Chapter 84: Confession

Blade stayed seated for the longest time it felt like. Feeling the snivy staring a hole through him wasn't making it any better. But after what seemed like an eternity the work on the large Yungoos shaped mecha was done. The mechanical contraption was around three meters tall. And it was surprisingly sleek, given its state of disrepair just a few hours prior.

"Well, I've got to paw it to you Meowth," Ashachu spoke sarcastically. "You actually rebuilt that hunk of junk." He patted Meowth on his back, harder than he needed to.

Meowth tried to suppress his annoyance. "Ya knows you're never going to be able to take on Team Rocket with dis machine. They're too strong for ya."

Ashachu grinned and mockingly embraced Meowth with one arm. "Hey buddy. You want to stop saying you and start saying we! Come on."

Meowth groaned. "What dis is still not over!"

"Vii"

Blade watched as Snivy roughly pulled Meowth by the paws, knocking him down on his stomach. "Yowch…son of a…"

Snivy looked down on him disapprovingly. "Get moving," she growled and dragged him to his feet.

The Mecha Yungoos jaws dropped open, providing an entrance to the vessel. And each pokemon who'd been working on it boarded.

'I can't believe they're seriously going to try to fight team rocket. With that.' Xiphos' voice came to Blade.

"WAIT…guys." Blade had sat by this long, but knowing their plan was about to begin, he felt a sudden tug at his heart. He'd been on both this mecha, and the Halberd, and by now he knew which was more powerful. "This is a suicide mission!"

'I think they know that Blade.'

Blade rushed to the mechanical jaws, to follow them. Last time he'd seen the mecha on the inside it had a large section for holding pokemon, where Charizard and Geyser had been stored. Now it looked more like a drop ship of sorts, with two long benches for the pokemon to seat themselves on for the journey. And he was met by a group of angry faces.

"There's no way you're going to beat Team Rocket in this piece of crap!" Blade spoke with worry.

"So, why, do you care?" an angry voice shouted, but Blade couldn't tell who it was.

"Yeah, ya cock knob, nobody's asking you to be a part of this." Buizel spat the comment at him.

"Ash is our trainer and Pikachu and Charizard are our friends," added Sniveon, Blade remembered her, she was one of the few he didn't dislike. "They've fought for us, so we're going to fight for them."

A cacophony of angry shouting crashed over the sneasel. He couldn't tell what any of them were saying. It was irritating, and infuriating. 'Why does everyone hate me so much? Why does everyone…always hate me…' he thought as he heard a familiar voice break through the rest.

"Blade!" Ashachu had poked his head out from the cockpit and motioned for the sneasel to join him. That was good, Blade didn't want to be stuck around the rest of them. He quickly entered the cockpit.

"Hey kids. What's up?"

The cockpit was as Blade remembered, with three-tiered consoles, which once were piloted by Jessie, James, and Meowth, but now with Ashachu and Geyser with Meowth as the third. Blade noticed immediately that Meowth was cuffed to the seat.

'If you're going to do this with them, Blade, don't you dare let us leave with any regrets.' Xiphos demanded.

Blade glanced between the other three, he bit his lip for only a moment, and then sighed before his emotions overwhelmed him. "You guys can't be serious about this. Trying to take on Team Rocket in this Mecha is a suicide mission. Every instinct in my body is telling me that. Heck, this lot took it on, and they didn't have a secret human death machine..."

Ashachu glared at him. "What do you care? Nobody's asking you to help."

Blade sighed and started rubbing the back of his head. That hurt a lot more coming from Ashachu. Why did he just say the same thing that Buizel said?

He took a deep breath. "Because kiddo. Believe it or not, I...really care about you." His voice cracked when he said care, and he felt tears welling up in his eyes. He fought the urge to cry, and pushed forward, "You too Geyser, and Hunter as well, but I...I really like you Ashachu. And I don't want to see you get hurt."

The Pikachu seemed taken back by Blade's response. His cute pika ears fell back, and he stopped glaring when he saw the sad expression on Blade's face. The ice type looked at his paws, and turned away scratching his cheek, as if to hide himself from Ashachu and Geyser.

'Tell him Blade, no regrets.' Xiphos pushed.

"Y-y-you're really important to me Ashachu! I didn't have a lot of friends before I met you, and..." He sniffled and made an audible gulp and continued, "And when we were together in the Aether Foundation. When we almost...That wasn't just pheromone induced lust, I truly had feelings for you."

'Keep going.'

Ashachu opened his maw to speak, but Blade held up a claw to stop him.

