The Unmasking
The morning came by after the whole ordeal that night. Everyone had return to the Main Building to collect their thoughts. Freddie is up and pacing back and forth with a deep look on his face, Velma and Daphne are sitting on a nearby table trying to look for possible solutions, Stan was nearby, leaning against a wooden beam with a sour expression.
The ones who seem effected by Ash's capture the most are Serena, who is slightly crying with Pikachu as tears slowly dropping from their cheeks while she grips Ash's hat tightly, Bonnie, Clemont, with the younger Lumiose citizen burying her head in her brother's clothes as Clemont grips her tight, silently blaming himself for not acting sooner. Shaggy and Scooby are seated on the table that the children sat, they have frowns on their faces as they tap their finger/paws against the wood.
Unable to hold it in anymore, Shaggy and Scooby slam their limbs down hard on the table while standing up, catching everyone's attention. "Like, what are we standing around here for?! Shouldn't we be coming up with a plan?"
"Reah! Ash needs us!" Scooby agreed, looking just as determine as Shaggy.
"Shaggy, I know how you and Scooby feel about this, but take a look at the facts." Freddie begins with sympathy. "The Specter has the crystal ball, Ash, and the Eclipse is coming tomorrow. I hate to say it, but we're at a dead end, Shaggy."
"But, like, that doesn't mean we should give up!" The kids' raise their heads once hearing those familiar words escape from Shaggy's mouth. "Like, did I give up when I got full of hot dogs during a Hot Dog Eating contests? No siree bob! I ate that mountain of Hot Dogs even if it ruined my intestine! Like, did Scooby give up when he couldn't get that beef jerky when it was surrounded by phantoms? Nope! He ran straight through those phantoms and ate it like there's no tomorrow!" Scooby nods in approval for Shaggy's speech. It warms the children's hearts to see that their best friend's words is able to inspire cowards like Shaggy and Scooby.
"Since when have you two been so brave and optimistic?" Velma asked, completely unfazed by Shaggy's speech. "I mean, what is it about Ash that you two are so willing to be brave about?"
"Well first off, he never gave up on me and Scooby. Unlike a certain trio of people that we know of!" This makes the rest of Mystery Inc. cringle in guilt, they deserve that. "Also, he saved me and Scooby from the Ghoul the other month ago! Like, I say it's time for us to return the favor and save Ash!"
"He's right!" Clemont shouts, him and the rest of his friends standing up with determine looks. "Ash always believe in everyone, no matter who they are!"
"Not to mention he risked his life for us thousand of times!" Bonnie adds in, with Dedenne shouting its agreement.
"Yeah, let's go save the kid!" Ranger Stan cheered.
"YOU DON'T GET A SAY IN ANY OF THIS!" The old man jumps back in surprise when Serena screamed at him, not to mention all the glares he's receiving from everyone else is making him feel uncomfortable. "IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU ASH WAS TAKEN IN THE FIRST PLACE!"
"If you hadn't lied to us, then maybe Ash would have still trusted you!" Clemont yelled, although he's more in control of his angry than Serena.
"Look, I said I was sorry!" Stan defend with hands up. "You all can't hold a grudge forever!"
"But Stan, why exactly did you dressed up as the Specter and put evidence against yourself?" Daphne questions, looking less emotional than the others who are still glaring at the old man.
This makes Stan sigh. "Alright, look. I know I said I'll let you guys solve the mystery, but I've seen the amount damage the Specter has been causing, so I was worried about all of your wellbeing. So I did the only thing I could think of, I put evidence against myself and made you all think I was the one behind all the kidnappings. Once you all think you solved the mystery and leave the Island, I would break out and try to find the real lunatic and deal with them myself. Only I didn't know my evidence would backfire on me and the looney being crafter than I thought." He sighs again. "I'm sorry about what happen with Ash, alright? I just wanted to keep him safe."
"Your actions were for a noble cause, Ranger Stan," Clemont hesitantly admits his glare never leaving, though. "But I'm afraid they also had a negative outcome. Ash didn't show it, but what happened with Peggy at the Hotel had effected him greatly. You were the second person that his family had trusted, so when he thought you betrayed that trust you reopen the wound that Peggy left behind."
Hearing that and seeing the glares he has been receiving growing deeper made Stan feel worse. Maybe they were right, maybe he should have let them handle the mystery on their own. That way Ash would still be here with them.
