A/N: O.M.G. Sorry, the last chapter's title was all messed up. It was, obviously, chapter 3, not chapter 7. Also, this one's short, so sorry once more.

Chapter 4: Rebellion

May's unconscious form lay on the metal table. Domino stood and sighed. Two or three years ago she wouldn't have had a problem with having to do this, but lately she'd changed. She didn't want to kill this young, skinny girl. She wasn't much older than 18 herself. She hated killing. "I'm sorry kiddo," she murmured, tying May to the table. May groaned and opened her eyes. The figure above her had curly blonde hair and a black midriff top. Her eyes were shadowed and her mouth was set in a thin line. "Who are you?" May managed to croak.
"Domino. Black Tulip. Whatever you like," said the figure, fumbling with a knot.
"Are you going to kill me?" asked May.
Domino stopped. May's voice was strangely twisted - there was no fear, just innocent curiosity. She paused for thought and shouted suddenly. "NO! I'm NOT going to kill you. Giovanni can do what he likes to me, because you know what? I QUIT!" She was laughing. She grabbed her Team Rocket cap and threw it to the ground. "I quit! You, kiddo, are gonna live a good long life yet if I have anything to do with it!" Using the knife that she had been supposed to use for darker purposes, she slashed May's bonds and helped her to her feet. She was laughing so hard there were tears streaming down her face. "It's over! I QUIT! In your FACE, Giovanni!"
"Is that so, Black Tulip?"
Domino gasped and spun around. "Giovanni!"
"You quit, do you Black Tulip? That's fine with me. You can quit at any time, but you'd be a fool to do it. Team Rocket is taking over everywhere. You wouldn't last a day without being recaptured and killed."
"I don't care," said Domino happily. "I'm getting out of here and I'm taking her with me." She grabbed May's arm and pulled her past Giovanni. Giovanni grabbed the front of May's shift and tossed her at the opposite wall, where she collapsed, dazed.
"May!"
Kiro burst into the room, followed by Hana. He ran to May and crouched beside her. "May, get up. Quickly."
"K-Kiro?" May's eyes fell on Hana. "What's she doing here?"
"This is Hana. It was all a -" Giovanni seized Kiro around the neck and flung him headfirst to the ground, where he crumpled. His visible eye was wide and unseeing. "I did warn you, 199," Giovanni said cruelly.
"Kiro!!" screamed Hana. She ran to her brother and shook him. "Kiro...no..." She broke down in tears. Kiro collapsed limply to the ground. May stared at him, the wind knocked out of her. "Not Kiro. No..." She sank to the ground.
Suddenly he realised Giovanni was standing over her with Domino's knife. May screamed and hugged Hana.
The knife came down but Domino knocked it out of his hands.
"You MURDERER!" Domino screamed. "You FOUL, FOUL murderer!!"
Murderer.
The word rang in May's head, but she didn't let herself believe it. Kiro couldn't be dead.
Domino lunged at Giovanni. All of a sudden several Rocket grunts entered the room. One knocked Domino over the head. She fell with a small 'oh!' and lay unconscious on the ground. Two terrified eleven-year-olds looked at each other and screamed. Both of them ducked, eyes closed, both clutching at Kiro's limp body.
"May!"
"Ash?"
Ash ran into the room and, all dignity forgotten, hugged May. "I thought you were dead!"
"Ash - how - Kiro -"
"Ah, just the boy I didn't want to see," snarled Giovanni. "Where's that Pikachu of yours, boy? Tell me or I might have somebody kill you." One of the Rockets flung a chair at a bewildered Ash, who went sprawling.
"Ash!" May ran towards Ash, but then remembered Kiro, and stood stuck between the two hurt boys.
Ash groaned and threw the splintering chair off himself. "Owww...that hurt..."
"Pika!"
"What?" Everyone in the room turned to the door. Ash's Pikachu was standing there, cheeks crackling with electricity. "Pikachu!" exclaimed Ash. Pikachu ran forward and leapt into Ash's arms. "How did you get here? Nurse Joy let you out, didn't she?" His voice was stern, but he nevertheless stroked the rodent's fur gently.
Giovanni's face lit up with maniacal laughter. "Two birds with one stone! This is better than I could've hoped!" He threw a small purple object towards Ash and Pikachu. It enlarged into a transparent membrane-like net and enveloped the two. They cried out in unison as it began to sap their energy.
"No!" cried May, and ran toward her friend. She grabbed the membrane and tried to pull it off, but screamed as it sent a jolt of pain through her body. She collapsed to the ground, shuddering, and curled into a ball.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Hana realised just in time that she had no hope of fighting Giovanni on her own. Her only option was to run. So she seized her limp brother around the stomach, lashed a rope around Ash, May and Pikachu, and headed for the door, heaving her heavy load. Giovanni ran for her, still laughing, face distorted with fury and triumph mingling. Horrified, she pulled Ash, Pikachu, May and Kiro out of his reach and slammed the door behind her. Sprinting as fast as her legs would carry her, she rounded a corner, then another. After what seemed like hours, she reached a gate. She heaved it open and moonlight filled the darkened hideout. Running out into the night, she sought refuge in a tiny cave. Exhausted, Hana sank to the ground and fell asleep.