is now," Giovanni began, glaring with vicious triumph. "I actually changed my mind over your Krookodile. You're just like that sniveling weakling, pretending to have a strong front by having that so-called 'cool' mask to hide your fears and weaknesses from others. So what happened to that true inner strength you boasted about as you stormed into my headquarters, hm? Gone because you have nothing to hide your childish face now?"
"Krookodile, you don't need those sunglasses to be great!" Ash called out. "Please! You can do it!"
As much as he hated to admit it, this careless overlook over his Pokémon's weakness had cost Ash victory for this round.
"This fight is actually turning into a bit of a disappointment," Giovanni muttered, sounding almost melancholic about it. "Finish this with Ice Beam!"
"Krookodile, get out of there!"
Without even getting a chance to find his missing sunglasses, Krookodile soon found himself at the receiving end of a powerfully chilling Ice Beam. In an ironic fit, the attack knocked him right where his sunglasses landed, only to ultimately knock him out in the end. At the very least, he managed to place a claw upon the sunglasses before finally blacking out.
"It was now a one-on-one tie with one more one-on-one battle to go through," James surmised. "He was distraught over Krookodile's loss, not because of the loss itself, but on what Giovanni had said to him in comparing him to Krookodile's weaknesses."
"We all have some sort of individual weakness," Brock pointed out. "I'm sure Krookodile couldn't help it. No one could've expected that to happen."
"It's not only that," James continued. "That particular experience was another thing our young hero took with him when he remained on Mt. Silver to train. Whether it was true or not, the Boss did have a point."
"He had no point!" May argued adamantly. "Ash was strong and he still is! He doesn't need some mask to show off he's a strong and cool Trainer."
"Not Ash himself, but I believe he was referring to helping all his Pokémon overcome their weaknesses," Cilan clarified. "But it's also a good possibility that this current personality of his might be his way of getting others to take him more seriously and to prove that he is strong inside and out."
"That seems unnecessary," Iris commented.
"And this is coming from the girl that belittles him at every opportunity," Georgia indicated sardonically. "Does it sound unbelievable now?"
"What?! Come on!" Iris retorted with an indignant huff. "So what if I did put him down by calling him a kid? I never really meant any of it."
"Are you sure he knows that?" Georgia queried pryingly. "The thing that disgusts me the most about you is how you try to show how high and mighty you pretend to be with no inner strength to back you up, at least when compared to Ash. You may have been able to tame Dragonite, but you won't earn my full strength until you take your Dragon responsibilities more seriously."
Iris frowned and turned away, mumbling something about not being the one that pushed Ash into harsh training in Mt. Silver. He already made his decision to leave her and Cilan behind to train on his home. But as much as Georgia vexed her, the Dragon Buster did bring up a valid point. Surely she didn't have anything to affect his decision. Or did she?
"We're getting off topic," James announced. "It's clear that he won in the end and that the threat of Team Rocket is gone for good, but there are a few more things you all need to know."
"… Krookodile, return," Ash mumbled, recalling his overwhelmed Pokémon. "You did great out there. Forgive me for not giving you enough training. I promise I won't make that mistake again."
Putting away the Poké Ball, Ash looked back at Giovanni, who wordlessly recalled Nidoqueen with a rough smirk, before looking down on the floor, his cap concealing the top half of his face. It was his last stand to make this right. If he were to lose to Giovanni again, then all this effort to getting stronger would have been in vain. Everything he stood for would be demolished and made meaningless in an instant.
Sure Lance and others could step in if he were to fall and stop Team Rocket through his power, but what about the Pallet Town Trainer himself? What would be his place in the world after that? As someone who wasn't strong enough to carry out justice? Was that how he wanted to be remembered as? Would he want to remember himself as that kind of person?
No… Ash knew he can do better than that, as long as he didn't give up.
"You've played with the big boys for a short time, dear boy," Giovanni said, putting away Nidoqueen's Poké Ball. "I have to say that I'm actually enjoying this bout. It's been a good long time since I've had a challenger like you, and this is my Gym Leader side talking."
"… Never give up until the very end…"
"Hmm?"
"I'm not giving up," Ash spoke louder, looking up and revealing his dark-brown eyes burning with a renewed passionate fire. "Not until this madness is over."
