Poke-genetics: the lab

«Is that the one?» Ash asked in a rather unsure voice.

«Yeah, that's my house. I'd like to say home, sweet home, but it's not exactly sweet.»

The house they talked about was in front of them. Only, it was not really like ash and Pikachu though it would be. First of all, it was big. It was at least as big as Professor Oak.'s lab. Second, it looked like Oak's lab. Third, it was wrecked. Some windows had cracks on them, like someone threw something at them without breaking the glass. The door, which had no handle, confirming Genno's statement about the «no manual entry» thing, had been partially curved and looked like someone had tried to break it down. And whoever that «someone » was, he seemed to want to enter pretty badly.

«Was it like that when you left?»

«Yeah, without the dust.»

Slowly, they walked around the «house» and got in front of a strange machine with the word «generator» on it. Ash couldn't help but comment:

«Wow, and that's how your father thinks outside the box? Original. Really.»

Genno just smiled faintly. He bent down and took off a panel. Behind it, you could see some sort of green screen and a plug. The teen examined it for a second and turned to Pikachu.

«That's the reason I need you. Can you control the strength of your thunderbolts?»

«Pika! Pikachu chu, pi?» (Of course! I'm not a pichu, you know?)

Pikachu seemed a little annoyed that Genno thought he might not be.

«I should have guessed, sorry. Okay, what I want you to do is to shoot a weak thunderbolt and continue shooting it until I tell you to stop. Alright?»

«Pika!»(No problem!)

Ash looked fascinated. Genno really had a gift when it came to communicating with Pikachu. He could only hear half of what was said, but Genno seemed to fill the blanks by himself.

«Ready? Thunderbolt!»

«Chuuuuuuuu!»

Slowly, the screen regained colors and began beeping in a perfectly cliché manner.

«Okay, stop. »

A welcomed «beep» was heard and Genno smiled, satisfied. He petted Pikachu on the head as a «thank you» and turned to Ash.

«We'll be able to enter now. Do you want to come in?»

«Hey, we have not walked all the way here to just go back the way we came without a little rest. Besides, I'm curious about how it is inside your house.»

Genno looked a little worried about that last sentence.

«Hum… Ash, when we're inside, it'll be best not to touch anything. My father's research tends to be… unpredictable.»

«That's fine by me.»

«Pika pikachu…» (Yeah, right…)

«What?» Ash asked, genuinely clueless.

It seems as if the curve in the door wasn't enough to stop it from working since Genno only had to say his name loudly and it opened.

Surprisingly, things looked… normal: a kitchen on the right, a living room on their left, stairs in front of them. Quite the normal features.

Ash and Pikachu seemed almost disappointed.

«It looks… ordinary.»

«Don't worry guys, the lab is pretty special. »

Both of them suddenly felt as excited as kids in front of candy. Ash's stomach even seemed to agree to the comparison and let out a loud growl.

«Maybe you'd like something to eat?»

Ash blushed and rubbed the back of his head.

«Yeah… that would be nice. »

«That was tasty!»

«Well, thank you. Since my father's not the best cook in the world, I had to learn young. »

«That would explain it. I mean, you're almost as good as Brock. »

«Is that a compliment?» said Genno, a little unsure of who Brock was.

«Pikapi» (It is.)

«Okay. »

For a second, his smile faded… and Ash saw it.

«Is something wrong?»

«I'm just… worried. »

«Oh. Hum… well…»

«I think I'll go look around. Could you please wait here?»

«You're sure you don't want me to come with you?»

«Yeah…»

Ash and Pikachu looked at each other. Both of them had lost their appetite. Ash grabbed Pikachu and put him on his lap.

«You're sad too, aren't you?»

«Piii.»

He hugged his pokemon. Ash was sad for his friend. Not knowing about your own father was a terrible feeling. He knew that better than anyone.

«Pikachu, we should go after him. Even if he doesn't want to, he needs us right now. Let's…»

«AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!»

«Genno!»

They both ran out of the kitchen and ran upstairs, where they though Genno went.

They had just run over the last step that they both froze in horror. Genno was lying on the ground, unconscious, motionless.

«Genno!»

Ash had just grabbed his friend that he groaned in pain. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Ash and Pikachu over him.

«I'm alright…»

«Are you kidding? Of course, you're not alright. You looked like you ate a thunderbolt in the face.»

«I kind of did.»

«WHAT?»

«It's… the defense system of the lab. I… made a mistake when I entered the password.»

«That's crazy!»

«That's my father's way of keeping his research out of the wrong hands.»

«Well, crazy or not, that system just knock you out and you need to rest.»

«No, I'm fine… really…»

«PIKA!» (You're not!)

«Humph… just let me sleep for a minute… »

And without waiting for a reaction, Genno fell asleep. Feeling a bit relieved, Ash looked at the strange door next to them.

«What is so freaking important that he'd take the risk to harm his son?»

He didn't get the answer even after Genno woke up.

«Hey, are you alright, Genno?»

«I'm feeling better now. Where am I now?»

«I'm… not sure. Probably your father's room.»

Genno looked around and nodded.

