Author's Note:

Morning/afternoon/evening, whatever it may be wherever you are at the moment! Here's the next chapter to Hunt. I managed to update a bit quicker this time, because so far, this has been the best chapter for me to write. Anyway, just so you guys don't get confused, this chapter starts at the end of chapter two, where Ash has just left Pallet Town to go and look for Misty. It then returns to the present time of Gary and Misty.

Enjoy!

Hunt

Chapter 5

Ash's goal was simple; find Misty. And if that meant risking his own life, then so be it. To him, Misty was worth dying for, and he was going to stop at nothing to make sure she was saved from these sick monsters that got a kick out of taking innocent people – it was just damn right mental. What did they want to do? What were their intentions? Whatever the reason was, it was obviously bad, because no one in their right mind would take gym leaders for a good cause without telling anyone where they were.

Bastards, Ash mentally thought as he stormed up the pathway that led to Professor Oak's laboratory. The rain pounded down onto his face with force like bullets, and brimming with hot rage, Ash felt as if they evaporated as soon as they hit his skin. Pounding his fist on the door, Ash tried shouting through the letterbox to get the attention of the Professor or Daisy Oak.

"Come on, Professor, open up! I need to get to my Pokémon!"

After a couple more seconds of pounding the door down, the dark silhouette of Samuel Oak appeared through the small window next to the entrance of the Oak household. Ash's muscles and posture remained taut, a deadly expression plastered over his boyish features. The Professor answered sharply, opening the door to reveal himself. He looked exhausted and hollow, Ash noted, but his actions remained alert.

"Ash, please, come in," he said hastily, stepping to the side so that Ash could enter. Ash nodded and stormed past the Professor, stopping abruptly in the hallway. His hands were balled into fists and his jaw was clenched. Pikachu followed him in, an expression of doubt visible, as if he already knew that this was a terrible idea. From the top of the stairwell, Daisy Oak tiptoed down a few steps gracefully, her soft features moulded into a look of fretfulness. She held her nightgown around her waist and sat down on one of the steps, her caramel coloured hair falling around her face in messy, untamed waves.

"Your mother called not long ago," the Professor said, closing the door behind him. "She's in a terrible state, Ash. I've never seen her so distressed."

"I know, Professor, but as selfish as it sounds, she's not of my concerns at the moment. I need to get to my Pokémon, and I'm leaving here as soon as I've got a decent team. They're not gonna get away with it, not this time!"

"Ash, I understand that you're angry, but please, just take a few seconds to actually think about what you're doing," said the Professor, trying to reason with Ash's strong way of dealing with things. However, he knew that he wasn't going to get very far, as the look on Ash's face said otherwise.

"No, I don't need to think about what I'm doing, Professor, I'm going out to look for Misty and that's final, what part of that don't you understand? Just take me to the garden so I can get to my Pokémon!"

The Professor winced at Ash's anger, but nonetheless led him to the back of the laboratory. He unlocked the gate that was the entrance to the outdoor garden and showed Ash where most of his Pokémon were situated. Within seconds, all of Ash's Pokémon sensed his presence and came out of their temporary homes, visibly concerned.

"Hey, everybody," Ash greeted them all apprehensively, kneeling down to their level. Bulbasaur was the first to step forward, joining Pikachu in curiosity. Charizard appeared distant but resolute, monitoring his master's actions with great depth. As all of Ash's Pokémon gathered around him in a crowd, Ash looked at each and every one indomitably, his eyebrows narrowed.

"Listen," he started to say, but he then pursed his lips again. He didn't know how to explain it to them – they wouldn't understand the situation as much as he did. He had decided to keep the whole missing gym leader case from them right when it started in case it unsettled them. They didn't deserve to be hurt like the public were – it would only cause more harm than good. Deciding to start from the very beginning, Ash took another glance around at his trusted team and nodded mentally to himself.

"For a long time, something terrible has been happening. Across the regions, gym leaders have been disappearing. No one knows why, but… it's serious. And recently, things have only gotten worse."

His team looked frustrated. Ash understood, though – they were probably angry at him for not letting them know sooner, but he pushed that aside – they needed to cooperate, and fast.

"Today, a very important person was taken from me by these people. You all know Misty, right?"

