Author's Note: Doth my eyes deceive me? After a three month wait, I have finally completed the next chapter .. ? It's a miracle! I am SO sorry for the long wait. I have been extremely uninspired as of late. I had about a quarter of this written, abandoned it for two months, then inspiration hit and it's finished! Phew. I am so grateful to you guys for sticking around. You're all so very patient~

But don't worry, at least there is the knowledge that I will finish this. I'm reliable, just not fast xD Also, this chapter is super-long. Last one was a little over ten-thousand words. This one? Almost fourteen-thousand. Wow. New personal record! :D

Disclaimer: Pokémon belongs to whoever owns the rights. I'll give you a hint - it isn't me.


Intuition

Chapter Eleven

"Your luck never seems to run out."

"Yeah, I've been told," Ash spoke with a breathy laugh. He felt a shiver race down his spine as he felt the tips of Gary's index and middle finger brushed over the exposed skin on his back. Biting down nervously on his lower lip, his hands clenching into fists, out of the researcher's line of sight.

Behind him, he heard Gary make a sound, something between a sigh and a hum of thought. "Bruises would be inevitable no matter what, but that you didn't break your back in the process .. " This time, the sound he made was definitely a sigh. "Let's just hope your luck isn't a limited supply."

Being currently unable to speak through his own will, Ash nodded in response.

There was a lingering few seconds of silence before Gary stood up, away from the sofa they'd both been sitting on.

His freshly washed shirt remaining in his lap, Ash tilted his head to the side, so that Gary's form came into his line of sight. "Are you okay?" He inquired; going by the researcher's apathetic demeanour, Ash could take that as a sight that no, he was not.

But maybe it was his pride that kept Gary from admitting it. "Of course I am," he said, with a nonchalant shrug. "Why wouldn't I be?"

There were many things that Ash could say in response, but he didn't want to risk the matter becoming worse than it already was. Instead he focused his gaze back on his shirt, absent-mindedly twisting the black material between his fingers. He kept his silence, unsure of how to react, and worried about what would happen if he did.

He didn't need to worry for long, though.

"Two hours, and then it gets dark," Gary spoke up, having said mostly the same thing as each hour passed. "You have everything together, don't you?"

Since he hadn't even unpacked anything, Ash didn't hesitate to confirm it. "Yeah," he said, idly tracing the shape of his pokédex currently in his jeans pocket. Through everything, it was a comfort to know it was there.

Looking over at the researcher, Ash saw him nod slowly, almost hypnotically. "That's good to know," he spoke, his voice distant, emotionless. The sound faded away, having rung through the room despite how quiet his voice had been.

Complete silence would have followed, had it not been for the ticking of the clock on the far wall, coupled with the faint echoes of a battle happened some distance away in the main gym arena, shattering the near tranquillity. Yet even so, the stillness of the air was heavy, as if a hidden psychic pokémon nearby were stimulating everything to it's will, increasing the weight of dust particles and moisture in the air to weigh down against the two teenagers and keep them immobile.

In a strange way, Ash felt like it could hurt to make a sudden, sharp movement. Though whether or not Gary felt the same way remained unknown to him.

"Tell me something."

With a sharp intake of breath, Ash jolted slightly as Gary's voice cut through the air, tearing away the illusion of stillness and silence. He looked up at the researcher, who remained facing the wall, his posture tense. Ash would have replied, but just as he was opening his mouth, his vocal chords feeling dysfunctional, when Gary continued;

"What do you think this is all about?"

Sienna eyes blinked a few times, gazing questioningly at the back of Gary's head. "You're asking my opinion?"

For a moment, Gary seemed unsure if he should respond, but just as it appeared that he had chosen not to, he gave a shrug. "Why not?"

"Well, I could think of several reasons," Ash found himself admitting, to which he heard Gary scoff.

"Honestly, me too," the researcher replied, turning to face Ash, leaning against the wall behind him. "I must really be getting desperate to seek advice from you, of all people." He felt the corners of his lips tug upwards into a weak smirk at the scowl that formed on Ash's face.

"That's very reassuring, Gary," he mumbled. "I nearly forgot what a jerk you could be."

Voicing it aloud was out of the question, but in his thoughts, Gary could easily say that Ash quite cute when he pouted; almost like a Jigglypuff whom had been denied the chance to sing. "I'm just kidding, Ashy," he reassured, then sighed heavily, tresses of auburn hair flicking upwards against his breath. "This whole thing is driving me insane. At least your girlfriend isn't here to bother us. Was she always so snappy, or is it because she never got over being dumped?"

A week ago, Ash's eyes would have widened to rival the size of an enlarged poké ball, but the positive side of re-acquainting himself with Gary over the past several days meant that the teasing jibes from his former-rival didn't sting as much as they used to. That, or there was the chance that he'd matured greatly from his ten-year-old self, so that it didn't bother him quite so much.

But still, that didn't mean Gary didn't know just how to masterfully wind up the raven-haired trained. He'd had years of practise, after all.

"Misty was never my girlfriend!" Ash snapped back, but kept the volume of his voice controlled. Though his reaction seemed to be enough for Gary to continue.

"So it's more a case of unresolved sexual tension, huh?" His smirk grew a little as Ash's cheeks lit up with a pleasant pink hue. "Or perhaps she was never happy about you moving on so soon? You can never be certain with girls like her, but remember what I said - you'd be much better off with Dawn than Misty."

"No way!" Came the insistent protest. "Me and Dawn? No .. I mean, she's great, but .. y'know .. " As he trailed off, his gaze became very interested in the hem of his shirt.

"No, I don't 'know'," Gary teased, folding his arms across his chest and tilting his head. "Would you be so kind as to elaborate?"

From where he sat on the couch, Ash shifted in his position, looking more than a little uncomfortable. "She's a great friend, but I .. I don't know .. I just don't think of her in that way."

To complete his contemplative look, Gary raised one eyebrow. "Ash, be honest with me," it was more a demand than a request, but he still waited until the younger shrugged. "Have you ever thought of any of your .. female friends in that way; Misty, Dawn, and that other one .. what was her name?"

"May," the younger clarified.

"Right; May," the researcher repeated. "Have you?"

Sienna eyes looked up from the black material, meeting the emerald green gaze. "Have I what?"

Gary sighed. "I know you're more or less asexual in these matters, but have you ever once wanted to get with any of those three?" He elaborated at the hint of confusion on Ash's features, "If the opportunity ever arose, who would you rather kiss; Misty, May, or Dawn?"

Those sienna eyes blinked several times in quick succession. " .. why are you asking me this?"

