Misty looked at her PokéDex's digital clock and huffed as she taps her foot by the road exiting Pewter City and heading towards Mount Moon, seeing that her companion still have yet to arrive. It had already been around 20 minutes since she came to the meeting spot where they would leave, having decided on a time to meet up.
And now, Ash is already late.
Misty calms herself from the rising irritation as she pockets her device. The two of them had agreed two hour ago that they would pack some things to prepare for the journey ahead before sundown, with Ash telling her that he might take longer as he had to get some extra items for the travel. What items she may ask? He never told her.
Now all she can do is wait for him. The boy who had brought some insanity in her quiet life. Well, as quiet as having three obnoxiously battle-incompetent sisters can be. She is still reeling over the impossibilities that boy had committed. What sane person would fire a rocket at a pair of children? And saner person would single handedly catches said rocket with their bare hands and manages to throw it to the air before it explodes?!
"Misty!"
Misty looked to her side to see the boy in question waving at her while jogging along the road until he was a close distance. Pikachu is seen hanging on the boy's head, waving as well. She let her face scrunch in irritation and was about to tell how late the boy was when he noticed slight redness in his eyes, as well as how his smile looks more…sad?
She narrowed her eyes at that face, asking herself what in the name of Mew happened while the two of them temporarily parted ways. However, she decided to note it to herself and instead turned her head acting upset, with her arms crossed with a huff.
"You're late," she simply said, acting like an upset sister.
"Sorry, I got….sidetracked on the way here," was the response Ash said to her, sounding sheepish. But she could sense that there was something heavy in the pause he made.
Again, noting to herself.
"Oh!" Ash's exclaim of realization made her turn her eyes to him as he brought an open hand to her, "Mind if I check your backpack for a bit?"
That was, admittingly, an odd question coming from him. Still, she decided to slide off her backpack and handed it to him. She watches with mild wonder as Ash checks about every inches of her bag, which is nothing more than a red drawstring pouch bag. After a bit, he hummed and looked to her.
"How much items does this usually carry?" another odd question, but this actually made some sense now that Misty realized it.
"My bag can actually store 2000 times more than a usual bag, though the item size can't go as wide as a wide six-person table," she stated.
"Really? That's actually pretty cool," Ash praised as he looked at the bag in amazement, giving it back to her as he points to his, "I was searching for extra bags to carry around for more stuff when one of the people selling there told me that my bag has a scientifically made dimension storage that lets me carry more stuff," he pauses for a bit, then gave combination of a wince and an apologetic look at one of his Pokéballs. Even Pikachu was doing the same, "It took me a second late to realize that Rattata was currently in there and had a panic when I pulled her out of there. The person assured me that it is built to be extra harmless for any Pokémon inside, but I do not want to take things for granted,"
Misty can see the reason in that and nodded in sympathy for what the rodent had gone through. She had gain an admiration to Ash's constant sense of care for his Pokémon as she had seen again and again how he treat them. She had asked it once and he said to her:
"These Pokémon….they are a responsibility for me. From the day I started this journey, until the end of the road, they are going to be a part of this unpredictable life of mine. You will never know how much they mean to you until they were gone….never know if they will be there the next morning, or never realized that it will be the very last time you get to spoke to them…"
It really struck Misty deep in her heart how much gravity those words were. She remembered how she and her sister lost their mother when she was on a one week trip. The last thing she told them was:
"I'll be back in a week. Be good to each other, okay?"
Then the week passed by, she didn't return. Two days after, an agent of the League came and gave the sad news. She's gone. Forever gone.
She remembered locking herself in her bedroom, brawling her eyes and telling herself it was all a lie, a nightmare. She told herself that she would wake up the next morning and it would all be a dream…but reality soon crumbled down on her when she realized the next morning that it was all real.
She remembered that that was the only time her sisters were caring before they devolve to water ballet performing.
"You okay?"
Misty jolted with a start, blinking off the would be tears in her eyes that she didn't realized, as she sees Ash looking with a concern look. Same with Pikachu, brown beady eyes shining with worry.
