WHEN THE THUNDER ROLLS........(Part 1)
Alternate Dimensions #1
(Alternate Dimensions, different worlds that live parralel to us, exactly the same, or different, or both. Every choice we make, all the choices we are presented with, another World is created, different from ours, based upon the choices we make, we now will explore one...Prepare yourselves.)
Ash walked through the shadows of the ruined city that was once Viridian, remembering the good times. Pikachu and Misty, Brock and Lance.... Misty...
He shook his head to clear those thoughts, stopping down near the demolished Pokecenter, seeing if anything still worked. The Year was ironically 2006, six years since the Pokemon retribution as the populace called it. Hundred of Pokemon rebelling against their trainers under the command of Mewtwo and Mew, went out around the world, gathering Other Pokemon till they were nearly unstoppable, destroying City's and Town's in there wake. The Pokemon who didn't rebel were either dead or being hunted or hiding with their trainers. Brock himself tried to talk peace...all that they found of him was his Green vest with a stain of blood around the collar. Many Humans who had survived the attacks of the Retributions had been injured severely, requiring medical replacement limbs or transplants because of the vicious Pokemon. The Pokemon that had rebelled still had a strong hold over the world, humans and traitor Pokemon were hunted down and killed. Ash himself had been in Pallet when the Pokemon army had attacked......
Ash stared at his left hand a moment, covered in a black glove. He remembered hearing his Mother's screams, then Professor Oaks. He remembered Watching Pikachu being Mentally ripped apart by Various Kadabra's, and the Scyther that had attacked him. He flexed his entired left arm, then stood up, touching his right eye a moment, shuddering at the smooth, cold feeling of metal. He looked toward The decimated Parks' Gym, the Sign that had said Parks' Gym Broken in half and laying on either side of the blown out building. He shuddered, remembering how Everyone who survived Pallet rushed to Parks' Gym, remembering how Lance had defended Hitmonchan and his Bruisers, covering their escape as the Building was overrun by the Pokemon army. Russell had stayed to help, but Lance had urged him away as he was attacked. They never did find his body, and it was Ash's slim hope that he was alive somewhere, with Hitmonchan. He walked through the rubble, making sure not to trip over anything, then looked back at Parks' Gym, seeing a lone figure in a ragged, torn, and slashed Overcoat flapping in the cold wind. He looked up at the sky, remembering how all the Electric pokemon who had not rebelled had gathered and tried to defend the Humans, sacrificing their Electricity, now it never stopped storming in the sky. He ran towards Parks' Gym's remains, towards the Figure in the Overcoat, hoping to god It was Lance. He stopped just behind the figure, panting for breath. He saw the dark brown hair, braided in the back. The figure turned his head, revealing a silver plate over his right eye, a round, red replacement upon it.
"Lance?" Ash said, gulping. The man looked back at the wreckage of Parks' Gym.
"......." The figure didn't respond. Ash gulped, mustering his courage.
"Lance? Is that you?" He asked once more. The figure took one step, turning around. Ash gasped in surprise. It was Lance, but he looked different. The Metal plate on his right eye extended down to his chin and some of his throat, while through the tears of his clothing he could see bits of metal here and there.
"What's left of me." Lance said quietly, his red eye blinking. Ash reached out a hand for his shoulder, placing his hand on Lance's shoulder. Suddenly Lance right hand flew out of his pocket, grabbing Ash's and holding it. Ash bit his lip, the Right hand was metal with sharp points and a round hole in the palm he could feel crushing into his wrist, he saw the metal extend farther down the sleeve.
"Don't....Touch me." Lance said quietly, in a deadly tone. Ash withdrew his hand and gulped.
"Wh-wh....what....."
"Shut up. I know what you're going to ask. What happened to me? What happened after you evacuated Parks' Gym? Did I ever see Hitmonchan again? "Lance said, cutting him off. Ash was a bit taken aback, Lance wasn't usually this Hostile.
"Let me answer your Questions. Everything is GONE. Parks' Gym, Russell, Electabuzz, Hitmonlee, Kanagaskhan, ALL OF THEM, except Hitmonchan. He's hiding right now, I came here to ruminate." Lance explained, his tone almost metallic and deadly.
"But..Where's Russell?"Ash asked. Lance wathed Asha moment, his face stone still.
"Dead, everyone is Dead. Brock, Russell, The Bruisers,....Sabrina...." Ash could see the sadness in Lance's eye's.
