THE CHAOS TRILOGY:

PARADIGM SHIFT

by Marisa Mockery

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Marisa's note: The Chaos Trilogy is intended to be completely pairing free. There are a few hints of Pokeshipping and Pearlshipping if you look for them, but for the most part I avoid romance like the plague because it makes an already complicated story even more complicated. Besides, Ash is a moron. Like he'd ever figure out Misty, May or Dawn (or the guys he knows) have crushes on him?

And sorry this is late. At update time I was at a fashion show…long story. Enjoy!

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CHAPTER ONE—KIDNAPPED

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Ash woke up without a hat, article of clothing, pokéball, or scrap of dignity to his name.

He DID wake up to find his hands and feet hogtied and his mouth gagged. Wondering why he was having a bondage dream and where Misty was with the whipped cream, he tried to wake himself up by pinching himself.

No luck.

He tried again.

Still no luck.

A large, dark-skinned, scary-looking man dressed in a black uniform entered the room.

Ash pinched himself so hard so hard he pierced the skin.

The man reached for his pants…

Ohgodohgodohgodnonononono

…and pulled a walkie-talkie out of his front pocket.

"Target A's finally awake," he said. "Damn, Nymph, how hard did you hit the kid?"

"Hard enough," was the static reply. "Sed time?"

"Yup. And let's see if we can't get him some pants. This is creepy."

—  —  —  —  —  —

 But what, you may ask, has happened to Pikachu?

Well, what do you think?

Everyone gets lucky once. Even Jessie and James.

—  —  —  —  —  —

When Ash woke up again, he found himself handcuffed and footcuffed to a chair that was nailed to the floor. The floor was constantly bouncing and wiggling, which implied that either Sinnoh was having the longest and mildest earthquake in Sinnohian history or he was in some sort of vehicle. And, thank God, he also had a pair of oversized black pants and an oversized black shirt on.

A shirt with a large red R on it.

R.

Rocket.

Ash would have muttered something unprintable at that point, but he was still gagged. Still, you had to give him points for trying.

What would Team Rocket want with him? Sure, there was the whole Pikachu thing, but this really wasn't Jessie or James' style. Besides that, the scary man and the woman looked nothing like the two, and they wore different clothes. And Jessie and James were usually nice enough to wait until he was fully dressed before attempting anything. There were a few times they'd attacked when he was in his underwear, but…

Ash shook his head and tried to focus, which is much harder than you'd think when you're in an unknown vehicle heading who knows where while wearing someone else's clothing.

Well, Pikachu wasn't here, and if they were after it they would have gone into his room for it while he was showering, not gone after him. And they certainly wouldn't have kept him. So, that meant for some reason he, Ash Ketchum, was personally being escorted to someplace for some unknown reason.

This line of reasoning did not make him feel better. If anything, it made him feel worse. And it didn't get any better when the scary man came in and gave him another shot, making him fall into a deep, deep sleep.

—  —  —  —  —  —

So now we know where Pikachu is, or rather, where it isn't, e. g. in Dawn or Brock's custody. Presumably Jessie and James are celebrating but not letting it get away, as they tend to do. Meowth is probably making sure of this.

Brock and Dawn, however, are following them. Because while Jessie and James have no idea that Ash has been kidnapped, his two friends are convinced these two are in league with the kidnappers and Jessie and James are following said kidnappers by air. This is the only reason Ash's Gligar hasn't popped the balloon (it's ever so easy to spot and follow, don't you know).

The fact Jessie and James are heading in the same direction as the kidnappers, is, in fact, merely a happy coincidence. For Dawn and Brock, anyway.

—  —  —  —  —  —

A lone man with terrible eyes sat watching the screen.

"What is the status?" he rasped.

"Target A is kept on sedatives and is unharmed. No one saw us leave but some little girl and Target B, which…may have been captured anyway."

" 'May have been captured'?"

"Well…we…ran into these…weird people dressed in really old Rocket uniforms. They may have been cosplayers. But they had a ridiculous mecha that grabbed Target B for us as we were escaping."

"I see. Very well. Bring Target A in by whatever means necessary."

"Yes, Boss."

And with that the man disconnected. He smiled just a bit. And somehow, that was far more terrifying than any starving Aerodactyl or insane Charizard.

