=Author's Note= My sister and I had a fairly big argument over the Pok‚mon Tower episode. Was Ash really dead? My argument was this; if your spirit leaves your body, and you aren't breathing, you're dead! Those who would like to disagree, please don't. However, if you want to send in comments, I'm more than ready (cyberwraith9@yahoo.com). =Legal Disclaimer= Pok‚mon, its characters, locations and all other associated literary and fictitious holdings are not owned by me. Any legal action taken against me will probably cost more than it would result in, so I wouldn't waste my time or my money if I were you. BadgeQuest #5 Of Souls and Spirits Rows of boxes towered above them like wooden cliff faces, casting the already darkened warehouse in shadows. The moonlight shining above Saffron City filtered in through a lone skylight, casting barely enough illumination to see by. Inside the mountainous crates were various Pok‚technologies; Ultra Balls, antitoxins, regeneration pallets, and hundreds of other devices. It was the trademark stock of Silph Co., the world's leading provider in Pok‚mon technological accessories... It was the last place a company would look for it's own stolen merchandise. "To infect the world with devastation..."She ran a hand over her sensual figure, posing for an unseen audience. "To ignite all peoples within our nation." He stood behind her, his lips upward with an arrogant smirk. He twirled a purple Pok‚ball in his hand, tossing it up lazily. "To denounce the beauty of truth and love," "To extend our wrath to the stars above," "Cassedy." She spun in place, reveling in the moment. "Butch." "Team Rocket circling the globe day and night," "Surrender now, or you will surely lose the fight!" Cassedy leaned against one of the towering pile of crates. Her laughter rang like a bell, filling the deserted building with a haunting echo. "The Boss'll be pleased with us this time." she said, snatching the purple Pok‚ball from Butch's hands. "He'll finally forgive us for all our mistakes in the past." Butch reached down and pulled up a large glass container. He peered at the enraged Pikachu inside, trying to blast its way out with electric attacks. "And this Pikachu won't hurt us none either." he said in a gravely voice. He joined in her laughter; things were finally going their way. Cassedy cradled the Pok‚ball carefully. "Once the Boss lays eyes on this little gem, our reputation will go through the roof!" As if on cue, the skylight was smashed in. Shards of razor sharp glass rained down on the pair like a hailstorm. They raised their arms, squealing, trying to protect themselves. "W-what's going on?" Butch's voice quivered with surprise. A trio of figures landed behind them with a crash. One of them rose to his feet and leapt the distance between them with a short hop. He ripped the glass container from Butch's hands and smashed it open. The Pikachu shook off shards of glass, then leapt up onto the stranger's shoulder. Cassedy scowled at the intruders, venom in her voice and fire in her eyes. "Just who do you think you are?" The stranger stepped into the feeble moonlight, revealing a dark blue jacket and an official league hat. "I'm Ash Ketchum. You had something that belonged to me." He tickled Pikachu under the chin. "I just came to collect." Misty stepped into view, standing at Ash's side. "We also came for the prototype Pok‚technology you stole from Silph Co." Brock similarly revealed himself. "We came to collect that as well." Butch growled. "You twerps again...I thought we shook you in Saffron." "We decided to take a detour on our way to the airport." Ash said with a dismissive wave of his hand. He clenched his fist. "Granted, it was a long detour," "But for you guys," Brock took a menacing step towards them, his Pok‚ball at the ready. "We decided to go out of our way." Misty finished. She pulled Starmie's Pok‚ball from her bag and expanded it to full size. "How nice..." Cassedy cooed. She ripped a Pok‚ball out from her jacket and threw it over the trio's heads. "Hypno, destroy them!" Hypno was released from the ball with a bright flash of energy. The Psychic Pok‚mon immediately charged at Ash, Misty and Brock, intending on using a Headbutt attack. "I'll handle this one." Ash said, "You guys take the Rockets." His friends nodded, starting for Butch and Cassedy. Ash turned to face the Hypno, already gearing up for another attack. "Okay, Pikachu; looks like we've got one flash-fry order, extra crispy." His partner 'Pika'ed, leaping from his shoulder to square off with the Hypno. Pikachu powered up, hitting Hypno with a Thundershock. The Hypno was frazzled, but not fainted. A psychic aura surrounded its body as it powered up for what would almost certainly be a Psybeam. To Ash's surprise, it wasn't. Hypno launched a Psychic attack that the trainer had never seen before; a bolt of psychic energy leapt from the Pok‚mon's body, mimicking electricity. Unfortunately for Pikachu, it moved twice as fast. The poor powershock Pok‚mon was frazzled as the psychic 'bolt' struck it in its tiny chest. Pikachu was thrown back into one of the boxes, sending a spray of splintering shrapnel in all directions as the box broke apart. Ash's eyes went wide with surprise. He pulled out his Pok‚dex. "Dexter, what kind of attack is that?" Dexter scanned the psychic assault. "Combination of Electric and Psychic attacks. Looks like some sort of 'Psyshock' to me." His Pok‚dex told him. "It isn't one of the confirmed League attacks allowed." "I don't think Team Rocket is interested in what the League allows, Dex." Ash said dryly. "C'mon, Pikachu, take it out with a Thunderbolt!" Pikachu shook his head woozily, trying to regain his balance. The small thunder rodent looked up in time to dodge a Headbutt attack with Agility. "Pika!" he shouted indignantly. Pikachu tried to fry the Hypno with a powerful jolt of electricity, but the Psychic Pok‚mon teleported away. Ash looked around desperately, trying to find where Hypno had reappeared. "Pika-cha!" Pikachu shouted frantically, pointing its small, clawed finger behind Ash. The League Master whirled around in time to see Hypno running at him at breakneck speed. Without thinking, he shouted at Pikachu, "Thunderbolt now!" Pikachu obeyed, sending a spray of erratic tendrils of amber energy out towards Hypno. His psychic opponent attacked as well, using its Psyshock. Ash had unwittingly put himself in their crossfire. He screamed in agony as both electricity and psychic powers coursed through his body, lighting him up like a neon sign. Brock stood over Butch, rubbing his right fist absently; the Rocket's jaw was a lot harder than it looked. He looked over at Misty, who gave him a tired thumbs-up. Her catfight with Cassedy had taken a lot out of her. She checked to make sure all of her hair was still on her head. Brock grinned. Then a bright flash caught their attention. They looked over and saw the two attacks meeting with Ash in the middle. "Ash!" Misty screamed. Brock did something a bit more constructive; "Graveler, I choose you!" His Pok‚ball released Graveler, the four-armed beast of Rock. "Tackle Hypno, hurry!" He didn't think Ash could stand much more. Graveler grunted and tucked itself into a ball, rolling along the hard concrete. It moved surprisingly fast for a boulder of its size, crushing wooden crates like they were paper mach‚. Graveler crashed into Hypno, giving the Psychic terror a one-hit KO as it rolled right over it. Hypno gave a small whimper as it lay in a jagged crater before passing out. As soon as the Hypno was down, the attacks stopped and Ash dropped limply to the floor. Brock walked over, recalling his Graveler. He toed the Hypno with his thick boot, smirking at it. "And they say Rock is weak against Psychic." "Brock!" Misty's cry caught his attention and dragged him from his self-congratulations. She knelt over Ash's unmoving form, desperation seeping into her voice. "Brock, he isn't breathing!" She looked hysterical. "He's not breathing!" Brock's eyes nearly went wide with panic. "I'll find a phone. Try to...I don't know, do something!" He ran off as fast as he could. Misty was at a loss...all she could do was watch as Pikachu stood by his fallen trainer, pounding its tiny fists on Ash's chest desperately. Her eyes welled up with tears. "Oh Ash, open your eyes." she cried softly. * * * Brock paced the waiting area if the emergency room like a madman. He felt like asking the nurse for an update, but she had stopped answering him after the fifteenth time. He looked at the ER doors, hoping that the doctor would come back out soon. He felt someone tapping his shoulder. He turned, seeing Misty standing behind him. She gave him a weak grin, holding up a small Styrofoam cup. "Black, just the way you like it." Brock took the cup gratefully and savored a long drag of coffee. The Rock sighed in contentment, relaxing a little. Mount Moon blend was his favorite. He opened one squint, catching Misty's hopeful gleam in her eye. "Nothing yet. Last I heard, it was still pretty iffy." Her face caved in disappointment. "Excuse me." A doctor in a stained white smock walked up to Brock and Misty. "Are you the ones who brought in the boy with the Pikachu?" Brock nodded. "I'm happy to report that we've managed to stabilize the boy's vital signs...but there are complications." The doctor led them back through the ER double doors. The entire area was very unsettling; it had the smell of sterilization about it, mixed in with scents of blood and chemicals. Misty followed the doctor, with Brock on her heels, to a small area enclosed by a circular curtain. Ash was lying on the bed, breathing shallowly. His arm was hooked up to an IV, and a respirator obscured his face. Pikachu sat on the bed next to