Hey Everybody! Here it is! A week late (plus a few extra days because the site's server wasn't allowing authors to update stories), but at least I made up for that by giving you an extra long chapter this time, right? This is actually the first chapter in about three months that I've written which crosses over 10,000 words by itself, so hopefully it will refuel your batteries and appetite for this story. Before you scroll down, I want to mention that I've begun some review replies, but didn't get to them all (there were an awful lot), so I hope that if you weren't replied to you won't begrudge me a review for this chapter because I fully intend on answering all comments made concerning this installment.
Also before you read, I'd like to mention something else. My devoted fan and great friend from this site, Pokemon-Princess.8, took time from her busy schedule to look this latest chapter over for me before I uploaded it. She found a few glaring mistakes both in grammar and imagination that needed my attention before I presented this latest installment to all of you, so I gladly give her credit for making this chapter what I truly believe it is; a great one.
Now, you may be wondering why I didn't just go ahead and dedicate this chapter to PP8 after giving her such accolades…or maybe you couldn't care less and just want to read the story…
Anyway, the reason she didn't get the dedication is because someone else this week has already claimed it. EchidnaPower has been writing his awesome fic, "AAML: Diamond and Pearl version", for exactly one year. He just updated again today, and I think we should all take a moment applaud this author (and REVIEW HIS STORY IF WE HAVEN'T ALREADY AND I'M NOT SURE WHY I'M STILL TYPING IN CAPS SINCE I ALREADY MADE MY POINT) because, believe me, holding such dedication to a story which sucks away so much free time and ultimately pays no dividend beyond providing happiness to a few thousand faceless readers is no easy feat. Even more impressively, perhaps, is the fact that his story currently beats mine in the total number of chapters and words. That means that he's written about a hundred more pages of his fanfic within a year than I have in about 20 months…that's truly awesome, and deserving of much more than some tiny shout-out in my author's notes, but that's all I can do. You, the readers, though, can do much more. Please, please, read his story and give him your thoughts. Like I said, he's put so much time and work into his story, yet mine still boasts a significant (and unfair) majority of reviews. Let's continue to encourage his great work so he continues to contribute it to the site. We need as much good AAML on here as we can get!
Alright, now I'm done. Don't forget to read and REVIEW PLEASE!
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, or any of its affiliated companies including, but not limited to, 4Kids, The Pokemon Company, Game Freaks, or Cartoon Network. The characters written within this fic are soley based upon the fictional characters created by these companies, and the story is not meant to, nor will it, receive any monetary funding.
Characters' Ages:
Ash: 17
Brock: 22
Misty: 18
Delia: 41
Oak: 56
"Ugh." Misty threw her cell phone in disgust. She'd been trying to call Ash since eleven, but had yet to get a hold of him.
They can't still be voting, can they? She decided to check the news. Something this big had to be getting media attention.
Flipping through the first few channels on the small hotel T.V., she quickly found what she was looking for as she watched footage of several gym leaders celebrating as they left the conference room. The clip was then followed by a segment of a speech the Sinnoh League President gave to the press after the voting was over, discussing how the new law would change things.
Looks like it passed, she noted happily. At least something good had happened today.
"Unfortunately, we weren't able to get an interview with the actual proposer of the bill which was passed today, Champion Ash Ketchum," noted a reporter. She had a flurry of celebration going on behind her. "He apparently gave a small speech and took questions for about three hours to get this bill passed, and was clearly successful, but our sources tell us he and former Sinnoh Champion Cynthia were rushed out of the room right after the vote and to the roof where they took a helicopter to an unknown location. The reason why is also unknown at this point."
Misty was shocked. This explained why she hadn't heard back from her boyfriend, but it unleashed a deluge of new questions. As new reporters began discussing the significance of the event, Misty walked into the bathroom and splashed some water on her face, washing her tear-ridden eyes, as she wondered what could have caused both Ash and Cynthia to leave so abruptly after such a victory.
Looking in the mirror, she stuck her tongue out in disgust, temporarily forgetting the raven-haired champion. She'd cried for a solid hour, and her eyes appeared terribly bloodshot. Spending all day in the sun had done little to help her too, as she noticed the redness of her cheeks and the back of her neck.
She walked out of the bathroom and picked her phone off of the floor. If they're in a helicopter, maybe he can't hear his phone. She still wanted to congratulate him and, of course, discuss the terrible turn her day had taken. However, she was completely drained emotionally and physically, and now that she knew where he was, she decided it would be best to save any conversation for the morning. Sending him a quick text, she dropped the phone on her nightstand next to the bed and climbed beneath the sheets. Reaching for the remote, she turned off the television and then snapped the lamp off as well.
As she stared at the dark ceiling, listening to the normal rumbles of a large city at night, she felt her eyelids grow heavy. Her final thoughts drifted between her loss and Ash's victory.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Ash, please call me in the morning! I need to talk to you. Congratulations on the bill!
Ash read the message as he stepped off the helicopter pad and walked with Cynthia towards the sleek white passenger jet waiting to whisk the pair off to Indigo Plateau. He saw that his girlfriend had called at least twenty times before sending the text, and his first reaction was to hit the "re-call" button.
She might be asleep, though, he realized. Probably why she said to wait till morning. He felt a little bad that he'd missed her calls, though it wasn't his fault. He was sure she wanted to talk to him about her great battles that day, and his heart ached a little at the fact he couldn't be there to celebrate with her after his win was followed by gym leaders cheering his name.
As soon as I get back, we'll go on a celebration date, he thought with a smile as he climbed the jet's stairway. Hopefully that would make up for his lack of attendance in the redhead's eyes.
"So what are you thinking about, Ash?" Cynthia asked as the two sat across from each other in the well-kept plane. The plush interior, complete with wooden lining and leather seats, barely caught Ash's attention though. He was beginning to grow accustomed to the rather accommodating furnishings of the League.
He shook his head as the motor began to whir. "I'm not sure what to think. I mean, we didn't really do anything wrong, right? He can't just take away my champion status."
"Well, he could," Cynthia replied honestly as the jet took off down the runway, slowly making its ascent. "I mean, he owns the Pokémon League so he can technically do whatever he wants."
Ash's worried face caused her to backtrack a little.
