Chapter 14

BANG BANG BANG...Groggily Ash awoke to a banging noise from behind. Taking stock of his bearings, he
tried to lift his left arm to find it snaked around Misty, her fingers interlaced with his. Gently
he removed his hand from hers, and gently brushed away a small strand of hair off her face, noting 
the sunken redness that surrounded her eyes and the lack of spark and determination that was always 
there. She had taken the loss of her pokemon hard and he could see it's devestating effects. 

BANG BANG BANG 

Getting to his feet, Ash went to the door and opened it to find a Quagsire at the door. Reaching 
forward it took him by the hand and preceeded to lead him away from the cottage. "Hey, where are
you taking me?" he asked but the Quagsire ignored him and continued to pull him down a path.

"Pikapi?" asked Pikachu, rubbing his eyes in the morning light and preparing to follow his master. 

"No, you stay here and look after Misty, ok buddy." said Ash before the Quagsire pulled him out of
view and down the path and into a  clearing by the lake where Charlie and a group of Quagsire and 
Wooper waited. 

"Ah, Ash, in the night, the water patrol found the bag! It still has all your equipment and such. 
Unfortunately there are pokeballs here but they are empty. It seems likely that when the bag became 
washed up inside the underground cave where it was found, one or more of the missing pokemon were 
released from their ball and preceeded to release the others before they all went looking. I've 
sent groups of Quagsire and Wooper along with all the grass pokemon I could spare to search 
the caves." He handed the sodden red bag to Ash who sadly took it before asking,

"Do you need any more help? I have a Swellow, Phanpy, Grovyle and Cawphish that would be willing to
help." 

"Hmm, well I don't know about your Phanpy but I think the others may become useful." he scratched his
beard in thought.

"Alright, Cawphish, Swellow, Grovyle come on out and help the rescue." the pokemon appeared in a 
burst of light and listened to the situation before falling in line with their respective types to
become part of Charlie's team. Before Charlie could issue any instructions, a Pidgey burst out of the
surrounding trees to relay some information.

"They've been spotted!" he stated "It's the Gyarados, Psyduck and Staryu. They're a little way 
upstream. Let's go!" Without waiting for a reply he took off after the Pidgey, Ash, Cawphish, 
Grovyle, Swellow and the other pokemon in tow. 

Running on for almost ten minutes nothing had been seen until they came round a bent to see a large 
Gyarados, surrounded by two Goldeens and a Seel, with Staryu and Psyduck sitting on the shore. 

"Alright, are you guys ok?" asked Ash, thrilled to see the lost pokemon before inspecting them over.
All three were in one piece but had numerous cuts and grazed, but nothing that couldn't be cured with
a day at a pokemon centre...well, except Psyduck's headache. "Misty is going to be so glad to see 
you. She's been worried all night. What happened?"

"Apparently they've spent all night fighting through the underground rapids." said Charlie from 
behind once his Quagsire had translated the pokemon's narration. "It was too dark to see when they 
lost Politoed and Azurill and we think they were swept down a different path but it is thought the
two are together so the young one should be safe."

"Ok, well Swellow, Grovyle and Cawphish can stay with you, I'll take these three back to Misty and 
the cabin." said Ash, getting to his feet after making sure the pokemon could make it there. 

"I'll remain here. Just follow the river down and the cabin is visable from the river." 
replied Charlie, turing to walk in the opposite direction, Swellow, Grovyle and Cawphish with him.

Following the river, Gyarados swam with Staryu and Psyduck on his back, the other pokemon too 
tired/stupid to walk themselves while Ash walked abreast on the shore. Rounding the corner first
before the pokemon came into view from the cabin Ash found Misty and Pikachu outside in the 
clearing. As soon as she spied him, Misty began a verbal abuse, and once close enough turned it to  
physical abuse as well as the mallet came into play. "Were have you been! I wake up to find Pikachu 
by the door and nobody else around!" she punctuated each word with a hit as Ash tried to speak.

"MISTY!" he yelled, taking advantage of a momentary pause in her breath between assults. "I joined
Charlie with a group of his pokemon. We found Gyarados, Psyduck and Staryu!" Shocked beyond belief, 
Misty just stood there mesmerised as the large blue form of Gyarados came around the bend, the 
other two sitting on his back.

