Pokémon Black and White
Chapter Forty-Three
A Different Kind of Battle
Ash and Misty continue to walk hand-in-hand through the Pokémon Center.
When they reach the lobby, Ash is the one to separate. Both of them look around the area, searching for that familiar combination of soft pinks and whites. Upon seeing Nurse Joy's notable pink hairstyle - the circlets bouncing as the healthcare professional rummages behind the counter - he lets go of Misty's hand.
Ash breaks off into a run. "Nurse Joy!"
"Hm?" comes the curious reply.
Misty joins Ash just as he reaches the count. He slams his hands on the counter, startling Nurse Joy. She emerges from behind the counter, peering at the two of them.
"Hello?" Nurse Joy says, perturbed by the way Misty glares at Ash. Ash, oblivious, keeps his eyes on Nurse Joy. "How can I help you tonight?"
Truthfully, Nurse Joy is frazzled by more than just Ash's aggressive demeanor. Given the excitement of the day - plus the grand feast held in the dining hall and the altercation that took place right before her eyes - she thought everyone would be fast asleep. Or, at least, on their way there.
"Sorry about him, Nurse Joy." Misty says, the remark earning a glare in response from Ash. "He likes to get carried away; thinking way before he acts."
"I can think before I act!" Ash shouts hotly, fists shaking in the air. He blows out a puff of air, focusing on Nurse Joy. "Anyway, we have a question for you, Nurse Joy."
"Sorry to bother you so late." Misty adds. "It couldn't wait until morning."
"We had to catch you before you went to sleep, too." Ash says.
"I see!" Nurse Joy exclaims. Unbothered, smiling brightly, she claps her hands together. "You two are really lucky. I was just about to head to bed."
At their spot of good fortune, Ash and Misty exchange a high five.
"I would be delighted to help you!" Nurse Joy says, folding her hands together at her waist. "How can I help you tonight?"
"That's awesome, Nurse Joy!" Ash cheers.
"What we want to ask about is…"
Misty trails off, looking pensive.
Now that they're standing before Nurse Joy, their dilemma seems that much more immense. And embarrassing. Ash and Misty both blush, their cheeks a light red. They shy away from eye contact with one another.
It's Ash, not Misty, that's the first to speak.
"It's about our room!"
"Your room?" Nurse Joy parrots.
"There's four of us sleeping here tonight." Misty elaborates. "But there's only three beds."
"Only three beds?" Nurse Joy says. She glances between Ash and Misty, the motion slow. She does it again, faster and her eyes blown wide. A faint rosy hue even seeps into her cheeks. "O-only three beds?! I-I see. I understand how that might make things a bit difficult."
"Something like that." Ash confirms. Jerking his head away from Misty and Nurse Joy, his blush only deepens.
"That's one way to put it." Misty grumbles.
It's Misty, not Ash, that's the first to recover.
Her blush subsiding, Misty dons a polite smile. "Nurse Joy, do you think you can help us? Maybe you have an extra bed or mattress or something lying around?"
"Maybe even a whole room!" Ash suggests, earning him a light slap on the arm from Misty.
"I see." Nurse Joy echoes. She nods her head twice. "An extra bed…"
Ash and Misty's shoulders and spirits slump when an apologetic smile crosses Nurse Joy's face.
"Unfortunately, I'm afraid that I don't have anything like that at the moment." Nurse Joy admits.
"You don't?"
At that moment, Ash and Misty are perfectly in sync. They both lean over the counter, looking up at Nurse Joy. They share a panicked look before refocusing on Nurse Joy.
Bring a hand to her cheek, Nurse Joy sighs. "I'm really sorry. With the Club Battle Tournament going on and how close Nimbasa Town is to Battle Central, all the rooms and beds are currently occupied. Audino and I even had to drag a couple mattresses out of storage to accommodate everyone."
Ash and Misty lean back from the counter, clearly dispirited. They share a look.
Nurse Joy looks between the two, sighing once more. "I'm really sorry. I really wish I could be more helpful."
"Don't worry about it, Nurse Joy!" Ash says, waving his hands back and forth. "We figured we should at least ask."
"I had a feeling you might not have any extra mattresses lying around." Misty admits.
"I hope you two manage to figure something out." Nurse Joy says, offering them a bright smile. Her eyes slide shut. "Good luck in the second round of the tournament tomorrow, you two!"