him, growling fiercely at anyone who came near. The small mouse brightened when he saw his two travel companions show up, giving them a 'Pika' of excitement. "He's stable now...despite some 'obstacles'." He shot Pikachu an annoyed glance, receiving a growl from the thunder mouse. "Though it is odd;" the doctor scratched his head with curiosity, "It took an unbelievable amount of electricity to restart his heart. It was almost like his body had built up some sort of resistance to shocks." The three visitors cast a suspicious glance at Pikachu. "Doctor," Misty interrupted, "You said that there was something still wrong?" She walked to the bed, hesitantly touching Ash's arm. He felt cold... "Well, his body is functioning perfectly." the doctor began. He held up several charts for Brock to see. The Rock trainer turned the graphs first one way, then another; he couldn't make any sense of them. The doctor ignored his confusion, continuing, "But there doesn't seem to be any mental activity." Misty couldn't resist, even at a time like this. "I wouldn't think that would be a problem for A-" "You don't understand," he insisted forcefully, laying a hand on her shoulder, "There isn't 'anything'. No cognitive thought, no background noise...nothing." He gestured to Ash's head, uncertainty in his voice. "It's like his mind is gone." "Gone?" Ash's friends were beginning to see the problem. "We're moving him to observation in the Intensive Care Unit...we'll know more after some tests." the doctor sighed. "However...if he doesn't come out of this coma, I'm afraid there may be no choice but to cut life support." "Pull the plug on Ash!" Misty shouted, "NO! You can't!" Brock struggled to hold her back. "I'm sorry." the doctor said again, "There isn't anything more I can do...he'll have to pull out of it on his own." He exited the curtained area, already on his way to his next patient. "Brock, we can't let them do this!" Misty said desperately, trying to wriggle free from his iron grip. Pikachu watched them, its head cocked with curiosity. The poor Pok‚mon didn't understand what was going on. To it, Ash was just sleeping. Brock tightened his grip and hissed in her ear. "Misty, stop!" Her struggles grew weaker as he chided her, "Look, the doctors can't do anything. All we can do right now is wait, and pray." She looked weakly at her friend, sniffing. "But...but...the plug...and pulling..." She turned to face Brock, tears once again brimming in her eyes. "We can't let them-" Brock shushed her. "Look at him." He said, gesturing towards Ash. "He wouldn't want to live like this. This isn't even living." He looked at his best friend, staring sadly at his pale, pasty complexion. "I couldn't do that to him..." She wiped her eyes, slowly nodding. "All right...fine...we'll wait." * * * "And we'll put the vase of flowers here..." Misty set a tall container of fresh-cut wildflowers on a small, circular table, standing back to see how it looked. "Or maybe on the nightstand..." She turned to Pikachu. "What do you think?" Pikachu pointed at the table that the vase now sat on. The Pok‚mon rested on Ash's bed, right beside the comatose youth. It still refused to leave Ash's side, remaining protective of its partner. "You're right. They look nice where they are." She made a couple of insignificant modifications, then sighed, satisfied. The ICU room looked a bit less sterile since she had added a couple of personal touches to the room. The young trainer turned as the room's door opened. Brock stood in the doorway, looking as forlorn as Misty had ever seen him. "That bad, huh?" "Is there any good way to tell someone that they're son's dying?" Brock retorted with fatigue in his voice. "It took a half-hour just to calm her down. I was afraid that she was going to need a doctor herself." He heaved a mighty sigh and let himself drop into one of the folding metal chairs seated around the table. "Is she coming?" Misty asked quietly. Brock nodded. "Mm-hmm. But it's the middle of travel season...even the busses are packed. I don't think she'll make it before..." he glanced at Ash. "I don't think she'll make it in time." He saw Misty swallow and blink back more tears; her eyes were already red and puffy from crying. "Hey, it isn't all bad." he said with false cheer in his voice, "I managed to pinch a couple of things from the storage box they set up for Ash's stuff." He reached into his vest and pulled out a trainer belt. Ash's Pok‚balls, as well as his Pok‚dex, were attached to the brown leather strap. "Brock, that's great!" Misty pulled Dexter off of the belt, examining the device. "Think we should let Dexter know?" "I really don't feel like explaining it to him now...we'll tell him in the morning." Brock said tiredly. Misty nodded; she was starting to think of Dexter, his AI, as a friend, but she didn't have the energy to deal with him right now either. "Oh, I did manage to get one more thing!" Brock's demeanor brightened as he pulled out Ash's filthy, battered old League cap out of the other side of his green vest. Misty snatched the hat away from him. "Perfect! I knew something was missing." She walked over to Ash's still form. Even with the respirator, his breathing was shallow and erratic. Misty gently lifted his head and placed the hat on with the bill sticking defiantly into the air. Pikachu cooed softly, bearing its tiny teeth in a grin. "You aren't beat yet, Ash..." she said softly. A small grin lit up her otherwise sullen expression. "You've never quit before. I can't believe you'd quit now." *That was really sweet, Misty. * A familiar voice wavered in the back of her mind. Misty gasped, jumping nearly a foot into the air. She slowly turned, looking at Brock. The Master of Rock had jumped out of his seat with surprise. "Did you say something?" she asked slowly, her voice shivering. He shook his head, equally as upset; he had heard it too. "It must have been our imaginations..." he said. He looked at Pikachu. The Pok‚mon's ears were up and alert. He looked at his trainer, then around at the rest of the room. "Pika?" he asked, scratching his head with confusion. Misty shook her head. "It was just your imagination," she told herself, "It couldn't have been," *Can you guys hear me? * The voice said again. It was louder this time, stronger. "A-ash?" Brock said slowly, looking at Ash's broken body. *Yes! You can hear me! * They could hear Ash's voice as he let out a war whoop in victory. "Ash...how...what...where?" Misty couldn't even finish one question. Lucky for her, Brock was thinking more clearly. "Ash, where are you?" *I'm right here. * His friend's voice echoed, reverberating unnaturally, *I'm standing right next to you. Can't you see me? * Misty looked around the room slowly. Pikachu and Brock did the same. "The only 'you' I see," Misty said, "Is right here." She pointed to the bed. *Woah... * Ash sounded disturbed, *That 'is' me...am I...dead? * He sounded annoyed, *Not again! * Brock frowned. "Okay, this is really weird." He staggered slightly, as if dazed. "I think I need to sit down." *Here. * Misty's eyes bugged out as one of the chairs around the table behind Brock moved out on its own, making a loud squealing noise as it dragged across the floor. Brock eyed the chair suspiciously, as if suspecting the seat to be as insubstantial as his friend was. "So what do we do now?" Misty asked. This had her as confused as Brock. "I mean, how do we...?" "Well," Brock mused, "As long as we're in Saffron, we might as well call in the expert." Misty groaned, but she knew he was right. She picked Dexter off of the table. "I'll make the call." She flicked the power toggle with her thumb, bringing the piece of hardware to consciousness. "Hey Ash!" the machine said cheerfully. Then it recognized who was holding it. "Misty? What's going on, where's Ash?" Dexter was almost as protective of Ash as Pikachu was. Misty rolled her eyes; "I guess I 'will' have to deal with Dex tonight." she thought glumly as she began to explain the situation to the Pok‚dex. * * * The doctor stuck his head into the door, shivering; after living in Saffron, he had become somewhat accustom to psychics. Still, that tingle of danger always cropped up whenever one was near him. "Excuse me," he said. Brock and Misty looked up from their card game with excitement. "Your guest is here." He stepped into the room. A tall, regal woman with dark green hair followed after him. She wore a high-collared shirt, a colorful vest and loose, tasteful slacks. Though her apparel was imposing, her face had changed very much from the last time they had met. She smiled broadly upon seeing the pair. "Brock, Misty. A pleasure to see you both again." "Sabrina." Misty nodded slowly. She was a bit hesitant to call for her help, seeing as how the last time they had met the telepath had turned her and Brock into stuffed dolls. She swallowed her pride and her fear; Sabrina was the only one that could help them now. Brock wasn't nearly as unforgiving as Misty. His face took on its familiar, soft expression. "H- hey there." he stuttered, blushing. Misty elbowed him sharply, grounding him back into reality. "Uh, thanks for coming on such short notice." "You said it was urgent." She looked at Ash, his face hidden behind the respirator. "I can see you were not mistaken." She frowned, turning her attention back to the fallen trainer's friends. "But what do you need my assistance with?" "Ash?" Misty asked, looking around. She hoped that he was still there...or that he had actually been there in the first place, and not a figment of their imagination. *Right here. * Ash's hollow voice echoed. Hearing him filled Misty with relief. The ghostly Pok‚mon champion stood unseen behind his friends, arms folded on his chest. Sabrina raised an eyebrow. "I