I don't own anything related to Pokémon. Not the little creatures themselves (no matter how much I would like one), or the characters of the anime. Nintendo and their affiliates do.

This part of the story is about redemption. Not much else to it.


The Chronicles of Spectre Dan

Episode XI

Healing Scars

When the helicopters picked them up, Omega was taken back to International Police Headquarters for questioning and prosecution. Spectre Dan, Ash, Brock, Blaze, Spook, and Pikachu were taken to Hearthome City. When they arrived, they made a beeline to the hospital…

and bumped into the last person Dan expected to see.

"Chief? What are you doing here?" asked Dan.

They all looked at the man before them. He was old and balding, about middling height. The thing that got to them, however, was a haggard look in his eyes, like he was constantly under stress. A Growlithe sat at his feet.

(Author's note: if you've ever seen the original Get Smart TV series, imagine Chief looking like the Chief of CONTROL. I modeled my character after Edward's Platt's character in the series.)

"Spectre, Ash, Brock. Come with me. I've secured a private room for us to talk in without anyone to overhear. Now, Dawn is waiting for us," he said.

"What about Maria?" asked Brock.

"She's still in the emergency ward. She was pretty beaten up and is also suffering from malnutrition."

Dan was silent about that.

oOo

"Now, when I heard that Charon was really Doctor Omega, I came to personally debrief you. Now, tell me what happened," the Chief said.

Dan spoke up, "First, I want to know what we're going to do about Maria."

"Fine. Agent Batwing was in the area where the girl lives, but he arrived too late to stop Maria's kidnapping. That was about two weeks ago, but I didn't tell you because I knew that you would drop everything and go out for blood."

"You know me well, Chief. There was a point where I nearly killed Omega."

"No way!" said Ash, cradling his bandaged arm. It had been severely burned back at the cave, but the doctors were confident that it would heal in a few weeks, with little scarring.

"All of our special agents, like Dan, have a license to kill, but few wish to use it. And, certainly not out of anger," said the Chief before continuing.

"Batwing found Maria's mother, Julia, dead. A Toxicroak, who used Brick Break and Poison Jab attacks, had savagely attacked her. However, it was a Sludge Bomb that killed her. The local Gym Leader was found nearby, hit with several Poison Jabs before having her back broken. She was immediately rushed to the hospital. I believe she has recovered, but will be confined to a wheelchair for a while."

"By Ho-oh," said Brock.

"Maria now has no one else; she has no immediate family members to take her in, no grandparents, aunts, or uncles."

"Wrong. She has one uncle," said Dawn, looking toward Dan. The others followed suit. Their eyes bored into Dan before he spoke.

"No, I can't. Not after all that has happened. I can't, in good conscience, take her in. If she was a registered trainer still, maybe, but her blindness cancelled that license. I won't do it."

"If this is about danger, cut it out. I think it's a good idea. You need each other," said the Chief, and Fang the Growlithe agreed.

"I said no."

"Come on, Dan. She loves you, and needs you," said Ash.

"I could say the same thing to you, but you're still sitting here!" said Dan angrily.

"What do you mean?" asked Ash.

"Maria comes form Verdanturf Town in Hoenn, but after the accident, her mother moved them to Kanto. To be more specific…

"CERULEAN CITY!"

Ash was quiet for a moment before it sank in. Then, he realized who the Gym Leader was that Omega put in the hospital.

"Sweet Arceus, NO! MISTY!" he screamed, and ran off to find a phone.

Dan walked out the door, saying that he needed some alone time. He ordered Spook to give the story of what happened on the mission. However, Blaze followed Dan, knowing that his master needed him.

Spook sighed and began to project a story-telling illusion.

oOo

"So that's what happened," said Dawn.

"One question," said Brock, "Why did Dan stop threatening Omega?"

'It looked like he was talking to someone, but I didn't see anyone,' said Spook over a telepathic channel, so they all heard his answer.

"Maybe," said the Chief, "he saw something only he could see. Heard something only he could hear. Something may have contacted him from somewhere else."

'Possible,' said Spook, 'But what? The only thing I can think of is…'

The image flashed across Spook's mind as he fell silent. The image transmitted via the link to the rest of them and they all realized that Dan had spoken to a ghost. A ghost of an old friend.

oOo

"I'm sorry, sir, but Amity Square is closed for today," said the gatekeeper.