"Thanks Nurse Joy!" Ash and Misty chorus. Momentarily distracted from their dilemma, they're heartened by Nurse Joy's sincere ebullience.
"Sorry to bother you so late." Misty adds.
The three of them bid each other good night. It's only as they're walking away that Ash mentions something that's been weighing on his mind.
"What's Battle Central?"
Misty directs a dour look Ash's way. "That would be what you're focusing on."
Ash sticks his tongue out at Misty.
Walking through the Pokémon Center in silence, Nurse Joy's words - among other things - bounce around inside Ash and Misty's heads. It's just as they're turning a corner that Ash pauses. He stops, grabs hold of Misty's hand and pulls them both into a nearby room.
The room is a quaint affair. Designed expressly for the comfort of wandering trainers, it has several amenities that seek to fulfill such a purpose. Decorated with soft colors, quite a few chairs - bean bags and stools and barrel chairs - are spread liberally throughout the area. There's even a television set in one corner and a handwashing station in the opposite corner.
On the wall, midway between the television set and the handwashing station, is a painting. The painting shows a flock of Pidove, taking flight in the tawny morning light.
All in all, the rest area possesses a most cozy atmosphere.
But there's one thing that Ash - and later, Misty - appreciate about it more than anything.
It's vacant.
Now that Ash and Misty are alone…
Ash blows out a puff of air, letting out a shaky laugh.
"I'm a little nervous, Misty." he admits, letting out another shaky laugh. "Plus I don't know where to begin."
Ash starts, just a little, when Misty takes one of his hands in hers.
"I think," Misty says, leading Ash to a pair of barrel chairs. "We should get comfortable and go from there."
Ash parts his lips, sitting down in one of the chairs. Misty takes the other. In that moment, maintaining eye contact with one of his most cherished companions, Ash feels a rush of love course through him. The feeling is so great, it's enough for his neck to the tips of his ears to be set afire.
"Yeah," Ash says, beaming. "That sounds great!"
Ash and Misty spend the next few moments getting comfortable. Once that's accomplished, Ash is the one to break the ensuing silence.
"You're right, Misty." he says. "I have been a little distracted ever since we left Eindoak Town. I just can't stop thinking about Victini and…everything that happened."
Misty doesn't comment on the hitch in Ash's voice.
Ash takes a deep breath. He adjusts the brim of his hat. Leaning back in his chair, he pulls his hat over his eyes, hiding them from sight. He says something, near-inaudible.
"Everything that happened?" Misty repeats.
Ash springs to his feet with a shuddering breath.
"Everything!" he says. He paces back and forth in front of Misty twice, saying nothing. He adjusts the brim of his hat once more, refraining from eye contact with Misty. "How much do you remember?"
Misty mouths the word 'remember', feeling a jolt of understanding.
"I remember," she answers. "how the Dragon Force was going out of control. We were trying to escape when the Pillars of Protection were closing in on the castle. Victini got trapped inside; we were stuck."
A palpable silence emerges then, as if anticipating Misty's next harrowing words.
"It…it got really cold. Hard to breathe, too."
Ash coughs, choking on his next breath. "So, pretty much everything."
Misty nods her head.
Ash rubs the back of his neck. He adjusts the brim of his hat. He sighs, saying, "Ever since we left Eindoak Town, I couldn't stop thinking about what happened. It got so cold and we were running out of air. No matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn't think of anything to get us out of there."
"I couldn't get my body to move either." Ash says. He turns away from Misty. "Pretty soon, all I could think about was how I was letting Victini down. That I wouldn't be able to take it to the ocean. And how I got you, Marill and Pikachu into that mess. And, if I didn't think of something, we would all…you and I would end up—"
Ash stops for two reasons. The first is the words are too terrible to say, let alone contemplate. He doesn't even want to think about what would've happened had the situation gotten worse. As for the second, a force slams into Ash's back. Once he recovers from the shock - and having the air knocked from his lungs - Ash figures out that it must be Misty.
He hears a sound, like a hiccup. It's like he's right back in Eindoak Town, that frigid air wrapping its icy tendrils around his heart.
Turning around, he finds Misty standing there. Her eyes glistening with unshed tears, the way she's glaring at him manages to thaw those rimy memories of Eindoak.
"You know, Ash," Misty says, her hands tightening into fists. "You're not the only one who can't stop thinking about Eindoak. Sometimes, it's all I can think about."
Ash says nothing. From their conversations in the past, Misty never let on that she had any particular feelings about what happened in Eindoak Town.
