Chapter Twenty-Eight: Best-Laid Plans



Terra's POV



"Why the hell are all these Meowth in my restaurant?"



I gulp. Paul looks pretty angry. "Well... reality was collapsing all around us and this is where Hoopa transported us to...?"



"Oh, it's Hoopa's fault, huh? I'm going to have words with that little imp." Paul looks around the room. "Where is it, anyway?"



Nobody knows what to say to that. How could we? Gladion especially. I can tell from the look on his face that he blames himself for the disaster.



I take a deep breath. "We... we lost Hoopa in the reality quake," I confess. "She couldn't go through her own rings."



"Oh," Paul says, looking awkward. "I... I'm so sorry."



There's a silence, a silence that sees Gladion hanging his head and everyone else trying not to look at him. Trying not to blame him. Even Gary, for crying aloud.



And then someone starts banging on the door. "Open up! Open for Hoopa!"



Half the group falls all over each other trying to get to the door. In the end Paul gets it because he's the closest to it.



Hoopa floats in looking miffed. "Hoopa has had a horrible day today! Does anyone have any donuts?"



---



Eventually we manage to get the Meowth all out of the restaurant, and also get the whole story out of Hoopa. It isn't easy with her limited vocabulary, but we manage. And it only takes her two and a half boxes of donuts.



And this of course only makes Gary madder. "They're using my sister and gramps for experiments?!" He pounds his fist on the table. "I say we storm Saffron City and rescue them right now!"



Hoopa shakes her head slowly. "Palkia-kun said that would not be safe for them. Not in their condition."



"Well, we can't just do nothing! What the hell are we supposed to do, anyway?"



Gladion shoots him a look. "There's this wonderful thing now called being patient. Ever heard of it?"



"Palkia-Kun said that Gary-Kun's family will still be Gary-Kun's family," Hoopa says. "We just have to remind them of that."



Gary punches one of the support beams of the restaurant. "Damn it! Why does everything have to happen to me? At least tell me I can get my stolen Pokemon back!"



Hoopa sighs. "Hoopa didn't ask about stolen Pokemon."



"So what are we supposed to do now?" I ask. "If we can't rescue the people of Pallet Town, then why are we here? What is it that we can do?"



"Well," Wes says, "We can start by figuring out how to un-curse me..."



Paul considers a bit. "The fastest way to Johto is via the Magnet Train, but that's in Saffron, and if Team Rocket has taken over it, that's no longer an option. There's a library in nearby Mintale Town, though, and it might have some information on how to cure a Mark of Phancero. If that fails, your best bet would be to swing over to Lavender Town. Folks there are used to dealing with ghosts and such, so if it's arcane knowledge you're after, someone there might just be able to help you."



"Great," Gary says. "You guys have fun with that. I'm going to go save my family."



Simultaneous "WHAT?"



"I'm not giving up on them." Gary taps his foot anxiously. "We know Lance is going after Rayquaza next. While he's clashing with Team Rocket, we'll be able to break in and at least see what's going on with them. If there's one chance in a thousand of saving my family, I'm going to take it."



"Excuse me?" Gladion asks. "We have a literal god saying that trying to snap the prisoners out of whatever Team Rocket's done to them is a Bad Idea, in capital letters. And you still want to try?"



Gary stares him down. "Yes. Yes, I do. I lost my parents in a car crash when I was too young to even know what that meant. I can not, and will not, lose anyone else. How hard is that to understand?"



"How hard is it to understand that by this point, you'll just be making it worse?"



"I have to KNOW!" Gary yells, startling everyone around him. "I have to at least know they're still alive!"



Silence.



"Fine then," Gladion says. "But I'm coming with you."



Gary does a double take. "What? But you just said--"



"I know what I said, and I know this whole quest of your is suicidal. That's why I'm going along. I'm on borrowed time as it is, and I'm not going to just stand by and watch you kill yourself trying to take on the entirety of Team Rocket with a single Charmander." Gladion turns and looks at the group. "Anyone else?"



More silence.



Shu considers this. "Well, I think that if Palkia itself says that something is a bad idea, I should really stay out of it. Not much point talking to Pokemon if you never listen to them."



"I'll be staying with Wes," Ilima says, "trying to figure out how to un-curse him. And we still have to find the source of the natural disasters that are due to plague this planet. Gladion, are you quite sure this is how you want to spend your time here?"



"I know what it's like to lose someone, and how it feels to worry." Gladion is adamant. "I'm not just walking away."



For one brief moment, Ilima looks almost about to use his powers to try to change Gladion's mind. But he doesn't. "Then I can't keep you from your choice. But be careful. Be safe."



"Hoopa will help you!" Hoopa says suddenly. "Even if Hoopa can't go through Hoopa's rings, Glad-Kun and Gary-Kun can! Hoopa can help!"



"All right, then." Gladion turns to me. "But you should stay with Ilima and the others, Terra. Don't worry. Ilima will keep you safe."



"Hey," Gary says, "I don't recall you getting permission to speak for her."



"No, he's right," I say, blushing. "You all know I'm new to this battling thing -- new to REALLY battling. In my world, I only played battle simulations. I shouldn't get involved in something this dangerous."



"Neither should Gary and Gladion, if you ask me." Ilima looks uncomfortable. "But we're not stopping them."



"You could!" I look at Ilima. "I know you could!"



Ilima shakes his head no. "It's not my place. And Gladion will be careful. He's survived so much already."



I give him a look. I'm still not sure about all this, but his mind is pretty clearly made up.



And then there's a knock on the door. Several knocks, actually. The door is getting a real beating.



Paul opens the door, then almost closes it again. Before he can, a furry paw blocks the door.



"All roight, twoips!" a voice screeches. "Where's Jess an' Jimmy?"



It's Meowth. THE Meowth. Team Rocket's Meowth.



Where the heck had he been all this time?