With a shrug, Gary replied, "It was the first thing that came to mind, and I'm genuinely curious about whatever resemblance you have of a love-life."

Mirroring half of Gary's expression, Ash raised an eyebrow. "Well .. I'm not dating anyone, and I don't want to."

A brief flash of surprise flickered in emerald eyes, then both of Gary's eyebrows rose in skepticism. "Normally I'd think the guy I was having this conversation with had lost both his sanity and his manhood," he spoke slowly, "but .. " There was a pause before he shook his head. "No, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to explain this to me."

Ash's other eyebrow soon rose to the same level as the first. " .. huh?"

In response, Gary shrugged. "I can understand your lack of interest in Misty since you were ten at the time, but still, you're close with three good-looking girls, and you never thought about making a move on any of them?"

"Uh, well .. " Ash appeared to be struggling for an answer, but eventually shrugged. "No, not really."

Intended or not, Gary caught the younger's implication. "Not really?" He questioned. "Is that your subtle way of admitting that you have?"

"What, no!" Ash protested, shaking his head for good measure. "I already told you, I never thought about them in that way."

"Is that so?" Gary interjected. "Then what are they to you?"

Unease written over his every feature, Ash gave a small shrug. "I told you; they're my friends."

"Just friends?" Gary inquired, the inquisitive look returning to his features. "Nothing more, nothing less?"

"Why do you care if I like them in that way, or not?" Ash questioned, the corners of his lips twitching into a variation of a frown. "I care about them, but like I said, they're all just friends. It would be weird if I dated any of them."

"Enlighten me."

Ash sighed, leaning back against the couch as he did so, settling himself against the comfortable cushions. "Well .. I guess Misty would be my best friend out of the three of them. When we met she was super annoying, but now we're okay." He sighed again as he recalled the constant friction between the younger versions of himself and the red head. It wasn't the first time he'd wondered if they'd reached anything close to friendship if Brock hadn't been around to keep the peace between them.

"I see," Gary's outer musing drew Ash from his budding thoughts, "and what about May?"

"She's really nice and all," Ash said simply, prompting Gary to raise an eyebrow. " .. what's that look for?"

"I'm getting the vibe that you're not being entirely honest with me, Ash," the researcher spoke, tilting his head a little. The action caused a pink tint to reach Ash's cheeks.

"W - what's your point?"

Once again, Gary's lips curved into a smirk as his emerald gaze met sienna. "She was the one, wasn't she? Your first crush." His suspicion was confirmed as the pink shade deepened into red. "Wow, Ash, what happened? Didn't you man up and ask her out?"

"A - are you kidding?! You really think I liked May?" Ash spluttered unintentionally. He mentally cursed himself for speaking.

"I'm not here to judge you, Ashy," Gary said, with a nonchalant shrug. "I'm just trying to pin-point the moment when you finally hit puberty." He side-stepped just in time to avoid being hit by the air-bourne couch cushion flying in his direction. "I can't believe I didn't put much thought into it, considering your voice had changed by the time I saw you when you got back from Hoenn. You were travelling with her the entire time, so it makes perfect sense."

"Gary, would you shut it?" Ash groaned, choosing to glare at the two remaining cushions than have his former-rival's face in his line of vision. "I never liked May, alright? She's a great friend and all, but that's it."

Gary chuckled slightly at that. "Alright then, let's go with that. At the very least you must have noticed her, am I right?" His response was a confused look from Ash. "You know, you hit that stage of maturity, then realised how attractive breasts are?"

For a full few moments, all Ash seemed physically capable of was staring. His widened eyes blinked several times, before he shook his head fiercely. "No, wh - Gary, what are you talking about?"

"The Pidgey and the Combee, Ashy-boy," was the response he received. "Please don't tell me you've yet to have your first crush. I knew you were slow, but jeez, set some limits."

"Hey!" Ash protested, his frown mirroring the one from a few minutes earlier. "It's not like it's my fault if I don't wanna date any of my friends. Did you ever do that with .. you know, those girls that followed you around?"

"You mean from back when we were twelve?" Gary inquired. "Ash, no twelve year old boy thinks of anything beyond pokémon; it's a legitimate fact. I, unlike you, have my reasons."

"They can't have been the only girls you were around."

"Very observant of you, Ashy. But we're talking about your lack of romantic interest, not mine."

Ash stared at him, quirking an eyebrow. "Is that you trying to admit it?"

The smirk on Gary's face grew. "The past few years have been pretty good to you, Ash. I could have outright said no back when we were fourteen, and you wouldn't have known the difference."

"Oh, shut it, Gary!" The trainer growled. "Can't you just quit it, for once? It can't be that hard."

"Old habits die hard, Ashy," Gary waved aside the protest. "It's going to take years of getting used to being nice to you to get over it. Just like it would take years for you to stop pouting on instinct whenever you look at me."

"I don't pout," the younger insisted, to which Gary shrugged.

"Say what you will, but unless you start looking in a mirror every-time I walk into a room, you'll likely never notice it." Had Ash not been frowning so much, the apparent pout would no doubt have been present on his features. "But back to our subject of interest; whether or not you are telling the truth about May," he ignored the cutting glare he received for his choice of words, "let's drop that for now and move on to Dawn."

"She's my friend, Gary," the trainer said firmly, before the researcher had the chance to continue. "Don't try and turn it around into something weird."

Unfortunately for Ash, the defensive tone in his voice was what caused a genuine flash of surprise to light up his eyes for a brief moment. "Well, you're certainly touchy about the subject of your blue-haired friend, aren't you?"

"I don't wanna talk about this, okay?"

"Well, if that's the way this is going to happen, then you either pick another subject, or answer the damn question," Gary said, his tone maintaining it's casual air. "We still have a lot of time before we can leave, and I'd rather that happens as soon as it can. I'll go insane if I have to stay here, and in silence."

Ash rolled his eyes at his former rival's melodramatic statement, but nonetheless sighed in resignation. "Fine, tell me something about yourself?"

"Oh, we're inquiring about the great Gary Oak now, huh?" It was truly impressive how Gary could make it obvious in his tone that he was physically smirking. "I never knew you'd have such an interest in my personal life, Ashy. I'm touched."

"Don't flatter yourself," Ash rebuked. "You told me to pick something."

"Yes I did, something, Ashy. Not someone," the retort came.

"Well, you choose something, then!"

"I already did."

Ash continued to stare at the researcher, his lips pulled into a frown. "Why are you so obsessed with Dawn?"

In return, Gary raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think that I am?"