"… There he goes again," Giovanni muttered in a volume low enough for Meowth to pick up on. "… This boy's spirit… his aura… Why does this feel… familiar? … What in all of Kanto is he?!"
"If ya thought hero boy was stubborn before, ya should've seen him in this last stretch," Meowth quickly commented.
Ash needed to deal with the current circumstances at hand. This was the final battle. His side of the field had the Toxic Spikes entry hazard, meaning that any Pokémon touching the ground that wasn't a Poison-type or a Steel-type would be instantly infected with the poison. He didn't have such Pokémon on him right now, but that didn't mean he couldn't fight his way around this obstacle.
He knew what Pokémon to go with and trusted this decision with his life. Channeling the power of his tranquil, righteous fury flow into his right arm, the Pallet Town Trainer prepared to throw in his last Poké Ball, but not before catching Giovanni's interest with his stance and energy.
"He rubbed off more on the Boss than he ever realized," James added. "I didn't know what he did to him exactly, but the Boss was more active than I've ever seen him while working under him."
"… Now I remember," Giovanni realized, light shining for the first time in his stark cold eyes. "… I started out like him… with the same passion for Pokémon and dream to be the best… Just like any other fresh Pokémon Trainer… The boy's confidence and posture… I used to be like that at his age… But that was a long time ago… before my own mother lured me in with my desire for control and insatiable lust for more power… with the promise of taking over Team Rocket when I became of age…" He took out the Poké Ball that held his strongest Ground Pokémon and gazed upon it wistfully. "… This battle has reawakened my former days as a hot-blooded Pokémon Trainer… Those days… I… I actually missed them…"
"Charizard…!"
"… Sorry, Madame Boss," Giovanni chuckled dryly to himself, finishing up his vocal musings. "… I guess I'm still that 'brat boy' after all this time… Even after achieving more than you ever did with Team Rocket… You were just in it for the money… I'm in it to win everything…"
"… I choose you!"
The Rocket Boss wound his arm back the same way Ash did and tossed his final Poké Ball with renewed intensity. Like the youth facing him for the fate of Team Rocket at the cost of his own, Giovanni was going to give it his all as well.
"Now go, Rhyperior!"
The last two Pokémon were released simultaneously. Charizard remained in the air as he sensed the Toxic Spikes, giving off a fiery roar to prove his and his Trainer's determination. His opponent, a large Ground/Rock-type Pokémon covered in solid orange plating, responded with a thunderous bellow of its own. Ash frowned slightly, aware of the type disadvantage between his Pokémon and Giovanni's. He needed to not be as careless as he was with Krookodile before.
"Charizard, don't touch the ground no matter what," Ash warned.
"It looks like the poisoning won't matter as I have the type advantage," Giovanni pointed out. "Your Charizard seems powerful, I'll give you that. So, think you can put a dent on our defenses?"
"We'll stop you once and for all!" Ash declared. "Charizard, use Flamethrower!"
The concentrated stream of fire blasted Rhyperior head on; the only attempted defense was it shielding its face from the Flamethrower. All its defenses were maxed out, though its special defense still faltered against Charizard's might. Deciding enough was enough after measuring the power behind the Flamethrower, Rhyperior dispersed the remnants of the attack with a wave of its arms.
"Was that it?" Giovanni challenged. "It's our turn now. Rhyperior, use Ice Punch!"
"Dodge it!"
Rhyperior stomped forward with a fist empowered in arctic energy. Charizard flapped his wings as hard as he could to pick up acceleration and evade the full blunt strike of the opponent's Ice Punch. It managed to graze against Charizard's left leg as the latter escaped to a higher altitude, but otherwise, no major damage was done.
"Charizard, Dragon Tail!" Ash issued quickly.
The distance between Charizard and Rhyperior wasn't too great. The Flame Pokémon retaliated with a draconic-powered tail, swinging it horizontally and smacking it against Rhyperior's head. The Drill Pokémon stumbled back a bit from the hit, rubbing the side of its face where it was struck.
"Rhaaaii!" Rhyperior roared, acting as though it was unfazed by the Dragon Tail.
"Dragon Tail again!"
"Protect!"