"Okay, let's change the topic!" Freddie hurriedly said, in case there could be a bad outcome if he lets this continue. "Let's say we are going to trap the Specter again. The question is, how are we going to do it? The Specter has everything it needs for the ceremony, what are we going to use as bait to draw the Specter out?" This makes everyone look down in defeat. How are they going to lure the Specter out of its lair?
Awkwardly, Stan begins to fidget a little. "Uh, I might have an idea..." Everyone turn their heads towards him, curiosity peeking through their eyes. "See, another thing I lied about is that the Specter didn't take actually stole my magical crystal ball. It's still there in my room." This returns the glares on Shaggy, Scooby, and the children's faces. "Hey, don't look at me like that! I said I was sorry!"
"Well, there's one good thing about all of this." Velma said in a attempt to get the angry friends' focus away from Stan. "We now know what to use as bait when the Specter comes out."
After a long day of planning, it finally became nighttime where everyone began to get the trap ready. Shaggy and Scooby are busy throwing some rope over a tree near the Main Building before climbing it up and tying the net in the correct position, the children are on the far left of the building where they are tying a gigantic log and a smaller log onto a tree by rope, Daphne and Velma are at Main Building's deck where they are spreading out the children's rope across the deck, pulling it until it reaches lifts up.
Freddie stood near the cabins along with Ranger Stan to observe how the trap is coming along. After a few moments of silence, Ranger Stan finally spoke up. "Hey, quick question, sonny. What am I suppose to do?"
"Oh, you're just here so I can keep an eye on you." Freddie told him with a quick glance before looking back on the trap. "The kids didn't want you to come near the trap since they were worried you might ruin it."
Stan sighs. "Boy, I keep forgetting kids know how to hold a grudge..."
Finally after a few minutes, the trap finally became complete. This prompts everyone to regroup back on the deck where Freddie begins to explain the plan over again. "Okay, this is how it works. The Specter knows that Ranger Stan is keeping the nearby magical crystal ball in his office, so when the Specter enters the office, Shaggy and Scooby will grab the crystal ball and run out of the room."
"Where we, like, lead the Specter outside and trap him!" Shaggy finished with Scooby rubbing his paws eagerly.
"Great! Now let's-"
"HOLD IT!"
Freddie and the rest of the adults turn their heads in surprise to see the kids stand there defiantly with the Pokémon. "We want to be the bait this time!" Bonnie announced stubbornly with her brother and friend nodding their heads in agreement.
"Like, are you kids sure?" Shaggy asked in concern. "I mean, you all like saw what that Specter did to a golf cart that was just a head taller than them..."
"Who knows what the it could do to all of you?" Scooby points out, worrying flashing across his face. However, the determine looks on the children's faces didn't waver one bit.
"Sorry, Scooby, but this is personal this time." Serena told the Great Dane sternly before turning her gaze towards Freddie. "We want to be the bait, Freddie."
"Uh, okay..." Freddie shrugged, unsure of what to make of kids their age actually want to risk their lives by being chased by a monster. However, he let go of his thoughts once he heard his watch signaling him that time is up. "Gee, it's already late. The Specter could be here at any moment, places everybody!" With that, everyone began to take their places, all determine to get their raven-haired friend back.
A while later, a familiar hooded-figure appear out of the forest and is now gliding across the cabins towards the Main Building. As the Specter reach inside the building, it has been unaware of the rope lying on the ground behind it rise up, like something is pulling on it from both sides. The Specter enters the building before stopping to take a look around.
It finds it strange that all of the Pure One's friends aren't here. To think they would have put up a bigger fight to bring him back, but that though only lasted for a second before continuing its way towards the hallways. It didn't notice Shaggy and Scooby poking their heads out from behind the counter at the kitchen window, glaring at it with all of their might.
The Specter finally reaches the door to Stan's room, bending down and using its slightly smaller creepy hands to lift the Welcome mat up, revealing Stan's key. Picking it up and using it to unlock the door, the Specter drops the key to the ground as it enters the room. It glides through the room before stopping at the desk where all the drawers are.
Opening the top right, the Specter looks inside to see something that satisfies its power-hungry desire. Inside the drawer is a white clothe that appears to be covering something round. Picking it up delicately with its gruesome hands, the Specter remove the clothe around the sphere object to reveal a crystal ball that seems to be reflecting everything around it, including the darkness of the Specter's hood as it gaze at it in triumph.
"Finally..." It growls in rejoice, its voice no longer holding the deep and demonic tone it once had. Now it has this child-like hollow tone full of malice that echoes whenever it speaks. The Specter holds the crystal ball up like it's a trophy as it continues, "After centuries of endless searching, I finally have everything I need to complete the ceremony..."