see." The doctor frowned. "I don't. What in blazes are you talking about?" Sabrina walked slowly around the room. Her eyes were closed in concentration. She stopped by Ash's body, touching his forehead. Pikachu growled softly at her, trying to get in between Ash and the psychic. Sabrina's eyes snapped open, and she seemed to stare at the exact spot where Ash's spirit stood. He drew in an insubstantial breath, waiting. "He is here." was all she said. The doctor rolled his eyes. "Well, of course he's here. You're standing right next to him!" "Not the shell." Her eyes began glowing softly with a violet aura. "The spirit." "I don't hear anything." Sabrina's eyes stopped glowing as she glanced at him. "Only those with an emotional link or psychic abilities are able to hear the departed." she said matter-of-factly. The doctor threw up his hands in disgust. "Of all the ridiculous..." He pivoted on his heel and left the room, muttering. Ash was relieved to see him go. He hovered above the floor, floating to where Sabrina stood. *What happened to me? * He looked at his own insubstantial hands; they were a ghastly translucent blue- white. The rest of him appeared to be in a similar state. Sabrina turned to Brock. "You said he was struck by a Psychic attack?" Brock nodded, frowning. "It is worse than I feared. Humans rarely react well to a Psychic Pok‚mon's attacks. The results are hard to predict." "Never mind that, how do we get him back in there?" Misty practically shouted. She was shaking with impatience. The Psychic master frowned. "He should simply be able to re-enter his body. Though it is difficult to say..." *It's worth a shot. * Unseen to them all, he reached out slowly towards his 'other self'. He shivered, hesitating for just a moment, then turned his head and thrust his hand into his body's chest. Nothing happened. The room was silent for several moments, until Misty broke the eerie calm. "Well?" *I don't know. * Ash tried scratching his head, but his hand passed through the translucent hat on his head. *I touched it, and nothing happened. * "Perhaps we need help." Sabrina suggested. She put two fingers to her mouth and gave a shrill whistle. A dark purple blob phased through the wall and circled above the room, cackling. Brock and Misty leapt in fright, easily clearing three feet. "Haunt-ont-ont-ont!" *Haunter! * Ash said, delighted. It had been ages since he had seen the ghost Pok‚mon. Brock forced his pulse down, racing from the sight of the ghost. After all his years as a trainer, those things still scared the daylights out of him. "How's this cloud of gas going to help us?" he growled. Haunter, meanwhile, had become ecstatic as he saw that Ash was dead. It lifted the trainer up, unseen to all but the Ghost type. "Haunta!" *Good to see you too, Haunter. * "Haunter's Dream Eater attack has the capability to remove the spirit from a living thing's body," Sabrina explained, "If it were to reverse the attack-" "Then Ash would be as good as alive!" Misty finished excitedly. She grabbed Haunter's partially solidified, free-floating hand. "Come on, Haunter, Dream Eat Ash right back into his body!" Haunter looked to Sabrina, who nodded. Its eyes began to glow red. "Haaaauuuuunt." it moaned. Ash looked down at his non-body; his pale form began to glow a similar red, tingling from his head to his feet. He floated into the air, flipping around until he was hovering above his body, face up. Haunter was about to place him into his body when an explosion ripped apart the far side of the room, sending a hail of drywall and wood into the small space. Brock, Misty and Sabrina were knocked to the floor, dazed and confused. Haunter stopped his attack, leaving Ash's spirit hanging midair. Ash kicked his ghostly legs trying to regain equilibrium. *What in blue blazes is happening? * he hollered. A pair of silhouettes became visible through the haze of dust and debris. "To protect the world from devastation..." a shrill, all-too-familiar voice rang through the room. "To unite all peoples within our nation." Team Rocket-the 'usual' Team Rocket-stepped into view, smirking. Their balloon appeared to be hovering, Meowth at the controls. The talking cat kept their craft ready for a quick getaway. Jessie and James finished off their motto, releasing their second string Pok‚mon; Victreebell and Lickitung. The pinkish tongue lizard and the giant bell-shaped flower both made their way slowly forward, squawking and growling. Sabrina's eyes narrowed in anger. "Leave this place. You have no business disturbing us." She glanced at Haunter, who had already taken to floating above her shoulder. The free-floating vaporous specter looked uncharacteristically eager for a good fight. "Leave, lest I am forced to take arms against you." "That goes double for us!" Brock's hand went to his belt quick as a flash. His mind was racing; not enough room for Onix or Graveler, and Golbat wouldn't have enough room to maneuver under these tight ceilings. It would have to be Vulpix. Misty likewise reached for a monster to combat with. Her choice was to be Staryu; it wasn't as strong as Starmie, but it could move better in small areas. She looked over to Pikachu, who was bristling and sparking with anger. This time the Rockets had pushed them all too far. Jessie laughed arrogantly, her normal mixture of rage and egoism asserting itself. "We may not have business with you, but the boy is another matter!" She jabbed a finger at Ash's pale body. "We hate to kick someone when they're down, but orders are orders!" Meowth began screaming from the balloon, "You guys tink we have all night? Let's get goin' before da cops show up!!!" He struggled with the balloon's limited controls, trying to keep it steady. "Victreebell, it's time to play Sandman," James cackled. He grinned broadly, sneering at the Psychic master and her two pathetic associates. "Sleep Powder!" Victreebell reacted immediately; it opened its gaping mouth and began spewing a bluish haze. The sparkling powder soon filled the far end of the room, covering every cubic inch. Before the besieged could even begin their counterattack, they were forced into slumber. Misty struggled, reaching for Ash- the Ash she could see-before unconsciousness finally overtook her. * * * "Mmmmmmm...Huh?" Misty groaned, trying to sit up. Her eyes fluttered open as she tried to take in her surroundings. At first everything was hopelessly blurred, but soon the room snapped back into focus. She finally made out the doctor's soft features looking worriedly at her from above. "Good, you're awake." he stood up, disposing of a freshly used hypo. Misty propped herself up on her elbows, wincing. She felt her bicep and found a fresh puncture mark there. "You're the last to wake up," the doctor explained. He handed her a glass of water, which she accepted gratefully. "We were worried that you may have had an allergic reaction to the Attack." She shook her head, smiling weakly. "I'm pretty tough...I was probably just tired." Her eyes snapped open as she fully remembered what had happened. "Ash! Where's-" *Right here, Misty. * She could hear his echoing voice reverberate through her mind. He stood, unseen, by her bedside. She stood up slowly, aching. "What about Brock, and Sabrina?" Before she could finish asking, they both walked in. "Never mind. I'm one step behind, as usual." She looked at the doctor. "Would you excuse us, please?" He rolled his eyes but left without a fuss. Misty turned back to Brock and Sabrina. "So what do we do now? I'm assuming that Team Rocket managed to grab 'Ash' after they put us down for a nap." Brock nodded. "They managed to get up above the clouds before the police could get an aircraft after them." He shook his head, frustrated. "Not a trace. It's a good bet that they're still in the city, though. That balloon of theirs isn't too good over long distances, and it doesn't move too fast." He turned to look out the window, as if half-expecting to see them flying outside. They weren't, of course, but when Team Rocket was involved practically anything could happen. "They took the life-support equipment too, so they wanted him alive." *But why? * Ash paced the room on ghostly feet. Pikachu's eyes darted about. The poor power- packed Pikachu was becoming frustrated with its inability to see its partner. *I mean, the only one who would want it is me...there isn't much else to do with it besides live in it. * He too was frustrated; being a ghost had its advantages, but it was becoming annoying. "Revenge." Sabrina stated coldly. That brought everyone's attention to her. "Team Rocket is driven by emotions; hatred; greed; lust for power; bitterness..." Her eyes glowed with a quiet fury. "You have done much in the past to upset their ambitions. Whoever commands those simpletons desires to possess you, for what ends I know not." *Okay, so someone's gunning for me, nothing new. * Ash grunted, recalling all of his rivals and enemies, *So what do we do now? I'd like to get back into my birthday suit, so to speak. * "We find you." Brock's voice was flat. "I mean, the half of you we don't have. Then we bring Team Rocket in." "And maybe see who's running the show." Misty added. They had always wondered who was calling the shots within the worldwide criminal organization. Maybe now they could get some answers. Sabrina held up her hand to stop the impetuous youths. "Be warned, there is a limit." *Limit? * Ash gulped, shivering in his translucent tennis shoes. "The ways of the spirit are vastly unknown," she began, "but this much I know; of all the ancient texts, and all the findings on dispossession, there is one common warning. You must not remain outside your body for more than three days. To do so risks breaking the psychic bond you share with