Unknown

By: Chibi-Suiko

A/N: That's right folks. I've decided to write the next chapter before I even uploaded the last. Um, this means I can't very well thank anyone special for their reviews yet, I can't say much about updates in my completely worthless 1/2 life, and I can't let anyone in on when this idiotic fic will be finished. Well, actually, that's something I can't do no matter what the circumstances of my work are so... Okay, I'm giving you all the right in the world to ignore the rest of this authors' note and skip to the next... Whatever I'm gonna type.

ALSO: Note about the title (NOW I remember what I wanted to post in the above notation!), I don't think anyone's asked me about it so far, and if that's true, good for those of you who've contained their questions! Anyway, just to ease my own curiosity as to if anyone will ask me, I'm just gonna tell ya like it is: This fic was just something I'd whipped up for a one-shot (Which I've repeated I-don't-know-how-many-times), and was originally going to be posted with a title as idiotic as the plot. Halfway through the first (And formerly only) chapter, I realized that the one I was going with really seemed too... Stupid... To stick with. So, to make things simple, and to describe the plot (In a VERY subtle, VERY unrevealing way, I might add), I changed it to 'Unknown'. Doesn't fit very well but I don't care. I usually don't think of wonderful titles for fics that I don't feel are worth posting. Anyway, before I depress myself even more (Though I seem oddly imaginative when I am feeling dejected), let's get on with it. Oh, and thanks to those who bored themselves to the bone by reading this useless page of... Whatever **Yawns tiredly**. Yeah. That's it.

ALSO 2.0: About the whole 'Misty is a Tentacool' thing. Yeah, it was just a little something pointless I thought up last minute so if you think that Ash wouldn't be trying to evade mental subconscious issues about their vastly changing situation (Though he won't admit it, I've got big plans for him... **Smiles eerily** Enjoy free reign over your thoughts while you still can, Ashy-boy, love is about to get a lot more mechanical for you once I subject you to the torture of this mental stabilizer microchip. No longer will you resent Misty and her horrible excuse for cooking... No more 'Scrawny' and gloats about new badges... I will rule you.), you are sadly mistaken. And for those of you out there who choose to contradict my work when you haven't written ONE... SINGLE... THING... I suggest you try something more beneficial for yourselves.

Check out some of my other fics when/if you get the chance. Mind you, they aren't that good... (Yay! More deeply mental thoughts!)

Summary: Ash-Tachi have left Shamuti for the small seaside Isle of Salmon-Clay (Only because this author has trouble thinking of a name for it. Have you all noticed that EVERY, SINGLE TOWN/CITY/ISLAND/VILLAGE is named after a color?! And I still can't think of something to name it! Sorry, gotten off topic again, haven't I..?). Ash has bored himself into a nap and Tracey is still doing whatever Pokemon Watchers/Observers do. But when Misty doesn't return from training at the beach, what emotions will burn within her friends among their worry..?

Disclaimer: I don't own Ash-Tachi (Either that which includes Brock or Tracey). I don't own the Archipelago. And I definitely don't own AAMRN, it belongs to everyone in their own right (But I was there first).

~*~*~

Chapter Four: Uncertainty Gains

 

Ash yawned and stretched, his tense muscles finally urging into relaxation. He opened his eyes blearily and noticed the dark sky outside his window. I must have been asleep at least three and a half hours..! He thought, disbelieving of what he'd thought would be a half-hour nap, tops. He fell back onto the mattress, drinking in the soft texture of the quilt still laying rumpled beneath his itching exterior (Not literally itching, you'll see). He could almost feel the sleep beckoning him again when the bedroom door burst open, swinging into the wall, the adverse sound almost racketing the nothingness inside his head.