"You won't quit talking about her, and you mention her now and then .. " Sienna eyes blinked. "Do you like her?"

The researcher scoffed in response. "You read way too much into these things, Ashy. She's cute, but from what I know about her, not my type, even if she is the most pleasant one to be around."

"You can't know that for sure," Ash replied. "You told me yourself; you've never met May."

"True, but from what I've heard, she's a female incarnation of you. That judgement speaks for itself. Now tell me why you refuse to speak of Dawn, if the reason is not that you have one little crush on her?"

Ash's frown tightened, but he chose to ignore the initial comment. "Because it's weird, okay? I've never thought about Dawn in that way. I haven't thought of anyone like that."

"Right, then how do you think of her?" Gary pushed, to which Ash sighed in annoyance.

"She's like a sister, alright?"

Gary would be lying if he said that answer didn't intrigue him. "Your sister? What makes Dawn so different that you reserve such a prestigious spot for her?"

"I don't know!" Ash snapped defensively, more than a little frustrated at the choice of topic. "She just .. is, okay? I guess I can relate to her more. When we met it was the first day of her journey, and she reminded me a lot of me."

"She overslept and her starter hated her?" Gary interjected, though only because he knew it would rile the trainer up.

"No!" Ash responded. "I mean, she was inexperienced, but she was really sure of herself. Misty was already far into her journey, and May wasn't very confident about her skills, so they were different." He shrugged, drawing his knees up to his chest; he was thankful that his back had healed to the point that he could settle into that position without any prominent pain.

"Ah, so that was how things were between you; some kind of student and mentor thing going on?"

"I don't know .. I tried to help her as best I could, but it's not like I sat her down and taught her all kinds of things like how Daisy would teach us."

And the moment those words spilled from his parted lips, Ash's sienna eyes sharply increased in size. The lack of response from Gary wasn't reassuring in the slightest, and from Ash's current position, he couldn't bring the researcher into his line of sight without turning his head in the current direction.

He was hesitant to do so, as well as feeling physically unable to; frozen in place by a non-existent Ice Beam. But as though a gathering of Cyndaquil were gradually thawing him out, Ash found himself cautiously turning to meet Gary's reaction.

He quickly wished he hadn't.

In a passing glance, no one would have noticed anything different about Gary's posture, but a lingering gaze would easily pick out the alterations. Aside from holding himself stiffly, it was Gary's face that held the most giveaways; his emerald eyes were hardened, wiped clean of the earlier hints of amusement, and his jaw was clenched tight enough that Ash could have sworn he heard it click into place. He was surprised when Gary managed to speak, despite the hindrance.

"Is that so," his words were flat, and lacking the ending quirk that would make it a question. "I doubt I would have guessed."

An uneasy sensation seemed to twist Ash's stomach into a knot, and a rush of cold sweat rose beneath his skin. "Uh, yeah .. imagine that." He wanted to kick himself in the head for his choice of words.

Gary, however, didn't respond with verbal anger. His hands flexed in a subtle, tense motion, and his breathing was controlled, but notably heavier. "You're right, this is boring. I'll go find Misty - we won't be here for much longer, and I'll go crazy if I don't do something - " He didn't seem aware that he was already walking as he spoke, his words jumbled together in a barely intelligible murmur. Nor did he notice when Ash stood up to catch hold of his arm as he walked past.

"Gary?" The trainer's voice was quiet, easily drowned out by Gary's now ramblings. "Gary, don't .. don't be like this .. " He felt a flicker of embarrassment at how meek he sounded right now, and felt no comfort in the knowledge that Gary likely wasn't aware of anything going on around him.

" - we'll figure something out, as long as we don't - "

"Gary!" In unison with his louder-than-intended shout, Ash tugged at the researcher's arm. Maybe not the best course of action, but at the very least, it seemed to have snagged Gary's attention, as his mumbled ramblings came to a halt. "I shouldn't have said it like that. I wasn't thinking before I spoke - "

"Ash, shut up." Blunt - typical Gary fashion. "Stop speaking before you end up with your foot in your mouth."

"Gary, don't be like this. Pretend I didn't say anything .. "

" .. I'm not mad at you, Ash." The way Gary spoke, his words weren't harsh, or mocking; they were strangely light. Almost upbeat.

It was a little unnerving.

"You can be," Ash spoke, shrugging jerkily.

Gary hesitated, staring at a spot on the floor in front of him. "Yeah, but I'm not." He went to walk away, but Ash's voice stopped him.

"Not at me."

With one hand grazing against the edge of the open door, Gary paused, then his gaze flickered round to meet Ash's. "We're not talking about this, Ash."

"But, Gary - "

"Just," he cut in sharply, "leave it."

Sienna eyes stared at the limited edges of emerald irises as they diverted from their line of vision. Ash was hardly aware his grip had loosened on the other's arm until Gary easily pulled it free. And without a word in passing, Gary left the room, the younger's gaze following him as he did.

Intuition

The next time Ash saw his former rival, night had firmly settled in, and the way Gary acted around him, one would have never suspected his previous unease. Though while it meant he'd been telling the truth in holding nothing against Ash, it certainly hadn't done anything to improve things between them. The one tell-tale sign was his reluctance to talk about anything, and even then it wasn't an uncharacteristic trait for Gary.

Though for what it mattered, both were spared the inquisition as Misty failed to notice. She'd returned from the barrage of gym battles just a little past the official closing time. Aside from the obvious exhaustion from her duties she was as bright and chipper as ever. It was remarkably comforting to find how easy it was to fall back into a conversation with her.

"That's too bad about the Sinnoh League, Ash," she commented, swirling her pinky finger around the rim of her glass of lemonade. "But I'm surprised to see that you're taking it so well." Her expression changed from a thoughtful frown into a genuine smile. Without it, Ash knew he'd likely have been insulted at the unintended implication. Some things just never changed.

"I just gotta try harder, s'all," he replied, shrugging. "I wasn't expecting that guy to have a Darkrai, or any legendaries for that matter. I didn't think it was allowed."

"Technically, it's not," Misty spoke, ceasing her ministration on the glass to lift it to her lips, "but it was never added to the official rules because no one thought it was possible to catch such a powerful pokémon without any negative effects. You remember that time on Shamouti Island?"

Vaguely, Ash plucked out the four-year old memory from his time in the Orange Islands. "That whole thing with Zapdos, Moltres and Articuno?" He clarified, to which Misty nodded, lowering her glass once she'd taken a sip from it.

