Loyalty

Loyalty 13

Loyalty

Chapter 13: Associations

It was a few days before Misty could leave the hospital. The being that took residence in her body made her heal very fast, but it also had consequences. She could feel her consciousness slipping. Daisy, Violet and Lily had been over to visit with a special permission that Ash managed to get after much insistence. Perhaps Giovanni only agree to make him be quiet. Misty handed all her pokemon to her sisters at the time. She was afraid to lose control of her actions and command her dear pokemon to do something she would regret if she was in her full senses.

Before leaving the hospital, after her sisters where let out and went on their way back to Cerulean City, unaware of the entirety of Misty's perils in hopes of not worrying them and getting them unnecessarily involved, Misty went to see the baby for the last time in she didn't know how long. Jessie was sitting by the window as a pleasant breeze blew; James and Delia were there with her. Misty's eyes met Delia's for a moment. She was informed of the recent happenings, Misty noticed that right away. Ash must have told her. There was an apology in Delia's eyes, but before she could speak, Misty shook her head and made herself smile. She wanted peace and Delia was pushed out of the wish to protect Ash. Protecting a loved one could make people do things that were extreme.

Misty held the baby for a while before Ash arrived to get her so they could be on their way. They gave their goodbyes and went on their way. Team Rocket was keeping an eye on the situation, but Giovanni's expectations were not too ambitious. This wasn't about legendary pokemon; it was about a human grudge. None the less, to prevent a repeat of the past, to rid himself of another enemy of Team Rocket, this had to be dealt with once and for all. The Rocket boss knew that Ash intended to seek Agatha's advice and perhaps in this situation that was what was best.

xoxox xox xoxox

Out of the hospital and into the Viridian City streets, there was a hint of a bright shade of red-orange hidden under a black hat, as someone wearing black approached, though the jacket covered the red R on his chest. "Hi," the greeting was simple, casual and to the point.

"Uncle Luke!" Misty suddenly exclaimed.

"Like how have you like been?" Luke asked calmly, with a kind smile.

Misty's jaw dropped. She struggled with her words until she finally stomped her feet and placed her hands on her hips. "You disappear for all these years leaving my sisters and I to think you're dead and that's all you can say? Do you know how much we missed you? You were all we had left after our parents..."

Ash looked around nervously, he was for once the one who was most aware of the situation they were in, they were in public and people's heads were turning towards them at the sound of Misty's outburst. He placed her hand on her shoulder in both comfort and warning. Misty took a deep breath and lowered the tone of her voice, going over her words in her head an extra time before speaking. "I know you had to, I know you had your duties... your loyalties... but still."

"I'm like sorry, you know?" Luke was, as always, casual and relaxed, but he was sincere. "But you like don't need to like worry now, you know?"

It was the same speech pattern that made abundant use of the word like that Misty's sisters often fell into. This was where they got it and it made her think about how much of an influence he was to them all those years ago. "How so?"

"Because you're like on Ash's side now, you know?" Luke grinned. "If you like join-"

"I haven't," Misty argued with an edge in her voice. "I haven't joined," she cautiously looked around not mentioning the name of the organization, "them," Team Rocket. "I'm just... we're only... We've teamed up to take care of something and Ash is helping out."