—  —  —  —  —  —

Ash woke up.

This was a novel experience, as he was pretty certain he'd been drugged for the entirety of this trip.

And the first thing he was aware of was that his bladder had urgent business with the closest toilet, urinal, tree, or pants leg if necessary. And it would take no attitude from any brain pleading with it that the rest of the body was still bound to a chair.

Some rather desperate mmmphing brought in the scary man, who looked at him and said, "You have to piss, don't you?"

Ash nodded furiously and blushed. But desperate times called for desperate measures, and if he did not find a bathroom now these people would be giving him new pants.

"Right," the man sighed. "I told Nymph to let you wake up during the trip, but no, security first, and now I'm stuck with this…"

A little while later, Ash's terrible Lake of Rage was emptied and the boy felt a lot better, even if he was in cuffs again. Now it was the furious growling of his stomach that took all his attention.

"Eh, I suppose we could get you something to fill you up," the man said. "You're due to have lunch with Boss in a couple hours, though. Sure you want to spoil your appetite?"

A glare worthy of being called a whole new kind of Pokémon attack convinced the Rocket otherwise, and he brought the boy a bottle of some sort of sports drink. As the man removed Ash's gag, Ash asked hoarsely, "Lunch?"

"Yeah. Figured you might as well know now. Nothing you can do about it. It's the only reason you're awake. You don't want to be doped out of your head around the Boss. Little bit of sympathy from me and Nymph." The man shook his head. "Boss is scary enough when you ain't drugged to face him when you are."

"Er…thanks." Ash paused. "So I got kidnapped from Sinnoh, naked I might add, to have…lunch…with the boss of Team Rocket?"

The man shrugged. "I'm not the Boss. I don't give orders, I follow them. I have to assume something will happen after lunch, though. Maybe you're Core material or something. Either way, if it doesn't work out he'll just kill you."

"That…is not really a comforting thought."

"So you want a hug now?"

Ash, suddenly having flashbacks of the first time he woke up in the small room, screeched "NO!"

"Good. I don't do hugs." And with that he stuck the bottle's mouth into Ash's and forced him to drink. When the man was satisfied, he gagged Ash again and left the room.

Ash felt like kicking something, but the most he could do was rattle his cuffs. He'd been kidnapped for LUNCH?!

But then again, perhaps not…

And on that mysteriously mysterious note, we will now check up on Pikachu.

—  —  —  —  —  —

Pikachu hadn't been having the relative cruise that Ash had. Jessie and James couldn't afford tranquilizers and Jessie no longer had a Dustox with Sleep Powder, so they merely kept it in a cramped, electricity-proof cage, occasionally shoved food in, and never, ever bothered to clean it out.

Pikachu was not a happy Pokémon.

However, its journey was going just a little bit faster than Ash's, and ironically it was to presented to the Boss just before its friend.

Dawn and Brock, of course, were on Pikachu's trail. Unfortunately, while Team Rocket could float over Customs and the ocean, Ash's two friends had to be legal and go through them, which slowed them down considerably. Even when Gligar pierced the balloon—twice—it didn't slow Team Rocket down. But since it looked like everyone was heading to Kanto, Ash's friends at least knew where to go. Sort of.

Either way, perhaps if Pikachu had known that its rescue squad had lost it three days ago, it may have not been quite so feisty. But then again, there's nothing like whispering insults that only one person can understand.

"Come on, pussy-licker," growled Pikachu loudly. "Just you and me, no Special attacks, just Physical. I'll kick your butt so hard your eggs' eggs will feel it. Come on, Skitty-tranny-wannabe—"

"Lemme at 'im!" howled Meowth, who was being held back by not only his two teammates but by all of their Pokémon combined. "Five minutes, five minutes wi' the little ratfink sonova Pichu-humpin' bastar—"

"Meowth!" snapped Jessie. "This is our big chance! If you ruin it I will make you wish you had never been hatched DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"

Normally Jessie's rage frightened anything into submission, including Meowth. But after nearly five days of whispered insults, Meowth was on the edge.

"Please, Meowth!" hissed James. "The Boss is in there! We're gonna see him in two minutes! Pull yourself together!"

Only the thought of the Boss wanting him back managed to get Meowth to stop struggling and sheath his claws.

