Author's Note: The Lyrics in this chapter are from Superman (It's not easy) by Five For Fighting.
Although Ace escaped, James was recovering and Nero was fuming, while Ash kept his mind on Misty. Had it been a dream? Did she kiss him or was the link fading into a dream? Ash lead his party back to camp.
James felt failure hang over his head. He was always failing but, this time someone trusted him. He trusted Ace to be tricked by the jerk in the end. He did not speak with the others. He let them all down.
Nero knew this was bad, if Ace was really a Rocket they were in danger. He reminded Ash they should get a move on soon. Ash agreed, he knew Ace ran with a reason. What that reason was he wouldn't know but, he would not risk James or Nero's lives if Ace had foul intentions.
"Well I for one didn't trust him!" Meowth sat drinking a coke while James stared blandly into the fire. "I only trust James here and....Jessie. She ain't around to lift our spirits."
James thought of Jessie, he wanted her here. She always beat on him and Meowth but, she was there only true friend. Meowth patted James on the back.
"Don't worry James! It wasn't really your fault." Meowth offered him a snack cake.
"But it is! I let him make a fool out of me!"
"He fooled us all James." Ash stirred the fire. "We all thought he ran off."
"Well I rather trust you than that other fellow." Nero offered his hand.
James looked at their faces, they were offering him friendship. He smiled back and shook Nero's hand. He felt better, after all Ace made fools out of Ash and Nero too. Meowth felt someone tap his shoulder. Pikachu held his paw out. Meowth shook it. Their truce was the strongest bond holding this mismatched team together. That truce was altering into partnership.
"You want first crack at this punk Big Sue?" Jesus spat a stream of saliva.
"Go ahead Jesus trounce him!" She laughed.
"If anyone gets trounced it'll be you!" Ace was motionless, his cloak flying wildly in the breeze. "I'm waiting!"
Jesus jeered, he ordered his Dark Pupitar to slash. Ace had his impish smirk on. He tossed the pokéball from his hand.
"Draco!" He shouted as the beast emerged from the ball.
Houndour struck the ball with her paw. She leapt at the pupitar, Ace was stunned by her behavior. She gripped the bug by the head and sent it swirling in the air. Then she tackled it. Jesus was screaming furiously. Houndour rammed it, then she bit into the monster's tail.
The pupitar vented acid from it's pores. Houndour was poisoned, she stumbled away whimpering. Drool flowing, Ace had to end this fast. He tossed the ball once more.
"Go Draco!" This time his dragon emerged unopposed.
The Charizard, snorted. He blew streams of smoke out his nostrils. Jesus and Big Sue lost their wits as the smokescreen engulfed them. Ace grabbed Houndour and landed on Draco's back.
"Draco firespin!" Draco spewed jets of fire at the slave trappers. "Fly! Draco tackle."
Draco lifted on command. Ace felt the solid impact as Draco slammed into the confused villians. He had the pleasure of watching them hurl across the sky and out of sight.
"Draco fly me to Viridian old friend." He gave the pokémon a pat on the head. "Good old Draco! You never let me down."
A walk at night was risky but, what choice were they given. Ash didn't like the idea. It was easy to get lost. Nero consulted his maps, James studied the map over Nero's shoulder. Nero was getting irritated by this.
Meowth was napping near James' feet. Pikachu sat upon Ash's shoulder. He was worried about Ash. He was so quiet, lost in his ponderings. Pikachu grabbed his hat, leaping in front of him. Ash kept stirring the coals. Pikachu put the hat on his head doing a little jig.
Ash noticed Pikachu, he smiled as he cradled the mouse in his arms. Pikachu laughed and hugged Ash back. Ash held Pikachu in front of him. How did he wind up with such a terrific pokémon? Luck, same way he would get Misty. Luck. He knew he wasn't dreaming. He held Pikachu again. The two were true partners, destined to be Masters!
He knew he was destined to love Misty. It was always Pikachu who helped him see things clearly as he was helping Ash see his destiny now. Ash knew it was time to move the others out. He knew he could lead them to safety.