"I mean he could, but he won't. I didn't mean to sound like he's going to fire you or something. My point is that he has the power, but you're right that you didn't do anything wrong, and it would look bad on his part to just get rid of-"
She was interrupted by the sound of her own cell phone ringing noisily. Looking surprised, she reached into her pocket and answered.
"Hello?...Yes…Really? Why do you think…Oh…Alright then. I guess we'll see you there too."
She ended the call and Ash gave her a curious glance. He knew it wasn't his business, but he wondered who would be calling the former champion at this time of night.
As if reading his thoughts, she gave him a sad smile. "That was Steven, he just said he got an angry message from Goodshow telling him to meet with us tomorrow morning."
Before Ash could respond, his phone suddenly began to ring. He looked at the number. "It's Lance," he noted, answering.
"Ash, it's me. I just wanted to call really quick and tell you I got some weird message from Goodshow. He sounded kinda mad."
Ash nodded. "I know. We're on our way to Indigo right now."
"Good. He mentioned Team Rocket, and said that you told him about what had happened with Giovanni. Is that true?"
Ash blushed a little and squirmed in his seat. "Uh, yeah, kinda. I'm sorry, I didn't know-"
"Don't be," Lance interrupted sharply. "It's time he knew about all of this anyway. I live here, but he wants me to meet with him at the same time the rest of you do tomorrow, so I guess I'll see you then."
"Uh, Lance?" The dragon champion sounded like he was in a hurry, but Ash's curiosity got the better of him.
"Yeah, Ash."
"Do you think he'd take away our Champion statuses?"
Despite the slightly edged tone the Kanto Champion's voice held before, the question seemed to break him from his worry as he let out a laugh over the receiver. "Ash, I can almost promise you that won't happen. No champion has ever been fired by the League President before, and I can't imagine it'll start with us. Remember, we were just trying to keep things under control and didn't want to worry him with trivial stuff like Team Rocket. It's not like we were trying to take over the world or killed somebody or something."
Ash smiled a little at the consolation. Lance was normally a pretty serious person, and to hear him find something so ridiculous calmed him a little.
"Besides," the red-haired trainer continued, "if he did fire anyone, it'd be me, since I came up with this whole idea years ago. You didn't even know we were keeping it a secret from him, so you're okay no matter what happens. Now, I gotta go. Steven and I have been tracking Team Rocket pretty closely the last few days, and apparently the boss just left his hideout a few hours ago. Something big might be happening, but I can't be sure."
Ash nodded. "I hope you catch him!"
Lance gave another, half-hearted, laugh. "Catching him's not the problem. Catching him in the act is."
With that, the line cut off, surprising Ash a little. Across from him, Cynthia rolled her eyes.
"He always does that. I don't know why he refuses to say goodbye on the phone ever, but he just hangs up whenever he feels he's done talking."
Ash laughed a little. "He said that we don't need to worry about our statuses being taken away."
Cynthia shrugged. "That's what I said, remember? We're gonna be fine. I doubt we'll get more than a small slap on the wrist for this."
Nodding, the Sinnoh Champion looked out the window of the jet. The bright moon lit the tops of the clouds, and the stark contrast between the dark of the night sky with the brightness of the condensed water vapor struck him as quite scenic. Slowly, he felt himself begin to nod off.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
In the morning, Misty felt a little better, but not much. She jumped into the shower, and then quickly dressed and went downstairs for the continental breakfast. She munched on a couple of pieces of toast and chased them with orange juice as she watched a small television mounted in the corner of the room. A local newsman was giving his thoughts on the preliminary scholarship tournament, which was about to continue for its second day, and the redhead grimaced as her small profile picture was read off as one of the "losers" from yesterday.
However, what hurt almost as bad was hearing Elizabeth's name read soon after hers. As if losing wasn't bad enough, apparently the girl who'd defeated her was subsequently knocked out of the competition in one of the proceeding rounds.
Who could've beaten that Dragonite?
Sighing at the news, she stood up, took her plate and glass to the dish counter and went back upstairs. Fortunately, she didn't have too much packing to get done, and before long she was back on the road and headed to Cerulean. She decided that she would wait for Ash to call her since it was still early, and she was sure he wouldn't purposefully ignore her text.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Cynthia was already by the front doors when Ash stepped out of the elevator, Pikachu on his shoulder.
"You ready to go?" she asked as he neared.
He smiled and gave her a nod. "I think so. I remember Mr. Goodshow from a few years ago, and he seemed really nice. If you and Lance are right, then I guess there really isn't any reason to worry."
She smiled too. "Then let's go. We'll meet Lance and Steven outside the building."
Walking into the sunshine, Ash immediately took notice of the startling quiet. "Wow, I guess this place is pretty dead when the League competition isn't going on, huh?"
"That and the contest festivals," Cynthia noted.
Ash and Pikachu looked around the deserted city as the three made their way to a large glass building with a pokéball-shaped roof in the distance. He saw many familiar sights from the last time he came here years before with May, Max, and Brock for the Grand Festival, and they even passed the Pokémon League Village he, Misty, and Brock had stayed the first, and last, time he competed here.
"Does it bring back some memories?" Cynthia asked as she caught him gazing at some of the small village houses.
He nodded. "My first Pokémon League competition was right here." He pointed to one of the small duplexes near the concrete sidewalk they were walking down. "That was where me, Pikachu, Misty, and Brock stayed. We were living with about ten other trainers, and I remember how excited everyone was right before the battles began."
"I remember that feeling too. I was actually eleven when I tried to win the Sinnoh League the first time myself, and we had almost the exact same set-up then…of course, like you, it took me a few more tries before I finally won."
He looked in the distance and saw the behemoth metallic stadium. "And there's where my battles were. That was so fun. Remember, Pikachu?"
"Pika!" agreed the small mouse Pokémon.
"I was so nervous right before I stepped out into the crowd," recalled Ash as they continued to make their way towards the building. "I remember my hands wouldn't stop shaking. I had always dreamed about battling in front of a big crowd and everything, but it's different when you actually do it for the first time."
Cynthia laughed. "I was almost sick right before my League battle. In retrospect it seems silly, but when you're young and it's your first time, there's nothing scarier."
The two laughed, and continued the chit-chat as they drew closer to the building. When they finally arrived, the two walked through the sliding front doors and were met by a complete contrast to the outside. Hundreds of businessmen and women were walking around the main floor of the building, holding briefcases and talking on cell phones.
