Miss Discovery!

By: Chibi-Suiko

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Ash: 15

Misty: 16

Brock: 19

Imuru: 17

Evette/Jasmine: 20

Mr. Gerou: 31

(And in all my craziness trying to whip this plot together, I forgot to add Rein's age; I guess she just wasn't 'major' enough of a character... Lol.)

Rein: 16

(PLEASE READ: There have been many questions about a quote from the last chapter, '...As I'm sure carrying two hearts is a large responsibility...', this was sort of confirming the fact that both Imuru and Ash had fallen for Misty. Therefore it was just a really mushy girls' way of putting two and two together and that's why she turned to look at Ash when she said it.)

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NOTE TO READERS (Know now that this is my desperate apology for your forgiveness): Hallo all! I’m so sorry that I haven’t updated. Two and a half weeks ago, my family moved to our new house and I only just got the internet working again tonight. A plus; my mom is currently in the hospital and I’m home alone, by my lonesome little self. If you think that’s a bad thing, you’ve got it all wrong. I’m now able to be on the net ‘non-stop’, and as I’ve finished this chapter (obviously), am all ready on the last scene of the epilogue so you don’t have to worry about such a long wait until my next update. Whose willing to cheer me on now? (^_^)

Special Feature; Chibi’s new room expose!: This pale-panel walled room may be slightly small but it comes with plenty of closet space and a beautiful plushy carpet. It’s also lined with a door of smooth pine wood that people will be forced to knock on before entry. A ‘Keep Out’ sign and a soft full-size bed come in addition with this spectacular piece. In conclusion, who wouldn’t want this cozy space all to their own! As a fifteen year old girl who is finally receiving the first month of privacy that she’s expected since she was twelve, I know that I have no complaints!

I’m sorry, all. I just had to add that in there... Okay, moving on!

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Last time on Miss Discovery!: Ash was helped out of a deadly situation by Misty and her Staryu, but found the fire even hotter when Gerou made it true that he was not only a desperate, undermining excuse for a man, but a desperate, undermining excuse for a Pokemon trainer. He caught our heroes in a Pokemon match and, after winning by destroying the roof of the building, took Misty as his prize. Now he's escaped, plans and destination unknown, while Ash and Imuru, though grudgingly (towards each other. strangely enough), have teamed up to find and save their friend from him, Brock and Rein in tow. But will the group be able to rescue Misty when the main boys are too busy hating on each other?

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"You do realize that... Though everything's being found out, this might not change a thing between us? That I may still only think of you as a friend and Misty Waterflower, as the bearer of my heart..?" She stood on the spot, only to smile and look in Ash's direction.

"Just be sure to have her take good care of it. As I'm sure carrying two is a large responsibility." With that, Rein pulled Imuru in again and kissed him tenderly upon the forehead, stepping back and producing her own Pidgeot for her and Brock to climb upon.

Jasmine stood back and wished them farewell from the ground as they were lifted into the sky.

"I'll keep in contact!" Rein shouted, gripping a newly revealed communicator of her own, "And tell you where exactly this place is! Just be sure to do your part!" She finished. But the reply was not heard, as the wind carried them off to save their friend.

...

In an unknown area, a young girl/woman (call her whatever you want, she's still a warped-to-the-age-of-sixteen Misty) groaned and opened her eyes, which seemed difficult because they were weighed down like lead. God, what she wouldn't give for some aspirin... She couldn't remember a damned thing. All she knew was Pokemon... Staryu, Ash, Imuru, screaming. But that didn't help piece two and two together.

Still, her arms used the little bit of power left in her muscles to force her face upwards. That was when she came in contact with a middle aged man standing across the room, staring out the window, through which she heard a storms' worth of rain going on.

"It seems you're awake. That's good. We can't have the main attraction falling away into the darkness, now can we?" He asked with a slightly dramatic tone, though there was sarcasm and wicked sounding humor behind it, "So, Miss Waterflower, do you dare to believe that no one will be coming for you?!" And he swiftly turned to her as a gasp lifted from her throat.

"You--?! THAT'S RIGHT! You did this, you conniving, evil, JACKASS!" She shouted in fury, "You're the one who put us up to all this shit! You're the one who got Ash to believe that I was doing everything in my power to end our friendship! And you're the one who may have killed them!" She shouted as she felt tears of newly revealed fear for her friends, "I'm gonna kick your--" She was broken off by a mad sounding chuckle.

