A Brief Moment in Time

Part 14

“But we can’t just leave them there to try to defend themselves! They'll get killed!" shouts Misty. This argument between her and Brock had been going on for several minutes as they traveled to Ecruteak City.

"You don't think I don't know that?! I don't want them to go in alone too! But what else can we do?!"

Jesse, James, Meowth, and both Pikachus (Togepi was transferred to Professor Oak when they were in the Ecruteak City PokeCenter) were silent during the argument. Pain was etched on their faces.

"We can go back and help them!"

"And get killed in the process?! Ash wouldn’t` want you to do that, Misty, and you know that."

"And you think Rose thinks different?"

"That is a completely different-"

"'Cuse me." A teenage boy suddenly appeared on the path they were walking on. "I would spect that you would have seen a weird lookin' feela with squinty eyes walking through these there woods, would ya? I'm looking for their little traveling group they they've started." He gave a sly smile.

"You must mean us, because Brock is the only one that I've met that fits that description.”

He smiles brightly. “Well whatda know! It’s the famous Brock from Pewter City himself!” He grabs his hand in one of his for a big handshake. “It’s a pleasure to meet ya sir! A real pleasure!”

“Well thanks. Now can I have my hand back?” for the young man still was shaking it vigorously.

“And he’s a joker too!” His smile drops and so does his British accent. “But I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

He pulls out a gun from deep inside his pocket. At this time our favorite Rocket trio disappears (I’m still trying to figure out how they do that) at the sight of the gun, but, miraculously, no one notices.

“No one more, no one even breathe.” With the gun and his stare still trained on Brock, he gave a high pitched whistle in three separate parts.

If Rose was with the group she would have know he was a Level Two Grunt. Very smart but not much practicing with a gun. But even at close range, if they had a gun, they were deadly.

Running foots sounded through the forest. They were approaching. Fast.

“What are you going to do with us?” asks Misty, in the calmest voice she could muster.

He shrugs his shoulders. “I can’t do anything to you, because Madam wants to use you for her own purposes.”

“Madam?” asks Brock. Is it the same woman that Rose was so deathly scared of?

“But don’t bother asking me what she plans to do with you. I’m just a Grunt. I don’t know anything that might save you.” He smiles a large, evil grin.

Several teens emerged, all in trainers clothes. When they saw the gun raised at Brock, they did the same to Misty.

“Grab the Pikachus! Madam might want them.”

Much to their dismay, they were caught (but not without a few electric shocks) and placed in a large rubber box.

They grab each of the trainers’ arms and led them in the opposite direction of where they were heading.

They’re now heading for Goldenrod City.

@---}-----

There are more members than I thought.

We enter the city and immediately I could tell something was going on. Grunts were constantly looking around them as they made their way to their destination.

They were nervous… and worried.

Something had to have happened to make them like this. But what?

Ash and I zigzag through the crowd, making our way to the Radio Tower. It’s a regular looking building with multiple poles extending from the top then bending at their very ends to form one large antenna.

A shiver runs through me.

He’s in there, somewhere.

I feel a squeeze from my hand. I smile. Ash. He probably felt me shiver.

I squeeze back for reassurance that I was fine. I’m glad he can’t look me in the eye right now. I’m terrified.

We quietly enter the Tower, continuing to dodge people who happen to be in our path.

So far so good. This is too easy.

We find the stairs and start to climb them.

My terror is growing with each step. I can’t believe I’m doing this. Facing the man that is responsible for the deaths of the most important people in my life.

What if… what if I can’t do it?

Is this a futile mission?

No, it isn’t. I have to do this. Because I want this world to have one thing.

Hope.

We have reached the top step. A metal door is just out of reach.

“Moonlight, Slash, end attack.”

“Umbre!” “Sneasel.”

Ash and I became visual once more. Worry engraved in his face. I give a small smile. He was as scared as much as I was. I recall them back into their Pokeballs.

“Come on Ash. Let’s do it.”

He smiles back and nods. “Yea.”

I grab the doorknob and slowly push it forward.

No alarm? That’s odd.

I step through the door and Ash follows me, eyeing everything.

It looks like an office, pictures on the walls. A lot of Pokemon, some in battles and some in their natural habitat. Very few pictures that aren’t are people. Including a picture of a young man with black hair and brown eyes.

I gasp and a my hand reaches to cover my mouth.

No...

Ash’s eyes grew as he studied the picture.

“Rose! That’s... me!”

He’s right, it is him, only slightly older.

My favorite picture.

“Professor Rose. How... lovely of you to finally come. I’ve been waiting for you.”

She stepped out of the shadows. As usual, her beauty astounded me. Her skin the perfect color, a black dress that accented her body’s curves, carefully hiding the scars on her wrists, and her thick red hair gently flowing down her back.

Her eyes widened at the sight of the boy beside me.

“Ash? It’s... it’s really you...”