Categories > Anime/Manga > Pokemon > Loyalty
Loyalty
Chapter 13: Associations
It was a few days before Misty could leave the hospital. The being that took residence in her body made her heal very fast, but it also had consequences. She could feel her consciousness slipping. Daisy, Violet and Lily had been over to visit with a special permission that Ash managed to get after much insistence. Perhaps Giovanni only agree to make him be quiet. Misty handed all her pokemon to her sisters at the time. She was afraid to lose control of her actions and command her dear pokemon to do something she would regret if she was in her full senses.
Before leaving the hospital, after her sisters where let out and went on their way back to Cerulean City, unaware of the entirety of Misty's perils in hopes of not worrying them and getting them unnecessarily involved, Misty went to see the baby for the last time in she didn't know how long. Jessie was sitting by the window as a pleasant breeze blew; James and Delia were there with her. Misty's eyes met Delia's for a moment. She was informed of the recent happenings, Misty noticed that right away. Ash must have told her. There was an apology in Delia's eyes, but before she could speak, Misty shook her head and made herself smile. She wanted peace and Delia was pushed out of the wish to protect Ash. Protecting a loved one could make people do things that were extreme.
Misty held the baby for a while before Ash arrived to get her so they could be on their way. They gave their goodbyes and went on their way. Team Rocket was keeping an eye on the situation, but Giovanni's expectations were not too ambitious. This wasn't about legendary pokemon; it was about a human grudge. None the less, to prevent a repeat of the past, to rid himself of another enemy of Team Rocket, this had to be dealt with once and for all. The Rocket boss knew that Ash intended to seek Agatha's advice and perhaps in this situation that was what was best.
xoxox xox xoxox
Out of the hospital and into the Viridian City streets, there was a hint of a bright shade of red-orange hidden under a black hat, as someone wearing black approached, though the jacket covered the red R on his chest. "Hi," the greeting was simple, casual and to the point.
"Uncle Luke!" Misty suddenly exclaimed.
"Like how have you like been?" Luke asked calmly, with a kind smile.
Misty's jaw dropped. She struggled with her words until she finally stomped her feet and placed her hands on her hips. "You disappear for all these years leaving my sisters and I to think you're dead and that's all you can say? Do you know how much we missed you? You were all we had left after our parents..."
Ash looked around nervously, he was for once the one who was most aware of the situation they were in, they were in public and people's heads were turning towards them at the sound of Misty's outburst. He placed her hand on her shoulder in both comfort and warning. Misty took a deep breath and lowered the tone of her voice, going over her words in her head an extra time before speaking. "I know you had to, I know you had your duties... your loyalties... but still."
"I'm like sorry, you know?" Luke was, as always, casual and relaxed, but he was sincere. "But you like don't need to like worry now, you know?"
It was the same speech pattern that made abundant use of the word like that Misty's sisters often fell into. This was where they got it and it made her think about how much of an influence he was to them all those years ago. "How so?"
"Because you're like on Ash's side now, you know?" Luke grinned. "If you like join-"
"I haven't," Misty argued with an edge in her voice. "I haven't joined," she cautiously looked around not mentioning the name of the organization, "them," Team Rocket. "I'm just... we're only... We've teamed up to take care of something and Ash is helping out."
"Oh..." There was a hint of disappointment and perhaps more so concern, yet Luke's seemingly eternal smile returned as it always did. "You should like think about it, you know? Things are like not exactly like they appear, you know? Sorry I can't like stay and like catch up more. I like have some things I like need to do like now, you know?"
Misty nodded knowing not to inquire about what things because she knew he couldn't tell her. He was surely talking about his Team Rocket duties. "See you later?" She asked unsure.
"Like totally!" Luke cheered as he ran off in the direction of the Viridian City gym.
Misty sighed, "what an unusual family I have..." she mused with a hint of bitterness.
"You and I both," Ash's voice made her eyes travel to his face. He was grinning as if thinking that it was troublesome, but he was still thankful for them.
