Chapter 59: Out of the Woods
"Gentlemen, how convenient for me to find the two of you together," Omega proclaimed as he walked into Giovanni's office, where he found the mob boss with Ghetsis and a Rocket grunt.
"Omega, this is an unexpected visit," Giovanni raised an eyebrow.
"Is there something we can assist with?" Ghetsis questioned sternly.
Omega gave them a half-smile. "There is. You see, not too long ago I had two of my operatives report to me of a secret project that Team Rocket had been keeping under wraps for quite some time now. I'd say around the time we first met Giovanni," the silver-haired villain placed his hand on Giovanni's desk.
Giovanni became annoyed, "What are you getting at?"
"I can't blame either of you for trying to outmaneuver me, but it was foolish to think you could outsmart me in the first place," Omega frowned and leaned over at the two with his hands on the desk now. "Giovanni…I know about Project G.O. You have been hiding your greatest achievement from me. Not only that, but I learned Ghetsis tried to get a hold of the research so they could replicate Project G.O. You fools believed you could experiment with interdimensional travel without me learning about it? Interdimensional travel is essential to my plan. Project G.O. is how a human can navigate through the chaos of the world between worlds," Omega's orange eyes pierced into both villains' eyes.
Ghetsis and Giovanni gritted their teeth, realizing they had been outsmarted. "Like I said. I can't blame you for trying, after all, we were all going to betray each other eventually. I was a little more subtle though. It wasn't Roxas that ruined the plans at Relic Castle. It was my doing. I sent Darkrai to kill Neo Plasma and Rocket grunts and retrieve the Light Stone. Sadly, N intervened with some help and recovered the Light Stone. He certainly proved to be much smarter than you Ghetsis," the villain mocked the leader of Team Neo Plasma.
"Why you," Ghetsis tightened the grip on his cane.
"Nonetheless, missing out on the Light Stone does not change the end goal. Unlike your plans, my plans are still on course. With Project G.O., they have been accelerated. It's too bad both of you tried to back out of our pact so soon, I might have shared the glory," Omega crossed his arms, disappointed at the failure of their alliance.
"Might I remind you that it is thanks to Team Rocket that you are able to harness Shadow Energy through Pokéballs?" Giovanni clenched his fist, believing he had held up his end of the bargain.
"Yes, I acknowledge that yet the discovery you made pales in comparison to everything else you've given me. When Project G.O. made a breakthrough, you should have to come me with the information. I kept my end of the deal. My team assisted both of you with your Legendary Pokémon easter egg hunt and it brought little to no results. That's why I took matters into my hands and sent Darkrai to the Relic Castle. Do you think you have power by wielding Legendary Pokémon? You're wrong, Legendary Pokémon aren't power," Omega used his dark aura abilities to pull the Rocket grunt standing beside Giovanni towards him.
"No please!" The Rocket grunt yelled in fear as he felt Omega's grasp around his neck. In a second, Omega snapped the grunt's neck and dropped his body beside Ghetsis' feet. The two team leaders became fearful over the display of power.
"Power is power. Legendary Pokémon are merely an extension of that. Both of you can have all the resources in the world, and you will never control the power that I do," Omega said as he stared at the dead grunt.
Ghetsis moved the corpse aside with his cane and took a step toward Omega. "If you're so upset with how we handled this alliance. Then why not rely on the greatest minds from Roxas's timeline."
"They no longer existed," Omega looked coldly at Ghetsis. He refused to let this new opportunity slip him. "Give me the passcode to access all information on Project G.O. if you value your life, Giovanni," Omega's gaze turned to the Rocket leader.
"What passcode?" Giovanni attempted to play dumb.
Omega sighed, "My my, you must really want to keep your top-secret project to yourself. Playing dumb is a childish game to me. I'll demand it one more time, give me the passcode to Project G.O." Then he threatened Giovanni with an energy blade made of aura and held it at Giovanni's chin.
Ghetsis and Giovanni remained there paralyzed, knowing that if they tried to escape their lives would end in a flash. Team Rocket's leader felt the burning sensation of the blade at the tip of his chin and winced at the pain. "It's 'Alola'," Giovanni gave in and let out a sigh of relief as Omega stepped back.