Speechless for a moment, Misty then broke out of her reverie and flew towards her pokemon, giving
each a hug, checking they were all in one piece. Standing again, she made her way back to Ash who
flinched, expecting more assult but relaxed once she flew her arms around him whispering "Thank you."
Returning the hug Ash suddenly noticed as her body stiffened and she pulled away to look at him
in the face. "But...but where are Politoed and Azurill?"

"Well, your bag was also found last night in an underground cavern. It still has all our stuff in it,
but all the pokeballs were empty. The search party found these three not long after I left here. It 
seems that when all your pokemon were together at the start, before making their way through the 
rapids of the underground river but along the way Politoed and Azurill seem to have taken a 
different course and are still missing. But don't worry, they are together and they will be found 
together safe and sound!" he replied when Misty recoiled in horror when she heard her little Azurill 
was still missing.

"Right." she said assertivly, the old fire of determination rekindled. "I want you three to stay here 
and rest back to health until we can get you back to a pokemon center. Come on Ash, let's go find 
Politoed and Azurill!" and with that she grabbed Ash by the arm and marched off into the woods, 
Pikachu following. 

Passing the area where Ash had found Gyarados, Psyduck and Staryu they continued on for another hour 
when they decided to take a break, worried that neither had seen Charlie or a single one of his 
pokemon.

"They must be underground somewhere...either that or much further up the river." observed Ash,
peering into the glassy surface of the water. 

"Well, there's not much more we can do other than keep walking." said Misty getting to her feet and
continuing along the bank. Pausing before following, Ash turned his head and focused on an area a few
feet above their heads where a stream of water was trickling through a small hole. The water suddenly
appeared to increase in volume, spurting out further from the rock wall. Calling Misty back he
pointed to the spot. 

"Do...do you hear that?" asked Misty nervously as from within the rocky wall the sound of frantic 
banging and thumping could be heard along with an increasing cresendo of noise. 

Focusing intently on the spot Misty suddenly screamed "AZURILL!" and momentarily forgot the prescence
of the water between her and the wall, leaping forward into space. However she never hit the water as
precicely at that point, the rock gave way and an almightly tide of water shot her straight in the 
chest, sending her barrling back into Ash. Among the rocks and water that flowed back into the river,
two forms could be seen just a few feet away from Misty. Crawling through the mud on her hands and
knees, not flinching even when a long, sharp flint stone cut her along the shin she approached the
two still lumps. Wiping the mud away she revealed Politoed and Azurill. At her touch, Politoed began
coughing up water and mud, opening his eyes long enough to see his master before falling back into 
unconsiousness. Turning her attention back to Azurill, Misty picked her up into her arms, murmering
her name. She became more insistent when the little baby still didn't move, her gently urgings 
to wake becomming a desperate plea, clutching the baby pokemon to her chest as Ash approched from 
behind offering his sweater to carry Azurill. Gratefully she wrapped her youngest pokemon up and 
lifted it gently before slowly walking back towards the cabin. Glancing at Pikachu, Ash picked up 
Politoed and somberly followed his downcast red headed companion.

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"Goodness me I didn't know where the two of you had got too! I expected to find you both here with 
the pokemon. Where have yo-" demanded Charlie as he rushed out of the cabin once he spotted them
from his window, falling silent when he noticed the still body residing in Misty's arms. "You should
come in. I'll call off the search party." 

Entering the cabin past the silent Gyarados, Psyduck and Staryu, Misty place Azurill down on a
pillow, wiping the mud from around her features and arranging the tail in a more comfortable 
position. Joining her, Charlie bent down and examined the lifeless pokemon. "Poor mite...if only
we'd got...hang on!" putting his face close to Azurill's mouth he concentrated before he suddenly
leaped into the air in jubilation. "She's not dead!!" he cried. "But she it very cold and must be
kept warm. Here." he handed some blankets to Misty, hopping about his cabin, throwing things into a
pot that was warming some water over the fire. Less than two minutes later the brew was ready. 
Gently he put a small amount onto a spoon, placing it close to Azurill's mouth before gently tipping
it down her throat. At first nothing happened. Slowly, the little tail twitched...the eyelids 
fluttered and her ears moved. Slowly she opened her dark brown eyes, a smile crossing her face when
she saw Misty letting out a faint "Azu..."

"Well, that's a start but both she and the other pokemon must get to a pokemon centre quickly." said
Charlie after a quick examination of Politoed. "The older ones can be returned to their pokeballs for
now but you should keep a hold of that little one until we get there." 

