Betrayal by Lord Kadabra Note: I do not own Pokemon, etc., etc., etc. Chapter 2: Pitfalls *** *** Gary stared at the computer blankly. "We can eliminate Richie, because he was kidnapped by Drow-Two and Lord Birch, but that leaves..." "Too many people," Tracey moaned. "But, Lord Birch must be in a high-level position to be able to infiltrate our hideout like this, and unless he was in the upper circles of Contra-Rock, he couldn't have snuck up on Richie." "And then, there's this E-mail," Tracey pointed out. The screen read the message sent by an anonymous tipster to Richie. TO: RICHIE5325 FROM: HINTER SUBJECT: HELP MESSAGE: I HEAR YOU NEED HELP FINDING LORD BIRCH. I'LL GIVE YOU A HINT: THAT NAME DIDN'T COME OUT OF NOWHERE; THE NAME BIRCH HAS CONNECTIONS TO HIS IDENTITY. THINK ABOUT IT! AND KEEP QUIET; DROW-TWO WILL HAVE MY HEAD IF HE KNOWS I'M DOING THIS. GOOD LUCK! "What does the name Birch imply, and why did whoever he is choose that name?" Gary asked rhetorically. "I don't know," Tracey said quietly. *** A woman sits on a bench, weaving a large tapestry. A large spider Pokemon sits next to her. She turns to it. "Arachne, what's wrong with the tapestry? It keeps unraveling at this point," she says, pointing to a fraying thread on her tapestry. The Pokemon looks at her. "I, toma, a-tom, I-toma," it intones. The woman smiles, and another voice speaks, a voice of age. "I have also noticed that many threads end there. I believe someone is trying to tamper, and is destroying many lives in the process." A third, younger voice speaks. "Not just many lives, Chronos speaks of a great massacre, the destruction of the human race. He says...he says he assumed position to avoid it, but that we should realize the danger. He said that...that Jupiter's anger would be futile, and that four would be taken." The woman looked pensively at the tapestry. "We can only wait, my sisters. We can only wait." *** Ash, Misty and Sabrina arrived at a parking garage, and after parking, they got on an elevator reserved for those parked on higher levels. Sabrina twisted a small knob on the emergency stop button, and the elevator descended. They stood in silence, until the elevator stopped. They exited, and stopped at the top floor of Trainers Contra the Rocket Menace, or Contra-Rock for short. They walked past the endless corridors where Contra-Rock trainers practiced, battled, or rested. They arrived on the maximum security level, where the seven leaders of the organization lived, rested, and investigated, always searching for information on Team Rocket's weaknesses and the identity of Lord Birch. There, they proceeded to Richie's lab, where all the information they had collected on the mysterious man was stored, and where the world's most brilliant computer hacker developed ways to trip up Team Rocket in cyberspace and find cracks in their system. Before they could arrive, a messenger approached them. She was Jeannette, a competant trainer and one of the fugitives of the fateful 2002 Pokemon League massacre. "Sir, Madams, Gary and Tracey request your presence in Mr. Oak's quarters." "Thank you, Jeannette," Ash said absentmindedly. They quickly arrived, and when they saw the two faces, it was obvious something was wrong. "What happened?" Misty demanded. Tracey looked sadly at her. "We think that Richie found Lord Birch's identity, but that Lord Birch is a member of Contra- Rock." "Because Drow-Two kidnapped him, and left a message for us." Gary activated the message, and the three arrivals watched in silence. Ash growled. "Lord Birch has gone too far! I'm gonna find him, and I'm going to-whoa!" He stopped as Misty reined him in. "Hold on, we still don't know anything about Lord Birch," she insisted, "And I'm not going to let you go out there and get yourself killed." Ash calmed down almost immediately. A jiggling at his waist released his small slectric mouse, Pikachu. "Pikaka, kachu!" the rodent said angrily. Ash winced. "Sorry, I just wanted to make sure we were back before I let you out." All smiled at the Pikachu, whose nature was loveable to those who knew him well. Gary suddenly frowned. "What is it?" Sabrina inquired, leaning over to look at the computer screen. "I just got an E-mail," he said nervously. He opened it, and the E-mail appeared on the screen. TO: PALLETNO1 FROM: THE HINTER SUBJECT: HELP! MESSAGE: I FOUND SOME MORE INFORMATION ON YOUR LORD BIRCH, AND BOY, IS HE ONE INTERESTING CHARACTER. HE BUILT A KEEP TO SUSTAIN A TRADING VILLAGE BETWEEN THE RICH LAPIDARIES OF SEAFOAM ISLANDS AND THE CHIEF PRODUCER OF POKEBALLS: VIRIDIAN CITY. HE NAMED THIS TOWN AFTER HIM, BUT THE NAME ISN'T LISTED ANYWHERE. BUT...HE WAS KNOWN FOR CAPTURING ALL KNOWN POKEMON OF HIS TIME-ABOUT 