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Wayward	By : suomynonakun Category: Pokemon > General Views: 3388 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
"Pathetic!"

Ash looked up from where he'd landed on his ass, staring up at the short but feisty blonde who was glaring down at him. She reminded him of Misty in some ways, her temper fierce and not to be reckoned with, but she didn't leave him with a fond feeling whenever he saw her like Misty always had. He was actually beginning to think he hated her. It was startling, because it was an emotion he had never truly felt until recently.

When he was younger he used to think he hated Gary, but he was coming to realize that he'd never harbored the kind of hatred toward Gary that he was feeling now. In fact, looking back on it, he'd peg it as annoyance at best.

He hated Giovanni. He hated him. It was a deep seething anger that bubbled up inside him every time he saw him, which, fortunately, had become less now that he was no longer the Pokemon Champion. Now he was just a seventeen year old punk, training to become another grunt in Giovanni's personal army. What else was he going to do, right? He was "dead" after all, and it had been made very clear to him that if he wished to remain alive and have his mother do the same, he'd make himself useful.

"Is that all you've got, Ketchum?" Domino taunted, tossing a blonde ponytail over her shoulder.

Yes, he hated Domino. She was Giovanni's right hand and trained all the new recruits in the ways of fighting. They had a war to win now, after all.

Unsurprisingly, not everyone was satisfied with the new leadership of Team Rocket. There was a resistance forming, people who refused to give up their pokemon without a fight, people who wouldn't bow down to this self imposed leader. Ash longed to join them.

But instead he was here, underneath the Viridian City gym, getting his ass kicked by Domino.

"Don't know why the boss is even bothering to keep you around," Domino sniffed, rolling her eyes. "Who's next?" she looked around the circle of recruits, almost all of them new faces, several looking terrified, others grim.

Ash hated them.

He hated the ones who were there because they wanted to be and he hated the ones who had been forced to join up – people who'd been rebelling then had been captured and given the choice of join or die. He hated them because he knew it was his fault they were stuck here now. He'd let Giovanni walk right into power, paving the way for him throughout his reign as "Champion." What an empty title.

He hated himself most of all. It was a loathing unlike anything he'd ever felt before. It was more than guilt. It was disappointment. What had he let happen?

"No one?" Domino scoffed. "What's the matter? You're all afraid?"

A hand appeared in Ash's vision and he blinked, realizing it was Gary, gazing down at him with an expression of what might have been worry on his face.

He took his friend's hand and let Gary pull him to his feet, feeling for the first time the blood trickling down from his nose. He used his sleeve to wipe it away.

"What are you doing?" Gary hissed at him. "You're better than that – you looked like you just gave up."

"She's too good," Ash said, shaking his head.

Domino stalked up to a particularly terrified looking boy who couldn't have been more than fourteen and said, "You. On the mat. Now." The kid was scrawny, clearly not built for any hand to hand combat, and when she approached him he appeared ready to cry.

"I'll go," Gary spoke up, surprising Ash. Gary had been training alongside Ash for the last six months, but he hadn't quite been able to master any of the fighting techniques Domino and the other trainers had taught them. His talents lay elsewhere – Ash had seen him strip and reassemble a gun in less than thirty seconds, but when it came to fighting he was more about brute strength than finesse. Against someone like Domino that wasn't going to cut it.

Domino snorted, clearly thinking the same thing. "All right then Oak, let's see if you've learned anything since last time."

"Gary—" Ash said, but his friend was already walking onto the mat.

The fight began, and Ash winced as Domino held nothing back (not that she ever did) and Gary struggled to try and block her powerful attacks. For a small person she could pack a hell of a punch.

"You know, Twerp, I never thought I'd see the day when you gave up." Ash pulled his gaze from Gary long enough to look at Jessie, who had sidled up next to him. She was still taller than he was, and stared down at him haughtily. "I figured you'd keep that annoying optimism up forever."

"Shut up," Ash said. He turned his attention back to Gary, just in time to watch him take a particularly vicious right hook to the face.

"Yeah," James chimed in from the other side of him. Ash hadn't even noticed them approach. They were sneaky, he'd give them that. "What happened to that hero complex of yours?"

"Just go away," Ash said.

"You know what I think, James?" Jessie continued, ignoring him. "I think he's just not trying."

"Really?" James asked, looking like he really understand why that would be true.

"Did you not just see her kick my butt?" Ash growled, patience all but gone as he watched Gary get his feet swept out from under him and land on his back.

"I saw a half-assed attempt at blocking some hits," Jessie said.

