Of memories, hunger, and a bad deal

**"Of memories, hunger, and a bad deal"** is the sixth chapterof *Pokémon Reset Bloodlines*. After leaving Pewter City, Ash and Misty head for Rota in order to learn more about their Bloodliner abilities, although on their way there, they find themselves at a shortage of food due to their increased metabolisms. Meanwhile, Team Rocket leader Giovanni is negotiating with another villainous team in Orre, with both of them intending to set their plans for world domination in motion.

## **Plot**

In the Realgam Tower of Orre, Giovanni waits for his contact of Cipher along with a grunt, while pondering how all criminal teams usually keep their business to their respective regions, yet have agents elsewhere to keep an eye on the possible competition. As for Team Rocket, he's more interested in profit than world destruction, prophecies or other similar things. His contact, Cipher Admin Ein, shows up with a small escort of Peons as bodyguards. When asked about some money, Ein replies by boasting about how Cipher built the tower they're currently at, while having one of the Peons deliver a suitcase with the money Giovanni requested. Giovanni in turn has one of his grunts checking for the money's authenticity, and has another deliver a suitcase of their own, containing a gauntlet-like device known as the Duel Anchor, a piece of technology Team Rocket has no use for but Cipher does and pays a hefty sum for it. Afterwards, Ein comments that he hopes they can do business like in the future, while Giovanni replies that this was just an exception that proves the rule, and takes his leave. Ein then muses internally that Giovanni has just signed the world over to Cipher.

Meanwhile, Ash and Misty continue to travel north of Pewter towards Rota. Misty muses about the hardships she's had to endure, having been the youngest and less favorite daughter behind her more beautiful and talented older sisters, having no other friends for company than her own Pokémon. Her dream was to one day take over as the Cerulean City Gym Leader, like her late grandmother did before her, although it since was passed down to Misty's father, her sisters ended up inheriting it instead of her, even though she was the most skilled trainer of the four. She eventually was kicked out of home and had been traveling alone since then. However, since she met Ash, she admits to herself that it feels nice to have him for company, and she feels attracted to his good looks and kind personality. She continues to daydream until Psyduck interrupts her asking for food, much to her annoyance.

Shortly after, Misty is shocked when Ash reveals to her that he accidentally learned Quick Attack while training with Pikachu back at the Battle Club. When Ash considers the possibility that he might have learned it from Pikachu himself, Misty admits it sounds plausible, since she learned Whirlpool and Dive from her Horsea, and Surf and Waterfall from her Starmie. Ash checks his Pokédex for the attacks Pikachu is able to learn, but finds that Counter is not among them, ruling out that possibility for him. The discussion is cut short when the Team Rocket trio shows up, reciting a slightly different motto. When Ash thinks they're here to steal Pikachu, James explains they're just there to request that they take a different path and don't go to Rota, since Team Rocket is not allowed there and they're risking getting arrested and executed. Ash isn't convinced, so they decide to just play along and force them to go back and take the path to Mt. Moon, but Misty's Psyduck steps up and uses Confusion to send them blasting off.

A few days later, Ash has Pidgeotto training to learn Aerial Ace, while he and Misty find themselves with a shortage of food, only having one rice ball left in stock. Ash recalls his mother's food bill was unusually large, realizing that him being a Bloodliner was probably the explanation. Right when he suggests they split the last rice ball, an Aipom shows up and snatches it. Pikachu immediately recognizes it as the same that belonged to Ash and later to Dawn. Misty gets enraged and tries to attack her, so Ash decides to send Butterfree to ensnare Aipom with String Shot and then use Sleep Powder, then catching her.

Some hours after, Ash and Misty are close to get to Rota, but they're exhausted and hungry, yet continue to push themselves forward to get there. They're so distracted by their hunger, they don't notice a few crystal roots that begin to glow when they walk past them, said roots belonging to the Tree of Beginning and marking the limit between Kanto and Rota.

At the same time, in the Cameron Palace, Duchess Ilene and her maiden are in the throne room, where similar crystals begin to glow as well. Ilene then muses that "an heir has come".

## Continuity

* First appearance of Lady Ilene.
* Ash captures Aipom.
* Misty gives hints at her backstory, which are further explored in the *Misty Gaiden* side story.
* The Duel Anchor Giovanni sells to Cipher is a key piece for the eventual development of the Snag Machine.

## Characters

### Humans

* Giovanni
* Ein
* Cipher Peon
* Team Rocket Grunt
* Misty Waterflower
* Nurse Joy (Flashback)
* Don George (Flashback)
* Ash Ketchum
* Jessie
* James
* Rotan Palace Maid
* Lady Ilene

### Pokémon

* Goldeen (Flashback)
* Magikarp (Flashback)
* Seaking (Flashback)
* Horsea (Flashback)
* Staryu (Misty's; flashback)
* Gloom (Flashback)
* Growlithe (Flashback)
* Psyduck (Misty's)
* Pikachu (Ash's)
* Butterfree (Ash's)
* Pidgeotto (Ash's)
* Meowth (Team Rocket)
* Aipom (Ash's)