"I was there actually...when she died....She died in my Arm's Ash Ketchum of Pallet town, Saying she loved me, I said it back, then she died a few minutes afterwards. The Voltorbs had self-destructed in her Gym where she had managed to teleport me after you Left. She...She...she had been crushed under some rubble. She...She's dead." Ash almost thought that Lance was going to cry. Ash took a step forward.
"The worst part, her body...it disappeared...I had nothing to bury...If I'd listened to her, let her take me to where all the Psychic's went..." Lance choked out.
"Lance...calm down..slow down...where'd all the Psychic's go?" Ash asked, his curiosity aroused.
"I don't know! Why do you expect me to know?? You Expect me to pull it out of my head when it's not even there??" Lance snapped. Ash stepped back, aghast at Lance's behavior.
"Do...do you know where more survivors are?" Ash asked reluctantly.
"Yes, with Hitmonchan....one Survivor I know, the rest....the rest left...I don't..I don't know." Lance said, rubbing his face. He looked at Ash, a snarl on his face.
"Misty is the one survivor Ash." Ash's eyes widened and his arms surged forward, grabbing Lance's ragged overcoat collar and shaking him.
"Misty?? Where? Where is she?" He asked desperately. Lance pushed him down violently, knocking him to the ground.
"I have to know Lance! Where is she??" Ash cried, getting back up.
"She's with Hitmonchan Ash. In Mt. Moon where the Ocarinth's cave is." Lance said quietly, pointing towards Mt. Moon.
"Where?? Where's Oracinth's cave? You have to show me!"
"Have to? HAVE TO? I don't 'have to' Do anything! I've always done what I have to! And look where it got me Ash! A Ruined Gym, Dead Family, Dead FRIENDS, Dead Loves, and one friend gone off the deep end! So don't tell me what I have to do Ash!" Lance screamed at Ash, his metal hand curling into a fist. For a moment, Ash thought Lance would attack him, but instead he just seemed to sag, changing from angry madman to weary traveler. He leaned against a piece of rubble, trying to regain his composure.
"I'll show you....Follow me.." Lance said quietly, almost in a whisper. He turned towards Mt. Moon and started walking With Ash Close behind.
Lance climbed Mt. Moon quickly, leaving Ash to struggle far below him. Ash panted for breath, not quite used to rock climbing. It took him a half hour to climb up to the Ledge where Lance was, waiting for him.
"Took you long enough." Lance said spitefully, then turned to the side of the mountain where the ledge jutted from. He lifted his flesh and blood hand, placing it on a specific rock. He motioned for Ash to follow as he walked right through the rock. Ash followed hesitantly.
"Hard/soft light Hologram Ash. I switched it to soft light so we could go through, it automatically goes back to hard after we enter." Lance said before Ash could even ask him. They were in a rock tunnel lined with softly glowing bulbs strung on the ceiling of the cave. They walked through the dimly lit tunnel till they entered a large cavern with a Silver Pool, brighter lights were strung around the sides, lighting the area well. There was a dug out part near the left where he saw a Black Hitmonchan-like figure, sitting there. On the other side were two caves with cots and a few blankets. He saw another area with crates and assorted items, where a Woman dressed in a Blue Sweatshirt and Blue pants was getting a towel. Ash could see Red hair from the woman. He walked towards the girl slowly, unnoticed. Lance closed his eye's and folded his arms, watching. The Girl turned around, staring straight into Ash.
"Misty?" Ash asked, his throat going dry. The girl nodded, tears welling in her eyes.
"ASH!" She cried, throwing her arms around him and hugging tightly. Ash hugged back, burying his face in her shoulder, trying not to cry.
"You're alive." She said over and over. Ash pulled away from her a moment and looked at her.
"I...I am...I'm so glad to see you Misty." Ash choked out.
"Where have you been? I lost track of you after we got separated evacuating from Vermillion all those months ago."Misty asked softly.
"Mostly wandering around." He answered, then hugged her again. Lance cringed a little, seeing them together, then he walked towards the Room with the figure sitting there. He sat down in front of the Figure, turning the light up. It was a Black Hitmonchan, with grey gloves, grey feet, and grey body. It was staring straight ahead, it's eye's not focused on anything in particular, just staring with the Black pupils and eyes, making it look almost soulless. Lance sat there, staring at his best friend in angst and sadness. He wanted more than anything to talk to him, but he never responded. He took little notice as Ash and Misty walked up from behind him.