"Let's go," Cynthia said, grabbing Ash by the arm and pushing her way through the waves of people, making a beeline to a series of golden elevators at the other end of the lobby.
"Excuse me, but we have to get through," she told several people who were waiting in line for one of the lifts. "We have urgent business with Mr. Goodshow."
"Oh wow, it's the Sinnoh Champions," one woman noted, still holding a cell phone to her ear. Others in the line quickly noticed the pair and they quickly shuffled out of the way. Pikachu, Cynthia, and Ash all hurriedly made their way onto the elevator as soon as the door opened, and the former champion punched in the top floor button. A few others jumped in as well and they were soon making their way up the shaft.
The elevator stopped twice to let people off, and after the small compartment was emptied, the trio made their way to the top. When the small bell rang, the trainers walked out, and were greeted by a secretary sitting outside an office, a small blue couch perpendicular to her desk.
"Ah, yes," she said, looking up at the three. "Please wait outside here. President Goodshow would like to talk to all four of you at once." Her voice was neither pleasant nor threatening, but its lack of spirit worried Ash. He wondered what Goodshow had been saying about them.
Taking a seat, the three sat in relative quiet for a few moments, the only sound the clacking keys of a keyboard as the older woman continued her daily labor. However, just as Ash began wracking his brain for something to say to break the silence, the elevator door opened, and Steven and Lance stepped out together. Ash noticed they looked quite tired.
"I'll tell President Goodshow that you are waiting for him," the secretary remarked, looking up again to find the champions walking out. Leaving her desk and entering his office, the four looked at each other.
"You guys look terrible," Cynthia noted from her seat. "Did you ride Metagross all the way here Steve?" Indeed, the steel trainer's hair looked completely disheveled, and his normally well-pressed suit was quite wrinkled.
It looks like he's slept in it, Ash thought.
Lance didn't look much better. Though his hair and clothes, cape included, appeared presentable, there were dark circles under his eyes.
The Hoenn champion shook his head. "You know how we were getting information that Team Rocket was planning something big?" He didn't wait for a response. "It looks like they're starting it now. I called everyone in the league to be on their guard, but it's nerve-wracking."
"We spent all night on the phone trying to figure out what they could be up to," Lance added. "I thought we had more time, but one of the grunts we have in place called yesterday afternoon and told me that Giovanni had left his office for the first time in a week with Mallory. Since we don't know who he's targeting, it's just a waiting game right now."
"He'll see you now," the woman said, coming out of the office.
Nodding, the four all walked through the door. In front of his sizable desk, four chairs awaited their arrival.
Motioning to the chairs, the short, older man asked them to take a seat. "This shouldn't take long."
Ash was almost surprised, despite the seriousness of the meeting, to see Goodshow with a frown on his face. He'd met the older man a few times in his younger days as a trainer, and the President of the Pokémon League never struck him as someone who could get very angry. However, the fire in his eyes was quite noticeable as he looked at each of the advanced trainers sitting before him, and Ash gulped when his dark brown eyes grazed his and Pikachu's figures.
After a stiff moment of silence, he cleared his throat and began to speak.
"I know that relations between corporate and gym leaders has always been…tenuous, at best, but when I received a call from David yesterday telling me that Team Rocket owned and operated Goodwill Management, it dawned upon me that the distrust for corporate doesn't stop with the leaders, apparently."
Lance sighed a little, but Goodshow took no notice of it.
"I also know that a lot of the trainers in the Pokémon League, yourselves included, believe that you are the most important part of this organization. I've heard it many times before as President from many trainers just as powerful, if not more so, than you. After all, the Pokémon League is about safe, competitive Pokémon battling, and you are the ones to do that battling." He took a breath and let the words sink in as he took a drink of water.
"However," he continued, "let me remind you that the Pokémon League is, above all else, a company. And like any company, it's only as successful as the people who run it. You all get to have the fun. You make a lot of money and get to travel the world battling, while suits like myself-" he motioned to the dark suit he currently adorned, which seemed to Ash a little out of place with the long ponytail tied behind his head, "-have to sit at our desks and make sure all the merchandise is sold, all the child trainers are tracked, all of the competitions take place, etc. Without us, there is no Pokémon League, and the fact that you, the Champions of my four regions, would disrespect me in such a way simply because I'm not a trainer such as yourselves is truly hurtful."
"Excuse me sir," Lance interjected as the old man took another breath, "I never meant to be disrespectful to you. You see, this was all my idea several years ago."
Goodshow's eyebrows rose in curiosity. "Why would you hide such important information from me?"
"It wasn't because we didn't like you, or anyone in corporate for that matter," he explained. "Back when Steven and I created the G-Men, we decided that it wouldn't be smart of us to make any information we discovered known to anyone who didn't belong to the group…you remember what happened eleven years ago."
Ash's ear perked at that last part. The day before, Cynthia had mentioned the same incident.
Mr. Goodshow sighed and looked down for a moment, remembering the event. "We didn't want to take the risk of exposing our information. We didn't hide what we know because we don't trust the Corporates. It's because we don't trust anyone outside of our group…even other trainers and leaders," Lance explained.
"That still doesn't excuse your reckless behavior. Do you realize if that law hadn't passed yesterday, Team Rocket would be on their way to owning the Sinnoh League? If your information is correct, we could have had an entirely new Mewtwo Incident on our hands…and we barely survived the last one."
Steven nodded and responded for the group. "How about from now on we fill you in on all new info we gather? You can be a member of the G-Men, and when you hear something that you fear might affect the League, you can contact us for more information."
"That's certainly a start, but I'm afraid that there must be consequences for what's been done." His face kept its serious appearance, but Ash could note a small sliver of remorse in his voice. "I don't take special pleasure from doing this, because until now I've felt close to all of you. Especially you, Ash."
The Sinnoh Champion's head, as well as Pikachu's, snapped at the mention. "Me, sir?"
"Yes. I still remember the first time I met you six years ago. Even then, I knew you would make something of yourself in this Pokémon League, and I was positive of it the night before the Indigo Plateau Conference began. Every evening before the start of a new competition, I like to go into the stadium and enjoy the quiet for a moment, but that night I saw you out there on the battlefield. More importantly, though, I saw the determination and fire in your eyes." He gave the Champion a quick, sad smile. "I guess being in the League this long has given me the ability to see great potential from early on."
