Chapter 104 – Where's your momma gone?
"Osha, Oshawott Osha..."
There was a small entourage of Pokémon waiting for then when Ash, Pikachu, Ashachu, Axew, Zoroark, Geyser, Nova, Flygon, Dragonite and Charizard arrived on Oak's Ranch. And none more so happy to see their trainer, than Oshawott. The little otter threw himself into Ash's arms, with a happy cry of "Osha Osha."
"Hehe, Oshawott," Ash giggled as he caught the otter Pokémon and held him tightly against his chest. "Good to see you too buddy."
"Pika." Pikachu gave a disapproving little growl, his claws digging a little into Ash's shoulder, but he said nothing.
Oshawott buried his face in Ash's chest, enjoying the sensation of being held so tightly. He was completely oblivious to Pikachu's apparent disapproval (or was just ignoring it).
"Hey dad," Said Geyser as he sidled up beside Ash. "I evolved."
Oshawott twisted in Ash's arms and his eyes widened when he saw the Samurott with the black horn. "G-geyser," he stuttered in disbelief. Ash set him down on the top of Geyser's head, where he lay on his snout and looked into his eyes. The two otters both grinned broadly.
"Wow...When did you?"
"Just now. Like literally a few minutes ago. I feel stronger than I've ever felt."
Oshawott hugged his now much larger kits face. "I'm so proud of you!"
The rest of the entourage consisted of Bulbasaur, Snivy, Sniveon, Sylveon and Mienfoo. They promptly made their feelings for their trainer known. Sylveon wrapped her feelers around Ash's arms and shoulders, as he knelt down to greet them all.
"Ash," she cooed happily. "We were so worried about you. What happened."
"We saw the tournament on the television," said Sniveon. "The Team Skull kidnapping. And then the next thing we knew there were those Spaceships and the Aether Foundation's been attack, and the skies are going dark."
"What happened," asked Mienfoo simply.
"It's a very long story, and it involves Team Rocket," Ash replied. "And I don't have a lot of time to explain it. I need to get some things... And I need to see mom."
"Pika Pikachu Pika," said Pikachu.
At the mention of his mother, Sylveon and the others all exchanged looks. Their worried expressions made Ash's stomach turn over. "What...What's happened."
"We didn't know how to contact you or tell you," said Snivy after a moment's awkward pause.
"Ash, your mother's gone," said Sylveon.
Sure, enough Ash's worst fear was confirmed. "Wh-what...How."
"Nobody knows," said Snivy. "It happened a couple of hours ago. Mister Mime came running up to the ranch shouting something about two men in black outfits. He said that they came to the house and took your mom with them."
Ash clenched his fists, anger flowing through him. "Team Rocket! What else did he say. Where is Mister Mime." The Pokémon with him were all wondering aloud what had happened, firing off a thousand questions, but Ash blocked them out. He raised a hand, gesturing for silence.
"Unconscious. Up at the ranch," said Snivy. "He fainted. He ran up here screaming about the men taking your mother away, and then just fainted. We tried to wake him up, but he doesn't seem to be responding to anything. Whatever those guys did to him, it's effective."
"Pikapi." A worried Pikachu hugged closer to Ash's neck, his jealous of Oshawott forgotten, and licked Ash's ear.
Ash closed his eyes as he thought about what to do. Fighting desperately not to give into rage and fear. He needed to think clearly. There was only one thing to be done. He got back to his feet.
"I need to see the house," he said. He looked around at all the Pokémon around him. "Stay here. I'll be right back, I swear. Pikachu, you stay with me!"
"Pika."
And what that, he ran off towards the gate, and the road and his home on the other side of town.
"Well, that was a cheery reunion," Charizard grunted with a snigger, glancing down at Ashachu.
Only to find Ashachu in the middle of an embrace by a very affectionate Sniveon. The Flareon had her paws around him, obscuring most of his body in her long fuzzy orange fur. she buried her nose into the chook of his neck and nuzzled him, causing Ashachu to giggle.
"Heheh. Sniveon!"
The egg had rolled onto its side on the grass beside them. Charizard gave a disapproving snort and picked up the egg. Sniveon starting licking Ashachu's neck, which made Ashachu blush. Not that anyone could see that with his face buried in her fur.
"I was so worried about you," she breathed between licks. "When I saw what had happened in Alola. I worried I wouldn't see you again."
"Zard!" Charizard snorted disapprovingly, a little puff of smoke coming from his nostrils. He rolled his eyes. But before he could reach down to pull Ashachu away form Sniveon, he felt a tiny paw on his foot and heard a squeak from below.