"What Pokemon is that?" Ash asked, a little caution in his voice. He knew Mewtwo sometimes mutated a Pokemon through unknown means, and that the Pokemon Army had a black part on them somewhere, something to do with Mewtwo. Misty looked down in sadness.
"That's Hitmonchan, Lance's Hitmonchan." She said quietly. She escorted him to her own cavern slash bedroom, where they sat down on the cot.
"What happened to him? Why is he colored so differently?" Ash asked.
"Hitmonchan was fighting with the Bruisers against a small regiment of the Pokemon army that devastated Parks' Gym four years after we evacuated and after Electabuzz and the Electric Storm. They fought and fought but they were outnumbered, Hitmonchan was separated from them and he watched them get killed. Then he did his rage attack, only it got so out of control.......Ash....The Corpses of the Regiment that killed the Bruisers.......Every bone in their bodies were broken, some had been ripped out and....It was horrible...We arrived before he was finished, and we watched as he massacred the entire regiment....It was so horrible....Not one of the Pokemon Regiment survived....." Misty stopped there, shivering. Ash put an arm around her comfortingly. She took a big breath and Continued.
"Afterwards, he came out of his attack, he looked around at what he had done...then at the Bruisers....and he lost his mind. He collapsed to the ground, his skin changing color as his mind went crazy. He's been like this ever since, it's really affected Lance. He was devastated when he found out about his poor Bruisers, but when he saw Hitmonchan.....Something snapped in him Ash. He hasn't been the same." Misty said quietly. Ash bit his lip and nodded.
"He just sits there most of the day, staring at Hitmonchan, talking to him or just staring." Misty said, suddenly hugging Ash in a tight grip.
"It's okay Misty...." He said as she started sobbing. He said it over and over, trying to comfort her.
"Things have changed so much...It's always storming outside..." Misty said as she stopped crying.
"Don't worry, things will get better...I promise." Ash said quietly. Misty sat there, holding Ash.
"You can't keep that Promise Ash." She said quietly.
Lance got up, still looking at Hitmonchan. He felt like slapping Hitmonchan almost, he wanted someone to talk to that would at least understand having your life ripped way. He pulled a chair out from the corner and sat in it, still looking at Hitmonchan. He didn't know why, but he started talking to Hitmonchan even though he wouldn't respond.
"They don't know..." He started, his eye's moving to Ash and Misty, then back to Hitmonchan.
"They don't know what it's like do they? Having everything ripped away from you. Sure, Ash lost Pikachu and Brock, but he just doesn't understand." Lance said quietly.
"He didn't lose his love, he didn't lose his best friends, he didn't lose a friends mind, he didn't lose nearly as much as we did, did he Hitmonchan?" Lance's voice started to quaver with a hint of anger.
"He still has Misty and his Other Pokemon. I just...I just have you left. You....you...you've always been there for me Hitmonchan...even in the good and bad.....and...I wasn't there for you was I? I wasn't there for my Bruisers, for my Gym, For...for....Sabrina..." Lance gulped, trying to hold back his tears.
"We had a nice large family didn't we Hitmonchan? You, Me, Russell, The Bruisers, Warmonger, Parks' Gym, and even Sabrina if things hadn't...hadn't worked out this badly she'd...we'd....we'd..." He bit his lip and tentavily Put his hand in his pocket, feeling a small roundish box that felt nice and soft.
"Things didn't go the way we planned did it? The Pokemon Retribution, Parks' Gym.. Everything's dead...Except you and me. Funny...in a dark way.....You were there for me at the beginning....and now....now...near the end...you're...still here in a way I guess." Lance wiped away a tear from his eye. He waited a few minutes before going on, staring at Hitmonchan. He almost willed him to speak.
"Why won't you wake up? I want you here Hitmonchan, wake up. Please....wake up...wake up." Lance said softly, then got up so abruptly he bumped into a shelf set up in the cavern, knocking a black box with head phones to the ground in front of Hitmonchan. Lance didn't notice, instead walking swiftly towards the entrance to the cavern. He didn't realize that as he left, the black box made a scratching sound before music started to come out of the Headphones. Almost as if a zombie, Hitmonchan's hand slowly lurched outward, taking the headphones and putting them on his head before reverting back to his zombie state, but with one change. The middle of his eye's started turning a deep crimson red, like blood.
"Ash, how are things in the outside world?" Misty asked, playing with a tangle of his black hair.