Most of his team started to look concerned – Ash's Bulbasaur walked up to him and had a pleading look in his eyes, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. Ash nodded slowly, swallowing down the large lump in his throat confirming what Bulbasaur had been dreading. As he felt it slide down, it reminded him of eating something sharp after not chewing it properly. It scraped along his pipe, and his bottom lip started to tremble again – the whole thing was just unbearable.

"She's been taken by these people," he continued, refusing to let his Pokémon see him cry. "I'm going out to look for her, but I can't do that without a team," he said, looking up with a glint of hope in his eyes.

The first to step forward was Charizard. He nodded his head and grunted, his posterior sharp and mighty. Bulbasaur, Heracross, Totodile and Noctowl followed shortly after, and, now feeling less unnerved, Pikachu's expression changed from that of worry to strong-minded. Ash studied his new team intently and smiled gratefully, admiring how brave it was for them to step up to the challenge. The rest of Ash's Pokémon muttered among themselves and to those who had decided to go along with Ash, but also looked slightly unsure of whether to join the party. Ash noticed this in their behaviour and gave them a reassuring look.

"You guys need to stay here and support each other," he said, petting Bayleef on the head. "And not just each other, but the Professor, my mom… and anyone else that's finding it hard at the moment. Can I trust you all to do that?"

"Wott!" Ash's Oshawott replied, confirming his approval. Ash grinned and scratched Oshawott's head before turning his attention to the rest of his team from Unova. He could understand each and every one of his Pokémon's feelings and thoughts, and he appreciated that they'd decided to stay out of this journey – they didn't know Misty like the others did, and for that reason, he respected them for their support.

"Well, come on," Ash said, standing up abruptly. "We need to get moving, and fast. It's gonna be tough, but that's no excuse. I'm counting on you guys."

Taking their Poké Balls from inside the lab, Ash returned them and clipped them onto his belt. The only Pokémon that remained unreleased was Pikachu, and as Ash looked back at the rest of his Pokémon, goose bumps covered his skin.

"Pika!"

He looked down at his most loyal companion and gave him a fearless look.

"You ready for this, Pikachu?"

Pikachu didn't even need to answer as he had already ran back towards the front entrance of the Professor's laboratory. Nodding to himself, Ash followed suit, his strides confident and unwavering.

"Good luck, Ash."

Stopping one last time, Ash turned around to face the Professor. He had a distant look on his face, but besides that, he continued to remain positive. Accepting the Professor's words, Ash walked to the front door and slammed it shut. The rain had stopped, and now a faint mist had covered Pallet Town.

It was time to find Misty.

When Ash had left, the Professor closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. It was all too much for him to take in – they'd already lost Gary and Misty, and now that Ash had gone, it meant that there was just as much of a chance that he'd go missing, too. If that was the case, he couldn't bear to think of the state that Delia would be in. Losing Misty, the daughter she never had, was hard enough, but losing Ash, her own son, would be the end of Delia's hope and mind.

"Do you think he'll find her?"

The Professor turned to face his granddaughter and tried to smile reassuringly. It was a failed attempt, however, as she instantly noticed his doubts. She approached him with tears apparent in her bright eyes and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his chest. He seemed limp, so she closed her eyes and prayed to Arceus that Ash would be okay – not that it would help at all.

"I don't know, Daisy," the Professor answered, cradling her in his arms lovingly. "Ash has been on many journeys, and he's had many encounters with danger before, but…"

Her eyes opened when she sensed him hesitate.

"What's wrong, Gramps?" Daisy asked, looking up at him with sincere eyes. He half smiled and moved a strand of hair away from her face and sighed, looking ahead into thin air. She'd been so strong throughout the past few years, and in all honesty, she was the only person that was keeping him sane.

"Well, in any other situation, I'd be positive that Ash would succeed," he hesitated, shaking his head in denial. "But if these are the same people that took Gary, then unfortunately, there's not a lot of hope for Ash this time around."

If hundreds of search parties cannot find my grandson, then I doubt that just one person can find Misty.

. . .

Hours – that's what it felt like to Misty. She didn't even know what time of the day it was, or where they were, or even how long she'd been gone for. All she knew was that she was tired, she was hungry and she was going to collapse any moment from exhaustion.