Ash blushed a little. "Thank you, sir."
"However, I can't allow you all to continue serving as my League Champions if I can't trust you. You're the ambassadors to my different Leagues, and if you're holding out on vital information, or if I think you are, then this relationship simply won't work."
"Sir, we've said we'll share all information with you from now on, though," Steven reminded, his voice reflecting a little worry at what Goodshow was saying.
The President shook his head. "That doesn't matter if I can't trust my advisors. Effective immediately, the three of you are suspended, and Cynthia's former Champion status is also suspended. I am trying to get in touch with Steven and Cynthia's predecessors as well, but their statuses are also in jeopardy."
Ash's jaw felt as if it might hit the floor, and by the stony silence from his colleagues, he was sure they felt the same shock. He'd expected a slap on the wrist, as Cynthia had suggested would happen, but this felt like a full-on punch to the jaw.
"Now, of course, a suspension doesn't mean you're fired…yet," the President continued after a moment. "As you probably know, a League President has never fired a Champion before, and I'm hoping it won't come to that now. In the next few weeks, I will have each of you sit down with our board of directors and explain your redeemable qualities, and we will then decide at a later date whether or not to proceed with firing or reinstating you to your prior position. For now though, you are all off the payroll and are no longer able to take challenges for your respective titles."
"I-I can't believe this," Cynthia said simply, finally speaking and breaking the silence. "After all the work we've put in, you're just stripping us of our titles like that? We've worked our whole lives to get where we are, and you suspend us because you want to make a point?" The incredulity in her voice caught Ash's stunned attention.
"She's right," Steven said, standing from his chair. "We already said we'd share info with you, and that it was nothing personal by not telling you. No one knows about this except for you and us. It's not like your authority or image in the public's eye is tarnished by acting like this never happened. So the only reason you could be doing this is because you're just mad."
"I am mad," he answered, his gaze narrowing at the steel-type champion. "I am the most powerful man in the Pokémon League, and yet you decided to just act like I didn't exist. I can't have people in positions of power when I can't trust them."
"You can't trust me?" Lance questioned, joining Steven and Cynthia by standing up. "We go back further than anyone else in this League, but you're saying you don't trust me? What happened to saying you felt close to us?"
"It's hard to maintain that feeling when the people you believed to be your most trusted counterparts effectively betray you."
Lance shook his head. "I think you're blowing this way out of proportion, sir. There was no betrayal here. The G-Men have worked for years without the assistance of anyone outside the organization, and in return we've never divulged the information we gathered unless we had absolute proof of what we discovered. So often we know what the truth is, like with Goodwill Management, but we don't have enough concrete evidence to prove it to the police or even to you. It's safer if we keep things like that secret. By telling anyone else, we're just increasing the chance of information getting leaked to the public."
"I'm not just anyone, though, Lance," Goodshow reminded, furrowing his brow. "I'm your boss."
"So you're willing to strip our titles over this?"
Goodshow shook his head. "Like I said, you'll have your chance to redeem yourself at the board meeting. It will be a good chance for you to explain why you are-"
"Just stop," Steven interrupted, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a Pokédex. "This Pokédex has been with me for years, and has served as my identification as the Hoenn League Champion…I don't want it anymore." He dropped the computer encyclopedia on the wooden desk, eliciting a gasp from the others in the room.
"What are you doing?" Cynthia and Goodshow asked simultaneously.
He ignored the former champion and leaned across the desk to look Goodshow in the eye. "You know, this is the problem with all of you suits. You can never just leave well enough alone, can you? You have to have special board meetings, and call conferences and regulatory statutes in place. I imagine you have paperwork for people who want to use the office bathroom, and I'm sick of it. I'm busy, and I don't have time to take out of my schedule to prove to some snobby board that I'm an excellent champion. My record working under you speaks for itself, and if you don't see that, then I'm done."
Cynthia still looked shocked, but Ash saw Lance begin to nod with what his peer said as he watched the red metallic device hit the wood.
"Good idea, Steven." He pulled out a Kanto Pokédex which Ash noticed looked exactly like his first one. "If you can't trust me, then I can't trust your judgment. I don't want to work for a man who'll fire me over something so trivial." His Pokédex joined Steven's.
There was a brief moment, and everyone eyed Cynthia who, along with Ash and Goodshow, was still seated. However, she quickly stood, and gave the older man a sad look.
"Maybe this is for the best," she said coolly, allowing her small device to fall. "I don't have time to waste with a group that doesn't trust me."
After the clanging of the Pokédex against the hard wood ceased its reverberating throughout the office, all eyes turned to Ash. The old man seemed to be sweating a little at what was taking place, but Ash felt like he was about to suffer a nervous breakdown. Everything was happening so quickly. Just ten minutes ago he was being told that nothing was going to happen, and now three of the four League regions were without Pokémon Champions…and the fourth hung in the balance.
Slowly, he shook his head. "My whole life I've wanted to be a Pokémon Master. It's the dream of a lot of kids, but I worked so hard to get here, and I'm so close…" He looked at Pikachu, who gave him a questioning glance in return. He felt his eyes water in frustration as he looked down, pulling the bill of his cap a little lower.
"How can I give up on that dream?"
For a moment, he felt almost ready to give in to the tears, but a hand on his shoulder took him by surprise.
"This isn't about you, Ash," Cynthia informed gently. "In fact, you shouldn't even be here."
She looked over and across at Goodshow. "You do realize that he was never informed about our secret deal, right? In fact, he's the one that broke the news to Cornell yesterday, not me."
"Really?" Goodshow scratched his beard, with intrigue in his voice. "But I thought this was an agreement between all of you."
Lance shook his head. "Like I said, only the G-Men held this agreement. The other trainers in the League were completely unaware, including Ash."
A small look of relief seemed to overtake the older man's features. "Well then in that case, I don't believe I have any reason to suspend you, Mr. Ketchum. You can continue serving as the Sinnoh Champion."
Ash's head continued to spin from the rollercoaster. First he thought he was in no trouble, and then he was suspended; now he had his job back, but his friends had lost theirs. The tears were gone, but as he looked up at Steven, Lance, and Cynthia, all smiling and giving him reassuring looks, shame began to overtake him.
He stood up.
