Please review for more.
Chapter 30
"Ow, May that hurts." Ash protested.
"Stop being a baby, I said I'd cut your hair so I get to do it my way." May told him as she yanked a couple of strands of hair up so she could cut them.
"When did you say that?" Ash asked with a wince.
"When you were unconscious the other night." May answered, her face full of concentration.
"That explains why I didn't remember agreeing to this." Ash realised. "I knew you had to trick me somehow."
"Ash please, I'm trying to concentrate." May berated, causing Ash to resort to a quiet huff.
May was suppressing a giggle. She wasn't lying, she did say she was going to cut his hair when he was in the infirmary and he didn't say no. He just also didn't say yes.
May halted the haircut for a moment, stooped down and kissed Ash on the cheek, who was sitting on the chair in her room.
"Thanks May." He smiled. Despite him not agreeing to this, he was enjoying it. Aside from the occasional pain of his hair being pulled of course.
Ash didn't realise how much he'd enjoy these simple moments. Of course he was looking forward to dating May, but he didn't know what it was like to go out with someone. He always enjoyed his talks with May but they've gone to another level now.
He loves the times they're not talking. When ones presence is enough to make the other happy and comfortable.
"Okay, I'll get the bowl to finish the final touches." May joked.
"Please don't." Ash begged as May laughed.
"I'm only messing with you." She giggled. "I'm actually done."
She whipped the towel off that was around his shoulders.
"Take a look in the mirror and let me know what you think."
Ash walked over to the mirror that was on the wall over the desk in May's room. The exact same place as where it was in his room. All the rooms must be the same here.
He looked at himself in the reflective glass, he never cared much about his appearance really but he liked the haircut. Simple but it still left his usual messy haired look.
"It looks great." Ash gave May a big smile that she returned at those words.
"Thank you." Ash told her as he kissed her gently on the lips.
"Anytime." May beamed.
"I wish I could stay a bit longer but I need to collect my Pokémon from the Pokémon Centre here." Ash said, sad of having to leave.
"It's okay Ash I understand." May said understandingly.
"I'll try to be back before we meet up with everyone to leave." Ash insisted.
May knew how unlikely that was knowing Ash's punctuality wasn't one of his strong points.
"It's okay Ash, take as much time as you need." She told him.
"I wish we could have had more time together." Ash admitted.
It still surprised May when Ash said things like this. She had become so used to him being clueless when it came to his feelings. That's why hearing this statement made her feel happy and sad.
"Me too." May agreed. "We'll just have to make sure we get out of here in one piece. Then we'll have all the time in the world together. I mean we haven't even been on a proper date yet."
"That's true." Ash realised. "How about this? When we make it out tonight after freeing all those Pokémon we'll go on a proper date soon afterwards."
"That sounds wonderful." May said delighted. "I'll hold you to that Ash."
"I believe it." Ash laughed. "Okay, I need to go."
He kissed May one more time, they said good bye as Ash left the room and closed the door behind him.
He walked through the silent halls on the way to the in house Pokémon Centre. He didn't pass a single soul on his way and before he knew it he found himself in front of the doors of the centre.
He walked through the doors and waved at the Blissey on his way to where the Pokémon were. As soon as he walked in he was swamped by all his Pokémon.
"Okay guys, relax." Ash laughed, barely prying Muk and Bayleef off him.
Ash stood up and dusted himself off. He scanned the faces of all his Pokémon and despite the circumstances couldn't help smiling. He knew that he could rely on every single Pokémon he saw in front of him.
"Okay, are you guys ready for tonight?" He asked, receiving a cheer in response. "I'm not going to lie to you guys, this might be the most danger we've ever faced, and that's saying something."
A couple of Ash's friends looked nervous at that statement but they cried their support just the same.
"Okay then, thank you guys." Ash said gratefully. "How about you guys give me a refresh of your moves so we can be fully prepared?"
After a collective cry from his Pokémon they were just about to work but then Gary walked into the room.
"What's up?" Ash asked his longest rival.
