Wassup People? It's LegionZ back again with another chapter! Hope ya'll enjoy this, as always my guys! Last chapter was a smashing success from the vast majority, so I'm glad to hear you all enjoyed it! As I mentioned, this chapter will have the betrayal scene, as well as many others that you all have been asking to see.

I'm not sure if I clarified all of this before but I'll mention it now: For starters, Lance and Ash are both going to be very good friends with one another. They won't be enemies lol. The main pairing of this story, Ash x May, will not be immediate. Sorry for those who wanted to see it immediately, it's not happening. I gotta keep it in my back pocket for the betrayal. The whole "Ash's Appearance" thingy with his eyes turning blue and his light brown hair was not really explained last chapter. It will be explained this one though.

That's about everything in terms of things I should've mentioned last chapter but didn't. Some stuff I thought was rather obvious but some of it wasn't. My apologies for not saying some of the things I should've. As I did in my last story, I will give a recap of some of the things that happened in the previous chapter. This way, everyone doesn't forget what happened. I think that's a good enough explanation to start with in my opinion!

I forgot to mention this! In the present story, Ash is 19. Please make sure you all follow and favorite the story! It would be much appreciated, and would help this story grow! Thanks everyone, hope you enjoy!

LegionZ Presents… The Chosen One's Wrath Chapter 2

Last Chapter…

Lusamine lost her cheerfulness at seeing Ash's expression turn serious. "I have to leave for a day or so in a week's time, Mr. Goodshow called for the attendance of all champions for some reason, and I have reason to believe that it's for the likely occurrence of the tournament that is said to occur in the next few months." Her eyes widened. "Y-you mean… the tournament?" Ash sighed and nodded. "I'm afraid so.

Lusamine closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. "Well, as long as Alola isn't…" Her eyes bulged open and then flew to Ash, who was staring outside the window in thought. She spoke with a worried tone. "Y-you don't think…"

Ash interrupted. "It's exactly what I think; Alola is the only region to not host one of these tournaments because it's Pokémon league has only been in existence since I became its champion three years ago. Johto, Sinnoh, Kanto, Unova, Kalos, and Hoenn have all hosted at least one of these tournaments that occur every five years, and because Sophocles just finished with the town itself in the terms of construction and making sure everything else has been settled, I believe Mr. Goodshow will see it as a prime opportunity to publicize Alola."

He sighed and sat down on a nearby couch. "And personally, I agree with him. We've come such a long ways in Alola, industrializing it and making it one of the most advanced regions ever, and all while keeping Alola beautiful and green, but the more the merrier."

Lusamine smiled weakly. "You have led us to great success, and yet the outsiders barely even know Alola exists. If only they knew…"

Ash placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "I couldn't have done it without the assistance of many others… you know this. And you also know the reason why I'm telling you in advance in the first place: ALT City is directly connected with Aether Paradise, so Aether Paradise is going to need an increase of security for the duration of the tournament, should Mr. Goodshow opt to send the tournament here as I predict he will."

XXXXXXXXXX

He walked outside and smiled brightly when he looked up the hill and saw the Pokémon League there waiting for him. Then, he heard a scream and saw two men and a women calling out Pokémon, preparing for battle with a young man and older woman who had no Pokémon out whatsoever.

The tallest male, presumably the group's leader, spoke loudly. "Now, you're gonna give me those Z-Crystals right there or there's gonna be trouble, you hear me!?" The three assailants called out Salandit, Zubat, and Garbodor. The two didn't move, so the bandits cried out.

"Salandit use bite!"

"Zubat, Leech Life!"

"Garbodor, use Sludge Bomb!"

There was a bright flash, and watching bystanders gasped as an explosion wreaked havoc on the street. When the smoke cleared, everyone gasped as they saw all three Pokémon completely knocked out. The leader gasped and cried out. "W-w-what kind of sick joke is this?" That was when they all caught sight of a figure standing across from them. It was a man, but his identity was still concealed by the smoke of the explosion and the dust it gathered.. The man had two Pokémon out, a Purple Cat and a Fire Monkey of some sort. The man spoke through the dust. "That's no way to treat the residents here, now is it?"

The girl of the group yelled. "Who do you think you are!"