Charizard whipped his Dragon Tail about once more, only for the attack to collide against a sturdy green barrier. Rhyperior smirked from within the Protect barrier, effectively incensing the Flame Pokémon's pride in his strength. Not wanting to give his opponent the satisfaction of blocking his attacks, Charizard sent an assault of multiple Dragon Tail whips against the barrier.
After some unsuccessful attempts at breaking through, Charizard had eventually backed off, knowing that its foe would have to drop its barrier at some point. At that moment, Rhyperior had to let down its Protect. Keeping it up as long as it did, chances were that if it had to use that move again immediately, it would fail.
"Now Charizard, Steel Wing!"
As expected, Rhyperior's defensive tactic was down. Having used the momentary ceasefire to fly up to increase his momentum, Charizard dove down on command with sleek, glowing wings. The Steel Wing struck Rhyperior in the face when it least expected it. The strong hit did manange to push it back a few inches.
"It'll take a lot more than a few lucky hits to take down my Rhyperior," Giovanni remarked, unaffected by the fact that his Pokémon took on a super effective attack head on.
Ash noted how nearly impeccable Rhyperior's defensive power was when it presented itself as though it was still at full strength. He thought back to when he had faced Tower Tycoon Palmer's Rhyperior with his Grotle back at Sinnoh and lost. Chances were that this Rhyperior also had the Ability known as Solid Rock, which would reduce all received super effective damage by a quarter percent.
If that was to be the case, he would have to keep whittling away at its endurance while avoiding all of its attacks, as well as the ground that concealed Nidoqueen's Toxic Spikes. The Pallet Town Trainer was sure that Rhyperior knew a powerful Rock-type move to use at any moment and that Giovanni was probably holding back or toying with him at the moment.
"Charizard, use Steel Wing back to back!"
Not wanting to give Rhyperior a chance to attack back, Charizard zipped about in the air, striking against the Drill Pokémon with Steel Wing with each turn. Rhyperior stood through each hit, not showing any indication of pain or effect from the attacks. Charizard then made another turnaround after flying back to Ash's side, by which he took his time to focus more power into his wings for this last strike.
"Rock Wrecker!"
Rhyperior had sensed Charizard letting his guard this time, thus conjuring a massive boulder out rock debris ejected out of its hand holes. The Rock Wrecker was quickly launched before Charizard could react, smashing up against his lower jaw and part of his long neck. Severely weakened and disoriented by the hit, he fell upon the floor hard and felt the stinging sensation of the hidden Toxic Spikes.
Practically instantaneously, Ash felt a severe case of dread well up within his stomach. His loyal Charizard was now poisoned just as he was affected by anxiety over the outcome. Purple sparks and bubbles discharged from the Flame Pokémon's head while his muzzle gave a weak violet blush. Giovanni got him to let his guard down after all those attacks. This scenario was just like the time against Paul's Torterra back at Lake Acuity.
"… Charizard… can you get up?" Ash asked, suppressing his panic.
The Flame Pokémon proved his strength by standing full height despite his fatigued appearance and heavy breathing. Fortunately for them, Rhyperior was also breathing heavily as it was now feeling all those heavy blows from Charizard's multiple Steel Wing strikes. It was quickly recharging itself after using Rock Wrecker.
"… This energy…," Giovanni mused aloud this time, appearing as though he was adopting Ash's spirit for battling, much to the aforementioned Trainer's initial shock. "… This battle has reawakened my former passion for Pokémon… Before I fully embraced the Team Rocket life…"
The astonishment soon wore off. Even if he was a major enemy, Ash couldn't help but feel pumped up from the contagious excitement for battling. If the Rocket Boss was going to give it his all to save Team Rocket, then he had to put in more. He, too, would have to give his everything.
"… I'm not about to lose," Ash proclaimed. "As long as I'm still here and that Charizard can still stand, we won't give up until it's over!"
"Then give it your best shot!" Giovanni demanded.
"Charizard, Flamethrower!"
"Rhyperior, use Earthquake!"
"RYZAAAARRRD!"
Before any attack was conceived, Charizard had bellowed off a fierce, glass-shattering roar, much to the surprise of everyone watching. The flame on the tip of his tail burned brighter and larger. Charizard's wings sent strong gales across the room. Giovanni, Rhyperior, and even Ash had to brace themselves to not be swept up.
