Love Is No Longer Enough

     "Mr. Deagon, what is it that you're doing?" Asked Adamos as he stepped inside the lab and walked over to the table David hovered over mixing together different liquids.
     "It's an experiment, Adamos, I'm mixing different elements together to see how Pokemon compare to each other by testing how two different Pokemon could adapt to an unnatural power, all I need is the administrations permission to test my theory on actual Pokemon."
     "Don't take this the wrong way, David, but doesn't that sound a little dangerous?" Stated a friendly distant voice, Mr. Deagon and Adamos's heads both turned as the man in a lab coat and a bright smile walked in.
     "Ah, my good friend, Oak, how are you?" Greeted Mr. Deagon.
     "Fine and what's this I hear about you wanting to put Pokemon in danger in order to test your theory."
     "It is only a little experiment, surely someone as honored as you know what it means to want to try something that'll blow people away."
     "But not at the expense of a Pokemon's life," replied Professor Oak walking over to the tray of liquids he had.
     "Maybe you could try it out on humans," suggested Adamos. Mr. Deagon lifted his head up and thought for a moment about it.
     "Maybe so..."
     "With all do respect I'm afraid I can't allow that," replied Oak earnestly.
     "And why not Professor..." Mummers Mr. Deagon troubled.
     "Because through the years your experiments have been quite dangerous, David. You are such a good scientist, you just try out the wrong theories, give it time and I'm sure something'll come to you, one that is safe but satisfying." Oak gave one last warm smile and left the room.
     "It was friendly of such a great Professor to visit, wasn't it, Mr. Deagon," said Adamos. Mr. Deagon scowled at the door, his fists tightened as he hit the table, making everything jump that was upon it.
     "He's always been on my case from the beginning! Leaning over my shoulder like an unwanted brother telling me what and what not to do, all he was doing was holding me back, afraid that my experiments would shadow his play-it-safe-bookworm-methods! Professor Oak is nothing but a fake know-it-all who thinks he can go around sticking his nose down to me and all my theories which may be a risk but still worth considering," retorted Mr. Deagon stubbornly.
     "I thought you and the Professor were good friends?" Questioned Adamos nervously.
     "We were until he had to hog the spot light and get all the attention and admiration from people of all ages, acclaimed to be the most brightest of people while he tries his best from keeping me from being seen... But I will be seen, I will be heard and I will be recognized!" He ran over to the door where Oak had left from already, he glared and screamed to it, "You hear that Oak! You will not be holding me back any longer! I will rise to my call."
     "And where would that be?" Asked Adamos fixing his thick black framed glasses. Mr. Deagon rushed over to the table he was at before and leaned down staring at all his equipment, as he looked through a clear bottle about to be filled with his new liquid he grinned mischievously.
     "This experiment... Adamos, it's my destiny. Dangerous or not I'm going to try it out."
     "Then I will be the loyal person I am and stand by you, you may use my Pokemon for the experiment too, heck! You can even use to me," smiled Adamos. Mr. Deagon gave a small laugh.
     "Thank you, Damos, you have always been such a nice young man and great support to me. At least I can always count you will be here."