"Alright! Let's get walking folks!" He let Pikachu hop alongside of him.
"What is that sound?" James listened carefully.
Nero tried to hear it but, just couldn't. Ash thought he heard a whistling sound. Pikachu was tense, his ear twitching.
"Hey you hear that too?" Meow sleeply trudged toward them.
"Yeah, what is it?" Ash and crew looked North, the source of the sound.
"Hey losers! I bet you never knew I had this little pet in my line-up!" Ace flew over them bellowing.
"That rat!" James unleashed Victreebel. "Razor Leaf!"
Victreebel latched onto James' head instead. It took Tork to pull the always confused plant off of James. Ace laughed it up as he flew a few circles watching the show below. He then odered Draco to resume their course.
"We should not go into Viridian." Nero aligned Ace's direction on the map. "Ace is heading there."
Just then two people landed into their camp. Ash jumped back. Nero coughed while he tried waving the dust out of his face. James grabbed them by the shoulder hauling them all towards the woods.
The dust cleared and they could see a man and woman sitting up. They had been in a fight. A Dark Pupitar wobbled about near them. Nero nudged his companions, all eyes turned to him.
"Those are the Queen's Royal Trappers, see the black bands on their shoulders. Those bands signify them as that rank." Nero motioned for them to run.
"Hey, tell the Queen that we were ambushed in the woods by a kid and his Charizard. He's got to be the one the legends speak of." The man spoke into the walkie talkie.
"Legend? What's that about?" Ash whispered as they crawled away silently.
"Okay, when the Rocket's took over Emerald a young girl was said to be able to see visions of the future. I was told that the Rocket Queen forced this girl to tell her everything about her rule. Giovanni was to be killed and that she was going to be all powerful for but, a brief time. A boy riding upon his dragon would come to end her reign." Nero lifted up just a little to see where the trappers where. "They didn't notice us. They're running toward the city."
As Nero turned around everyone was staring at Ash, he was out again. James shook him but, he continued to sleep. Meowth was pointing towards the woods. He was talking about seeing something moving out there. Nero watched carefully.
"James there is something out there. I can see figures jumping through the trees."
"Ash! This is no time to sleep! Wake up!" James' eyes widen when he saw what Nero and Meowth were watching.
Yes, something was alive in the forest, they leapt from tree to tree. James was stuttering as he tried to wake Ash.
"No! Higher Draco!" Ace watched the castle from on high. "We can't be seen."
"We're home Draco." He began to pet his Charizard. "How long has it been boy? Ten? Thirteen? How many years old friend?"
Ace was astonished by the size of Team Rocket's army. They were gathered below for a public spectacle. A woman was addressing the army. She was ensuring them victory over the denizens of Greenfield. Ace was intrigued by her, she was no old than thirty-seven or thirty-five. She had beauty.
He wondered why so many bowed to her. Ace circled once more, he was theorizing at this point. Yet, how they smiled to her, knelt, screamed out to her.
"She's Giovanni's widow Draco." Ace was torn, here was his chance to attack and take down their leader. "If I kill her I might as well kill the both us Draco. Oh! The irony! To kill her is to kill us!"
Could he order his faithful dragon to fly toward his doom? No, it was not fair to Draco. Ace would have to jump from the dragon's back. He had to time it just right. He unholstered his gun.
From Draco's saddle bag he produced a shiny orb. He ordered Draco to dive then make a rapid climb. He felt Draco's wings fold as the brute dived. As he took the measures for this insane accost upon Giovanni's widow he felt something rush against Draco's side.
Draco spewed flames as his wings unfurled, the lift shot them into a high orbit over the castle. Ace saw the Rocket Queen as a mere fleck from on high. He felt a warmness splash across his hip. Draco was bleeding. He was amazed to find his saddle strap survived the assault.
