Chapter 311: Ho-Oh: Ash, you finally— Wait, the hell?! Mammon, why are you here?!
"Don't worry, Dawn. You've put so much trust in me — I won't let you down."
Mammon promised Platinum with a smile.
"Mm-hm!"
Platinum broke into a beautiful smile, her delicate, unspoiled face utterly captivating.
Admittedly, their first meeting hadn't exactly been pleasant — you could even say Platinum had come in with a whole list of prejudices against Mammon personally.
I mean, who wouldn't form a bad impression of someone who threatened their own family to get them to fall in line?
Especially when that someone also happened to be the infamous leader of Team Rocket.
But these days, all Platinum wanted to say was: outsiders had no idea who Mr. Mammon really was.
With business concluded, the room fell quiet.
One second. Two seconds. Three.
As the silence stretched — a man and a woman, alone, in a room — Platinum's slender hands found themselves gripping the hem of her dress without her quite meaning them to.
"So, um..."
Looking at the handsome young man across from her, Platinum felt the heat creeping back into her face.
"Dawn, it's already ten-thirty. If you're not heading out, are you planning on sleeping here with me tonight?"
Mammon glanced at the clock on the wall and lobbed the line at her, thoroughly amused.
"N— No! I'm — sorry, good night, Mr. Mammon!"
Platinum went scarlet on the spot, shot to her feet, bowed hastily, and beelined for the door.
How could he say something like that!!
She was mortified. Sleeping with Mr. Mammon — was that any kind of thing to say to a pure, proper young lady?!
"Good night. Remember to shut the door," Mammon called after her, thoroughly entertained.
"I— I will."
The moment Platinum pulled the door shut behind her, she let out a long breath and pressed a hand to her chest, which — she noted — had come along quite nicely.
Her heart had genuinely been in her throat back there. So embarrassing.
And thinking about it now, she really had been bold beyond reason, sneaking into a man's room alone this late at night and lingering that long.
Good thing Mr. Mammon had standards.
Platinum settled her nerves and walked off toward her own room, her steps a little lighter than usual.
Whatever else, she'd gotten the answer she wanted, and that alone had put her at ease.
What she didn't notice was that behind her, in a room whose door had been left cracked just slightly open, a pair of eyes was watching her retreating back.
Hm. Doesn't look like she's cheating. We're fine.
—
The next day, afternoon.
Paul was off on a mission. Mammon, Caitlin, and Platinum spent the day wandering around Viridian City instead — mostly Mammon showing the two of them around, since Viridian was his hometown.
"Mammon! Mammon! We did it!"
At the edge of Viridian Forest, Ash came sprinting up, shouting.
"We caught all four traitors! Pikachu wrecked them without breaking a sweat — we got back everything they stole, Pokémon and all!"
"Pika-chu!"
Ash's voice was practically vibrating with excitement, and the electric mouse on his shoulder chimed in just as proudly.
"Is that right? Nice work, Ash. I knew you two had it in you."
Mammon wasn't remotely surprised, offering the praise with an easy grin.
"Heh heh — got any more jobs like that, Mammon? Just hand 'em over, I'm your guy!"
Ash was starting to feel like this was addictive. This — doing good like this — this was what being a strong trainer was supposed to feel like.
"Oh, come on, Ash, don't get cocky." Misty rolled her eyes.
"If Apollo hadn't handed us such detailed intel, there's no way we'd have wrapped that up so easily."
It only looked simple from the outside. The real reason the mission had gone off without a hitch was that Apollo's side had provided extremely precise information on where the four Rocket defectors were hiding — solving the single hardest part of the whole job.
All that had been left for them to do was show up, fight, and arrest. Naturally it went fast.
"For missions in general, just check the board more often — pick whatever fits you."
Mammon said with a smile.
"Right, Ash — there's something a little more important you still need to take care of, isn't there?"
He looked over at Ash.
"...?" Ash blinked, confused.
"Don't tell me you forgot. You're the trainer Ho-Oh took a shine to, remember."
Mammon gave a little wave of his hand — and in it was a feather glowing with rainbow light: a Rainbow Wing.
"A Rainbow Wing? You have one too, Mammon?"
Brock stared at him, genuinely startled. Wait — Ho-Oh had taken a liking to Mammon too? That couldn't be right...
Hold on — now that he thought about it, hadn't Mammon used Suicune the last time he battled Ash? So yeah, of course Mammon was someone Ho-Oh favored.
"Ah — my relationship with Ho-Oh is pretty solid, actually. We've been through some real bone-deep battles together. Good comrades."
Mammon said, sighing wistfully, not even blinking.
(Yeah — Mammon genuinely believed that giant flaming turkey made for an excellent meat shield.)
(And sure, Ho-Oh liked to talk back at him constantly, but that's all it ever was — talk. The second it actually needed to step up, it stepped up.)
"Whoa, no way, that's amazing! I haven't seen Ho-Oh in ages."
Ash pulled out his own Rainbow Wing. He hadn't laid eyes on Ho-Oh since he'd first left Pallet Town.
So Ash really was one of the chosen ones, huh.
Platinum eyed the feather in Ash's hand with curiosity. The legendary Ho-Oh of Kanto...
She'd heard the stories too — that anyone who laid eyes on Ho-Oh would find eternal happiness. Not that she knew if that part was actually true.
"You'll need to go find it yourself. Ho-Oh's a legendary Pokémon too, you know — it's not going to just show up in front of you whenever you like."
Mammon told him. Ho-Oh had its pride, after all — didn't it?
"But I don't know where to even look for it."
Ash scratched his head, a little stumped.
"I know where. I'll take you to find Ho-Oh, Ash." The corner of Mammon's mouth curled up slowly.
"Wait, really?!" Ash's eyes lit up.