105. COOL, HUH? SO LONG, FRIEND. Gary looked at the message. "What is this supposed to mean?" Ash continued staring at the screen. "It looks like he's trying to give you hints as to what the Lord Birch of today is building off of the Lord Birch of the past. The last message said there was a similarity in the names; maybe there's other similarities as well." Tracey held his chin with his hand. "Maybe we should all sleep on it. Sitting around isn't going to do any good." *** Misty looked at the wall, thinking absently about the problem at hand. There was something that was dancing out of her reach, a solution that was hidden in the mists of her memory. Almost uncontrollably, she drifted among the memories. Voices from the past spreaded, almost as clear as she had first heard them. But then, she remembered a history lesson... **** "...And Misty, do you know how Viridian City became famous?" Misty shook her head at her mother's question. "It traded Pokeballs around the world, but especially to the Seafoam Islands. They traded Pokeballs for jewelery, through a tiny little town, named after a feudal lord. This is how you can remember it. Pokeballs And Lapadaries Left E-something Town. That's how you remember the name of the trading town-Pallet!" **** Pallet! Lord Birch, or the one from today, must be from Pallet Town. And Birch-it's a tree, and that could be Ash or Oak, but Ash was in the car when Richie disappeared, so...Gary! Misty leapt from her bed, and stormed from her room. She angrily walked to Ash's room. Knocking furiously, she almost didn't hear Ash behind her. "Looking for me, Misty?" he inquired. She turned, startled. "Oh, hi Ash," she growled. Ash put his hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?" "Let's go somewhere more...private to talk," she said cautiously. "I need to tell you something." Ash opened the door to his room. "This is as private as anywhere else." "Thanks," she murmured. She walked into the room, and turned around. "Ash, I realized something...I think I know who Lord Birch is." Ash whirled around, slamming the door in his haste. "W-what?" he stammered. "It's the name, Ash! Birch, it's related to a name, and I though some more. Lord Birch's emblem has a Kadabra, and that means that maybe this Lord Birch has a Kadabra. But what clinched it is the town-I remembered that Viridian City traded with the Seafoam Islands through Pallet. Ash, Gary's Lord Birch, and he's betraying us." Ash appeared shocked, and he opened his mouth. "Misty, I think you may be right. Misty, let's talk about this in the morning, though. Maybe you can get some rest." Misty looked at him frightened. "Ash, I'm worried about him. Do you think I could sleep in here? I really would feel safer if someone was with me." Ash smiled warmly. "Sure." She snuggled into the chair Ash had in his room. "Ash, could you sit with me?" Ash walked over, sitting carefully next to her. She snuggled against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, Ash. It's nice to have someone to talk to, to sit with..." She trailed off. "Yes, it's nice," Ash murmured, leaning against her head, feeling himself drifting off. *** The shadowy figure looked down on Ash and Misty. "Isn't it cute?" it asked sardonically. "I almost wish you would let me destroy her, my MASTER." The Pokemon emphasized the word 'master,' giving it a sarcastic edge. "Now, my master, join with me to destroy these memories." Drow-Two gestured angrily, and a mind awoke in the complex. The minds linked with the practiced joining between Pokemon and trainer, and they advanced on Misty's sleeeping form. The minds found purchase where her memories of the night lay, and ripped them to shreds. Then, with another tearing, they destroyed the memories which held the key to knowing Lord Birch's identity. Drow-Two looked at the mind. "Now, to make it so she will never speak her suspicions again!" The mind-voice rebelled against him. "Don't touch her! You have neutralized her, and that is enough." Drow-Two glared within his mind. "Fine! But don't blame me when she understands. Now, I must go." The Pokemon glowed blue, then vanished. Ash protectively moved his arm over Misty. *** Brock walked into Misty's room, wearing an apron from making breakfast. "Misty, time to-" He stopped, seeing the empty room. He hurried to the next room, where Ash lived. He opened the door quickly, but softly. Seeing Ash and Misty sleeping on the chair, he backed out, closing the door softly behind him. Entering the mess hall, he walked over to the table where the leaders of Contra-Rock were accustomed to sitting. Sabrina looked up. "Where's Ash? And Misty?" "Nothing, I feel they should have some time alone," Brock said prudently. "In other