"Interesting, I assume the initial research stemmed from studies in that region?" Omega asked curiously, making Giovanni nod up and down.
"Now that wasn't so hard," Omega smirked. He turned to the glass wall that gave Giovanni a view of a serene lake. The silver-haired maniac lifted his arm and destroyed the glass with an Aura Sphere. The move startled Ghetsis and Giovanni. "By the way, I have already leaked the location of Team Rocket and Team Neo Plasma headquarters to Looker's International Police. They will come after both of you soon," Omega grinned evilly and gave them a maniacal stare.
"Damn you!" Ghetsis slammed his fist on Giovanni's desk as Omega jumped from the building and rode off on an enormous dragon that roared violently into the sky.
Giovanni gulped, "Giratina," was all he could say as Omega disappeared from view. Ghetsis and Giovanni looked at each other with pale faces. They were outclassed from the very start.
Ash, May, Iris, and Cilan were on their way to Mistralton City with their Pokémon after finally getting the time to resume their journey. Unfortunately for them, a storm was pouring down on them.
"C'mon guys, we have to find shelter quick!" Ash ran with Pikachu, trying to cover himself from the rain with his arms.
"But where? Mistralton City is still a day away," Iris responded with anxiousness.
"Just our luck," May bemoaned their situation.
"We might have to seek shelter within the forest, come on!" Cilan saw no other choice and led the group into the woods.
As they ventured into the woods, they noticed many Pokémon seeking shelter during the storm. Suddenly, Ash heard a Pokémon's cry. "Roggenrola!" the rock-type shouted with fear when Ash and his friends noticed it.
"That Roggenrola looks like it needs help!" May exclaimed as she saw the little Pokémon run around in circles anxiously.
"That tree is about to fall on it!" Iris pointed out a tree that snapped from the strong winds.
"Axew!" Iris's dragon also feared for Roggenrola's safety.
Ash separated from the group and ran towards the Roggenrola. The Mantle Pokémon did not notice the tree that was about to smother it, but it did see Ash leap toward it. The next thing Roggenrola felt was that it was in Ash's arms, and it saw a Pikachu on his shoulder and a Victini using Psychic to hold the tree that was about to fall on them. "Thanks, Victini!" Ash shouted at the Fire-type through the loud rain.
The raven-haired boy quickly moved out of the way as May joined him, "Ash, are you guys ok?!" The brunette put her hand on Roggenrola to show care for it. Victini moved the tree aside, but just as Iris and Cilan were going to run over to them a mudslide traveled down the forest hill, destroying everything in its path.
"Oh no!" Ash and May screamed simultaneously, realizing that they had been separated from their friends.
Iris and Cilan avoided the mudslide just in time, but there was no way to cross to the other side. The Unova natives gritted their teeth, feeling upset over their situation. Cilan shouted to Ash and May, "This rain is too heavy, and we can't get across. Find shelter fast and we'll do the same!"
"We'll reunite as soon as the storm passes!" Iris also shouted at them.
"Be careful you two!" May agreed with what the pair suggested.
"We'll see you soon!" Ash added as the group split up to escape from the storm.
Ash and May ran with Roggenrola, Pikachu, and Victini across the thick forest with as much energy as they could muster. They no longer bothered to cover themselves since they were completely soaked, but as luck would have it a group of wild Pokémon called to them.
The pair turned around and saw a cave filled with scared Pokémon like Sudowoodo, Pidove, Patrat, and Rufflet. "There!" May pointed since they could barely see through the heavy rain. Ash nodded and they jolted to the cave. The wild Pokémon made way for the humans and their Pokémon as they dashed into cover.
The boy and girl panted with relief and regained their composure. Ash set Roggenrola down, who was greeted by Pikachu and Victini. "Thank you," Ash kneeled to thank the wild Pokémon who greeted them warmly.
"If it wasn't for all of you, we might've gotten pneumonia from this rain," May giggled while her hair dripped. Just as May said that Ash sneezed and excused himself with a sheepish laugh.