"I...I love you, man! And don't get me wrong, I know that we're never going to be true mates and that our hearts both truly belong to someone else but...Doesn't change the fact that I love you." A year streaked down his face as he sniffled, he couldn't hide his feelings anymore, they were out in the open.

"Blade," Ashachu whispered softly.

Blade took a deep breath, before continuing again, "and I don't have...him...Shadow anymore. You and your little group here is all I have. And I don't want to see you get killed. So please kid...think this though."

Geyser looked surprised. "Damn...And I had you down as a disruptive influence with a Slowpoke brain. Maybe I misjudged."

Ashachu slipped out of his seat at the console, and stepped up to Blade and gripped a hold of his paws.

"Huh." Blade looked down, seeing Ashachu's cute little face staring at him, with a warm smile.

"Blade...it's alright. I...I love you too...And I got this!" Being a head shorter than Blade, he pressed himself up on his toes, holding his right paw to the side of Blade's face, whispering into his ear.

Blade's eyes widened at Ashachu's words. The Pikachu pulled back, and the two of them locked eyes. "You mean," Blade was cut off as soon as he began, as Ashachu pressed his muzzle to Blade's and kissed him. Blade felt as if his heart was exploding in his chest as he allowed himself a moment of weakness, melting into the kiss.

Geyser let out an exasperated sigh. "Are you two really doing this now. Can't you save the touchy, feely little make up make out until after we've beaten Team Rocket...Or when we're in the distortion world, whichever comes first…"

Ashachu made to pull away, understanding the urgency, but Blade, overcome with happiness, hugged Ashachu, lifting him into the air with surprising ease, and kept the kiss going just a little longer. The sneasel caressed the pikachu's back as he finally put him down and broke the kiss.

"S-sorry, I should've let you go, you're in a hurry." Blade blushed with a sweet smile on his face.

"It's okay." Ashachu was blushing with a small smile as well when he returned to his seat.

*With Shadow*

Shadow held Pyre tight as he felt a sense of bliss overwhelm him. He gasped suddenly, but maintained his speed.

"Woah, you okay?" Pyre asked, holding tight.

"Yes, I just, I believe Blade is rather happy at present." Shadow focused, feeling joy filling his heart. If Blade was happy, that's all he needed. Even so, he knew he had to help the other pokemon Blade was with.

"Do you feel that?" Pyre asked.

"No, what is it?"

"Like an upwelling of aura, a massive surge of it. It's almost as dense as mine."

"Where?"

"It feels like it's coming from, straight ahead."

"It must be one of their aura pokemon."

"There's something else, like an emptiness around the same place. Or no, not empty, open." Pyre seemed confused. "It feels like one of those wormholes I think."

Shadow groaned internally. "Those overzealous imbeciles. They are going to get themselves killed." As if to accentuate the urgency, Shadow managed to put on an extra burst of speed.

*With Blade*

"Three...two...one. Lift-off!"

The Yungoos shaped Mecha burst into the air like a Draco Meteor attack. It was being propelled by rocket engines in the mechas paws. Everyone on board fell silent as the mecha passed through the ultra wormhole above them. The sky gave way to swirling colors before being swallowed in darkness. Only to then open up to the sight of Team Rocket's castle, seemingly floating in empty space.

"Wow," Geyser exclaimed. "Team Rocket's busy."

"What happened to Ultra Megalopolis," Ashachu wondered aloud.

Meowth spoke up. "You're looking at it twerpachoo."

"I told you not to call me that!"

Meowth ignored him. "Ultra-Megalopolis sit on an asteroid in the middle of da Ultra-space at the centre of the multiverse. It connects all worlds of da Pokémon multiverse, which is why da guilds use it as a base. Da rescue guilds train some of da most powerful Pokémon from multiple dimensions. Dat's because Team Rocket wanted to take it over."

"We just need to know one thing," Ashachu said, swiveling the seat around to look at Meowth.

"Nyaaa." Meowth did not like the dark look on Ashachu's face.

Blade had to admit, even when he looked so grim and serious, Ashachu was still adorable. Though it was a definite tone shift from the bewildered look he'd had moments ago.

"One thing Meowth...And you are going to tell me." Ashachu nodded at Geyser, who promptly stood up and grabbed Meowth around the neck, holding him in a half nelson.

Blade's eyes widened. "Man, when did you two learn to work together!" He had to admit, after what happened back in the ultra jungle he couldn't deny that Geyser was attractive, and part of him wondered if they'd both be willing to fool around with him. But he quickly pushed the thought from his head. "They look pretty serious Meowthy, better tell them what they wanna know." Blade joked, fighting the urge to stare at the cute pikachu in front of him. He shook his head and focused, ready to hear what they needed to know.