Chapter 2
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or it's affiliates.
A/N: Hello faithful readers and sorry for the long wait on this chapter. As some of you may know I wasn't sure whether or not I was going to continue this, I have promised to do a Gym Leader story but this kind of jumped in front of that. That being said some of you lovely people who reviewed said that I should continue so here it is. As for those who still want the Gym Leader story fear not, I am working on the first chapter final draft now but I still haven't come up with a title for it yet so please be patient. Thank you for all the reviews the first chapter received and I hope to see more of what you all think in PM's or reviews.
Ash was unsure where he was and what was going on as he scanned the black space that he had found himself in. On either side of him stood all his Pokemon from the Tauros herd on his left to Snorlax all the way on the right but in front and behind him there was nothing but darkness. Looking to his Pokemon he saw that all of them were smiling, genuinely happy to be with him. Their smiles were contagious and despite the odd situation he was in, he couldn't help but smile back at his Pokemon, his family. The happy moment was cut short unfortunately as a ring of fire appeared around Ash, cutting him off from his Pokemon.
"Pikapi!"
Ash could hear his long time best friend call to him along with all his other Pokemon, all with worried expressions on their faces. Some of the water types began firing water guns in an effort to extinguish the fire that surrounded Ash but to no avail. The water didn't seem to affect the flames at all but merely evaporated away in clouds of steam. While some of the other Pokemon tried their best to break through the flames, something caught Ash's attention out of the corner of his eye. Turning to get a better look, fear crept into Ash as he recognized the three figures that were facing him in the darkness. Ghetsis stood between the imposing figures of Reshiram and Zekrom, both with their tails glowing.
In panic Ash began yelling for his Pokemon to run away and take cover but no sound came out of his mouth. Reaching to his throat, Ash realized that he had no voice and couldn't warn his friends. Looking back to the two dragons Ash saw the huge fireball headed straight for him and his Pokemon. In seconds it hit the entire group and while the flames around Ash protected him, his Pokemon weren't so lucky. Ash could see the pain and hear the cries as his family was burned by the powerful attack while he could do nothing but watch.
After what seemed like an hour the flames covering the group died down to reveal the damage that was done. Ash had seen Pokemon be hurt before in his years of battling but the damage to his Pokemon made him feel sick. Some were completely unrecognizable due to the flames burning away or melting parts of their body while others were completely still on the ground, devoid of life. Hot, angry tears welled up in Ash's eye's as he looked to where Ghetsis and the dragons were standing.
"It's all your fault boy. They have suffered because of you." Ghetsis said with a wide smirk as Zekrom charged in Ash's direction with electricity covering it's entire body.
Screaming his lungs out in defiance of Ghetsis' words, Ash still couldn't hear any noise from his voice. Despite that he continued yelling even as Zekrom crashed through the flames surrounding him and slammed it's head into his.
Jolting up right in the bed, Ash quickly scanned the dark room he was in for any sign of Zekrom or his Pokemon. Finding neither he laid back with a sigh and then looked at the ceiling. "Only a nightmare." He thought while rubbing his head.
"I was wondering when you would awaken." A deep voice spoke from a dark corner of the small room.
Despite the moon shining in the room from a large picture window, Ash couldn't make out who else was in the room with him. "Who's there?" Ash croaked out, his throat extremely dry.
"Here drink this." The voice spoke again as a glass of water surrounded by a blue glow floated in front of Ash.
Looking at it hesitantly, Ash carefully reached out and took the glass. Drinking slowly, Ash kept looking in the corner of the room where the voice seemed to be coming from. Finishing the glass Ash waited to see if the unknown figure would answer his question but his impatience quickly got the better of him. "Well aren't you going to answer?"
An audible sigh was heard and the shadows shifted as a figure wrapped in a brown cloak stepped out into the moonlight. "I see that you have forgotten me despite me letting you keep your memories last we met."
After the figure finished speaking it lowered the hood that was attached to the cloak revealing it's face. Surprise flashed across Ash's face but was quickly replaced with confusion. "What are you doing here Mewtwo?"
"Straight to the point I see. Very different from the boy I met a few years ago." Mewtwo said seriously while watching Ash closely.