Before the Specter could enjoy its victory any longer, Dedenne and Pikachu suddenly appear from the desk and grab the clothe holding the crystal ball out of the Specter's hand with their mouths. The Specter wasn't prepare for the attack and let out a, "Hey!" in protest before trying to grab the two Electric Pokémon, but they manage to dodge its attacks before hopping from the desk and into Serena's awaiting arms.
Serena, Bonnie, and Clemont had hidden inside rooms that were nearby and had walked in once they heard Pikachu and Dedenne doing their part of the plan. Now Serena is holding the crystal ball and glaring at the Specter along with everyone else. "Hello, Specter..."
"You..." The Specter clench its hands, it should have known these children must have done something when it captured their friend.
"What? You think we would just let go of the fact you captured our best friend?" Serena questioned, tossing the crystal ball like it's a baseball while Pikachu hops onto her should and Dedenne returning back to Bonnie's bag.
"Give that back to me!" The Specter ordered with its new voice cracking a little, completely ignore the children's glares. It will not let these children ruin its plan when it was so close. "I've spent centuries trying to get everything I needed, I will not go through all of that again!"
"Sorry, Specter, but don't think we'll just hand this out after everything you've done." Serena said while wrapping the crystal ball back in the white clothe.
"Now you know how we felt when you took something that doesn't belong to you!" Bonnie chastised the phantom, only making it even angrier since its hands are clenching tightly. They couldn't tell by anything else since they could no longer see the red glowing eyes in the Specter's hood, but that was the last thing on their mind as they continue to glare at the Specter.
"I'm warning you," The Specter growled, pointing a finger from its grisly hand. "Give that back to me, or face the consequences."
Clemont takes the white clothe from Serena and confidently says, "Well, if you want it so bad, then come and get it!" before doing a "come here" gesture with his free hand.
In a fit of rage, the Specter reel its hand back while curling it to a fist before slamming it down on the desk. Thanks to the Specter's supernatural strength, the desk split in half upon contact, resulting all the broken halves to crash onto the ground. The children and the Pokémon's eyes widen once they saw the display, their confident manner quickly disappearing once they realize what they have gotten themselves into.
"Me and my big mouth..." Clemont said meekly.
Shaggy and Scooby shot their heads up once they heard screaming coming from down the halls. Not only did it worry them senseless because the children were brave before they enter the room so something must have happen to frighten them, but it also informed them that the plan is going well and that they're nearby with the Specter not so far behind. They poke their heads out from behind the counter to see the children running into the cafeteria with Clemont holding the clothe covering the crystal ball and the Specter following behind, its grisly arms out to try and catch one of them.
"Set the trap! SET THE TRAP!" Serena screamed as she and the others passed the window where Shaggy and Scooby are hiding. The two cowards quickly duck their heads once they see the Specter passing them. After making sure the coast was clear, Shaggy and Scooby brought their heads out to see the children are leading the Specter outside.
"Like, you heard the girl, Freddie!" Shaggy shouts loud enough in hopes the people outside could hear him. "NOW!"
The children had already made it outside and are now running down the stairs, but it seems Shaggy words were able to alert the other teenagers because once the children are now running the stairs, the rope on the deck is suddenly pulled. The Specter didn't notice the rope until it almost trip on it once its foot got caught on it. "Huh?" The Specter looks down on the rope in confusion before sounds of gears running caught its attention.
The hooded phantom whips its head to the right only to be met with the sight of a small tree log coming its way. At the last second, the Specter duck its head while the log carelessly pass it. After making sure the log wasn't going to come back, the Specter laughs manically towards the children, who have stopped running once they reach the bottom and are now looking at the Specter.
"That's your way of trapping me?" The Specter taunted, now getting its foot off the rope but is now stepping on it. "What? Did you used up all the good ones for Pines only? You all are pretty pathetic when it comes to saving your friend."
However, its words only made the children lose their frighten eyes and gain a smirk upon their lips. "Don't count our trap out just yet, Specter!" Clemont warned the phantom.
The Specter tilt its head in confusion, what did the Blonde Boy mean by that? More sounds of gears running had caught its attention before it could think further on Clemont's warning. It turns around and lets out a loud, "WHAT?!" once it realize what's coming towards it. It was another log coming straight towards it, only this one is much bigger than the last.
The Specter could only raise its hands up in a weak-defense before the log hits it, sending the Specter flying through the air. The children watch triumph smirks as the Specter falls right into the net that they have placed in the trees. Just when the Specter was about to get back up, the net finally collapse on its weight, making it fall through the branches before stopping just above the ground. Finally the net gave out, dropping the Specter onto the ground, leaving it in daze as it's tangle up.