"--Who, my dear, has told you that they are still alive? That they will even bother coming for your pesky little self after all of the trouble you've caused them all ready?" He asked with venom as his face began closing the space between them, "You do not understand, Miss Waterflower, therefore I shall tell you; your friends... Are dead. I've seen to it myself that they be done away with. Do you get it yet? You're all alone now! Everyone has left you for Death!" He let out a sharp laugh as her breath caught in her throat.

This man was a murderer among everything else he'd tried to do to them? She didn't believe him, she couldn't, yet... There was only the slightest chance that they'd made it. That fissure attack was highly lethal when they stood on a concrete roof... And then... The debris could have crushed their bodies... And what if a fire had started? Brock and that Evette woman and the other help could have escaped, Imuru and Ash at the top of the building, forgotten.

"I-I'm not gonna listen to you. After all, everything you've said so far has been a lie. You've lied to me, Ash, and Imuru ever since you took the job as his manager, haven't you?! And you only messed with us because we happened to be useful! We were made out to be your dolls!" She swiped at him but he stood back, leaving her to slice through the air.

"I'd watch yourself, little girl. You're in the middle of a very dangerous game. I'm your ringmaster; you cannot touch me without being whipped. One wrong move and..." He removed the gun from before, which had been laying inside his Armani suit pocket, "...BANG." He emphasized his point by turning the caster on her and gripping it as though expecting a recoil, "You'll soon see, my dear, that nothing is so easy as learning a script."

***

"...Are you saying that this is the place?" Ash asked incredulously as they approached something along the lines of an elderly Victorian mansion. Ivy hung over the walls and the window panes were impaled with cracks and smudges of age. The yard surrounding was not much better; it was dirtied with strewn bags and leaves of winters' passed. The trees were standing naked around the front and the wrought iron fence looked to be the only thing still well.

"My Pidgeot wouldn't make a mistake on something like this." Imuru replied dryly. Neither had said a thing to each other since his declaration of Gerou's 'personal trespassing' and they had been giving one another looks of dislike, if not downright loathing.

Brock and Rein had taken notice, more than once. They hadn't really wanted to interfere (they were afraid of being torn apart by either one of them) but they were forced to when the fish started biting. So they took the initiative to break them up and say their share.

"Imuru, I'm telling you now to stop glaring at your future partner! I swear, I've never seen you act this... This rude before!" Rein made it sound as if his being rude was the most appalling thing on the planet. Imuru looked pretty shocked by her choice of words as well, and decided to tear his ruthless gaze from Ash, then faced her with a stony expression.

"You don't know what this is about, Rein. I can't help but feel a bit peeved at the fact that Ashton here--" At this, Ash stuck out his tongue and Imuru immaturely returned the gesture, "--Has tried time and time again to take Misty away from me. I'm sorry but... I do love her, after all, and the last thing I need is for someone like him to come along right under my nose and take her away. He's finally succeeded in stealing her and now look what's happened! I swear, it's almost as if he had something to do with it!" He huffed and turned away from them all, now, to look at the sky.

Ash decided to give an inappropriate gesture behind his back, then looked in another direction entirely, "...It's not as if I haven't thought the same about you..." He muttered, spitting angrily, almost like a cat, "...HEY! What's that down there?!" He was pointing towards what looked like a rundown infirmary from the early nineteen hundreds.

Imuru testily turned his gaze down and looked before feeling his Pidgeot give a mighty swoop of the wings; they were sent whirling through the wind and, before they had a chance to breathe again, plummeted loudly into a tall and sturdy oak.

"Shit! Man, what the Hell is wrong with that bird of yours?! Can't he see when there's something ahead?! Or was he blinded ages ago by the sight of his stupid trainer?!" Ash shouted angrily, rubbing at a bruised cheek.

"Yeah, well, my 'bird' has nothing on that Pikachu of yours! At least mine has a sense of respect and dignity towards me, not to mention itself! All your Pikachu does is eat six bottles of ketchup, sleep it off, and then eat more! If you weren't such good friends with Misty, I might have kicked you out by now!" Choosing to ignore that last comment, Ash went plowing ahead about another.

"Yeah, MUCH better friends than you are with her!" He added with a smug glance, "In fact, soon enough, we might be a lot MORE than long-time friends! You must feel so pouty that I got to her first!" And he sniggered at the glowering look he was receiving.