Next moment, though, ridiculous thoughts of Earth fissures echoed within his mind as he felt two arms grasp his shoulders and run them ragged as the terse muscles were sort of... Flipped... About under the strength held by Pokemon Observationalist, Tracey Sketchitt. Ash tried to wriggle beneath the tight grip on his upper arms but failed as Tracey only managed to shake him harder, knowing that he was awakening. Ash had no idea who it was that thought forcing him awake was humorous (His eyes were still closed, remember?), but he was about to crack a couple bones if they kept at it. Unprepared though he was, his eyes finally snapped open as he thought that he sounded almost ironically like Misty--Tentacool, he meant Tentacool..

He rubbed the excess sleep from under his lids and turned to see Tracey standing almost on top of him, his expression one of pure anxiety. Ash couldn't think of any reason why he'd be acting so strangely so he saw fit to throw him a death glare, not unlike what Misty--TENTACOOL!--was capable of. Tracey responded by quickly rolling his eyes and forcing his friends legs from the small spot at the edge of the bed where he could sit down and recap what he'd realized only about ten minutes ago.

"Ash, there's a problem." Ash shrugged as if anything wrong with those who weren't him didn't matter anymore. Tracey could hardly dare to believe that his buddy was unwilling to help those in need; never-the-less, he chose not to relent to Ash's carelessness and continued with what he'd been saying only thirty seconds ago (Dramatic pause, can't write a good fic without that!), "Ash! It's not just anyone who has the dilemma! It's you! Ash, Misty never returned from training this afternoon at the beach."

At this abrupt finish of speech, Ash, who was centered on yawning, broke it off into a deep breath of air. Tracey didn't look ready to burst out laughing and something in Ash realized that he wasn't trying to joke around with him. Before he, or his muscles, chose to comprehend the situation, he jumped to his feet (And fell back again cause his body hadn't been exactly ready to take on such stressing weight), and rushed to grab up his bag. He then ran out the door, forgetting Tracey behind him, and rushed to the front desk. It was then that he'd caught sight of the clock above and behind the common Nurse Joy's head. 10:04. Almost an hour and a half since she was supposedly guaranteed to be back. Why hadn't Tracey warned him of her lack of return before now?!

He hissed through his teeth and banged on the front desk to get Joy's attention away from the phone call she'd received from her cousin in New Bark Town. Obviously it didn't matter which relation they had to the other nurses, they all were still pretty close for distantly placed relatives. Ash shook his head to rid it of thoughts like, 'I bet her second cousin is from Viridian' or 'I wonder which is the oldest sister?' and knocked his head on top of the table before she cleared her throat to say he'd signaled her well enough and he looked up and laughed awkwardly before he decided to get serious.

"Right! Nurse Joy, is Pikachu ready for me?!" He asked, hoping that she wouldn't try and question him why he was in such a hurry. Unfortunately, he was dead wrong.

"Well, Mr. Ketchum, he is as healthy as he can get... Why do you need him so fast? I'm sorry to say that the Centre is locked down for the night and there is no acception for any trainers to leave and prepare for their next badge tonight. Again, I'm sorry." She ended before placing Pikachu atop the counter where he was munching happily on an apple. His most favorite food next to ketchup.

Ash wasted no time in ripping his buddy from the board and when Joy glanced scandalizing into his face, he replied with a rushed apology, "Nurse Joy, please, I'm sorry but... You've just got to keep the Centre doors open for awhile longer. My friend went out this afternoon and she never came back. And I hafta go search for her because she might be hurt or something and I'm not sure what may have happened--"

"--Mr. Ketchum, Ash, I'm sorry. I can't unlock the doors. For safety purposes, they have been placed under a tight security surveillance and they won't open again until tomorrow morning, 9:00 sharp. Whatever has kept your friend gone this long, I'm sure it's nothing. Now, please return to your room or else I will have to escort you. This is a hospital of sorts. Thank you and... Goodnight." She ended as sweetly as possible, turning to straighten a pile of papers in order to disguise the fact that she was deeply worried for Misty herself.