"Pretty dark. There's about one billion humans left, or that's what Seymour calculates. They're scattered everywhere and the Poke-army is still hunting them. A few people are part of a fighting rebellion, but they're outclassed in every field." Ash sighed, hugging Misty close.
"That bad?"
"Yeah, Most of the survivors live underground in Ruin City."
"What's Ruin City?"
"It's an underground city that Digletts and Dugtrios helped make for the Survivors. They get along pretty well down there." Ash explained briefly. Misty nodded and thought a moment. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lance rush towards the entrance. She let him go.
"Misty, how have you been in...wherever here is." Misty grinned crookedly.
"This? I call this Parks' Cave....After Russell and Parks' Gym." Misty had a touch of sadness in her voice.
"I've been good. Lance goes to Viridian or whatever City he wants, bringing back anything useful. I get to store it or organize it or put it to use unfortunantly. He installed the Hologram thing though." Misty said.
"I set up all the furniture and stuff. I managed to scrap together a few blankets." She said proudly. Ash smiled and nodded.
"So you're the one to blame for the decor?" Ash said, joking. Misty grinned and nodded.
"I strung up al the lights and stuff while Lance was off on his little salvage gigs. We managed to salvage a freezer unit for the food we find." Misty grinned.
"So you've been busy." Ash commented, looking around her little bedroom.
"Yeah. I've had to keep myself busy....Lance really hasn't been much help...."
"What....DID happen to Lance after we Evacuated Parks' Gym? I know he was teleported away to Saffron.." Ash asked.
"Sabrina cared for him for a few months till he was better. Then Some Voltorbs and Electrodes attacked the Gym and Self destructed...." Ash stopped her with a nod.
"I know that part. I mean, why does he have so many....mechanical parts on him?" Ash was a bit hesitant in saying that. Misty sighed, then looked at him.
"He was injured pretty badly. I think he lost about 30% of his Limbs and body." Ash winced.
"He seems so defeated...I'm not used to seeing him like this.." Ash sighed, running a hand through Misty's red hair.
"Yeah...I know....He's lost a lot...."
"We really shouldn't talk about him....I want to here more about how you've been." Ash smiled, trying to change the subject. They hadn't noticed the grey and black figure that ad rushed towards the entrance minutes earlier.
Alternate Dimensions #1
(Alternate Dimensions, different worlds that live parralel to us, exactly the same, or different, or both. Every choice we make, all the choices we are presented with, another World is created, different from ours, based upon the choices we make, we now will explore one...Prepare yourselves.)
Ash walked through the shadows of the ruined city that was once Viridian, remembering the good times. Pikachu and Misty, Brock and Lance.... Misty...
He shook his head to clear those thoughts, stopping down near the demolished Pokecenter, seeing if anything still worked. The Year was ironically 2006, six years since the Pokemon retribution as the populace called it. Hundred of Pokemon rebelling against their trainers under the command of Mewtwo and Mew, went out around the world, gathering Other Pokemon till they were nearly unstoppable, destroying City's and Town's in there wake. The Pokemon who didn't rebel were either dead or being hunted or hiding with their trainers. Brock himself tried to talk peace...all that they found of him was his Green vest with a stain of blood around the collar. Many Humans who had survived the attacks of the Retributions had been injured severely, requiring medical replacement limbs or transplants because of the vicious Pokemon. The Pokemon that had rebelled still had a strong hold over the world, humans and traitor Pokemon were hunted down and killed. Ash himself had been in Pallet when the Pokemon army had attacked......
Ash stared at his left hand a moment, covered in a black glove. He remembered hearing his Mother's screams, then Professor Oaks. He remembered Watching Pikachu being Mentally ripped apart by Various Kadabra's, and the Scyther that had attacked him. He flexed his entired left arm, then stood up, touching his right eye a moment, shuddering at the smooth, cold feeling of metal. He looked toward The decimated Parks' Gym, the Sign that had said Parks' Gym Broken in half and laying on either side of the blown out building. He shuddered, remembering how Everyone who survived Pallet rushed to Parks' Gym, remembering how Lance had defended Hitmonchan and his Bruisers, covering their escape as the Building was overrun by the Pokemon army. Russell had stayed to help, but Lance had urged him away as he was attacked. They never did find his body, and it was Ash's slim hope that he was alive somewhere, with Hitmonchan. He walked through the rubble, making sure not to trip over anything, then looked back at Parks' Gym, seeing a lone figure in a ragged, torn, and slashed Overcoat flapping in the cold wind. He looked up at the sky, remembering how all the Electric pokemon who had not rebelled had gathered and tried to defend the Humans, sacrificing their Electricity, now it never stopped storming in the sky. He ran towards Parks' Gym's remains, towards the Figure in the Overcoat, hoping to god It was Lance. He stopped just behind the figure, panting for breath. He saw the dark brown hair, braided in the back. The figure turned his head, revealing a silver plate over his right eye, a round, red replacement upon it.