"Yes, well, there's still time for change. Though I'm not speaking of my feelings for her. I'm not in this for the glory Ashton. I'm here to save her because I care for her and I was hoping that you were here to do the same, for the same reason." Imuru's tone had lost its competitive edge as he glared at Ash.

As for our dear hero, his laughter had died out at the seriousness of his former 'rivals' tone, "Of course I'm here because I care! She may have been annoying but I do lo-I... I do love her..." He whispered solemnly, blushing as everyone else gasped, "W-what?! I can't... It's not like it's anything new to you guys! Especially you, Brock! You've been trying to hook us up forever!"

Brock gripped his chin with a soft grin on his face, "It seems young grasshopper has finally evolved on his own." Ash hit him over the head, leaving him nursing a small knot, and then turned back to Imuru as though expecting him to jump straight into a long explanation as to how they were going to get inside.

"Well... I'm out of ideas for right now. I suppose there's gotta be an air vent, or-or the roof... Or that window that's wide open on the third floor." He jacked his thumb in the direction and the rest looked up at at, then pulled out their own pokeballs, "No, no... Ash and I will go first; you two are the back-up, remember? If anything goes wrong, we'll send one of our Pokemon as a messenger. For right now, Ash and I are gonna take the drop-in route and, hopefully, we'll be able to get to that Gerou before he gets to us... Or Misty."

"Right. well... This time, I'm monitoring your control on that bird of yours."

"Don't start with that right now; we have more important things to attend to."

"Oh, I'm sure." And then Ash turned towards the building and, with his spontaneous... Er... Ash-ness, shouted with a pointed finger, "And now, onto the rescue adventure!" There was a clash of ominous thunder in the background as Brock, Rein, and Imuru sweatdropped... Heavily.

"Something tells me he's been playing that role for too long..." Brock said, "Someday, he'll have to learn to take a back seat."

But Ash had all ready forced pretty-boy Imuru onto his 'high horse' and sat behind him, taken off, and flown halfway towards the window. This left the two almost-adults alone, so they crawled behind a tree, watched Imuru's Pidgeot make a perfect entrance, and waited, hoping that they wouldn't be spotted from where they kept an eye out.

***

"You really are wasting your time. After all, it's Rein and Imuru that you want, right? What am I worth to you? There's nothing that I'm really good for..." Misty tried to convince Gerou, who stood about eight feet away, the same pistol as before pointed at her, a satanic grin edging under his twitching eyes.

"You would think so, wouldn't you Miss Waterflower? You misunderstand me... I cannot use that Rein because she has defied me, and she will continue to do so, even if I coax her into working for my cause. However, with you in danger, Imuru will be more than willing to do anything that would preserve your safety. However, I am not so horrible as to make you leave your friends; perhaps the two could be stage hands... Er, victims of the stage--"

"--You mean after you're done torturing them?!" Misty got up from where she sat and jumped at him, trying to swipe the gun from his hand (A/N: Um... Not a good idea...). Gerou managed to hold it above her and shot a few rounds into the air, causing her to fall back.

"Not a good move, Miss Waterflower. Make one more and consider yourself permanently incapacitated." He set in another two bullets and aimed the steel weapon at her. Misty obviously thought it better not to move again.

It was actually a good thing that she had caused him to shoot because the sound ricocheted around the dank stone walls, two floors down to where Ash and Imuru were in the middle of locating the staircase. The clash of the bullets scraping against the ceiling above was enough for them to know which direction to go in and so they headed towards the closest elevation. But it wasn't as if they weren't worried about her, knowing that she might have been hurt (A/N: I just had to get that point across). They considered her lack of screaming proof enough that she was well; besides, why would Gerou kidnap her, claiming to need her, just so that he could kill her in private?

"I'm pretty sure that the sound came from this way." Ash stated abstinently, pointing towards the left. Imuru shook his head and turned the other way.

"No; I'm positive that it came from over here." And he nodded to the right.

"It shows you what you know." The raven-haired trainer pulled at his arm, yanking him over but Imuru resisted, "Okay; fine. If you wanna go ahead in the wrong direction then you can do it alone. I'll be meeting you outside with Misty beside me." Ash stomped off his own way.