"That's right. And if you're lucky, who knows — you might even catch it."
Mammon said it like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Ash lit up. If he could catch the legendary Ho-Oh, his strength would skyrocket!
Then he could finally punch stone-faced Paul and kick his own big brother Red — none of that would be a pipe dream anymore!
Misty and Brock exchanged a glance. Neither of them could shake the feeling that Mammon was up to something — he was never this generous out of nowhere.
"You know where Ho-Oh is, Mammon?"
"That part, no. But I know where you can summon it. Whether you actually manage to catch it after that is entirely on you, Ash."
What Mammon meant, of course, was Mount Tianqing — the peak at the end of the rainbow, the highest summit of the Cloudmist Range. Any brave soul carrying a Rainbow Wing who made it there could use the feather to call Ho-Oh forth.
It was exactly how Ash had summoned Ho-Oh in the movie I Choose You! — battling it there with Pikachu. Nobody knew for certain how that fight had actually gone, but the general impression was that Ash had had the time of his life.
"I want to go! Mammon!"
Ash didn't hesitate for a second. Ho-Oh! He really did want to see it again.
Just like the promise he'd made to Pikachu back when the two of them had first stepped out of Pallet Town.
Someday, we're going to go find that guy again!
And now, Ash felt, that day had finally come.
"Alright. It's been a while since I've seen Ho-Oh myself too — I'll take you."
"Yes!"
Ash was thrilled.
"But wait, are you seriously that free, Mammon? You're the boss — shouldn't you be busy?"
Ash blinked, suddenly puzzled.
"Ha — I'm Team Rocket's boss, Ash. My schedule's mine to set."
If it had been anyone but Ash asking, Mammon might've read it as probing. But whatever — didn't matter either way.
"And hey, since I'm telling you anyway, Ash — there's a Pokémon I've got my eye on. But it's probably best I catch it after you've had your run-in with Ho-Oh."
Mammon said, plainly.
"Ohh, I see, is that so — what Pokémon is it?" Ash mused.
"You'll find out when the time comes. No time to waste — let's head out."
Mammon planned to speedrun Ash straight through the whole Ho-Oh encounter.
"Sounds good!"
Ash's fighting spirit was riding high.
And in a spot no one was paying attention to, within Ash's own shadow, a pair of hollow orange eyes were currently filled with sheer, blank confusion.
Aaand that's a wrap.
—
Since Mammon had done his research well in advance, the location of the Cloudmist Range wasn't unfamiliar to him at all.
Riding Pokémon capable of flight, the group arrived at the summit of Mount Tianqing at four in the afternoon.
"When a rainbow flower blooms atop the Rainbow Rock, Ho-Oh will descend."
The group landed, and Mammon looked over at the massive stone not far off as he spoke.
"Ash, put your Rainbow Wing up there. Summon Ho-Oh."
"You got it!"
Ash trusted Mammon completely. He was quick on his feet, too — scrambling up the base of the Rainbow Rock and climbing nimbly toward the top.
It didn't take him long to reach the summit and set the Rainbow Wing down. He immediately climbed back down and rejoined the group.
The Rainbow Wing hovered atop the Rainbow Rock, and the entire stone lit up with a dazzling wash of rainbow light.
A single pillar of light shot straight into the sky, scattering the layered clouds and revealing the clear blue beyond.
A beautiful rainbow began stretching outward from the Rainbow Rock, racing rapidly toward the horizon.
"So pretty..."
Platinum sighed, genuinely moved, hands clasped at her chest as she gazed up at the breathtaking arc of color.
A pair of orange eyes lit up within Ash's shadow. The shadow rippled and shifted, slowly condensing into a small, humanoid, jet-black Pokémon.
This was none other than the legendary Mythical Pokémon Marshadow — sometimes called "the Shadow Guide."
But right now, Marshadow was lost in thought. Did I actually just guide someone here?
Lord Ho-Oh isn't going to be mad at me, is it? Probably not... right? Either way, they made it, didn't they?
Right at that moment, Marshadow suddenly went cold all over. It whipped its head around — and came face to face with Mammon's wide, toothy grin.
Marshadow swallowed hard and instinctively backed up several steps. Something about this human felt... off. Like it was specifically here for it, somehow?
Marshadow had always been the timid type, and with a human who had a Suicune on hand giving it that particular look, it was seriously considering making a run for it.
"Fweeeee~!"
Just then, a high, resonant cry rang out from somewhere in the distance.
A bird Pokémon, its body wrapped in golden and rainbow light, emerged from within the rainbow, soaring toward them.
"Ho-Oh! It's really Ho-Oh!"
"Oh my gosh, I actually get to see the legendary Ho-Oh in person!"
"It's so beautiful..."
Ash and the others were beside themselves. Even Platinum was practically bouncing on her toes — the legendary Ho-Oh, said to bring happiness to anyone who saw it!
As it drew closer, Ho-Oh's very avian face carried an unmistakably human-like smile. It was in a good mood, too.
Because the human it had taken a particular shine to, the one it had given a Rainbow Wing — that human had finally passed the trials of Ho-Oh's guardians and made it here, led by Marshadow.
What did that mean?
It meant its judgment hadn't been wrong!
Sure enough — only humans with pure hearts could be this world's beautiful future.
But—
Just as it swooped down over Ash and the others, gearing up for a graceful loop to show off its magnificent form, Ho-Oh's avian eyes suddenly went rigid, nearly bulging clean out of its skull.
Because it had just spotted, standing right there below, that same smiling menace with Marshadow held snug in his arms, trembling.
The HELL?! What is this scoundrel doing here too?!
Damn it! That's MY Marshadow!
You lowlife — what do you think you're doing hugging it?! And Marshadow — how do you have NO spine at all?! He wants a hug and you just let him?!
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