"Lance?" Ash said, gulping. The man looked back at the wreckage of Parks' Gym.
"......." The figure didn't respond. Ash gulped, mustering his courage.
"Lance? Is that you?" He asked once more. The figure took one step, turning around. Ash gasped in surprise. It was Lance, but he looked different. The Metal plate on his right eye extended down to his chin and some of his throat, while through the tears of his clothing he could see bits of metal here and there.
"What's left of me." Lance said quietly, his red eye blinking. Ash reached out a hand for his shoulder, placing his hand on Lance's shoulder. Suddenly Lance right hand flew out of his pocket, grabbing Ash's and holding it. Ash bit his lip, the Right hand was metal with sharp points and a round hole in the palm he could feel crushing into his wrist, he saw the metal extend farther down the sleeve.
"Don't....Touch me." Lance said quietly, in a deadly tone. Ash withdrew his hand and gulped.
"Wh-wh....what....."
"Shut up. I know what you're going to ask. What happened to me? What happened after you evacuated Parks' Gym? Did I ever see Hitmonchan again? "Lance said, cutting him off. Ash was a bit taken aback, Lance wasn't usually this Hostile.
"Let me answer your Questions. Everything is GONE. Parks' Gym, Russell, Electabuzz, Hitmonlee, Kanagaskhan, ALL OF THEM, except Hitmonchan. He's hiding right now, I came here to ruminate." Lance explained, his tone almost metallic and deadly.
"But..Where's Russell?"Ash asked. Lance wathed Asha moment, his face stone still.
"Dead, everyone is Dead. Brock, Russell, The Bruisers,....Sabrina...." Ash could see the sadness in Lance's eye's.
"I was there actually...when she died....She died in my Arm's Ash Ketchum of Pallet town, Saying she loved me, I said it back, then she died a few minutes afterwards. The Voltorbs had self-destructed in her Gym where she had managed to teleport me after you Left. She...She...she had been crushed under some rubble. She...She's dead." Ash almost thought that Lance was going to cry. Ash took a step forward.
"The worst part, her body...it disappeared...I had nothing to bury...If I'd listened to her, let her take me to where all the Psychic's went..." Lance choked out.
"Lance...calm down..slow down...where'd all the Psychic's go?" Ash asked, his curiosity aroused.
"I don't know! Why do you expect me to know?? You Expect me to pull it out of my head when it's not even there??" Lance snapped. Ash stepped back, aghast at Lance's behavior.
"Do...do you know where more survivors are?" Ash asked reluctantly.
"Yes, with Hitmonchan....one Survivor I know, the rest....the rest left...I don't..I don't know." Lance said, rubbing his face. He looked at Ash, a snarl on his face.
"Misty is the one survivor Ash." Ash's eyes widened and his arms surged forward, grabbing Lance's ragged overcoat collar and shaking him.
"Misty?? Where? Where is she?" He asked desperately. Lance pushed him down violently, knocking him to the ground.
"I have to know Lance! Where is she??" Ash cried, getting back up.
"She's with Hitmonchan Ash. In Mt. Moon where the Ocarinth's cave is." Lance said quietly, pointing towards Mt. Moon.
"Where?? Where's Oracinth's cave? You have to show me!"
"Have to? HAVE TO? I don't 'have to' Do anything! I've always done what I have to! And look where it got me Ash! A Ruined Gym, Dead Family, Dead FRIENDS, Dead Loves, and one friend gone off the deep end! So don't tell me what I have to do Ash!" Lance screamed at Ash, his metal hand curling into a fist. For a moment, Ash thought Lance would attack him, but instead he just seemed to sag, changing from angry madman to weary traveler. He leaned against a piece of rubble, trying to regain his composure.
"I'll show you....Follow me.." Lance said quietly, almost in a whisper. He turned towards Mt. Moon and started walking With Ash Close behind.