     "Hi, Misty," smiled Harper walking through the Cerulean gym to wear Misty was while dragging a medium sized older man with a short cut black beard who was wearing a lab coat and frowning a little.
     "Hey, Harper," greeted Misty standing near the pool with her Psyduck.
     "This is my dad, David Deagon, the world's future and best scientist. Dad, this is Misty."
     "Hello, Misty," said David looking away from her as if distracted by the walls but putting his hand out for her to shake. Misty shook his hand and nodded.
     "Hello, Mr. Deagon." David smiled and looked to the floor and then up to Misty.
     "Please, call me, David," he offered. He then looked down at the yellow Pokemon beside her who was holding his head and looking slightly lost, "Interesting... A Psyduck."
     "Yeah, he can be a pain sometimes but he grows on you."
     "Ah, and I see you're wearing a bathing suit, can I presume that you're a trainer who specializes in water?" Asked David.
     "Dad, I think the pool kind of gave it away," Grinned Harper.
     "Yes, I guess so," said David scanning the pool over with his eyes.
     "I like all types of water Pokemon, they're so calm and beautiful, when I was little I use to wish I could be just like them that's why I wanted to specialize in them," explained Misty.
     "Ah..."
     "Misty's the Gym Leader here while her sisters are off somewhere so she's kind of gym sitting, but her friends Ash and Brock are visiting tomorrow so that should be nice," informed Harper.
     "You can meet them here at around five along with me if you want," said Misty.
     "Well, I'll be sure to do so," said David, "although I may be a little late since I'm working on an important experiment."
     "That's my dad, always working on something crazy, so what is it this time? How to turn apples into oranges?" Smiled Harper, David gave his daughter a gentle playful punch in the cheek and announced he'd better get going and left.
     "See you at home, Dad!" Called Harper, David waved as he walked away.
     "He seems nice," complimented Misty.
     "Yeah... He's obsessed with Pokemon."
     "Who isn't!"
     "No, I mean really obsessed, he loves Pokemon so much, he would study a Pokemon up close for like hours and it can get pretty scary, he worries me sometimes... I swear sometimes I think he's going to turn into a pokemon," admits Harper.
     "Oh... Well, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about," assured Misty. 
     "I hope so."

*   *   *

     As night came David found it hard to sleep, he tossed and turned in bed while his daughter slept soundly in her own room. He finally lifted the covers up and got into his slippers and picked up his keys as he silently made his way to the door. He tossed on his lab coat right over his pajamas and left closing the door gently behind him not to wake up his beloved daughter.
     It felt as if his lab called for him, his instincts told him he should go check on his experiment, maybe even do some more work on it, he walked inside the building and made his way up the marble white stairs until he got to the third floor where he walked over to room 304-his lab number-he jingled out his keys and then looked at the door realizing it was already cracked open. His face grew stern wondering who could be in hear this time of night even the janitor would be off by now. He placed his keys back in his lab pocket and steadily placed his hand on the knob and leaned forward.
     The door opened to a dark room that was only lit by the moon and stars through the open windows, he stared ahead at a faint shadow of a young man who seemed to be sticking himself with a sharp needle, David narrowed his eyes beginning to recognize who the young man was, he walked more in, his footsteps made the man abruptly lift up his head in surprise as David stared back in uncertainty.
     "Damos? What are you doing at the Lab this time of hour?" Asked David. Adamos froze up, fixing his glasses once more and dropping the needle onto the table.
     "Forgive me, sir," pleaded Adamos, nervously in his shorts and white T-shirt also wearing his lab coat over it, "I just was so taken by your idea I wanted to expand my half on it also." David stepped forward and studied the table which was filled with scientific papers of some sort, needles, glass tubes and bottles, some empty and some filled with liquids all laid on different trays, some poured into each other making colors of purples and greens and oranges from the prime colored liquids of reds, blues, yellows.
     "How long have you been here?"
     "Oh, it feels like hours, I left the lab right after you but in only a few hours rushed back to work more on it. Do you realize how much credits would be given to such a daring experiment, awards and certificates, trophies even! We could make money from this, the power to take one's ability and transfer to another, imagine... A Charizard somehow adapting to a water attack or a Electrobuzz having a psychic ability," a sharpness grew to Adamos voice that scared David a little.
     "Maybe you should go now, get some rest."
     "Oh, but I can't, Mr. Deagon, I'm on the verge of almost completing it."
     "What? Really? In that short of a time?" Asked David startled, "Please, tell me you haven't been using you to experiment this out on the whole time."
     "No, sir," smiled Adamos walking over to the light switch and placing it "on". The lights of the whole lab immediately came on as David's head turned in different directions as his eyes wandered around, finally he stopped in total shock because to the right of him he saw a corner where three of Adamos's Pokemon which were a Gloom, a Weepinbell and a Sandshrew leaned towards each other weakly and saddened, facing looking faint as if all the life had been drained out of him. David let out a gasp. What had Adamos done?
     "Damos! Why these Pokemon...! They all look so tired and weakened, where are all they're strength?" David cried out.
     "In here..." Answered Adamos excitedly showing the tray of three bottles filled with liquids of purple, yellow and green.
     "Have you lost your mind? What are you planning to do with that?"
     "I have thought of a new idea, sir," he placed the tray down and walked over to him, "instead of using Pokemon to see if other Pokemon can adapt to their powers we'll use Pokemon powers to inflict inside humans, we can sell it to those of trainers who want to relate to their Pokemon by having the same power as they do."
     "Insane! Absolutely insane! Damos, take your Pokemon to the nearest Pokemon Center you can find and don't return to this lab for a while, the experiment is over." He glanced over at the weak Pokemon seeming to be losing their color as he said softly, "Oak was right again, this experiment was just too dangerous."
     Adamos threw an angry glare to David and unwillingly returned his Pokemon and walked out the room as David attempted to throw away all the tubes and bottles Adamos had been using.
     Adamos was not thinking of his sick Pokemon right now, all he cared for was himself and this experiment, he was so blinded by greed and ambition he did not realize the constant pain he was causing to his Pokemon.
     He saw so much potential that a fire inside him burned so strong it shadowed everything else around him along with rational thinking, he stormed home and continued on with the project, his home was like his own personal lab already, he vowed he'd finish the experiment on his own with or without the support of Professor David Deagon.