Misty decided to focus on what currently needed to be done as she followed Ash to his car. "Where is Agatha right now?" She got into the passenger seat of the bright orange car next to Ash, who was driving.
Pikachu hopped on to the middle of the dashboard where he liked to sit to get a good view of everything. "Not far," Ash replied. "She has a house here in Viridian and she's there right now. We'll be there in a few minutes."
Misty leaned back on the plush seat. She could barely remember him, though it didn't look as if Luke had changed much over time. Then again, it wasn't like he switched sides and joined Team Rocket, but rather he had been in Team Rocket since before she was born. "Have you known Luke for long?" She asked out of the blue.
"Yes," Ash truthfully replied. "Although, when I was younger he was always away on some mission. I barely said hi every now and then, but I knew who he was. I knew Comet too, but we didn't become close friends until later. When we were younger it felt as if we lived in different worlds. He was always with Team Rocket and I spent a lot of time away from it in my own journey. At the same time I was always with Team Rocket since I ran into them so often, especially Jessie and James. But I wasn't going on mission for them and Comet was. We trained differently, lived differently... Then there was that mission..."
"Mission?" Misty inquired curiously. She didn't expect any details about the mission itself, but rather wanted to hear about what made Ash and Comet become close friends.
"Comet and I always got along and respected each other as pokemon trainers, but that time, after I backed him up in a mission that he was ambushed on... That's when he started giving me hints about what he was sent to do for Team Rocket when he thought it affected me," Ash recalled. "He would still go on his missions and we even battle if we had to, but we could trust each other to still be friends afterwards. We even got into a fist fight once. One moment we looked like we were trying to kill each other and the next we were laughing it off. Mom saw it and later scolded us for giving her such a scare... right after she helped us up from the cliff we almost fell off from."
Misty laughed. The situation was still critical and she could feel the power inside her draining her will, but she couldn't help it but to smile at Ash's story. "I can imagine that."
Ash grinned back at her as his car approached a mansion. The place looked ghostly even in the middle of the day, as if it was haunted and in a sense it was, although the ghosts were pokemon. The gates parted by themselves, allowing Ash to drive in and park in front of the mansion.
xoxox xox xoxox
At the Viridian Rocket base, Laiki stretched out in her chair in front of her desk at the infirmary. "It looks like things are at a lull." She yawned glancing at the two human companions, Comet and Pixel and their pokemon. There were also two others who were not really their pokemon, but Giovanni's. The boss' spoiled Persian was there, along with a female Persian whose red forehead gem was like a horn. "What are you guys planning to do now?"
"Investigate when the time comes," Comet replied calmly, "then do what we must."
Laiki raised a curious eyebrow, "meaning?"
"This time as far as we know, there are no legendary pokemon involved in the mix," Comet reminded. "But there is an ancient hidden power and that, plus Ash is enough to make an action filled adventure. Something is going to happen and I don't want to miss it."
"Of course something is going to happen," Laiki chuckled. "With princey involved, something always happens. He's like a magnet for the powerful and supernatural."
"I don't want to miss it either," Pixel voiced.
"There you are, so eager to jump into an adventure," Laiki spoke in an exaggeratedly nostalgic voice. "It feels like only yesterday that you got lost in the vast maze of hallways in our underground city of a sweet home."
"That was yesterday," Comet pointed out teasingly.
Pixel pouted, "I found my way out, didn't I? I'm just so used to being able to see everything in electronic maps. It's so easy to navigate that way, although I'm not really navigating myself, more so directing the field agents I'm giving tech support to, just like characters in a videogame."
Laiki giggled, "I'm sure you have a blast... but really this does remind me of when we first met. When you two met, it wasn't such a great day for you, was it, Comet?"
"That's what I thought at the time," Comet admitted. "But even if I felt like I failed because I couldn't have finished that mission without Ash's help, I guess in the end it was all for the best. If not for his little interference, I would be short one pokemon or worse."