your physical self. Beware the test of time, young friends." *Three days??? * Ash was horrified. He had been outside of his body for almost twelve hours now. That only left another sixty to find his body and get back into it. *This is bad. This is very bad. * He floated around the room in panic, trying to gather his wits about him. *What happens if the 'psychic link' is broken?" Sabrina only shook her head; she didn't know. "Calm down." Brock looked around the room in vain, trying to find where Ash's voice was coming from. "I'll call Jenny, see if we can find some known Team Rocket hideouts in Saffron." He turned to his 'living' companion. "Misty, get our gear together, we're moving out immediately. And get me some more coffee, I have a feeling I won't be sleeping for a while." *What should I do? * Ash asked, finally settling down. "Get ready to do some heavy hunting." Brock scratched the back of his neck. "Walls won't be a problem for you, so you'll be the inside man on this one." He turned to Sabrina. "Would you mind if we borrowed Haunter?" Sabrina nodded. "Of course." She put her fingers to her lips and let loose a piercing, shrill whistle. Haunter shot up from under the floorboards, laughing, cackling at the misfortune of the people he had been teasing and terrorizing on the floor below. "Haunter, aid them in their search." Haunter looked disappointed at the prospect of actual work, but nodded its disconjoined head in acceptance. Brock rubbed his eyes. He had pulled all-nighters before, but never three in a row. He wondered how long it would be before he dropped. It would have to wait until they found Ash. * * * Misty shivered as a cold breeze kicked up, assaulting her poor, bare legs. They couldn't even afford the time for a quick clothes change, not with Sabrina's cryptic time limit. It didn't help that Team Rocket enjoyed dwelling in the dreariest parts of Saffron City, or that the weather had taken a turn for the worse. She pulled Ash's league jacket tighter around her narrow shoulders, burying herself in the spacious coat. The feel of the old, familiar garb assaulted her with memories best left buried at a time like this; the smell of it, the feel of Ash's original eight Indigo badges on the left, the cool leather exterior...she had missed it. It had been ages since he had let her wear it. Not since...well, since their break-up, so many years ago. Brock leaned up against the Rocket Gaming Corner's dingy wall, exhausted beyond anything he had ever felt. "You hear anything yet?" he asked her. His own jacket helped keep out the cold, but not enough for his tastes. He much preferred the tropical paradise that dominated the rest of the island. Professor Ivy's lab, with its warm sun and sandy beaches, seemed a million miles away and a thousand years ago. He brought his mind back to the present, listing for Ash and keeping his eyes peeled for Haunter. This was the fifth place in twenty-four hours that they had checked out. Ash and Haunter did most of the searching, since they could infiltrate the hideouts better than any spy could hope to do. He looked at Graveler's Pok‚ball in his hand; it was getting close to feeding time for his team. Truth be told, he could use a rest himself. "There!" Misty grabbed his shoulder excitedly, jolting him out of his exhausted stupor. He spotted Haunter flying out of the side of the building about ten yards away, looping above the ground in erratic circles. "Anything?" Misty called out. She knew Ash was with Haunter, even if she couldn't see him. *Nada. * Ash called back. He floated down parallel to the ground, his voice stinging with defeat. *We searched it from top to bottom, and found zilch. * Brock groaned, leaning on his wobbling knees. "How many places are there that you could hide a body?" *Plenty. * He gave his friends an appraising eye. *You guys look totally beat. * "Some of us don't have the luxury of already being dead." Misty snapped. She instantly regretted it; Ash didn't need this right now. He certainly didn't need to be reminded of what was at stake. *C'mon, let's find a motel. You need rest. * He floated back into the air, intent on finding a suitable place where his companions could recuperate. "What we need to do is find your body." Brock said hoarsely. He stood up straight with some effort. "Rest can wait." *Guess again. * Ash folded his arms. *If...When we do find my body, we'll have to fight to get it back. You won't do much good passing out on the floor while Team Rocket is pounding you. * Rather than argue the point, Brock and Misty gave in; he was right, after all. They began trudging down the street, looking for a place to stay for the night. After an hour of weary marching, they found a seedy hotel where they could rest. Ash and Haunter stayed totally silent and out of sight so as not to scare the less-than-friendly clerk at the check-in desk. Their second story rooms looked even worse than the building's exterior; holes in the walls, holes in the ceiling, and what at a first glance appeared to be beige carpeting. Brock lifted up the garbage can to reveal snowy white carpeting under the bin's base. "It doesn't get much worse than this." He tossed the can back onto the floor, disgusted. "Can we afford two rooms?" Misty asked sleepily. Brock gave her a wink. "Doesn't matter. Close as we are, it just wouldn't be 'proper', now would it?" he smirked, using one of her favorite phrases. He stumbled as he exited the room. "G'night, Misty. See you bright and early." He gave her a small wave before he closed the door behind him. That left Misty with Pikachu and a ghostly Ash in the room. *Uh, guess I'd better clear out too. * He said uneasily. Truth be told, he wasn't feeling totally up to snuff himself. Could ghosts tire? *C'mon, Pikachu, let's give Misty a little privacy." "No, wait..." Misty started. Pikachu halted in its exodus of the room, pointed ears perking. *Yeah? * "Stay with me," she thought. What came out of her mouth was, "Would you mind if Pikachu stayed with me tonight?" She got Togepi out of its Pok‚ball, holding the egg child close to her chest. "I wouldn't ask, but..." Ash smiled. *Pikachu, feel like bunking in the lady's den tonight? * Pikachu gave him a claws- up, grinning. The only thing he liked better than Ash was Misty, though Brock came in a close third. *Keep an eye on her for me, Pikachu. * He phased through the wall into Brock's adjoining room. Misty looked from Togepi to Pikachu, then back to Togepi. She caught a glance of herself in the filthy mirror resting on the desk. "Stay with me..." she rolled the words around in her mouth. Then she snorted and rolled her eyes, slipping out of her shorts and getting ready for bed. She crawled under the sheets, drawing the none-too-clean blanket up to her chin. "Stay with me? What am I, some reject from a cheap romance novel." She squeezed her eyes shut, snuggling close to Togepi and the borrowed Pikachu. * * * Ash leaned back in the chair, thanking providence for small favors; at least he didn't fall through. Apparently, ghosts couldn't sleep. He looked with envy in his eyes over at Brock. The lucky so-and-so had fallen asleep before he had ever hit the mattress. Sleep...he had never really thought about how good it felt. Just lying there, feeling yourself drifting off, totally relaxed. Ash gave his spectral stomach a glance; he had died hungry, apparently. *I could go for a cheeseburger right about now... * Several muffled noises caught his attention; something was moving about in Misty's room. He floated up out of the chair and stuck his head through the wall. *Misty? You okay? * She was standing on the far side of the room, staring out the window. Thank heavens he hadn't walked in on her when she was "indecent." She would have murdered him, ghost or no ghost. But no, she was dressed in her customary shorts and blue T-shirt. Misty glanced back, not really expecting to see anything. "I guess I wasn't as tired as I thought..." she said, turning back to gaze at the moonlit city. "Did I wake you? I tried to be quiet." She looked back at Pikachu and Togepi, who were snuggled together sound asleep. *Huh? Oh, no, I wasn't sleeping. Believe me, the eternal rest of the deceased isn't as restful as you might believe. * He assured her. Ash couldn't help but stare; he had forgotten what she looked like in the moonlight. *You, however, are very much alive. You should be in bed. * "I've had a lot on my mind lately." she said absentmindedly. Her eyes lifted to the moon itself. It was breathtaking, and the sky was perfectly clear. "After all, how could I ever get a new bike out of you if you aren't around to pay for it?" She shuddered at her own self-made clich‚; she rarely shoved her long destroyed bike into Ash's face nowadays. Years ago, she had used it for an excuse to travel with him, used it to hide the fact...but that was ancient history. "All of this is still a little confusing." He rubbed his chin, thinking. *Should I? * He thought. Then he grinned; no reason not to. *I have a sure-fire way to clear your head, Misty. * "What's that?" she didn't turn around. *Do you trust me? * "I suppose soooooaaaAAAAAAAA!" She screamed as a pair of icy fingers wrapped around her waist. She knew it was Ash; it almost would have been scarier if it had been a strange ghost instead. *Come for a ride with me, Misty! * He lifted her off of the ground and flew her out the open window, soaring with her high above the streets. She was still screaming bloody murder, waving her arms and legs frantically about. *Will you just calm down? * He said testily, *I'm more likely to drop you if you carry on like that. * That calmed her down, though she was still frightened beyond all rational thought. "Ash Ketchum, you set me down this instant, or