     While Misty awaited the arrival of her friends she decided to let her hair out which had grown a little past her shoulders, she wore her jean shorts and a white T-shirt as she leaned over and cleaned out the pool. Ash and Brock walked in, not realizing the pretty girl leaning over the pool was Misty Brock rushed behind her and leaned close to her ear.
     "I know we just met but it feels like I've known you forever, is it possible to be in love with you without even knowing your face!" Recited Brock, Misty smiled to herself and turned her head leaning towards his face grinning as she surprises both Ash and Brock.
     "I don't know, do friends count!" Smiled Misty leaning more, Brock leaned back and fell to his rear then crawled back into the wall.
     "Misty!" He cried nervously. Misty lifted herself up and looked down at him in a warm smile.
     "So you're still at it, Brock," said Misty, Brock got up and walked over to him.
     "Yeah, I didn't know it was you, Misty."
     "Obviously," smiled Misty, she looked over at Ash and smiled at him and Pikachu, "Anyway, I'm so happy to see you guys, I missed ya."
     "We missed you too, you changed your look a little bit," noticed Ash.
     "Yeah, it was my sister's idea... But you changed too, Ash."
     "I did?"
     "Yeah, I don't remember you being taller than me the last time I saw you." Ash looked over at her and saw he did seem to be a few inches taller.
     "Hey, I guess, I did get a little taller."
     "Speaking of change, you should meet May," said Brock. Misty's eyes widened a little, pretending to be offended.
     "Are you telling me that you two replaced me!"
     "Believe me, Mist, no one could replace you," assured Ash.
     "Thanks, Ash." May walked in a gave a small wave.
     "Hi, May, it's nice to meet you."
     "It's nice to meet you too, this is my brother, Masato."
     "Hi," greeted Masato, leaning next to his sister. Misty nodded and gave a friendly smile.
     "So how'd you guys meet?"
     "Well, Ash had totally ruined my bike," explained May.
     "Really? Yeah, Ash seems to be getting really good at that," Misty grinned over at Ash who gave a small blush at her sarcasm.