Striding outside he called over the two Pigeots and his Dragonite while Ash gathered together their 
things, returned both his and Misty's pokemon before helping her onto her Pigeot. Gently passing up 
the young pokemon after her bag he gave her hand a slight squeeze and a soft smile. "They'll be ok
now, I'm sure of it." she replied with a small smile and a murmur of thanks, watching as he joined
Pikachu on the back of the other Pigeot. The two birds too to the skies after Charlie and his 
Dragonite with no urging from their passengers, speeding away close to the ground for the nearest
pokemon centre. 

The nearest pokemon centre was less than a half an hours' flight away. Gently landing in front
of the glass doors, Charlie hurried inside to explain the situation to Nurse Joy while Ash helped
Misty and Azurill.

Upon entering the centre Nurse Joy and her Chansey ran up with a stretcher on wheels to take Azurill
into the intensive care unit while Gyarados, Psyduck, Staryu and Politoed were taken by another 
Chansey to a different ward for their wounds to be treated. 

"Well kids I'm sorry I can't stick araound any longer" said Charlie once half an hour had passed. "I
need to get back to the cabin incase any other emergencies such as this have occured in my absence."

"We understand. Thank you for everything you've done" replied Ash. 

"Yeah, thank you so much." said Misty, her mind still on other things.

"Pi pikachu!"

"I really hope she and the others pull through. You must visit me sometime!" said Charlie. The two
teens and Pikachu watched as he strode out of the centre and straight onto the Dragonite, taking
off into the sunset, the two Pigeots following behind. 

After another hour, Nurse Joy, nor the Chansey had emerged from the emergency room. "Come on Mist, 
let's go for a quick walk and get something to eat." said Ash, standing and stretching.

"You can go. I don't want to leave here til I know she's going to be ok." she replied, her voice a
hollow copy of it's usual vigour, demonstrating how distracted she was.

Knowing to argue with her would be a losing battle, Ash looked into her face for a reaction. Smiling
back weakly Misty's attention was soon concentrated again on the base of the doors directly in front
of her, lost in her own world. Gently, he gave her hair a small stroke, brushing out a few lumps of
mud before walking in the direction of the cafeteria. This small action broke Misty out of her 
reverie and she stared after him for a few moments, trying to work out what had happened. 

Suddenly the door opened, sending Misty rocketting into the air, needing information from Nurse Joy.

"Shhhh Please calm down!" said the Nurse, trying to keep Misty calm "Your Azurill is doing fine. 
She's asleep now but is still not out of the woods. I'm afraid you'll be staying here for a few 
days so I think we should get you settled into some rooms."

"Can I see her? Please?" begged Misty, desperate to see her pokemon's state for herself.

"Of course, but only for a minute." relented Nurse Joy.

Quietly, Misty tiptoed into the room, stopping when she came to the desired bed. Laying a hand over
Azurill's brow she felt the pokemon stir gently in her sleep, exhaling deeply. Misty remained there
for a few more mintues until Nurse Joy came and gently asked her to follow her out of the ward which
she did so with reluctance. 

Ash was in the corridor, holding two sandwiches and some squash, putting them down to pull her into a
hug. "See, I told you she'd be ok." he murmered. Still with his hand around her sholders while he
carried the bags and food in the other hand they followed Nurse Joy into the main reception desk
and on up the stairs to their room. Luckily the centre was quite empty and they were able to
have a group room to themselves. "Ok, what do you want? I have...er...whatever this is...and 
whatever that is!" said Ash, holding aloft the sandwiches. 

"Errm, I'll try this one..." said Misty taking the first one from Ash, blushing slightly when their
fingers touched. After eating their meal in complete silence Ash took a quick shower before Misty,
settling down in his bed when she came back in towling down her hair. 

"Feel better?" he enquired.

"Yeah, I went down to check on the others and they should be right as rain before the end of tomorrow
although Politeod may take a little longer and Azurill is still sleeping peacefully." she smiled
briefly when thinking of how calm and happy the pokmon now looked after being in such distress. 

"That's great Mist...You'll be pleaseed to hear that after that lift from the Pigeot, we're only half
a day from Vermillion."

"Great..." her voice tailed off into the darkness.

"Well good night...and don't spend all night worrying about her. She's a tough little nut." 

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