Gary had been persistent. He had made it clear that he wasn't stopping any time soon, so to avoid any further arguments, she'd kept her mouth zipped. She trusted him, anyway – it was obvious that he knew what he was doing.

Well, he has been on the run from these people for four years.

She rolled her eyes silently behind him as he continued to lead her through the endless amounts of woodland and shrubbery that surrounded them. His pace had started to deter the further they walked, yet he still remained alert and ready for anything that might have been thrown at them.

Gary Oak – who would've thought that she'd be hauled into a journey of survival alongside him? She knew that he was misunderstood, and she knew that he was hiding something from her, but she just couldn't put her finger on it. The whole situation was surreal, to be honest – she just accepted that he was there and that he was protecting her.

Misty continued to study him. She hadn't really had the chance to observe him properly yet – so much had been going on, she couldn't even remember whether this was really the same person she once knew when she was younger or whether he was just a copy, her imagination.

He looked pure yet dangerous, like a Ninetales that was focused on hunting down its prey. His tall structure was evened out by the muscle he'd developed and gave him a mighty aura, which gave her a sense of security. Though he showed signs of tiredness, his eyes remained warm and gentle, making her body relax every time she felt tense. Everything about him was so unsolved it kept her on her feet, begging to find out more about the boy she had yet to learn again.

She jumped out of her thoughts when she felt herself walk into something hard. It happened to be Gary, who had stopped quickly without warning – his eyes were focused and narrow, contemplating something.

"We can't risk being seen," Gary said, looking out towards the distance. Misty followed to where his eyes were looking and understood his suggestion. They'd reached the end of the woodland, and all that stood before them was tall grass and open land.

"Well, it looks like there's no other way," Misty reasoned, stepping beside him. "Isn't life all about taking chances?"

"It is."

"But," Misty said, eyeing him annoyingly.

"It is, but not necessarily in every situation. Chances are, we step right into open ground like that and we get spotted straight away. See those mountains over there? That's where we're gonna head."

"And how do you plan on getting there?" Misty asked.

"I don't."

She looked at him perplexedly but nonetheless carried on, following his lead once again. He smirked at her playfully and caused her to laugh – something that she hadn't done in what seemed like a long time.

"Do you want to stop?"

"I'm fine," Misty said confidently, not wanting to interrupt Gary's plan of action. She was strong, Misty knew that, and although she was dying to rest again, she didn't want to slow them down.

He gave her a look of disbelief and smirked again, narrowing his eyes – convincing people obviously wasn't one of her strongest points. Rolling her eyes, Misty gave into defeat and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yes, I'd like to stop," she admitted, copying his expression. "But quit this whole tough guy act."

"Tough guy act," Gary said incredulously. "Misty, I'm just doing my job."

She rolled her eyes again and walked down a small hillside that brought her to the river and a small area of land hidden by a large willow tree. It's long, swaying branches hung down elegantly, almost touching the surface of the water.

Slipping off her shoes, she ran down to the water's edge and placed her feet into it. Gary watched her intently and felt the corners of his lips turn upwards as she moved them around, the power of the stream splashing up against the side of her legs. Her hair moved in time with the breeze, flowing blissfully and playfully. Her eyes were closed, her shoulders were loose and a look of tranquillity was present in her expression.

Gary decided to join her and looked out towards the slowly setting sun. On the other side of the stream was more forest, and further down was a never ending pathway of gushing water, fighting against the rocks that were stopping it from flowing freely.

"I remember it so clearly," she said, catching Gary off guard. He looked at her puzzlingly and wondered what on earth she could mean.

"Remember what?" he asked, unprepared for her answer. Her forehead scrunched up in uncertainty, but taking in a short, deep breath, she continued the conversation.

"The day that you disappeared," she replied.

Gary felt uneasy but eager all of a sudden. He'd never actually thought about the day he disappeared – or, he corrected himself, the day that he was taken from Euphoria. Because he was hidden away in their headquarters for so long, he had no contact with the world outside at all, so to him, it had always been a complete mystery.

"I'd never seen the Professor so distraught," she continued, a gentle frown evident on her face. "He refused to believe it. It was just so random. All of a sudden you had a gone, and that was it. No one was expecting it at all. God, even Ash was in pieces… everyone was. It was huge, Gary. For months on end, it was all anyone ever talked about."