"The boy's Charizard's fighting spirit reminded me of another Fire Pokémon I saw in Sinnoh," James offered as an additional thought. "The Trainer that owned that Fire-type was able to advance into the semifinals of a Lily of the Valley Conference a couple of years ago."
"… That almost sounds like… Infernape," Dawn mused quietly, instantly forming the connection in her head. "Oh, Ash…"
As soon as Charizard finished making a spectacle out of himself, he went forward with the commanded Flamethrower. It notably took a more condensed, beamlike form. The attack struck Rhyperior before it could send seismic shockwaves while Charizard was still on the ground, immediately becoming engulfed in hot red flames.
"What power!" Giovanni commented, nearly rendered speechless from the scene. "Is this the work of Blaze?!"
"Now use Steel Wing!"
"Rhyperior, Ice Punch!"
Instead of allowing Charizard another free hit, Rhyperior fought back, clashing its Ice Punch against Charizard's Steel Wing. Despite the type properties and differences, the collision of the attacks resulted as a stalemate.
"Charizard, Dragon Tail!"
"Block it and use Ice Punch again!"
Taking a space back after the previous clash, Charizard swung his draconically powered tail around, only for it to be caught in Rhyperior's left arm. With a devious smirk, the Drill Pokémon pulled in Charizard while he was still stunned. It then threw a strong Ice Punch into his lower abdomen, releasing hold of his tail upon impact.
Being harshly low in stamina, Charizard was unable to pull himself together in the air and landed on his back. Quite miraculously, he was able to stand once again even as the poison sapped him down to barely a thread of health left.
"Oh, no! Charizard!"
"Well, my dear boy, this has been one of the most invigorating battles I've ever had," Giovanni admitted sincerely. "You were even at a type disadvantage and you were able to fight me on equal grounds. It really is a shame to end this… Rhyperior, wrap this up with Rock Wrecker!"
"Charizard… I believe in you… Flamethrower, full power!"
Feeling his Trainer's full confidence well up within, Charizard held his head up and unleashed the last of his remaining firepower into the Flamethrower. Its thickness now rivaled that of Rhyperior's full-sized Rock Wrecker. Speaking of which, Rhyperior was just forming the red-glowing boulder overhead while the entire front side of its body took on the incoming Flamethrower.
Once again, the flames swallowed Rhyperior whole. However, the Drill Pokémon persisted on concentrating its Rock Wrecker. Seeing this, Charizard forced more power into his fire, the stream from his mouth becoming slightly bigger. Ash and Giovanni observed intently on this possibly final outcome.
"Pyihr-rrrriooorr…!" Rhyperior groaned, feeling the rising heat from continued exposure.
It was certainly struggling to stand and continue forming its massive attack. Charizard, however, was the first to give up due to the excessive strain from his consistent Flamethrower. The Flame Pokémon wound up coughing on his knees, appearing to collapse to the floor on his own. All watching eyes were wide and expectant, waiting for the final judgment.
The flames on Rhyperior, however, lingered on even after the Flamethrower had ceased. The Drill Pokémon's body was glowing bright red. It could not hide the expression of suffering as the burn it just received seared away its stamina. Rhyperior's arms lost their remaining strength and fell to their sides, causing the nearly completed Rock Wrecker to collapse upon itself.
*RUMBLE*
Everyone watched wordlessly as Rhyperior was consumed by its own debris. Charizard managed to lift his head slightly up and open an eye to witness the fall of his opponent and ultimately, the fall of Team Rocket's lost hope. The Drill Pokémon was lying on the floor upon its front, covered by gravel and dying flames.
Rhyperior was unable to battle.
"… I guess that's the end of that," Giovanni managed to say, still recoiling from the aftershock of the outcome. He managed to calmly recall his defeated Rhyperior as he walked to where his desk was. Remarkably, it remained unscathed despite all of the battle activity taking place around it. "To think, a man of my influence and title would fall to a mere child, all because of a last minute status affliction. Losing as a Gym Leader was one thing, but this battle was worth more than some Gym Badge. How laughable…"
"… It's over," Ash repeated somberly, going to his Charizard's aid. "Disband Team Rocket as you agreed and turn yourself over to the authorities."