so help me I'll-" Her threat was cut off by her own scream as Ash suddenly dipped, taking her a mere five feet above the street. People watched in awe as a young teenage girl flew among the cars and trucks, which screeched and swerved to avoid the unusual UFO. "Oh God oh God oh God oh God, I'm gonna die! I hate you, Ash Ketchum, I hate you!" *Well, stop hating me and hold onto your hat! * She didn't have time to point out that he was the one with the hat before they began another steep ascent, taking them past the tall skyscrapers and spiraling towers of Saffron. Misty squeezed her eyes shut, praying that this was all some sort of hideous nightmare. Ash stopped his joyous laughing and caught a glance of her expression. *What's the matter? * "What's the matter?" She screamed, "What's the matter??? I'm being carried a dead fifteen year old with a history of clumsiness at an altitude that would give Superman nosebleeds, and you ask me what's the matter?" She was becoming nauseous with fear, but clamped down tight on her stomach; vomit from this high could probably kill someone below. "I'm afraid, that's what's the matter!" *Well, stop being afraid, and just look. * Ash's voice was kindly. "Why?" She spat, opening her eyes, "There's nothing to see at this height-" She stopped in mid- sentence. It was beautiful; the plains seemed to roll on for an eternity in each direction, like a dark sea of mystery. Below them, Saffron was a plethora of tiny lights, winking and shining in the darkness, a beacon in the vast black expanse. Above them, the stars shined on, putting the city to a terrible shame. The inky blue-blackness was filled with millions upon millions of them, sparkling like jewels of the heavens. The moon hung like a silvery disk, watching over the Earth and casting a pale glow over everything below. Misty's breath was taken away as she took it all in, gazing at the majestic glory of a midnight Saffron from high above. "Oh wow..." She forced down another scream of surprise when she felt icy fingers wrap around her wrist, tugging gently on her arm. "W-what are you doing?" Her voice cracked and shook; she would have preferred if Ash were using both of his arms to hold onto her. *Just checking the time. * His echoing voice seemed right next to her ear, whispering softly into the furthest reaches of her psyche. "If I'm right, the best part's about to come." "What could be better than-" Misty stopped breathless again as a small sliver of light appeared over the horizon. At first, it was almost unnoticeable; a mere slice of luminescence across the endless field of black. Then it grew, casting an aurora of hues across the clouds, the ground...everything. The sun rose further over the edge of beyond, slowly bringing the cold, dark world below them to life. "Ash...it's beautiful." *Yeah... * he murmured softly, *Beautiful. * * * * Brock tried rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he laced his hiking boots up. He was still tired after a full six hours of sleep, but not exhausted. He would make it. Raising his wrist to his squinted eyes, he checked to see how much time was left; another fifteen hours on Sabrina's cryptic warning. That didn't leave them a whole lot of time. A soft rapping came upon his hotel door. He straightened, feeling several sharp cracks as his spinal chord shifted back into place. "I hate motel beds." he moaned. "Come in!" he called. He wasn't too surprised when Misty walked in. She looked about as bad as he felt; her hair was a mess, her clothes were dirty and rumpled, and her eyes had bags beneath them. She carried Togepi in her weary arms. He frowned, curious; even through her obvious fatigue, she was extremely focused, intent on something. "Brock, I need to talk to you." Her tone was serious as she set Togepi down on the desk and folded her arms. Her eyes drooped for a split second as she leaned against the wall. "It's about Ash...and me..." She sighed, frustrated. "I just don't know." He scratched his head, sitting down on the edge of his disarrayed bed. "Why not take it from the top?" She heaved another sigh. "Okay, here goes..." But she didn't speak, not immediately. Her feet shuffled against the cheap carpeting as she began to pace the room nervously. She stopped by the window, looking down on the world, already bustling with the prospects of a fresh day. Then she broke down, cradling her face as she began to sob softly. "Oh, Brock, I'm so afraid." He rushed over to her and grabbed her up in a hug. He began to gently stroke her hair, shushing her. "It's okay. What are you afraid of?" Misty sniffed, pulling away from him. "I'm afraid that...that I might still be in love with Ash." * * * It was Brock's turn to heave a sigh; it had been a half-hour, and Misty was only just now starting to calm down. "So, let me get this straight; you think you might be in love with Ash, but you don't know for sure, and you don't want him to know?" She nodded, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. "Telling him now would only complicate things. Besides," she sniffed, "I'm not even sure if it's true. I mean, it could just be that I'm afraid we'll lose him, and there'll be so much that we never really talked about." She stood up, composing herself. "In any case, I'm not even sure myself." She shuddered, bringing back memories long buried. "He still...irritates me on so many different levels. He's like my brother...I think. Until I figure this out, you can't tell him." "Okay." Brock said casually, waving her off. "I mean it, Brock Stone! If you tell him, you won't live to see the expression on his face!" Her cracking voice didn't have the seriousness that she wished it to convey, but the point was taken. He raised his hands defensively, trying very hard not to chuckle. "Okay, okay, I swear on my own Boulderbadge," he opened his jacket, revealing the solid-gold Gym Leader's version of the Pewter City badge, "That I will not tell Ash Ketchum of anything that went on in this room." He grinned. "Satisfied?" She nodded. "And Brock? Thanks for listening." He patted her on the shoulder. "Anytime, Misty. Anytime." Misty nodded, collecting Togepi from its perch on the desk and exiting the room. Brock sat in silence for a moment, soaking up all that Misty had told him. It certainly changed things...or did it? He had seen Misty hide her feelings for Ash before; unless you knew what to look for, and unless you looked very, 'very' hard, you couldn't tell the difference. *Brock? * Ash's reverberating voice startled the Rock Master. He jumped a foot into the air, yelping. *Take it easy, it's just me. * "Ash!" Brock tried to force his heart rate back down before it exploded. "Were you listening in on me and Misty?" *No, I would never do that! * Ash cried indignantly. *I waited until Misty left so I could talk to you. * "Oh." Brock sat down, relieved. "What's up, Ghastly?" Ash decided to ignore the dig, getting right to the heart of the matter. *I have a problem... * he confessed, sounding uneasy. *I think...I think I'm still in love with Misty! * he forced out. Brock blinked. "You don't say..." * * * "Checking out, Miss?" the clerk asked with as little enthusiasm as Misty ever thought possible, leaning on the desk and absentmindedly stroking a pen in the air. Misty nodded. "Yes, please. Rooms one-two-four and one-two-five." As the clerk brought up the bill, Misty happened to glance out the glass doors leading out to the street. It was filled with a multitude of people, all going about their own business. One particular pair caught her eye; an old man, dressed in a ridiculously hideous overcoat and baggy drawstring pants lugging a large brown box, and a gray haired woman, similarly dressed and similarly laden. The fact that they were old wasn't particularly conspicuous, nor their age. It was the Meowth strutting beside them on its hind legs that concerned Misty. As luck would have it, the old man dropped his box onto his foot with a loud crash. He hopped around in pain while his lady friend shouted angrily at him, cuffing him upside the head. She seemed rather spry for a woman of her years. A little too spry, if one was to ask Misty. The Mistress of Water turned, seeing Brock walking down the steps. He seemed to be talking to himself; it must've been Ash. "Yes, Ash, on my Boulderbadge, okay?" he said to 'no one'. He saw Misty and immediately clammed up. "We all set?" he asked her. She nodded, then pointed out towards the street. "And I think we might just have stumbled onto a lead." The pair of 'elderly' box-laden travelers had just collected themselves, and were beginning to walk down the street again. Brock rubbed his chin thoughtfully, giving the couple a good hard look. Misty sighed with impatience, tugging on his arm. "C'mon, it's gotta be them!" "I don't know..." Brock drawled, "We should make sure before we waste time f-" Before he could finish, the old man stepped on the Meowth's front paw. The Meowth began screaming in agony, cursing the old man, his family, his dead grandmother and apparently, his childhood goldfish friend, Zippy. Ash's eyes narrowed as he floated in the air to see over Brock's shoulder; there were plenty of suspicious old people in the world, but only one talking cat. *Let's roll. * He said flatly, floating through the door. As Brock and Misty followed (opting to open the door rather than go through the glass as Ash had), Ash put his fingers to his pale blue lips and gave a shrill, echoing whistle. Haunter shot out from the motel's second level. The Ghost Pok‚mon shot past the front desk, scaring the clerk from her boredom. "Haunta-hont-hont!" Haunter cackled as he shot through the wall. The clerk just shook her head sadly, once again stroking the pen through the air out of boredom. "Mother was right; I should have moved to Fuchsia." She blew a lock of hair out of her face. * * * Misty crept down the dark corridor of the abandoned warehouse as quietly as she could. She glanced back, barely spotting Brock in the inky blackness. Pikachu sat on her shoulder, setting her just slightly off balance. She could still hear Team Rocket in the distance. 