"They knew things on that scale could happen, so no one has really dared to attempt it. Well, no one with enough common sense after what happened the last time," she added, a scowl touching her features. No doubt the events of the ones after the Orange Islands incident were playing through her mind, especially considering the way her expression deepened.

"Heh, yeah. Some people just don't want to learn, I guess," Ash offered, but the half-smile on his face froze as Misty's lips curved out of the firm, straight line. There was something about her expression that sent an uneasy feeling to manifest in his stomach, like he'd swallowed several large ice cubes.

"Yes," she crooned. "Strange that, isn't it? I could never be able to tell what goes through their heads."

He quickly diverted his attention from her devious smile, a blue, crystal paper-weight finding itself to be a more pleasant thing to look at. Despite his movement, he caught sight of Misty rolling her jade eyes from the corner of his vision.

"Well, I have to admit I'm a little impressed. You didn't yell at me for teasing you," she commented, before taking another sip of water. "That really proves that you're growing up, Ash."

At the last comment, Ash couldn't help but scoff. "Says you; a few hours ago you were arguing with Gary about Shellder and Slowpoke." He bit down on the inside of his cheeks to prevent the smile from showing as Misty's morphed into a frown.

"I object, Ash! That was a perfectly legitimate conversation," she said firmly, flicking strands of ginger hair over her shoulder; a gesture he'd never seen her perform. Then again, there wasn't much point in attempting when one's hair was constantly tied up. "You didn't see me flipping out and resorting to flat-out insults when pushed into a corner, now did you?"

"Like shouting about it was the better option," he countered. "The police must not be doing their jobs right if they didn't hear you all the way from the coast line."

And yet again in the short time span that had passed since their reunion, Misty surprised him once more; instead of her typical snarky response to the thinly-veiled jibe, she sighed. "Ash, if it's the police you're worried about, then you really needn't bother."

Without realising it, Ash tilted his head. "How come?"

"Because .. " She frowned again, but in thought rather than annoyance. "How do I put this .. they're not taking your little escapade seriously. They're doing their job and all, but let's be honest, if you were in charge of keeping peace in the region, would you be more focused on stopping street crime or finding two teenage runaways?"

The mildly surprised expression on Ash's face was enough motivation for her to continue;

"Don't start getting overly confident about it; if they see you, then they won't stop unless they bring you both in. What I'm saying is that as far as they know, you're both running away for one reason or another, and with the Cinnabar Island incident, there are much more stressful matters to deal with. The main reason they're doing this whole search party is because it was a direct order from their captain. Other reasons are mostly because of Gary's status as the grandson of a famous researcher. They might not know the seriousness of the situation, but that doesn't mean they're stupid. I mean, we both know what Professor Oak would do to protect Gary."

As jade eyes looked up, they blinked upon seeing the clouded pair of sienna.

"The professor's always been that way." The tone in which Ash spoke suggested to Misty that he wasn't consciously aware he was doing so. "Even way back he would have his Machamp follow us around the ranch because we kept venturing into the forest and provoking the local gathering of Rattata. I mean, he was so mad that one time he saw that one of them bit Gary. He actually went into the forest and yelled at the Rattata instead of us." A smile formed on his face by the time he'd finished speaking, one that was mirrored by Misty.

"It really sounds like he cares about the two of you," she said sincerely.

"Yeah .. he's even been sorta like .. like a .. " The rest of his sentence trailed off into nothing, in unison with his smile fading from existence.

But Misty nodded, the implication enough for her to pick up the pieces. "It's nice that you had someone like the professor in your life."

Though his eyes didn't meet her's, Ash nodded slowly. "It's weird in a way. I don't really see him as .. y'know, but he's always been there. He did all the things everyone's is supposed to. He taught me about pokémon, practically raised me along with my mom .. "

"Ash," she reached across the table to place her hand over his, "please don't do this to yourself."

His eyes remained fixated on his other hand. " .. I feel bad about it."

"I know. Maybe I don't understand, but I still know," she offered, grazing her thumb over the back of the hand she held in her own. She looked up in hopes of meeting his reluctant gaze, instead seeing a small smile touch the corners of his lips. Then she felt him squeeze her hand lightly.

"I never realised how much I missed you."

Intuition

"Take care of yourself. I don't want to wake up tomorrow and learn that you two blew up Viridian City on your way back, or awakened some thousand year old curse upon yourselves - "

"I get it, Misty."

"You underestimate how well I know you, Ash Ketchum. It's been a few years, but you haven't changed that much."

"Whatever."

Standing near the back entrance to the gym, the raven and the red-head were locked in an embrace. Yet another thing Ash couldn't recall them ever doing. Not like this, anyway.

Even with the growth spurt he'd unknowingly gone through a year or so ago, Ash couldn't help but feel the slight prickle of annoyance when it became apparent Misty still stood about an inch higher than he did. Petty changes that were too subtle to justify giving any small thought to, but to be fair it was only after Misty patted the top of his head and called him "tiny" did he get so uptight about it.

Damn her.

But at the same time, Ash was thankful he himself had changed in more ways than physically in the past few years; it was easier to ignore the possibly intentional teasing with nothing more than a frown which she likely missed. She didn't comment on it, at the very least.

When they parted, Ash was on Skarmory's back a few moments later. Gary had been waiting for the two to part without so much as one snide comment muttered under his breath. Maybe he was still brooding over their earlier conversation.

"Well, bye Mist'."

The girl herself offered him a smile. "I don't know if I should be angry or impressed by how nonchalant you are. One of these days you'll find yourself willing to walk through hell and back with no more than a 'see you guys' as your words of parting."

They both turned in the direction of the scoff that indicated Gary had chosen to break his silence. "I wouldn't be surprised to learn that he has done that already."

Misty rolled her eyes. "There is lot that Ash has done that fails to surprise me. I suppose you get used to it after spending years travelling with the living doom magnet."

Surprisingly, Gary gave her a good-natured smile. "Then I must be immune."

Their quiet laughter followed, and Ash took the opportunity to climb onto Skarmory's back; the pokémon seemed uninterested in the entire exchange and even willing to get away. Ash barely had time to get a steady grip before Skarmory took off.

Intuition

Ash had quickly lost track of how much time had passed since leaving Cerulean. But since the flight between the water-living city and the small town tended to be a short one, it didn't matter either way. Although it didn't change the fact that the journey felt like a long one.

It was almost pitch-black, their path illuminated only by the city lights below. Which city that was, Ash couldn't be sure. Pewter, maybe?