"Big night tonight." Gary sighed.
"You could say that again." Ash agreed.
"I got something I need to talk to you about." Gary continued." "Just you."
Ash raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"What are you thinking?" Ash asked curiously.
"It'll be dangerous," Gary started. "But I think it's our best shot of getting what we both want."
"I'm listening." Ash grinned.
Later on that evening the group once again met in the cafeteria. Usually when they were gathered here there were loud sounds of talking, laughing and eating. This evening however, it remained silent.
"There's no going back once we do this right?" Serena asked.
"That's right." Brock confirmed.
"Well if that's the case I'm going to use the bathroom now." Max exclaimed as he left the room.
"I'll hold it until we get in." Gary joked.
"Can we go over the first part of the plan again?" Cameron asked.
"Fine." Gary sighed. "The old Team Rocket members are going to bring Cameron, Serena and Gaz in acting as if they captured them. While that's happening Anabel and Lucy will take out the guards standing at the East door, if Jessie James And Meowths info can be trusted."
"That's a big if." Dawn remarked.
"Meanwhile the rest of us will be in that underground passage they told us about which leads to the labs." Gary continued. "We'll burst through there and rendezvous with the captured group who should be just above the lab. Then we'll make our way east and open the door to get Anabel and Lucy in."
"A lot of this plan is based on us just overpowering them." Gaz noticed.
"I like the sound of that." Ash smiled.
"You're right but we have too little information to come up with anything else." Gary admitted. "We don't even know their full plan."
"That's true." Anabel agreed. "I'd prefer to wait to learn more but we can't afford to delay in case their move comes next."
"Should we not split the groups up more evenly?" May asked. "There's a lot more of us going underground than anywhere else."
"We need as much people underground as possible." Gary shook his head.
"The lab is one of the most heavily guarded areas in the headquarters." James informed.
"I'd like to avoid it altogether." Gary confessed. "But it's probably our best entry point."
"I have a question about our group." Jessie spoke up. "What if we're guarded by other Team Rocket officials when escorting the three twerps? They might insist on having someone else escort us too."
Gary faltered for a moment but Gaz seemed prepared to answer.
"I'd suggest wait until we're alone in a part of the building, then we can take out whoever is escorting us with our Pokémon." Gaz proposed.
"They'd check you for pokéballs before that stage." Meowth warned.
"We'll give our pokéballs to you." Serena stated. "They won't search you."
"Are you sure we can trust them?" Max asked, making everyone jump as they didn't see him return from the bathroom.
"No," Serena answered after composing herself. "But this might be our only option, plus they saved Cameron's life And that means a lot for me."
"Okay, that could work." Gary mused. "I wish there was a way that you guys could enter as normal though. Just having one capture to take in will make this a lot easier."
"Wait, I think I have an idea." James shouted as he searched through his bag.
After about half a minute of rustling his hands emerged from the bag holding two black Team Rocket uniforms.
"This is the uniform every member has to wear." James explained. "We would too if they weren't so hideous."
"That's perfect." Brock smiled. "Two of our group can wear them and pretend to be Team Rocket members so only one has to be a fake capture."
"So who is going undercover and who's the prisoner?" Leaf asked.
"Serena and Cameron can have the uniforms." Gaz spoke up. "I'll be the one you supposedly captured.
"Are you sure Gaz?" Serena asked.
"Just so you know whoever is pretending to be captured is going to be in more danger." Jessie told him. "There's a chance you'll be taken away and locked up as soon as we get in the building."
"That's more of a reason it should be me." Gaz shrugged. "It would only add more stress and worry if Cameron and Serena were separated from each other."
"Alright, if you're sure it looks like we're all set." Gary said emphatically.
Anabel took a minute to give instructions to her assistants to look after the Battle Tower until she gets back, once that was done it was time to leave.
The group remained silent for the vast majority of the trek to the first stop, only breaking the quiet to make one line observations or jokes.
The darkening skies played into their favour of being undetected as long as possible but it also painted a grim omen over the atmosphere. The clouds overhead were darkening along with the sky, signifying their intent to burst soon.
