Ash and Misty strolled down the main street in Pallet, hand-in-hand, the sun-setting
overhead, a fragrant breeze in the air. They both felt exhausted, their clothes
filthy, covered in dust, paint and sweat. But along with the dirt they could feel
an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. It had been a good day.
Misty looked up into Ash’s smiling face. His hair was an absolute mess - as was
her own - bangs obscuring view of his forehead and falling over his eyes. His
ebony hair was streaked with white wash, matting small areas together. “You’re
lucky you didn’t wear you’re hat today. You’d never get the paint out of it.”
“Exactly why I left it at home. I’m not going to paint wearing an heirloom like
that.”
“Ash, I think something has to be passed down in the family to become an heirloom.”
“Well…then, it’s a future heirloom.”
“Whatever.” She moved her eyes to his far shoulder. Pikachu was perched there,
disdainfully clawing at a patch of white fur. “Don’t worry, Pikachu. A nice warm
bath will get that all off. I think that’s what we all need. I feel all icky,”
she finished, pulling the damp fabric of her top away from her clammy skin.
Ash threw his arm around her. “Yeah, but you still look cute even when you are
all messy.”
She felt her eyes fall to his old tattered jeans and t-shirt, long brush streaks
crossing them. “I can’t believe you and Gary got into a paint fight.”
“Well, at least it’s better than us getting into a proper one. We were just screwing
about.”
“I know.” She lent her head upon his shoulder. “So, what were you and Gary talking
about Anyway?”
He shrugged lightly. “I don’t know. Not that much. Just…stuff.”
“Stuff?”
“Yeah.” He gave her a teasing look. “You planned that, didn’t you?”
“Planned what?” she asked, faking innocence.
“Leaving us alone. Trying to get us to talk things over.”
“Maybe. I just don’t understand how you guys can’t be friends like you used to
be and forget all about this stupid rivalry.”
“I think it’s a little sudden for that.”
“But perhaps you could have some kind of relationship again?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. Why are you so focused upon this?”
She looked down for a moment, a slight feeling of embarrassment coming over her.
“I just don’t like to see you guys at each other all the time after being friends
for so long.”
“I know,” he mumbled.
Gazing into his eyes once more, she smiled slyly. “You never told me that you
guys got into a scrap after your last battle. I always wondered why you had suddenly
fallen out with each other.”
“Well, I tried to be nice. He hit me first.”
She couldn’t stifle a laugh. “I know, he told me. But he was being nice to you
today. I think he does want to put that all behind him. Don’t you?”
“We’ll see.” Awkward about her enquires into a subject he himself was unsure about,
he quickly changed the topic. “So, what are we going to do tonight?”
Misty lifted her head and regrettably separated hands with Ash so she could stretch
the kinks out of her back. “I think a night in front of the TV with loads of junk
food. After all that work, I just want to relax.”
“Good idea.” Pushing open the gate, they continued down the garden path and into
to Ash’s home. And as soon as the front door closed, Ash’s mother appeared before
them. It all seemed to mirror last night’s events. He instantly felt his stomach
drop. “What’s wrong, Mum?” he questioned nervously. He studied her facial features.
No, there wasn’t any evidence of melancholy, just confusion.
“Ah … there are some people here to see you both.”
Ash and Misty shared a perplexed glance before following Delia’s lead to the kitchen.
“People? Do you know who?”
Delia moved from the kitchen’s doorway, allowing both Ash and Misty to peer into
the room. There, all three nursing coffee mugs, were a man with long lilac hair,
his arm hanging in a sling, a woman with purple-red locks, and a light brown cat-type.
“Hello, twerp,” the female greeted.
Not knowing whether to feel anxious, happy or shocked, Ash managed to voice, “What
the hell are you guys doing here?”
Ash descended the stairs, wincing every time he shifted his weight onto his left leg. He’d misplaced that damned crutch somewhere again. He didn’t remember or care where. He wasn’t going to be walking around much tonight anyway.
Reaching the bottom step, he pulled his fingers through his soaked hair. The shower had rejuvenated his weary body and helped to relax some of the muscles pains caused by the day’s work. He just hoped he was able to peel most of the paint off his hair.
Joining the others in the living room, sitting next to Misty and Pikachu, he looked across at Jessie, James and Meowth. They were all ready to talk. “So, you said that something really bad’s happened?”
Jessie, as always, was the first to speak up. With a false air of cheeriness, she began. “Well, it seems that despite everything we’ve done, the government still considers us as enemies of the state.”