"Heh, boy, I only agreed to the first thing you said," Giovanni pointed out with a grudging smirk. "However, I don't plan on surrendering myself just yet."
"… You won't get away from me," Ash warned as both Pikachu and Charizard, despite carrying on their battle wounds, readied themselves to attack. "I won't let you bring back Team Rocket."
"Petulant child… Who said I was going to rebuild Team Rocket?"
"… …?"
"Whether you believe me or not, the ultimate battle we had didn't just decide what your fate or Team Rocket's fate would be. It helped me realize what I should do with my life."
"… … Huh?"
While Ash was left to ponder the Rocket Boss's enigmatic words, Giovanni reached his office phone and pushed a couple of buttons. It was heard ringing aloud, signifying that it was put on loudspeaker.
"Master Giovanni, how can I help you?" the voice of his secretary answered from the other end. "A thousand apologies, but I've hidden myself away from the authorities arresting several of our members so I can't do much of anything."
"There is one thing you can do," Giovanni said. "Meet with the remaining members of Team Rocket and spread the word that from this moment, Team Rocket is no more."
"What?!" his secretary cried out, clearly outraged by the request. "Master Giovanni! What happened?"
"That's no longer your business because I'm no longer your Boss after you follow this last order," Giovanni stated decisively. "Just do it."
"… Very well, sir," she replied shakily after a few seconds' pause.
Before she could attempt to argue again, Giovanni hung up on her and resumed his attention towards his conqueror. Ash gave Charizard a pleased pat on the head before recalling the Flame Pokémon to rest. Noticing that he was being looked at, Ash stared back resolutely.
"The deed's been done," Giovanni announced.
"… What will you do now?"
Giovanni glanced over to his wide windows, where the sunlight casted over the peaks of Mt. Silver overlooked the headquarters. There was an open world beyond his limited vision. The former Boss knew what he needed to do.
"I need answers… to know what it means to walk the Pokémon path again."
"And dat's da end of their battle!" Meowth exclaimed, waving his paws in an attempt of excitement.
"So Ash helped your former Boss see his former self from that battle?" Misty surmised for clarification.
"It took a one-on-one confrontation to get him to remember who he used to be," Jessie answered. "I'd imagine the whole thing would've been nostalgic."
"What makes you say that?" May asked.
"We knew each other for a long time while our moms were still in charge of Team Rocket," Jessie confessed.
"Who knew Team Rocket was a family business?" Max joked.
"Doesn't necessarily mean you have to take after the family business once your parents retire," James pointed out. "If you recall, I came from an aristocratic family, but I abandoned it all at an early age because I downright hated that life."
"Don't forget dat belle 'trix dat was supposed ta be yer bride, Jessiebelle!" Meowth added cheekily. "Eh? Eh?"
"Any more questions?" James proposed, ignoring the Scratch Cat Pokémon's goading.
"Something still doesn't feel right to me," Dawn spoke up, grabbing full attention. "If Ash defeating Team Rocket's Boss was supposed to be the end, then why hasn't he snapped out his 'shell-shocked' attitude? I know he would've been over that by now."
"Ah, yes, I nearly forgot about that," James answered, sounding almost regretful. "Truth is that had the final battle been the last thing he had to deal with, chances were that he would've been back to his optimistic and naïve self."
"The suspense is killer like a boiling pot of vegetables," Cilan commented, inciting many questionable looks his way.
"You two," James addressed Misty and Brock specifically. "You remember him having a Pidgeot during your first round through Kanto, correct?"
"I certainly do," Misty replied. "Pidgeot was one of Ash's best Pokémon, back when Charizard was disobedient to him. He released it into the Viridian Forest to protect a Pidgey and Pidgeotto flock and said he promised to come back for it at some point."
"For as long as I traveled with him, he didn't have Pidgeot back under his ownership," Brock shared before looking at Iris, Cilan, and Georgia. "Do you guys know if Ash had a Pidgeot back under his possession?"
"He shared stories of all the Pokémon he had before Unova, which included a Pidgeot," Iris explained, trying to think back. "But as far as I know, no."