For now, the evening remained calm.
The group reached their first infiltration point, the underground passage that led into the Team Rocket labs.
"Okay, this is where we split up first right?" Misty asked.
"It is." Gary confirmed.
"Stay safe you guys, please." Ash told them.
"We will," Cameron smiled. "We'll see you in there."
"My sweet, beautiful Lucy it pains me to separate from you, so much so it's causing my heart to break in two. I don't know if I can go on but I will try my best until we reunite later on and I can finally be happy aga-" Brock was again cut off due to a Poison Jab.
"He was a bit late this time." Iris noticed as Croagunk dragged Brock along the ground. "Usually he hits him as soon as he starts."
With much more subtlety than Brock, Dawn used the distraction and gave Gaz's hand a tight squeeze. The two locked eyes for what felt like an eternity but also not long enough before she turned and faced the cave entrance.
"So this cave leads us straight to underneath the labs?" Leaf asked sceptically.
"It does." James confirmed. "It dips underground and continues all the way to beneath the lab. Then there's crevices in the rocks you can use to climb up to a trap door to enter the lab."
"You discovered all this to just get out of lab duty?" May asked.
"Lab duty is really awful." Jessie started. "We don't mind hard work but this... you'll see when you arrive there."
"Okay, let's go." Max swallowed, wary of what's ahead.
"You better not be setting us up." Leaf warned the old Team Rocket members.
"We're not." Meowth insisted. "This is the only option left for both us and you."
The group exchanged glances, accepting what Meowth said was right.
"Okay, we'll see you guys in there." Ash told the other team. "Stay safe."
"You too." Serena replied.
With that Ash and the team designed with him turned and disappeared into the cave.
Serena and Cameron slipped away to throw on the Team Rocket uniform over their clothes.
"Before you think of trying anything, remember it's 3 on 3." Lucy warned Team Rocket.
"Still don't trust us huh?" James huffed.
"Do you trust us?" Gaz countered.
"Fair point." Meowth conceded.
Anabel was studying Team Rocket, it must have been relatively obvious as Jessie picked up on it.
"What are you staring at?" She hissed.
"I think I trust you at least." This caught Jessie, James and Meowth off guard, even Gaz raised his eyebrows in disbelief.
"You do?" James asked shocked.
"I do." Anabel confirmed. "Well it's less I trust you and more I trust your emotions. I do read that you don't want to turn on us."
"At least one of you has common sense." Jessie huffed.
"But I can also tell how terrified all three of you are." Anabel continued. "So there's a chance you might give way to your fear at our expense."
The three former Team Rocket members fell silent at Anabel's words, knowing she's right.
"It's a lot harder to blame someone because they're scared." Gaz admitted. "We've all been through it."
"I just hope for the sake of us and everyone else in the world that you can fight through that fear." Lucy smiled.
Before Team Rocket could answer Serena and Cameron arrived back.
"We ready to go?" Cameron asked.
"Uh... yeah sure." James stuttered before turning his back and leading on a bit further.
It only took another 10 minutes of walking before they stopped again. They chose a spot covered in bushes and a tall, looming tree. This time the building of interest was finally in sight.
"Home sweet home." Meowth joked.
The Team Rocket based stretched high into the sky, so much so you could see Pidgeotto's and even a Skarmory circling around the tallest point.
It was for the most part a normal, albeit extremely tall, building for the most part, however about have way down it seemed to have merged with a hill of land so most of the lower half of the exterior was covered by the rough landscape.
This subsided just enough at the bottom of the hill in order to fit two large double doors.
"I'm guessing that door is our entrance point?" Gaz asked.
"I can tell you're bright." Jessie spoke dryly.
"What about us?" Anabel asked.
"You need to go towards the back of the building." Jessie informed. "There is a large steel door on that side. There should only be two guards on duty out there at this time."
"Okay, let's go." Lucy said to Anabel.
"You remember the plan right?" Serena asked. "ait for the signal."