The Aerodactyl looped before him, Ace saw a rider saddle in a similar fashion as he. He pushed a button on the orb. It made some whirling sounds, it sprang to life as it unfolded and took shape. He lightly kicked Draco on his good side. Draco knew this signal, he made a rolling spiral to the right. The hyperbeams from the dactyl cut the night harmlessly.
Ace slapped Draco's back slightly. Draco killed the roll and launched a flamethrower at the Rocket. She was graceful in her evasive moves. Then he saw what he wanted to see. The dactyl spun around before them. The orb had become a mirrored shield. He saw the blast coming.
On the beast's back Ace could see the grunt muttering silently to herself. A prayer. He was tempted to lower the shield and have Draco fly higher, yet this was survival. The light exploded against the polished surface of his shield. The beam flew back toward the Rocket. Ace turned away as the Aerodactyl began to death spiral.
As the dactyl shrieked, Ace and Draco flew on. Where to? He didn't care, he was sick over what he had to do to that young grunt. He heard the cry of other dactyls taking flight shortly after the sickening thump.
Wish that I could cry!
Fall upon my knees!
Find a way to lie
About a home I'll never see!
It may sound absurd...but don't be naive!
Even heroes have the right to bleed!
I may be disturbed... but won't you concede!
Even heroes have the right to dream.
It's not easy to be me!
Up, up and away...away from me!
It's all right...you can all sleep sound tonight!
I'm not crazy...or anything....
A hollow echo followed him, Ash knew this place very well. This was his third trip to the mystic world of psychic thoughts. He called out to Misty. Where was she? Would he hold her again, feel her lips. He shouted again.
"Cease that banter boy!" A dark figure lingered before a full moon. "I have brought you here.
The figure remained sitting, Ash questioned it. He wanted to know why he was brought here and by who.
"Be silent child, I wished to employ you boy." The figures eyes glowed.
"Employ? Me? For what! All I want is out of this world!" Ash longed to see Misty, he needed to know if he had dreamed their kiss.
"Clueless child. You wish to think more fondly upon romance while I offer you the greatest of prizes and riches!"
"What you offer has no interest to me! Let me return to the real world." Ash walked away.
"Fool! I offer you the most precious of things! Misty."
Ash whirled about. He shouted at the figure, he demanded it not to bring Misty to Emerald.
"Simplton! I do not offer to bring the girl to you! I offer to bring you to her! I can send you home boy. You must preform a task for me though."
"Will you? Do you have that power?" Ash approached. "What about Gary? Jessie? To leave them would be unfair."
"I can not send them. Your Jessie is closer to you than you think." The figure laughed. "I can send you to a time before the incidents that brought you here. You would save your friends yourself."
"Why do they fear us? The Rockets? How did they know we were coming!" Ash shouted.
"Do not come any closer! For your saftey come no closer boy!" The figure held out a three fingered hand.
"You're not human?" Ash was stunned.
"No, I am but a burdened monstrosity! I have not seen you upclose yet boy. If you come closer the Queen will force me to betray you. For your sake face away."
"Why me? Why did you chose me to do...what is it you want me to do?"
"Defeat the Queen! She fears you child! A prophecy was told that children from another world would come to end her reign."
"You want me to free your people." Ash was lost in thought.
"Not my people! Your kind! Your people! I have no people! Free them! Overthrow the Queen! I care not! Free me! I will crush her armies and free them and we will have what we desire, love!" His thoughts were on her again.
"Why would you do any of this?" Doubts floated into Ash's mind. "Besides I've heard the prophecy, it's a man riding a dragon that ends her rule."
"You heard wrong boy! It is the boy on the dragon that ends her life! It is those from another world that destroy her hold on the people of the Emerald Kingdom!"
"Why would you do any of this if you work for her."
"For what else! For the freedom of her! For the freedom of our children! For love, for the love of her! Always for my love! I am trapped here by my love for Cassandra. I am a slave to the Rocket Queen not her worker! She used Cassandra to enslave me boy! Release me and I will bring the queen to her knees! Crush Team Rocket! All for the love of Cassandra!"
To be continued.....
-JLB