"But... God... Please, I'm seriously begging you, here..! Is there any way, I don't care if it's through a laundry shoot, to get out of this Centre? I mean, she's been traveling with me for two and a half years! And what would her family think about this if they ever found out something was wrong with their youngest member..?" (He neglected to mention that they would probably throw a celebration) He looked up with a great big puppy-dog face that had always worked wonders on Misty--He meant the ugly, non-gendered Tentacool.

Joy sighed, she was a county authorative. If she ever got caught sneaking children out of the safety of her public sanctuary after hours she could be suspended or permanently banned from her occupation as COPP (Corporate Official Pokemon Physician). Nevertheless, it was still her responsibility to give all her Over-Nighters the same amount of respect, decency, and care. And for that, she knew that she'd have to give in.

"Very well, Mr. Ketchum. Follow me..." She headed through the door, down the corridor leading towards the public Trainer laundry room, "And I suppose that Mr. Sketchitt will want to follow you out as well..?" She asked him, and Tracey appeared from behind their partially open bedroom door, grinning sheepishly and trying to look as though he hadn't been listening in on their conversation.

She led them both towards the cleaning room, where the storage was kept, and she shoved open the un-oiled door, which squeaked rigidly, sending chills up all their spines (Mind you, this story is not meant to be a horror genre placement). The young woman bit back a choke on dust and coughed miserably before entering, turning on an old, flickering light switch on her way in. Anyone could tell, at first-glance, that the room was definitely not in use, and probably hadn't been so for at least three years. Cob/Spider webs littered the ceiling, corners, and upper walls, small squeaks made known that rodents were scurrying in the darkness, and dust was swept up at the very settling of a foot onto the ground.

Joy blew on an old knob on the opposite side from where they'd entered, producing a small billowing mass of gray powder before swiping it away with her hands and smiling softly. She stepped aside and let Ash and Tracey take notice of the diluted wooden frame before the youngest stepped forward in a sudden rush of adrenaline.

"So... Where does this lead?" He asked as he held onto the knob, ready to rush out into the night as soon as the female critter doctor had given him the information he needed, "Can we get back in from here?"

"This door leads into an old Ground Pokemon Reserve we used to have connected around the back. But the construction was postponed a couple years back for the Water Habitat because of Type Value. Eventually the unfinished construction was abandoned completely and forgotten and we never saw fit to return to furnishing it. Fortunately, not many trainers travel the Orange League with multiple Ground Pokemon so not many, if any at all, complaints have been placed. In any case, the area you'll be exiting from has no security and has not been cleaned up in quite a while. This is not, however, in your benefit, Mr. Ketchem. Look at it this way, all these years small Pokemon such as Rattata and Venonat and others of the like have had the opportunity to invade the unused space and flourish into dozens of common clans. They have great chance to raise their level and are probably superior to those you'd think you'd see beyond here." She halted for a breath before continuing, "This site is unreserved and unsafe, a reason why I don't let any Trainers know of it. So if I find out that any are trying to get out through this door, I'll know it was you who told them... Anyway, beyond the overgrown field, you'll see an iron-clad fence, something we never completely sanded down. Be careful how you climb over it or you'll get cut. After that, it's pretty much a straight walk to any part of the beach... Here--" She held out a couple lanterns and potions, "These won't do much for your Pokemon since they have earned such high experience points, though I suggest you use them for all they're worth. And once these are gone, I'm afraid you'll have to rely on your own resources." Ash said nothing, still looking into the darkness beyond, his mind not on the powerful Pokemon catching possibilities for once. He heard Tracey gulp fearfully behind him.

"Don't worry, Trace. I'm sure there's nothing out there that Pikachu and I can't handle! C'mon, you two--" He threw his finger forward, his courage and confidence obviously returning, "--We have a friend to find! And thanks, Joy! This is a big help! We won't tell anyone, we promise!" With that statement of gratitude said, he ran forward before either of the others could stop him.