The shorter male added. "Yeah! This place belongs to Team Skull!"

The dust slowly faded and the man said. "My Name is Ghost…" The dust completely faded to reveal an Espeon and Infernape by his side. "… And I'm the Champion of Alola!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Drew spoke softly. "May, I… I'm sure you probably already know this, but I really like you…" May blushed even harder, but she tried to force it out.

'May… get ahold of yourself… remember the conversation you just had with Ash last night… you know… the one where you admitted your feelings for him… and the one where… you know… the one where he admitted that he had the same feelings!? Get yourself toge-' Her thought process was sliced off when all of the sudden she felt someone kiss her on the mouth.

Her mind, which was completely intoxicated by the thoughts of Ash, the man she truly loved, flipped out of control, and without thinking about it, she deepened the kiss. This continued for a few moments until she unconsciously placed her hand on the back of the male's head, and the moment she made contact with it, her mind snapped back to reality, though her eyes remained closed, and her hand still remained behind the man's head. She realized the terrible act she had just committed and knew now that she was indeed kissing DREW and not Ash.

'WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? WHAT HAPPENED TO LAST NIGHT'S CONVERSATION?! IF ASH FINDS OUT YOU'RE-' Her mind was cut off from it's thought process when she felt the presence of someone else enter. She opened her eyes and broke off the kiss and saw someone staring at them from the side of the house, seemingly frozen in shock. She looked over the figure for a moment before her eyes bulged in panic.

It was Ash.

He had Pikachu on his shoulder with a stunned look in his eyes. He looked as though someone had just told him his life would end in a week. All the life that had once been in those Auburn eyes was totally gone. May felt her voice crack. "A-ash! I c-can explain!"

Ash shook his head slowly in disbelief. "I can't believe you."

Present… Alolan League…

About Six days had passed since the incident of when the Ghost had stopped Team Skull from attacking the citizens of ALT City. Naturally, they had all praised him on social media and local news networks for his heroic actions. From the citizens point of view, the Ghost had not been someone they could trust very easily when he first took the job as champion. In their eyes, they were certain that because they were the last group to get a Pokémon league, he was just the wash-up who couldn't become the best. That was their belief.

Well… at first.

It became very clear that after just six months of being champion, Ghost was no ordinary person, and he had no ordinary dreams for Alola. His ambitions to make Alola the most beautiful, and yet most advanced region compared to any other was far beyond what anyone in Alola had expected. Some people believed he would do nothing other than sit on his ass and rot. And then, a nobody would come in and take control of the region and bring nothing but destruction. A week after he was crowned the champion, he released his ambitions to the people of Alola.

He wished for there to be Pokémon gyms in Alola to attract more attention. He wished to develop more cities and towns for those gyms. He wished for the technology in Alola to rise up to a new level, but at the same time, keep Alola beautiful for not just tourists, but more importantly, the Alolan people themselves. Finally, he released his true dream for the Alolan League; and it was brilliant.

The Ghost had called the place and proposition "ALT City", a large man-made island that consisted of a place that held a magnificent amount of buildings, shopping centers, battle centers, arena's, etc. Of course, that wasn't all. The Ghost also said that it was his goal to stop all Ultra Beasts, and ALT City would be directly connected with Aether Paradise, another floating island and the organization that was devoted to stopping Ultra Beasts.

Ghost had spoken about his desire to make Alola the most powerful region that the world has ever known. He spoke to the people about how outsiders believed Alola wasn't powerful in the slightest compared to the other regions. He then said that it was his duty as champion to prove to the world just how powerful Alola was.

Three years passed since that day, and the Ghost had kept his promise. There were now 8 bustling, powerful, and region-renowned gyms that tested even the most dominant of trainers. He was able to purchase land in order to create massive cities that inevitably led to more and more income and tourism. However, even with the rise of cities around Alola, the Ghost had kept his promise: the land itself stayed beautiful, unpolluted, and uncorrupted. And of course… his most time-consuming idea was complete.

ALT City was a dream come true for some Alolan people, most specifically, the merchants and trainers. Ghost had made a point that ALT City should have the most powerful and dominant trainers come to train to prepare for the inevitable battles that should come every half year (Alolan League.) Although the league was still held every half year, they only had the Pokémon League completed for those battles once. Ghost had put the people and his region before himself, and it was paying off in a big way.

