So how was last chapter? I bet you did not see that coming. Things are about to get even more intense. Hope you all are enjoying it. Let's get this thing going.
"I don't know what to do!" Troy stared up at the ceiling of the cavern, feeling more alone than he had in years. The water falling from the ceiling was the only sound to be heard. His clothes had mostly dried by now and most of the mud collected had been washed off. "Mewtwo, what do I do now?"
No answer, though he was not expecting one in the first place. He shook himself out of his daze and forced himself to stand up and start walking on autopilot. He had to find the others, and Lucario! He had to apologize! He had to make everything like it was just earlier that day.
Troy moved through the winding tunnels, mind racing. Every single tunnel seemed to look the same whenever he turned into a different passageway every time. All he had on his mind was finding his friends.
Suddenly, Troy felt the sharp pinpricks of pain that he had become accustomed to make themselves known inside of his cranium. It was like having hot knives being stabbed into the back of his skull.
"What do you want, Mewtwo?" Troy practically snarled. It was because of Mewtwo that he was here and not only had Mewtwo abandoned him, but now his partner and best friend was gone.
"You know I really do appreciate this. I just...I like to be left alone, and I know you have the best intentions, Troy Black."
Mewtwo's voice rang through his head, and Troy grimaced as he fought the waves of pain.
"So? It still doesn't excuse your behavior. I need to find my partner and my best friend. I also need to find my other friends. Then we should be able to get you to safety. You think you can leave the mountain?" Troy thought to Mewtwo.
"Of course I can," Mewtwo said, sounding a bit miffed.
"Yeah, so get off the mountain and stay safe. I know you are powerful, but with this storm and all of that psychic searching tech they have going on, I wasn't sure. I wasn't doubting your ability, O great Mewtwo." Troy trudged along, searching the walls for any sign of humanity. He strained to hear something but no luck smiled on him.
"Oh, that is true."
Troy fought off the pain as his connection with Mewtwo wavered.
"Alright, this is hurting me. Cutting off now. Get off the mountain if you can. If not...just lay low. I'll try and contact you if anything goes haywire. Just be on the lookout for...what is this? Mental waves?"
"Yes." Mewtwo sounded tired, but still regal and imposing.
Troy nodded tiredly, even though he knew Mewtwo couldn't see him.
"Alright, see ya later."
Troy shook his head as he focused on his surroundings again and not whatever land he had been with Mewtwo. He had reached a crossway in the caverns that signaled one path to the right and another to the left. He closed his eyes and concentrated, hoping to hear any indicative signs of life down either one.
There was a faint sound down the left corridor, like it was someone yelling. Arguing, to be exact. It was very small but loud enough to make its presence felt. Troy's eyes snapped open and he ran left towards the sound of the noise.
"Guys?" He called. "Where are you?"
"This is all your fault, Ash Ketchum!"
"My fault?"
"If you hadn't been so adamant about going after Troy, none of this would have happened!"
"Don't blame me! Brock is the one to blame. He suggested this whole thing."
"Don't drag me into this, Ash!"
Ash gave up and sat down on the pointy and uncomfortable rock that he called his stool. On top of being captured, he lost his hat too so he was in a distressed and fearful state of mind. He was nothing without his hat. It was what he was known for just like Indiana Jones had his fedora. He put his head in his hands and hunched over.
"Brock, what do we do now?" Dawn looked to Brock with desperate eyes. It was obvious that she wanted to get out.
"I'm not sure," sighed Brock. "I guess just hope and pray for a miracle."
Dawn groaned and sat down, looking like she was going to cry. Piplup patted her arm in an attempt to comfort her. Dawn smiled a little and picked up her Pokémon, holding both of her arms against his chest as she cuddled him.
"Guys? Are you here?" A voice called. "Answer me!"
"It's Troy!" Ash burst into a big smile. "Troy! We're here! Hurry!"
"Keep talking," Troy commanded. "I'm almost there."
All three shouted 'We're here,' over and over to help guide the oldest of their group to where they were being held. Troy was now running at a frantic pace, like he was running the 100 meters at the Olympics. He was so close to finding them, he could almost taste it.
With one final turn down an opening, he finally found his friends. A full smile emerged onto his face for the first time all day...until he saw the cage that they were trapped in.
