The Tales and Adventures of Daniel Newman and Celeste Hawthorn

Chapter 12: Dan's Trauma

As they walk out of the store, the group decides to head to the Game Corner. As they walk in, Arcan puts on his ear muffs as the sounds of the casino make him overwhelmed. Arcan walks up to one of the tables that are playing cards and Arcan is doing pretty well. As he is playing Ken joins him for the last round. Arcan tries to read his bluff and fails. As their cards are revealed, Arcan wins the game. Daniel and Celeste are on a date while they are here.

As they were on the date, Celeste notices a staircase leading down to a secondary floor. "Hey Dan? Has that staircase always been there?" Celeste asks.

"I don't know. Do you want to investigate?" Daniel asked in response.

"Yeah, let's go get the others," Celeste says as Ken and Arcan walk up to them "Oh speak of the devils."

"Celeste found a staircase and we want to investigate. Do you want to join us?" Daniel said to the two that just joined them.

"I don't mind," Arcan said with a smile.

"Yeah, I guess," Ken responded while drinking his coffee.

They walk to the stairs, they notice a guy walking upstairs and the guy says "You guys aren't allowed to go down there. Get lost."

"Let them through!" A disembodied voice shouts up the stairs.

"You sure boss?" The guard shouted back.

"Yeah, let them through!" The voice shouted back.

"Alright! Go on through," The guard said to the group.

The group walked down the stairs and came to the first floor of the Team Rocket hideout. Jesse and James were at the bottom of the stairs. "What are you two doing here?" Daniel asks them.

"Well, we need your help," Jesse stated.

"Our help? With what?" Celeste questioned.

"We are trying to overthrow the current leader of Team Rocket and make it better," James said with a smirk on his face.

"Let me confer with my group and we will get back to you," Celeste said curiously.

After a brief discussion, the group decided that they would help Jesse and James. They made their way through the floors of the Team Rocket hideout and got to the floor with a very odd looking design. When the group turned around to ask Jesse and James what was on the floor, Jesse and James were gone. "Well... Shit," Daniel said as Arcan was the first one on the floor tiles.

Arcan goes flying down one of the paths and gets stopped by the wall. "Nope. Not again. Fuck this," Arcan says as he flies away to the exit.

Daniel, Celeste, and Ken decide to step on the tiles, find a few items left on the ground, and make their way to the exit. The group makes their way to the elevator and make it down to the last floor of the hideout. As they make their way down the hall and stumble on an office that had someone in it. Daniel trips just right before the door. "Well, well, well. What have we here? The champion and her friends. What do I owe to this displeasure?" The man in a suit asks.

"What are you doing here?" Celeste asks.

"I am here running my business. I feel like I should ask you what you are doing here Ms. Champion," The man said.

"You wouldn't happen to know why the 8th gym is closed. 8th gym leader Giovanni," Ken says.

Daniel picks himself off the ground and says "Dad? What are you doing here?"

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the failure of the Team Rocket name," Giovanni pipes up.

"Dan, do you know this man?" Celeste semi whispers to him.

"What? You didn't tell them? This failure right here is my son. Your mother wanted something more but I didn't so with the help of Dr. Fuji, I created you and Mewtwo over there. I created you to be strong and you were not. I sent you a test to see if you were strong but it was all for nothing. You are a failure in every way," Giovanni shouts at the group.

"I am not a failure. I never have and never will be," Daniel said defiantly.

"You always will be the failure of the family. Now, Nidoqueen use Earthquake!" Giovanni exclaimed as Nidoqueen hit the ground with her foot.

As the ground shakes and dust gets riled up, Celeste, Ken, and Dan get injured so badly that they all get knocked out. As the dust and debris settles, Celeste and Ken collapse onto the floor while Dan is still standing. Dan goes to reach for his pokeballs and Giovanni says "I underestimated you but, I think that I should be going and I am going to be taking Ms. Champion here."

Dan collapses onto the floor as Giovanni recalls his Pokemon and leaves the room. Arcan drags everyone out and gets them to the Pokemon Center. Dan and Ken get treated by Nurse Joy. After Ken and Dan wake up, Ken makes a strong cup of coffee. Daniel looks at the floor and says "I'm done." He throws away his hat and Badges.

After some time and cleaning of Dan's badges and hat, Ken hands him some coffee "If you're done then you're done. I am not going to stop you from giving up."

"Ken, you're a great friend but I really want Celeste right now. Where is she?" Dan says as he looks up.

"She was taken by Giovanni so she isn't here right now," Ken deadpanned.

"What am I supposed to do? One of the people that I love is captured and I can't do anything about it. How am I supposed to go on?" Dan says as he looks at his cup of coffee and takes a swig. "Bleh that's awful."

After a long talk, Ken goes to bed and leaves Daniel to his thoughts. As it gets later in the night, Daniel stews in his own thoughts of how to get Celeste back.