"It wasn't in Professor Oak's lab, that's all I can say," Cilan answered.
"I'm sad to say that I still don't know him that well, but I can definitely say that Pidgeot would be Ash's kind of Pokémon," Georgia reassured with a thumbs-up.
"But what's all this got to do with what happened after the battle?" May questioned.
"One of the last groups of Pokémon Team Rocket captured before the overthrow and disbandment was a flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto," James explained, gazing at Misty and Brock once again. "Yes, that flock led by his released Pidgeot."
"After we met up with officials from da Pokémon G-Men and Interpol, Jimmy-boy and I found da hero boyo reunited wit his Pidgeot where da flock was held captive," Meowth continued.
"What went wrong there if they were reunited after all these years?" Max asked. "Wouldn't they be very happy to see each other?"
"It was anything but for one of them," James admitted lowly, receiving many concerned glances. "As you can imagine, all this time of waiting, even Pidgeot had its limit and eventually gave up and continued leading its flock. Seeing its old Trainer after all this time brought up bitter feelings of abandonment, even though it wasn't supposed to be the case."
"Thru me, hero boy found out about his broken promise and looked even moar distraught than when Mama Marowak was taken out of commission," Meowth added. "It then led him convinced that he broke several other promises he claimed he made, such as stayin' in contact wit all of youse."
"Oh…" Max coughed, falling into silence as the others were in.
It was all coming into place now, for all of them. Merely from what the former Team Rocket trio shared, none of them could fathom on all the events that Ash faced through the past year. They all had their own lives planned out and knew how to deal with every problem that came up. However, compared to the hardships the Pallet Town Trainer, the magnitude of their problems combined could never hope to reach up to one of his.
A death of a mother Pokémon before his own eyes… Surviving in the harsh outskirts of Mt. Silver while fighting off Team Rocket… Getting a major reality slap to the face by someone once close to you…
It wouldn't be too far off to consider Ash figuring out his life again less than a miracle. It was evident that he was still passionate about his dream based from his performance in the Champions League. This was final obstacle he had to do alone, to let go of the past and forgive himself. His former companions understood now that until he could do that, he wasn't about to actively seek them out.
After all, as his closest friends, they've already forgiven him. At least, all except one.
"… I forgive him."
"Dawn, what's up?" Georgia asked, having overheard some mumbling from the Twinleaf Town Coordinator's direction. "You forgive who?"
"I forgive Ash of what he did to me last week because he is my friend, no matter what," Dawn shared, smiling like her usual self once again. The others shared in her light, happy to see her back to normal. "Most likely, he probably didn't even mean it. Next time, I'm going to do better. I promise to remain by his side, no matter." She resolutely held a fist close to her chest. "Man, I still can't believe how selfish I acted, and in front of a stranger too."
"Did you mean Anabel?" Cilan corrected. "We did get to know her when the Champions League began, so she's not really a stranger to us."
"It happens, so no need to worry, right?" Brock assured, receiving a nod from her in return. "I think the best course of action for all of us now is to go about our normal lives. Ash wouldn't want us to constantly worry about him. Even I can tell he's growing up."
"You're right, Brock," Misty concurred. "We'll still support him because we obviously still care about him. When he wants to come back, well, he'll have to deal with an earful from me before we can accept him with open arms. Everyone with me on this?"
"Yes, Misty," May, Max, Dawn, Iris, and Cilan responded.
"That's not a bad plan, but I'm still going to do my own thing," Georgia announced, standing up and preparing to leave. "This was enlightening to know. At least now, I can properly handle Ash the next time I catch a moment with him."
"Good luck with that," Iris snorted with an additional roll of her eyes.
"Speaking of good luck, expect our battle come next week," Georgia advised, giving a two-finger salute on her way out. "Dragon Buster out!"
"Well, now that we've 'unburdened' ourselves regarding the kid, I'm taking off as well," Jessie announced, getting to her feet.
"You're not staying for lunch?" May asked.
"This new job of mine is pretty demanding, girl," Jessie replied. "I have to be on the move and visit all places for those in need."
