The Road to our Destiny

Chapter 76

For the last week and a half, Ash has been lying down inside a dark prison several floors down from the top floor to the Team Rocket tower. The prison appears to be specifically designed to be that high so that Giovanni and the other higher members of Team Rocket can keep a relatively close eye on the raven-haired boy they deem as some kind of a threat. During the first couple of days, Ash was banging the metal bars and shouting to let him go or tell the evil organization that they won't get away with what they're doing, but a while, he accepted that shouting is no use, so he just stays quietly in his cell. Two times a day, a Team Rocket grunt will come in and barely give him enough food to suitably fill his stomach. The rest of the time, he's left all alone, keeping his spirits up as best as he can while wishing more than anything he can reunite with his friends.

A knock is heard from the door on the other side of the room, and Jessie, James, and Meowth come in with a small plate of food. The trio appears to be in lower spirits than Ash's as they witness the raven-haired boy sitting down in a corner, not even looking at them. They look at each other before James clears his throat.

"Uh, dinner is served," he announces awkwardly.

Ash doesn't reply or look at the three of them. The trio become uneasy again, knowing that it's not in Ash's nature to not show any enthusiasm for food. Meowth frowns and slides the plate toward Ash from the small opening underneath the metal bars, but Ash still doesn't move a muscle.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Jessie asks.

"I'm not feeling up for it right now," Ash mumbles.

The trio is slightly relieved to hear Ash speak, but the feeling is overpowered by his depressing response.

"Come now, old chum, you should eat," James says. "You don't want to starve, do you?"

Ash doesn't reply.

"Oh, come on, your friends wouldn't want you to act like this, would they?" Jessie suggests.

"What do you care?" Ash asks, standing up to face them. "What reason do you have to be bothered about what happens to me? You're getting what you've been trying to accomplish for years, right? You've constantly been trying to kidnap my Pokemon or other people's Pokemon for as long as I can remember and now you're just a little ways away from getting all of the Pokemon in the entire world."

Jessie, James, and Meowth look at Ash surprised, and Meowth says, "What's gotten into ya? I thought you knew better than to give up."

"Oh, I haven't given up," Ash clarifies. "I may be miserable because I'm away from everyone I care about, and I'm alone in a dark prison, but I haven't given up. And do you know why? Because I trust that my friends will come get me. They're going to do whatever it takes to save me and the entire world no matter what. I believe that they care that much to do it, but I don't expect you to care about me at all."

"Hey, that's not fair," James protests. "What about the times we've helped you protect the world or help you and your friends? That's gotta count for something."

"If any of those times counted for something, then you would have stopped trying to kidnap Pokemon a long time ago," Ash states.

Jessie frowns and mutters, "He's got a good point."

"Yeah, but we're caring about ya now," Meowth says.

"So what? You'll probably forget about that too if you succeed in controlling all Pokemon," Ash says.

"No, we -" Meowth begins before the door behind them opens.

Giovanni enters the room, still having an evil, triumphant smirk on his face. Jessie, James, and Meowth quickly salute in front of their leader and quickly shouts, "Sir!"