The Alolan people trusted Ghost with everything, because it seemed as though everything that happened ended with a positive result whenever he made a decision. That included appointing Gym Leaders, Elite Four Members, and everything that included mere everyday lifestyle type of things.

On top of the Pokémon league was a magnificent view that was accessible to the elites and champion only. The rooftop patio was surrounded by a railing to for caution. Ash was currently pondering while staring down on the city below how the meeting that he would have to endure tomorrow. It was all the way at the Battle Frontier in Johto. The flight itself wasn't what he disliked; it was the fact that now everyone expected his to reveal himself now that he had shown his face. Truth be told, it had only been a mere half-year ago when Ash had finally ditched the black cloak and hat, and shifted to his red vest. (AN: I gave a description of Ash's outfit last chapter)

"You know, I ran into about eight people today who practically begged me to give you their thanks. Why do you always have to be so damn modest?" A voice from behind him said. Ash turned on his heel to see a young man with silky brown hair. It draped gently in front of his left eye, preventing people from seeing both of his green orbs. He stood about six feet tall and had a cheeky grin on his face. He was on the skinnier side, but by no means was considered a "twig." His light brown skin appeared to be radiating off the sun.

He was wearing his signature outfit: a black suit with a white dress shirt underneath it. Though he wore no tie, he did sport a pair of signature black dress shoes to match his black belt and dark grey pants. Ash knew that most people of the opposite gender particularly liked this man due to his "Playboy" type of vibe about him. Seriousness was not in his veins… with one exception: Battling. Ash knew how cunning this man could be as a battler; if you let your guard down around him during a Pokémon battle, he was sure to make you regret it. His trusted Pokémon partner walked alongside him, a tan and brown lion with a large flame about it's head.

This man is named Xavier Blackmon… the first member of Elite Four in Alola; the Ground and Fire Type specialist. Ash chuckled. "How I choose to greet our people and react to saving them shouldn't be something of your concern; being hellbent on giving out autographs gives out a bad vibe about the type of people we are, Blackmon. How was your game?"

He grinned. "Fractera lost, naturally. His partner wasn't too pleased with it, to say the least. Isn't that right bud?" He stared down at his trusted partner who roared it's agreement. Ash grinned and just as he was about to reply, a voice said. "Already telling him about your victory? You couldn't wait just one minute?"

Ash turned and saw another young man with dark blonde hair walking towards them. The sides of his head were close to shaved, and the top was parted to the right. He stood about three inches shorter than Xavier, but was far more muscular that him. His dark brown eyes appeared to be endless if your looked at them. Regardless of how annoyed the words may have sounded; he still wore a small grin on his face.

He was wearing an odd outfit to say the least. It was simply white pants, along with red shoes and a drawstring bag that was held up by two, long pieces of red fabric, that crossed diagonally across the man's muscular chest, creating a large "X" right on the center of the man's body. His Pokémon partner was glowering at Xavier's partner, seemingly annoyed for some reason. The yellow and blue Pokémon that oddly resembled a Lucario stood firmly at its trainers side, prepared for anything upon a moment's request.

This man is named Axel Fractera… the second of four members of the Alolan Elites: the Electric Type specialist. Axel spoke again. "I know you're cheating, there's no other explanation! Come on, just admit it!" Xavier smirked and teased the man, who like himself, was in his mid-twenties. "Some people resort insults as purely just that: insults. However, a young, seasoned man like myself…" Ash muttered under his breath, "Seasoned?"

"… may take that as a compliment, as thus, I do. Besides, you know my nickname around here; it's not like I got the name for nothing you know." He cheekily responded. Axel groaned and said. "Fat Chance! The day I buy that is the day I—" He was cut off from saying anything else by a melodic voice coming out from the building.

"It is time for supper… come and get it." The voice then cut off, and pure silence reigned. The males all made their way throughout the Pokémon league all the way to a secluded corner of the league, where two figures were awaiting them. It was the kitchen of the league, where the servants, mostly, made all of the elites food. Once the two figures came into view, however, Axel erupted in cheers. "Now this is how you recover from a rough loss: July's A-Plus, top tier, unstoppable—" Axel was once again cut off by a voice.