Lance climbed Mt. Moon quickly, leaving Ash to struggle far below him. Ash panted for breath, not quite used to rock climbing. It took him a half hour to climb up to the Ledge where Lance was, waiting for him.
"Took you long enough." Lance said spitefully, then turned to the side of the mountain where the ledge jutted from. He lifted his flesh and blood hand, placing it on a specific rock. He motioned for Ash to follow as he walked right through the rock. Ash followed hesitantly.
"Hard/soft light Hologram Ash. I switched it to soft light so we could go through, it automatically goes back to hard after we enter." Lance said before Ash could even ask him. They were in a rock tunnel lined with softly glowing bulbs strung on the ceiling of the cave. They walked through the dimly lit tunnel till they entered a large cavern with a Silver Pool, brighter lights were strung around the sides, lighting the area well. There was a dug out part near the left where he saw a Black Hitmonchan-like figure, sitting there. On the other side were two caves with cots and a few blankets. He saw another area with crates and assorted items, where a Woman dressed in a Blue Sweatshirt and Blue pants was getting a towel. Ash could see Red hair from the woman. He walked towards the girl slowly, unnoticed. Lance closed his eye's and folded his arms, watching. The Girl turned around, staring straight into Ash.
"Misty?" Ash asked, his throat going dry. The girl nodded, tears welling in her eyes.
"ASH!" She cried, throwing her arms around him and hugging tightly. Ash hugged back, burying his face in her shoulder, trying not to cry.
"You're alive." She said over and over. Ash pulled away from her a moment and looked at her.
"I...I am...I'm so glad to see you Misty." Ash choked out.
"Where have you been? I lost track of you after we got separated evacuating from Vermillion all those months ago."Misty asked softly.
"Mostly wandering around." He answered, then hugged her again. Lance cringed a little, seeing them together, then he walked towards the Room with the figure sitting there. He sat down in front of the Figure, turning the light up. It was a Black Hitmonchan, with grey gloves, grey feet, and grey body. It was staring straight ahead, it's eye's not focused on anything in particular, just staring with the Black pupils and eyes, making it look almost soulless. Lance sat there, staring at his best friend in angst and sadness. He wanted more than anything to talk to him, but he never responded. He took little notice as Ash and Misty walked up from behind him.
"What Pokemon is that?" Ash asked, a little caution in his voice. He knew Mewtwo sometimes mutated a Pokemon through unknown means, and that the Pokemon Army had a black part on them somewhere, something to do with Mewtwo. Misty looked down in sadness.
"That's Hitmonchan, Lance's Hitmonchan." She said quietly. She escorted him to her own cavern slash bedroom, where they sat down on the cot.
"What happened to him? Why is he colored so differently?" Ash asked.
"Hitmonchan was fighting with the Bruisers against a small regiment of the Pokemon army that devastated Parks' Gym four years after we evacuated and after Electabuzz and the Electric Storm. They fought and fought but they were outnumbered, Hitmonchan was separated from them and he watched them get killed. Then he did his rage attack, only it got so out of control.......Ash....The Corpses of the Regiment that killed the Bruisers.......Every bone in their bodies were broken, some had been ripped out and....It was horrible...We arrived before he was finished, and we watched as he massacred the entire regiment....It was so horrible....Not one of the Pokemon Regiment survived....." Misty stopped there, shivering. Ash put an arm around her comfortingly. She took a big breath and Continued.
"Afterwards, he came out of his attack, he looked around at what he had done...then at the Bruisers....and he lost his mind. He collapsed to the ground, his skin changing color as his mind went crazy. He's been like this ever since, it's really affected Lance. He was devastated when he found out about his poor Bruisers, but when he saw Hitmonchan.....Something snapped in him Ash. He hasn't been the same." Misty said quietly. Ash bit his lip and nodded.
"He just sits there most of the day, staring at Hitmonchan, talking to him or just staring." Misty said, suddenly hugging Ash in a tight grip.
"It's okay Misty...." He said as she started sobbing. He said it over and over, trying to comfort her.
"Things have changed so much...It's always storming outside..." Misty said as she stopped crying.
"Don't worry, things will get better...I promise." Ash said quietly. Misty sat there, holding Ash.
"You can't keep that Promise Ash." She said quietly.
Lance got up, still looking at Hitmonchan. He felt like slapping Hitmonchan almost, he wanted someone to talk to that would at least understand having your life ripped way. He pulled a chair out from the corner and sat in it, still looking at Hitmonchan. He didn't know why, but he started talking to Hitmonchan even though he wouldn't respond.