"See, he looks like he's actually trying," James said as Gary rolled away from a high kick that landed on the mat, but had been aimed for his face.

"Still getting his ass kicked," Jessie commented. "But yeah. At least trying."

"What do you two want?" Ash snapped.

Jessie's voice grew low, so that only Ash and James could really hear her. "You're letting him win, Twerp."

"I'm just doing what I've got to," Ash replied, suddenly wanting to hit them both.

"You're barely doing anything," Jessie said. "I've seen you training in here when you think no one's around. You're afraid if you try you'll be good at it, and that that'll somehow make you a worse person. You've got talent – own up to it. You're a Team Rocket Agent now. Better to be good than be mediocre like us. There's no respect there – no power. No chance to do something good now and then. Like help out your friend."

Ash saw the opening Domino had on Gary. He'd struggled to his feet and gave her the perfect shot at his head. Before his friend had even had a chance to shake off the last hit, she was planting her foot and spinning, a powerful roundhouse kick going straight for Gary's jaw.

But Ash had moved – something in Jessie's words spurring him onto the mat – catching her foot before it could connect.

"My turn," he said.

Domino grinned. "Look who's back for another beating. Fine. Oak, go nurse your wounds."

That was the first time Ash really tried, and the first time Domino lost a spar.

"Ash…"

"I know."

"How long?"

"Since Lavender. At least."

The group had gotten off the main road after leaving Lavender Town, heading southwest for the Safari Zone, but the addition of Agatha, who was older and not exactly built for trudging through thick woods with no path, had slowed them down considerably. They'd stopped for the night, still probably a good three or four days from their destination.

Ash and Gary were sitting on one side of the fire, talking lowly as they ate some of the food Brock had cooked up. The former gym leaders were chatting with Bruno and Agatha, catching them up on things they had missed during their years of exile.

Ash noticed that Brock would send an occasional glance their way, probably wondering if they were plotting something.

"So what's the plan?" Gary asked.

"I'll handle it," Ash replied.

Pikachu, from his spot next to him gave a quiet "Chu!" offering his help.

"Not on your own," Gary said.

"I won't be on my own, Pikachu will be with me." Ash finished his food and set it aside.

"So I'll back you up."

"There's no way they'll let the two of us out of their sight," Ash said, subtly nodding at the rebels across the flames. "I'll go, take care of it, and be back before anyone gets suspicious."

Gary sighed. When he spoke, he addressed Pikachu. "Send up a thundershock if he gets into trouble."

"Pika," the pokemon said with a nod. It wouldn't be the first time they'd used his attack as a flare.

Ash stood, leaving the light of the fire and disappearing into the woods.

"Taking a piss," he heard Gary say, probably in response to a rebel asking where he was going. "Gonna monitor that too?"

Ash seemed to melt into the darkness. His black clothes and hair helped, but years of martial arts training had taught him all the best ways to remain unseen. He knew how to find the shadows, and when he moved it was practically silent. Pikachu had scampered onto his shoulder and sat quietly. He went the long way around before doubling back, coming up right behind his targets.

They were a fair distance from the rebel's camp. Ash could just make out the small glow of the fire some ways away.

"Should I prepare for trouble?" Ash asked, crossing his arms as he looked at the back of two figures who were both peering through binoculars.

They started visibly, spinning around with gasps. Everything they did was dramatic, Ash found himself thinking.

"Satoshi!" the man with blue hair said, his expression looking a bit frightened. The woman recovered quicker from the surprise, and flipped her long red ponytail over her shoulder. They were both dressed in black.

Jessie and James had always been considered bumbling idiots among all the members of Team Rocket, their leader included, until Ash one day took the time to point out to Giovanni that he simply wasn't utilizing their talents correctly. If there was one thing he'd learned from his childhood, it was that Jessie and James could always find him. Always. No matter where he went, they would arrive and try to steal Pikachu. Sure, their follow-through was terrible, and even as a ten year old he'd been putting them in their place, but still, the fact remained, they could track.

Once Giovanni began to give them missions that solely required them to use those skills, they proved themselves surprisingly competent. At Ash's suggestion they began using their free time to work on developing new technology for Team Rocket – another thing they'd always seemed to have a knack at. As the years passed they gained respect, and Giovanni now actually considered them fairly irreplaceable assets.

"You've caused quite the stir at HQ, Twerp," Jessie said, using her favorite nickname for him. At some point over the years Ash was pretty sure it had become a term of endearment.

"Good," Ash said. "What's the point if I didn't create a little panic?"

