Team Rocket Goh AU

Chapter 2

Ash had a strange sense of déjà vu when he opened his eyes to the dark warehouse again. But there were a few key differences in his surroundings this time. For one, he wasn't tied to the chair he was sitting in. And the pretty Team Rocket operative with long hair was nowhere to be seen! It was odd, this often happened. He'd kidnap him somewhere, the taller teen would knock him unconscious, then he'd be freed. It was like he didn't want Ash to be captured in the first place, even though he was the one doing the capturing!

Ash decided to get out of the metal walled building, but first he had to find out if Pikachu was there. He called, "Pikachu! Pikachu!!" but there was no reply. Huh, he mustn't have been captured, Ash guessed. But then, behind a large, rusted crate he heard a muffled,

"Pika!!"

"Pikachu!" Ash shouted, relieved. He ran over to where the small yellow pokemon was laying, it was still bound in ropes. "Hmm, maybe he forgot to free you as well, buddy." The brown eyed teen remarked as he began untying Pikachu's ropes.

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"I can't believe you did it again!" Chloe facepalmed.

"No, no, I'm telling you h-" Goh protested, cut off by Chloe.

"You really think I'm stupid enough to fall for that again? I know you keep letting him go!"

Goh didn't know whether to keep pretending or not, so instead he just silently looked at the ground.

"Seriously, are you trying to get us fired?!" she continued, "You're lucky I'm not going to tell Matori yet, she'd kick you out on the spot!"

"Sorry Chloe..." he muttered (really, though, he wasn't sorry at all).

"Don't apologise to me, save that for the boss's office!" Chloe swept out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Goh sighed, "Finally, she's finished..." he slumped against the wall of his dormitory. Cinderace watched him, smirking. It had found this whole situation quite entertaining.

"Quit looking at me like that, would you?!" Goh snapped. Then he sighed again, "Sorry Cinderace. I'm just annoyed, Chloe had a point. I should just leave my silly crush elsewhere, yeah?" he hit his head against the wall in annoyance, "It's just... How could anyone kidnap Ash and not find him cute?"

"Cinder..." Cinderace walked over and hugged it's trainer.

"And the thing is, whenever I get so close, I just can't bear the thought of what the boss would do to him. So I let him go." Goh put his head in his hands, "But of course Chloe noticed what I've been doing, she's too perceptive. What if she tells Matori?! Ohh..."

"Cinderace..." it patted Goh's back, attempting to make him feel better.

"What am I going to do, Cinderace? What am I going to do..."