"We need to make a fire soon or we're going to catch a cold," May noted and got an idea. "Sudowoodo, are you able to use Wood Hammer?" the brunette asked.
"Sudo," the Rock-type said it could.
"Do you mind creating some logs of wood with your energy please since we can't go out and grab some," May rubbed the Pokémon's head, making it blush. Sudowoodo enthusiastically created several logs and tossed them into a pile in the middle of the whole group. "Light it up Victini," May pointed excitedly at the pile of logs.
"Victini!" the Fire-type released a small ball of fire that lit up the fireplace.
"Great thinking May, that was really creative of you," Ash complimented his girlfriend.
"You're welcome!" the sapphire-eyed girl winked as they all settled around the fire to warn themselves whilst the heavy rain continued outside.
Ash checked on Roggenrola to see how it was doing after a few minutes of hanging his hands by the fire. "Roggenrola, how are you feeling?" the auburn-eyed boy smiled at the small rock Pokémon.
"You gave us quite the scare before. That tree was about to fall on you," May chimed in, still hanging her hands by the fire.
"Roggen Roggenrola," the Rock-type jumped up and down in gratitude. The Pokémon was clearly grateful for being rescued.
Ash chuckled as he returned to warming his hands by the fire. "We should dry off in no time with this really warm fire. I can feel my clothes already start to dry," May commented.
"I hope Iris, Axew, and Cilan were able to find shelter and warmth too," Ash thought about his friends.
May sighed, worrying about the Unova pair too. Then she reminded herself to stay positive, "Iris, Cilan, and Axew are a resourceful group. I am sure they also found a safe, warm spot to lie low until this storm subsides."
"You're right May," Ash smiled at her positivity. The boy turned to the storm outside, listening to the loud sounds of the raindrops. "I wonder how long this storm is going to last," he pondered.
The girl focused her eyes on the storm outside too, "At this rate, probably until morning." The pair accepted their circumstances and got comfortable as they prepared to spend the rest of the day in the cave with the wild Pokémon.
Hours passed by as the heavy rain continued into the night. Victini, Pikachu, Roggenrola, and the other wild Pokémon had fallen asleep by then. Only Ash and May remained awake at this time. They had kept themselves up talking about past travels and what their other friends might've been up to right now, from Brock to Dawn. They missed their old friends but were certain that they were all up to great things.
While they were on the subject of friends and accomplishments, May asked Ash something she hadn't brought up before. "Ash, have you ever wondered what comes next?" the brunette inquired.
Ash looked a bit confused, "What do you mean May?"
"I mean we are more than halfway through our journey here and I can't help but wonder what comes after our journey in Unova and after we help save the world," May gazed into the fire, pondering on the future.
Ash understood what May elaborated. "I admit I haven't given it much thought, but I know that becoming a Pokémon Master is still the endgame," Ash replied.
May lifted her head from gazing at the fire, "And what about us?"
The raven-haired teen became confused again and laughed embarrassingly, "I am sorry, what do you mean by that May?"
The brunette sighed in disappointment but mustered patience. "Have you ever thought about whether our relationship will last?"
"Of course, I do. Why wouldn't it?" Ash responded happily.
"What if there are no more regions that host league tournaments AND contests? This is the first relationship for both of us and I can't imagine us breaking up, but then I think about what if we need to split up at some point. I don't know what brought this all on, but I've been giving it a lot of thought lately," the girl admitted her fears about their relationship.
"I see…" Ash continued listening to her, never hearing her speak like this before.
"I guess with our adventures becoming more and more dangerous I've become fearful of losing you amongst all the danger and that led me to wonder what if I lost your friendship too?" May felt her eyes get a bit watery and tried to avoid eye contact with Ash by looking back at the fire.
Ash sighed and gave her a warm grin, "May, that's never going to happen." He tried to reassure the girl that he wasn't going anywhere, especially anytime soon.
"Do you remember when you saved Manaphy, Pikachu, and me from the flooding in that temple?" May focused her eyes back on him after wiping her eyes.
"I do," Ash calmly replied.