"Are you alri-"
"Iheardyouonceandyesnowletsgetmoving!" After that far too rapid of a response coming from her mouth, she (out of embarrassment for the reaction and hiding it as an expression of short temper) turned and stomped away. She didn't turn her head when she hear him walking in a quick pace to catch up to her, but could hear Ash conversing with Pikachu.
"Pika-pika, Pikachu-pi chu ka-pi Pikachu-pi,"
"Pikachu, that's just rude,"
"Pi? Pikachu-pi kachu pika pi-chu,"
"Be a bit more respectful with Misty, okay bud? I know she's not the patient kind of person, but it does not mean we have to treat her as a bad one,"
"Ka-pi ka-pi...Chu pi??"
"….I don't know, bud. I…I feel like I really messed things up,"
"Kachu…."
A sober silence filled the air. Misty is used to him talking to Pikachu like an equal, but she couldn't help but feel like a third wheel between them. Mysteries surrounding Ash continues to become more cryptic, giving her more questions than answers.
Misty mentally sighed, pushing all of this away for now and deciding to change the atmosphere a bit by calling out to him, "Hey, Ash,"
She had looked over her shoulder when she called out, catching a glimpse of his downtrodden look before he perked up at her call.
"Huh?" was the respond he intelligently made.
"What did you bought when we split? I only got a tent kit, a small tub for Goldeen, some repellants, and some packed meals for the road," she watched as the boy blinked at her as he processes the information,
"Well, I kind of had….maybe I should show you instead when we take a rest somewhere," Ash shrugged, which Pikachu gave a snort. Ash gave the mouse a stinky eye, though it was more out of humor than anything.
Misty smiled and turned back forward as the two trekked.
_____________________________________
"HELP!"
"Pikachu, scare those Zubats off!"
Ash watches as his emotionally adopted Pokémon brother let out a well controlled Thunderbolt at the flying swarm, hitting some of them off the air and scaring off the rest. He observes as Cade pulls out Dexter and lets them scan the ones paralyzed on the ground, tuning out the machine's voice as he and Misty carefully approaches the moon enthusiast, Professor Seymour. It had taken a good four hours of walking and a few minutes of rest until they finally reached Mount Moon. In time to rescue the scientist curled up on the ground.
Cade, Ash could see it in his eyes, just wished he could sense Brock's Zubat in the group, but he knows he won't be able to do so. And the fact that he would not be able to use them in battle or anything at all just…won't be a workable and healthy of a relationship between him and Zubat.
Thinking about Brock brought the worry he had been feeling towards Cade.
When Cade said that one of the people selling items was the one who showed the pocket dimension feature of the backpack, it was a lie. The person who came to him was none other than Brock.
The two hit it off pretty quickly at the start with Cade showing his care for the necessities of Pikachu and the others and Brock providing insights and some things that Cade (and Ash to the extent) never knew. Such as a portable Pikachu-sized battery cell that helps remove excess electricity and help certain Electric Types such as Pikachu from having electrical overcharge.
As it turned out, the price was 300,000 Pokémon Dollars or Poké-Dollars for short.
Ash, Cade, and even Pikachu were in aghast at the price. It was fortunate that the winning that Professor Oak have "charitably shared" to Delia was put into the Trainer Bank: a digital wallet that secures the cash trainers earn that is found in the PokéDex.
The amount in Ash's bank really made the three of them question if Ash had even seen or used this feature. Better question it for another time.
After a while though, it was revealed that Brock couldn't leave for a journey, at least for a few months.
If Cade had any reason to be mad about Flint, he would definitely be dead furious now. And he can see Pikachu is joining in on it.
Who wouldn't be mad to know that a deadbeat father had left a 15 year old teen overworking to the point of numerous health deteriorations and had to be put in the E.R.? To think that that was enough to make Flint throw the façade and take up some slack.
The three of them were out right horrified, with Cade looking ready to pick up the nearest object with capabilities of being used for hard bashing and head to Flint with a look of murder.
Ash had been told the sugar-coated version what happens between Cade and bad people and most who were sent to the ambulance were older than the teen.
Ash was still not allowed to be shown what Cade does to those people and he obediently never asked about it.
After those two departed, Ash can see how much it affected Cade. The Aura of the teen was spiking with distress that only he and Pikachu can see.
But in the pit of the ten-year-old's stomach, he can feel that the ominous foreboding of something- no, many things that will go wrong to worst soon.