"They don't know..." He started, his eye's moving to Ash and Misty, then back to Hitmonchan.
"They don't know what it's like do they? Having everything ripped away from you. Sure, Ash lost Pikachu and Brock, but he just doesn't understand." Lance said quietly.
"He didn't lose his love, he didn't lose his best friends, he didn't lose a friends mind, he didn't lose nearly as much as we did, did he Hitmonchan?" Lance's voice started to quaver with a hint of anger.
"He still has Misty and his Other Pokemon. I just...I just have you left. You....you...you've always been there for me Hitmonchan...even in the good and bad.....and...I wasn't there for you was I? I wasn't there for my Bruisers, for my Gym, For...for....Sabrina..." Lance gulped, trying to hold back his tears.
"We had a nice large family didn't we Hitmonchan? You, Me, Russell, The Bruisers, Warmonger, Parks' Gym, and even Sabrina if things hadn't...hadn't worked out this badly she'd...we'd....we'd..." He bit his lip and tentavily Put his hand in his pocket, feeling a small roundish box that felt nice and soft.
"Things didn't go the way we planned did it? The Pokemon Retribution, Parks' Gym.. Everything's dead...Except you and me. Funny...in a dark way.....You were there for me at the beginning....and now....now...near the end...you're...still here in a way I guess." Lance wiped away a tear from his eye. He waited a few minutes before going on, staring at Hitmonchan. He almost willed him to speak.
"Why won't you wake up? I want you here Hitmonchan, wake up. Please....wake up...wake up." Lance said softly, then got up so abruptly he bumped into a shelf set up in the cavern, knocking a black box with head phones to the ground in front of Hitmonchan. Lance didn't notice, instead walking swiftly towards the entrance to the cavern. He didn't realize that as he left, the black box made a scratching sound before music started to come out of the Headphones. Almost as if a zombie, Hitmonchan's hand slowly lurched outward, taking the headphones and putting them on his head before reverting back to his zombie state, but with one change. The middle of his eye's started turning a deep crimson red, like blood.
"Ash, how are things in the outside world?" Misty asked, playing with a tangle of his black hair.
"Pretty dark. There's about one billion humans left, or that's what Seymour calculates. They're scattered everywhere and the Poke-army is still hunting them. A few people are part of a fighting rebellion, but they're outclassed in every field." Ash sighed, hugging Misty close.
"That bad?"
"Yeah, Most of the survivors live underground in Ruin City."
"What's Ruin City?"
"It's an underground city that Digletts and Dugtrios helped make for the Survivors. They get along pretty well down there." Ash explained briefly. Misty nodded and thought a moment. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lance rush towards the entrance. She let him go.
"Misty, how have you been in...wherever here is." Misty grinned crookedly.
"This? I call this Parks' Cave....After Russell and Parks' Gym." Misty had a touch of sadness in her voice.
"I've been good. Lance goes to Viridian or whatever City he wants, bringing back anything useful. I get to store it or organize it or put it to use unfortunantly. He installed the Hologram thing though." Misty said.
"I set up all the furniture and stuff. I managed to scrap together a few blankets." She said proudly. Ash smiled and nodded.
"So you're the one to blame for the decor?" Ash said, joking. Misty grinned and nodded.
"I strung up al the lights and stuff while Lance was off on his little salvage gigs. We managed to salvage a freezer unit for the food we find." Misty grinned.
"So you've been busy." Ash commented, looking around her little bedroom.
"Yeah. I've had to keep myself busy....Lance really hasn't been much help...."
"What....DID happen to Lance after we Evacuated Parks' Gym? I know he was teleported away to Saffron.." Ash asked.
"Sabrina cared for him for a few months till he was better. Then Some Voltorbs and Electrodes attacked the Gym and Self destructed...." Ash stopped her with a nod.
"I know that part. I mean, why does he have so many....mechanical parts on him?" Ash was a bit hesitant in saying that. Misty sighed, then looked at him.
"He was injured pretty badly. I think he lost about 30% of his Limbs and body." Ash winced.
"He seems so defeated...I'm not used to seeing him like this.." Ash sighed, running a hand through Misty's red hair.
"Yeah...I know....He's lost a lot...."
"We really shouldn't talk about him....I want to here more about how you've been." Ash smiled, trying to change the subject. They hadn't noticed the grey and black figure that ad rushed towards the entrance minutes earlier.