"What are you planning to do?" James said, wringing his hands. "There are rumors flying around that you're coming back to kill everyone."

"Don't be stupid, James," Jessie snapped. "It would be suicide to even try."

"Does he know we're here?" Ash said, ignoring both of their comments.

"We haven't checked in yet," Jessie said. "And do you mind telling us where you managed to find two of the Elite Four? Did you just stumble over them on your mad dash from Team Rocket?"

"Have you heard anything about our families?" Ash asked, once again not answering them. He must have sounded more anxious than he intended to, because they both gave him sympathetic looks.

Jessie shook her head. "You know we're on a need to know basis," she said. "Apparently we don't need to know. All I've heard is that Cassidy took one of Suzie's monsters down to Pallet. Nearly destroyed the whole place."

Ash's expression darkened.

"Are you going to come back and kill everyone?" James asked again.

"I'm going to do what I should have done years ago," Ash replied.

"But not to us, right?" James said. "I thought we were friends, Twerp."

It was true. Ash did consider them friends. Or maybe the older siblings he'd never really wanted.

"I thought we were too," Ash replied with a shake of his head. "But here you are, hunting us down for Giovanni."

"What were we supposed to do?" Jessie said. "Tell him no? You know that's not exactly an option."

"You should do whatever you feel like you should do," Ash said. "But I'm going to set things right. You can either help me or you can try to stop me."

Jessie and James exchanged nervous looks.

"What exactly is your plan, Twerp?" Jessie asked. "You come for the boss, you'd better be prepared to start a war. And two Elite four and a few of ex-gym leaders aren't going to be much of an army."

"That's a problem for me to worry about," Ash said. "The real question is what are you two going to do?"

"What do you mean?" James asked, still sounding nervous.

"If you tell Giovanni where we are, we're as good as dead," Ash said. His former boss wouldn't make the mistake of letting them get away a second time.

"And if we tell him we can't find you, so are we," Jessie said. "We're only useful when we find the people we're supposed to track. And when we aren't useful-"

James finished her sentence for her, taking his finger and sliding it across his neck. "Dead."

Ash knew this. He was sure Giovanni was aware that there was a certain sort of friendship between him and Jessie and James and if they suddenly failed to do what they could do best, it would look suspicious. "The time will come when you're going to have to choose a side," Ash said. "But for now, all we need is head start."

The duo looked at each other. Finally, Jessie said, "We can give you that."

"I appreciate it," Ash said with a shake of his head. "But if you just let us leave, Giovanni's gonna get suspicious. Plus, you're terrible liars."

"We fooled you enough times," Jessie huffed, clearly offended by his words.

"I was ten," Ash defended himself. "And, what can I say, James makes a convincing woman." He grinned as Pikachu "Kaa'd" in agreement.

"Oh shut up," James replied. "So what-"

But James never got to finish his sentence. Ash, faster than either of them were able to react to, brought his hands down, hitting them in the crook of their necks and knocking them both unconscious. "Sorry," he said, as they both crumpled to the ground.

"Chu, pika," Pikachu said.

"I know, Pikachu," Ash said. "But better to wake up with a headache and a good excuse, than try to make Giovanni buy that they lost us."

He knelt down and went through the pack James had been carrying. He used the rope he found to secure them both to a tree, then shrugged the pack onto his shoulders.

"Ash?"

The call came from a distance away. It was Brock's voice. He'd been gone for a while, he realized, and the rebels were probably starting to wonder if he'd slipped off. Ash quickly made his way back.

"Ash!" Brock called again. He was standing near the edge of camp, and Misty and Erika were also looking out into the darkness.

"I'm here," he said, sliding up quietly enough that Brock started when he finally spoke.

"Where did you-" Brock began, but Ash didn't stop his stride, walking into camp and over to Gary.

"We need to move," he said to them all, tossing Gary a communicator he'd pulled off of Jessie and James. "Can you reprogram it?" he asked his partner.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Gary said, catching it with a grin. Gary and Ash made a good team, because they both excelled at very different things. Ash was the quiet one - the martial artist, stealthy and good with silent weapons. Gary was the loud one, a crack shot who knew how to rig things to explode, and had a knack for messing with technology.

"What's going on?" Misty said.

"Where did you get those supplies?" Erika added.

"Rocket trackers," Ash replied. "We need to get going. We sit around here and they'll find us before we ever make it to the Safari Zone."

The rebels exchanged glances, and, much to Ash's surprise, didn't question him. They began to pack their things, and Agatha and Bruno stood as well.

