Love Is No Longer Enough

     "Adamos?!" Exclaimed Harper in both shock and relief, he smiled to her, swaggering through the door. Harper noticed the unusual confidence about him and it was nearly breathless to see that he no longer wore his glasses or a lab coat but long dark black pants with a belt to match, along with a flame red shirt covered by a leather jacket. His hair was also brushed neatly to the side and there was a way about him showing he was no long the arkward guy she use to know but a more secure one who could not be intimidated.
     "Is that even you?" Laughed out Harper. Adamos didn't respond, he just scanned the room. David walked down the stairs, eyes meeting with Adamos's immediately, Adamos kept his hands in his pocket and his smug look on his face. Even through the change of wear David still knew the young man he was staring dead at.
     "Adamos," he said under his breath. Adamos just tilted his head in response and eyes slithered tiredly away, as if not having much care to acknowledge his presence in return.
     "How dare you even show your face here," spewed David bitterly marching down the stairs over to him, but his words seemed to have fallen on deaf ears because Adamos kept quiet until finally after taking one last look around the room, he looked back at David.
     "I assume you and Harper are the only ones here."
     "I wouldn't bet on it," said a strong voice. Sounds of footsteps grew louder until finally the person the sound belonged to appeared, he grinned. Adamos glared up at him as others surrounded him also.
     "Why don't you just admit it, Adamos," grinned Misty standing near the staircase where Ash had also appeared being the first to surprise Adamos.
     "Yeah, you stole the Pokemon, didn't you?" Agreed May.
     "To use for your own selfish reasons and for that costly experiment of yours," added Brock.
     "And you turned to Team Rocket for help," concluded Ash, "Which was the most wrong choice someone could ever make."
     "Why don't you just give up, Adamos," offered David, feeling slight sympathy for him. Harper sighed and walked over to Adamos while everyone kept their distance reminding themselves this guy still had their Pokemon.
     Harper stood next to him, setting her eyes on his and placing a hand on his shoulders but no longer did he become nervous or quake around her. It was as if he had turned to stone over night. His heart, his spirit and his compassion seemed to have iced over.
     "Adamos, don't do this. We're you're friends, we're just trying to help; trust us. Trust me, we can save you." Adamos stared lovingly back at Harper who became assured by those warm eyes of his that he was willing to change, a slight smiled appeared on his face, as every feeling inside her began to grip on to the begging trust she now held inside for him.
     But in the stillness of that moment where nothing else around her seemed to exist, only her and him in the room and her secure state of mind was so comforted by the look on his face the moment soon ended as if instantly shattered as her eyes witnessed his dark eye brows come quickly down together and his eyes grow enormously cold.
     Frightened she backed away but before she could his hand flung up flinging her across the room. David and the others watched in shock and fear but at least now their guards were up.
     David instinctively came charging towards Adamos who thrusted his head quickly in his direction and started blowing a gust of warm air from his mouth that instantly gathered into smoke then broke fiercely into a blaze of fire that fell to the floor and enhance frequently around David, blocking his path to get to Adamos.
     "Careful, don't want to burn," warned Adamos through the heat of the fire, David stared back in fearful astonishment. Ash jumped over the banister trying to finish what David had tried to do also running towards Adamos vowing he'd never let him get away with this.
     "You're nothing without your Pikachu!" Stated Adamos as if he was reminding himself right before blowing a fire in his direction, naturally Ash jumped out of the way falling back first into the tip of the stairs letting out a slight scream when he did, the edge banging against his spine, Ash could feel by the surging pain he'd have to stay there until his body could recover, he had grown to learn his limits but David sat near by still surrounded by fire and stunned by the way Adamos was acting.
     "He can't keep this up for too long, Pokemon are built to handle their abilities, his throat cannot without stand the heat of a fire attack, he's not a Pokemon." Adamos overheard David's statement that was suppose to be just directed to Ash for assurance. Adamos narrowed his eyes to him, growing defiantly angry, he turned around mischievously holding up his arms.
     "Then maybe I should try another attack... Just to cool things down." Adamos focused his head to the ground letting out a rush of water that slam to the ground washing away all the fire he had started and leaving the damage he had down, the water continued thrashing down from his mouth, beginning in breaking the floor slightly and enhancing cracks that parted different areas of the floor including the area between Ash and Mr. Deagon until it all became unstable and the floor spaces completely broke apart when he was done Misty gasped in shock at how strong he made the attack.
