Pokemon: Fire and Ice

Chapter 30

"Where is my nephew?" Giovanni questioned in a menacing voice.

"I'd rather leave this world than tell you," Reshiram retorted.

"Don't tempt me, dragon, because I can very much make that happen."

Reshiram smirked. "I'll like to see you try."

"Then I'll just take over your precious region."

"That won't happen even in your dreams."

The "adults" went silent then and fell into a staring contest, glaring into each other's eyes while thinking of another round of insults. Surrounding them were Team Rocket agents, either watching the argument leisurely or nervously. Wedged between them were Iris and Cilan, their Pokémon taken away from them, including Axew and Pikachu. So far nothing had happened to them.

They were in a large camp set up by Team Rocket on the outskirts of Lacunosa Town. After surrendering, Reshiram converted back to her human form, where the prisoners were taken to the camp to be interrogated. Now the arch-enemies argued with Team Rocket and the children watching.

"Um, should we stop them?" Cilan asked nervously.

Iris waved a hand at the quarrelling duo. "Hey, if you want to get yourself killed, be my guest."

Cilan swallowed, but was determined. Thankfully no one stopped him as he neared the two figures.

"Um, excuse me?" he said softly.

He immediately found himself on the receiving end of the world's most intense glares. Cilan twitched with a nervous cringe, even gulping. After an awkward moment, he pulled himself together and said, "L-look, Ash is in trouble. Standing here and fighting each other isn't going to help him."

If Giovanni was surprised by Cilan's words, he didn't show it, but he did seem to grow more annoyed. He interrupted Cilan by demanding, "What sort of trouble?"

"He's been taken away by a powerful dragon," Reshiram reluctantly informed. She was hoping she could exclude Team Rocket in their affairs, but it looked like she had no choice. When Giovanni turned back to her, she went on. "The same dragon that caused all of this." She motioned to the ice surrounding them. "I do not know why he has done this, but I do not care. Ash's welfare is in danger."

"And all of us want him back," Cilan added, grateful Reshiram had agreed to follow his lead. But before he could go on, Giovanni once again cut him off.

"So what, you suggest an alliance?" he scoffed.

"We have no choice," Reshiram insisted. She refused to be unfazed when the crime lord glared at her. "If you really care for your 'kin.'"

Giovanni was silent for a few moments, making the air deadly quiet. Finally the Team Rocket leader sighed and grumbled, "Very well. Do you at least have a plan?"

Cilan and Iris on the sidelines flinched. They really hadn't gotten that far... Thankfully and unexpectingly, Reshiram once again came to their rescue. She was silent for a few moments before looking up and confessing, "I have an idea, though it's risky. But we can only do it with your help."

Giovanni narrowed his eyes. "And it is?"

Giovanni thrust the flap of the tent out of his way with a single arm.

"Are you sure this plan of yours will work?" he demanded.

Reshiram trailed behind him, had been given permission to roam. She suppressed a snarl when the tent's thick flap fell back in her face, forcing her to toss it aside like Giovanni. She had a feeling the human did that on purpose. If he wasn't her only chance to regain her hero she would've hurt him for that. The leader rounded the dark wooden desk in the center of the floor, papers and maps of the area scattered on its surface. Giovanni decided to lean on the desk by placing his palms near the edge, staring intently at the Legendary.

He was analyzing her, like he was figuring out if what he saw was truth or not. But one thing he was sure of was his opinion of her. Reshiram knew very well he owned absolutely no respect for her. It did not matter if she stood before him as a human or vowed to bring back what he thought was his. He saw her merely as an animal, an experiment, a tool. She was nothing to him.

He will pay for that. Eventually...

"I have warned there were risks," Reshiram replied coldly. "It will be the truth of those risks that will decide the outcome."

Giovanni narrowed his eyes. "I am tired of your riddles."

"That wasn't a riddle."

Instead of yelling, the annoyed man only heaved a large sigh. "Whatever, all I care about is getting Ashton."

"Ash," Reshiram corrected. Giovanni gave her annoyed glare, but she ignored it and went on to with what was on her mind. "And why should I let you take him if I don't even know that you care for him?"

Giovanni's glare of annoyance quickly evolved into one of death. "Excuse me?"

Reshiram only narrowed her eyes. "You may have saved Ash, but that doesn't prove your care for him."

"What about the fact I stayed with him? That I was there for him when you weren't? That I wasted my time and put my organization in jeopardy for him?" His fingers slowly curled into fists. His voice became a dangerous hiss. "Once upon a time, my sister and I were inseparable. There was nothing we kept from each other. Now, I'm lucky to hear a word from her. I haven't truly held Ash, my own blood, since he was small child. And now I may never will again." He shot a glare of hatred into the Legendary's eyes. "Does that answer your question?"

There was an intense moment of silence. Reshiram lifted her chin, appearing unfazed. Her words held no emotion. "That's all I wanted to know."

There was an even longer silence. Finally Giovanni lowered his gaze and asked in whisper, "What does this 'Kyurem' want with Ash, anyway?"

"I do not know."

"What do you know?"

Reshiram replied with a warning glare. The crime lord would be more careful questioning her. She went on, though. "Pokémon do not have much use for hostages, and Kyurem couldn't use Ash for much, anyway. Ash is not a trophy, either. That is not Kyurem's way."

Giovanni raised an eyebrow. "Lunch, then?"

Reshiram shook her head. "If Ash was dead, I would've known. He's still alive. The story of Kyurem taking away humans to eat them was nonsense."

"Then what?"

Reshiram narrowed her eyes in thought. "Kyurem is vengeful. As well as restless and determined. He will not let go of something until it has been forced to an end." The Legendary suddenly found an answer. "He's using Ash as a reminder. A reminder to end something."

There were a few moments as the two thought about it. Then suddenly Giovanni commented, "You seem to know a lot about Kyurem despite not having much interaction with it."

"I do not know Kyurem," Reshiram argued. "His exact thoughts are hard to read. Though, I know how he feels and thinks."

"How do you know this?"

Reshiram lifted her head again. "Because I was once part of Kyurem."