"How long we got?" Gary asked, once the others were busy gathering their belongings. He popped the case of the communicator off and began examining the wires.

"Maybe a day," Ash replied. "Left them tied to a tree, unconscious. They'll need to get back to a town before they can check in."

Gary glanced up at the rest of their group, particularly at Agatha. "A day won't be enough," he said. "They'll catch up and this time they'll have friends." He popped a wire out and reconnected it. "Tons of friends."

"I know," Ash said. "And they can't find the Safari Zone. Not before the rebels have a chance to mobilize."

"You sound like you have a plan," Gary said.

"A plan for what?" Brock asked, approaching them with his pack slung over his shoulders. He asked the question loud enough that the rest of the rebels glanced over as well. Gary finished with the communicator and handed it to Ash, who in turn gave him the other one he was holding. He opened it and started the same process.

"This secure?" Ash asked.

"It's on its own channel now," Gary said. "The one we use when we don't want anyone to hear us."

"We need to split up," Ash said to all of them. "You get to the Safari Zone, and I'm going to lead Team Rocket on a wild psyduck chase. If they catch us now, we're all dead, and if they figure out our destination, your rebellion's going to be squashed before it even starts."

"Ash," Gary said. "We need to get to the Safari Zone." Gary had been pretty patient (by Gary standards), but Ash knew it was driving him crazy not to know if his family was all right. They had no way to securely communicate with the Safari Zone, so until they arrived there themselves, they were in the dark.

"I know," Ash said. "You'll go with them."

"Like hell," Gary replied instantly. "No chance you're going on your own to be bait."

"Yeah, Ash," Misty chimed in, tugging her own pack on. "That sounds like a terrible idea. We should stick together."

"Sticking together's not an option," Ash said. "I can move faster on my own and pull their attention away from you guys."

"No," Gary said with a firm shake of his head. "I'm going with you."

"Gary—"

"No," Gary repeated.

Misty and Erika were looking to Brock, clearly unsure what to do. Ash knew that he and Gary were still technically their prisoners, still technically traitors not to be trusted, and letting them go on their own was taking a big risk, because as far as they knew, they could run back to Giovanni and give him all the information he needed to destroy the rebellion. Not that Ash had any such intention, but he couldn't really blame them for their concern.

Brock seemed to think on Ash's plan long and hard, before finally speaking up. "We'll split up," he said. "Misty, Erika, Bruno and Agatha will head to the Safari Zone. I'll go with Ash and Gary."

"Brock—" Ash began to protest. It wasn't safe for him to come with them. They were deliberately going to make themselves targets.

"We can kill two pidgeys with one stone here," Brock cut him off. "Bruno and Agatha think they know where Lorelei is. We were discussing it while you were in the woods. So the three of us will lead Team Rocket away from the rebellion, lose them, and then continue on to see if we can get a third Elite on our side."

Ash raised his eyebrows and looked at Gary. Gary just shrugged, finishing up with the second communicator and tossing it to Ash. "No worse than your original plan," he said with a smirk.

Ash didn't really like the idea of taking Brock into a situation that was definitely going to be dangerous. But they didn't have much time to sit around arguing, and honestly if Brock was anything like he used to be, he was competent and level headed, which was exactly what they could use for the plan he was formulating.

"We'll need the rest of our weapons," he finally said.

Misty, Brock and Erika exchanged glances, but none of them made an argument. Misty reached into her bag and handed Ash his daggers, Erika unbuckled Gary's holster and held it and his second gun out, and Brock removed the bo staff from where it had been strapped to his back.

"We're trusting you here," Brock said, handing him the staff.

Ash nodded. "You won't regret it," he promised, putting his weapons back where they belonged.

Ash held one of the communicators out to Misty. "The connection is secure. Let us know when you make it to the Safari Zone."

"And who you find there," Gary added tensely, reminding them all of the uncertain fate of Professor Oak, May, and Delia Ketchum.

Misty handed the communicator to Erika. "I'm coming with you," she told Ash.

"Misty, no-" Brock said.

"I'm coming, Brock, so let's avoid the argument and get moving," she replied, and Ash could hear a familiar stubbornness in her tone. There was no arguing with her when she was like that; he'd learned that the hard way.

Brock opened his mouth, looking ready to give it a try anyway, but Gary interrupted the looming fight with, "We need to get moving."

They quickly finished packing and put out the fire.

Erika pulled Misty aside, and after a moment of speaking in low tones, they hugged each other goodbye. Ash and Gary said goodbye to Bruno and Agatha.

"Be careful," Bruno told them, clapping Ash on the back so hard that Brock winced from across the camp.