"Besides the time Omega struck you in Pallet Town, I think that's the closest I ever felt that I was losing you. When you put us in that pod and acted like you had everything under control, I wasn't sure if I would ever see you again. I was certain you would drown in the flooding. How did you find your way back to us?" May pierced into Ash's eyes, reliving the moment in her mind.
Ash stared at the fire, reliving the moment in his head too. "I remember struggling to lift the crystal and running out of air. I blacked out for a moment…I was drowning. The life inside me felt like it was slipping away from me at that moment. Then out of nowhere, I could hear your voice and Pikachu's. I heard you say that you believed I could do it. That helped me regain consciousness and live to fight another day. I knew I had to get back to the people I cared about," Ash smiled at the end of his recollection.
"You'll always come back to me, right? Even if it is just as a friend, right?" May wanted to hear confirmation from Ash, her tone was somewhat shaky as her eyes became watery again.
He stared at his girlfriend's glistening eyes and mustered the most comforting smile he had ever given. "May, I'll always come back to you," he stretched his hand out and held her face. He wiped away the single tear that streamed down her cheek.
May grabbed his hand and kissed it. Then she placed her hand behind his head and pushed him in for a kiss over the fire. The only thing warmer than the fireplace was the love between the two trainers as their lips touched. Through Ash's kiss, May could feel that his words were true and that he would never leave her. For a moment, it didn't matter if they broke up. Deep down she knew that she and Ash would always have a special bond.
When they separated to get some air, Ash continued to caress her cheek. "I am not going anywhere," Ash kept assuring May that he would always keep her close to his heart. May smiled and pecked him on the cheek.
"Pika," the pair noticed Pikachu leaped onto Ash's lap out of nowhere.
"Hey buddy, I thought you were sleeping," Ash petted his best friend.
"Chuuuu," the electric mouse enjoyed Ash's touch, especially when he scratched him under his chin.
"I'll always come back to you too buddy," the raven-haired teen told him, knowing Pikachu also sought reassurance from him. Ash fully understood where May and Pikachu's fears were coming from. He had risked his life for them and other friends time and time again. With the dangers that lurked ahead, he knew he needed to come back to his friends when all was said and done.
Pikachu made itself comfortable between Ash and May as the trio made themselves comfortable lying down. Ash set his hat to the side as he rested next to May. The rainy night continued, and the two teens began to get sleepy. May rested her head on Ash's chest while he kept his arms around her. Pikachu curled up near their heads as it let sleep consume him.
"Good night, Ash," May lifted her head to look at her lover one last time.
"Good night, May," Ash looked into her sapphire eyes, and she looked into his auburn eyes. He pecked her on the lips before she rested her head on his chest again. He rested his head, letting his eyes close and sleep overcame the couple alongside the other Pokémon residing in the cave that night.
Surprisingly, the next morning, they remained in the same positions they had gone to sleep in. Pikachu's ears perked up as it heard the sound of birds chirping. The mouse noticed the ray of sunlight entering the cave as the other Pokémon awakened, including Victini and Roggenrola. He also saw that the fire they made last night had gone out. The mouse looked at Ash and May, who kept sleeping soundly in their embrace. Pikachu hated to disturb them, but the mouse was sure that Iris and Cilan would be out looking for them.
"Pika," Pikachu nudged Ash's head repeatedly until the boy's eyes opened.
He lifted his head up and rubbed his eyes, noticing that his pal was awake. "Morning Pikachu," Ash gave Pikachu a sleepy grin. The Pallet native grabbed his hat and put it on.
"Pi," Pikachu pointed outside.
Ash turned his gaze and saw the sunlight. "Looks like the rain stopped," Ash acknowledged and sat up. He turned to May; she looked lovely every time she slept. Like Pikachu, he regretted waking her, but they had to get moving.
"May, the sun is up. It's time to wake up," Ash gently shook her shoulder, speaking in a gentle tone.
Ash's nudges woke the girl, and she revealed her bright sapphire eyes. The first thing she saw was Ash smiling at her. She returned the smile, "Good morning, Ash." Normally, she hated being woken up, but after last night's talk, she was just glad she woke up next to the person she loved.