“What?” Misty voiced, a thread of anger in her tone.
Jessie took a deep breath, attempting to settle herself. “We’ve been declared outlaws, and a bounty has been placed upon our heads.”
Misty shook her head. “But…but you guys quit Team Rocket. If it wasn’t for you providing the resistance with secrets and weapons, the occupation would still be raging.”
Jessie shrugged, but it was evident within the way she held herself that she was hiding feelings of fear and rage. “It seems the government doesn’t see it that way. Once a Rocket, always a Rocket, I guess.”
Ash had his head within his hands, his fingertips attempting to ease the sudden tenseness within his temples. He felt the weight on the world thrust upon his shoulders once again. How could anyone do something like this to his friends?! Feeling the anger build within him, he almost shouted, “This is ridiculous! How did you find this out? We haven’t heard anything about it.”
James answered. “From an old ‘friend’ in the Police force. It hasn’t been released as public knowledge yet.”
“Why would they want to prosecute you?” Misty asked unbelievably. “Is it some kind of revenge or something?”
“Nothing so noble,” Jessie stated with a grunt.
“Then why?”
“Our contact told us that it was nothing more than to merely make an example out of us.” She felt her hands clench without conscious thought. “Politics, bloody politics. It’s all a popularity contest. The government are just doing this to help dissuade criticism for their actions during the war. They left the Kanto region to rot, protecting the other regions of Japan while we fought on alone. Now they are trying to cover up that fact by demonstrating how hard a line they are taking with those involved in the take-over. And the three of us are canon fodder.”
Meowth looked up at Ash from his position in between his friends. “We’re sarry for layin’ all this at your door, but we didn’t ‘ave any where else to go.”
“God. What are we going to do about this?” Misty posed sorrowfully.
A long period of silence reigned over the room, each individual contemplating their own thoughts, trying to understand the situation they had been thrown into.
Ash felt an idea forming within his head. He wouldn’t let this happen. He was going to stop it. He’d stood against an entire army before. A bunch of politicians was nothing.
Yes, that was it! That was what he had to do. This was going to work. He turned to Misty. “Prime Minister Watanabe is supposed to be present at the trials?”
“Yeah.”
“And if he saw things our way he would have the power to revoke the warrant?”
“Yeah, but how do you plan to do that, Ash? He’s probably the one at the head of this scheme. Watanabe’s the one who needs the most protection, or he could be out of power in a year.”
A devious smile flowed over his lips. He stood, feeling energised by his new thoughts. “I didn’t mean asking him to support us. There are other ways to get him to come around.”
“I don’t trust that look on your face,” Misty told him suspiciously.
“You will when I tell you what I have in mind.”
“And what’s that?”
“Blackmail,” he announced to all those gathered. “Who in this country has more power over public opinion than the Prime Minister, the Emperor, anyone else?” They all stared at him, waiting for him to continue. “A Master. And not just someone who’s a Master, but also a revolutionary.”
“Y-you?” Jessie, James and Meowth asked in unison.
Ash nodded. “I know that I’ve had problems before with being considered the leader of the resistance, but I need to forget those reservations. Though I can’t understand it myself, the people listen to me, follow me. I can force the Prime Minister’s hand. Without my support, he will lose the next election, and I’m sure he won’t let that happen. The most important thing to all politicians is power. He will do as I say if there is even the slightest chance he would loss his position.”
The others just stared at Ash’s animated form, not just with agreement but also shock. He could read their expressions clear as day. His mouth contorted into a pout. “I’m not that dense, you know. I do occasionally come up with a good idea or two.”
“Do you really think this will work?” Jessie questioned, some doubt still residing within her.
“I know it will,” came his confident reply.
“We don’t want to put you to so much trouble,” James commented apologetically.
“What’s a little trouble when it comes to friends?”
“Thanks,” Jessie began full-heartedly. “Thank you so much, guys.” She trained her eyes over Ash, Misty and Pikachu. “We really didn’t know what to do. We thought our past was finally catching up to us.”
“The past doesn’t matter. What matters is right now, trying to get Kanto back upon its feet.”
Now assured of her and her friends’ safety, Jessie felt a pang of guilt come upon her. There were many more that could be saved, lives she was sure Ash would willingly fight for. “Can we ask another favour of you, then?”
“Sure.”
“You know how we got messed up in Team Rocket in the first place. How, after my mother disappeared and James ran away, there was no one else we could turn to for support?”