"Always are," Ash said, and Gary gave a disbelieving snort.

Ash shot him a look.

Then they were splitting up, Erika, Bruno, and Agatha heading south for the Safari Zone, while the rest of them headed west.

They made the trek toward Vermillion City in silence, picking their way through the forest at a much quicker pace than earlier. They no longer had Agatha to worry about, and since they were actually trying to be followed, they didn't need to concern themselves with covering their tracks or staying off of main roads. In fact they were steadily making their way to Route 11. Things still felt tense, however, and Ash wasn't stupid enough to think that just because they'd given them their weapons back that somehow they now magically trusted him. Or had forgiven him. He thought about trying to talk to them, especially as they passed an area he was pretty sure they'd once made camp in years ago on their first journey to Vermillion, but in the end, he couldn't bring himself to say anything. Why dredge up memories from back then - from a time where they'd never have imagined Ash would fall so far? Another lifetime it felt like.

It was Misty who broke the silence. "You know, walking all over Kanto didn't seem like that big of a deal when we were kids," she said once they finally hit Route 11.

Brock actually let out a laugh, which was almost startling, considering how serious they'd all been until that moment. "I know, I feel like I've been on my feet forever. How did we do it?"

Ash didn't know what to say, and silence fell over the group once more, until, to Ash's surprise, Gary spoke up with a smirk. "I didn't."

"Yeah, well not all of us had a convertible that came with a bunch of cheerleaders, Gary," Ash teased before he could stop himself.

Misty didn't seem to be able to hold back a laugh of her own, "How could I have forgotten about that!"

"It didn't come with cheerleaders," Gary replied, ignoring her laughter, which had actually made Brock laugh too. "I couldn't help it that they all wanted to be around my awesome presence."

"Pika!" Pikachu said from Ash's shoulder, feeling the need to chime in.

Ash couldn't help it, he started to laugh as well, which in turn made Gary grin. You'd think they were a group of friends just out for a walk.

The tension slowly disappeared as they continued up Route 11. They spent a while teasing Gary, but then moved on to other things, mostly reminiscing about the last time they'd walked down this road together. The moon was full enough to provide them with enough light to see by.

Ash pulled to a sudden stop after maybe an hour, grabbing Misty and Brock by the arm and tugging them off the road and into the edge of the woods. "Checkpoint."

It wasn't uncommon on larger routes to find a Team Rocket checkpoint. Giovanni didn't want people just coming and going as they pleased.

"Perfect," Gary said. "I was hoping we'd find one." Ash nodded.

"…What?" Misty said, and the laughter that had been in her tone only moments before had disappeared, replaced with disbelief. Ash glanced over at her, and she took a step back. "Is that what this was? An excuse to get backup?"

"Misty—" Ash said, realizing what she had thought they'd meant, but Gary interrupted him before he could finish.

"An excuse to get transportation," his partner said. "They'll have a vehicle we can 'borrow.'" He turned to look at her and Brock. "Look. I don't think you really get it. If we wanted to leave - hell, if we wanted to capture or kill you - we wouldn't need backup. We're on your damn side, all right?"

Ash made eye contact with her, and he could see her uncertainty. He let out a soft sigh, trying to tell himself that she had every right to doubt him, and that it was stupid to let it bother him. After a moment he said, "Stay here. I'll handle this."

Misty looked ready to protest, but something seemed to deflate in her, and she said nothing. Brock had been glancing between them all, looking like he was trying to figure out what to say, or maybe even decide who to trust. When Ash spoke though, he looked at Gary, clearly expecting an argument from him (probably based on how he had refused to let Ash come on his own in the first place).

Gary, however, nodded. "Distraction or backup?" he asked Ash, drawing a Beretta. He might be unwilling to let his partner wander off on what he considered a suicide mission, but Gary knew where Ash's strengths lay. Taking out a couple of sentries in a quiet and efficient manner wasn't exactly a difficult task for him.

"Backup," Ash replied, sliding the bo staff from his back. "Your distractions always seem to end in gunfire."

"What's more distracting than gunfire?" Gary asked.

Ash shook his head with a snort. "I'll be fifteen minutes." He looked at Pikachu, who seemed to know what his trainer wanted without him saying anything, and used his paws to open the bag on Ash's shoulders and hide inside. Ash slipped further into the woods, disappearing into the shadows, leaving Gary, Misty, and Brock to wait and listen for any sign of trouble.

Fifteen minutes almost to the second, the jeep they'd spotted earlier pulled to a stop next to them. "Need a lift?" Ash asked from the open window.

