And if they were…

"Ash!" Greninja's voice snapped him back. His eyes were pools of fear. "What's happened? Should we retreat?"

Ash shook his head, numb. He was a kid. A stupid kid who thought he could play a hero. But it was too late for them to turn tail and run.

And oh great Arceus, his plan was terrible. It was awful. Even if they did survive this, he and his team were going to be hunted until the day they died. Why did he think this was a good idea? He knew exactly why. Because he thought that since his team had potential and he could perform some cool magic tricks, he could take on the entire world.

How long had it been since Charmander had started his distraction? Five minutes? Ten? Thirty? Whatever it was, they were running out of time. If they hesitated, they would fail. Pewter City would suffer.

His tongue felt like lead, but he was able to choke out a "Let's go." And stagger out of a sentry's line of sight.

He landed heavily on his knees and drew in deep, slow breaths. His fingers dug into the spongy ground beneath him. He wasn't going to give up now. He couldn't. His father depended on him. His mother, Pewter City, and the world. He couldn't afford to fail. He was going to be the one to put an end to it all. And his enemies had to know it.

He and Greninja ducked behind another tent. He jumped, blood turning to ice at the shout from inside and he practically melted in relief when he realised it wasn't directed at him.

"You wouldn't! You can't sink that low!"

An exasperated sigh followed. "We've been through this. It's a simple two-way deal. You provide us with resources and Pokémon and we protect you and your people from the real enemy. It's really not that hard."

"Yeah, you're making my decision much easier by holding the lives of my family over my head."

The other person clicked their tongue. "I did warn you. I never wanted it to come to this, but you know how much we need Pewter City, Brock. It's your own selfishness that drove me to do this."

Ash clenched his fists, eyes squeezing shut. He was barely aware of Greninja's concerned glance and the sharp bite of his nails digging into the flesh of his palms.

Lucario was miles away in enemy territory.

Charmander was probably being chased by a horde of warriors.

Dratini was in the heart of the Red Army's camp, with only a short window of time to release the captive Pokémon before a guard returned to the tent.

An innocent man was being threatened with the safety of his family so an army could get the upper hand in a war that had lasted for centuries.

Grimsley was somewhere in the world, held captive by a force far stronger than Ash. This army had taken him from Deliah Ketchum and his son.

Across the planet, battles were being fought. In filthy trenches, soldiers faced each other, locked in stalemates, neither side daring to be the first to order the slaughter of countless people and Pokémon.

He should have noticed his Pokémon backing away from him. He should have noticed a soldier's yell of alarm when her eyes fell on him. He didn't realize what was happening until it was too late.

His aura was a blinding white blaze around him. His eyes flew open and he whirled around, hand thrusting outward. A blade of aura sliced through the tent and the man in a red uniform leapt out of the way just in the nick of time before his torso could be torn from his legs.

The other man in the tent spun to face Ash, eyes wide. Ash was barely able to meet his terrified yet grateful gaze when he felt his legs give way from beneath him. Greninja caught him just before he hit the ground.

Somehow, he gathered the strength to lift his head and look the captain in the eye. "My name is Ash Ketchum, spirit of Sir Aaron. I am the enemy of Red and Green alike."

There was much more he had planned to say, but his vision was filled with dark blots and he could hardly force another word out. Greninja was saying something, but he sounded so far away.

The light of torches whipped past him. He was being carried by someone. Lights exploded in the darkness and the world was filled with the snarls of Pokémon.

Ash was jostled and through his fading vision, he could see Water Shurikens spinning through the air as Greninja struggled to fight with one hand and carry his master with the other.

He wanted to say something, but his mouth refused to move. The image of red tents and red armour seared itself into his brain, and a final image of his father's broken body being swarmed by soldiers swam across his mind before he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer.

When he came to, it was still dark, but he was immediately aware of something near him. Ash moved to sit up, but the young adult leaned forward fluidly and pressed a hand against the boy's chest, making it clear he shouldn't move yet. "That was pretty reckless. But you did well. My city was saved because of you."

"Ah… Thanks." Ash awkwardly replied as he lay back down. "Did they leave?"

The man shook his head. "Not yet, but they will be. They underestimated Sir Aaron's fighting spirit, but they were forcefully reminded tonight. The name's Brock. You seriously are a prodigy, Ash Ketchum."

The boy blushed, his face becoming so red it wasn't funny. He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I don't know about that..."

"I mean it, you are. You've done Sir Aaron proud and Pewter City, too." Brock asked if there was anything Ash needed.

Ash thought for a moment and then nodded. "Yeah, I need Charmander and Dratini trained up a bit more. I'd like Charmander close to evolution before I press on with my mission."

Brock blinked and stared at the boy. "Your mission?"

The Red and Green Armies made this personal by taking my father hostage, so they're gonna get a world of pain in return." Ash vowed, his expression grim.

Brock looked away for a period of time, before he spoke again. "You seem pretty set on your mission, so I'm not going to steer you away from it. But I will give you some advice. Seek allies in the cities' leaders. Even cities you've passed through already will still help you if you just let us know."

Ash nodded in respect of Brock's advice. It seemed pretty sound, so he would take it on board for his quest.