Gary hadn't spoken a word since the short-lived banter with Misty. And Ash hadn't tired to coax any kind of reaction from him. He considered it, but if things were tense between them then he would prefer their already decayed friendship didn't sour any further. Much less die away entirely.

"Cold?"

On instinct, Ash looked up at the spoken word. Or more precisely, he looked at the back of Gary's head. "A little," he admitted. It certainly was chilly at their current altitude, but years of travelling meant he'd learned to endure it. "Are you?"

There was silence for a moment; Gary seemed to consider his answer. "Sorta," he eventually replied. It was clear he would make no attempt to further the conversation.

" .. why?" Ash dared to ask. He was mildly surprised that Gary answered, even more so that his words were not spiked with negative emotion.

"It's summer. We're high up, but it feels like the nights back in Sandgem Town."

" .. is that bad?"

Again, Gary considered his answer. "Just weird."

Perhaps so. Now he was thinking about it, Ash fully noticed the lingering chill in the air; if it were the same temperature when they landed he'd expect the grass to be encrusted with a frail touch of frost. He shivered, carefully shuffling closer to Gary for warmth.

"How much longer is it gonna take to get back?" Ash asked, rubbing his hands up his arms to rid them of goose-pimples. He was partially successful.

Gary shrugged. "We're close to Viridian, so I'd say less than an hour."

Then the sky grumbled, and both teenagers tensed as though struck by a Thunder Wave.

" .. please don't tell me that was thunder," Ash muttered, un-reassured when Gary tightened his grip on Skarmory, who was already descending towards the ground. His own hand immediately found their way around Gary's waist.

"Alright, I won't tell you," Gary responded. "Try and figure it out for yourself."

Then the sky was alight; the crackle of electricity and stinging heat from the bolt that tore through the night sky like a knife through a sheet, ripping the black material apart with the crazed urgency of an insane Sneasel slashing at the flesh of a downed Pidgeot.

Skarmory shrieked, it's voice almost entirely overwhelmed in comparison to the thunder, but Ash heard the sharp call. It's steel wings flailed, torn between retaining it's temporary halt or seeking safety; it wasn't until a second, clearer bolt savaged the air, this time closer to it's armoured body, did sense snap back to it's original place in it's brain and steel wings flared out with enough force to have torn out a gash in a brick wall.

Sienna eyes caught the sight of a third streak of lightning strike nearer than the previous two, and widened with dawning realisation.

A storm. Lightning. Electricity.

Skarmory's body was made of metal.

Intuition

On the ground, the air was unnaturally cold. Winter was beginning to creep into would-be warm summer nights, tainting the ground with frost and ensnaring the budding flowers in a chilling embrace.

Midnight blue eyes were focused upwards, drinking in the battle of lightning and hail in the sky's arena. They blinked rarely, almost glazed over but sharp and intent. Large and curious, they focused on the gleam of silver, almost invisible against the black-drop of the night sky and hard to determine from the few stars that still shone.

The gleam itself must be a star, or perhaps a meteorite. And jealousy was rearing it's ugly head, determined to strike down the fragment of beauty with sheer power. Lightning clashed and thunder roared, anyone close enough to the storm would be beyond blinded and deaf, their eyes burned from their skulls and ear drums vaporised.

The star visibly began to descend, in a hurry to escape the storm's spite. When it vanished beneath the thick cover of the forest, the deep blue eyes closed, opening again a brief moment later.

As the storm brewed on up above, a small figure disappeared towards the fallen star.

Intuition

However worse it could have been, the landing was rough. Hindered by the obscuring tree branches, Skarmory was whipped and battered, barely able to bring it's clawed feet to meet the ground. It skidded to a halt in the over-grown greenery that covered the earth like a thick blanket, two teenagers landing painfully on the hard ground in the process.

Ash groaned, rolling himself to lie on his back. He stared up at the patches of night sky visible between the entwined tree leaves above. "Well .. that was abrupt," he commented, wincing in both pain and regret at having spoken the obvious.

"Yeah, 'abrupt' is one way to put it," Gary grumbled in agreement, pushing himself up to sit. The storm continued to rage overhead; the need to shout was rapidly becoming a necessity. "Damn storm came out of nowhere .. but forget it. We're nearly back, anyway."

As Gary recalled the fallen armour bird pokémon and got to his feet, Ash sat up straight, rubbing a hand against his back as he did so, feeling pain beginning to pulsate through the sensitive flesh. "So .. I guess this means we're walking?"

Gary ran a hand through his spiked hair, fishing out a small twig and flicking it aside. "Unless you have a death wish, then it's our only option. If we hurry we'll be there in an hour. I'd say Arcanine could carry us there in about five minutes, but he doesn't exactly blend in." He reached out a hand to Ash, pulling him to his feet when the younger took it. "So let's not hang around, and just get to it."

"Okay," Ash said, the bruises on his back beginning to ache horribly. The sooner they got back, the better.

Gary selected a poké ball from his belt, and after another muted flash, a familiar "'breon," indicated the arrival of the dark-type. Her assistance in the matter seemed obvious to her as before Ash could inquire, she emitted a faint glow only just bright enough to illuminate several feet in either direction.

"She'll lead us back," Gary offered, already walking alongside his pokémon companion into the surrounding black. Ash was quick to keep up.

"You said we'll be there in an hour?" Ash continued when Gary nodded once, "I guess that means if we walk .. why don't we run?" If it meant they would be back sooner, he would endure the pain from his previous injuries.

But Gary was quick to dash the option. "I doubt we'll make it without one of us breaking an ankle. Even at a slow pace we'd probably trip or walk right into something. Just walk fast, 'kay?"

Intuition

The slight chill in the air grew bitter the deeper they ventured into the forest. The air itself seemed on edge, lashing out with an icy bite as though to assert the fact that no living creatures were welcome here.

Gary shivered, his steps thudding quietly upon the earth. Barded thorns from the cluster of prickled bushes he walked through continually snagged the fabric of his jeans, occasionally piercing the skin beneath and leaving a small sting where he had to pluck a thorn out. His thumb and index finger were raw and dotted with tiny beads of blood.

They had been trekking for what seemed like hours now, and neither had spoken a word. An ominous sensation weighed down upon them at the lack of nocturnal life in the forest, the absence of any sound aside from those they created themselves. It was utterly silent aside from their own steps; the overall effect was incredibly eerie.

Gary trembled as another frosty gust raced through the night's air; it nipped cruelly at his cheeks and nose. He ears had long since submitted to the numbing chill and could have been separated from his head without his knowing. He tugged at the sleeves of his shirt to cover his hands. His joints felt stiff and dull, his constant movement being the only thing keeping them thawed.