"Shotgun," Gary said.

He opened the passenger's side door, only to be met with Pikachu. "Pikachu, pika!" the yellow rodent said.

Gary never completely understood what Pikachu was saying, but he'd known him long enough to always get the gist. "Sorry rat," he said, moving to pick him up so he could sit. "I called it."

Before Gary could get his hands on him, Pikachu started to spark. "Chuuu..."

" I'd say he called it, Gary," Ash said with a grin as Brock and Misty slid into the back seat. Gary yanked his hand back, grumbling, and slid in the back next to them.

There was silence as Ash pulled a u-turn and headed for Vermillion.

It was Brock who started laughing, and soon Misty and Ash had joined in. "Shut up," Gary said, crossing his arms.

Stay out of cities. It was 'Evading Team Rocket 101'. Not that they didn't have ways to find you otherwise - Jessie and James were proof enough of that. But cities provided all sorts of extra challenges. They had cameras. They had curfews. They had regular patrols. So if you didn't want to be found by Team Rocket, you did your damnedest to remain as far away from any city you could.

But here they were, crouched in an alleyway of Vermillion City, waiting for the sun to finish setting and the guard at the docks to change.

"You know, it would have been a good time to quit smoking ," Ash said to Gary from beneath his hood as his partner lit up a cigarette. Gary had been thrilled to discover a pack in the glove compartment of the jeep. "You'd already been weeks without one. Toughest part was over."

"Sorry," Gary said, taking a long drag. "I can't hear you over the siren call of the nicotine."

Ash shook his head and they sat in silence for several minutes, waiting for the go ahead. It had started raining about an hour earlier, and in the distance thunder could be heard. It was the best cover Ash could have asked for.

"The guard just changed for the night." It was Misty's voice that was suddenly in both their ears.

"Copy that," Ash replied.

The checkpoint had proven useful for more than just transportation. After Ash had left the three sentries unconscious and tied together in the small booth that they used for when the weather got bad, he and Pikachu quickly went through everything they could find, looking for supplies. The earpieces that the sentries were wearing to communicate seemed particularly useful, so he'd grabbed them, as well as two of their black hooded jackets. Both Brock and Misty had their own traveling cloaks, but Ash and Gary hadn't had time to get most of their things during the ransacking of the Pewter Gym, and they would need something to cover their faces once they hit the city.

It was mid-afternoon the next day when they made it to Vermillion, each of them having taken turns driving so they all could get some sleep. Ash and Gary knew where the city's security was the weakest and they'd managed to get into the Vermillion without coming upon any checkpoints. They abandoned the jeep and made their way on foot when Ash had pointed out that eventually Team Rocket would be looking for the missing vehicle, and staying in it any longer than necessary would just lead their enemies right to them. Pikachu was hidden safely in the pack he'd stolen from Jessie and James.

"Shall we?" Gary said, stubbing out his cigarette on the brick wall next to them.

Ash nodded and stood.

Several buildings over, Brock and Misty were perched on a roof, using the binoculars Ash had "borrowed" from Jessie and James to keep watch. They were going to be the guides for Ash and Gary – their eyes and ears as they infiltrated the shipyard.

"I know we're trying to get their attention," Brock's voice came through the comm. "But are you sure you want to be this... obvious?"

"By the time Giovanni realizes we're here, we'll be gone," Ash said. "Pikachu. It's all you, my friend." The bag on his back shifted as Pikachu wiggled his way out and took his usual position on his trainer's shoulder. "You know what to do."

Pikachu nodded, answering in the affirmative with a determined sounding, "Chu." Then he bounded off his shoulder and used Agility, speeding off in a blur of yellow that disappeared into the darkness of the evening.

"I'm having trouble following him," Misty said.

"Don't worry," Ash replied. "You'll know when it's time for us to move."

Several minutes passed as they waited in silence. Then, rather suddenly, there was a deafening crack of thunder and the shipyard was lit up as a large bolt of lightning from the storm hit somewhere inside. Or at least that was how it looked.

"Uh…" Misty said, sounding a little surprised. "I think that's your cue."

Ash and Gary were already on the move, emerging from the alley and quickly making their way to the tall chain link fence that surrounded the shipyard. Pikachu's job was to knock out all of the power, which definitely seemed to have been handled. The shipyard had been cast into darkness, and Ash could hear yells as the guards tried to figure out what had happened. The distraction and lack of cameras, was enough to let them easily scale the now shorted out fence and drop to the other side with no one the wiser.