"Yeah well the me from a few years ago didn't have his Pokemon beaten and taken from him. Then to top it off I was beaten nearly to death and woke up in a dark room with a Legendary criticizing the questions I ask. So yeah, I'm different. So I will keep my questions to the point. Why are you here and how long was I out?" Ash stated with a hard look toward Mewtwo.
Seeing the seriousness on Ash's face, Mewtwo decided to get on with things. "You have been in a coma for a month and a half. The damage to your body was extensive but you have recovered almost completely." Mewtwo spoke in a monotone voice as if reciting a speech. "why I'm here is because I was ordered to speak to you."
"Who can give you orders?" Ash asked curtly while shifting in his hospital style bed. Ash had dealt with psychic types before and he recognized the tingle in his head that told him when one was poking around in there. Unfortunately there was very little he could do to stop the mental invasion.
"Arceus himself ordered me to talk with you. He saw the events that took place with the Legendary dragons Reshiram and Zekrom and what happened with you afterwords. He wants to know what you plan to do now."
"Why does it matter what I do?" Ash asked sternly, all the while the tingle in his mind continued.
"Because Legendaries are being used by humans which makes this mainly a human problem and since you have experience with this kind of situation, Arceus would like you to help resolve it." Mewtwo explained.
"So he wants me to do his dirty work again?! Is that what your telling me?!" Ash yelled, irritated at what was expected of his and the tingling he still felt in his mind.
"Yes that is correct. He thought with your Pokemon being held by the same people you would want to go after them anyway." Mewtwo said coolly, trying to stay calm despite Ash's outburst.
"Well he's right, I am going after those bastards and I'm going to make them pay for what they did to me and my family. But I'm not doing it for Arceus, I'm doing it for my Pokemon, my family and no one else. So you can tell Arceus to leave me alone and while we are at it, why don't you leave. I know that you have been snooping around in my head and I don't appreciate it." Ash said with anger bubbling just below the surface.
"Very well, as you wish. I am sorry about the invasion of privacy, it won't happen again. Till we meet again." Mewtwo said and in a flash he was gone.
Letting a long breath out, ash lay back on the bed and tried to calm down. He had never lost his temper like that, at least not without a good reason. He would have to watch that he didn't lose his temper again and cause more problems than he already had.
"Samuel! Samuel come quick!" Delia yelled from across the lab.
"What is it Delia?" Oak yelled as he made his way over to where she was near the spare bed rooms.
When Oak finally got to Delia he was out of breath, so Delia spoke first. "He's gone. Ash is gone."
"What do you mean he is gone? He was in a coma." Oak said between breaths. "Tracey! Tracey come here!"
"Coming!" Tracey's voice came from outside. After a moment Tracey appeared in front of the pair. "Yes Professor, what did you need me for?"
"Ash is missing, you didn't move him did you?" Oak asked quickly while gesturing to the now empty bedroom.
"No, he is outside. I thought you knew." Tracey said with confusion on his face while looking between Delia and the Professor.
Without a word both Delia and Oak took off toward the back door of the lab and went out onto the grasslands of the ranch. It didn't take them long to see who they were looking for. About fifty feet away from the lab stood Ash in jeans and no shirt talking with his last two Pokemon, Glalie and Gabite.
"He just walked out like that about two hours ago and asked me if any of his Pokemon were still here." Tracey explained as the two adults watched Ash talking with his Pokemon." I showed him those two and they have been like that ever since. I assumed you knew he was awake, sorry for not telling you sooner."
"It's alright Tracey, no harm done. Oak said politely as Delia began to run to her boy. The Professor watched as mother and son shared a hug but then spoke again to Tracey. "Call Lance Tracey. Let him know Ash is awake."
"Yes sir." Tracey replied and went inside to make a few calls to let some people know that Ash was okay.
A few hours later
"Thank you for the call Professor. I appreciate you letting me know as soon as he woke." Lance said as he followed the Professor through the lab towards the ranch in the back.
"It's no problem Lance. I only ask that you don't push him too hard for information, he did just wake up from a coma after all."