And she's not done.
Misty slams her fists into Ash's shoulders, leaving them there. His eyes meet hers; standing there so close, Ash realizes Misty's trembling.
"Do you know what I remember more than anything, Ketchum?" Misty sneers, a fire blazing in her eyes. "When the Pillars of Protection were closing in and you were apologizing, I really didn't know what to think. I thought…I thought you had given up. No matter how crazy things got, you always found a way out. That was something I figured out the first day we met. When you stole my bike."
An involuntary chuckle coaxes itself from Ash's throat at the memory. He doesn't say much more than an awkward "Mhm".
"But more than that," Misty says softly. Her fists loosening, she places her palms on Ash's shoulders. She maintains eye contact still. "I remember how cold it was. How cold you looked. When I saw you on the ground like that, when you didn't say anything, I thought…maybe it was how we were running low on air, but I…I really thought that maybe—"
Like Ash before her, there's two reasons for the abrupt end to Misty's words. Firstly, there's how she couldn't bear to verbalize what she thought when they were surrounded by the Pillars of Protection. As for the other, Ash wraps his arms around her in an embrace.
"I'm sorry." Ash says, his voice thick with emotion. "I never thought about what you thought about it."
"It-it's…it's okay, Ash." Misty says, hugging him back fiercely. "What happened…it's not something that happens all that often, you know?"
Ash hums.
Unbidden, the tears they both kept locked away run freely down their faces. Feeling the warmth of each other, the steady staccato of their heartbeats, Ash and Misty are left without any recourse. The couple is content to stand in silence, drinking in the solid stability of holding another person in their arms.
Eventually, the two end the hug only for Ash to press his forehead to Misty's. They both take deep breaths, as if they had just finished ordering commands to their Pokémon in a climatic championship battle and not stood with the cozy interior of a Pokémon Center, holding each other as they cried.
"I really needed that." Ash and Misty say in unison.
Much like the frost that fell away in the wake of Victini's incredible power, the tension that served to prelude their heart-to-heart evaporates. It vanishes into mist, leaving behind two satisfied, happy teenagers.
"You know," Ash says, his thoughtful words a little at odds with the bright grin on his face. "I don't think we have anything to worry about. If anything like that happens again, there's one thing I'm sure of."
"Oh?" Misty challenges, her own teasing words at odds with the sincere smile on her face. "And what would that be?"
"Doesn't matter what happens!" Ash asserts. He takes Misty's hands in his, interlacing their fingers. "Because we'll always be there to help each other out!"
Misty stares at Ash in silence. Between his words and actions, she cannot help the blush rising to her cheeks.
"Geez," Misty remarks, removing her hands from Ash's. She pulls down the brim of Ash's hat, earning an indignant squawk in the process. "You sure have a way with words."
Ash laughs, the most cheerful the sound's been all day. He makes a wordless sound of joy, wrapping Misty in his arms once more. He spins around with her in his arms several times, startling a good-natured cry of "Put me down, Ash!" out of Misty followed by the sound of them both laughing.
"Sorry, Misty." Ash says, grinning. He sets her down on the ground, his hands lingering on her waist before falling away. "I guess, thanks a lot. It really helped to get that off my chest."
"Me too." Misty agrees, even as she shoots him a sour look. Even as she smiles.
"We should probably get back to our room." Ash says. "It's probably late; they're wondering where we are."
"We should." Misty agrees, nodding.
Soon standing next to each other, Ash bumps Misty with his shoulder. They return to the hallway, settling into an easy pace.
"Too bad we couldn't find an extra bed." Ash grumbles. "From what Nurse Joy says, it sounds like they don't even have any pillows lying around!"
Misty sighs. "Yeah, I'm not looking forward to sleeping on the floor."
"Me either." Ash says. "After so much battling, I'd rather sleep in a nice comfy bed."
Ash and Misty come to a sudden stop. They turn to each other in confusion.
"Wait," Ash says. "why would you be sleeping on the floor?"
"Why would you?" Misty shoots back. "After the day we had and—" she jerks a thumb in the direction of the rest area they left behind. "what you said in there, there's no way I'm letting you sleep on the floor tonight!"
"I was thinking the same thing!" Ash retorts. "Sleeping on the floor isn't gonna be that big a deal. Back in Kanto, I had to sleep on the floor all the time when you spent the night!"