     "Come on, Dad, we're going to be late," called Harper outside the lab door. David walked out, his eyes sagged, looking very tired as he dragged his feet along.
     "Whoa, Dad, you didn't get any sleep, did you?" Asked Harper worriedly. He slowly nodded and put his arm around her trying not to fall to the ground while guiding her to the stairs.
     "Lets just go, Harper," persisted David absently, forgetting to the lock the door behind him as they left for the Cerulean Gym. Harper remember how she had cooked dinner before they went to bed and her father didn't even eat, she noticed he hadn't been eating for a while now but she tried not to worry about it just like her father would prefer.
     "Anyway, you're going to like Misty and her friends, they're really great, especially Brock, I talked to them all before on the phone."
     "Hmm..."
     "They have some wonderful Pokemon too," added Harper knowing it would grab her father's attention like always.
     "Really? Like what?"
     "Ash has all kinds of Pokemon but his favorite his Pikachu in fact Pikachu doesn't go into his pokeball like the rest of his Pokemon. Brock specializes in Rock Pokemon though I think he's been catching different ones too, I remember Misty told me he had a Vulpix he liked very much but only because he really liked the girl who gave it to him. And as for May I'm not really sure, but she seems to like her Torchic very much, maybe she likes bird Pokemon," thought Harper. David nodded along as Harper continued talking about them until they reached the door to the Cerulean gym.
     "You've got to tell Damos about this, I'm sure he'd be really interested in them and their Pokemon," concluded Harper holding the door open for her father. He walked through hiding his uncomfortable face expression.
     "I'll make sure to," said her father flatly as he walked through the door and she followed him inside. They walked passed the aquarium into the gym and found Misty and her friends waiting for them.
     "Hey, Misty!" Called Harper out to her in a wave, "Sorry, we're late." Misty waved her over and once again said hi to Mr. Deagon, she introduced him to all her friends, Ash, Brock, May and Masato.
     "Oh, dad, look at Ash's Pikachu, isn't he cute!" Exclaimed Harper, petting it's head softly. David nodded to himself silently, in the back of his mind he was still very worried and hoped that Adamos had cooled down since last night.
     "You guys have got to meet Adamos, we call him Damos for short but he is really smart, he's kind of dorky too but if he took off his glasses and changed those closed he could look pretty cool, right dad!" she turned her head to her dad who seemed to have his mind somewhere else, "Dad?"
     "Hmm? Oh, right, yes,... Would you excuse me for a moment." He walked out of the gym.
     "Where's he going?" Asked May.
     "Where he always goes... To that stupid lab, he can't take one minute from his work, he's obsessed with studying Pokemon, I just wish he could take a break from all that stuff and just spend some time with me but that's never gonna happen I guess."
     "You've got to stop saying things like that, Harper, I'm sure somethings going to happen soon that'll bring you two closer together," assured Misty. Harper stared at the floor skeptical and sadly wanting to believe Misty so badly.

     "Adamos, please...!" Pleaded David as he walked inside the lab, somehow not one bit surprised at finding Adamos with his arms filled with supplies, his eyes shot up to him.
     "If you're not going to support me after all the times I supported you then I'll just have to do this experiment on my own! I'm sorry, sir, but this is just something I have to do, I'm taking it into my own hands."
     "But Damos, you're hurting your dear Pokemon, can't you see that?" Reminded  David.
     "It doesn't matter anymore, all my years of being ridiculed, I'm going to finally show that I am more than just the second rate assistant of Mr. David Deagon. You gave up your chance, don't stand in the way of mine." Adamos pushed past David and stormed to the door but came to a halt when it opened and almost bumped straight into Harper, she turned her head from Adamos not acknowledging his presence as most people did and looked over at David.
     "Dad, come back, please..." Persisted Harper.
     "Harper, what are you doing here?"
     "I'm here to see you, Dad, for once would you just forget about work and come be a normal person, hang out with me and Misty's friends, we're going to a restuarant, why don't you just come and eat? You know... Eat! One of those things normal people do to stay alive."
     "I'm sorry, Harper, I just need to stay here for a while," explained David.
     "Fine," pouted Harper, she turned her head back to Adamos who stood there frozen still carrying an arm full of supplies, he always seemed nervous around Harper, "How about you, Damos? Come and meet my new friends, they've got lots of different and great Pokemon." Adamos's eyes instantly flew open.
     "Really!" He turned his head over to David who stood there nervously knowing Harper was making an offer Adamos wouldn't refuse. Adamos placed the supplies down on another nearby table and agreed to go with Harper to spend time with her new friends and their Pokemon, and before David could protest Adamos had already left with Harper.


To be Continued