"I believe we've heard this line many times Axel. I think we've had enough of it as well; wouldn't you all agree?" A chorus of "Yeah", "Sure", and "Uh-Huh" rounded the area. The remark had come from a beautiful young girl who was standing with a frying pan over the closest stovetop. The girl stood at approximately 5'5" with a rather sultry smile on her face. Her perfectly defined cheekbones along with her heavenly curves made her attractive eye-candy for any male who happened to walk by her.

She had gorgeous green hair that she currently had wrapped back in a medium sized ponytail, and matched it with alluring green eyes. Her outfit was simple: a dark pink blouse that barely covered her lower garments and squeezed her chest to amplify the size of her assets. She wore pure white boots and a white flower in her hair. By her side, the Eeveeolution of affection stood proudly at her trainers side.

This girl's name is July Ruftulis… the third member of the Alolan Elite Four: The Fairy type specialist. Axel grinned cheekily at July and spoke. "So how's that boyfriend of yours doing July? Still the same greedy asshole?" SMACK. July pointed a finger at him warningly. "He may be a jerk, but we'll work through our problems. I didn't call you here to try and insult my love life, I called you here because, although I now regret it, I decided to make everyone one of my special meals!"

The last unknown figure of the group spoke. "I recommended it; figured it would be kinda cool for you to have one last meal before the big day Ash."

The girl who spoke seemed to be an ominous figure on the outside, but, on the inside, she was a good friend, and an even better fighter. She stood just above 5'8" tall, and had barely no fat on any part of her body, other than the spots that asked for it. She had curly pink hair that draped over her right eye, and let her other bright blue orb remain shining. Though her chest was smaller than July's, her backside was something to behold.

She was sporting a pair of tight, sports jeans that caught the eyes of many helpless males. On top, she wore a light, black sweater with the sleeves cut off. She had a face that would make many men swoon over her, before realized that she, in fact, was quite a badass. Her partner Pokémon, however, was nowhere in sight.

This girl's name is Zandra Polisik… the final member of the Elite Four in Alola: The Water and Ice Specialist. Ash grinned at the girl weakly. "You know me too well Zandra, I feel kind of bad you can't come along though."

She blinked. "Why's that?"

Ash smirked. "All you want to do is suck face wi—" he was interrupted by a random blizzard freezing him on the spot, his grin still etched upon his face. Xavier burst out laughing while Axel suppressed a chuckle of his own. Zandra was fighting off a rather obvious blush that covered a vast majority of her face, and July looked as though nothing out of the ordinary had just occurred. Zandra muttered. "He's lucky I care about him too much to freeze him permanently."

Xavier spoke. "Pyroar, thaw out our champion, would you?" Pyroar nodded and unleashed a torment of flames that melted the ice surrounding Ash, who sighed in relief at the feeling that returned to his body. Axel was still laughing at his leader's misfortune, and Zandra was now turned away from him. Ash laughed and said. "I think it's time we ate."

Later that night…

Ash was in his room, the royal chamber. Inside it was everything you could imagine: Battle facility for his purpose only, television, PC system to easily transfer his Pokémon, king sized bed, plenty of other things to go along with it, but most of all, a balcony that overlooked every region. Ash found himself standing on the balcony many more times than he could count, as it gave him solace in knowing what he was doing this for.

In his mind, he wanted to believe that everything he had trained for was simply for the goodness of Alola; he wanted to become the most powerful trainer ever to show the world that the Alolan people were no pushovers. He wanted to believe that he built everything in Alola simply because he loved the region and the people in it. Lastly, he wanted to believe that the reason he was in this throne was because he pushed himself more than anyone else simply to lead Alola and be the one that everyone looked up to. The only problem?

He knew he was lying to himself.

He didn't do what he did simply because it was to lead to Alola's greatness, or to give the people a leader. On the outside, most people thought he was a hero who deserved greatness. That was the impression they got, and that was the impression Ash tried to give them. But, on the inside, what the people did not know, was just how Selfish their leader was. Or, what he himself made himself out to be. He felt tears beginning to trickle out of his eyes as he saw the right arm brace that shielded his entire right arm from showing any skin.