"Exactly!" Misty exclaims. "Since you slept on the floor all the time, it's only far for me to do it this time! It doesn't bother me one bit!"
"It bothers me!"
Ash and Misty fall silent. Turning away, the motions sharp, they look away from each other.
Nevertheless, they resume walking. It's when they see their room that they start talking again.
"So, what do we do?" Ash says. Grabbing Misty's hand, he pulls her to a stop. They stand there, the only occupants in the hallway. "I don't want you sleeping on the floor."
"And I don't want you sleeping on the floor." Misty retorts.
"And there's only one bed."
"Cilan and Iris already took the other two."
"They're probably asleep by now."
"I doubt either of them would share."
"So…" Ash trails off.
"So…" Misty trails off.
They look at each other then look away. They blush; a faint rosy color.
"Then I guess we'll just have to share the bed." Ash says.
"Pokémon Center beds are pretty big." Misty says. "There'll be plenty of room."
They look back at each other, their blush deepening when their eyes meet.
"It's not that big a deal." Misty remarks snappishly. She stomps past Ash, standing in front of their room's door. "It's just one night."
"It's just one night." Ash repeats, walking over to join Misty. "Besides, when we were traveling, we already slept pretty close together. It'll be like that."
Misty nods, the motion jerky. "Just like that."
Ash coughs. "After you?"
Ash and Misty find - as she opens the door and they step into the darkened interior of their room - that their assumptions are proven true. Not only are Cilan and Iris secure in their own beds, both of them are fast asleep. Axew is curled up at the foot of Iris' bed, snoring away. Pikachu and Marill are sleeping at the foot of Cilan's bed.
Pikachu and Marill are huddled close together, sleeping peacefully. It's a clear sign of the protective instinct Ash's Pikachu feels for Misty's Marill, the younger of the two.
Ash and Misty cannot help smiling at the sight. In fact, it's the joy of seeing their Pokémon so close that shuttles them both through their nighttime routine. They both brush their teeth, taking shifts in the bathroom to change into their nightclothes. It's only when they stand on opposite sides of the bed that they pause. That the full enormity of the situation sinks in.
Ash and Misty say nothing; him, taking his cap off and placing it on the nightstand; her, brushing a hand idly through her hair.
"Well, we do need to sleep." Misty says. Taking initiative, she slides under the covers. She sits up straight, looking over at Ash.
"R-right." Ash says, doing the same.
Once they're both under the covers, they turn over on their sides, facing each other.
"There's nothing to worry about." Misty asserts. "We can sleep like this just fine."
"Just fine." Ash repeats. He starts to blush. The weirdness of the sleeping arrangement gets to him, fraying his nerves, he forces his eyes shut. "Okay, good night!"
Despite herself, despite the fact that she starts blushing a little, Misty cannot help the short quiet laugh that escapes her. "Good night, Ash."
It's a testament to how truly exhausting the day's proceedings are; a few moments later, Ash and Misty are fast asleep.
Just as night falls over Nimbasa Town, so too does it blanket the Desert Resort.
In a fortuitous turn of events, the vicious winds tearing up sand and dirt are still for the moment. Not a single wisp of a sandstorm makes itself known. He's well used to terrible weather conditions - he once chased a Pokémon Poacher all the way to a frozen tundra that would make an Abomasnow shiver - but the absence of such does make his task significantly easier.
Perplexing is a different story.
Narrowing his eyes at his laptop, Looker frowns deeply.
It's been quite some time since Xavier sent out his distress signal from within the Desert Resort. Since then, Looker's been checking it regularly for any updates. And there have been updates, each one saying the same thing.
That Xavier has not moved one inch since the signal was activated.
Looker supposes that could mean many things, two of which being the most likely.
On one hand, whoever imperiled Xavier could have located the beacon. And, instead of deactivating it, they left in the ruins. Ensuring that whomever received the distress signal would find not a brother-in-arms, but dilapidated environs and the errant wild Pokémon.
The other hand, the more probable scenario is the villains took the deepest reaches of the Desert Resort for a base. That they did locate the beacon, but instead of destroying or deactivating it, they found another purpose for it. Leave it intact with their prisoner and should there be any members of the same organization skulking about, they'll surely be lured by the distress signal.
They'll attempt to save their fellow agent, only to end up trapped along with them.
A crude method, but on the whole, an effective one.
Looker's Croagunk stares into the middle distance. Looker's companion says nothing, cheeks distending and contracting with each breath.