"As surprisingly selfless as that sounded comin' from you, why don't ya stick around and relax a bit longer?" Meowth suggested. "It took our secret agent nearly da whole week ta contact ya and I want ya eatin' some of my happenin' ramen noodles. Try some!"
"It's personal," Jessie immediately answered, folding her arms. "I'm looking for someone I lost now that Team Rocket's done, but that's all I'm going to say about it."
"Come on, Jess," Meowth reasoned. "We're all buddy-buddy now with these forma twoips. We busted our chops tryin' to remember da whole ting."
"Well…," Jessie mumbled as an afterthought.
"You know, she doesn't have to if she doesn't want to," Misty said in her defense.
"*Sigh* I'm looking for my mother."
Jessie then left the room without further objections or resistance.
"Your friend, Iris, sounds… interesting, Ash," Anabel commented, covering her mouth with a hand to hold back a few giggles. "I guess it's possible to mistake Charizard for a Dragon-type just because it looks like one."
"… Yeah," Ash agreed, taking another sip from his orange juice.
The two of them were close to finishing up their orders, although Pikachu and Espeon continued to savor their sweet Poké Puffs. During their time in the Meloetta Café, they exchanged engaging stories during the time period they parted ways in the Battle Frontier. Anabel was fascinated over several parts of Ash's Sinnoh and Unova travels while Ash learned about different tactics based on battles Anabel had in the Battle Tower.
It was rather easy for them to find something to talk about. That, in addition to the background karaoke singing, helped keep their date satisfying and entertaining. Speaking of the latter, one peculiar individual stood up from his table, ready to take the microphone, much to the chagrin of one guy sitting at his table and to the amusement of the third person.
"Hello! Everyone's favorite naughty Coordinator has taken the stage!" the new singer, Harley, exclaimed, while back at his table, Drew smacked his forehead as hard as he did.
"He's so full of himself, I'm just going to pretend we don't know him if anybody asks," Drew muttered, exasperated.
"Come now, Drew," the third member, Solidad, reasoned. "You know he's been wanted to try this place out since it opened."
"And you know we came here to see how May is doing," Drew brought up. "She hasn't gone back competing in Contests since the Champions League began."
"She's just here supporting her father, isn't she?" Solidad asked. "Her father is the Gym Leader of Petalburg City. Who else would she be rooting for?"
"I know her little brother is still too young to participate," Drew answered pensively. "But then, there was that guy she traveled with around Hoenn and Kanto. The one she called her mentor."
"Speaking of May's friends, isn't that him over there? Red shirt, red cap, and has a Pikachu?" Solidad inquired, pointing at a table.
"You're right," Drew confirmed, eyes widened from the implausible picture. "I've never seen that girl he's with before. Is he… on a date?"
"Her face is kind of familiar to me, but she could be another traveling companion," Solidad suggested.
"Oh, my Arceus… I wonder if May knows about this," Drew added, appearing as though he was about to break out into laughter. "This guy is supposed to be denser than a mountain of Graveler, but even I can tell that girl is way into him and he's actually returning the favor. We got to find May and tell her this."
Just as he was about to leave his seat, Solidad casually grabbed his arm and pulled him back down, all while finishing her drink. Drew tried to pull himself out of her grip, but to no avail.
"We have all day to find May, and we promised Harley we'd stay until we all sang on stage," Solidad stated, letting the LaRousse City Coordinator go. "Plus, he's about to sing."
"… You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"What can I say? I like him. He's very interesting."
She indicated their fellow Coordinator on stage, who had done an instant live costume change, much to Drew's gaping shock. Harley had ditched his Cacturne look for a new bizarre look. He had a new ocean blue hat that covered most of his head that had spines pointing back and two triangular ears at the front of the top. He was wearing a blue sleeveless and skintight body spandex with an oval opening on the front of his torso, as well as two large spikes and a short pointy tail sticking out from his back. He also wore white gloves, red sneakers with white buckles, and adorned a small, round black nose over his own.
"Here we go!" Harley announced. "This bad angel is going to steal the show faster than the speed of sound!"
"What… is he supposed to be…?" Drew struggled to ask, feeling his lunch reemerging up his stomach from the sight.