words, they're finally together," Sabrina said. "Who had July this year?" "That would be Richie," Gary said softly. "Oh," she sighed. Brock looked angrily at her. "Listen, let's not make any judgements," Brock said. "There are plenty of reasons why she may have gone into his room last night." "And I can think of at least twenty without trying!" Tracey announced. "Really, can you tell me one?" Misty inquired sweetly, having approached the table from behind. The blood drained from Tracey's face. "Um..ah...what I meant was..." Ash came up behind her. "That you were making snap judgements? I used to do that." Ash grinned. "Nothing happened, by the way. Misty just had to...talk to me about something." Mollified, the groups continued eating, and Ash and Misty sat down. *** "Guys, we've called you here because...Misty discovered something last night. Misty?" Misty sat on a chair, her legs crossed, her head down. "Ash, I can't remember. It's amost as if...someone ripped the memories from my mind." Ash turned from her to Sabrina, Brock and Tracey. "It seems that Misty believes that Gary is our spy, and in fact may be Lord Birch." *** Gary was sleeping, but sleeping much too deeply. He did not notice being taken from the HQ, dragged into a car, and drove to the outskirts of Fuschia City. There he was dropped, but left with provisions and his Pokemon. After the car left, a helicopter landed softly on the ground, and three men in the new Team Rocket unifrom emerged. They placed the sleeping form of Gary Oak on a stretcher and returned to the helicopter. The helicopter took off, carrying the prostrate form with it. *** "Giovanni, we're glad to finally have you with us," Ash said, leading the five members of Team Rocket's exiles through the complex, "Especially as our numbers have been reduced by two since our meeting. We hope you can help us much against Team Rocket." Giovanni smiled. "I only want my revenge, and I work hard for that." Ash smiled, then entered the War Room. He then stopped. Four lights flashed on the screens. "No," he said, blood becoming paler than paper, "Not now, it can't be happening now." "What's happeneing?" Giovanni demanded. Ash strode over to the computer screens. "All units report to battle stations. This is not a drill. This is a RED ALERT, repeat RED ALERT. Station is under direct attack. Ready all Pokemon for battle, and charge up power shields." Giovanni smiled again. "Jesse, James, prepare to battle. We're going into a dogfight, and god, is it going to be good." *** Jesse pulled herself from the rubble, and dragged James up after her. "What was that?" he asked. "I think that was an Explosion," Jesse moaned. A Persian slunk from the hole. "Where's da boss?" it asked insolently. Jesse gasped. However, a hole appeared in the piles, and Giovanni climbed out, followed by his own Persian. "Hello Jesse, James, I'd like to congradulate you on your fine battling. It makes me wonder WHY THE HELL YOU COULD NOT CAPTURE A SINGLE PIKACHU IN OVER SEVEN YEARS!" The two cringed at the shouting. "But now we must go. I heard that our allies have been captured." "What are we going to do?" James asked, worried at the response. "We are going to Viridian City," Giovanni hissed. "And the reason is obvious. We are going to get our revenge. But first," He opened a small briefcase, filled with hundreds of Pokeballs, each one labelled neatly. "We choose our weapons." *** "Misty was groggy, and images floated before her eyes. Suddenly, the world snapped into focus. The others were tied up near her: Tracey, Brock, Gary, Richie, and Sabrina. But no Ash. Where was he? A voice distracted her. "Welcome, Miss Waterflower," the voice said. "I daresay you do not recognize me." A squatt human-like creature glided into view. "But I hope your remaining time...with us, will be...as painful as possible." Misty struggled with her bonds. "What have you done with Ash?" she demanded. "Hasn't he told you? Richie knows, Gary knows, I would have thought that of all the people, he would have told you." Misty looked frantically around, and Richie looked at her sadly. But then, she heard Ash's voice. "I'm sorry Misty, I couldn't." She turned to him. Ash sat robed in black, a matching of Drow- Two's clothing. He sat on an elaborate chair, carved from...birch wood. Rocket soldiers surrounded him, each having only one Pokemon, but that particular Pokemon was all needed. She tried to step back, but fell. Drow-Two smiled. "Yes, Misty. Say hello to Lord Birch." Continued... So we find the elusive Lord Birch is Ash! But what are his motives? And what does he plan next? And does Team Rocket have a chance? And last, who is the mysterious weaver and her Itoma? Find out the answers in Part 3: Revelation!