Imuru sighed; no matter how much he wanted nothing to do with the guy, he couldn't help but think about the fact that they would probably need each other. Pacing himself for the smirk and hero-lecture of a lifetime, he caught up with Ash and proceeded to tell him to stop, "Wait; wait! Listen, we need to work together, no matter how much we think otherwise. So, we need a plan and we need one worth using. Do you have anything in mind?"

At this, Ash grinned like a cat and then wound his arm around Imuru's shoulders, "Well, I may have something in mind."

***

"You want to know exactly why I've gone this far, my dear?" Gerou didn't wait for her to answer but continued on in a spiteful tone, "Underappreciation, underestimation, overwork..."

"And a probable lack of sanity, am I right?!" Misty asked him furiously, sitting back as he waved the gun threateningly in the air.

"...You may be right but it's not for nothing. You see, I've lived a terribly unfair life. You never know what will happen to you because the future, along with your ability to exist in that future with what talents you own, is so very uncertain. And you think that you can do what's needed when it's all ready fact that you must learn to adjust to whatever type of world you're living in. And then there's the occupation you will undoubtedly receive. Do you know why I've wasted the last two and a half years slaving over two spoiled little teenagers?! Because it was all I was worth! But then, as if I had been praying for it, an answer to my prayers came along, searching, just like me, for an opportune moment to strike its fangs into what it should have had all along. It was Satan that led me to this life; and I may hate him for it but I can't help but love him at the same time. For it was him who helped me realize that I had to use force to get what I deserved. And I deserve so much more than I've gotten these past few years..." He growled.

Misty rolled her eyes; talk about overdramatic.

"But, you see? My game has finally reached the last dye roll and I'm sure that it plays in my favor." Quickly, he replaced his gun inside of his Armani suit and pulled out a mobile cell phone, "Now excuse me while I make reservations with both our parties. I'm sure that Imuru will want to know that you're safe... And my advocate will be wanting to know our arrival time. Miss Waterflower, welcome to your new life." He turned away and pressed a speed dial number.

Misty heard the phone ring from where she sat. She heard the grind of the tone through the main piece. It sounded anxious, angry, but most of all malevolent.

"If the Pawns are in their correct corners, then let's continue." Came through the phone line.

"Of course; it'll be a fifty-fifty relationship, correct?"

"If you come through with your end of the bargain, then so will I."

"Perfect. All I need now are the two Knights." He was referring to them all as pieces of a chessboard? Talk about l-o-o-n-y. Still, she supposed as sher got back to the point, they were all pawns, considering all were in the middle of this. But she didn't have a clue who the Knights were... Unless... Were Ash and Imuru..?

Her head snapped up as she heard another sound. It was the loading of something into the barrel of a gun. She looked up to notice that this one was different than the last. Not only was it longer but it also had an aim pin. And there was no bullet being inserted. Instead, a shot-like contraption filled with a serum was being placed and locked inside.

Gerou turned and pointed it at her, making careful to be precise, "Normally I would wait to do this but it seems that my teacher is quite impatient to see his new... things. This is a knock out medication so powerful that you're likely to be out for little less than twenty-four hours. It'll be just enough time to get you transferred 'safely' to your new home. You'll understand, of course, if I don't happen to wait for your Prince Charming’s to realize the seriousness of your situation, won't you?" He cocked the gun and held it up to her. She immediately flinched and closed her eyes, "Goodbye for the time being, Miss Waterflower."

She closed her eyes, expecting to hear another shot ring out into the air, but heard nothing. Looking up, she noticed a soft blue glow was emitting around Gerou's entire hand... And it was holding him from shooting the injection at her. He looked down, trying desperately and furiously to get the thing to work.

"Damnnit! What the Hell--Who the Hell?!" He asked, looking around wildly for a glimpse of whatever force was doing this, "Grr... SHOW YOURSELF! Don't think that I can't still operate! I'm just as able to use my other weapons as I am this one!" His other hand was slinking towards his attire, grasping for either his pistol or possibly his Pokeballs.

There were footsteps and, next moment, as Misty and Gerou stared at the door leading from the hall to their room, Ash stepped through the doorway. In his hands, he was holding an egg... With a polka-dotted shell and a chirp like a bird..?

"TOGEPI?! ASH!" Misty exclaimed hopefully. Ash seemed to ignore her for a moment, other than a quick sideways glance; his entire attention was on Gerou.