He glanced down and saw Nova standing beside him. The Cyndaquil was staring up at him with what appeared to be a look of awe, as though he couldn't belong what or who he was looking at (though that was hard to tell with a Cyndaquil). Nova was blushing hard, his cheeks so red, he was starting to remember a Cyndaquil-Pikachu hybrid.
"Uhh hi," he squeaked.
[Pokémon]
Meanwhile…
The Ketchum house was on the other side of Pallet Town, right beside the entrance to Route 1, leading to Viridian City and the rest of Kanto. A modest two-story dwelling, with a porch and neat front garden filled with white and red roses. Though Ash had been home alone many times before, it was hard to imagine the house without Delia.
Whenever Ash had returned home, his mom had been there, in the kitchen, the front yard, or pottering about elsewhere. Her absence now was highly conspicuous and made the house feel not just empty but gave it the veneer of a place where something terrible had happened. Even though there were no signs of a struggle or forced entry.
The house was as clean, neat, and tidy as it always was, as Ash stomped from room to room calling for his mother.
"Mom…MOM…ARE YOU HOME…Shit."
He checked her bedroom, his, the lounge, the kitchen, and the laundry room. All were empty. The beds were made, the cushions neatly placed on the couches, and the surfaces free of dust. He tried looking in cloisters and under beds, by no luck.
"MOM. Oh man, where are you!"
He punched the wall hard, which only earned him a massive pain in his knuckles.
"What in the distortion world do I do now."
He tried to think clearly, but his brain kept threatening to go into panic mode.
"Pikapi…"
He heard Pikachu calling him from another room. He had barely noticed the rodent lean his shoulder as he had entered the house. Pikachu had gone sniffing on his own, trying to pick up Delia's scent and see where it was strongest. His search, as Ash quickly found as he followed the sound of Pikachu's voice, had led him to the kitchen, and to a note pinned to the fridge that Ash had missed when he had first trapped through the room.
"What is it, buddy? You find something?"
"Read that," pikachu replied, pointing to the note on the fridge.
Ash tore it off. It was a regular white slip of paper. The kind kept for writing letters. Ash recognised his mom's handwriting. He sailed hard, his heart suddenly beating very fast, as he read it aloud.
Ash dear,
If you're reading this, it means I've gone. I wish you had called more often while you're on your journey, and I regret not getting to hug you one last time or tell you how much I love you.
There are things in my past that I have never told you. Things that I cannot tell you. Things from which I have always tried to protect you. And now that past has finally caught up with me.
Please do not come looking for me…it's far too dangerous.
If I see them again, I'll tell JJM not to bully you.
Love, Mom
"What the fuck…what does this mean."
Ash felt a pain in his stomach, and he dropped to the ground and sat down beside Pikachu. He put his head in his hands and pressed his palms hard against his eyeballs, trying to piece it all. What did it mean. The past…JJM. Has his mother even with that. It was definitely her handwriting.
He had expected Pikachu to climb o to him to comfort him. To say something helpful or kind, and to lick his ear and nuzzle his neck. Instead, he felt a small Pasetti of paws tug on his shirt and head Pikachu say, "hey Ash. Look as this."
Ash took his head out of his hands and looked does at Pikachu. The mouse was holding something in his paws. Ash took it off him. It was a small scrap of paper with a simple illustration on it.
"It was being the note," Pikachu explained unprompted. "Mom must have…"
Ash examined it…and he felt a fire ignore inside of him as he sea what it was and realised what it meant.
[Pokémon]
Back on the ranch…
Nova quivered as he stared up at Charizard. He opened and closed his maw several times as though trying to say something, but unable to form the words. His entire face had turned bright red by this time. Charizard stared at him for a second, before snorting, rolling his eyes, and turning his attention back to Ashachu. He picked both Ashachu and Sniveon up in his claws, to the surprise of them both.
"Hey…What the. CHRIZARD," cried Sniveon, as she wriggled. Charizard was gripping her by the scruff of her neck, her whole-body dangling above the ground.
"Pika!"
Charizard placed Ashachu on the top of his head, as though putting on a funny yellow hat. He held Sniveon up to his eyes considering her. He grunted again without saying anything, before dropping back on the ground.
"Whoa…"
"Hey careful."
"Sniveon!"
There was a small outcry for the other Pokémon gathered. Snivy and Sylveon rushed over to check on Sniveon. As did Hunter in spite of himself. Geyser pulled a face and considered striking him with water gun. He decided against it…evolved or not, he wasn't strong enough to take Charizard. Ashachu said nothing. By contrast, the two other dragons, Flygon and Dragonite, giggled.