There were large shipping containers everywhere in the inside of the yard, which provided plenty of cover and made their path to their target a bit of a maze.

"There's movement heading your way," Misty said through the comm. "Looks like two men and some type of pokemon using a flame attack for light."

"It's a houndour," Brock said.

Ash flattened himself against the shipping container and Gary followed suit. "You take the houndour," he said quietly. "I'll handle the men. Gimmie a boost."

Gary nodded, lacing his fingers together to give him a foothold so Ash could hoist himself up on top of the container. Ash silently made his way to the edge, treading carefully so he didn't slip on the wet metal and peering over at the approaching patrol. There were two men, one shorter and wearing a ball cap, the other tall, with long hair pulled back into a ponytail. The dark dog-like pokemon with them suddenly paused, lifting his nose into the air and beginning to sniff.

"Ash, Gary, I think he's got your scent," Brock said. Sure enough the houndour began to growl and head toward their container.

There was a crack and a brief flash of light as a large biped pokemon with large ears and a horn on its nose appeared in front of the patrol. "Nidoqueen!" she grumbled, and the two Rockets took several steps backwards,

"Houndour!" the shorter man spoke, sounding as if he was about to command his pokemon to attack. Before he could, however, Ash dropped down behind him. He spun, lowering his center of gravity and using his bo to sweep the man's legs out from under him. The taller Rocket turned, one hand reaching for his poke belt, the other for his gun, but Ash was faster, and, without even stopping his momentum from his original spin, brought his staff up and caught him under the chin. The Rocket stumbled, but got his hand on his gun. Unfortunately for him he wasn't able to draw it before Ash readjusted his grip and shoved the end of his bo into his stomach, instantly knocking the wind out of him and dropping him to his knees.

The shorter one scrambled to his feet and reached for his comm unit, presumably to sound the alarm. Ash planted his foot and spun, hitting him in the chest with a hard roundhouse kick that knocked him right back to the ground. The houndour growled and turned its attention from the Nidoqueen, crouching low and launching himself at Ash, clearly trying to protect his trainer.

"Body Slam," Gary commanded his pokemon. Nidoqueen instantly threw herself onto the houndour, who let out a yelp.

The patrolman who'd been gasping for air tried for a second time to get his gun, thinking Ash was distracted by the pokemon that had been about to attack him, but Ash had trusted Gary to have the pokemon in hand, and hadn't taken his attention from the two Rockets. The Rocket appeared surprised as he was smashed in the head with Ash's bo. He slumped to the ground, unconscious. The houndour's trainer was struggling to get back to his feet, but stopped moving at the click of a safety, and found himself looking up into the barrel of Gary's gun.

"I'd stay down if I were you," Gary suggested.

The Rocket took the advice, staying still and lifting his hands in surrender. There was the sound of a whimper from beneath Nidoqueen, where the man's houndour was still stuck. "What do you want?" the Rocket asked.

"You'll see," Gary said, pulling back his hand and hitting him hard in the face with his pistol. The man went down, face first onto the wet pavement.

There was a small growl from Gary's Nidoqueen as the houndour bit her in an attempt to get free. Annoyed, she moved off of him enough to give him a hard Skull Bash, without even waiting for Gary's command. The houndour whimpered and fainted.

"Not bad," Misty said. "Doesn't look like you caught anyone else's attention yet."

"What say we cause some real panic?" Gary said after thanking and recalling his pokemon. He pushed down his hood and grinned at his partner. The rain had picked up and quickly started to flatten Gary's hair to his head.

"Panic?" Misty repeated. "I thought this was the part of the mission where you wanted to be stealthy?"

"There's more than one way to go unnoticed," Ash said as Gary knelt down and snagged a comm from one of the unconscious Rockets' belts.

"We're under attack!" Gary said into the comm. "West gate! Repeat we are under attack! It's Satoshi and Shigeru, they've got pokemon- AAAH!" He cut off the transmission and hooked the comm unit to his belt.

There was a pause, then Misty said, "They're moving west."

"How many?" Ash asked.

"Looks like… all of them."

"We've probably got less than ten minutes before they realize no one's there," Ash said. "Misty, Brock, time to move. Head through the east gate and meet us at the rendezvous."

"Let's go," Gary said.

Ash and Gary broke into a run, navigating the maze of shipping containers and heading toward The Persian, a giant freighter docked in the harbor. A few times they heard the sounds of Rockets running an aisle or two over, but they managed to avoid any other confrontations.

"Pikapi!" came a little voice as they finally made it to The Persian, and Pikachu sped up to them, not stopping until he had scampered back onto his favorite spot on Ash's shoulder.