"'breon," the dark-type spoke up occasionally, her tone hinting at her displeasure at the situation. She was trained in and used to the outdoors, to surviving on little supplies and spending days on end in extreme conditions, but she was also haughty; unafraid to let her true feelings on the current situation show. She was hardly a pampered princess nor softened by the lack of training in current times, so Gary would be lying if he said he wasn't bothered by the way her posture was more tense than usual, how her ears flickered in all directions, picking up on sounds non-existent to his own ears.

It wasn't until she paused entirely did Gary feel dread sink into his stomach.

"What do you hear, Umbreon?"

In the light she was casting, Umbreon was tense, her posture ready to choose between fight or flight at a moment's warning. Her ears twitched occasionally, her ruby eyes scanned the surrounding area with the aura of a predator ready to pounce, anticipating an indicator like an Ariados awaiting for an unsuspecting Caterpie to walk into it's web.

And when a twig snapped, her head snapped in the direction of the sound. Her chest rose and fell in heavy, but controlled movements. One small proof of danger and she would attack. There was no doubt in Gary's mind that she would not choose another option.

Gary's heart raged in his chest, the feeling of dread creeping under his skin and making him shudder.

Something rustled up ahead, crisp leaves beneath feet, the only sound loud enough that Gary could hear above the ringing in his ears and blood pounding in his head ..

.. the sight that greeted them both was far from expected.

Standing at barely half Umbreon's height, with fur the exact shade of a strawberry milkshake and cream, facial markings in the shape of a crescent moon, the kitten pokémon tilted it's head then mewled at the three standing before it.

"Skitty." Gary's tone was somewhere between making a bland statement and a sigh of relief. But then the weight of that one word sunk in. As unthreatening as the kitten pokémon appeared, it wasn't native to Kanto.

"There's someone here." Ash voiced Gary's thoughts.

"We should keep moving; it won't be a good thing if they catch up." Gary went to move, but felt a tug on his sleeve as Ash grasped the material. "What?" He hissed, the thought of speaking louder making him feel uncomfortable. But not as much as Ash's next words.

"There's someone here."

Sienna eyes weren't staring at the Skitty, but rather who was behind it.

A small figure, no doubt a child without the age requirement to earn a trainer's licence, was standing barely two feet behind the kitten pokémon, eyes fixated on the three before her.

Though she could easily have been mistaken for a boy if she wished, there was a feminine touch in her facial features that a male of her age could not hope to replicate. Large eyes stared at them in wonder, the midnight blue irises containing the only touch of emotion in her being; her face was disturbingly emotionless. In the dim lighting she looked pale, helped in no part by the dark material of what appeared to be a cloak draped over her shoulders, the hood up and framing her face, shielding her hair from view, while the hem reached her knees.

Her stare encased them like an Ice Beam, Ash's body refusing to move or perhaps unable to. But when she finally chose to blink, the effect seemed to shatter. Breathing became remarkably easy.

Midnight blue eyes moved fluently as a Dewgong dancing beneath the waves, a harsh contrast to the sharpness of a harpoon piercing the surface as Ash would have expected. They gazed over Ash, then Umbreon, before finding Gary.

Then her lips parted ..

"Gary." Her quiet voice possessed the same quality as her stare; the word alone would have had the same effect.

Ash barely wanted to look at Gary to confirm his suspicion, but it would have been unnecessary. The researcher stiffened at the sound of his birth name, but even under the girl's intent watch the movement may have been disguised under the shadows.

Perhaps it wouldn't have mattered. She must have received the confirmation she desired, for her lips curved into a genuine smile; the first child-like gesture she had given.

"You look different; older. But it's still you. I've wanted to meet you for so long." A flicker of a frown ghosted over her face, but her smile overwhelmed any displeasure she held. "I didn't think I would meet you here, though .. are you travelling? Is that why you're out so late?"

Had it just been her voice, Ash couldn't have mistaken that it belonged to a child.

"Who are you?" Gary broke the silence. His emerald eyes were narrowed a little as he held the girl's now less creepy stare. She didn't seem discouraged by his reaction.

"My name? I would tell you, but that wouldn't be a good idea .. " She seemed genuinely disappointed by this. "I don't know why; what is there to be afraid of?"

Emerald eyes narrowed further at her response. "You're out past midnight alone in a forest without protection. Trust me, there is a lot for you to be afraid of."

She tilted her head a little, mimicking the movement of the kitten sat beside her. "Like pokémon? Don't be silly, most of them are asleep by now. And Skitty can protect me. I'm perfectly safe." She smiled again at that. Neither teen was sure if they should feel unnerved by her attitude.

"That's not the only thing," Gary continued, "there is a lot more than pokémon to be afraid of."

She kept smiling. "Trust me, I'll be fine."

The muscles in his chest still tense, when Gary sighed it felt like there was a heavy weight on his chest. "So where are your parents? You can't be out alone, can you?"

She shook her head, making her cloak ripple slightly. "I'm with Skitty. My home isn't far away, so I'm not alone."

"That isn't the point." Gary would have argued further, but despite the unforeseen encounter they still had other matters to attend to. He sighed once again to keep his frustration at bay. "Just go home, okay?"

"What about you?"

Emerald eyes blinked once. "As in, 'aren't you going home as well'?"

She nodded. "You're not far from Pallet Town, but Viridian City is a lot closer. Why don't you go there? You look tired .. "

"No thank you. We have matters to attend to."

Confusion and childish intrigue reached her deep blue eyes. "What kind of matters? Are you looking for something, or - ?" She gasped quietly, but sharply, eyes suddenly tainted with shock.

Ash couldn't suppress the need to ask, "Is something wrong?" but when her eyes met his, he doubted it was the right decision; the twin orbs widened considerably at the sight of him.

"Satoshi .. " She murmured almost too quietly to reach their ears. " .. that's why you're here, isn't it?" Maybe it was his poor line of vision in the darkness, but Ash could have sworn she looked worried. Very much so. "No! No, you're not safe!" Her tone was urgent, but the volume was no higher than a whisper. "You have to leave!"

"Why does it matter?" Ash questioned before Gary could speak. " .. and how do you know us?"

She shook her head in response before she took a step forward, halting at the frown she received from Gary. In an instant, desperation joined the emotional mixture in her eyes. "You have to listen to me," she pleaded. "I don't care if you don't believe me, just please get away from here!"

"And suddenly you're so concerned," Gary muttered, loud enough only for Ash to hear; he turned his head in the researcher's direction.

