Capturing the Heart [Re-write]

3. Nightmares

   Ash didn't sleep well, how was he supposed to. He did eventually sleep, no doubt, Ash eventually could sleep anywhere. However with all the stress, the cold, and the feeling that he absolutely had a hidden camera on him did not lend himself to sleep easier.

When Ash finally did fall asleep it had to be in the very early hours of the morning. He didn't have a window, or a clock, but his internal clock was still slightly in sync, and Ash wasn't used to staying up past one in the morning.

Ash woke up even worse than he had fallen asleep. He could hear the doors lock clunk as the lights, it seemed they were on motion sensors, flickered on. Sending him jerking up groggily. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and stood quickly, focusing.

Giovanni and Persian stood a couple feet from the bars, Giovanni smiled at his, "good morning. Did you sleep well?".

Ash just glared at him, not awake enough to respond with something witty.

Giovanni huffed a quiet laugh, "well, either way, it's time to start your day. To start from where we left off yesterday I have to once again ask you where the masterball is".

Ash groaned, sitting back down on the mattress unceremoniously, "no, fuck off. What is it like, eight a.m., go away".

Giovanni sighed, glancing down as Persian rubbed against his leg, "no, it's six, and the fact that you think eight is early is a really disappointing thing to learn about you". He looked back at Ash, stepping closer to the bars as he pulled out his phone, "I really think you should reconsider, it's in your best interest to tell me what I want to know". As he spoke he seemed to search his phone for something before turning the screen to face Ash.

A picture greeted Ash. It looked like a lab, or at least the people in the picture were wearing lab coats, even though the picture was blurry enough Ash couldn't pick out their faces. That didn't matter much though, Ash wasn't trying to. He was far more focused on what looked like a glass cage in the center of the photo, with rubber tubing sticking from the top. It was hard to make out, even though the camera had focused on the center point of the picture, because it was lit up so harshly.

Pikachu sat in the cage, fur standing on end, eyes screwed shut. He was enveloped in electricity that seemed to pet jetting mostly to the rubber tubing, they must have been siphoning off the energy.

Ash was tense, hands clenched into fists, "... what are you doing to him".

"Oh not too much for now, it really doesn't take much to get electricity off of an electric rat", Giovanni's smile turned a touch smug as he tucked his phone back into his pocket, "it's really been cutting the labs budget in half, he's got so much energy in him. Your other pokemon are being put to good use as well, don't worry, I'm trying to go green with my labs, it's great for PR. Plus having the extra energy boosts is making it much easier for team Rocket to get caught up on projects".

Ash didn't know what to say. His pokemon were being used to help Team Rocket, who knows what they were doing to the other pokemon. His were going to further Team Rocket getting their way. Pikachu must be exhausted. Charizard, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Muk, and Pidgeotto, they must all be exhausted already. They must be scared, suddenly being lab rats, not knowing where he was.

Giovanni watched him for a moment, before glancing at the guards by the door, signaling them to open it, "food for thought I'm sure, keep thinking about it and let me know. Have a great day".

He sauntered out with Persian at his heels. Ash didn't spare him a glance, lost in his head.

They can't be researching anything good, they're Team Rocket. I don't want them to be used to hurt other people. Wouldn't giving them the masterball do the same thing though? My pokemon are strong, each and every one of them, they know I wouldn't abandon them if I had any other choice. Right? God I hope they're ok.