Meanwhile, just outside his room, all four of his faithful elites were watching their Champion with various expressions on their faces. Though all of them had the same train of thought, not all of them were thinking the same way. All four of them, Axel, Xavier, July, and Zandra were all aware of the events that had brought their champion to Alola in the first place, and it made them sick to their stomachs.

'This is going to be very difficult for Ash. Six years away from his old frien… connections… and now it's more than likely he's going to be forced into seeing them all again. What he went through, both physically and mentally, was enough to make one man go insane… and he went on to become CHAMPION. The respect I feel for him is one of a kind, he's no doubt the most powerful trainer I've ever met.' Axel thought.

'How people could be such sadistic bastards is beyond me. I thought I was betrayed by everyone I loved, but when I met Ash, he showed me I wasn't alone, and what he showed me but didn't tell me was that I hadn't had it the worst. What those… humans… did to him was indescribable. I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone.' Xavier's mind churned.

'When I met Ash, I was in a very bad place, and he showed me the way back to the light. Without him, I honestly have no idea where I'd be right now. He's the most kind-hearted boy I know, but that's only what we see. To strangers, he's cold, collected, cunning, and calculating. They made him like this. I saw what he was once at one point, although WE see that Ash, the public does not. They know him for his accomplishment's, and of course, his ruthless battle tactics.' July thought.

'I'm going to kill each and every one of those who betrayed Ash, mark my damn words. He's changed not just my life, but everyone's by becoming champion. We're higher up than we've ever been, and because of those bastards, he was nearly killed. I'll kick their asses so hard they'll end up in another region! The moment that the first attack can be called out, it's GAME-SET-MATCH!' Zandra fumed.

At that exact moment, Ash slowly rolled up the sleeve that covered his entire right arm, and frowned sadly at the sight. Up his entire arm were scars, melted and rotted skin, and rashes. All in all, it was a horrific sight. He sighed and gently rubbed his fingers across the skin as a small tear escaped from his eyes. How he got this injury and looking at it every day reminded him why he did what he did:

Revenge. It was his goal to see those who sent him to the fiery pits of hell fall into the same darkness that they cast him into. It was then, six years ago when the incident had occurred, and it still haunted him to this day. He knew, in order to fully get over the fear of betrayal once more, he needed to do one thing. He had to face his past and concur it.

Ash took a deep breath and he closed his eyes. His mind flashed back to the day where his life forever changed.

Six Years Ago…

Everything was dark for him. He had no idea what had happened to him. He heard voices but couldn't place any names for them. In fact, he couldn't place anything. Where was he? Why was he blacked out? It made no sense! Finally though, he began to understand some words that were being said.

"…Ash…Wa…up…" He groaned and tried to sit up but failed to do so.

"I thin…coming back…" another voice said. Ash then managed to pry his eyes open a little and saw a girl with orange hair staring down at him and a guy with lime green hair was looking down at him too. Ash groaned and spoke as clearly as he could. "Where… where am I?" The girl looked completely confused. "You mean you don't remember?"

Ash sat up with all the strength he could muster and shook his head. He then took in the appearance of the male and was more than just a little surprised. "T-Trip?" He nodded and spoke. "Yeah, but we don't have time to chat man! We gotta go!"

Ash recognized Misty as his companion and said in bewilderment. "Huh? Go where?" The two exchanged confused glances before Trip spoke. "Is this a joke Ash?"

He blinked. "What?"

Trip spoke with a serious and yet slightly amused tone. "You were hellbent on coming here! You were absolutely certain that this was the place to find and save Moltres! Come on man, stop playing! We gotta keep going on! The others are ahead of us trying to find it! We can't wait any longer!"

Misty helped Ash to his feet but he was beyond confused and barely moved a muscle. "Wait… I don't even remember coming in here. The last thing I remember is…" He froze when he recalled what his last memory was: May making out with one Green-haired ass-wipe. He growled in his throat but was snapped from his thoughts when Misty spoke. "I don't know what's wrong with you right now Ash, but you have got to focus. You were sprinting up this steep and rocky incline when a rock hit you upside the head. We told the others to go on ahead and that we'd take care of you."

Ash didn't get it. "I… got hit with a rock? How?"