"A-Ash, wait!" Tracey turned back to Joy real quick and blushed lightly under her, still serene, grin, "Um... Can we get back through this door, Nurse Joy..? You never did answer that question." Nurse Joy frowned for a moment, obviously thinking, and then smiled again.

"I'm afraid that, without someone here to keep the exit propped open, you'll be stuck out there for the night..." Tracey's face froze for a moment, "But don't worry, I'm more than willing to stay up if it means the safety of those few Pokemon Trainers who don't mistreat their Pokemon. So let me just fill Chansey in on the situation so that she can stand guard for any emergencies and then I'll come back and wait here for you. You have nothing to worry about." Her grin widened, "After all, what kind of Nurse would I be not to inform possible patients of the trouble out there?" She finished, letting him run ahead.

Tracey fumbled a moment, his feet too quick for the rest of him, and then he bowed hurriedly and ran forward calling out to Ash, who was probably at least ten yards ahead by then. She stood behind in the doorway, almost forgotten as the wind swept her loose uniform around.

~*~*~

"Darn insomnia. This never would have happened if I had gotten even the slightest bit more sleep back on Shamuti..." Misty grumbled angrily, barely conscious enough to hear herself think. She turned over, almost eating a mouthful of sand in her absence to remember where she was, and jumped up, realizing that the sun was no longer out. She panicked and got to her feet, pulled out three pokeballs, and recalled Poliwag, Goldeen, and Staryu. Togepi waddled up to her ankles and she swept the little child into her arms in order to get to the Centre faster.

She ran past the bleak, wooden fence separating the beach from the rest of the town, and tried not to imagine the amount of ominous shadows that whisked by her in her hurry. Two seconds later, however, as she was nearing the boardwalk, she heard a voice in the distance, one that didn't sound too familiar, and yet it called her name.

"Misty--!" The shock from hearing the unfamiliar worry in the unidentified tone caused her fear to mount and she ended up tripping over the forgotten step leading onto the walkway. She slipped to the ground and felt her skin rip on her knee. Cursing words that Ash's mother (Her second mother) would be appalled to hear coming from her, she got back to her feet and hopped up at the sudden pain in her left leg. God, things were going just perfect, weren't they?

She felt the absence of life before she realized that she was completely alone and drug her left foot forward, feeling a sting every time she tried to put weight on it. She held her bag close, and her baby closer, just in case anyone like Team Rocket were to show up and request surrender of all her Pokemon. She felt a fleeting wind, which caused her bloody scrape to throb more, and decided to take her steps more slowly and carefully.

Fully placing her left foot onto the ground, she placed a slight amount of weight on top of it, feeling a smarting coming from her nerves. She ignored it however and went along, walking the steadiest possible with a slight limp to her step. She could just make out the dim lights of the Centre ahead when she felt a chill run down her spine.

Ugh. The only word she was capable of thinking in such a situation.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her and, feeling a very sudden, very unwanted rush of fear, she dragged herself behind one of the trashcans' next to a small Pizzeria. She held her breath down as she saw two fleeting shadows shuffle by, leaving her completely in the dark again. This was not what she needed. She got to her feet just in time to see the unknown figures head back down the walkway, and she dove behind the waste baskets again. Definitely not the best situation to be in alone.

The huddled beings ran past, back towards the beach again and she got up and began her unsteady walk back to the Centre once more. The doors were locked anyway, she hadn't any idea how she was gonna get back inside... Unless she climbed through the heating/AC shaft straight back into their bedroom.

The desperate sounding cries of her name had died down and the unkempt shadows had completely disappeared. She wondered if Ash had realized that she wasn't there. She wondered if he even cared. He'd been showing so much want to avoid anything to do with her, she wouldn't be surprised if he slept straight through her unrattling lack of return.

