Ok, so I'm not completely new to fanfiction, I've been reading it for a long time and I've noticed that there's loads and loads of different ways people have explored the truly deep bond that Ash clearly has with his pokemon. Even in the anime, it barely skims the surface of what it could, but I suppose that's the downside of having it being aimed as a show for those between the ages of 7 and 13 [give or take a few years]. But I find myself, like many others, in an age group of people much older. I'm 25 almost 26 and I can safely say that not only am I a fan of pokemon [have been since i was 8 and it first premiered in america as a mainstream mega sensation], I am also a proud Brony and a fan of other cartoons such as Ben 10, Digimon, the original YuGiOh, SRMTHFG!, and a few others i rightfully cant name right now.
So this is my shout out to exploring the darker side of the pokeverse that many other imaginative authors have touched on. I'm going to try my best, but I want to put Ash in a role that I really haven't seen him put in that often. I want to put him in a role similar to Mewtwo. Partly because he is my Absolute favorite pokemon EVER. I love his backstory and besides Ash and [sortof] pikachu. Hes also the most fleshed out character pokemon has ever turned out. He also happens to have in my opinion the biggest poke-presence in the series besides pikachu himself.
This may [probably unintentionally] turn out to be one of the more psychologically themed stories outside of PokeWars. A brilliant series that one, dont remember the author name but i damned wall remember the story line. And that is a real testament to a fanfic authors skills and storytelling. I remember nearly every detail so, theres that shout out. Unfortunately, PokeWars is no longer on fanfiction.
Now, be prepared, this story is definately going to humanize pokemon in general and dehumanize team rocket. I'm also gonna up the legal stuff for the pokemon league. And expect an appearance from Lance and other cannon characters.
OK DISCLAIMER HERE FOR ONCE AND ONLYI DO NOT OWN POKEMON. That right is reserved by Nintendo...go them.
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Prologue: Disappearance
The world watched the tragedy but a few felt it. All across the world, through the regions graced by pokemon of all types, some awoke and watched with broken hearts. But none more so than a group of pokemon that, coincidentally were the closest to the tragedys beginning. Two fire types, a monkey and a draconic lizard with a flaming tail watched with clenched fists, their souls vying for vengeance. A few grass types; one with four strong legs and leaves surrounding her neck wept, another stood upon two legs with eyes alight with intelligence that surveyed and examined everything in sight looking for anything to be of use, and the last three, the first and the 2 most recent stood stock still in shock. Various reactions from this very strange herd, but none more heartbreaking than that of the sole electric type.
A pikachu stared soullessly at the scene before him. Flashes of legendary troubles, prophecies, and mishaps tumbled before his eyes. A mangled heap of confusion and pain behind each one as it took in the charred wood, cratered ground and burning foliage that consumed the land where once lay the Ketchum home. Why now and why this way?
'Pikapi...' A heartbroken sob, the only utterance to be heard is what seemed to shatter the spell that consumed the world.
Everything sped up, the grey haired professor that had brought the two together gathered the shell shocked mouse pokemon into his arms and proceeded to handle the other pokemon present. Firefighters and G-Men alike burst into action, clearing pathways through the debris, looking for life. And finding none but a charred female body, skin and clothes burnt away, leaving behind a broken, bloody mess of blackened flesh and bones warped from the heat. Nearby a psychic type pokemon, barely recognizable through the ashes and blood lay sprawled inside what was once the doorway, having acted as a shield to stop the unholy assault.
For those present and those watching, there could be no doubt of 3 things. First, that Delia Ketchum and her beloved and loyal Mr. Mime (mimey to those who knew them) were really and truly dead. Second, that Ash Ketchum, friend to the League and Legends everywhere, was missing. And third, that Team Rocket had finally tried to remove the thorn that had been in their side for so long. And it seems that they succeeded.
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Unknown Location
3 Days After Pallet Tragedy
A pair of amber orbs cracked open in a darkened chamber. A boy, no older than 15 years old stood up, or at least he tried to. Fumbling fingers and half numbed legs from whatever trauma has befallen him kept him from doing so. Hands clumsily latched onto iron bars as yet another bump was likely added to his aching head. The new bruise beginning to pound in time with its predecessors.
"Is there anybody out there?" A voice, his, cracked and raw from what he didn't know was met by an eerie silence. All he could hear was his own heartbeat ratcheting higher due to his increasing anxiety. The stillness didn't last however, as it was shattered by a screeching wail and the darkness fled from the new and bright light the began to filter into the room. The boy cringed back away from the unwanted and sudden intrusion as the light pierced his eyes.
"Who...Who's there?" Nuances of fear in his voice, easily picked up by his new visitor who chuckled. The deep, baritone of a fully grown man resonating in the now brightened silence.
"I'm going to be your new master, Ash." His voice carried the name yet drenched it with hate and disdain. "Of course, we'll have to make some minor...adjustments first. You see child, you have been. Oh, how should I say? A thorn in my side for far too long." At this, the older man stepped farther through the door and into Ash's view.
"Giovanni? You're the leader of Team Rocket! Where am I? What have you done with my pokemon? You wo-" Ash's angry words were silenced by a bone jarring current travelling it's way through his body. Giovanni's laughter punctuated the current's end.
"Forgive me if I don't want to hear your oh so typical 'Hero Talk' bullshit, Ketchum. As I've said, you've been a damned thorn in my side for too long. And I clearly can't depend on those imbeciles you've repeatedly foiled in your adventures. To be honest, it's quite true...if you want something done right, Ketchum, you have to Do. It. Your. Self." Giovanni paced the length of the room, clearly agitated even though his face remained calm throughout his tirade. He looked at Ash and walked up to the fairly small cell.