"Gary, she's a kid," Ash whispered, hopefully too quiet for the girl to over hear. "Since when are you so paranoid?"

Ever so slightly, Gary turned his head in Ash's direction. "Have you conveniently forgotten what has happened in the last few days?" His voice was no louder than his previous statement. "We've both seen stranger things, and something seems really off about this. I mean, she could be a Zorua for all we know."

Ash could only stare for a moment. " .. I wasn't being serious, but okay .. "

"Why would I lie to you?" Her voice caused Ash to look back; from the look in her eyes she'd clearly determined that neither of them were trusting of her. "I want you to be safe .. why does that make me bad?"

Gary was quick to reply. "Tell us what you're afraid of."

Deep blue eyes blinked, torn between the choices offered. "I .. I'm not allowed to say," her tone was laced with regret. "I'm really sorry, but I can't tell you."

"How convenient."

The way her expression changed, eyes hardening in annoyance and her lips pressing together, it was like Gary had flipped her setting from scared to angry. "This isn't the time!" She snapped, managing to remain quiet. "Even if I do want to hurt you, what could I do?"

"Lead us towards an ambush, perhaps? I mean, wouldn't almost anybody trust a kid?"

She opened her mouth to argue further, but she'd barely sucked in a breath when both Skitty and Umbreon turned their heads sharply aside, both glaring in the same direction. Three others moved in unison. Blue eyes widened, fear returning to them.

"Hurry!" She didn't wait for confirmation this time; before either had noticed she was at Gary's side. She barely reached higher than his elbows, but he couldn't stop himself from stepping away on instinct. "Stop being so paranoid! If I'm bad, at least I'm the lesser of two evils."

Gary's emerald gaze snapped over to her. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

Deep blue eyes looked up at him. "It will be horrible if She gets to you."

He raised an eyebrow skeptically. "'She'?"

Her response was a firm nod, eyes never leaving his eyes. "You don't want to know what She will do .. " There was a vulnerability in her eyes, moisture gathering amidst the emotion. "They're horrible things .. "

" .. such as?"

A growl emitted from Umbreon, and a hiss from Skitty, the two sounds increasing the sliver of fear in those blue eyes. She didn't waste time replying, instead taking Gary's hand in her own, running off into the dark wilderness and pulling him along with her.

"Run!"

Gary didn't know why; maybe it was the sheer terror radiating from the little girl holding his hand, or that Umbreon let out a low growl of warning towards whatever had caught her attention, but everything about the unfolding scenario was urging him to run. So he did just that.

Umbreon's light dimmed as she broke into a run, casting the area into darkness once again and making both teenagers stumble more than once, but the girl kept her grip on Gary's hand. Her steps were strangely light and even co-ordinated, retaining her balance even with Gary's reluctance to push himself into an all-out run.

With his other hand, Gary reached back and found Ash's, the younger trainer having probably reached for his at the same moment, and clasped his fingers tightly around it. Even if they were blinded and at risk of falling at any moment, they were at least together. The light padded running of a pokémon either side of him assured Gary that Umbreon and Skitty were keeping up.

Gary guessed it was less than ten minutes before the girl in front of him came to an abrupt halt, her posture stiff. "What's wrong now?" He asked, his words uninterrupted by the need to breath heavier. He felt her hand tremble in his, but before he could question this, he felt her flex and squinted through the darkness to see her lift her other arm, indicating to the distance in front of her.

"That way," she said, her voice wavering a little. "Keep running that way and you will get home. Go, now!"

Then her hand slipped away from his grip, and a blur of pink dashed past him and leapt into her awaiting arms.

"Hey, wait - !" Gary tried, but his words failed him as her deep blue eyes connected with his for the briefest of seconds, drowning within an emotion he couldn't put a label to, before she turned and vanished into the night. Her dark cloak formed the perfect camouflage.

"Who the tell was that, and did she just leave?" Ash questioned, his brown eyes scanning over what little they could detect. His grip instinctively tightened on Gary's hand.

The researcher would have answered, but faltered at the feeling of Umbreon nipping at his now free hand and the sound of her urgent growl. There would be time to think this through later.

"Forget it, let's just get out of here!" He didn't mean to say those words so loud, and he regretted it before that one sound shattered the air around the three of them.

A roar. The call of a predator charging into a fight to the death, when ending the hunt for it's prey, and when moving in for the kill.

Then the ground vibrated with heavy bounds.

Adrenaline jolted Gary's senses alight.

There was no warning to Ash before he broke into a run, and no pause to allow the younger to adjust. But the time he spent stumbling was little more than a few seconds. The ground was hard and rocky, much more even than the moss-covered terrain they'd originally made their way down.

The greenery was vastly overgrown, the tendrils of grass whipping at Gary's legs like half-frozen Vine Whips, many snapping away completely. It would have been enough to impair his ability to properly navigate, but his eye-sight had adjusted enough in the minimal light to locate the slim dirt path they were on; so slender it was impossible for two people to walk side-by-side without one being forced ankle deep into the flowers and nettles dominating the ground either side. For all either of them knew, the path was leading them head-first into danger worse than they could imagine, but instinct urged Gary to keep going.

They both ran faster, kicking up chunks of dirt as they went. Adrenaline dulled both their senses; the burning in their lungs; the harsh greenery abusing the bare skin of their arms; the physical strain non-existent.

But fear pulsed through Gary's chest; he could hear both their exhausted breathing, the rumbles of heavy steps growing closer and closer ..

The sound alone renewed Gary's strength, but at the same time his adrenaline was waning. He found himself hungrily forcing air down his throat, and winced at the stabbing cramp in his left side.

Their pace was slowing.

This was a battle they could not win.

Intuition

Ash wasn't expecting Gary's sudden halt, and the ensuing collision made them both struggle to stay on their own two feet.

"Ah! Gary, you could have warned me - !" His angry outburst was cut short at the familiar burst of red light. "What're you doing now?"

"Call out your pokémon," Gary ordered in a tone Ash hadn't heard from him in years, "if we can't out-run it, then we'll battle it."

Ash's attention was snagged; his annoyance was gone as he stared up at Gary. "Battle it? You don't know anything about it!"

"And since when has that kind of thing stopped you?" Gary caught Ash wince and instantly regretted his words, but any budding response he had was interrupted by a growl; one that came from neither Umbreon nor Scizor.

One that came from ten feet in front of him.

Accompanied by the appearance of two blazing eyes.

"Scizor; Razor Wind! Umbreon; Psychic!"