Then Pikachu whispered, "The Boss, huh? I bet he's a big pussy-licker like you—"

"OH DAT'S IT!" screeched Meowth. It was probably best for everyone that at that moment the door opened and a young brunette carrying a clipboard and dressed in a black Rocket uniform smiled at them.

"The Boss will see you now," she said sweetly. The sweetness did not hide the two handguns on either hip, nor did it hide the hilts in the tops of her black boots, but you didn't get to be Giovanni's top secretary merely because of your organizational skills.

"Thank you," said Jessie importantly, dragging her crew behind her.

Inside, the three Rockets bowed and Pikachu glared. It said something quite crude in Pikachu, and Meowth trembled with the urge to smite something yellow and mouse-like.

Giovanni's chair turned to face them.

"So," he stated. "What is this."

"A very powerful Pikachu, sir. It knows almost every attack a Pikachu can learn, sir. We've been chasing it for years, sir, and we finally caught it, sir." James' eyes shone with pride, but he never raised his head.

"You wasted years on a Pikachu?"

"But it's special! It can—" began Jessie, trembling.

"Is that…arguing?" The tone was almost curious, but deadly.

"Nossir!"

"Good."

There was silence. Finally the Boss said, "I will have someone take it to Research. Perhaps something can be done with it. You may go now."

"But…what will we do now?"

Giovanni looked at them. The three looked very lost, as though they had thought bringing in this particular Pokémon would complete all of their hopes and dreams.

"Go capture another Pokémon, from…the same trainer. Yes. If this trainer has a powerful Pokémon now, another will do," he said with a sigh. Grunts. They couldn't exist without orders.

When the three had left, he shook his head and muttered, "It isn't even shiny. What are they thinking?"

"Pikapichu pi pikachu!"

"No need to say that."

Pikachu looked just a little stunned in its cage. "Pikachu?"

Giovanni sighed. Some days, you just couldn't win…

—  —  —  —  —  —

Ash, gagged and now blindfolded, was unceremoniously carried into Team Rocket Headquarters by the man. He was still handcuffed and footcuffed, although at least his hands were cuffed in front of him and his feet were cuffed to each other instead of a chair.

Ash always tried to see the bright side of things. Sometimes, like when you've been kidnapped by a criminal organization, it's rather difficult to see what the bright side of things are.

"Hey…is dat da twerp?" asked a familiar voice. Meowth?

"Yeah, I think it is. Why's he in a Rocket uniform?"

Don't forget tied up, thought Ash sourly. Isn't that the first thing people tend to notice?

"It's the cosplayers, Kingsley!" hissed Nymph.

"I guess they're members of Team Rocket after all," said…Kingsley…with a shrug. "Wonder what they're doing here?"

"Hey! Hey, that kid you're carrying! We know him! What's he doing here?" That would be…Jessie. "And why weren't we asked to bring him in? We only see him once a week!" Yup, Jessie. She was the loudmouth on the team.

"Because we've never heard of you. Now move it. This kid's got an appointment with the Boss and if you delay it it's your heads, not ours."

"We just saw da Boss!"

"He was in a bit of a mood, I think," said James sadly. Now Ash was just identifying them out of boredom, and apparently the three were walking with Nymph and Kingsley to keep chatting. "He certainly didn't thank us for bringing in Pikachu. And we worked so hard!"

WHAT?!

"Mmph mmphh mmmph?!" howled Ash through his gag, suddenly starting to struggle. If Pikachu was here he didn't have time for this nonsense—who knew what Team Rocket's scientists could do to his best friend! He had to get out of here!

"Oh bloody hellfire on a pogo stick," swore Kingsley. "You just had to…Nymph, help me with him, will you? And you three, go away now."

"Oh fine, but if you want him to stop struggling just tell him to stop or you'll hurt the Pikachu," grumbled Jessie. "Anyone who knows him knows that." There was the sounds of two people and a cat-type walking away, and Kingsley cursing rather creatively.

"Hey, you heard the pink-haired freak," hissed Nymph in Ash's ear. "We can tell the Boss to go easy or go hard on your Pikachu friend, based on what you do in this hallway. Your choice."

Ash, hating himself, stilled. But he hated Jessie more for telling them.

—  —  —  —  —  —

He'd arrived to his destination…which, apparently, was the Boss's office.