"Gerou, meet Togepi. Togepi, Gerou. Now that the first introductions are through, are you ready for round two of the game?!" He asked, almost excitedly, pulling out another Pokeball, but not opening it, "You see? Your secret weapon has been seen, known, understood; we know exactly what to expect and how to fight it. On the other hand, I'm an aspiring Pokemon Master. I have Pokemon you may not have even heard of, let alone battled or studied. I'm more than prepared to take you down myself!" He stated.

Gerou laughed, "Are you saying you came alone? Foolish boy, you should learn to expect more from your elders and wisers. Just as I know nothing about you, you know nothing about me. It's a stalemate."

"You'd think so, wouldn't you? Well, I know that you're a creep who uses talented young people and their social and love lives against each other, just so you can get what you want. I know that you're not working alone, and that you're aiming to get Misty and Imuru to work for you and whatever sick asshole you're assisting so that you can earn a nice, fat paycheck." Ash grinned at him, "And that's just what I've gathered mostly over the past few minutes. Oh, I also know that you're stupid enough to believe I'd come alone and just throw myself into the fire like this." He rubbed his temple, as though mocking the guys brain capacity, "So naive for such a wise elder... I believe that you two know each other?" Gerou stepped back as he noticed Imuru, who had slinked through the window while his attention had been on Ash, sidling over to Misty and untying her arms and legs.

The two teenagers stood up and smirked at him, both thinking that it was over; that they'd won. But Gerou wasn't going down that easily.

"You all think that I'll let a few insignificant children ruin what was a perfect plan?! Not likely!" He shouted, breaking free of Togepi's weakening hold and gripping his pistol in his arm, "This is loaded, you know. I have no problem eliminating one of you, unless you all relinquish your plans and forfeit."

"Ash, take Misty and run. I can handle this." Imuru nodded and shoved Misty over to him. He threw the Pokeball in his hand in return. Imuru caught it and gave him a confused and shocked glance, "What's this for?"

"It's a gift that I think will come in handy. It knows what to do so if you get in a jam, let it out and work it's magic." Then he turned to Misty, pressing the tired Togepi into his underarm, "C'mon Misty, you heard him. Let's get out of here. He can handle himself." Misty didn't seem able to move on her own. In fact, it almost looked like she was heading back towards young actor, afraid that it would be her last time seeing him alive, walking, talking, "C'MON!" He took her hand and pulled her from the room, running down the hallway.

They were just reaching the second floor when they heard the echoes of three gun shots and a yell into the darkness. It was like stone had set in their heels and left them unable to go any further. Both thought it had been Imuru who had yelled. The gun had to have been Gerou's... There was no other way around it other than...

"No... No, he's not dead... He's not dead, Ash; right?" Ash, however happy he was that Misty was safe, didn't know what to say for once. But he knew that it was up to him to raise her very thin, and thinning still, hopes.

"I-I'm sure that he's--He's gotta... He's fine Misty. But we can't go back up there yet... We need help before we waltz back in there. Because, without it, we're more than dead.” Ash took her hand again and led her as best he could out the door.

Had he been told four hours earlier that he would be losing his host, rival, and possibly newest friend at the hands of Misty's kidnapper, he would probably have laughed it off as nothing. But now, however much he attempted to doubt, to believe that he was wrong about what had hit who in that room upstairs, he found himself more pressed than Misty was... To return to the past and change what had taken place.

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A/N: Hallo, friends, fans, and haters alike! I hope that you can accept my sincerest apologies and say truthfully that you have enjoyed this chapter. It took me way to long to reach my ‘groove’ level again but I think that it finally came through for me. I admit, I did go over my extension (I told you in the last chapter that it might take about a month to get this up) but I hope that the finished product was still good enough. I know, you’re probably all hoping that I finally killed off Imuru but... Sorry; ain’t gonna happen cause I happen to like my OC! Well, that OC... Should I kill off Gerou? Or torture him for the rest of his life?

Now I’m finished, please review and tell me what you think, all right? I know it’s been awhile but I hope you can learn to understand and forgive me for the length of time it’s taken me to continue and get over it. I know this chapter wasn’t the best but I worked on it for, like, four hours straight (and that's only speaking about today)...

--Chibi ending transmission.

PS: I’m still saying the next chapter is the epilogue. I’ll just add the last little part of the climax there because it’ll only be a quarter to half the length of a regular chapter so it’ll be easier. anyway, see you all later!

--(NOW Chibi is ending transmission)...