Laiki smiled with more amusement than her peculiar statement should merit. "Make sure you tell me all about it after the latest adventure is over while I make you cringe as I so kindly disinfect your scratches laughing the whole time."
"And who says I'll get a scratch on me?" Comet challenged.
"It's been a while since princey got a few bruises," Laiki mused. "That means that his next adventure will be intense and if the prince gets scratched so will the subjects."
"Then maybe we should join the fun early, to make sure the prince doesn't get bruised too badly," Pixel suggested.
"I second that," Comet agreed as he and Pixel started to leave.
"Alas, I'm stuck guarding the wounded in the castle," Laiki grimaced dramatically, then she waved goodbye with a grin. "See you later!"
xoxox xox xoxox
At Agatha's mansion, Ash and Misty exited the car and walked up a few steps to the ominous structure. The double doors of dark wood that marked the entrance to the luxurious residence opened up, apparently by themselves, and the pair went inside. There was no sign of human life, though Ash was sure that Agatha was somewhere in the residence, probably watching them. Not surprisingly, the faint presence of ghost pokemon was felt all around.
"Agatha?" Ash called out as he ventured a few steps further in, looking in every direction. He was determined not to jump in a startle if Agatha randomly popped out of a dark corner. "Agatha?" He called out again and once more received no reply.
"Does she know we're coming?" Misty asked; the silence of the mansion was eerie.
"I talked to her on the phone before I went to find you," Ash replied. "I'm sure she knows we're here..." He approached the stairs as Pikachu jumped off his shoulder and wandered over to the coffee table where there was a bowl of candy. The small yellow pokemon helped himself to some candy. Ash went up a few more steps until unexpectedly, a trap door opened and he dropped.
"Ash!" "Pikapi!" Misty and Pikachu called out to him. They ran towards the stairs past the grandfather clock where ghostly purple hands grabbed Pikachu and pulled him in. The trap door on the stairs had closed and Misty found herself alone in the room... Alone with the ghosts that refused to fully show their presence out of hiding. What was this about? What was Agatha trying to do?
To be Continued
I like cliffhangers... XD
Chapter 13: Associations
It was a few days before Misty could leave the hospital. The being that took residence in her body made her heal very fast, but it also had consequences. She could feel her consciousness slipping. Daisy, Violet and Lily had been over to visit with a special permission that Ash managed to get after much insistence. Perhaps Giovanni only agree to make him be quiet. Misty handed all her pokemon to her sisters at the time. She was afraid to lose control of her actions and command her dear pokemon to do something she would regret if she was in her full senses.
Before leaving the hospital, after her sisters where let out and went on their way back to Cerulean City, unaware of the entirety of Misty's perils in hopes of not worrying them and getting them unnecessarily involved, Misty went to see the baby for the last time in she didn't know how long. Jessie was sitting by the window as a pleasant breeze blew; James and Delia were there with her. Misty's eyes met Delia's for a moment. She was informed of the recent happenings, Misty noticed that right away. Ash must have told her. There was an apology in Delia's eyes, but before she could speak, Misty shook her head and made herself smile. She wanted peace and Delia was pushed out of the wish to protect Ash. Protecting a loved one could make people do things that were extreme.
Misty held the baby for a while before Ash arrived to get her so they could be on their way. They gave their goodbyes and went on their way. Team Rocket was keeping an eye on the situation, but Giovanni's expectations were not too ambitious. This wasn't about legendary pokemon; it was about a human grudge. None the less, to prevent a repeat of the past, to rid himself of another enemy of Team Rocket, this had to be dealt with once and for all. The Rocket boss knew that Ash intended to seek Agatha's advice and perhaps in this situation that was what was best.
xoxox xox xoxox
Out of the hospital and into the Viridian City streets, there was a hint of a bright shade of red-orange hidden under a black hat, as someone wearing black approached, though the jacket covered the red R on his chest. "Hi," the greeting was simple, casual and to the point.
"Uncle Luke!" Misty suddenly exclaimed.
"Like how have you like been?" Luke asked calmly, with a kind smile.