"We got him!" Freddie cheered as he, the girls, and Stan all walk out of their hiding places. Shaggy and Scooby ran out of the building to join the children's sides as they all walk over to the woozy spook.
"Like, not so all-power now, are you?" Shaggy taunted the Specter. However, he and the others jump back in shock when the Specter regains its senses before using its grimy nails to cut through the net. "Oh no, you don't!" Shaggy rapidly grabs onto the Specter's right arm just when the Specter manage to tear a hole through the net and was about to climb out. Daphne grabs onto the Specter's left arm to help Shaggy keep it in place. The Specter struggle for a moment, but eventually gave up.
Seeing that the Specter had given up, everyone let their guards down and are now glaring at the person behind the hood who had kidnapped Ash. Even Stan was getting ready to give the lunatic a piece of his mind by cracking his knuckles. Freddie bends down on one knee to the scowling Specter, "Now let's see who's behind all of these kidnappings."
With that, Freddie rips the hood off the culprit.
Everyone gasps in horror with their eyes popping out and their mouths dropping. Clemont even drop the crystal ball since his mind couldn't comprehend what he's seeing right before him. In their shock, both Shaggy and Daphne had let go of the arms.
Sitting there with his hood no longer covering his head is someone familiar to all of them, his raven-hair sticking out in more places than it ever been before. Barely along the neck and almost onto his jawline is a dark grey-skin tone that matches his Specter Hands, the only place they could still see his mocha skin tone is on his face, but even then it was almost unrecognizable. With gritted teeth, he glares at them with red glowing eyes that replace his once warm amber brown eyes. They probably couldn't recognize him if it wasn't for his facial features, but those eyes... They're not the eyes that Pikachu knows so well.
"A-ASH?!" Serena screamed incredulity, she and the rest of her friends staring with their jaws drop in horror. There was no way that the boy in front of them is the boy who had always inspired them and is always willing to help.
"B-But this is impossible!" Freddie exclaimed in disbelief while taking a few steps back. Even though he didn't know Ash well as Shaggy and Scooby, Freddie knew that the young ten year-old is a kindhearted and cheerful boy, which is probably why the Specter went after him. Seeing the boy now with a look of pure evil on his face is something that left him completely astonished. "H-How could he be the one behind of all of this?!"
"Ash, please tell us what's going on." Daphne gently tries to converse with the boy, who is now looking at her with his new red eyes. "You can't be the one who's behind of all of this. Just tell us what's going on, Ash!"
However, her words only seem to be amusement to Ash since he is now smirking at her with a sick smugness on his face. "Who said I'm Ash?" He questioned in a hollow tone of his own voice that seems to echo whenever he utters a word out. Before anybody could react, Ash kicks both Daphne and Velma, who was standing nearby, in the stomachs. This resulted them to hit a nearby tree head-first, causing instant black-out for them.
"Velma! Daphne!" Freddie calls out in concern as he and Stan tried to make their way towards the two unconscious girls, but they were stopped when Ash finally manages to get himself free from the net and quickly blocks their way. Now the two men found themselves getting into a circling battle, with them being the nervous contestant and Ash is the insane never-been-beaten-before fighter. It didn't help that he's staring at them with some kind of maniacal gleam in his eyes and smile.
"L-Look, kid... We don't want to hurt you..." Freddie tried to tell the boy calmly, hoping to get some part of the real Ash back. At this point, Shaggy and Scooby had grabbed the kids in their arms and have backed them away from the possible upcoming fight, despite their protests. Now they are all watching the scene before them with great anxiety.
"Y-Yeah! Imagine what your uncle would do to us if he finds out we beat the living daylights out of you!" Stan adds in nervously. He didn't know which was worst, that he's about to get beat up by a ten year-old or that his Uncle might kill him for laying a hand on his nephew.
However, their words only to seem to cause more enjoyment to Ash as he chuckles softly. The new hollow and echo tone of his voice make him sound like he is a complete madman with wicked plans. "Now that's a shame," Ash said in false disappointment before his face turned into a snarl. "Because that will take out all the fun of getting my revenge on all of you for trying to delay my plans!" Before they could, Ash swiftly punches both of them in face, causing the bystanders to wince.
Momentarily recovering from the attack, both men quickly grab Ash just when he was about to lunge at them, catching him off-guard. "Sorry, sport!" Freddie said in a non-apologetic tone as he stares into the baffle red eyes of Ash. "But you're looking at the guy who won the award Camp Little Moose's Disciplinary-!" He didn't have time to finish his sentence when Ash knees him in the stomach, stunning him.