The front doors to the Centre were locked down, she could see the glimmering beams of red light holding up the security. Obviously the main entrance was a no-go unless she planned to wake up the entire town. She cursed again and headed around to the side of the building. She could make out a small air vent, probably used to rid the AC of dust particles and such. It would probably be just big enough for her slim form to squeeze through. Now if only she could get it open...

She pulled out a small device Brock had given them as insurance in case 'Home-cooked meals' became too much of a burden. It was a small knife-like object, though there was no actual blade. It held small utensils such as a spoon, fork, knife, tweezers (Mostly to clip the Pokemons’ paws), and a screw driver. She grinned and silently thanked Brock in spirit for having been such a mature figure to look up to before she crouched as low as her battered muscles would let her and began to twist the little screws bolting the shaft to the rest of the building. Her frustration got the better of her the first time and her driver slipped out of the bolt hold, scratching against the brick surface of the Centre wall.

Things were gonna get rough.

~*~*~

"Ash, Tracey; back so soon?" Joy asked, yawning tiredly as the two distressed boys entered the Centre through the atrocious looking door. She got up and closed it behind them then turned back with a serious expression, noting that they were still one trainer too short, "I take it that you didn't find her..?" She asked, now dead-serious and looking ready enough to call Officer Jenny up.

Ash and Tracey sighed, still desperate to think of any place she would/could have gone. But it wasn't like this island was familiar territory to any of them so she wouldn't have been to visit a friend, and all the public access spot were closed down for the night. Bitterly, they had ended up giving up the search. If she wasn't where she said she'd be than they wouldn't waste valuable time looking for someone who was unable to be found. What they meant was, it was time to call the authorities.

Joy could tell by their expressions that that's what they, too, had in mind and she hurriedly exited the old storage area, the other two following, and closed and locked the old door again. They re-entered the lobby where Chansey was dusting things like the computer screen and sweeping the floor.

Ash reduced himself to a mess of unease for his friend, though he couldn't explain exactly why it seemed so horrible to lose her. Things had gone wrong with his friends before so why was now any different? He remembered vaguely the day he'd caught Bulbasuar. It had started out horribly enough, Brock losing his footing on that bridge and disappearing into the river below. And when he and the others had been separated by that blizzard in the mountains (Think: Snow Way Out, I know it has common use), and he'd almost died of shame thinking that Pikachu could have been lost forever...

In any case, trying to ignore these abruptly inserted thoughts, he stealthily stalked across the room, finding the tiles a lot easier surface to smudge than that of his pride which was still slightly (Though failing miserably) trying to ward off the right to worry about Misty, even when she'd been gone for that long.

Joy placed the phone on the receiver with a click and turned to them with a sigh, "Jenny said that she'll be here as soon as possible. Try to hang on, you two. There's not many places your friend may have been taken so it'll be easy to locate her if she's been kidnapped." She lay her head in her arms, "I'm sorry that this had to happen to you. I know you must really care about her. But remember, Salmon-Clay is a remote Isle with hardly any connection to the other parts of the globe besides telephone and the Harbor. We don't even have our own airport! So there's nowhere she could have been taken that--" She was interrupted by a clash coming from the vents.

Immediately, Ash looked up and Tracey followed him with a face as still as stone. Ash's fists tightened. He swore, if Team Rocket was at it again, trying to sneak into the Centre than... His eyes widened, Could they have taken her..?! He was about to voice his thoughts to Tracey when Joy began to dial the small code that would instate the Centre's PA system and resurrect everyone in a good opinion of alarm.

"Attention Trainers resting overnight in the Salmon-Clay Centre. Please proceed to the lobby at once. This is not a drill. The Centre it being penetrated by thieves. Keep all Pokemon as close to you as possible for precaution. I repeat, this is not a drill..!"

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A/N: Unfortunately, that's where I'm gonna end it cause I don't wanna make it too long. For the most part I like to keep all my chapters of a certain fic close to the same length so... You know what that means. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this, review if you're able!

Ciao, ja ne, whatever friends from the digits!

-- Chibi