Misty's jaw dropped. She struggled with her words until she finally stomped her feet and placed her hands on her hips. "You disappear for all these years leaving my sisters and I to think you're dead and that's all you can say? Do you know how much we missed you? You were all we had left after our parents..."
Ash looked around nervously, he was for once the one who was most aware of the situation they were in, they were in public and people's heads were turning towards them at the sound of Misty's outburst. He placed her hand on her shoulder in both comfort and warning. Misty took a deep breath and lowered the tone of her voice, going over her words in her head an extra time before speaking. "I know you had to, I know you had your duties... your loyalties... but still."
"I'm like sorry, you know?" Luke was, as always, casual and relaxed, but he was sincere. "But you like don't need to like worry now, you know?"
It was the same speech pattern that made abundant use of the word like that Misty's sisters often fell into. This was where they got it and it made her think about how much of an influence he was to them all those years ago. "How so?"
"Because you're like on Ash's side now, you know?" Luke grinned. "If you like join-"
"I haven't," Misty argued with an edge in her voice. "I haven't joined," she cautiously looked around not mentioning the name of the organization, "them," Team Rocket. "I'm just... we're only... We've teamed up to take care of something and Ash is helping out."
"Oh..." There was a hint of disappointment and perhaps more so concern, yet Luke's seemingly eternal smile returned as it always did. "You should like think about it, you know? Things are like not exactly like they appear, you know? Sorry I can't like stay and like catch up more. I like have some things I like need to do like now, you know?"
Misty nodded knowing not to inquire about what things because she knew he couldn't tell her. He was surely talking about his Team Rocket duties. "See you later?" She asked unsure.
"Like totally!" Luke cheered as he ran off in the direction of the Viridian City gym.
Misty sighed, "what an unusual family I have..." she mused with a hint of bitterness.
"You and I both," Ash's voice made her eyes travel to his face. He was grinning as if thinking that it was troublesome, but he was still thankful for them.
Misty decided to focus on what currently needed to be done as she followed Ash to his car. "Where is Agatha right now?" She got into the passenger seat of the bright orange car next to Ash, who was driving.
Pikachu hopped on to the middle of the dashboard where he liked to sit to get a good view of everything. "Not far," Ash replied. "She has a house here in Viridian and she's there right now. We'll be there in a few minutes."
Misty leaned back on the plush seat. She could barely remember him, though it didn't look as if Luke had changed much over time. Then again, it wasn't like he switched sides and joined Team Rocket, but rather he had been in Team Rocket since before she was born. "Have you known Luke for long?" She asked out of the blue.
"Yes," Ash truthfully replied. "Although, when I was younger he was always away on some mission. I barely said hi every now and then, but I knew who he was. I knew Comet too, but we didn't become close friends until later. When we were younger it felt as if we lived in different worlds. He was always with Team Rocket and I spent a lot of time away from it in my own journey. At the same time I was always with Team Rocket since I ran into them so often, especially Jessie and James. But I wasn't going on mission for them and Comet was. We trained differently, lived differently... Then there was that mission..."
"Mission?" Misty inquired curiously. She didn't expect any details about the mission itself, but rather wanted to hear about what made Ash and Comet become close friends.
"Comet and I always got along and respected each other as pokemon trainers, but that time, after I backed him up in a mission that he was ambushed on... That's when he started giving me hints about what he was sent to do for Team Rocket when he thought it affected me," Ash recalled. "He would still go on his missions and we even battle if we had to, but we could trust each other to still be friends afterwards. We even got into a fist fight once. One moment we looked like we were trying to kill each other and the next we were laughing it off. Mom saw it and later scolded us for giving her such a scare... right after she helped us up from the cliff we almost fell off from."
Misty laughed. The situation was still critical and she could feel the power inside her draining her will, but she couldn't help it but to smile at Ash's story. "I can imagine that."