«Messy, science-fiction looking, yup, that's definitely my father's room.»

«Why did you try to go in your father's lab?»

«I… wanted to make sure… that… he didn't left… a hint or something about where he might be. And I still want to get inside.»

«Then, let me go with you. »

«NO!»

Even he seemed surprised that he shouted.

«It's… dangerous. My father's stuff… is not family friendly. I developed an… immunity to it. But you didn't. Trust me, you don't want to be affect by what's in there.»

«Genno, if you go in there, I follow you. What would you do if you got shocked again or something if you're alone?»

«Err… ok. Let's make a deal. I let you in the lab if you swear to obey my orders in there and not to touch anything.»

«Deal.»

The system didn't react this time. The door just slid to the right and they were free to enter as they wanted. The inside of the lab was just as Genno said: extraordinary. It was just like something out of a science-fiction novel. Strange holographic DNA or molecular structures were floating over tables, sometimes changing to show the creature they were belonging to. The walls were covered in shelves occupied by test tube filled with glowing liquids.

«Wow…» was all Ash could say.

«I know.»

They were walking around the lab, trying to spot a detail, something unusual, that could help Genno find his father. The problem is, Ash did find something strange.

«Genno…»

«What is it, Ash? » he asked, absorbed in his search.

«Why did you lie? »

Genno turned around in shock.

« What? »

Ash looked at him with anger.

«Who are you? »

«What are you talking about? »

And he showed him. It was a picture. Of his father and of him, of a chubby man with glass and his son… a teenager with blond hair, slightly smaller and with a totally different face.

«It's written «Jonathan and Genno Avery », a picture taken 6 months ago. You sure changed a lot! »

«Ash… please…»

«Who are you? Why did you pretend to be him? Was it from your hands that his father was trying to protect his lab? »

«Let me expl…»

He didn't finish. He had just heard a noise he was not supposed to. The lab's security system was supposed to be shut down. Genno reacted as fast as he could. He jumped on his friend.

«Ash, GET DOWN! »

Just as he tried to push him off, Ash saw a jet of glowing liquid pass over their head.

«What's that? »

Genno didn't answer. Instead, he stared at the liquid on the wall. He seemed shocked.

«It was supposed to be a net…»

With a trembling hand, he touched the liquid. As soon as his hand reached the substance, he jumped back in disbelief.

«No way… they used THAT in the system. »

«They? »

He turned around to answer his friend, but he stopped midway, noticing something wrong. The liquid had started to evaporate. And turned into yellow smoke.

«Hold your breath! »

Too stunned to protest, Ash did as he was told, covering his mouth and his nose.

«Listen, you mustn't touch that liquid, nor inhale its vapor. Understood? »

He didn't have the time to answer. Genno had failed to understand the purpose of the system's assault. In time to get out of the lab, that is.

Genno looked at the smoke with fear, hoping it wouldn't harm Ash. It was then that he saw the sprinkler in the ceiling.

In panic, he grabbed Ash and put him in a corner.

«What are you doing? »

And the sprinkler started to spurt glowing liquid all over the room.

Everything was covered by the substance: the shelves, the tables, the walls, Genno… but Ash wasn't.

He was looking in confusion at Genno, which was staying in front of Ash to make sure he didn't get hit. From times to times, he would let out a groan of pain or grit his teeth, but he didn't move. He stayed where he was and protected his friend.

«Ash, just stay here. Don't get touch by the liquid. »

«Why? »

«Just… believe… me! »

«Believe you? I'm not sure if I even know your name! Why should I believe in you? »

«Do it… please…»

And he saw it. In Genno's eye, it wasn't hostility, orders, disdain… it was fear. Genno was genuinely afraid for his well-being.

«Alright.»

And they waited. Ash, trying to understand who he had before his eyes, and Genno, trying to save who he had before his eyes.

After what seemed like eternity, the sprinkler finally stopped working. Genno didn't lose time.

«Let's get out of here. »

They turned toward the entrance of the lab when they realized something horrifying. Genno's reaction had been admirable, combining selflessness and quick thinking. The problem was: they didn't have a chance from the beginning. The liquid had already started to evaporate.

«RUN! »

They both moved fast. They didn't touch anything in the room, carefully avoiding the substance.

But Ash began coughing before they got out.

«Oh no! » though Genno.

«Ash, HOLD YOUR BREATH! »

As soon as they got out of the lab, Genno pressed a button and the door was closed again.

«I'm feeling dizzy…»

Ash had spoken in a very weak voice. In panic, Genno put him on his shoulder and ran to the outside, getting a worried look from Pikachu in the kitchen.

«Please, please, please, tell me you didn't breathe that gas! »

But Ash coughing had gotten so bad he couldn't speak.

Genno stared in despair at his friend whose skin was slowly turning yellow.

«I shouldn't have let you follow me! »

Ash began to feel weird all over his body. It was… curiously familiar. Like it had happened before… It only last a few seconds, then he got swallowed in a whirlpool of pain.

«…lock…»

Ash fell unconscious as Genno saw how much his friend had changed because of him.