Ash sat back on the couch, looking at the person who claimed to be his father. Now he noticed why he looked so familiar. Ashton looked like him, but older. "If you're really my father, what is my mother's name then?" he asked. Ashton grinned. "Her name is Delia. Brown hair, very caring woman. The ideal wife and mother," he said.
Ash was still for a moment. Ashton noticed this, and sat down. "I will tell you everything, Ash. But right now, we have more urgent things at hand," he said. He took a deep breath before he started.
"I know that you made the deal, Ash. But why, why did you do it?" Ashton asked. Ash thought about it. He thought back at that moment that changed everything. "I did it to save Misty's life. But it went wrong after that. She was a Rocket, and they stole Pikachu," Ash explained, eyes cast downward.
"I see. You did it to help someone. But it went bad. And if that isn't enough, you have been cursed as well," Ashton said. Ash looked at him. "That is right Ash. What happened earlier this evening was real," Ashton added. "You mean… all what I did was not a dream?" Ash asked. He already knew the answer when the words left his mouth.
"You have been cursed to be the Rider, Ash. When evil is near, you will become the Ghost Rider and use your power to defeat it," Ashton explained. Ash didn't know how to take it. "That man said I had a task to do. It was concerning Team Rocket," he said.
Ashton looked at Ash. With that sentence, Ash had got his attention. "Can you tell me more?" he asked. "He said something about experimenting with dangerous materials. I don't know what he means by that," Ash explained. Ashton fell back in his chair. "So it has begun. Ash, it seems I have a lot to tell you," he said.
Ash and May listened to Ashton's story. "The man you have made a deal with, is Mephisto. This may sound unreal, but he is the Devil himself," he explained. "Well, after what happened earlier, I don't think that is so strange. Right now, I'd believe anything," Ash shrugged.
"Indeed. And to make matters worse, he was right about Team Rocket as well. They are doing experiments, but for the time, they can't realise them," Ashton said. "What do you mean? And what kind of experiments are you talking about?" Ash asked.
"On Earth is an artefact that does not belong here. It belongs on the other side. Simply put, it belongs in Hell. But due to some thing that happened a long time ago, the artefact came here on our planet. It broke into two parts," Ashton said.
"What does that artefact do?" May asked. "It steals the souls of living beings, granting them incredible power but leaving them like hollow shells. And whoever holds the artefact, controls those beings," Ashton explained.
"So, to make it short, that artefact must return to Hell, right?" Ash asked. Ashton nodded. "That, or it must be destroyed. Personally, I see it destroyed," he explained. "Where is that artefact now, Ashton?" May asked.
"Nobody knows, but there is a book that explains the artefact in greater detail. And that is the problem now," Ashton said, looking down. "What do you mean?" Ash asked. "The book is in possession in Team Rocket. If they can decipher the texts and passages, they know where the two parts are. If they manage to find them, it is too late," Ashton replied, looking at them.
Max and Brock had been restless. They haven't heard anything ever since from May and Ash. "This is ridiculous. We're here, doing nothing. Now I know how Ash feels," Max said. Brock comforted him by placing a hand on his shoulder.
"We will find them, Max. Tomorrow, we'll search the entire island. After that, we notify the police. I think we have waited long enough then," he said. Max looked up at Brock. "Sounds like a plan," he said. Brock smiled. "Lets get some sleep then," he suggested.
Giovanni turned the pages in the book. The image on the photograph that James had made intrigued him. "The sooner I can find out what some of those passages mean, the better. This whole ordeal depends on it," he said to himself.
He was ripped from his thoughts when the videophone activated. "What is it?" he asked, looking at the image. "Sir, the experiments are going well. But we still need more Pokémon," a man in a labcoat said. "It will be done. You will have them as soon as possible," Giovanni said, and closed the connection. "The kid's Pikachu is to be used as a last resort. I'm sending them again to complete the task on Cinnabar," he thought.
"My task is clear then. I must fight Team Rocket and make sure they cannot complete whatever it is they do," Ash said, determined. "But one thing still puzzles me. How do you know all this?" he asked Ashton.