     "No way." Adamos turned around shifting his eyes to Misty then May and then to Brock, when it reached the sight of Harper who laid on her side while her arms propped up the higher part of her body; frozen in the state of shock like a human statue. He smiled devilishly and satisfide more at himself than at anything else.
     "I'll be back for you." He then blinked out and disappeared. Harper finally blinked herself, releasing her from the trance Adamos had left her in.
     "Harper," called Misty, picking herself up and running towards her on the other side of the room. Brock got up and followed after her, the two reached her and helped Harper get the rest of her body up and onto her feet.
     "I can't b-believe it," stammered Harper in the state of shock.
     "I know, it shocked me too, his experiment is definitely at one of it's highest peak," stated Misty, placing Harper's arm around her neck to keep her balance as Brock did the same thing, both walking her to her father, who stood up in relief.
     "What have I done?" Sighed David miserably.
     "It's... N-not your fault," assured Ash groggily, picking himself up from the ground with his body still in sharp pains from the fire and the strong hit he took against the stairs. Misty stared in worry at him then focused back on David who now hung his head in shame.
     "Yeah, you didn't know this would happen," agreed Misty. May walked over also seeming a bit confused with a thought that had been bugging her for a while.
     "So... Why did Adamos come here in the first place? Just to show off his new powers? As smug as he was acting it just seemed like there was more to it than that."
     "Yeah, and what was with that statement he made to Ash about him being useless without Pikachu? I mean even being knocked out I was able to hear it from across the room. He seemed so sure of it. But isn't Pikachu upstairs with Psyduck and Masato who's watching the two Pokemon?" Questioned Harper. Just then a strike of thought shot through Misty's mind, her eyes shot open widely.
     "Oh, no, I knew this was too easy. He wasn't trying to slaughter us, he was trying to get..."
     "The last of our Pokemon!" Finished Ash for Misty. Ash began to run up the stairs quickly, Brock, Misty and May exchanged looks, shrugged and just followed after him as Harper stayed down with her father clinging tightly to him like she always use to do in her younger days.
     When Ash reached the room it was already too late, the room was empty, Misty was right. Adamos was only a distraction while Team Rocket snuck in and took Pikachu, Psyduck and Masato as hostages probably, and to Ash's right was the shattered glass window to prove it. Brock, Misty and May soon arrived to the room also, stopping in their tracks, realizing what Ash had already.
     "Pikachu," breathed Ash, finally. May walked in more and kneeled down to the glasses laying on the floor.
     "Masato..." Misty then felt her heart begin to ache for both Ash and May. The closest door creeked open grabbing all of their attention and out came Psyduck wobbling his way over to Misty, hugging her slender leg tightly. Brock and Misty looked down at him in surprise.
     "Psyduck? Were you here all this time?"
     "Psy?"
     "Did they know you were in there?"
     "Psy?"
     "So they didn't even bother to capture you?"
     "Psy?"
     "Maybe they didn't think he was worth it," stated Harper walking into the room but not meaning it in any kind of mean way as Misty could tell by the softness of her voice.
     "Psy?"
     "I can't believe I fell for it," said Ash in a hard and angry murmur, staring down at the floor along with May who sighed in despair, both still down on their knees, brushing the floor with their hands.
     "C'mon, Ash, don't be so hard on yourself," assured Brock.
     "Yeah, that's my job," grinned Misty, trying to cheer him up.
     "Besides, we're not gonna get anywhere pointing fingers and beating ourselves up, I remember the last thing I heard and saw through my blurry state was Adamos saying he'd be back... For me," reminded Harper. "So we need to prepare."
     "I agree." David walked over to her and grabbed her hand. "Harper, lets sort this out together." Harper smiled up at her father in sheer happiness.
     "You and me, Dad? You mean it?"
     "Yup," he smiled as Harper let out a small laugh as he pulled her out the room into another to talk it over.
     "Looks like Harper and her father finally have something to do together," smiled Misty happy for her, Brock nodded in agreement.