'Why do we have to carry all this hospital equipment?' 'Fool, The Boss wants the brat alive, at least for now.' She could almost feel a great weight lift from her shoulders; Ash's body was still alive. There was still hope. She waved Brock forward, hardly daring to breathe. They had followed Team Rocket this far without being discovered, they couldn't risk being found out when they were so close. Brock tiptoed forward, silent as a Rattata. He frowned, seeing a light at the end of the corridor. Though it probably wasn't that bright, it was blinding in a place like this. He wished that Haunter was still here, but the Ghost Pok‚mon had pulled one of its famous disappearing acts en route. Apparently, following Team Rocket back to their lair of evil wasn't entertaining enough for the gaseous cloud of poison. Closer and closer they crept. The light grew brighter, and the voices grew louder. Meowth sat on Ash's hat-covered head, absently swatting the comatose teen's nose. "The sooner da Boss gets here, da better. Dis body's startin' to creep me out." He began pacing on Ash's chest, nearly knocking the respirator off of the boy's face. Misty shuddered with a mixture of worry and anger. James sat in a hastily built chair, cobbled together from old crates. He was snacking on a banana, chewing as loudly as possible. "Well," he said around a mouthful of fruit, "It's kind of nice to see the kid like this. After all, he can't send us off into the stratosphere if he's half-dead." He finished the banana and tossed the peel onto Ash with a smirk. "Maybe this time we'll actually win." Jessie knocked him out of his chair with her trademark paper fan. "Quiet, fool!" she yowled, "Of course we'll win. Even we aren't incompetent enough to lose to a corpse!" She glared at Ash's body, then stormed over to it. Meowth yelped and scrambled to get out of the battlezone before Jessie went off. "You, twerp, have cost us a lot!" She drove her fist into his stomach, momentarily disrupting his labored breathing. "But now, it's payback time." Brock frowned grimly from his hiding spot in the doorway. It seemed like Team Rocket was holding all of the cards; Ash's body, an easily-defendable position, and probably twelve more hours sleep then either he or Misty had. He looked back to Misty, who seemed to share his assessment of the situation. "So now what? I hadn't actually planned beyond this point." Pikachu, perched on Misty's shoulder, 'pika'ed his agreement. Ash's voice was grim. He obviously didn't like the way Team Rocket was handling his 'property'. *We improvise. * * * * Meowth again sat on Ash's head, keeping a watch. Jessie and James were both fast asleep, dreaming of victories, rewards and absolute power. He sighed in boredom, staring down at Ash's pale face. "Ya know, kid, you're so bad when you ain't humiliating us. I'm almost sorry to see ya like this." He shrugged his feline shoulders. "Still, if I hafta choose between you or me, I'll pick me." Without warning, a box flew out of the darkened doorway and crashed onto the floor. Meowth yelped and jumped, startled. The room was totally silent for several moments. He looked over to his human counterparts, but they were still snoozing. "W-who's there?" Meowth's voice trembled as he extended his claws. "I'm warnin' you..." *Ooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh. * An eerie voice moaned. Out from the hall stepped a white-clad figure. It was glowing and sparking, casting the room in a demonic amber aura. The 'ghost' moved slowly into the room, groaning and wailing, shivering and shaking. Meowth was terrified as he backed up against the wall. "W-w-who are you?" the Pok‚mon warbled. *I am the ghost of...uh...* the voice stopped, stuck. Then it started over again. *I am a ghost! Ohhhh! * The pale specter seemed to grow, as did its golden aura. *You have angered me, and disturbed my eternal rest! * The voice was terrible, hauntingly low and reverberating. *Leave this boy be, vile creature. You will not deter him from his destiny, now or evermore! Be gone from this place and never return! * "Y-y-y-yeah, sure!" Meowth swallowed. "Meow!" He ran over to Jessie and James, shaking them, trying to wake them up. "Get up get up get up get up!" He screamed, planting his claws into them. They awoke with a yowl, clutching the fresh puncture marks. "What do you think you're doing?" Jessie yelled, smacking Meowth across the face. She rubbed her posterior indignantly as she rose to her feet. "Don't you know it's rude to wake a lady..." she trailed off as she saw the glowing specter looming over them in the center of the small room. "From her beauty sleep..." her voice flattened with terror, quivering like an Oddish in the breeze. James, as always, was totally oblivious to the apparent danger. He walked towards the door, yawning heavily. He grabbed the edge of the 'ghost', tugging on the downy white sheet. "I'm going to take my nap where you two can't shout and scream." he trudged on, dragging the gleaming cloth behind him. It fell off of the phantom, revealing a very distressed Brock with a Pikachu sitting atop his head, producing the special effects for their performance. Jessie and Meowth flared with anger, fire boiling in their eyes. "YOU!" the Female half of the disturbed duo spat. James turned around, doing a double take as he saw what had transpired. Jessie, on the other hand, wasn't content to stand and stare. She ripped a Pok‚ball from her jacket and threw it at their feet. "Arbok, squeeze these ghastly imposters until their heads pop off!" Her cobra Pok‚mon reformed from the energy released when the ball split, hissing and spitting at Brock and his small rodent generator. "No harm done, right?" the Rock Master grinned and chuckled pathetically, tugging at his collar. Facing down a giant snake wasn't high on his list of fun things to do in a warehouse. "We'll just collect that half-dead body over there and get out of your way." He began edging slowly towards Ash's body, but was stopped by Arbok. The purplish, hissing coil of muscle and scales snapped at him with its dagger- like fangs. Ash, unseen to all, slapped a hand over his face. *Okay, time for plan B. * He looked over to Misty, who stood next to him in the doorway. *Got any ideas for a plan B? * "Your ghost trick 'was' plan B, Ash." she gave the situation a hard look, lost in thought. *What was plan A? * She grinned. "We storm in here and start smashing things." she quipped, pulling out a Pok‚ball. Ash nodded. *That's a solid plan. I like it, let's go with it. * He floated out into the room. Misty waited a half moment, making sure Ash had finished, then threw her Pok‚ball. "Seadra, let's mix it up!" Misty's Seadra was released; a small Dragon type, Seadra was a seahorse with spiked wings, blue armor-plated skin and a curled tail that it hopped on for dry-land transportation. Her water dragon screeched as it hobbled off into the small room, eager for a battle. James was ready to call out his Weezing to help finish off the spiky-haired lout when he saw the Water Mistress's spiny monster making a beeline for him. Before he could do anything, it crashed into him. "Aaaaaaugh!!!" James screamed like a woman; the spines hurt even more than he thought they would. He backpedaled, arms pinwheeling wildly until he smashed into a wall. He looked down at his jacket sleeve, where the Seadra had punctured him. It was only a small wound, really; barely enough to stain the pristine white of his Team Rocket uniform. Still, any blood was too much for James. He fainted dead away. Seadra squealed in delight, hopping on its single appendage. Then it screamed, as Arbok sunk its great fangs into the seahorse's armored scales. "Duuu!" Seadra moaned as Arbok's poison polluted its body. It sank to the floor weakly, trying desperately without success to hold on to consciousness. Misty yelled in panic as her Pok‚mon went down, unthinkingly revealing herself to Team Rocket. Jessie latched onto her arm and put her in a chokehold. "I don't know how you found us, you skinny little twerp, but you'll be sorry you did." She sneered in delight seeing Misty squirm like this. Arbok had Brock locked in a Wrap attack, crushing the poor trainer's ribs like a vise. "How sweet, coming to save your little boyfriend." That only got Misty angrier; she began thrashing about, trying to break out of Jessie's iron grip. Jessie held fast, not giving the Water master an inch. Meowth jabbed a claw into Misty's leg thoughtlessly. "Say, which wonnaya did that nifty ghost voice?" he asked in his strong Brooklyn accent. "That was pretty good. Some'n I would have thought of, even." *That was me. * a haunting voice echoed menacingly though the warehouse. Meowth shivered, looking over at Ash's body. "T-that sounds like the twerp..." his voice shook as he pointed to the Indigo Champ's fallen shell. "B-b-but he's..." *Dead? As if that would stop me from taking you three down. * Ash laughed. He picked up a small wooden fragment from the ground. To the living, it seemed as if the chunk of pine had picked itself up off the floor. Jessie was speechless, but she didn't loosen her grip. Ash tossed the wood at Meowth, pegging the freakish cat in the head. *You had your shot, and now it's my turn. Pikachu! * Pikachu leapt from its hiding spot behind the crates. "Pika!" it yelled, curling its tiny claws into fists and sparking at the cheeks. *Pikachu, Thunder