Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot.
The sun was above the distant hills surrounding Pallet when Dawn finally awoke. One of the first things she noticed when she awoke was that she was in Ash's arms, causing her to blush. Deciding it was best to wait a little longer, she put her arms around his body and held onto him tightly. Dawn felt like she was in heaven, the man she had dreamed about all those years ago, it was her friend Ash. Who would have thought that she and him would end up together?
I have to admit, while we were in the Sinnoh region, I was falling for him almost the minute I met him. But then…when his home was attacked…I'll never forget that day…
Flashback
Ash, Dawn, and Brock were walking through a forest in Sinnoh, on their way to Dawn's next contest. While Brock looked at the map, Ash was busy checking his Pokedex, unaware that Dawn was stealing glances at him every minute or so, slightly blushing at him.
He's so cute…waitaminute, what the?! Where did that come from! He's my friend! That's all we are!
Dawn stole yet another glance as he was fixated on his device.
…right?
"Hey Dawn?"
"WE'RE JUST FRIENDS!" she exclaimed without thinking.
Brock stared at her. "Uh…ok. I was just gonna ask if you wanted me to fill up your water bottle for you."
Dawn blushed in embarrassment as she took out her water bottle. "I'm really sorry Brock. Here, and thank you."
The older breeder looked at her oddly, then shrugged and headed through the brush to a nearby stream. Dawn sighed and turned to see Ash looking at her.
"Dawn, you ok?" he asked.
"Y-yeah, I'm ok! Don't worry!"
Ash narrowed his eyes and shook his head, Pikachu following suit. "That's when I worry the most."
Dawn huffed and blushed slightly. "Whatever!"
Shrugging, Ash moved to pass her, but Dawn with her head down grabbed his arm, both of them facing different directions. "Wait Ash."
"Huh? What is it?" he asked.
"Um…it's just that…" she said, but was interrupted as Nurse Joy ran up to the two of them. "Nurse Joy? What are you doing way out here?"
"Are you Ash Ketchum?" she asked hurriedly. Ash nodded in reply before Nurse Joy spoke to him in a serious tone. "You must come with me, something serious has happened to your hometown." Brock popped up at this as Ash looked at her in worry. "What! What's wrong? What happened to Pallet!" What she said next went straight through all of them, as if a knife had cut through them. "It was attacked and half of the town is destroyed. A lot of people…are dead," she said as tears filled her eyes.
Brock looked at her in dumb shock, Dawn's hands flew to her mouth, but Ash had already taken off down the road, faster than he had ever ran in his entire life, more likely ever would. Even Pikachu had a tough time catching up with his trainer, the doors to the Pokemon Center being slammed open as Ash went to a TV.
It has to be a dream. IT HAS TO!
Overhead, the sky clouded up as it began to rain, the tears of the heavens falling freely for the tragedy that happened far away. In his room, Ash slammed his fists against the wall in anger, grief, and unimaginable pain. He saw those images, of the dead being carried away, the Prof. Lab destroyed and so many houses on fire. Grabbing his bag, he ran out the door in a flurry of tears, running past Brock and the others.
"Ash! Where are you going?" Brock shouted.
"Back home!"
"But you have no way of getting there!"
"I'LL FIND A WAY!" he screamed over his shoulder, before being faced with Dawn, tears cascading down her cheeks. "Get out of my way Dawn!" What he got, was a slap to the face. He staggered back a bit, looking at her in shock as she held a hand to her mouth. "Whoever did this…wants you back there right now…please! Don't go!" she cried, grabbing hold of him and sobbing into his shirt. "Please! PLEASE!"
Ash looked down at her, frozen in place. Though his head screamed for him to push her aside and run out into the storm, his heart was for some unknown reason to him, making him second-guess himself. After a few minutes, Ash put his arms around her, and switched places, collapsing to the ground as he broke down in her arms. Dawn ran a hand through his hair after knocking his hat off, rocking him back and forth as he cried hysterically. "Why…why did they do this…" Ash sobbed. "I don't know…" Dawn said through her tears. Brock looked away miserably, Pikachu's eyes were also teary as he went over to his trainer, hugging him as well. All of Ash's Pokemon, Aipom, Staravia, and Turtwig all came out of their Pokeballs and hugged their broken down master.
"I swear…" Ash's voice growled as his grief soon became mixed with a dark and menacing rage. "I swear, whoever did this…they will pay…dearly," he said. Unseen by all, but one, a small flicker of dark energy ran up Ash's body at high speeds. Though no one close by saw it, Brock did.