     "Did you think of something Dad?" Asked Harper.
     "Yes,... Just now," stated David pacing back and forth in the room.
     "Okay... So...What's the plan?"
     "To make my own version of the Liquids, taking only a little of the power from the Pokemon to transfer inside us but only enough to be able to spare them and make us strong enough to fight Adamos at the same time."
     "Me and you fight Adamos? No, no. There is no way I'm doing this, he's turned into this big bad-really good looking-villain and now his arch enemies are going to be a Scientist and his daughter? Yes, I'm sure he'll be shaking in fear for sure," said Harper sarcastically.
      "Well, what do you suggest?"
      "Look, there's too much at stake here, Dad. You're smart and all but not Physically, you haven't been through the complete process in training Pokemon day after day because you're too busy studying them and as for me; I'm not cut out to be a Pokemon trainer, an observer maybe, but not an actual trainer and definitly not the one to go up against Adamos. Trust me, We shouldn't fight Adamos because 'we' would be sure to fail."
      "Then who should we give the Liquids to?" Harper thought it over for a moment and then lit up. David noticed her bright face and smile and asked, "What?"
      "Ash! Ash and his friends, they make a great team and from that stories I hear from Misty, they seem perfect for it."
      "But they lost all their Pokemon except for the red head's Psyduck," reminded David.
      "Then we'll use some of your Pokemon."
      "Fine but do you think they'll agree to it?"
      "Probably not. I could totally see them standing strongly against the idea that's why we won't tell them."
      "Not tell them?"
      "We'll fix them the Liquids and give it to them as a new experiment I'm trying out, making believe it's just a homemade beverage and when Adamos attacks again it'll surely bring out the Pokemon power in them and then they'll have no choice but to fight," grinned Harper excitedly.
      "I don't want to take part in such a 'Mischief 'n Masquerade' plan as your Mom would call it but since it's for such a good cause I guess tricking them into fighting for their Pokemon and the sake's of others shouldn't be too hard for my conscience to stomach."
      "Good, then it's all settled. You go down to your 'secret lab' and make the kind of Pokemon Liquids that you think best fits each one of them, Ash, Misty, Brock and May. And I will be upstairs trying to persuade them into having something to drink later on." Harper walked over and gave her father a hug and a peck on the cheek for good luck, then out the door she went into the next room where Ash and the others were about to leave from.
      "Hey, where are you going?" Asked Harper as her father strolled his way through the hallway and down stairs.
      "To Adamos's house to find out if he left any clues that could help us find where he is," answered May.
      "Well, you're not."
      "What do you mean?" Asked Misty. Harper walked over to them and stood herself between Ash and Misty placing her arms around them both, as Brock and May stared from the sides of them puzzledly.
      "Because I know Adamos, he's a smart guy and he wouldn't just leave clues trailing behind, I mean he's watched Sherlock Holmes like a trillion times. Believe me, he knows what and what not to do in becoming a bad guy not like there's a handbook or anything. I just can garuntee you that you won't find anything... I swear," explained Harper to both Misty and Ash to looked at her suspiciously.
      "But you defended Adamos the last time and look what happened," Brock pointed out.
      "Yup, how do we know you're not just in denial again?" Asked May.
      "I don't know... Maybe I am. But how about you guys just stay here for a while and think it over," said Harper, breaking herself away from Ash and Misty and clapping her hands together, she then parted them and opened her arms widely as if welcoming them to a paradise of some sort. "Take time to clear your mind and think of a plan."
     "We don't have time, who knows what they're doing to Pikachu right now," Ash replied, spitefully. Harper tried her best to keep her voice calm along with her nerves.
     "All the more reason to stay... And as time passes on I could make you a drink because thinking can make people thirsty sometimes."
     "I don't know... It usually makes Ash hungry," grinned Misty.
     "Anything makes him hungry," said May knowingly as she walked past them, they smiled and followed her down, Ash unwillingly was the last to follow.
     Still, uncomfortable about letting a single second pass by without knowing Pikachu's location. On the other hand, Harper was right; they were nowhere without a plan, a strategy as he had been reminded before in his earlier days of training. But right now all Ash knew is whatever plan there was left for them, he just hoped Pikachu would hang in there until they came through.
     
To be Continued