"Mr. Goodshow, I don't think I could live with myself if I kept my job while they lost theirs. I've wanted to be a Pokémon Master for so long, and your competitions have made me the trainer I am today, but I cannot be the Sinnoh Champion if you're going to fire my friends. These guys have helped me out so much. Cynthia was the first one to tell me about the road to becoming a Master, and they all took time out of their schedules to help me prepare for the battle against Paul, which I won. If it wasn't for them, the Pokémon League might already be in Team Rocket's control."
Slowly, he reached into his jeans' pocket and pulled out his Pokédex, similar in style to Cynthia's. "You can go ahead and count me out too until you let them back in." It fell into the small pile.
There was another quiet moment as the President seemed to examine the four devices from afar.
"How do you plan on explaining that your Champions quit on you all at once?" Lance finally asked, his arms folded. "Not gonna look too good on your part, is it?"
"And who's gonna replace the three of them?" Cynthia asked, motioning to the men around her. "Without them at the helm, you're going to have to figure out who takes the new title."
However, Goodshow remained quiet, and after a few more moments, Steven turned around.
"Let's leave him with his thoughts you three." He headed for the door, with the others following. Before walking out, he turned his head. "If you change your mind and decide to grow up, you know where to reach us."
With that, all four trainers and the Pokémon stepped out of the room. Ash saw the secretary watch on in interest as they made their way to the elevator, but all remained quiet until they were safely inside the compartment and momentarily free of any eavesdropping ears.
"Well…that didn't go well," Lance noted.
The utter simplicity of the statement, coupled with the high tension of the previous moment seemed almost surreal to Ash.
Suddenly, he, along with the others, began to laugh. Though this was, perhaps, the worst thing to happen yet on his journey, Ash couldn't think of anything more appropriate for the situation. He'd possibly lost everything, so what else was there to do?
"Can you believe that old codger?" Steven asked, still chuckling a little. The numbers above the door continued to descend. "I mean, trying to punish us for saving his company?"
"The weird thing is that I've always enjoyed talking with President Goodshow," Cynthia said. "I mean, he's always been such a laid-back guy in the past. I never would've imagined he'd get so upset about something like this."
"I bet he's getting chewed out for losing this deal with that company," Lance mentioned. "I mean, the board can't be too happy that he's losing all that money after allowing that law to get passed."
"And he can't even tell them why he did it either," Ash reminded, thinking back to his conversation with David Cornell the day before. "There's no evidence, so he'd just sound crazy bringing it up."
"I say he'll calm down in a few days, and we'll all be back," Steven said, confidence back in his voice. The bell chimed and the door opened before them. "Until then, let's head back to Lance's place to discuss what to do next."
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
"What?" Misty screamed in her vehicle. It took every ounce of focus she had not to veer off the road after hearing Ash's news.
"It's just temporary Mist…I hope."
"How can you no longer be the Sinnoh Champion? Why would you just quit?"
Ash sighed, sitting down on the couch in the Kanto Champion's spare bedroom. He'd asked to talk there so he could have a little privacy as he explained everything to Misty.
"It's really complicated, and it happened really fast, but basically the others were about to get fired for not telling Mr. Goodshow about Team Rocket's plans for taking over the Pokémon League, and so they quit and I decided to quit with them."
Silence met Ash's ear on the other end, and after a moment he asked if she was still on the line.
"Yeah, but I have no idea what you're talking about, Ash," she answered honestly.
He rolled his eyes. Truthfully, he was a little confused as to how he got here himself, and talking about it wasn't something he had looked forward to doing. The situation was frustrating enough without trying to explain it to someone else.
Still, though, this was his best friend and girlfriend, and she deserved to know as much of the truth as he could tell.
"Well, yesterday, during my question and answer segment, President Cornell brought me into this office and explained that we couldn't pass the law because a company was getting ready to buy the Sinnoh League from the Pokémon League, and they didn't want any changes to happen before they bought it."
"Okay," Misty answered, waiting for him to continue.
"So then Cornell told me that the company that wanted to buy the Sinnoh League was called Goodwill Management."
"That sounds familiar."
Ash laughed a little. "It should. That's the name of the company Giovanni told me about when he kidnapped me, remember? It was the one he wanted the League to give their money to so he could recreate a Mewtwo."
"Right! I can't believe it!"
"Neither could I!" Ash responded excitedly. "So I told him that this was a big mistake and told him about how I was kidnapped, and then he said he hadn't heard about any of this, which kinda surprised me. So Cynthia came in and explained what had happened."
"I don't see how any of this would have caused you to quit," Misty mentioned, cutting in.
Ash groaned. "I'm getting there, Mist. So anyway, Cornell then got mad at us and asked how we couldn't have told him before now that all of this had happened. He seemed really upset that it had come so close, and then he called Mr. Goodshow and told him our story. It turns out Lance and the others had never told anyone in the League about what they discovered about Team Rocket."
"Uh-oh."
"Yeah, so Mr. Goodshow said that after the law passed, he wanted to meet us this morning and discuss why we hadn't told him or anyone in the corporate side about what Team Rocket had done with Paul, and why we hadn't told them about Goodwill Management before now. So me and Cynthia got on a plane last night and left for the Indigo Plateau."
"Oh, so that's why the news said you two left in a hurry last night after the vote."
"Uh-huh. We got here this morning, and he seemed pretty upset. He told us that it wasn't fair for us to hide information just because he wasn't a trainer, and then Lance told him it was because he wasn't a G-Men member, and then Goodshow said that we were going to be put on suspension until a board could review our cases and decide whether or not we should keep our titles."
"So then you were suspended, not fired?"
"No," Ash answered, "we weren't. But the others quit anyway."
"Why?"
"Steven was the first one. He said that his record as Champion spoke for itself, and he wasn't going to waste time proving to the board that he deserved to keep his job. Then Lance and Cynthia basically said they didn't wanna work for Goodshow if he didn't trust them, and they put their Pokédexes on his desk."
"And then you quit after them?" the redhead asked.
He paused for a moment. "Not exactly…"
"What happened? Why do you sound like that?"
"You see, I was really worried when this was all happening…it's been my dream to be a Master, and me and you have worked so hard finding and catching all of these Pokémon. It seemed easy for the others to drop their Pokédexes and act like they didn't care, but I think that's because they're not still working toward something like me, you know? It's like they've already done all that they want in the League, so they're ready to leave if they don't like it anymore, but I was really upset when I thought about leaving it all."