"I don't very much like it either." Looker remarks. Having seen enough, he shuts his laptop off and stows it away. "We're either going to leave empty-handed, or we'll be walking directly into a trap."
Croagunk's features darken, chortling.
"Your strength is considerable." Looker remarks. Closing his eyes, he crosses his arms over his chest. "What to do?"
Of course, the answer is obvious. But, on the mere notion of pride, Looker rebels at the idea of knowingly walking into a trap. However, if a fellow agent is in trouble…
"Follow my lead, Croagunk." Looker advises, his companion already a few paces in front of him. His Pokémon drops into a fighting stance, arms raised. "Regardless, whoever these criminals are, they'll soon find they've made a grave mistake."
Croagunk nods.
No further words are exchanged between the duo. They set off for the Desert Resort, thoughts of rescuing their associate at the forefront of their mind.
Delving into the Desert Resort turned out much simpler than Looker anticipated. Aside from a Sandile, a pair of Yamask and a wandering Cofagrigus, they didn't encounter any issues, much less a scoundrel capable of dispatching a member of the International Police. In fact, the Pokémon Looker and his Croagunk saw looked like they couldn't scamper away fast enough.
They were entirely uninterested with them. An overall unusual sight for wild Pokémon.
We must be in the right place.
Looker's focus sharpened, opting to keep his thoughts to himself.
But when they dropped down to a lower floor in the ruins, Looker kneels down to look Croagunk in the eyes.
"There's definitely someone here." he asserts, brushing some sand from his shoulder. "The Pokémon here are clearly agitated. Prepare for battle."
Croagunk gives a brisk nod.
Nodding himself, Looker continues on his path with Croagunk in tow.
As a member of the International Police - one of their most accomplished field agents at that - Looker has nerves of steel. Apart from his training, even as a child, it takes extraordinary feats to rattle Looker even a little. However, walking through the ruins of an ancient place, even Looker feels a faint chill down his spine.
There's no wild Pokémon nor even a single person. The only noise is the tsh, tsh, tsh of sand falling down from the floor above. It creates a rather eerie atmosphere.
The benefit is it makes Looker and his Croagunk even more attuned to their environment; to the slightest peculiarity. If even the smallest pebble moves, they'll notice. For the moment, there's nothing to notice.
Sharing a glance with his trusted partner, the two delve even deeper into the Desert Resort.
They round a corner just as they hear it. Looker and his Croagunk draw back, pressing themselves to the wall. Tilting his head up, Looker finds that his senses haven't betrayed him.
Voices.
From what he can tell, there's at least three of them. Looker grimaces; given the large cavernous space that makes up a large portion of the Desert Resort's interior, it's hard to pinpoint where the voices are coming from. Given the way they bounce off the walls they could be anywhere.
The speakers could be ten feet away in another room or just around the corner.
Looker puts his arm out, his meaning clear.
"It's not fair!" one of the voices remarks, loud and masculine. There's a loud thud! like he kicked something heavy. "We should be out in the field, too! Not stuck in here doing nothing!"
"We're not doing nothing." a second voice asserts. He speaks with a calm weariness; presumably, they've not only had this conversation before, but he's had to concern himself with his compatriot's excitable nature quite often as well. "We're making sure our guest is comfortable. That is a task just as important as any other."
"The accommodations have been rather nice." a third voice interjects begrudgingly. "Some of the best food I've had in a while."
There's a slight upward twitch of Looker's lips, recognizing the familiar masculine voice.
"You're too kind." the more subdued man remarks over the sound of his associate's grumbling.
Looker shakes his head. Regardless of the budding comedy routine, the fact remains that Xavier is being held captive by two unknown elements. Springing into action, Looker and his Croagunk turn the corner. They run forward a few paces, stopping at a large opening in the nearby wall.
Standing upon its threshold, assuming a battle stance, Looker takes in the scene. He finds Xavier bound to a chair. Immobile, yet defiant. He's not the only familiar face he sees either.
Outfitted in shades of black and gray are two members of the Shadow Triad. Peering at the new arrival with mild interest, the two criminals make no aggressive movements either to their captive or the interloper.
"I suggest you let him go," Looker advises. "now."
The two members of the Shadow Triad share a glance. They seem to have a lengthy dialogue in the span of several seconds. One of them sighs deeply, the other laughing a little. They surprise Looker, his Croagunk and even Xavier when they move away from their prisoner. Given their demeanor, their actions are borderline inviting.