Ash, Misty and Pikachu nodded.
“Many people fell into Team Rocket in the same way. Some were orphans, others had been abused and tortured by their families…there’s pretty much a different story behind ever member. We were all promised glory when we signed up, and to a teenager who had probably ate nothing but scraps for years on end, that was an offer too great to refuse.
“Many of the members on trial are just kids.” She paused momentarily, attempting to keep her tone level. “Most younger than you, Ash. The worst crimes they have committed are perhaps a few robberies, stealing a couple of Pokemon. Unless you were over eighteen and of a certain rank, you weren’t trusted to do anything more important. None of them would have been involved in the murder and destruction that took place. We’ve committed worse crimes.”
James and Meowth nodded their down-turned heads in accordance.
“But, I doubt the judges will take that into account. Just for being members of Team Rocket they will most likely remain in prison for the majority of their lives, if not the rest of it.”
Jessie placed both of her hands together in a prayer position and bowed slightly. Her partners replicated her action. “Please, I beg of you; do this for us. We want everyone to be given a fair trial. We will willingly testify, reveal everything we know about the organisation and about every member to help.”
Ash was awed by the passion in his once enemy’s voice. “Guys…you don’t even have to ask that of me. You know I’ll do it.”
“Thank you,” was the group’s response, sighing.
As Ash sat down once more, contemplating the immense duty he had just undertaken, his mother came in, carrying a tray full of steaming mugs. “I made some hot coco for everyone,” she joyously announced, bringing a slight smile to their faces.
“Thanks, Mum.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Ketchum.”
She turned to the new group of arrivals. “And I’ve made up some beds for you three. I’m sure you’ll be spending a few days with us.”
“If that’s okay wit’ you?” Meowth put. “We have to keep out o’ sight until we’re able to sart all this out.”
“It’s no problem at all, dear. Just means the house is going to be even more lively, and I hate it when it gets too quiet.”
“I know we’ve said this so much already, but thank you all,” James expressed. “We really appreciate all that you have done for us.”
"Here's your coffee," Izzie called as she walked over to Brock, carefully handing him the cup before setting her own upon the low table in front of them. Sinking into the fluffy sofa that dominated the small living room, she slid up as close as possible to him.
"Thanks." Taking a tentative sip of the hot liquid before deciding that it was too hot to drink, he lent forward, placing the cup next to hers. “So, I’m going to be away for a while, probably a few weeks.” Leaning back, cuddling up next to her, he sighed before continuing. “Great, ne? We’ve only been together for a few days and now we’re not gonna be able to see each other for ages.”
“Mmmm,” she nodded. “But maybe…” Hesitating, she looked away from him. She wanted to ask him, but was unsure if she should press the subject.
“Maybe what?”
No, she couldn’t hold it back. She needed to let him know her wishes. “Why don’t I just come with you, Ash and Misty?” She glanced up into his eyes once more.
“Come with us? Why?”
“Well, why not? I care a lot about you guys. The past week I’ve felt so connected to all of you, like I’m a part of a group.” She couldn’t help but feel a smile tug at her lips, a blush rise across her cheeks. “If there is anything I can do to help you when you’re all going through this, I want to do it. And, best of all, it means we don’t have to put our relationship on hold.”
Brock shook his head. Why was she so adamant to come? If he had the option, he would have stayed as far away from the events as possible. “But Izzie, this isn’t going to be nice. The trials will be brutal and the three of us are going to be hit heavily by anything that happens. It wouldn’t be fair to put you under that kind of strain when you could avoid it.”
“Isn’t that the job of a friend and a girlfriend?”
“Yeah, but I don’t want to see you under any undue pressure.”
“And I want to help ease the amount of pressure you’re under,” she pleaded. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she desired to say. She didn’t want to push him too hard, especially concerning his past, but she had to let him know. “Also, I...I don’t want to be away from you for that long. I’ve so quickly become reliant upon being next to you that I think I’d go insane us being separated for such a long time.”
She reached up and tenderly gripped the back of his neck, slowly lowering his head until it rested upon hers. She could feel him tremble slightly at her touch, his eyes momentarily blinking closed. Gazing into his orbs, her own transparent, every emotion simple to read, she began, ”I’ve been falling in love with you since the first second we met. That’s why I need to be there to support you. It would be more painful for me to stay here, worrying every second of the day about how you were doing.”
Brock was taken aback by the passion in her words. She really carried about him that much? She was…she was in love with him? All he could do in reply was utter her name, bringing his hand up to caress her flushed cheek.