Misty's tone turned sympathetic. "I didn't think about it like that…it couldn't have been easy."
"Well, it got even harder because Cynthia stepped up for me and told Goodshow I didn't even know we were keeping that info a secret, and so I shouldn't be punished…and he agreed. He said I wasn't suspended since I wasn't involved."
"…wait. So why did you quit? If your job was still safe, you shoulda just left it alone."
"I couldn't do it, Mist," he answered honestly. "I almost did, though. When he said I wasn't suspended, for a split-second, I was ready to take my job back…but then I looked up."
"Did they look angry with you or something?"
He shook his head. "That's just it. They didn't look mad at all. In fact, they were trying their best to look supportive even though they'd just lost they're titles, and when I saw that I knew I couldn't keep the job."
"I see…" He could tell she was still a little confused.
"Mist, remember that without these guys I wouldn't even be the champion still. They're the ones who trained me for Paul. Without Cynthia, I never would have known about the rules for becoming a Master in the first place. Also, remember what Steven did for your sisters by getting his old friend to teach them how to battle. These people have changed from being people I watched battle on T.V., to some of my best friends in the League."
In the car, Misty gave a slight nod as she suddenly realized how much help the Champions had been the last several months. "I guess you're right…of course, that doesn't help us out much. What are you going to do if he doesn't take you guys back?"
Ash scratched his head. "I'm not sure, but Steven says he almost has to, since it'd be too hard to replace all three of us at once. Remember that Lance holds the Champion title for both Kanto and Johto, so he would actually have four spots to fill. Not to mention how hard it would be to explain to the public, since he has no proof of the Team Rocket thing."
"Well, that is good to hear," she replied, feeling a little better knowing that the others didn't seem too worried about their future. "They've been doing this a long time. If they're not upset, I guess we shouldn't be either. But still, let's just say for a minute that Goodshow doesn't take you back, what do you think you'll do?"
After a pause, he answered. "My whole life has been about getting to the top and becoming a Master, so I don't really know. I mean, I have a lot of money in savings, so it's not like I'm poor or anything…I guess I'll just go to college and get some regular job." He bit his lip hard at the thought of living the rest of his days without the excitement of Pokémon.
"You don't sound too happy at the idea," Misty noted, saddened a little herself at the idea of Ash not being allowed to pursue his dream.
"No, I'm not…but I don't think I would've been able to look at myself in the mirror if I hadn't stuck with the others when they quit. I guess some things are more important than just following your dreams."
Misty smiled a little bit. It seemed like no matter what happened, he always seemed to find some lesson from his life experiences. "I don't think you'll have to give up Pokémon. Even if this doesn't work out, there's still lots of other ways you can battle and hang out with them as a job."
He perked up a little. "How do you think?"
"Well, since you quit, and weren't banned or anything, maybe you could become a gym leader."
"That's true!" The happiness in his voice suddenly returned, and Misty's small smile grew. "I could help you run the Cerulean Gym, even."
Her heart leapt a little at the statement. Though it was silly, this was the first time she'd ever heard him mention their future together, and curiosity pressed her to probe into the statement. "What makes you think I'd let you become the leader of my gym?"
"Oh! Well, uh…" he seemed to search for an answer, "I just figured that after college we would…"
"What? Live in the same city?" She suppressed the laughter threatening to escape. "Why don't you just get your own gym, Ketchum?"
"Well, I mean, aren't we going to still be…you know, together?" he asked sheepishly. She could hear the embarrassment through the speakers. "I thought we could run it together, as a couple."
"Ohhh," she answered, still smirking. "So you think we could run it together? Would you be living in the gym with me too?"
"What?"
"The gym doubles as a home. Would you be living there too?"
"…well, I mean, I guess I probably would. It'd be dumb for me not to, right?"
"So your back-up plan is that when we graduate, we live together and run the gym as a couple?"
He started to smile again as he heard the playfulness of her tone. "Yeah. That's also the plan if I become Champion again, but lose to the Master."
"What's the plan if you do become the Master? Leave me and marry some rich model from Orre?"
"Nah, I'll probably stick with you anyway," he joked. "But speaking of college, how was your first day of battling? I figured I wouldn't be able to reach you yet since you'd still be at the competition. Don't tell me it's already over!"
Misty's good mood was instantly soured by the question. "It is for me," she responded glumly.
"Oh no."
"Yep. It looks like your girlfriend is a loser who has forgotten how to battle." She gripped the steering wheel tighter in frustration at the self-loathing, yet true, statement.
"I doubt that's what happened. There are tons of good trainers that come there every year…this just wasn't your year. You still have another chance, right?"
"Yeah, but I don't think I should even bother."
His eyes widened in bewilderment. "Why not? Just because you lost a battle?"
"It was only the fourth round in, and some girl with a Dragonite wiped the floor with my Gyarados. I don't think I got a single good hit in. And before that, some guy's Butterfree almost beat Starmie, and after the fight he said that it was one of his weakest Pokémon. Those guys are way too strong!"
"This doesn't sound anything like the Misty I know," Ash responded simply.
"That's because this isn't the Misty you're thinking of, Ash," she answered flatly. "I'm not some little eleven year old stubborn girl…I know when I'm not good enough."
"First of all, you're still very stubborn, trust me," Ash assured, half-joking. "But second, you're more than good enough. You're the one who's been my coach all of these years, remember?"
"Oh, Ash, we both know that isn't the truth. I pretty much quit being your coach the day you became Champion."
"That's not true," he argued. "Who motivated me when I found out I was going to battle Paul? Who reminded me that my Pokémon were more than just fighters? Who made me use Pikachu, which saved me in that final battle? You did. You'll always be my coach, Mist, but now you need to take some of your own advice and be confident."
"It's a lot harder to be confident after losing a battle, than before winning it," she reminded.
"That doesn't matter. We've all lost, Mist. What matters is how you deal with it. Do you really believe that any of those trainers there were better than you? Or do you think that you just weren't prepared for them yet?"
She thought for a moment. "I guess if I'd been a little more prepared, I probably woulda done better. I didn't expect them all to be so tough, though!"
"But now you do," he said. "So you can get ready! By April, with a little training, you'll beat anyone who gets in your way!"
Though she was still frowning, she couldn't help but feel a little enthusiastic at his words. After all, he was a champion, right? If anyone could help her prepare for the next competition, it would be him.