"By all means," the calmer of the two says, the smile audible behind his mask. "retrieve your ally. We won't stop you."
"We were only supposed to keep watch until someone arrived to help him." the more excitable of the two adds, punching one of his fists into an open palm. "Since you're here, we're no longer stuck on guard duty!"
Looker looks between the two warily. Despite his misgivings, he walks into the room with Croagunk.
"You and your ally can leave freely." the level-headed Shadow Triad member says. He crosses the room to stand next to his compatriot.
"We won't stop you!" the exuberant Shadow Triad member repeats, shaking his head vigorously.
Looker narrows his eyes. Coming to a stop in the center of the room, he's a few paces away from the Shadow Triad members as well as Xavier.
I don't like this. Not one bit.
Squelching his unease, Looker works in tandem with his Croagunk to liberate Xavier. Croagunk uses a mighty Poison Jab to sever the ropes and Looker wrenches the scraps away from Xavier.
Looker pulls Xavier to his feet by an arm. Throwing Xavier's arm over his shoulders, Looker directs a sharp glare at the two Shadow Triad members before walking towards the entrance.
Croagunk, serving as their shield, walks backwards in their direction. Croagunk has one hand raised in warning.
Not willing to question nor tempt their good fortune, Looker, Croagunk and Xavier quickly maneuver through the halls of the Desert Resort. They don't rest until they're several feet from the ruins. The trio find themselves in the same spot Looker and Croagunk occupied before they advanced upon the Desert Resort.
"That was most odd." Looker remarks.
He sits down, grateful for the opportunity to catch his breath. Given the natural geography of the area, the spot Looker found affords them the perfect defense against prying eyes.
"I agree." Xavier remarks. He stretches; his hands on the small of his back, he leans back before leaning forward. Satisfied, he takes a seat next to Looker. "Though, I will admit it wasn't the most unpleasant time I've been held hostage."
"Speaking of," Looker says. "Our escape was much too simple. Xavier, you were trapped in their care for some time. Were there any other members of Team Plasma on the premises?"
At Xavier shaking his head, Looker frowns deeply.
"So, they only had two people guarding an agent of the International Police." Looker says. "Moreover, not only did they not seem to possess any Pokémon or special training, they made no moves to harry our escape."
"They essentially shoved us out the door." Xavier agrees.
The two fall into a thoughtful silence.
"Perhaps…" Looker says slowly. He shakes his head. "Did either of them say anything about their plans? Some indication why they would've wanted you to escape?"
"Some indication…" Xavier repeats, nodding his head. "I believe so. We should find someplace more secure before we talk more. But I will say this. They said no force in Unova can interfere with their plans. That their goal of Pokémon Liberation will be realized. And only someone chosen by the Golden Dark Stone could pose a threat."
Waking up the next morning, blinking the sleep from their eyes, Ash and Misty feel warmer and more comfortable than they have in a long while. Ash stretches one arm above his head, the other wrapped around Misty's shoulders.
"Mornin' Misty." he says, unable to stop himself from grinning at her. He uses his free hand to brush a few orange locks away from her forehead. He presses a kiss to her temple.
"Good morning, Ash." she says, returning the smile. Currently, she has one arm over Ash's stomach and the other wedged under his back. She finds that she doesn't mind the sensation. Misty reaches up to press a kiss to Ash's cheek before snuggling up against him. "Sleep well?"
"Mhm-hm!" Ash confirms. "Now I'm all ready for my next battle!"
Misty hums, too warm and comfortable to make any kind of retort.
Ash and Misty rest there, lingering on a cloud of pure bliss. At least, they do until they wake up fully, leaving them with dark skies. More alert than they'd been a few moments prior, Ash and Misty take stock of their current position.
Him, his arm around her shoulders.
Her, her arm across his middle.
They look at each other with wide eyes before springing apart.
"What's going on?!" Iris cries out. Yawning hugely, she sits up in bed with a simply dreadful case of bedhead. She rubs at an eye, saying, "Why are you guys so loud this…this morning?"
Axew blinks, slow and bleary, looking over at Ash and Misty with half-lidded eyes. Eyes that soon mirror his trainer when he notices their status.
Iris' antics only add to the disruption, rousing Cilan from his slumber.
"It's Morning Time?" Cilan says. Yawning, he looks over at Ash and Misty. Immediately, he becomes alert when he takes stock of the situation. To his credit, he doesn't react beyond a polite smile and a cheerful "Good morning!".