It was a sense that Zorua had taught him. Mischievous and carefree he may be, Zorua is known and capable of being serious. The ability to sense or even predict dark comings are in his nature as a Dark Type. Everything of born or made negativity and unforeseen are what embodies them, an epiphany of chaos.
The first time he got that was when Cade was about to be ended by those Spearow flock. Which where (by the permissions of his mentors) he dream-walked into Pikachu's mental scape and secretly gave his partner the boost to connect and help the teen out of his despair.
But he didn't expect things to escalate in the Viridian Center.
Ash still remembered shaking with anger and fear back when that Riot person infiltrated the Viridian Center. The malicious and cocky grin on his face, the way he had dismissed and even straight-up attacked Jessie, James, and Meowth because they were "in his way", not to mention how little he cared for any life. He could feel his throat constricted when that man pointed and shoot his gun at Cade, then at Pikachu.
He didn't realize that his breathing was slowly getting erratic before he felt someone gently pressing their paw on his chest and back.
"Breathe, Ketchum. Remember the practice," a voice, gentle like a calm river but holds heavy power in sound like a crushing gravity, spoke to him with a tone that is considered soothing and assertive.
Ash followed them, closing his eyes. Breathe in slowly through the nose, pause in three, exhale slowly to five. Focus on one's own heartbeat, listen to it and only it alone. Zone off all noises around you, rely to the sixed sense to tell your surroundings.
In…out...in…out...
"Better?"
With one last breathing, Ash opened his eyes to greet Meinshao, his mentor in the ways of Fighting Types.
"Yes, Master," Ash politely bowed.
She nodded with a quipped smile, pulling back her hands and turning her head to the pond where she watches the boy occupying her student's body giving the 5th bowl of water to a Sandshrew. It seemed they missed out on a few parts. Without looking, she spoke to Ash.
"I've been seeing the sense of yearning in your eyes whenever you come here, Ketchum," she spoke, "Know that Young Fayte had no say to this as well and is trying hard not to ruin your trainer life, even though the tides of change had already rippled,"
"I know that, but it still hurts that after all the wait, all the excitement I had the night before it, only to be taken away," Ash said with a tone that would make anyone feel heartbroken as he pulled his legs to his chest, "But I don't even want to be mad at Cade. If anything, I feel like it's my fault for his situation right now,"
Meinshao sighed and softly smiled as she glances to the kid. Her student has a good heart, pure and kind despite how dim the world is. A truly blessed one, chosen to save the Pokémon without a second thought. But by the Ancients above, he is reckless abandon and very self-sacrificial.
Meinshao had to calm her emotions internally, reminding herself that this would lead to her linking a connection with the boy.
Something that they all made sure should never happen.
"Then the next time you meet Pikachu, had him reveal your awareness to his situation," she pauses with a thoughtful gaze to the ground before looking back up to him, "Just make it aware to him that you did not know about this switch and explain how you feel about it. Just don't get too carried away like the "Aura Bomb Incident","
Ash whined in a pout at that, "That was one time! You're really not gonna let me live it down,"
The two soon returned to comfortable silence as they watch Cade and Misty trek the caverns and following the cables of the lights to seek out the off switch.
"Master?" Ash spoke up.
"Yes, Ketchum?" Meinshao responded.
"Do you Mom will be okay if she finds out?"
"…I do not have an answer to that, unfortunately,"
Back to the pond's reflection, he watches as Cade and Misty follow Seymour around the caves, Pikachu shooting down the lights with one electric bolt after the other. Meinshao understood the reason for it, ensuring that the Pokémon dwelling in the caves would be able to be at ease from the troublesome lights, but this makes some problems arise with how the sounds of shattering lightbulbs echoes across the walls.
It was when the three came around the corner that they all found out who's behind all this.
Meinshao could sense the tension between the two sides, painfully aware of the other.
Though it was herself and Caden who was more tense than everyone else. Pikachu being second, and Ash being third.
They expected correctly that Team Rocket was behind this.
They expected correctly that they are looking for the Moon Stone.
But they never imagined finding Team Rocket Executive Petrel in the scene, along with a cage filled with four Clefairy plus a scared Cleffa.