"So what do you say, Misty?" he asked a moment later, after not hearing a response. "Do you really wanna give up now?"
She hesitated. "I guess not. If you promise to help with my training, then I'll give it another shot in the spring."
He pumped his fist. "That sounds more like the Misty I know!"
She laughed a little. "Thanks Ash."
"What are boyfriends for?"
"I didn't really know until now," she quipped.
"…hey!"
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
The rest of the day Ash spent wandering around the large estate that was Lance's house. He strolled along the dozens of acres which belonged to the dual-champion, admiring the many creatures which resided therein with Pikachu at his side. As the sun began to set, the two took a break along a wide, fenced area. As he leaned over the wooden frames, watching a herd of Tauros graze in the distance, he heard footsteps behind him.
"So are you heading back to Sinnoh tomorrow?" Lance asked.
Ash nodded. "I guess the League won't be flying me back, so I got tickets for a regular flight."
The two stood in silence for a few moments, watching the sun sink behind Mount Silver in the distance. "I guess that's the right idea. Steven's probably correct about this blowing over in a few days."
"I hope so."
"Have you thought about what you'll do if he isn't, though?" Lance looked questioningly at the trainer beside him. "I mean, if this doesn't just blow over like we think. I don't really know how stubborn ole Goodshow can be."
Ash shrugged. "I talked with Misty about it, and we decided that if I don't get my job back, then we'll just run her gym together." He chuckled a little. "Kinda different from my original plan, but as long as I've got her, I guess it's alright."
"Oh yeah, Waterflower from Cerulean, right?"
Ash nodded.
"Last I checked, their gym wasn't doing too hot. Could probably use some help from a guy like you."
"Yeah."
Another pause.
"Hey Ash?"
"Uh-huh?" He turned to the now former Kanto Champion.
"Thanks for standing with us in there today. I know that wasn't an easy thing for you to do, considering your goals and everything."
Ash gave another nod. "I told Misty that I learned some things are more important than chasing your dreams today. You've all done so much for me, so now it was time I stood up for you."
"Well, I know that you leaving like that certainly surprised him, and now he'll be in the hot seat over how he lost us all in one day. I don't think that's ever happened before…which means you've made League history two days in a row!"
Ash laughed. "That's true!"
"I guess I'll head back in now. You coming?"
"I'll be there in a minute," Ash replied, turning around as Lance began to leave. "Hey, Lance?"
"Yeah, Ash?"
"Why didn't you go for the Master title?" He realized it probably seemed like an odd question to the dragon champion, but it was one he'd pondered on and off since he first became a champion himself.
Lance smiled and walked back to him. "Between you and me? It was because…" He paused for a moment, appearing almost pained to tell the truth. "I knew I couldn't beat Red. That guy destroyed me when he was eleven, and I watched as he traveled around the world. In a matter of two years, he'd collected all the Pokémon he needed, and then took out the previous Master, Rohan, in record time. I was able to win back my champion title after he left it vacant, but I never even thought about going against him again."
"Wow," Ash remarked. "I'd forgotten you'd faced him."
"Well, it was about thirteen years before you were born, so I'm not surprised." Lance smiled. "I was only fifteen at the time, but I still remember that look he gave me when we first shook hands before his final Elite Four battle."
Ash gave him a strange look. "Elite Four? I thought you were the Champion then?"
He shook his head. "I'd already lost to his rival, and had ceded the Champion rank to him, but that match had been close."
"Oh."
"Actually, I was preparing to challenge Blue to a rematch for the rank when Red challenged me. I was sure I could win it back…but after Red took it away from him, I dropped those thoughts. The guy has an almost supernatural connection with his Pokémon."
"You think I stand a chance against him?"
Lance flashed him a quick smile. "I'll put it this way: I haven't felt the same power emanating from a trainer since I met Red…until the day we met."
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
The next morning, Misty woke up again and readied herself for yet another full day of driving.
At least I'll have the place to myself for an evening, she thought cheerily, climbing into the vehicle. Without her sisters there, she could listen to her music as loud as she wanted, and could swim in the pool and play with her Pokémon without hearing them complain about the noise and splashing.
She found herself in a much better disposition all day as she drove across the central to northern Kanto region, and she knew it was because of her conversation the day before with Ash. The knowledge that such a powerful trainer was waiting when she got back to help train her and her Pokémon was enough reason to smile, and she no longer dwelled on the loss. Instead, she blared the radio loudly with the windows down, and pictured bringing her future opponents down in defeat with ease, causing the time to fly by.
In fact, she was almost surprised when she found herself driving into Cerulean city limits.
Wow, that was quick! Turning down the street of the gym, she drove around to the back and saw that her sisters' dinky car was, unsurprisingly, still parked in front of the closed garage where they stored their equipment for the shows. Getting out, she grabbed her bags and began to walk around to the front.
"There it is," she muttered, noticing a sizable rock next to the door. Underneath it laid the swipe key, which she quickly used to enter.
As she walked out of the broad daylight of the late afternoon sun, and into the dark emptiness of the Cerulean Gym, she was surprised by a small shiver that ran down her spine.
"What am I, four?" she asked aloud. "I can't still be afraid of being home alone."
However, despite her self-deprecation, she felt her heart begin to race in the same way it did when childhood phobia of monsters in the closet once captured her imagination; a gripping feel that someone was watching her.
Quickly, she reached out and flipped the switch for the main hallway light. Instantly, she could see all the way down the hall, as well as the reception desk at the front. She took a deep breath and decided to turn on the T.V. in the small lobby area for noise.
She flipped the channels around a little until she found a cartoon program she enjoyed when she was younger. She hoped the silliness of the animation and sounds would calm her.
"It just feels so lonely in here," she noted in a mumble. Deciding she wanted company, she reached down for a pokéball, only to realize she'd left her Pokémon in her suitcase.
A small tapping sound made itself known at the end of the hallway.
"What was that?" she asked, feeling her heart beat faster once again. She looked down the lit hall, but saw nothing.
She shakily exhaled and shook her head in frustration. "It's just the gym settling down. Why am I acting like such a baby?"
She stood still for a moment, waiting for another creak or crack to make itself known in reassurance, but when none came, she shrugged. Remembering her Pokémon, she wasted no time in getting on her knees to open the large suitcase behind her. However, as she began to unzip it, another tapping noise permeated the air. She could tell it wasn't coming from the television, but she steeled her determination.