Blinking their own eyes open, Ash's Pikachu and Misty's Marill look around the room. Determined to find the source of the commotion, they find Ash and Misty blushing a deep crimson, Iris and Axew looking at them with devious intent and Cilan's bright smile.
"Pikapi!"
"Marill!"
A sense of normalcy befalls the room. The occupants find their attention entirely taken up by the way Pikachu and Marill react to their trainers' reappearance. Pikachu jumps onto the bed then onto Ash's shoulder, giving everyone a good laugh when Pikachu elects to give Ash a minor electric shock. Marill jumps into Misty's waiting arms; Misty brings Marill to her face, pressing their faces together.
"This is lovely!" Cilan cheers. "I believe it's still rather early. We should have ample time to prepare before the second round of the battle tournament!"
"I could definitely use it." Misty remarks, lifting a hand to run through her hair.
"Move outta the way!" Iris demands. Surging from her bed, Axew content with staying behind, Iris rushes into the bathroom. "I need to brush my teeth!"
"I'm so ready for the second round!" Ash cheers. Putting his hat on, he looks ready to bolt from the room in underclothes and bare feet. Already hyped up on adrenaline, his cheeks are flushed. "I'm counting on you to cheer me on to victory, pal!"
"Pika!" he cries, sharing a high-five with his trainer.
Cilan has his eyes closed, laughing behind his hand.
Misty only shakes her head.
"It may seem strange, but I promise you, it's the honest truth."
The Audino Town's Officer Jenny mindlessly nods her head, writing down the testimony of Matcha City's Officer Jenny.
"Believe me," Audino Town's Officer Jenny says, using the back of her hand to brush away eraser crumbs on her notebook. "I've heard more than a few strange tales."
"Technology can be really impressive, don't you think?" Matcha City's Officer Jenny remarks. She takes a drink from a ceramic mug, the design showing a winking Growlithe superimposed on a brilliant flame. She sets it down with a contented sigh, making eye contact with her colleague. "To think someone had a device capable of doing something like that."
"It's a bit unsettling, to be honest." Audino Town's Officer Jenny admits. She glances at her notes, consulting them for a moment. "I have some additional questions, but before I get into that, what happened to Doctor Akihabara?"
"Doctor Akihabara." Matcha City's Officer Jenny repeats. She hums, smiling ruefully. "That man has always been a bit…eccentric. Considering how his actions helped to foil Team Rocket's plans and return all those Pokémon to their rightful owners, I decided that his actions were necessary. Besides, those kids were more than happy to help."
"I see."
"He's actually become a huge help at the Pokémon Center and the station." Matcha City's Officer Jenny continues, voice earnest. "Whenever there's a glitch in our systems or we think there's someone tampering with our files, he's there to put an end to anything suspicious."
"Sounds like quite the boon." Audino Town's Officer Jenny remarks with a smile. She glances at her notes. "Now, onto my next question…"
Audino Town's Officer Jenny nods her head, writing something down in her notebook. She stops, looking at Matcha City's Officer Jenny with an even stare. "I have one last question: what was Team Rocket's aim?"
"Their aim?" Matcha City's Officer Jenny repeats. She peers into her ceramic mug, setting it down with a frown. "From what I gathered from the testimonials of Nurse Joy, Doctor Akihabara and the kids, Team Rocket wanted to use the Pokémon Transfer System to steal Pokémon."
"Steal Pokémon…" Audino Town's Officer Jenny repeats. "Thank you. You've been very helpful."
"It was a pleasure, sir!" Matcha City's Officer Jenny exclaims, saluting.
Audino Town's Officer Jenny returns the salute.
The two lapse into a much more mundane conversation. They discuss Matcha City's Officer Jenny's appreciation for ceramic mugs and how Growlithe - and in some cases, its evolved form, Arcanine - have become the de facto mascot of the Kantonian Police Force. No matter where you may go in Kanto, there will be at least one Officer Jenny supported by her faithful Growlithe.
It's just as Matcha City's Officer Jenny promises to send over the purchasing information for Audino Town's Officer Jenny that the two decide to part ways.
Audino Town's Officer Jenny watches as the videophone screen goes dark, leaving her alone with her thoughts once more.
"Stealing Pokémon…" she muses. Writing the words down in her notebook, she circles them thrice. "No matter what, I will find out what you're scheming, Team Rocket."
Originally Added: February 21st, 2024.