And just then, the area began to shake violently. Ash stumbled backwards and caught himself on a wall a few meters behind him. It was only then that he took in his surroundings and realized he was indeed in a mountain of some sort, presumably by the scorching heat inside the mountain, a volcano. But… why was it shaking so badly? Unless…

Ash regained his focus. "The Volcano is erupting!?" Trip looked over at him once he had recovered as well and spoke in a confused tone. "Uh… yeah? Ash, that's the reason we're here! You said you had a vision of Moltres getting injured and you had to save it! So you all convinced us to come to Kalos so we could help save Moltres! You honestly don't remember any of it?" Misty placed a hand on his shoulder and said in a rush. "We don't have any more time to explain! We gotta go help everyone else!"

And with that statement, they all broke out into sprints. Misty yelled and pointed towards a crack in the wall. "That's where they went, let's go!" Ash was behind both of them, and even though he had just woken up, he was able to keep pace quite easily. But, as he ran, something just felt kind of… off. For one, how come he couldn't remember anything other than May betraying him as of recently?

Two, if Misty and Trip claimed he had been hit in the head with a rock, then how come it didn't hurt in the slightest? Three, he never claimed he had any dreams about Moltres. Some things just didn't make sense, but then, he was forced to stop thinking about that when Trip called out. "Hey Guys! Ash is up!" They all sprinted towards the now visible group of friends that were waiting for them. Ash recognized the group of people waiting for him: It consisted of Max, Cilan, Iris, Dawn, Serena, and oddly, Bonnie. Why she was there without Clemont was beyond Ash, but he didn't dwell on it for too long, because another thought attacked his mind.

Ash thought. 'Wait a second… I don't even remember…' His mind went from complete and utter confusion to horror when all of the sudden, the ground beneath him broke and created a giant sinkhole. The rocks fell all the way to the bottom of an absolutely massive Lava chamber. Ash recalled once about Clemont showing him a picture of the inside of Mt. Molteau, and what it's largest lava chamber looked like. Ash now knew he was dangling over a thousand meters in the air over a massive lava chamber.

Of course, by all odds, he should've been going to see the lava chambers much more closer and personal, but was saved by a stroke of luck. He silently thanked his lucky stars he had been fortunate enough to grab ahold of a rock that was his last line of defense against the fiery pits beneath him. Now, his friends could help him up and they could continue onwards. Ash looked up and saw all his friends looking down on him. He called up. "Give me a hand would you?"

Trip called back down. "Like our trap?"

Ash's blood stopped flowing as he stared up at his Unova rival. "…What?"

Trip smiled at him. "I said, like our trap? Really quite ingenious if you ask me, our plan worked to perfection." Ash's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wha… what are you even talking about? Stop joking around and give me some help! I don't know how much longer I can, ugh, hold on!" To his shock, nobody came to his assistance. They all just looked down upon him with various expressions.

Ash cried out. "Anyone! Give me a hand!"

Iris spat at him. "Couldn't you ever give me a hand! All you ever did was act like an immature kid on our journey, and you're still too dull to realize what's happening now!" Ash stuttered. "Wha… what do you mean!?"

Serena spoke. "All you ever do Ash, is break things. Whether it's your own dreams, people's item's, or other people's hearts, you're nothing to us." Ash was stunned that the girl who he had just finished travelling with was so harsh to him. She had just kissed him so recently for Arceus' sake! Why was she so cold towards him when nothing had happened recently? At least… that's what he thought.

Ash prepared to speak but was cut off by Cilan who told him. "I shall cut to the point: pursue something else. You're torturing not only your Pokémon, but also your friends with all of these battle defeats."

Max added on. "I can't believe that many years ago, I looked up to you. How my sister found you attractive is unbelievable. You're nothing but a pathetic trainer."

Ash could feel tears streaming down his cheeks at this point. Nothing could stop them, but one person could speed them up. Bonnie looked down at Ash and said. "My brother sees you as a hero. Want to know what I see?"

When Ash didn't speak, she did. "Nothing. Utterly, and completely nothing. That is what all of the years have gotten you, and that is what you are." Ash had lost track of the fact that he was still dangling in midair in an erupting Volcano. He desperately said. "So this is your entire plan? Take me here, demoralize me, then cast me into a lava field?" When nobody said a word, he cried out. "PLEASE! ANYONE! Help me!" The words rang throughout the cavern and once they had dissipated, Dawn spoke quietly.

