Chapter Four: Forgiveness

Ash was so nervous about T.K's visit that his breathing became rapid and shallow. He kept his chin down. With his head pounding and butterflies churning in his stomach, there was no way to hide his emotions. Even after T.K's visit, Ash knew that he would never get a peaceful night's sleep again. Ritchie's persistence in taking the fall for Ash had only made the day slower. But now Ash was now officially a murderer, his lies would have more conviction. Ash's baggy blue uniform covered his entire body, but he still felt naked. Beyond the glass, Ash witnessed the drumming of T.K's fingers. Each tap echoed in time with Ash's heartbeat. His face had just as much tension as his own.

"What brings you here?" Ash asked as he noticed that T.K.'s eyes were large and watery. He never noticed the young girl sitting next to T.K. "Why would you want to see me? And who's this girl you've brought with you?"

"My name's Kari," the brunette said. "Davis has told me all about you."

"Davis not coming then?" Ash asked.

Kari shook her head. "Davis is at work at the moment. He asked me to come instead." Kari gasped as her palm reached out against the wall and squinted her eyes. Ash assumed that Kari didn't want to look deep into the eyes of a killer, but T.K. quickly became startled.

"What's the matter, Kari?" T.K. asked.

"Can't you see it?" Kari squealed.

"See what?"

"The light!" Kari yelled. "The light shining on Ash's face."

"I can't see any light," T.K. admitted.

"I understand," Ash muttered. "She doesn't want to see a killer."

Kari placed her arms by her side. "Maybe I'm seeing things." Kari kept her eyes on Ash. "For a moment I saw that you were glowing like an angel. A really sad angel."

"Angel?" Ash gasped. "If I was an angel, I'm not one anymore. There was no justice in my actions. For the first few moments I thought I was in complete power... but now I feel empty. I owe a debt that I will never be able to pay." Ash took a deep sigh as the thought a tight rope clinging onto Ritchie's swinging body. "My friend was executed today," Ash whispered. Just thinking of Ritchie made his bones chill. Ash decided that it was not the right time to tell them the truth. T.K. and Kari may appear sweet, but what if the forgiveness was also a trap. What if they had plans of revenge of their own. He planned to keep his secrets and true intentions hidden until after his release. "Someone made a false rape accusation against him. He was being raped in prison. He killed one of his assailants out of self defence."

Kari gasped. "Oh Ash... I'm so sorry to hear that."

"Yeah," T.K. said. "That's terrible."

"I'm losing all the people I care about," Ash responded. "Who's going to be next? I guess that's how karma works."

"You used to have a really good reputation," Kari reminded Ash. "You were my cousin's mentor. You saved the world and done endless good deeds for the pokemon community. You still have goodness inside you. You just need to get out of the darkness."

"I'll never understand why you took my mother from this world," T.K. admitted. "But I've made the decision that I'm going to forgive you." He was still visibly shaken by the loss of his mother.

"I think you're doing the right thing," Kari told T.K. as she gripped onto his hand. "I think your mom would have wanted this. When you come out of jail, maybe could show you the digital world."

"I don't deserve your kindness," Ash whispered. "Besides, I have already made other plans."

"Plans for what?" T.K. asked.

"Redemption," Ash lied. "I want to find my mom again and spend time with my family." The more Ash spoke, the more he found that he was actually telling the truth. "My girlfriend is living without her partner and my daughter is living without a father."

"That's the spirit," Kari said. "I think Davis will be very happy with your decision. I know he's hot-headed but Davis really cares about you. And we're Davis' best friends and we've all got to look out for each other."

"She's right," T.K. said. It was the first time Ash had ever seen him smile in real life. "I think by forgiving you, I can finally move on with my life. I feel a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders."


"This is the NHK news with Keiko Momoi!" the television blasted as the screen zoomed in on a tall lady with pigtails and glasses. The green microphone was held at the level of her lips, her hands covered in black cotton to match her large coat.

"We are live outside Abashiri Prison," Keiko announced. "Home to the worst criminals in Japan. Ten years ago, 15-year-old Ash Ketchum was found guilty of manslaughter. Nancy Takaishi's death was so brutal that Ash was charged and trailed as an adult. Ash was originally charged with murder but the charge was brought to manslaughter as the court found that Ash's mental health was poor. Today is the day that Ash Ketchum will be released."

Nancy's eldest son, Matt Ishida slouched on the couch with his wife, Sora and his two children. The children hopped off from the sofa as soon as the camera turned over to T.K.

"Hey look Daddy!" The female toddler shouted. "It's Uncle T.K!"

"I think I can see Auntie Kari at the back too." Matt's son screeched.

"Are you sure you're okay watching this?" Sora asked Matt. She reached over and clutched the TV remote. "Isn't this going to upset you?"

Matt shook his head and gulped. "I'm fine," he muttered. "I think the kids have a right to know who Ash is and what he did to their grandmother."

"With me is Nancy's son, T.K. Takaishi." Keiko's cold face turned towards T.K. as the cameras rolled over to him. "Now Mr. Takaishi, you've chosen to forgive Mr. Ketchum for his terrible crime. What inspired you to make such a difficult decision."

"WHAT!" Matt yelled through the screen. "T.K. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"I chose to forgive Ash because I don't think he's a bad person," T.K. replied.

Matt slammed his fist against the arm of the sofa. He gritted his teeth and his eyes were so scary that the kids ran and returned to their room. Even Sora pushed herself away from him. "THAT MANIPULATING BASTARD!" Matt growled. "I swear to god if that man EVER comes near my family again... I'LL KILL HIM!"

"Matt calm down!" Sora demanded. "Look! You've scared the kids away." Matt looked around and then faced the TV again. The cameras then zoomed in towards a short man hugging his ginger girlfriend and young daughter. They zoomed in further past the other paparazzi and visitors outside the prison. The closer they zoomed him the more obvious it was to Matt that the small man was Ash Ketchum. "He hasn't changed one bit since going in prison!" Sora exclaimed. "He's in his late 20's but still looks like a kid from high school."

"Here he is!"Keiko said. "Mr. Ash Ketchum is free at last. His girlfriend, Misty Waterflower has always protested his innocence. There is no doubt that Miss Waterflower's life has been very difficult with running the gym, raising her daughter and also her nieces and nephews."

"I bet she's next," Matt hissed. "He wasn't in prison long enough. People get jailed for years simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Then stupid punks like him get ten years for killing my mom. Sora, I just feel so disgusted with the whole system. I will get justice for mom, one way or another. Even if I have to do it in my own hands."

"I wonder if they ever found Ash's mom?" Sora asked. "T.K. said that he felt sorry for him because his mother vanished without a trace."

"Ash gets no sympathy from me," Matt responded. "Doesn't give him the right to do what he did to our mom."

"Ash has completed his path to redemption," Keiko continued. Her high pitched voice grated into Matt's ear even when he turned the volume down. "He looked after new inmates, donated a kidney to a man falsely convicted of terrorism, and prevented many from committing suicide. Even behind bars, Ash did heroic things."

Matt switched off the television screen and buried his head in his hands. "Has that news reporter got amnesia or something? That man is a killer. He never was and never will be a hero. He's taking advantage of everyone and everything. He may have tricked everyone else, but not me."