Snake! * Pikachu went down on all fours, keeping low to the ground. He powered up for a Thunderbolt, but didn't shoot the energy as he normally did. Instead, he released it into the ground. It formed a thick, rope-like beam, traveling at an amazing speed along the floor until it reached Jessie. The electricity wrapped around her leg, sending energy coursing through her body while leaving Misty relatively unharmed. Misty took the opportunity to break away before Jessie's hair stopped smoking. Jessie sank to her knees, her face twitching and spasming. "It isn't fair..." she moaned, "He beats us even after we've killed him." *Pikachu, Quick Attack! * Pikachu next sped towards Arbok, who held Brock as a prisoner. The Thunder Rodent hurtled towards the violet snake at unbelievable speed, then smashed into its head with tremendous kinetic energy. Arbok's cranium snapped back, smashing into a tower of crates situated behind it. Brock shrugged off the limp form of the snake, grateful to be free. There were better ways to gain a smaller waistline. *Okay Pikachu, let's finish 'em off! * Ash yelled. Some of the enthusiasm had left his voice, though. He looked down at his hands; they seemed to glow brighter then they had before. He shook it off. There would be plenty of time to figure this out when they 'had' the time. *Thunder Blast! * Pikachu drew upon all of his power, giving off an electrical aura several meters in diameter. James, who had finally recovered from seeing his own blood, chose this moment to regain consciousness. He saw the familiar sight of a blazing Pikachu greeting his bleary eyes. "Oh, phooey." was all he could say. Pikachu's power reached critical mass, and he exploded with a thousand streams of thunder, all aimed at Team Rocket. The entire room was lit up in a dazzling blast of amber light, blinding everyone for an instant. When Misty and Brock were able to see again, they watched as the Rocket triumvirate sailed off into the starscape. "Looks like Team Rocket is blasting off again!" The trio winked out of sight in a flash. Ash turned to his friends. *You guys okay? * He tried not to let some of the fatigue slip into his voice, with only partial success. Misty and Brock both nodded. Standing, Brock glanced over at Ash's body. "Misty, find a phone. Go call the hospital, tell them where we are, and tell them to get an ambulance over here." He rubbed his ribs, wincing slightly. "It'll be the fastest way to get the body back to the hospital." * * * Brock opened the doors of the ambulance before the vehicle even came to a complete stop in the ER's drop-off area. He jumped out, with Misty and a trio of nurses not far behind him. "C'mon, let's move it!" He helped them pull Ash's body, strapped to a gurney, out of the ambulance. "We need to get this thing to a room stat!" Sabrina jogged up, just arrived on the scene. Haunter, now reunited with its trainer, trailed behind her shoulder. "I came as soon as I could." She said, falling into a fast pace beside Brock. "Haunter is ready, as am I." Then she frowned. "Where is Ash?" *Right here. * a ghostly Ash hopped out of the Ambulance, no longer floating. *Oh, man, I don't feel so good. * He again looked down at himself. His aura was glowing brighter than ever now. It almost hurt to look at himself. *I think something's wrong. * "Your spirit and body may be separating." Sabrina stated grimly. Misty shouted indignantly, "You said he had three days! We still have," she quickly checked her watch, "ten hours!" Sabrina shrugged. "I've been known to be wrong." It was all Misty could do to keep herself from attacking the Psychic trainer, which almost certainly would have resulted in personal injury on the behalf of the Water Master. *Misty, take it easy. * Ash tried to calm her down as he clutched his stomach. *Everything'll be okay. Let's go. * He began to follow the living into the hospital, where they would set up one of the emergency ward's rooms for the transference. Along the way, the pain became too great for Ash. He fell to his knees, groaning. Misty turned around, concern growing in her saucer-like eyes. "Ash? Ash!" She could hear his pain, almost feel it. *I'm okay, just keep going. * He insisted. "But-" *Go! * Misty hesitated, unsure of what to do. Then she glanced back, seeing Brock and the others moving quickly out of sight with Ash's body. That got her moving; she set off at almost a run, slipping in between patients and doctors alike. Ash looked on, relieved. Then he grunted, as the pain grew worse. His head was throbbing, as if something inside his head was attempting to bash its way out. He brought his hand up to his face, then froze in horror. Blue electricity splayed across his hand, dancing and flashing with a brilliant agony. In fact, the electricity covered his entire being, sending agony into every part of him. He sank to the floor, unable to move, unable to think, unable to speak. * * * Misty tapped her foot with impatience, looked at her watch, and then began tapping again. The dim light of the ER room didn't help any; Sabrina had turned the lights out and placed burning candles about the chamber, giving the place a spooky glow. "Something's wrong, he should have been here by now!" her voice was panicky. "There isn't much we can do now except wait." Brock tried to calm her down, but truthfully he was as upset as she was. "Just relax." "Screw that!" She viciously grabbed onto Haunter's free-floating hand and dragged him out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Sabrina shook her head sadly. Brock could only wait by Ash's side, hoping beyond hope that everything somehow turned out okay. * * * How long had he been here? Days? Months? Minutes? It was all relative to Ash Ketchum, the world's only 'living' ghost. His body was wracked with the pain of the blue electricity, lighting his skin like a neon sign and filling him with agony and despair. His vision had gone hazy, and he began to hear voices. Then something filled his vision...or rather, someone. He couldn't see clearly, but it gleamed with a brilliant white aura that would have surely made his human eyes tear. The figure reached down, gently touching his forehead. Suddenly, his vision was crystal clear. Though the blue agony remained, it was somewhat lessened. He blinked, trying to capture a good view of...of what? It was a woman; she was stunningly beautiful, with flowing black hair and glowing jade eyes that seemed to gently probe the very being of his soul. She was clad in a flowing white gown that did little to hide her flawless figure. Everything about her seemed to float with ease, unaffected by anything around her. She smiled down at Ash as a mother would smile at a child. "Fear not," her voice was soft and filled with compassion, "Your time has not come. You have much yet to do, Disciple." *Disciple...what? * Ash murmured, awestruck. He tried to move, but still could not. Was he dreaming? Was this the Angel of Death? Was it...God? "The Armageddon is approaching. You must avert it." Her eyes filled with a quiet sadness, as if she could already see the agony of the path ahead of him. "You have many lessons to learn, and alliances yet to forge. The road is difficult. You cannot leave so early in the game." *Game? What game? * He asked her, but she had already begun to leave. *Wait! What did you mean, 'Armageddon?' And what does it have to do with me? * But she was gone, and the pain had once again resumed. He once again descended into delirium, consumed with pain. * * * Misty sprinted down the hall, racing after Haunter. For a dead Pok‚mon, it could move surprisingly fast. She skidded as the pair made a sharp turn down the way they had come from the ambulance. "Haunter, do you see him?" "Haunta! Haunta-hont-haunta-onta!" Haunter cackled. Misty desperately hoped that it meant 'yes'. If time was running out before, it was almost certainly closing in on the final mark now. Finally, Haunter stopped in a deserted corridor. He hovered over a single spot, pointing downward and yelling. "Haunta haunta haunta!" "Haunter, can you see him?" Haunter nodded, again pointing down. Misty, of course, saw nothing, but she had little choice but to trust the trickster Pok‚mon. "Okay, pick him up, and let's go." She folded her arms, expecting Haunter to reach down and grab the invisible Ash. Haunter hesitated nervously, afraid to touch Ash; it looked like someone had hooked the ghost up to some kind of lethal generator. Misty began screaming with impatience, "Haunter, quit fooling around and PICK HIM UP!" Haunter reached down, but drew his hand back with a yelp of pain. The boy's 'skin' burned, and the power dancing across him was enormously dangerous. Haunter again tried to pick him up, and was again shocked for his efforts. It turned to Misty apologetically, shaking its vaporous head. "Haunta." "You can't? Something's wrong?" Misty could only guess, but she knew that Haunter wasn't playing any games. The pain registering on its face was real. She looked down at where Ash was...where he should have been...thinking desperately. It was all over now. There was nothing she could do. Or was there? "Haunter," she barked orders to the Ghost type, "Come with me. We don't have much time." She again grabbed Haunter's hand and began running as fast as she could, looking for an empty room. "God help me if this doesn't work." was the only thing she said. * * * This was it...he could feel it. His limbs were going numb, his vision was blackening out, and he was pretty sure that hallucination was setting in; either that, or the hospital needed to invest in walls that 'wouldn't' melt. He craned his neck upward to try and see something besides the ceiling. Maybe that white-clad angel would come back and save him. Maybe it was just