"Look pal," said Spectre Dan with a dark glint in his eye, "I've just been through the roughest day ever. I've seen people from a past that haunts me, and I need some time to process it all. Right now, this is the quietest place in the city. Now, you have two choices: One, you could let me though. Two, I knock you out and then go through. Your choice."

Something in Dan's voice scared the gatekeeper, so he let him into the square, sighing with relief as Dan left.

"I don't know what's eating him, but I don't think I want to mess with him, even on a NORMAL day," said the gatekeeper to himself.

Dan climbed up the rock face at the back of the park. When he got to the top, the laid back and watched the clouds. Blaze followed suit.

"What are you even doing here, Blaze? I said wanted some alone time."

'Dan, back when we met, you said, "We're tied together now." I keep that memory close to my heart. There is nowhere you can go that I won't tag along.'

"Really?"

'I'd follow you to the ends of the earth. That's a fact.'

"Thanks, pal. That means a lot."

They were quiet for a while.

"What am I going to do, Blaze? If I could take back one thing in my life, it would be Maria's blindness. I know that it wasn't my fault, but I still feel responsible."

'Are you sure you don't just feel responsible for HER?'

"I don't know anymore. But, I'd give anything to heal Maria's sight. Maybe, if it were back, things would be better."

'Yeah.'

"Allow me to grant your wish," a voice called out from nowhere. A flash of light came, and a figure appeared from it.

"Arceus," said Dan in awe.

The godly being alighted on the rock before continuing.

"The girl comforted me in my time of great pain, and you saved me from a madman. For that, I give you both a gift as my way of showing thanks. I will heal Maria's sight."

Dan was silent for a moment, before he leapt at Arceus and hugged him (at least, as best he could, considering Arceus was three times his size).

"Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me. It's like a second chance," said Dan with tears of joy in his eyes.

"Your welcome. Can I have my head back now?"

"Oops. Sorry, I just lost control of myself," said Dan as he released Arceus.

"Quite all right. I understand your joy," the Original One replied, "Now, for your wish."

A small glass bottle filled with water appeared in front of Dan.

"Take this," he said, "Wet a cloth with it and tie the cloth to the girls eyes. By sunrise tomorrow morning, her sight will be restored, and she can watch the sun's ascent for the first time in years."

'That's pretty poetic,' said Blaze.

"I'm a romantic," Arceus replied cheekily before disappearing.

oOo

Spectre Dan did exactly as Arceus instructed. The next morning, Dan awoke before the sun rose. He woke everyone else up, and they proceeded to the hospital to pick up Maria. The Chief had checked Maria out of the hospital, and he had bribed one of the gatekeepers of Amity Square to let them in to watch the sunrise.

By the time they got to the top of the large rock face Dan was at yesterday, it was nearly time for the sunrise. Everyone released their Pokémon to watch with them.

"Are you sure, Uncle Dan?" asked Maria.

"I have no reason to doubt Arceus," replied Dan, "By the way, Ash, what are you going to do about Misty?"

"Well," Ash answered, "The Chief said that I could come when he flies you and Maria to Cerulean later. Misty still hasn't regained consciousness, but by the time we get there, she probably will. I figured that I'd talk to her then."

"Excellent plan," said the Chief, who had read Ash's file and knew about his rumored feelings for Misty, "And Dan, the adoption papers for Maria are still ready, if you change your mind."

Dan was silent for a second, and then he said, "I still need to think about it. But, thanks Chief. Ah, here comes the sun. Are you ready Maria?"

"As I'll ever be," she replied and then proceeded to untie the band holding the cloth to her eyes. As she did, she closed her eyes.

As the sun rose, Dan said, "Okay, Maria. Open your eyes."

She slowly did, revealing that her eyes had turned green, and said, "Oh! The light…

"It's … beautiful."

Maria hugged Dan and said, "This is the best thing that anyone has ever done for me."

Dan thought for a moment, weighing all the options. He looked at all the angles and reached the only conclusion that would be best.

Finally, he spoke.

"Let's make it better. Chief, prepare those papers…

"Maria is coming home with me."

Everyone cheered. Rose the Feebas began to flop about excitedly, then she started to glow.

She was evolving out of pure happiness.

And, the Milotic that appeared when the light of evolution faded was every bit as beautiful as the sunrise.