Chapter 13: Silph Co
Boom!
A small explosion made itself known on the tall building's body.
It had been 5 months since Raticate's passing.
5 months since Team Rocket relentless hunt for raven-haired boy began.
And that day would be the last.
Ash Ketchum had managed to find Team Rocket's hideout.
Silph Co of Saffron City.
He battled without rest.
Slept for the bare minimum.
For if he slipped up even once, the black fiends come knocking.
What kept the boy going…
Was anger.
Anger at Team Rocket.
Anger at Cubone's mother's death.
Ash lost control of his emotions, something he had never done before.
'Growing up, I never had a mother.' The boy thought to himself.
A [Flamethrower] burned his enemies.
'I bottled up everything, unable to even smile.'
A [Thunderbolt] shocked them.
'But then, I could… It was thanks to…'
The boy untied the hostages that worked there.
'…Who?' he finished with his eyes widened.
A blurred image of a girl wearing a straw hat.
He held his silver locket.
But before he could identify that person, one of the hostages spoke.
"You came to save us? All by yourself?" he asked.
After all, the workers of Silph Co had been freed by a 10-year-old boy.
"Aren't you scared of Team Rocket?" he asked again.
As if something triggered in his mind, he remembered his mission.
Destroy Team Rocket.
He didn't answer.
There was no need to.
'I'm too angry to be scared.'
'Team Rocket is going down today.'
Those thoughts occupied his mind.
With a sigh, the worker handed him a PokéBall.
"Here, take this Lapras. It's very intelligent," he explained.
"Its Water and Ice typing might help against their Boss's Ground type Pokémon."
With that, Ash left the hostages with a map and a new member.
Pikachu and Charmeleon walked with their Trainer.
Navigating the labyrinth of Silph Co.
Despite their Trainer's newfound disregard for their safety, they were more than willing to join in his crusade.
Ash's Pokémon knew of his past.
And they sympathized with Cubone.
It did not take a genius to understand where Ash got his rage from.
Although they were tired, their morale only grew stronger.
"Looks like we're close to the Boss's room. Charmeleon, keep a lookout," Ash said while looking at the map.
"Char!" the red lizard responded.
Suddenly, a massive figure approached them.
A Blastoise now locked hand in hand with Charmeleon, who intercepted the attack.
"Green?! What're you doing here?" Ash called out, recognizing the Trainer behind the giant turtle.
"Oh, you know. Just saw an idiot sneaking around," Gary snarked.
The two Pokémon released their hold on each other.
Their eyes still glaring at one another.
"Here I thought you've gotten stronger! Guess I was wrong!" Gary shouted, his Blastoise aiming his metallic cannons towards the raven-haired boy.
A blast of concentrated water travelled towards Ash.
And hit a sneaking Golbat behind him.
Ash looked at Gary dazed.
"What? Too much?" Gary smirked.
"Oh, you're the kid from Rock Tunnel, aren't you?" a man called out.
A group of Team Rocket members accompanying him.
In an instant, Gary recognized the man.
His expression darkened.
"Red. What did you come here for?" Gary asked.
"Huh?"
"Tell me." he demanded.
"…I met a Cubone shortly after you left," Ash began.
"Rocket killed his mother and were gonna sell their skulls for money."
Hearing this, Gary clicked his tongue.
"Tch. Classic Red. You really gotta stop caring about every Pokémon you meet, dude," he said in an understanding tone.
"Well, what about you?" Ash shot back, a little peeved at his remark.
The orange-haired boy summoned his Pokémon.
"To get stronger," he simply said.
"Go on ahead, Red."
"Find their Boss, he's the one you're after."
"As for these guys…"
Gary narrowed his eyes.
Memories of Raticate played before him.
"They're mine," he growled.
Blastoise and Growlithe shared his look.
"…Thanks, Green!" Ash thanked as he made his way towards Team Rocket's Boss.
"Like hell we're going let you! Golbat, [Poison Fang]!" a grunt ordered.
Without warning, Growlithe became a blur of red, leaping into the air via the walls as platforms.
The red puppy bit the purple bat's wing and with a spin, flung it back to its Trainer.
The same moves Raticate displayed when the puppy first met him.
"You're not getting away, trash," Gary said, unflinching.
"What the hell?! What kind of Growlithe moves that fast?" a grunt cried out.
"Just rush them all at once!" the one from Rock Tunnel ordered, panicked.
As the Pokémon rushed towards the orang-haired boy, Gary calmly called out his orders.
"Blastoise, [Water Pulse] to push them back!"
"Growlithe, pick off the stragglers!"
"Kadabra, support them with [Reflect]!"
Flawless commands.
Gary did not falter.
Neither did his Pokémon.
After Raticate's death, Gary trained from scratch.
Motivation was high.
Growlithe trained the hardest.
Eventually, the red puppy did the impossible.
Growlithe had learnt [Quick Attack].
A move that should not even be possible for him.
And yet, fuelled by the guilt of the brown rat's passing…
Growlithe inherited Raticate's speed.
Grief motivated Gary and his Pokémon.
'That was the last time I let that happen.'
A personal promise the green-eyed boy made to himself.
'People and Pokémon can grow by forming bonds of love and trust.'
'That, I acknowledged.'
'It worked for Growlithe.'
'As it did for Red.'
'However…'
'If it means exposing ourselves to that kind of pain…'
Gary's thoughts came to the memory of Eevee crying.
'… I'd rather not take that risk at all.'
'Emotions leave you vulnerable. Lead you astray.'
'Lead you to your death.'
Raticate's tombstone flashed before his eyes.
'Trainers and Pokémon should never be friends…'
'It's better that way…'
"Go, Weezing. [Explosion] on that damn brat!" the grunt commanded, sure of his victory.
"Blastoise, do it," Gary simply said.
The massive turtle took aim.
Gone too soon.
Its cannons whirred to life.
Green meets red.
"We're going to be the very best!"
Forgotten love.
A memory of Ash's declaration.
Rage incarnate.
'Red… I don't care about your 'very best'.'
Halfway there.
"[Hydro Cannon]," Gary ordered.
Cut off the shackles.
'Because my best is something completely different!'
Transform the heart into steel.
'For Raticate.'
Chapter 13: Silph Co
And a chestnut-haired girl sprinted towards the tall building.