Ashton smiled bitterly. "Because, Ash, I also made a deal. Long ago. And it only brought pain and hardship," he said, his eyes cast on the ground. Ash looked at his father. "What kind of deal was that?" he asked. Ashton waited a moment before he gave his answer. "I wanted to save your sister," he said.
Ash stared. He just stared at his father. "I had… a sister?" he asked, slowly. "Yes. In fact, she was your twin. But she wasn't born healthy. She had a few dysfunctional organs. Here chance of survival was extremely low," Ashton explained. Ash could see that it pained his father to say it. Still, he wanted to know what happened.
"You were the first to born. She came out after you. But when we heard that she wouldn't have much of a chance, I left. I couldn't believe it. We were blessed with the greatest gift. We didn't even picked names for you two," Ashton said. His eyes turned a little moistly.
"Then this man appeared in front of me. He offered me a deal. He would save my daughter, your sister, and blindly, I accepted the deal. It was later that I came to realise what I had done," he continued. "What happened to her, father?" Ash asked.
"She was saved alright. She was completely healthy. The doctors couldn't believe it. They claimed it a miracle. I knew better," Ashton said. He paused for a moment. "When we were allowed to take you home, we left the hospital in our car. But we were in a terrible accident. A truck hit us. It bored itself into the drivers' side. I was badly injured, but you and your mother were fine," he continued.
"What happened to my sister?" Ash asked, his voice trembling. Ashton's eyes dropped their tears on the ground. "She died on the spot. I was also presumed dead. My injuries were too severe, making chance at life so goddamn low that I would be better of dead," Ashton said. He sobbed a little, remembering the past.
"I was in the hospital that night. But then that man appeared. He told me everything. That I belonged to him now. My injuries were healed instantly, but at a price. I became the Ghost Rider. I had no choice then to be dead for you, and your mother. I never wished for this. And I never thought that I would see you again," Ashton added.
Ash had to take this all in. He had a sister, which died when she was just a baby. He has a father, which has the same curse as he has. All because of the deal. And now they were reunited, although under circumstances they would have never even guessed. His mind raced. It took him some time to recap everything.
"Ash, you and your friend should take some rest. We'll talk tomorrow," Ashton said, bringing Ash back to earth. Ash nodded absently. "May, I have a room for you two. You can stay there for the night," Ashton said to her. "But what about our friends?" she asked.
Ashton thought for a moment. "We'll sort that out tomorrow too. But it is possible that you won't be able to see them for some time," he said. "Why not?" May asked, surprised. "Ash is not fully in control of the curse. He must learn that. I can teach him a few things, but not everything. A psychic can help, though. And he needs all the support he can get," Ashton explained, looking at May. May blushed a little.
"I know of a psychic, father," Ash spoke up, suddenly. His mind was clear now, and he knew what he had to do to make things right again. "Who, Ash?" May asked. "One I battled before. The Gym Leader of Saffron City. Sabrina," Ash said.
Giovanni had summoned his four subordinates to his office. "I give you all a new chance to get those Pokémon for me," he said. The group looked at him surprised. "Tomorrow night. Dismissed," he said simply. After they left, he looked at the book again.
"I need to find a good translator, too," he said to himself. He called his secretary. "Yes sir?" she asked. "Send a mail to Butch and Cassidy. I have an assignment for them. They must be here tomorrow morning at eight," he said, and hung up. His gaze turned to the book once again.
"Your secrets will be uncovered. Sooner or later, they will be uncovered," he said to himself, as he placed the book in a safe. He took some Pokémon food. He gave it to Pikachu, who looked at him strangely and angrily. "I may be cruel, but not heartless. Eat up," he said, and then he left his office.
"Who is Sabrina, Ash?" May asked. "She is a very powerful psychic trainer, who uses Psychic Pokémon. She has incredible abilities. She used to be uncaring, but after my fight with her, she became 'normal' again," Ash explained.
"Tomorrow we'll find out what to do. Until that time, we take some rest. We all need it," Ashton said, interrupting them. It was true. They were all tired. Ash and May went inside the room. It was quite neatly, with two beds. After wishing eachother a goodnight, they fell asleep. Tomorrow would be the day that more would be revealed.