When Kingsley and Nymph had dropped him off, they'd taken out the gag and taken off the blindfold and sat Ash down on a rather uncomfortable chair. Now he was waiting for the luxurious leather backing in front of him to do something. Irritated, he decided to go first.

"I know you have my Pikachu," he snarled, his voice cracking from lack of use. "I want it back, now!"

There was a bit of a chuckle from the backing.

"I mean it. I don't care that I'm tied up and you're the head of a crime organization with probably a billion armed grunts at your beck and call, I will find a way to make you wish you'd never been born if you don't give me back my best friend!"

The chair turned, and Giovanni stared at him. On his lap was a cage, and in the cage was Pikachu.

"Pikapi!" it called happily.

"Pikachu!" smiled Ash back, but he couldn't do much else because Kingsley had made sure his feet were chained to the chair he was sitting on, just in case he got any wrong ideas. Still, he could probably use the chair as a blunt weapon since it wasn't nailed down, and they'd chained his hands in front of him for some reason…

"It's not injured in any way, Ash. Except its pride, of course."

"Pika," said Pikachu with just a hint of a nod. "Piiikachupi pika pi pikachu! Pikachu pika pi."

And somehow Ash knew it was saying, But I sure gave 'em hell when they had me! Or Meowth, at least.

Ash breathed a sigh of relief. No Rockets testing on it, then. Thank God.

"So. Why'd you have me brought here?"

"Boy, it is time…" Giovanni blinked. "Why are you wearing a Rocket uniform?"

Ash scowled. "You just noticed? I got kidnapped in the shower. They had to give me something."

Giovanni cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with this fact. "Next time I'll make it clear to only kidnap you when you're fully clothed."

"Next time?!"

"Boy, it is time you know of your heritage," continued Giovanni as though he had never stopped. "For the truth is, as you have been told, your father is indeed a famous Pokémon Trainer...that is considerably closer to home than perceived." Giovanni paused. "Ashley Wilkes Ketchum…" Giovanni savored the moment. Then he dropped the bombshell. "I am your father."

Ash stared at him.

He opened his mouth.

 "And?"

Giovanni looked taken aback. "Well, I expected a bit of a reaction, to be honest."

Ash snorted and tossed his head. "Listen, Dad, I'm fourteen years old last time I checked, and I'm going to turn fifteen in a week. Not knowing who my dad is by now would be kind of stupid, don't you think?" Ash fixed his father with a look and continued, "I asked Mom when I turned twelve. She explained everything. "

Giovanni really looked stunned now. "You mean she actually remembered? As I recall she was so high that night she couldn't even remember her own name much less—"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Ash howled. Giovanni resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Also, don't ever call me Ashley," Ash added with a glare. "No one calls me Ashley. Mom may really, really like Gone with the Wind, but Ashley always is and forever will be a girl's name as far as I'm concerned, okay?"

Giovanni had a distinct feeling that, even though Ash was the one tied up to a chair, the crime boss had lost control of the situation.

"Ah-hem. Either way, your heritage…"

"Yeah." Ash shook his head decisively. "Don't want it. Don't you have another son anyway? Pass it down to him."

Giovanni stared open-mouthed. For a moment he really couldn't think of anything to say. Finally he managed to clear his throat and said, weakly, "Are you talking about…Silver?"

"Yeah, him," Ash answered authoritatively. "He's your kid, isn't he? I heard about it somewhere. Let him take control of Team Rocket. I'm not interested. That's why I'm here, isn't it?"

Once again during the conversation Giovanni felt he had lost control. It was a very uncomfortable feeling, and he decided it should never happen again.

"For one thing, Silver is adopted, and for another, no, that is not what I was going to talk about. Now shut up and listen." Giovanni took a deep breath. "Your heritage…is not entirely human."

Ash blinked. "Eh?"

Giovanni smiled. Certainly, this would get a reaction.

"Ash, I am not all that I appear to be. Nor are you. After all, you are the first successful human-Pokémon hybrid to exist in one thousand years…"

—  —  —  —  —  —

Marisa's note: you know, I didn't realize how evil this cliffhanger was until I separated the chapters. Oh well. See you next week, and remember to review!

Oh, yes, and I truly enjoyed writing the Ash/Giovanni scene. Could you tell?