Blooming 'eck, a third update in one night. My fingers hurt now. But rejoice fair readers, because humour is back in the form of a familiar face to many. Oh and Flame gets to narrate again, but that isn't as importent. Enjoy and comment.

Episode Ninety: Interrogation and Milk

I woke up to the sound of voices coming from nearby. I couldn't remember anything that had happend. All I knew was that my arms were shackled and I was stuck in a basement.

"This can't be good," I muttered too myself, suprised when somebody answered.

"It isn't. For either of us."

I recognized the voice. Which triggered the remainder of my memories, of the fight in the alleyway and everything else.

"Let me go!" I said as Squirtle stepped in front of me.

"No can do, Flame," he said, emotionless, "not untill you are free of the Rocket's brain control."

"I am not being controlled!" I yelled, my anger flaring up again, "but now I will not show you any mercy. When I get out of these chains, I will throttle you with them."

I heard a door open and more Pokémon walked into my view.

"Flame, Team Rocket is controlling you. Same as they did to Hitmonchan back in the caverns of Mt Moon," Bulbasaur told me, to which I snarled a reply, "why would I listen to you murderers?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't you play dumb!" I yelled, "Alpha torched down a village! Scyther was a damn assassin."

Bulbasaur turned towards the door, confused. I used his distraction and prepared a fireball. I may have been in chains, but I could still launch an attack. I never got to use it as I felt myself getting yet another electical shock, giving Bulbasaur and Squirtle enough time to get clear.

"Now Flame," Raichu said as he stepped fowards, cheeks sparking, "I like you, I really do. But if you try that again, then I'm going to have to turn up the voltage."

"Do your worst," I growled, "Team Rocket will be looking for me, and Scarlet won't be as mercifull as I was."

"Scarlet?" Raichu asked, to which Squirtle replied in a deadpan voice, "the Charmander that nearly killed Flame and me."

Alpha tried another tactic and spoke, "Do you know how long you were out? Six hours. If they were looking for you, then they would have found you by now considering the sheer numbers they have."

"They'll rip your damn head off!" I snapped, "that Dragonair you hate so much will blow this place to bits with a single thought."

Raichu slugged me in the gut, stopping any further sentances. I would have hunched over in pain, had I not been attached to the wall.

"I've had just about enough of this," he said, clenching and unclenchin his fists, "The Rocket's have abandoned you, while we risked our necks to look for you. And this is what we get? Threats and abuse from someone we once fought side by side with. Does all of the battles mean nothing to you?"

I didn't answer, I didn't have anything to say. Raichu narrowed his eyes, "Pika, Blacky and Moron are upstairs pretty much crying because of what happened, even Squirtle isn't his normal self. Scyther is actually talking properly, so he has to be upset. The only ones that can hide their distress are those who don't know you very well, me and Alpha's party. And even then we have to struggle. None of that, none of what you put us through, means anything to you? You don't care."

I couldn't answer, I was too busy trying to process what I was being told. Raichu slugged me again, "answer me!"

I coughed as Squirtle pulled Raichu back with a cry, "stop it. You're not helping!"

"That isn't Flame anymore! I'll beat the old one out!" Raichu yelled before calming down instantaneously.

I glared at him as Squirtle released him. Raichu took several deep breaths before continuing, "So that is how it is going to be then? Huh? Well guess what, Flame, you can stay here and rot untill you see some damn sense. This entire room is fireproof, including those shackles, so you have no chance of freeing yourself. See how you like being tortured!"

They all turned and left, closing the large door behind them.

"Bastards," I said, turning my head and fireballing the shackles. Raichu hadn't been kidding, they were definatly fireproof. Even after about an hour of blasting, they still stayed strong.

I slumped back against the wall. It was true that I couldn't free myself. My internal clock told me that I had definatly been out a few hours, it was lunch time.

"Ugh, maybe I could act nice so they'd gimme something to eat," I said to the air, "then I could escape during the night."

Then, something strange happened. A milk carton fell to the ground in front of me. I looked up at where it had come from and spotted an even stranger sight.

"Mew. Why are you standing upside down on the ceiling?" I asked as the cat Pokémon floated down to the ground.

"I felt like defying gravity," came the reply as Mew picked up the carton and held it up, looking into the hole. He threw it to the side with a sigh, "damn. Drank it all."

Now he turned his attention back to me, "now I'm sure you are expecting me to tell you to straiten up, ignore everything the Rocket's have told you and listen to your friends for once. However, that is your choice. Hell, either way you'll end up fufilling your destiny so I don't care what you do."

"What the hell do you mean by destiny?" I asked, confused again. Mew seemed to generate such confusion.

"Your part in life. Your fate. All that hoohaa," Mew chuckled, "now. I don't care what you do, it really is your choice. All I am here to do is get you out of this basement."

I suddenly remembered something, "wait a sec, aren't you supposed to be watching over Spiral?"

"She's busy right now," Mew replied, "besides. I believe this is a little more important. You think that I am going to sit around and watch you hang there like a dumbass? Heck no, I'd get bored after a day or two."

Mew suddenly turned serious, as though his time was running out, "listen to me, this once, I cannot choose for you. I can only help you along the way. I can get you out of those chains but that is the limit of my interferrence. What is it going to be? Back to Team Rocket and betray those who care about you dearly, or take their advice and help them defeat the Rockets?"

I thought about it for only a few seconds before giving my decision, "Back to the Rockets."

"Righto," Mew said, waving his arms and doing a few backflips.

"What are you doing?" I asked, puzzled.

"Limbering up. You'd be amazed at how hard it is to teleport two Pokémon, especially if you haven't done it for a while."

I was having second thoughts when a flash of light appeared and I felt a similar feeling to the one I get when being pulled into a Pokéball. Not the nicest of feelings, especially on a empty stomach. I found myself standing in the middle of a warehouse, Mew reaching into a crate and pulling out another carton of milk.

"Where the hell are we?" I asked as Mew cheered while downing the milk. He finished in one go and lobbed the carton away.

"Rocket warehouse, right nextdoor to their headquarters. I decided to pop over here and get a snack. Milk?" he laughed, offering me a carton. I wasn't going to say no, especially not when my stomach was saying 'yes, say yes' in a very loud voice. So we both tucked in, several cartons of milk and a small box of apples were polished off in record time.

"For a miniture floating cat, you sure have a huge appetite," I said, throwing away the last of the apple cores.

"I love milk, it is a cat thing. Apples are nice too," he replied, "now, hadn't you better go report back to Scarlet and Ethan?"

"I guess so," I sighed, getting up and heading for the door, "thanks Mew. See you soon."

"Not if I see you first," came the reply as I snuck out through the door, I could hear Mew emptying another milk carton as I turned away and couldn't help but grin.

The door guards of the base let me in strait away, they had been informed that I was allowed in and out whenever I wanted. And no one would help them if they tried to do anything against those orders. Scarlet was waiting for me. I honestly didn't expect that, or the hug.

"Where were you?" She asked me, when she finally stopped trying to break my ribs.

"Out," was my reply, "you should have known that much."

"You know what I mean," she scowled.

"I'll tell you later. But first, I need a nap," I said, heading for the bedroom that I had been given. Milk makes me sleepy.