“I’m coming,” she spoke softly, relaxing into his touch. “I don’t care whether you want me to or not. And don’t try to talk me out of it. You know I won’t give in.”
“God. Izzie,” he whispered, placing an intimate kiss upon her lips. “I can’t believe you are willing to put yourself through this for me. You really are something, you know that? You so amazing and committed and…and you’re just wonderful.”
Before she could say another word, his kissed her once again, this time a little more vigorously. She automatically fell into it, relishing in his touch.
He lost all train of his previous thoughts, cast aside by the delirium caused by her presence. He didn’t care about the trials, about trying to understand his confused feelings. All he cared about was her. Being with her, touching her, embracing her soul.
Manoeuvring her onto his lap with a simple touch upon her waist, she straddled him, never breaking the lip lock once.
Though not yet tired of exploring the fullness of her lips, he lowered his mouth’s assault to the skin of her neck, lightly nipping and licking at her flesh, and then on down until he reached her collar bone. The scent of her musky perfume filled his senses, causing his light-headedness to build further.
How long had it been since he had felt this way? A year perhaps. No, it had been longer, much longer. In the past year he had touched another woman in the same way, but it had been much longer since he’d felt this same level of desire, of love. Maybe he’d never felt such a power until this moment, never experienced such a connection.
His fingers wandered over her heart, resting a moment upon the rhythmic beating before trailing lower to her belly and then under the fabric of her clothing. He pushed her top upwards, seeking her permission before he removed it entirely. Now able to interact with more of her body, he began to taste her tissue once more.
“I love you,” he heard her breathlessly whisper before she painfully removed herself from his hold, leaning him by the hand to the next room.
Brock felt the pull of consciousness upon him. He tried to banish it, but it was able to overpower him. Opening his eyes, he looked down upon Izzie, her head placed upon his bare chest, sleeping silently with a contented expression upon her soft features.
Gently moving her to lie upon the bed, he sat upright, pulling his fingers through his short locks.
He’d promised himself he’d take this relationship slowly, to not rush into anything. But when she’d told him she loved him…he just couldn’t hold back any longer. His resolve had been crumbling away more and more everyday, and those simple words had eroded what remained in its entirety.
He felt terrible. If he couldn’t put the past behind him, then he’d just used this incredible young woman, played with her heart. God, I’m such a bastard. How the hell can I feel this strongly for Izzie when Kiyoko died just weeks ago? Am I betraying Kiyoko’s memory by falling for Izzie? Am I betraying Izzie by just thinking like this?
“Brock, you okay?” he heard his girlfriend mutter, wiping sleep from her eyes.
“Yeah. You just go back to sleep.”
She didn’t listen to his request. Instead, she moved towards him, leaning against his back, her chin upon his shoulder. Using her fingers to play with a lock of his hair, she asked, “Are you feeling guilty about what we just did?”
“W-why would I be guilty?” he lied.
“Misty told me about Kiyoko.”
Great, he thought sarcastically. Thank you, Misty. “Oh. I…I’m sorry.”
Izzie shook her head. She’d been mulling over this since that day, trying to figure out a way to tell him that she understood what he was going through. But there had never been an appropriate circumstance. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for. I can understand what you’re going through. You had feelings for her, and not that long ago were thinking that maybe there was a chance for a relationship there. And now you’re with me, and you’re wondering where those old feelings went.”
How did she know that? How could she read him so clearly? He nodded. “But I shouldn’t be feeling like this. I wasn’t in love with Kiyoko; I wasn’t even dating her. But despite the fact that she’s dead, I feel like I’m cheating on her. It’s just…so stupid.”
She turned his head so she could look fully into his eyes. “It’s not stupid. You’re a nice guy. That’s what your feelings show. You still feel obliged to someone who has died. You feel that you should sacrifice your own personal happiness so that you don’t betray their honour. I think that’s very noble.”
Brock took in every inch of her face, studied every ounce of emotion he could see. How could she be so understanding? Why didn’t she see it the way he did? “But, Izzie, it’s not fair to you.”
She traced her fingers over his face, making him quake. “It doesn’t make any difference to me. As long as I know I’m the one you want to be with, that I’m the one you care for now, then it doesn’t matter.”
“You are, believe me. But, I’ve been holding back from you because of this. I was worried about getting too close and then not being able to commit to you properly. Though I kinda screwed up on that tonight.” They both laughed lightly. “But I can’t understand why I keep thinking I'm betraying her by being with you. It’s crazy, but…I just do. She even told me to move on, but part of me keeps thinking that it’s not right to both you and her to do so.”