I'm not gonna turn around, she repeated over and over. She couldn't allow herself to give into these stupid little fears, or she wouldn't be able to relax the entire evening. My problem is I've been surrounded by people for too long. I haven't had any time to myself in forever!
Another tap.
It almost sounds like a shoe, she noted, pulling the metallic zipper around its final corner after getting it unstuck from its previous position. Specifically, it sounded like a nice dress shoe tapping against the linoleum flooring of the hallway.
Shaking her head again, trying to clear her mind of the annoying intrusive fears, she began to rummage through her pack.
"Where are you guys?" she asked, lifting up a series of colorful blouses only to find more clothing in her way. The pokéballs, she assumed, must have slowly shifted their way to the bottom of her pack, and as she heard another tap, she began to search a little more frantically.
"Come on, come on," she quietly muttered.
Another tap.
Finally, a small red and white orb caught her attention underneath a pair of socks she lifted. "There you are!" She hastily reached for it, beyond elated at the prospect of having some company to distract her from her own imagination.
"Tap".
This time, it was right behind her. Though the T.V. still blared in the background, she could swear she felt someone breathing directly behind her, and adrenaline shot through her veins like ice instantly.
Keeping her breathing as calm as possible, she gently gripped the small pokéball. She knew the instant she turned, whoever it was would probably strike, so she closed her eyes and did her best to remain calm. She was having difficulty believing this was real; that someone had actually broken into the gym, but she simply could not ignore the prevalence of someone's gaze permeating her back. She stayed still for a moment, hoping that acting oblivious to the person's presence would at least buy her a few more seconds to prepare.
As soon as I turn, I'll release…whoever this is, she planned, praying she hadn't chosen, of all her Pokémon, Psyduck's capsule. She noticed her hand was shaking, and suddenly she heard someone take a breath from behind her. No doubt they knew she knew they were there now. It looked like they really were waiting for her to turn.
For a split-second, she wondered who it could be and what they would want if her Pokémon failed her. It could've been a common thief, just surprised by her sudden appearance, or it could've been an ax murdered, or a serial rapist, or-
She opened her eyes and decided to quit thinking about it. Instead, she gripped the pokéball a little tighter, pressing as hard against the center button as she dared. As soon as she turned, she decided, she would enlarge it and hopefully temporarily blind whoever was behind her by releasing the creature. She'd use the small reprieve to get off a quick attack before running out of the gym and calling the police.
Let's do this! she commanded herself. Three, two…
"One!" Turning quickly, she immediately recognized the profile of a man. Her suspicions confirmed, she forced herself into action.
"Go!" she cried, trying to press the center button of the capsule. However, she realized it was too late as the pokéball was knocked from her hand before she could enlarge it. She looked over to the small ball, rolling away from her, and then she looked back up to get a better look at the intruder. She was shocked to silence by who she recognized.
"Hello, Ms. Waterflower," Giovanni greeted icily, Mallory beside him. "We need to talk."
She stammered for a moment before finally getting out a shaky "What…?"
The man simply smiled at her in response.
Run! The plan wasn't very elaborate, but it was all she could think as the two looked down on her with purely evil intentions reflected in their shallow eyes.
Unfortunately, as she tried to force herself up, she realized she was frozen in position. Though her mind was racing, her body could do nothing. Even in her frantic and stressed state, she knew a psychic Pokémon had to be the culprit, and a moment after the realization, drowsiness set upon her.
How can I feel sleepy at a time like this? Realizing the same Pokémon was probably to blame for the unexpected sleepiness, she did her best to fight it. However, despite her best efforts, she felt the one part of her body that wasn't frozen in place, her eyelids, begin to flutter shut involuntarily.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
"I guess we should get going," Ash told Pikachu, having finally finished packing.
Suddenly, he felt his phone begin to vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw that Misty had sent him a message.
Ash, come see me at the Cerulean Gym quickly. I have important news!
He furrowed his brow at the odd message. Misty knew he was all the way in Indigo, and she knew he was leaving Kanto for Sinnoh today. He decided to call her.
Oddly, she didn't pick up.
He tried again, but with the same result.
"That's weird," he told Pikachu. "Let's try a text."
He sent her a message and waited several minutes to get something back, but his patience was not rewarded.
"Something's strange." If she had important news, and she knew he was leaving today, why wouldn't she just tell him over the phone? Perhaps more importantly, why wasn't she responding to his calls and messages?
Shrugging, he opened the door to his room and walked down the stairway. He noticed he didn't hear anyone else as he entered the main area in front of the entrance.
"Where is everyone, Pikachu?"
"Pika?" guessed the electric Pokémon with a shrug.
"There you are!" Lance cried, stepping out of his office door beneath the main stairway. "I was just about to come up and talk to you!"
Ash gave him a weird smile. "Uh, thanks, but I remembered to pack up myself."
"It's not about that," the redhead answered, taking Ash back with the seriousness of his tone. "We think we may have an idea of where Giovanni went."
"That's great!" Ash exclaimed, excited. "What was his target?"
Lance looked down for a moment, before glancing back up and giving the raven-haired former champion a sympathetic look.
"Misty."
Author's Notes: I hope y'all like it! I think this was one of my better chapters, and I am really excited to get everyone's thoughts (be they good or bad). Please though, just let me know what you thought, because the story only gets darker from here and I need to know if you like what you're seeing before I delve any deeper. If you didn't like what you read, or something doesn't make sense to you, then I need to know so I can address it in the next chapter before we progress.
That's actually about all I got. Before I go, though, I do need to address one of my anonymous reader's personally because they requested I do so in the comments section.
Big big misty fan – You seriously shouldn't worry at all about me blowing you off. As I've said many times before, every review is important to me, because every one of them gets me closer to being the best author I can. Just because you're twelve or whatever doesn't mean I appreciate your input any less than I do anyone else's. That being said though, I still cannot reveal what is going to happen to Misty or any of Ash's friends for that matter. All I can say is that I am sure you, along with all of my readers, will never be able to anticipate what's coming up. I promise you though, I think what happens will definitely catch and keep your attention, so keep your eyes peeled!
Alright. That's it for this week! Until next time, Hook'em Horns and Later Days!