"Great work, Pikachu," Ash said, and the pokemon "kaaa"d proudly.

"Onto phase two," Gary said.

Misty and Brock stood silently on the boat Ash and Gary had told them to meet at, hoods of their cloaks up and protecting their faces from the downpour. This boat was smaller than a lot of the ships at the dock, a mere fishing vessel that rocked quietly in the choppy water as they waited. Across the shipyard they could hear shouts, and Misty was pretty sure the Rockets had figured out that Satoshi and Shigeru weren't attacking - at least not at the West gate.

"We're at the rendezvous," she said into the comm unit she and Brock had been using to communicate with the two former Rockets. "Where are you guys?"

There was a long silence in which she and Brock exchanged a nervous look. Had they been duped? Led into some kind of elaborate trap? She wanted to trust Ash, she really did, but knowing that he'd spent the better part of the last decade working for the very group she'd thought had killed him was a hard and bitter pill to swallow. He'd lied. And he was no mere lackey. She watched him dispatch the Rocket's earlier, and when she closed her eyes at night she could still see him using his knives on the ones in the Pewter Gym. He knew how to kill, and Misty could tell this wasn't his first time taking a life.

If he'd been in the service of Team Rocket, how many innocent lives had he taken? How could the boy she knew all those years ago have become what she saw today? A skilled, hardened murder. How could she trust him when she felt like she barely knew him? He wasn't the person she'd once cared about.

The comm in her hand suddenly crackled to life with Ash's voice. "We're on our way, untie the boat, we've got less than three minutes."

"Three minutes before what?" Misty asked. That was another problem. Ash and Gary were clearly so used to working alone that they kept forgetting to let her and Brock in on what appeared to be vital parts of the plan. That or they were deliberately keeping them in the dark. Either way she didn't like it.

"Let's just say we don't want to be nearby," Gary replied.

Brock looked at her, and they both quickly set to work untying the ropes that held the boat to the dock. Misty looked perfectly at home on the water vessel, while Brock nearly slipped several times. They left one rope fastened so they didn't begin to drift away.

Two dark figures suddenly sped into view, sprinting toward the boat they were on. Brock and Misty both almost reached for their weapons, but they recognized the shape of Pikachu on one's shoulder. Neither Ash nor Gary slowed their pace as they approached, both jumping onto the boat, Ash pulling a dagger and immediately going to cut the last remaining rope, while Gary slid a bit on the wet deck before making straight for the steering column and turning on the engine. The Rocket's had clearly been confident about their security, because Misty had noticed when they boarded that the keys had been left in the ignition. Gary threw it into reverse and began to back them away from the dock.

"Over there!" someone called as the sound of the motor gave away their position.

Despite the dark, they could make out several silhouettes appearing from around the large shipping containers Ash and Gary had been weaving their way through earlier. Brock and Misty pulled their guns and Ash went over to take the wheel from Gary. Misty had noticed that Ash didn't carry any firearms, and she'd yet to see him even attempt to shoot one.

Ash worked on steering them away, Pikachu still on his shoulder, while Gary pulled one of his Berettas. The Rockets on the dock started firing, and Misty and Brock ducked down behind the rails on the deck for a bit of cover before returning fire. With the rocking and movement of the boat though, Misty was pretty sure they might as well be shooting at the water for all the good it seemed to be doing.

Three silhouettes suddenly dropped, and she glanced over at Gary, who was standing on the deck unconcerned with cover, looking focused, but still a little pleased with himself.

"Hang on!" Ash called, and Gary grabbed for a rail as the boat suddenly lurched to the right. He put it at full throttle, speeding out of the port and toward the open sea.

Misty was about to stand up, but there was suddenly a deafening boom and she and Brock's heads both snapped back to look at the shipyard, where the biggest ship, The Persian, was now only half visible. The rest of it was on fire.

When Misty looked back at them, Gary was grinning and holstering his gun. "I told you rerouting the fuel would work," he said to Ash.

"Remind me never to doubt your demolitions knowledge," Ash replied.

"Did you just blow up a freighter?" Brock asked.

"Yup," Gary said proudly. "A freighter full of weapons and supplies bound for Viridian City. The Persian is Giovanni's personal supply ship. He's gonna be pissed."

"That ought to get his attention," Ash added.

"You two are crazy," Misty said.

"Little bit," Gary agreed.

A/N: Oh hey. I'm still writing. Crazy right? This one was kind of long but I had a lot I wanted to get through. I guess long is better than short, right?
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