a dream. It certainly felt real enough. Especially the pain. That was the worst of it, by far. *Ash! * He blinked. Now he was positive that he was hallucinating. It sounded like Misty's voice, but that was impossible; she couldn't know where he was, she couldn't see him. He rested his head on the floor once more, waiting for the end. That's all it was, just a hallucination. *Ash, you idiot, don't just lie there! * Suddenly, Misty's face was hanging above his, shouting angrily with that comfortable familiarity that he had almost grown to love. *Get of your pale, spectral butt and back into your pale, fleshy butt this instant, or I'll kick both of them from here to the Orange Islands! * Ash blinked, not so sure of the image's insubstantiality any more. *Misty? * She appeared different to him, somehow. *You look kind of pale... * he murmured in his delirium of pain. Misty reached down, grabbing his glowing jacket. *I didn't die just to see you die again, Ketchum. * She growled, forcing herself to ignore the blinding agony in her hands. She managed to wrap both her arms around Ash, and floated into the air. * Come on, Haunter! * She called out to the Ghost Pok‚mon. Obediently, Haunter floated behind her as she phased through the ceiling into the floor above them. After going through several rooms, they made it back to the one where Ash's body was set up. Brock, Sabrina and the doctors all jumped as they saw Haunter enter through the wall. Naturally (or rather, 'unnaturally'), they didn't see Misty with Ash. As quickly as she could, Misty dumped Ash's soul out beside his body. *Haunter, do your reverse Dream Eater! * She shouted. Brock's jaw dropped a half-foot. "Misty?" he gasped, "You're...dead?" *Temporary situation. * Misty said. *Haunter, Dream Eater, now! * Haunter began moaning, glowing a bright red. Misty gasped as Ash too took on a crimson aura, floating up into the air. The whole thing had a sort of grim beauty to it. Ash rose up into the air, then hovered over his body. Haunter was visibly straining with the effort as he slowly lowered Ash's soul down, placing it back where it belonged. Without warning, a psychic charge traveled up the cords of the life support machines, causing them to beep wildly, then to short out with a puff of smoke and sparks. Ash's body jumped up, as if someone had shocked it, then fell back down to its previous state. Misty flew into the air, and out through the wall. If she didn't get back to her body soon, who knows what could happen to it? Haunter followed, prepared to help her. * * * Misty, now fully alive once more, burst into the room. "Ash!" Her shout was one of hope, but the scene didn't give her much of that. Brock's head was bowed down low, his face full of defeat and bitterness. Actual tears were pouring out of his squints. Misty couldn't recall ever seeing Brock cry before. Pikachu sat on Ash's lifeless head, openly sobbing and wailing. Sabrina stood off to the side with Haunter, trying to maintain her composure and still seem apologetic. Most of the doctors stood by the bed, shaking their heads sadly and giving comments like "such a shame," and "knew it wouldn't work." One of the doctors had the decency to actually confront her, though he did it as calmly and quietly as possible. "I'm sorry." It was a common enough opening line for doctors. He had, unfortunately, been given numerous opportunities to practice it. It never made it any easier. "We all hoped...when the equipment shorted out, we thought that maybe..." His hands dropped in defeat. "There isn't anything we can do at this point...he's gone." Misty's hope shattered. Her whole body felt cold, and she could feel her heart dropping inside of her chest. "Gone." she whispered. She walked slowly over to Ash's body, now and forevermore without life. "No. It won't end like this. It can't." Her voice was hard as steel. Tears began welling up in her glassy blue eyes. Brock put a hand on her shoulder, sniffing. "Misty, I know...but he's gone. He isn't-" "NO!" she screamed, viciously throwing Brock's tender hand aside. She grabbed Ash by the front of the hospital gown and began shaking the lifeless shell violently, crying and screaming. Pikachu was forced to jump off, both surprised and scared at her sudden outburst. "Wake up, for God's sake, wake up!" Her tears flowed like rivers, only hinting at the pain she felt inside. "If you don't come back this instant, I'm going to kill you Ash Ketchum!" Brock again put his hand on her shoulder, this time more firmly. "Misty." His tone was strong, despite his own tears running down his chiseled cheeks. "Misty, please." She dropped Ash back down onto the bed, sobbing uncontrollably. "Oh God, please God no." She sunk down to her knees, laying her head on Ash's chest. She couldn't speak, she couldn't mourn...all she could do was cry. The doctors began filing out of the room. It was best to leave the family and friends of the deceased a certain amount of space, at least until they had come to terms with the death. Brock picked Pikachu up off of the ground, hugging the electric mouse as they cried together. Sabrina walked up hesitantly to stand next to Misty. For a moment, she merely stood there, gazing at Ash's serene face. Finally, she spoke, "He was strong. Incredibly so." Her voice was sad, filled with remorse and understanding. "His spirit was one of the most powerful I have ever encountered. There will be many years before the world sees another like him." She looked at both Brock and Misty. "Many years, before another like either of you." With that, she began to follow the doctors out of the room. Haunter took one last look at Ash, then floated after his trainer. Misty swallowed, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobbing. She laid her head back down on Ash's chest, moaning. "Oh, Ash..." "Misty..." Misty grew totally silent, not even daring to breathe. She blinked away her tears, raising her head slowly off of Ash. Shaking, she turned her eyes towards Ash's face, forcing herself to look. Did she dare hope? Ash gazed back at her with warm, smiling eyes, partially hidden beneath a red and white cap and a face full of matted black hair. His skin was deathly pale, making the 'Z' birthmarks under his eyes stand out like dark flares. He gave her a weak grin. "You're getting my shirt all wet." He made a large point of brushing the excess water off of his chest, groaning as he sat up. "ASH!" Misty threw her arms around his neck, squeezing as hard as she could, trying to convince herself that it wasn't a dream. "Oh my God, you're alive!" Brock and Pikachu both stared, too amazed to believe it. Then they shouted with glee, running over to embrace the trainer in their own hugs. Ash grunted, laughing beneath the tangle of arms and claws. "I won't be if you guys keep crushing me like this." His voice was filled with fatigue, but he was more or less fine. The doctors, upon Misty's scream of delight, had done a U-turn and scrambled back into the room. They began shoving Ash's friends out of the way and checking him over in a hundred different places. Sabrina smiled from the doorframe, then exited quietly down the hall. "He is strong, that one." the Gym Leader mused. Her eyes glowed with psychic power, enveloping herself and Haunter in a burgundy light. "We shall see if he is strong enough to fulfill his destiny...the Armageddon awaits." She and Haunter vanished in a teleport, leaving only a vanishing haze of lavender smoke in their wake. * * * Brock entered the room with a pair of silver trays in his arms. A large grin adorned his face as he called out, "Rise and shine, people, we have recuperation to start and a road to recovery to travel." Pikachu ran up to his leg, tugging on his trouser cuff and shushing him. He blinked at the tiny yellow mouse, then looked over at the bed. Ash was sleeping soundly, totally exhausted from the past three days. If anyone deserved a long rest, it was him. Personally, Brock had gotten a full twelve hours before he had sneaked into the Nurse's breakroom to whip up a breakfast. Then he saw Misty, fast asleep as well. Her head was resting right next to Ash's hip, her lips pulled up in a secret smile. Their hands were linked, holding tightly onto one another. Brock shook his head sardonically, pulling up a chair and crunching on a piece of bacon. Those two were hopeless; he loved her, but he wasn't sure and he was afraid to tell her 'lest it destroy their friendship. She loved him, but she wasn't sure either, and was deathly afraid that he wouldn't love her. Things were definitely going to get worse before they got better. He chuckled, swallowing a mouthful of bacon. And the worst part of it all; he couldn't tell either of them what the other was thinking! Once he took an oath on his Boulderbadge, he didn't dare go back on it. If their bickering (which was almost certain to get worse) didn't make him go insane, carrying the secret inside of him would. He looked over to Pikachu, who was slurping down ketchup from a bottle that Brock had brought especially for it. A sly smile slowly blossomed across Brock's lips as a realization formed in his head. He borrowed the ketchup bottle from Pikachu, putting some on his toast. "Say, Pikachu..." he started nonchalantly as he spread the red sauce on his bread, "You want to hear something kind of funny?" End Next- BadgeQuest #6 Dexteria! --Quiet Hindsight-- Before anyone points it out; yes, Team Rocket *could* hear Ash in the second warehouse scene. And I know, Sabrina said "Only those with an emotional link or psychic abilities are able to hear the departed." I like to think that Team Rocket and Ash have an understanding...at least until Ash sends them hurtling into the upper atmosphere. Even enemies can be friends, in a sense.