AoR27

***Emotions Come, I Don't Know Why*** is the twenty-seventh chapter of *The Angel of Reckoning*. It depicts the immediate fallout of the events of the previous chapter and the rest of the Olivine City arc.

## Plot summary

Emotionally distraught following Ariana Lalume's death aboard the Adenosine Base, Nekou Lalume wanders the streets of Olivine City. Meanwhile, at the abandoned hotel serving as Team Rocket's makeshift base, Matt Chiaki and his sister Amanda debate what to do next after learning the truth about how to find Reshiram from Ethan. Nekou returns to the hotel but immediately returns to her room without speaking to anyone.

In another room, Stacia debriefs the other members of Team Rocket after their mission. Professor Rosalie informs her that Pierce is on his way to Dr. Zager's Laboratory with the data they managed to steal from the Adenosine Base. Although Ada protests that she does not understand what Team Rocket can do against Polaris after two dramatic defeats, Stacia, Rosalie and Proton encourage her that they must continue to fight the cult.

Hours later, Nekou sends her Sneasel, Marie, to summon Matt to her room. He finds her bored and drinking heavily, and as a way to break the ice, he gives her the Sonata Coffee and Mimikyu doll he bought for her at the Thrifty Megamart. Nekou, after telling him that she is in Team Rocket because she is just doing what she needs to survive, asks him to play a card game with her. When he does not know the game she initially proposes, they decide to play five-card draw poker instead. Over the course of their time playing, the game becomes an increasingly thin veil for them to try and get inside each other's head. Eventually abandoning the pretext, Matt confesses that based on the information he gained from Ethan, he now believes finding Reshiram to be impossible. Nekou apologizes to him for this and shows genuine empathy, even becoming upset when he tries to put his worry about her well-being over his own. When she challenges him on why he cannot put himself first, he suggests that she feels that way because she is afraid of being alone. This understanding makes her suffer an emotional breakdown from feelings of guilt over how she used Matt and the others for her own benefit. Matt comforts her, and she manages to tell him about her past: when she first joined Team Rocket, she was quiet and shy, but her other self manifested when a fellow Team Rocket Grunt bullied her, resulting in her killing him. Her guilt over this act, combined with the subsequent trauma of being sealed in a tank for a long time with nothing but her other self's voice, left her terrified of death and isolation, as well as deeply doubting her own humanity.

Matt, assuring her that she is not a monster, asks her what Ariana would tell her to do if she were there with them. Nekou responds that she would say to live without any regrets, then kisses him. Admitting their feelings for each other, they spend the night together.

Meanwhile, Sheena Carnet has a nightmare about Ghetsis Harmonia and Ho-oh, jarring awake in her room within the Sinjoh Ruins. Alesia runs to her aid, and Sheena ponders what would happen if Ghetsis somehow returned and found the location of their refuge.

The next morning, Trevor Hastings greets Proton and Ada at the abandoned hotel's bar. While Trevor prepares drinks for them, Ada discovers reports on RChannel of a mysterious Pokémon brutally attacking trainers near the Lake of Rage. A video recording of one such attack reveals to them that the Pokémon in question is a Genesect, which they recall Colress Antimony developed for Team Plasma in the past and likely has done so again for Polaris. The Genesect is seen under the control of a trainer that the witnesses refer to as a robot, but the "robot" takes an unusual physical action that prompts the three Team Rocket members to immediately inform their colleagues and Stacia.

Ada calls Nekou to inform her of these developments, awakening her. Hung over from the previous night, she initially does not remember what happened until she sees Matt still asleep next to her. She intially finds comfort in their relationship, only for her other self to begin berating her again. Nekou goes to take a hot shower in the hopes it will burn her continued misery out of her.

Some time later, Matt tries to find Nekou so they can talk about what happened, only to learn from Rosalie that she went off to be alone for a while before the beginning of their newfound mission. Rosalie asks Matt, Amanda and Anabel Mistbloom to speak privately with her, further requesting that Olivia Mistbloom pick up some food from Olivine Café while they have their conversation. Olivia lies and pretends to follow these instructions before eavesdropping on Rosalie explain her conclusions regarding the causes of Olivia's seizures. Misunderstanding Anabel's intent, she angrily leaves the building, cuts off most of her hair with one of Nekou's knives, and disappears.

In Ecruteak City, Bunny Spruce meets up with Nando. The bard joins her as she decides to head to Goldenrod City in her search for Bill.

Olivia defeats Helena at Olivine Gym and obtains the Mineral Badge. She rejects Avril and Monroe's ideas for spending time with them, and promptly leaves after the battle. Meanwhile, Sheena informs Alesia, Sylpha and Jacob Alexison that she plans to travel to La Ciudad Dorada and meet with Queen Rosalita in the hopes of finding information that will help her meet Ho-oh once again.

Matt, Anabel and Amanda begin searching Olivine City after Olivia does not return. After an initial lead from Avril, Helena and Monroe, they go to the harbor. There, they encounter Ethan and the Frontier Brain of the Battle Castle, Castle Valet Darach. Darach, recognizing Matt as the challenger who recently defeated Ethan at the Battle Submarine, expresses a hope that they will meet in battle one day. He also reveals that his employer, Caitlin, is currently in Kanto pursuing a Gym challenge of her own.

Back at the Pokémon Center, Matt, Anabel and Amanda encounter Morgan Hawthorne, who tips them off to Olivia's whereabouts via photos she posted on RChannel. They decide to follow Olivia but not immediately catch up to her, in order to give her space for the time being. At Team Rocket's base, Stacia orders her subordinates to start reconnaissance immediately, as they must "save him" as soon as possible.

## Trivia

* This chapter's title references a lyric from the song "Call Me" by Blondie. The same lyric is featured in this chapter and others as one of Nekou's ringtones.
* The cards Nekou uses to play poker with Matt are based on those in the poker minigame from beta builds of *Pokémon Gold and Silver*. This minigame was deleted from the final build of the games but was discovered in a functional state when a beta build was leaked to the public.

## External links

* Chapter on Archive of Our Own