"You… Ash Ketchum, are simply a pest who doesn't deserve to be a trainer. As a role model, you're horrible. As a friend, you're awful. And as a trainer, you're a failure. Why should we help someone who's that terrible?" Ash felt his entire world crumble around him. Trip spoke to Ash directly. "You see now how serious we are? We are serious about this as well: If you want to get out of here alive, just do as we say, and everyone will get out safely."

Ash suddenly remembered. "W-wait! Moltres! We have to—" He was cut off by Misty who spoke. "A complete coverup story. You really are gullible. We knocked you out and took you here because assuming you don't cooperate with us, you'll be easy torched within seconds, and nobody will question us: Ash Ketchum attempts to save Moltres, fails, and loses his life. We're hailed as heroes for attempting to save you."

Ash realized now how trapped he was. Trip took this time to speak. "Now, you've got a choice. Swear on your honor as a human under Arceus' name you'll give up your dream of becoming a Pokémon Master and we'll help you up. Otherwise…" Trip stomped on the rocks above Ash, and he was pelted with smaller gravel. "…You fall." Ash had been silent for some time, though the tears never stopped streaming down his cheeks.

The traitors watched him with evil in their eyes for about half a minute or so before Misty said with a smirk. "Time's up. And your decision?" At that exact moment, Ash cried out. "CHARIZARD, I CHOOSE—" He practically felt his heart stop when he felt no Pokeballs on his belt. It was only then that he peered down and saw that his belt was gone. In his rush to catch up with the group, he hadn't even noticed it was gone.

Trip frowned. "…Wrong Choice." He then held up a familiar black belt with five pokeballs on it. Ash's eyes widened in horror. "No, No No! Don't do this!"

Misty smirked. "You have a choice. You can either save five of your most precious Pokémon…" She motioned to the belt Trip was holding. "…Or… you can save your partner." Ash's eyes bulged when he saw Misty hold up a stray Pokeball. Ash pleaded. "No… No NO NO NO! You guys were just talking about saving my Pokémon from me now this is what you're doing?! PLEASE! STOP! PLEASE!"

Trip grinned at him and hunched down on both knees and spoke quietly. "This is the last time we will ever speak Ash Ketchum. Enjoy Hell, it's where you're off to." And with that sentence, Trip chucked the belt off, and Misty hurled the pokeball off as well. Ash screamed.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" He threw himself off after one last burning look at all of the people he once called friends and fell the thousands of feet towards his falling Pokémon. He reached out towards the belt and saw the lava approaching fast. The next thing he knew, his right arm felt as though it had been ripped off, with nothing more than duct tape holding it together. That was his final thought before his entire mind went blank, the image of his so called friends burned into his mind for eternity.

Present Day…

Ash looked down at his scarred arm and remembered what happened. He had ended up landing on a rock after grabbing his belt of Pokémon. The problem was that the force of impact from the rock caused a massive amount of lava to fly into the air and nearly melt off his right arm… and part of his face. He closed his eyes and clenched his right fist tightly. The worst pain of all though, was Pikachu.

He heard little footsteps emerge from his bedroom and saw the rodent appear from his bed. "Pika Pi!", and ran up Ash's arm to lay on his shoulder. He sighed in relief; if it hadn't been for one man, his life, along with all of his Pokémon, would likely have ended.

AN: Andddddd that's a wrap folks! Another chapter with 6k+ words in the books. Sorry for not posting as often as I said I would, my buddy from Vermont is visiting for another week, and then when he leaves, I should be able to pretype many more chapters, which is good news. It's my goal to have a weekly update, but recently I just haven't been able to because of all of these vacation's I've gone on.

Oh yeah! Before my buddy came down from Vermont, I actually ended up going up to Vermont myself with a squad of my homies! Of course, I didn't imagine I'd nearly break my ankle, but I did! I've been wearing a brace for about a week or so now, so that's been fun.

Finally, the story: I hope to have the next update out in two weeks, but I honestly have no idea. If you want to know how my progress is coming along, just message me or review and I'll get back to you. Please make sure you follow, favorite, and review the story! Thanks everyone! Till next time!

LegionZ