"You know. If I didn't know exactly what your answer would be, I would ask you to join Team Rocket as an elite. But we both know that's not like you, now don't we? So, I've come up with a different plan. I don't want you fucking up my operations anymore. You've already cost me millions to be honest. And you've been one hell of an adversary. Call me sentimental but in my personal opinion, someone who has caused me this much trouble doesn't get to go the easy way." Giovanni smiled and Ash couldn't help but compare that smile to the one that a Sharpedo would give a goldeen hatchling. "You cost me Mewtwo you know."
"How? You shouldn't be able to remember that..." Ash was shocked at first, to be fair he still was. But this was serious, if Giovanni remembered Mewtwo, he and the clones were in danger. He needed to warn them, he needed to find a way out. But his thought process was interrupted by the Rocket Leader surprisingly sane and jovial laugh.
"Ketchum, I didn't become Team Rocket's leader by collecting bottle caps. Let me...ease your mind. I'm not going after Mewtwo. Frankly, I'll admit, the only reason I remember the Arceus-damned failure is because my computers held the data even if my mind didn't. Didn't take too long to put together the pieces from there. So no, that wretched clone and his 'brethren' are safe. For now. No, I intend to make a better genetic project."
Footsteps echoed from down the hall outside and the boy and man were joined by another. This person was female, with dark eyes and graying hair and wearing a labcoat. She felt...dark to Ash and he couldn't explain it.
Giovanni smiled at the newcomer and looked at Ash. "Meet your new caretaker, Ketchum. This is my lead geneticist, . Have fun, Dr."
"Thank you for this opportunity sir. He's a wonderful specimen." The woman's voice would have been considered sultry to someone like Brock but all Ash could hear was the slick oily quality behind her voice. Like a taint over water, unseen but certainly felt to those who paid attention and it caused a shiver to rake it's claws over his spine. Ash did not like where this was going.
You see, Ash Ketchum may have been a relatively dense individual but he wasn't nearly as stupid as he made out to be. No, his wins were never flukes and he knew it, his pokemon knew it and his mother knew it. No one else did though and that was how he had wanted it. Ash had always been a shy person, he liked attention, sure. But only when he could control it, he wanted the attention to go to those he felt deserved it. Like his pokemon. So one could say that Ash was more perceptive than he let on. So Ash knew...this was not going to turn out well.
As Giovanni left the room and the Dr's team entered, Ash felt his stomach seem to drop out of his body. The team was clad in white, like their cold hearted supervisor and they wheeled in a stretcher between them, with restraints in place. Ash couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from the leather cuffs that would hold his arms and legs. This moment of frozen fear would be the beginning of his undoing as a needle slipped unnoticed into the flesh of his arm. And as darkness swam at the edges of his vision, Ash couldn't help but wonder how this all came to be.
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Muffled voices, distorted and strange, met Ash's ears. He fought to wake, struggling against his body which felt heavy and detached. He felt the restaints being loosened before they were gone altogether and he was being moved. The cold metal of the table fell away only to be replaced by something that felt equally cold and also wet. A liquid of some sort.
Ash forced his eyes open and was greeted with the view of a lab, incredibly and obviously expensive equipment filled the room and at the center was Ash, partially submerged in what seemed to be some sort of greenish blue liquid. He managed to look at the Doctor who smiled at him. She seemed...happy even pleased or excited to Ash.
"Welcome to your new home, Subject. I have yet to choose a proper project name for you specifically but you will be the finale for what I call the Legend Trials. You see, you aren't the first trainer I've gotten ahold of. But you will be my last. You are number 100. 99 others came before you. 50 went to what I called Project : Origin, an attempt at bonding humans and pokemon at the cellular level. Basically I was creating hybrids. The first dozen or so were failures but I got better with it over time. Giovanni picked me up onto his payroll shortly after my 5th success." She pointed to a section of the lab behind Ash and after he looked, he desperately wished he hadn't as his nonexistant lunch threatened to re-emerge. In a cage at the back of the lab lied a misshapen creature that looked more like someone had placed a human woman and a flareon into a blender. It whimpered pitifully and Ash turned away, swallowing thickly.
"What are you going to do to me?" His voice shook but he kept it from faltering. The Doctor laughed, the kind of laugh you'd expect from a giddy school girl, not a demented geneticist.
"Let me finish, and you'll know sugar." She said sweetly. "After Giovanni picked me up, things got better. I was able to start focusing less on the gene splicing, since with his funding I prefected it, and more on the appearance, longevity and functionability. I started making them look more like pokemon, of course I couldn't get them to look exactly like pokemon, they did start human after all. So, unfortunately they will always look a little on the human side. But, anyways, after I achieved my desired results, I moved onto the Legend Trials. Instead of making hybrids of ordinary pokemon, I'm shooting for Legendary Hybrids. You will be spliced with a bit of arceus and a bit of Giovanni's failure Mewtwo. I think I'll add a little of the original Mew sample to make you look cuter but that's neither here nor there. But, by the time I'm through with you, you'll be the most powerful and beautiful creature the world will ever see. And I can die happy." She smiled, looking at Ash as though her dreams were about to come true. And, as Ash thought about it, maybe they were. His groggy mind and body meant he couldn't fight, but one day Ash would escape. Even if it was the last thing he did.
So, before darkness claimed him once more. As the liquid filled the glass tank he now knew he was closed into, he made brief eye contact with what must have been the other survivors of this nightmare and began to dream.
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END...of the prologue. So here's how itll go. Reviews and follows dont matter to me. You like it, you like it, you dont you dont. Oh well. Im writing this for no other reason than i want to. So enjoy if you want. Next chapter will feature some possible OCs. And NO Ash will not capture any more pokemon until MUCH later in the story if at all. That isnt the focus.