"Of course. I will just ask a few questions and be on my way." Lance said as he left the Professor at the door and made his way to where Ash and his Pokemon were sitting in a small circle. As he got closer to the little group he could hear Ash talking to his Pokemon and they seemed to be responding. As he got with in a few feet from Ash the two Pokemon stopped talking and looked at Lance. "Hello Ash, it's been a while."
Standing up Ash turned around to face Lance. "Yeah it has. What are you doing here Lance?"
Lance glanced over Ash's exposed torso and the many scars that littered his chest and face. Some looked to be made from surgery but others were too rough and jagged for that. Some even appeared to be made from jewelry impacting on the skin. Lance had seen scars like these before from being with the G Men and they usually came from brutal beatings or torture. "I'm here to talk with you about what happened here a month and a half ago. Your mother and the Professor have given their accounts of what happened but I want your point if view, a trainers point of view."
"Whats to say really. My Pokemon and I were out numbered, we fought and we lost. Now they are gone, end of story." Ash said with sadness creeping into his voice. The two Pokemon on either side of Ash got closer to comfort their trainer.
"From what I heard you were holding them off for over an hour by yourself, that's not something a normal trainer could do. And the fact that it took two Legendaries to stop you is nothing short of amazing." Lance spoke sincerely.
"So what!" Ash shouted angrily as his Pokemon took a step back. "It didn't make any difference now did it!"
Lance was taken aback by the sudden outburst but continued anyway. "Okay then , if you don't want to talk about what happened then let me tell you what is happening as we speak." Lance said in a more serious tone. "The Unova Region got a new Champion while you were in a coma. His name is N and he defeated the entire Elite Four and Champion using only two Pokemon, Reshiram and Zekrom. Sound familiar?" Lance paused but got no response from Ash so he continued. "After being crowned Champion, N announced himself as King of Team Plasma and ordered the liberation of all trainers Pokemon. Almost the entire region has submitted and the other regions are worried that Team Plasma will come and try the same thing in their regions. So you see the world has bigger problems than you do, so stop this nonsense and tell me what I need to know."
Ash was silent for a moment as he looked at Lance but then a smirk came across Ash's face. "I know that your some kind of big shot G Men who is used to giving orders but that won't work with me. I'm not some flunkies you can boss around and I will handle this my own way. It was my Pokemon they took and I will get them back and make those bastards pay for what they did to me and my family."
"You will do nothing of the sort. Though you have been helpful in the past, you only have two Pokemon and are still recovering. You will be nothing but a hindrance. That is why as Champion of Kanto and Johto, I restrict you to your home region with no exceptions. And if you won't abide by that I will strip you of your trainers license permanently. Get the picture?" Lance spoke coldly while standing up straight to make himself seem more intimidating.
The glare the two shared was almost as deadly as if given by a pair of battling dragons. Both of Ash's Pokemon were growling at Lance, not liking how he was talking to their trainer. Ash was first to say anything after the tense moments of silence but he restrained the anger he was feeling. "I think we are done here Lance."
"Very well Mr. Ketchum." Lance said curtly and then turned and quickly walked away toward the Lab leaving Ash and his Pokemon alone once again.
Team Plasma Headquarters, Unova
"Restrain them idiots! We can't let any escape!" A Plasma grunt yelled to the three other grunts trying to control the two rampaging Pokemon, one small yellow mouse and one large orange lizard.
"Is there a problem here?"
"Lord Ghetsis! No sir just some small disruptions. Nothing that we can't handle sir." The head grunt replied nervously.
"Hmm. These are Ketchum's Pokemon correct?" Ghetsis asked as he got closer to the large fire lizard who growled as he approached.
"Yes sir. His whole team has been like this since they were healed, especially these two. But we are handling it sir." The grunt replied quickly.
"Well the problem is that their spirit isn't broken, they weren't abandoned but stolen. So to make them more manageable we just have to break their spirit."
"How do we do that sir?" The grunt asked while watch Ghetsis.
Ghetsis gained a cruel smirk and turned to walk out of the room but not before saying one final thing. "Kill the fire breathing lizard. Do it in front of all his teammates, then see how much spirit the others have. Understood?"
"Yes sir."