"Kid, snap out of-!" Stan tried to put a hand on the boy's shoulder, but only got an elbow to the face to stun him. With both men stupefied, Ash sent them into tree, knocking their heads on the wood multiple times until they pass out. Once he knew the job was done, Ash let the two of them drop to the floor like ragdolls with a sickening smile on his face. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the crystal ball lying a few inches away from his foot, swiftly, he grabs the crystal ball and stares at like it's a prize treasure.
Meanwhile with Shaggy, Scooby, and the children, they could only watch the scene before them, all completely horrified. This is not the boy they all known, what did the Specter do to him to make him act like this? It was worse for Pikachu because it desperately tried to get itself out of Bonnie's, who is currently crying onto her brother, arms so it could get to its trainer. Finally gathering her senses and courage, Serena screamed, "Ash, wait!" This caused said boy to whip around to glare at them with his red glowing eyes.
Despite Shaggy and Scooby warning her to not make things worse, Serena continue on, hoping to get the real Ash back to them. "Ash! Please, just wait a minute! What's going on with you? Why are you even doing all of this in the first place?!" However, her words didn't seem to reach the Ash that she wanted because the Ash before her is still glaring at them and taking a few steps closer.
"L-Like, you aren't that mad about the whole mousetrap thing, right?" Shaggy suggested meekly, but his words only cause everyone still conscious to give him appall looks. The mousetrap?! Even if the children were horrified by their friend's new behavior, they doubt something as simple as his annoyance for mousetraps has anything to do with this.
"Why? WHY?!" They all jump in fear when Ash's new voice became louder when he seemed angrier. "Do any of you know what it's like, to be in control of a whole land? To have thousands of peasants trample under your feet? Then have it RIPPED away from you, just because the citizens didn't like the way you were ruling?!" They couldn't understand where all of this was coming from, but made them worry nonetheless for their friend's sanity. Exactly what happened during the time he was kidnapped?
"But I warned them..." At this point, they all knew that this is no longer the kind and optimistic Ash that they once knew. Now all that's in front of them is a complete madman in the form of Ash. "I warned them all... I proclaimed that I will find the source that will help me in my quest for vengeance and I have. Now that I have everything I need for tomorrow, no one can stop the rule of Emperor Guo-Mo."
Before they knew it, their vision suddenly began to get hazy and their minds felt like they were shutting down. The last thing they saw and heard before they lost conscious is the horrible smirk on Ash's face with his red eyes glowing with gleam before he whispered, "Nighty-night..."
Author's Note: In the famous words of Hoopa the Mischief Pokémon, "Were you surprised?"
I mean, I did kind of foreshadow it a little bit in the Second Attack chapter, but none of you seem to mention it in the reviews so I guess this must be big shock and cliffhanger for you. To those who are wondering, the story is not ending after the unmasking. It's going to continue on because I really can't end a story like that, even if it did have a big cliffhanger. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the BIG chapter and be ready to get some answers in the next chapter.
SHOUTOUTS!
Steel Heart Alchemist: Well then, I know this cliffhanger and twist is officially going to kill you. At this point, you can kind of you know Ash's condition so far, and I don't think you're turning into Gary, yet... Out of curiosity, though, what did you think the Specter was doing to the boys before reading this chapter? Oh, okay then. I can understand going out-of-town because I'm leaving for vacation soon, I will wait patiently for the story to return.
Guest: Thank you! What did you think of this twist?
Joltie: Since you know my "crafty sleeves" so well, did you see this coming? It's always good to listen to those hidden feelings because you can never know if they might be right. I'm glad I got Ash's outburst in character, because I don't often see him having outbursts and I was unsure of if this was in-character or not. Yeah, I'm going to guess not a lot of people like Stan at the moment. Anyway, we got the reactions, the trap, and the horrible plot twist I left you. What do you think?
Johnathen: Yeah, that would be pretty interesting. Sorry, but I'm afraid I can't do those type of stories. Mostly because I don't know the fandoms well and I like the Ash in the Anime.
Joshua Ketchum: It was pretty obvious, wasn't it? I'm glad you enjoy the prequel to this story! What did you think of this twist?
sunnyflight530: Was that shock refereeing to Ash being kidnapped or Stan nearly "Swear for Real"?
Matt: I'm glad you're enjoying all the suspense and plot twists. I hope this chapter makes you eager for more!