"Didhe ever talk about it?"

"The Professor did, of course, but very subtly. Lots of stories arose about your disappearance, Gary. You know, people claiming they'd seen you and others predicting that you were dead," she said, swallowing hard at the last part. "But he continued to hold hope. Whatever was thrown at him, he refused to believe that you were dead. He, Ash and Daisy were the only ones that refused to believe the rumours. Ash would always say to me that you were a fighter and damn too stubborn to be killed."

He laughed at Ash's way of describing himself. They'd never been the best of friends as kids, but deep down, he'd always cared for Ash, no matter how stubborn he was at times. He was quite surprised at how devastated Ash appeared to be about his disappearance. They might have become civil with each other during their younger years, but he still didn't think Ash thought of him that highly – not with the way that he'd treated him, anyway.

"Daisy said that, too," Misty said, smiling softly. "About a year after you'd been taken, I went over to visit the Professor because I hadn't seen him since, and that was the first time I actually met your sister."

"You'd never met her before then?" Gary asked astoundingly.

"No. I knew you had a sister, but it was always like she was non-existent. When I met her for the first time, my opinion on the event completely changed. She said she'd never had full support from a girl before, so she told me just about everything – how she was coping, what she thought about it all… everything."

Gary started to feel a heavy lump form in his chest. For years, he hadn't thought about his past – he'd been trained not to. Now was the first time he'd really thought back to his family. Daisy was such a sensitive person – she put both people and Pokémon before herself and was always willing to help those in need. Come to think of it, he couldn't think of a single bad thing to say about his sister.

"She said she knew that you weren't dead because with whatever reason you had been taken, you wouldn't give up without a fight. Talking to Daisy that day actually made me believe that, too."

Daisy would be disappointed in you.

Gary tried to block out the loud, deafening voice in the conscious state of his mind. It had haunted him ever since he'd first begun working for Euphoria, constantly forcing him to carry on and accept the person he had become.

She doesn't know me anymore, Gary tried fighting back, choosing to defy the voice's words. He turned his gaze away from Misty and found his mind drifting back to the past;

"It's really quite simple, Gary. You have two choices – either work for me and Euphoria, or see your family and Pokémon killed. Now, be a smart boy and make the right decision."

He hesitated as he replayed Salamere's words in his head.

I didn't have a chance to fight back.

"Gary?"

He shot his head around to Misty again and noticed she looked disturbed. She'd been watching him intently, and her hand was placed gently on his knee. Smirking subtly, he leant back and rested on his elbows. She eyed him curiously and breathed in deeply, and as the sky started to cloud up, she realised she had something yet to do.

"Thanks for saving me, Gary."

Gary's stomach lurched – his facial expression became numb, and all he could do was stare directly into her eyes. Saving her? What was she talking about? Misty looked to the floor and a look of guilt washed over her face, so sitting himself up, he leaned in closer to her, the interest in her words overpowering him.

"If it wasn't for you, I probably wouldn't be alive right now," she admitted. "I know that at first I was a bit apprehensive about you, but I realise now you're truly doing the right thing."

For a short moment, he'd almost forgotten that he was still lying to her – talking about his past had distracted him, and quickly, he had to think of a response. She believed he'd saved her, so he had to make sure she continued to believe that.

"No problem," Gary said hastily, aware of the gut feeling in the pit of his stomach again, growing larger and larger with every second that passed. He chose not to let it get in the way of his act though, because if he did it would be the end for him and more importantly, his Pokémon. Misty then stood up from her spot by the river and made her way over to a secluded area, lying down onto a broken log. Gary followed her and sat next to her, keeping a safe distance away, and looked up at the sky. Heavy clouds had covered what was a clear, burning sunset, and as he closed his eyes, Misty spoke again.

"I wonder if those clouds passed over Cerulean," she pondered, evidently lost in thought. Gary smiled subtly at her words and thought back to the Professor and Daisy, Ash Ketchum, Delia, and finally, the place that he once grew up in.

I wonder if they passed over Pallet Town, too.

Author's Note:

There's quite a lot of character development and relationship building in this chapter. What did you think? Leave a review! Oh, and do any of you guys know any way that I can get more readers? It's just I'd love for Hunt to get more recognition, you know?

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it!

Charityx