"Okay! Music start!" Harley declared with a fist pump, to which a soft jazzy and catchy beat started to play out of the stereos. Once the thirty-second interlude finished and the rhythm picked up, he began to sing. "~Before this magic night… falls and fades away… ~I've got to find the words to steal your heart away… ~You're such a vision… ~Oh baby, listen… ~I may be putting it all on the line!"
Drew continued to stare in frozen horrified astonishment while Solidad nodded her head to the beat with a content smile. Back with the other table where Ash and Anabel stayed, the Salon Maiden also found herself entranced with the current song. The voice of the singer himself was smooth despite his outlandish tastes in costumes. She watched Ash finish his drink while listening into the lyrics, some of which she could actually relate to how she felt about the Pallet Town Trainer.
Anabel knew she wasn't around Ash for long and that they still don't know everything about one another, but that was what made pursing a relationship all the more exciting. In addition to her desire in getting closer to Ash, she channeled the same amount of passion into her goal of becoming recognized outside of her brother's shadow. With the first step of having a rather successful first date with Ash down, Anabel felt she did have the power to make her dreams come true.
However, she still wondered how Ash felt about all of this, their being together mixed in with the Champions League. He still wore an impassive look at times, but only because he had gotten used to it since defeating Team Rocket and spending the rest of the past year training at Mt. Silver. But he hadn't lost sight of his dream of becoming a Pokémon Master and now he was on his way in recovering from his past traumas. He was changing for the better now, and now it was her turn to do the same.
"… This was fun, Anabel," Ash spoke, smiling lightly. "… I wouldn't mind doing something like this… again… I like being with you…"
His smile, whether he knew it or not, meant a lot to Anabel, given from what he had been through. As an interesting tidbit, the rim of his cap that concealed an eye made him look mysterious. It all went to show that there was more that she wanted to learn about him, and based from what he last said, he seemed to express the same sentiments.
Whether she was one hundred percent certain that their potential relationship would work out or not, Anabel had already decided to be at his side no matter what.
"Thanks, Ash," Anabel mumbled, briefly looking away to conceal her blush. "I feel the same way too."
"~It seemed when I met you, we'd been here before… that I didn't forget you on some other shore," Harley continued singing, flashing out several questionable dance moves. "~Fate was my friend, 'cause she brought you again… Now here you are in my arms… ~Suddenly!"
Time for some simple chapter trivia.
Yes, I did pull elements from Pokémon Origins to portray Giovanni in a more sympathetic light here as he was there. What can I say? I did enjoy the element that in Pokémon Origins, he supposedly represented the older generation of Pokémon fans that has probably forgotten on how much fun it was and still is. There's natural good in everyone, that's what I believe, and we can choose to do good or evil depending on what we know and want.
As for his mother being the previous Boss of Team Rocket, I found that from Bulbapedia, along with Jessie's mother (Japanese name being Miyamoto to Jessie's Musashi). For Madame Boss, it mentioned that their relationship was supposedly 'hostile,' so whatever conflict they had could be interpreted either as their views of leading Team Rocket (her page inferred that she was mostly interested in making money) to more personal differences (hence the implications I placed in this chapter).
As for Miyamoto, she was a top Rocket agent that was also in for the money, but for the sake of her daughter. And from what I found, her last reported activity was searching for Mew and her current whereabouts are unknown. Does this mean she doesn't know about Team Rocket's disbandment? I felt I needed to do Jessie some more justice, so as you have read, I gave her the additional goal of searching for her mother as closure for her character.
Also, I'm now aware that the Pidgeot promise was likely an exclusive 4Kids edit, but seeing as most of us have seen that version, it was just a convenient plot device for me to use as angst fuel. Really, Ash is the kind of guy who wouldn't break a promise, so I'm sure you can figure what where I was going with this.
And as for the last section of this chapter, I've wanted to poke fun at the fact that Harley shared the same Japanese voice actor as Sonic the Hedgehog (Junichi Kanemaru, for those that didn't already know. Also, from the first time I found out, every time I've watched Japanese clips of Harley, I now imagine Sonic being all 'hoity-toity' like that instead, even though Harley is not necessarily a favorite due to his treatment towards May. It just cracks me up each time). Try to guess his song.
It's the New Year 2015 now. Here's to new opportunities and changes. And please review!
L-ater!