Careful Ash…don't let your anger take control…cause if you do, then something bad is going to happen…
The next day was clouded over and cold as they stepped outside and waited for their ride back to Pallet. Dawn had called her mom and told her what happened. She agreed without any hesitation, knowing that Ash needed someone to rely on in this point in his life. While she did said action, Brock had called Lisa and told her to bring Charizard to their location so they could get to Pallet very quickly. Ash only sat in the corner, brooding or sulking, it was hard to tell. Pikachu curled up in his trainer's lap, Ash glancing down with his blank stare and petting his old pal. He knew that he wasn't the only one in pain; Pikachu was as well, since it was his home too.
A familiar roar could be heard, causing Ash to get up and pick up his bag, heading out behind Dawn. The coordinator shivered, but even in his current emotional state, Ash took of his jacket and gave it to Dawn, putting it on her. "Thank you very…much?" she thanked the trainer as he walked over to Charizard. The two locked eyes and Charizard knew what Ash was planning from that moment.
Find who did it…and make them pay.
While Brock and Lisa rode together in the balloon pulled by Charla, Ash and Dawn rode together, Dawn holding onto Ash with her arms around his midsection. Ash took note of this, getting a slight bit of a blush on his face, but one that Dawn could not see. It took them several days before getting back home, but they circled around the town, the group, not even Charizard was prepared for what greeted them. Nearly ever house was damaged, huge blast craters and debris littered the entire town. Prof. Oak's Lab, or what was left of it, was blown to bits, and the Pokemon were either gone, or injured. Or worse. Dawn hid her face on Ash's back, sobbing as Ash stared down, but not one of grief. One of determination and one of need…for vengeance. When they landed, they didn't get quite the greeting they had anticipated.
Gary Oak could see the Charizard circling the town for at least 20 minutes before it landed. Using his Arcanine, he raced over to where his old rival had landed. He stormed over to Ash as he came over to him. Gary reared back and slammed his fist into Ash's face, sending him to the ground. Dawn and Brock gasped in shock as they jumped off and ran over to him, but Ash got up on his feet shakily.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Gary shouted.
"This is my ho-" Ash started before being knocked back again.
"DON'T. YOU. DARE SAY IT'S YOUR HOME!" Gary screamed. It was at this time, that Ash saw for the first time what had happened. Not only was Gary there, but Misty too; May, Drew, the list could go on for ages. May headed over to intervene, but Drew put his arm out to stop her, shaking his head at her.
Gary, bandaged but filled with unspeakable rage, grabbed Ash by his collar and pulled him up. "Where the hell were you when they attacked? Do you know WHY they attacked?! BECAUSE THEY KNEW THIS WAS YOUR HOME AND YOU WEREN'T HERE TO PROTECT IT!" Gary screamed in his face. The words were beginning to sink in as Ash spoke up quietly.
"I'm…sorry…" he said as tears spilled out of his eyes. Gary roared with anger as he reared his fist back. "HOW DARE YOU!"
His fist never made contact, Brock had caught it. He knocked the two from one another and slammed his fist into Gary's gut, then another into his face, making him fall over. The crowd stared as Brock stood there in anger, sided by Dawn. "Shut up Gary, you don't know anything. Ash would have been here if he could have, but how was he supposed to know this would happen! How can you treat him this way, how was he supposed to do anything!"
Gary looked up as tears spilled from his eyes as well. "My grandfather…is dead…"
Ash's eyes opened in utter shock, Brock was taken aback, and Dawn gasped. "So is Tracey…" a feminine voice spoke.
Misty stepped forward, looking darkly at Ash. "You're mom…she's gone too."
It seemed as time stood still as Ash turned to her in shock. "What…did…you…say…"
"If you had just beaten them from the very beginning Ash…then she'd still be alive!" Misty screamed.
"ITS ALL YOUR FAULT! MY GRANDPAS DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU! DAMN YOU ASH!!!" Gary cried.
The crowd of people moved toward Ash, but May stood in their way. "STOP IT!" she screamed.
Charizard and Pikachu both roared with rage, but were stopped as Ash stood up. They watched as Ash turned and walked slowly, solemnly back to his still-standing house. Dawn's eyes filled with tears of rage as she stormed over to Misty and slammed her fist into Misty's face, sending her onto the ground. She turned and headed for Ash, before turning back with a glare that could kill, backed by Charizard and Pikachu. Then, all of them, along with Lisa and Charla, followed Ash as he headed toward his home, where his mother's body was being kept.
End flashback
Later on, we'd find out it was Team Rocket that had done the actual dirty work. But Giovanni would reveal a further truth, that it was someone far away that had masterminded the whole deal. And then…then you left me. Just as we were finding love, you leave me hanging. I should have just given up on you, but I didn't. I didn't because I loved you too much to just let you go. I'm sorry…I'm sorry…
"I'm so sorry…" she said as she threatened to breakdown yet again.
"What are you sorry for?" her love said suddenly.
Dawn yelped in surprise, jumping out of bed in shock as Ash yawned, and sat up, eyes still full of sleep.
"Well?"