"The rain's stopped so we can head out and reunite with Iris, Cilan, and Axew," Ash got up, lending May a hand, and pulled her up as well.
The wild Pokémon that spent the night in the cave rushed outside with excitement, relieved to be able to go out and about again. Victini floated over to Pikachu and greeted the mouse cheerfully. The Victory Pokémon then hovered over to Ash and May and nuzzled its cheek against theirs. "Good morning to you too Victini," the couple said at the same time with cheerful attitudes.
Pikachu leaped onto Ash's shoulder and Victini rested on May's shoulder. "Let's get moving then, Iris, Cilan, and Axew must already be looking for us," May said eagerly.
Ash nodded as they headed outside the cave. The pair looked up and noticed the sky was a clear blue, and the sun was shining as bright as ever. Bird Pokémon freely soared through the sky and forest Pokémon dashed across the grass and bushes. Amongst all the flying Pokémon though, the group of four spotted a Dragonite flying over them. When the Dragonite spotted them, it let out a mighty roar.
"Hey, that's Iris's Dragonite!" Ash realized with delight.
"Ash, Pikachu!" a girl's voice called out.
"May, Victini!" they also heard a boy's voice.
The four of them looked down and were relieved to see Iris, Cilan, and Axew running toward them. "Hey guys!' May cheerfully waved her arm at them.
"We're so glad to see you're alright!" Iris cheered as Dragonite landed next to her.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu greeted their friends.
"Likewise," May responded with a wide grin.
"How did you guys weather the storm?" Ash wondered what their friends had done.
"We were lucky enough to find a Pokémon Center nearby and spent the night there," Cilan happily informed them.
"What?!" the couple screamed, cursing their luck.
"Yeah, it had such a nice fireplace. We were all warm and cozy," Iris hugged herself just thinking about it.
Ash and May crossed their arms. "Well, we weren't that nice and cozy. We were lucky enough to get invited into a cave by a group of wild Pokémon and we set up a fireplace to dry ourselves off since we were soaked," Ash informed Iris with a sassy tone.
"No need to get jealous Ash, such a kid," Iris mocked him.
May and Ash sighed. Ultimately, they were just glad everyone was ok. "I'll fix you guys up with some fresh and clean clothing as soon as we get out of this forest," Cilan reminded Ash and May that he had them covered.
"Yes please!" May punched her fist into the air, wishing to change out of her current outfit as soon as possible.
"Roggen," Roggenrola caught the gang's attention out of nowhere.
Ash approached Roggenrola and kneeled down. "Hey Roggenrola, we thought you had already left with the rest of your forest buddies," Ash said as he petted it.
"Roggenrola!" Roggenrola jumped up and down with an eager attitude, having taken a liking toward Ash.
The others eyed Roggenrola curiously. "It looks like Roggenrola wants to join you Ash, as a thank you for rescuing it yesterday," Iris could tell by the way Roggenrola behaved.
"It's so cute," May clasped her hands, enjoying how the Rock-type jumped up and down.
Ash looked a bit surprised, but then again it wouldn't be the first time something like this happened. He made a fist and grinned at Roggenrola, "Of course, you can come with us Roggenrola. The more the merrier!"
"Roggen Roggenrola!" Roggenrola became delighted by Ash's response.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu welcomed Roggenrola to the team.
"Tini vi," Victini danced around the Rock-type happily.
"Axew ax!" Axew also warmly greeted the new member of the team.
"Dragonite!" Even Iris's Dragonite welcomed the small Pokémon.
"Here goes!" Ash stood up and threw his Pokéball. Roggenrola excitedly jumped towards the ball and became captured in its red light. After a few shakes the Pokéball settled, and Ash successfully made yet another friend in Unova.
May and his friends cheered for him as Ash posed with his new Pokémon alongside cheers from Pikachu and Victini. "Alright, I caught Roggenrola!" Ash announced to the world, showing off his Pokéball.
"Now let's get going because I need some dry clothes and a fresh plate of breakfast!" May declared, wishing to get moving.
"Make that two!" Ash joined in her chorus and the friends shared a laugh, continuing on their journey.