"Are you guys ok?" Troy quickly asked. "Any of you hurt?"
"No, we're fine," replied Brock. "We're glad to see you though."
Troy looked around, trying to find a way to open the cage. It was well-built with steel so there was no real way to just pry it open. Maybe he could blast it open! And he had just the Pokémon to do the job. Quickly, he withdrew a Poké Ball.
"Better stand back, guys," he cautioned before tossing it. "Drapion, come on out and use Hyper Beam!"
The scorpion Pokémon emerged with a roar before charging up the attack. Once it was fully charged, he blasted it with the force of a freight train towards the steel bars of the cage. The bars exploded upon impact. After the smoke cleared, a gaping opening sat there, waiting for everyone to walk out.
"Nice job, Drapion." Troy rubbed his newest Pokémon on the head. Drapion moaned contently at the affection before being returned to his Poké Ball.
His three youngest companions quickly ran out of their prison. Dawn quickly gave Troy a hug in thanks, which he eagerly returned. He was thankful that nothing horrible happened to his companions. If something had, he would not be able to forgive himself.
"Hey, Ash," Troy turned to his young apprentice, digging into his bag until he found what he was looking for. He held up Ash's hat. "Lose something?"
A smile returned to Ash's face. "Hey, you found my hat."
"I kept it in my bag for safekeeping after I found it on the ground outside." He handed Ash his hat. Ash quickly put it on, feeling whole once again.
"Thanks," he smiled at his mentor before giving him a hug as well.
"Hey Troy," Dawn interrupted. She looked like she was looking for something, or someone. "Where's Lucario?"
The heartwarming atmosphere immediately went out the window with Dawn's question. Troy's face dropped and the smile that had been on his face disappeared. His eyes reflected his lost in thought look and were about to swell with tears. He turned away from his companions so they wouldn't see them.
"Lucario's gone," he replied somberly. He sniffled. "And it's all my fault. I was so worried about finding you guys and Mewtwo that I neglected my partner and best friend in the whole world. We got into an argument about directions and then it just escalated from there. I said that I wished I was not resurrected when I was turned to stone because it would mean I wouldn't have to look at him again. We agreed to go our separate ways. But the worst part about it was..." He sniffled again as tears ran down his cheeks, trying to keep himself under control. "The worst part about it was I said that I was not going to come back for him if I found you guys and that I was done with him."
Troy couldn't hold it anymore, falling down on his knees and started crying on the ground. All of the guilt was finally washing itself out of him in one burst of emotion.
"Oh Arceus! What have I done?!" He wailed.
Dawn rubbed his back in comfort while Brock came over to try and talk to him.
"Troy, I know how you must be feeling," he sympathized. "It must be hard to live with yourself after saying those things but your other Pokémon are counting on you too. They need their trainer to be strong for them and..."
"Oh Brock, will you SHUT UP!" Troy snapped. Dawn and Brock backed away a few steps. Troy looked like a rabid dog, his eyes reflecting an intent to kill and frothing at the mouth.
"Do you know how it feels to betray your best friend?" He seethed. "Do you understand the agony and the guilt that comes along with it?"
Brock sighed, knowing what Troy was going through. "I know you're hurting, Troy," he sympathized. "And I know it's killing you but yelling at us is not the answer. We'll find him, I promise."
"If you're so sorry, tell him yourself." A cold, sadistic voice rang through the dark walls of the cavern.
Lights flashed on suddenly, blinding everyone with their brightness. Once their eyesight adjusted, they saw members of Team Rocket blocking every way in and out of the cavern. Giovanni stood in front of the light, illuminating the features of his face; his cold, dark eyes, his sinister smile and the permanent glare his eyes seemed to be in.
"You are the one that has been known to have first contact with Mewtwo, is that correct?" Giovanni pointed at Troy.
"Yes, but I want to see Lucario first," replied Troy, not wanting to play Giovanni's little game. "Let me see him."
"Very well," he replied with a nod. "Show him just how much you have changed, Lucario."
How will Lucario have changed? Will Troy know if it's too late now to say sorry? Will our friends finally escape Mt Coronet? Leave a review and find out next time ;-)