"Um…it's nothing, really Ash. Just…uh…sorry I haven't taken a shower yet! Bye!" she said as she grabbed her things and ran out the door, a second later the bathroom door could be heard closing. Ash blinked after her before stretching and cursing at his luck and her laziness. "Damn…now I can't get into the shower yet…oh well…" he said as he collapsed back onto the bed, falling asleep with a snore.
Sometime later, he woke up for real and got out of bed, scratching his head as he grabbed a few essentials and heading down the hall to the bathroom. He passed Dawn on his way, who was wearing her usual outfit. After closing the door, he stripped down and got into the shower and turned the water on. After getting himself clean, he put a hand against the wall and leaned against it, holding himself up as he sat in thought.
I am sorry I left Dawn…I'm sorry I made you wait so long for me…but I promise…I won't leave you like that ever again…
Outside the residence, a group of people made there way up to the Ketchum house. The doorbell rang and Dawn answered it. "Huh? Guys! What are you doing here?!" she exclaimed, but Brock pushed her aside and they entered. "Uh, don't you think you guys should ask-" but was stopped as they all glared at her. "Where is he?" May asked menacingly. Dawn frowned and Sceptile and Feraligatr barred the way upstairs. "He's in the showers, you guys can wait if you'd like?" "We'll wait right here," Misty said, cracking her knuckles as Dawn ran upstairs.
Dawn burst through the bathroom door as Ash was drying off his hair, fully dressed I might add. "Ash, a bunch of you're old 'friends' are here, and it looks like they're looking for trouble," she said. "Good, let them look. Cause if they came to see me be intimidated, they're going to be damn sorry about pissing me off." Dawn backed up a bit at his dark tone, now a bit frightened as he made his way past her. As he descended, the group which consisted of Brock, Janine, Misty, Rudy, May, Drew, Gary, and Melody glared at him, but his glare was one of sadness, regret, but also one of unspeakable and unimaginable rage, making a few back up. May surprised all of them by going up to Ash, and hugging him, a few tears leaking out of her eyes.
"Don't do that again, ok? You made us all think you were dead!" she said quietly. Ash was taken aback, expecting full hostility. "But I thought…I thought you didn't want me around?" he said in shock.
"We were just upset and angry, that's all. I am truly sorry about what I said Ash…all those years ago, I'm sorry," Misty said as she went up and hugged him. The others thanked him, before Ash went up to Gary. Both of them stared before Melody growled at her boyfriend. "Gary…"
Grumbling, Gary sighed and looked at Ash. "Look…I'm sorry I blamed you all those years ago. I was just really screwed up from losing my grandpa to…you know. So…I'm sorry." Ash nodded his head to him. "So…are we cool?" Gary asked boredly. His answer was a fist that knocked him out. Ash cracked his knuckles and grinned slightly. "Yeah, were cool." Dawn put her arms around him from behind as they dragged Gary inside and put him on the couch.
From far away, a man clad in black clothing turned to his superior. "Sir, it appears our main target for the attack 5 years ago has returned to Pallet, just as you predicted he would."
"Yes, those fools from Cipher are so predictable at sending their fools in where they don't belong. I'd have had them wiped out myself if it hadn't been for the thought of luring young Ash Ketchum back home," a gruff, yet sophisticated voice spoke. "So, shall we make our move now?"
"Not yet, first we need both parties for our face off. A certain rogue trainer from Orre should be all we need for that," he said with a sick grin as he looked at a picture of a sandy-haired teen in black clothing, save a navy trench coat, riding on a one-wheeled speedster with his red-headed female companion in the passenger seat.
Orre, South Border region
As he was leaning against the side of his custom speedster, Wes Seumcol sighed in boredom as he glanced over at his female companion. She wore a pink sleeveless tube top, white mini-skirt, a blue and pink striped jacket and pink knee boots. Rui Crysala was behind a bush, doing her business. They were in the southern most part of Orre, where there was scattered flora here and there. Wes had decided to explore into parts of Kanto, realizing that sooner or later Rui would want to be him forever, if she hadn't already. Then she'd want a house, then a ring, then kids…
He shook his head to free the horrifying thoughts as they entered his head. "Are you done yet?" he asked in frustration. "Just a minute!" she said. Wes tapped his booted foot on the ground, as he grew more and more frustrated, before Rui emerged from behind the bush. "Ok! I'm ready!" she said as she climbed into the passenger seat. "Took ya long enough," he grumbled. Rui glared at him. "What was that!" she said, but Wes gunned the engine as it roared to life.
"WHAT? I CANT HEAR YOU, SPEAK UP!" he shouted over the engine. Rui screamed in his ear. "WESLEY SEUMCOL, YOU ARE-" she started, being flung back in her seat as Wes took off, throwing her off to keep her from arguing anymore. "DAMN YOU WES!" she shouted, Wes grinning at her as they sped down the dusty road, heading further into Kanto.
R&R please, thanks