“Brock, let me tell you something. If Kiyoko was looking down upon us right now, I know we would have her blessing. I’m sure she cared a lot about you, and one of the things about having feelings for someone is wanting to make them feel happy no matter what. Therefore, you don’t need to think about how she would feel, nor how I do. We are both happy with this situation. You shouldn’t feel this way.” She moved her head up slightly, kissing him tenderly. “As she said, you need to move on.”
She was right. He knew she was. If he wasn’t hurting either Izzie or Kiyoko, why was he hurting himself? “No wonder I’m falling in love with you,” he spoke quietly. She inhaled deeply, taken aback by his words. He pulled her lips to his, capturing them with as much passion as he could, before laying her back upon the bed. He had to show her how he truly felt to make up for his actions so far. He’d held back before. He wasn’t going to do so now.
“So, what have you guys been up to over the past few weeks?” Ash inquired, looking over a collection of cereal boxes, coffee mugs and assorted crockery that littered the kitchen table, towards his friends.
“Not much. Trying to figure out what to do with our lives. We’d been in Team Rocket for so long. We don’t really know anything else.”
“(You’re not going to just end up trying to kidnap me again, are you?)” Pikachu commented, suspiciously looking at Meowth out of the corner of his eye.
“Don’t worry,” Meowth responded. “That’s all behind us now.”
“But we’re still not sure what line of work we would like to get into,” James added. “The only jobs we’ve been able to get in the past have been at fast food restaurants, and that doesn’t exactly provide a good income.”
“Well, why don’t you guys set up a fashion store or something?” came Misty’s advice.
Yet again the former Rockets replied in perfect harmony. “A fashion store?”
“Yeah. You guys are really talented. I love the stuff you design.”
Ash broke into a peel of laughter. “Yeah, I remember how good you looked with all that gunk on you face,” he sarcastically joked, failing to predict the impact of her fist with his head. “Ouch! That hurt!”
“It was supposed to!” She brought her attention back to the others. “But, what about that idea. Isn’t that something you’ve all wanted to do for a long time?”
Jessie smiled. “Yeah! That could be really fun. ‘Jessie and James’ Amazing Fashions’.”
“Hey, what about me? Don’t Meowth get a mention?”
“No! You don’t have an eye for style. You wouldn’t actually be designing anything. You’d merely be the accountant?”
“Well then, what about me? Why can’t it be ‘James and Jessie’s Amazing Fashions.”
“’Cause I say so!” came her angered reply.
Ash sighed at the quarrelling group. “Oh, great, Misty. Look what you started.”
“I started?” she protested. “I was just trying to help!”
"Hey, guys, cool it!" they all heard Brock shout as he stepped through the backdoor. His loud bellow brought them all into order.
Misty instantly refocused her attention upon Brock. "Hi, Brock. You’re back awfully late, or should I say early," she teased. “I’m guessing you had a good night with Izzie, then.”
"Uh, er, um," Brock stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Misty, leave him alone," Ash laughed.
"No. It's too much fun. Well, come on. How was your date?”
"It was really...nice."
"Nice? Come on. If you didn't make it back home last night, it must have been more than nice.”
“Wait a minute,” Jessie butted in, her and the others forgetting their current ‘discussion.’ “Did Brock actually get lucky?”
“It’s not outside the realm of possibility, you know,” Brock angrily expressed. It was only then that he realised there was something very wrong about this scene. “Hey, where did you guys come from?”
“Long, long story,” Meowth stated.
“Ok-ay.”
Misty curiosity piqued once more. “If you slept with her, where the hell is she? You better not have bolted or you’ll have me to deal with!” she threatened.
“Don’t worry. She went to buy some stuff for next week. She didn’t want to drag me along ‘cause she knows how much guys hate that.” Both Ash and James nodded in consensus. “She’ll be here in about an hour or two.”
“For next week?” Ash pried.
“She’s going to Viridian with us. She wouldn’t take no as an answer, and I’m not going to attempt to convince her otherwise.” Settling into one of the table’s chairs, leaning into it, he rested the back of his head upon his entwined fingers.
“Well, it seems whatever she did to you did the trick,” remarked Misty.
“Eh?”
“You seem a lot more relaxed than you have been for a long time.”
“Well, I got some stuff sorted out in my mind,” he answered with a smile.
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