Sniveon got to her paws, stretched, and frowned. "What, I can't even give a friendly hug now."
"You're lucky you only tried to hug him," Hunter said, almost laughing. "Trust me, you don't want to cross that Zard when it comes to his mate." He slapped her back with a paw and added, "plush, hugs don't usually involve using your tongue."
"Hey Charizard." Nova had finally found his voice. "I-I can't believe that I'm finally meeting you, or that I'm saying this, but…I'm your biggest fan."
"Hmmm." Charizard turned his attention back to Nova, looking down at the Cyndaquil with his brows raised.
Nova turned scarlet again. "Damn I'm all nervous. Breath." He took a deep breath before blurting out, "I mean it, I love you man. You're amazing." He bit his lip. "And you're Ashachu's boyfriend. Fuck, I'm jealous."
Charizard coxed his head. "Uhh no offence, but who the hell are you?"
"Oh Charizard, this is Nova," said Ashachu, barely able to contain his smirk. "He's a friend of mine. Of ours. He's Typhlosion and Jimmy's kit."
Charizard's eyes narrowed. "How does he know me."
"Are you kidding me," scoffed Nova. "You're like a legendary. One of my friends and I used to watch Pokémon-vid clips of old tournaments. One of the first I watched was of you at the Indigo plateau. Man, when you refused to fight that Pikachu. It was so inspiring. And then I saw you at the Silver conference in Johto. I was captivated by that battle with Blastoise. You won despite your type of disadvantage. It opened up a world of possibilities for me. I love you so much."
Everybody else seemed quite taken-aback by this, including Charizard. He folded his arms and frowned at Nova quizzically. "Really, that inspired you. Inspired you to what, exactly?"
Sniveon nudged Hunter and muttered to him, "whoa, check out fan-boi Nova."
"Yeah, whole new side to him," Hunter chuckled.
"You showed me that, even though the world and society are built for humans, we Pokémon can take back power," replied Nova. "That human needs us, and not the other way around. It opened up so many possibilities for me."
Charizard looked mildly intrigued. "Really…You get that, from that fact that wimpy little Pikachu wasn't worth my time?"
Nova nodded. "You're amazing."
Ashachu snickered and rolled his eyes. "Here we go again."
"You inspired me to question the system and I've carried that with me every day since I saw that video. You inspired me to be strong and to train to be my very best, but for the sake of myself as a Cyndaquil and a Pokémon, not to win a badge or trophy for trainer. I am fucking love you, man." And with that Nova summoned all his courage, and actually climbed onto Charizard hugging his neck.
"What the!" Charizard gaped at the little fire mouse standing on his shoulder, too surprised to decide what to do. With annoyance, he heard the sniggers of the other Pokémon around him.
As well as Hunter saying, a little too loudly to Sniveon, "reckon he's got a hard-on, pressing against Char's neck."
At that moment however the egg started to glow once more, drawing everyone's attention. Ashachu felt a pang in his stomach as he raised a paw to shield his face from the light emanating from the Char egg. Was this it…
[Pokémon]
"I can't believe it…they took my mother," Ash cursed as he thundered back up the road towards the ranch. "THEY TOOK MY MOTHER."
"Pikapi…uhh." Pikachu clung tightly to his shoulder, his claws digging into Ash's jacket to avoid falling off. He wanted to tell Ash to calm down but thought that might not be the most tactful or helpful thing to say at this juncture. Instead, he asked, but why would they take her. I don't understand. Delia's never had anything to do with us."
"They must be trying to lure me. To lure us," Ash replied. "Man, I knew Team Rocket wanted you badly buddy, but to get to try to get to me through my mom."
"Its low even for them," Pikachu agreed. "But what are we going to do, we need a plan!"
Ash clenched his fists as he ran. "I'm going to kill them all. I'm going to end Team Rocket."
Pikachu didn't have a response to that. He knew he'd need to try and calm his mate stop him doing something rash. He was also becoming aware of pains in the pit of his stomach. As though something inside him was moving…
[Pokémon]
"Go on then," growled Charizard, bowing his head and giving the glowing egg a little nudge with his nose. "Come out of there!"
Ashachu held his breath, his heart pounding. A murmur of anticipation ran through the Pokémon gathered around.
"Wait. This is your egg," asked Nova in surprise, but everyone ignored him.
But, after a few seconds, the light faded again. Charizard tilted his head, disappointed. "Or not…in your own time. We'll wait for you..."
A/N: A very happy thanks-giving to all my American readers!