Ash grinned back at her as his car approached a mansion. The place looked ghostly even in the middle of the day, as if it was haunted and in a sense it was, although the ghosts were pokemon. The gates parted by themselves, allowing Ash to drive in and park in front of the mansion.
xoxox xox xoxox
At the Viridian Rocket base, Laiki stretched out in her chair in front of her desk at the infirmary. "It looks like things are at a lull." She yawned glancing at the two human companions, Comet and Pixel and their pokemon. There were also two others who were not really their pokemon, but Giovanni's. The boss' spoiled Persian was there, along with a female Persian whose red forehead gem was like a horn. "What are you guys planning to do now?"
"Investigate when the time comes," Comet replied calmly, "then do what we must."
Laiki raised a curious eyebrow, "meaning?"
"This time as far as we know, there are no legendary pokemon involved in the mix," Comet reminded. "But there is an ancient hidden power and that, plus Ash is enough to make an action filled adventure. Something is going to happen and I don't want to miss it."
"Of course something is going to happen," Laiki chuckled. "With princey involved, something always happens. He's like a magnet for the powerful and supernatural."
"I don't want to miss it either," Pixel voiced.
"There you are, so eager to jump into an adventure," Laiki spoke in an exaggeratedly nostalgic voice. "It feels like only yesterday that you got lost in the vast maze of hallways in our underground city of a sweet home."
"That was yesterday," Comet pointed out teasingly.
Pixel pouted, "I found my way out, didn't I? I'm just so used to being able to see everything in electronic maps. It's so easy to navigate that way, although I'm not really navigating myself, more so directing the field agents I'm giving tech support to, just like characters in a videogame."
Laiki giggled, "I'm sure you have a blast... but really this does remind me of when we first met. When you two met, it wasn't such a great day for you, was it, Comet?"
"That's what I thought at the time," Comet admitted. "But even if I felt like I failed because I couldn't have finished that mission without Ash's help, I guess in the end it was all for the best. If not for his little interference, I would be short one pokemon or worse."
Laiki smiled with more amusement than her peculiar statement should merit. "Make sure you tell me all about it after the latest adventure is over while I make you cringe as I so kindly disinfect your scratches laughing the whole time."
"And who says I'll get a scratch on me?" Comet challenged.
"It's been a while since princey got a few bruises," Laiki mused. "That means that his next adventure will be intense and if the prince gets scratched so will the subjects."
"Then maybe we should join the fun early, to make sure the prince doesn't get bruised too badly," Pixel suggested.
"I second that," Comet agreed as he and Pixel started to leave.
"Alas, I'm stuck guarding the wounded in the castle," Laiki grimaced dramatically, then she waved goodbye with a grin. "See you later!"
xoxox xox xoxox
At Agatha's mansion, Ash and Misty exited the car and walked up a few steps to the ominous structure. The double doors of dark wood that marked the entrance to the luxurious residence opened up, apparently by themselves, and the pair went inside. There was no sign of human life, though Ash was sure that Agatha was somewhere in the residence, probably watching them. Not surprisingly, the faint presence of ghost pokemon was felt all around.
"Agatha?" Ash called out as he ventured a few steps further in, looking in every direction. He was determined not to jump in a startle if Agatha randomly popped out of a dark corner. "Agatha?" He called out again and once more received no reply.
"Does she know we're coming?" Misty asked; the silence of the mansion was eerie.
"I talked to her on the phone before I went to find you," Ash replied. "I'm sure she knows we're here..." He approached the stairs as Pikachu jumped off his shoulder and wandered over to the coffee table where there was a bowl of candy. The small yellow pokemon helped himself to some candy. Ash went up a few more steps until unexpectedly, a trap door opened and he dropped.
"Ash!" "Pikapi!" Misty and Pikachu called out to him. They ran towards the stairs past the grandfather clock where ghostly purple hands grabbed Pikachu and pulled him in. The trap door on the stairs had closed and Misty found herself alone in the room... Alone with the ghosts that refused to fully show their presence out of hiding. What was this about? What was Agatha trying to do?
To be Continued
I like cliffhangers... XD
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