"We know." Anabel nodded. "Be careful, don't lose yourselves in there."
Gaz could feel Anabel's eyes stare through him, almost as if she was looking through his very soul.
"You too." He couldn't think of what else to say.
"We'll meet up with you guys later." Lucy told them before herself and Anabel turned and made their way right, ready to make a wide circle to the back of the building to avoid detection.
"Last chance for you to back out." James advised the remaining friends.
"Same to you." Cameron replied.
"We've all made our decision." Serena spoke up.
"Fine, before we go on we'll have to tie up your hands." Jessie told Gaz.
Gaz reluctantly complied and held his hands behind his back allowing James to tie them together at his wrists.
This is the part he was afraid of most. If they were betrayed now there was nothing Gaz could do to help.
"You have all my pokéballs right?" He double checked with Serena and Cameron.
"Yeah we got them." Cameron confirmed. "I'm still jealous you can carry so many."
"Quit talking and let's get on with this." Meowth snarled. "The quicker we get you in, the quicker we can get out of here."
The group of 6 then composed themselves and made their way towards the front doors that when closed behind them might as well be sealing their fate as well.
Unbeknownst to them, on a sheltered branch on the tree towering above them was a Honchkrow who was keenly listening to every word.
As soon as they were far enough away, the Honchkrow took flight towards one of the highest windows of the base.
Two guards stood at the entrance to the Team Rocket headquarters and their eyes narrowed as they spotted the group of 6 approach closer.
"Hold up." One of them commanded causing the group to come to a halt.
The other guard at the door recognised 3 of the group.
"Are you three not supposed to be on a mission?" He asked gruffly.
"We are," Jessie admitted. "But on that mission we found him unconscious in the forest. He's apart of our targets group.
The guards sized up Gaz and he responded with a deadly stare towards them. On the surface it looks like good acting but Gaz really hated Team Rocket.
"And who are those two members?" The first guard asked.
"These are rookies we stumbled across as we were tracking." James lied. "They got lost on their mission."
"They must not be too new if they got lost in the field." The gruff guard mused.
"Oh well, directions wouldn't be our strongest trait." Serena replied sheepishly, praying they don't catch on.
A minute passed without anybody speaking, the tension was building through the bodies of the infiltrators. After what felt like way too long the first guard finally spoke.
"According to Butch and Cassidy you turned against us back when the forest mission was carried out."
Jessie, James and Meowth's breath was knocked out of them. Gaz set his feet as if ready to run while Serena and Cameron's hands moved centimetre by centimetre to reach their pokéballs.
James then suddenly let out a confident laugh.
"Ha, who would have through your elaborate ruse would have fooled them as well. Just goes to show how impressive our performance truly was."
Jessie didn't miss a step and joined in.
"I always thought those two were lacking a few brain cells." She giggled. "We fooled the twerps into thinking we were on their side so they let their guard down."
"Yeah looks like we fooled more idiots than we even thought." Meowth said proudly. "The fact we actually convinced the twerps Team Rocket were in Goldenrod was just the icing on the cake. They're on a wild goose chase."
"Why did you attack your own members then?" The gruff guard asked.
"To sell the plan." James answered. "Otherwise those kids would have never trusted us and we wouldn't have been able to join in their search party for this twerp and capture him while they were still looking."
"I can't believe they trusted you." Gaz spat.
"Plus if we betrayed you why would show back up at the HQ knowing the punishment bringing a prisoner when we could have just ran away?" Jessie posed the question she went over in her head a hundred times.
The guards exchanged one more look as the 6 in front of them prayed they were convinced.
"All captures are to be brought before the boss first. He'll probably be in his office at this time."
"Thank you." Meowth shouted with relief as the group moved quickly passed the guards through the now opened door.
As the door closed behind them the gruff guard turned to his colleague.
"Do you believe that?" He asked.
I'm not even sure if I do or not." He admitted. "That's why I turned my radio on while we were talking." He pointed to his earpiece and shrugged.
"People inside will be aware they're here. They can make the decision"
Please review, hope you enjoyed.