Umbreon moved with such stunning grace and speed, Ash would have been in awe. Her ruby eyes glowed a clear white before the heavy force of psychic energy mowed down each and every plant within the span of several feet. Scizor's pincers were alight in a similar colour; he slashed viciously at the air, the artificial wind from Umbreon's attack increasing the Razor Wind's force. Thick chunks of bark from the surrounding trees were torn off entirely, the sturdy wood savaged brutally as the combined attacks tore towards their intended target ..

.. before they could strike the entity, those glowing eyes vanished.

Umbreon and Scizor moved in unison, flanking their trainer protectively. Two sets of eyes narrowed sharply, their heightened senses alert. Gary's hand rested instinctively on the four remaining poké balls clipped to his belt, ready to call out extra help if it was needed.

The silence lagged on; the four present barely allowed themselves to breathe.

"Ash," said trainer turned his head only slightly at the whisper of his name, "we can't be far from Pallet; once we get the chance, we have to run."

Ignoring the protests from his common sense, Ash slowly closed his eyes, the small action reaching a nearly impossible level to fulfil. Any chinks of light were dimmed out from behind his eyelids, casting him into complete darkness. In one way he felt safer, yet more vulnerable than he'd ever been in his entire life.

Apart from one particular encounter he could easily pick out.

His blood began to burn.

"No." Ash's voice sounded louder than it truly was in the deadly silence. "I'm not running."

He heard Gary shift behind him. "What?"

Sienna eyes opened, the darkness just as terrible as it had been a few moments ago. But despite how intimidating it all was, Ash no longer cared. If he'd been wearing a hat, he'd have turned it backwards.

"Fuck that."

Four poké balls exploded in the air, the blinding flash of red light scalding through the unnatural black.

A single, deafening roar shattered what silence remained.

His heart thundering in his chest with the fury of a Gyarados and adrenaline coursing through his veins like a vicious poison .. now was the time to fight.

"Buizel, Infernape; get in the air!" The latter leapt up high, it's flames providing a dim torch. The water-type swiftly followed. "Staraptor; Double Team! Torterra; Earthquake!"

"Ash, have you completely lost it?!"

The ground was already pulsating with the force the entity's bounds; the sheer collision of Torterra's attack tore it up entirely. The buzz of Scizor's wings was distinguishable to those close enough, and Umbreon's yelp of surprise was brief; she leapt up high, avoiding the attack before it could take it's full effect on her.

Chunks of earth were thrown in each direction, the ground mutilated beneath their feet. Both teens were thrown from their balance; though Ash was solely focused on staying upright, his attempts were pointless. He was seconds from striking the ground when an arm wrapped around his chest and he was roughly pulled back against Gary's side.

Scizor's head snapped to the side, and without waiting for the order he folded his pincers over his chest momentarily before throwing them both outwards, the X-scissor launched to strike it's target without fail.

He caught barely a glimpse of those glaring eyes before his vision went dark, his back arching against his will as an inhumane screech left his mouth.

To Gary, it was the only indicator before he saw his pokémon fall from the air. "Scizor!" He cried out as the bug-steel type thrashed on the ground, his eyes clenched shut as he clawed at his armoured head with his large pinsors. The screech burned all the oxygen from his lungs yet ceased to fall from existence.

Ruby eyes glowed white, the air rippling with psychic energy as Umbreon's feet touched the ground. But before she could manage more than catch a brief indicator of her target, her muscles seized up and lava seared through her veins. Her own shriek of pain died out in her throat as something clawed at her skin, her head pounding with pressurised pain; she felt as though her skull was physically starting to crack beneath the intense internal pressure.

And as Scizor had fallen seconds before, Umbreon connected fully with the ground, her lips parted in a silent scream as she fought against the enemy she could not locate.

'Such needless pain .. '

"Infernape, use Flamethrower!"

The forest was alight, blazing with an inferno that cast it into an amber rage.

Sienna eyes caught the sight of a large mass of black that shouldn't belong.

"Staraptor, Brave Bird!"

A blue aura enveloped the predator pokémon; his target was in sight and the speed was unmatched.

"Ash, call it back!" Gary's yell came from barely an inch from Ash's ear, but he barely flinched. "Don't use a physical attack, you don't know what'll happen! Keep your distance!"

Ash struggled to break free of his former-rival's hold, but a third screech send a jolt to his heart.

Any trace of the blue aura was gone as Staraptor was snatched from the air. The flying-type barely had enough time to struggle out of the hold when something grasped his wing. With a brutal twist, Staraptor's wing snapped as easily as a wish bone.

The incapitated bird was tossed carelessly to the ground.

"Ash!" The trainer's eyes were wide and unblinking at the sight of his fallen pokémon. He felt his body tremble with the urgency of Gary's shakes. "Scan it with your pokédex; if we know what it is, we can fight it!"

Like a Rock Blast to his face, realisation crashed down upon him.

Pokédex!

He was clumsy in his haste, but he managed to shove his hand into his pocket, yanking the gadget from his jeans and rapidly scratching his thumb over the clasp to flip it open.

Out of what could have been nowhere, something slashed out at the two .. the grip around Ash's waist was torn away, and the pokédex was thrown aside with the force of the collision. A yelp of shock had barely formed in Ash's throat before the air was banished from his lungs as he connected harshly with a tree, tumbling painfully to the ground.

His nerves screamed and protested as Ash fought to push himself up. His arms shook uncontrollably with the strain, and moisture clouded his vision, stinging as though doused with salt water.

In perfect unison he heard three battle cries, one each from Torterra, Buizel and Infernape. They were out-matched, Ash realised with horror. Even more that they likely knew it.

But whatever their plan, there was one aim on Ash's mind. He clawed at the ground for all he was worth. Mud clogged beneath his finger-nails while rocks tore them away. The pain shot mercilessly up his fingers but whatever fate awaited him should he fail urged him to continue.

Then, by a pure stroke of luck, he felt the familiar smooth casing of the pokédex ..

.. at the exact same moment something snatched his right ankle.

The pokédex slipped far beyond his reach as he was yanked backwards several metres.

Heat pounded down on Ash's with the force of a close-range Hydro Pump. The creature breathed and growled like a demon, splashes of saliva splattering against his skin as it snarled; scalding his flesh like boiling acid. Ash's shirt was thin, but he doubted a thick sweater would have achieved better results; the material provided zero protection from the scorching heat. Steam blasted through the fabric like puffs of air; Ash cringed as minor burns blistered relentlessly over the healing bruises. He could smell his shirt beginning to smoke, the fabric threatening to combust beneath the intense temperature.

Talons grazed against the bare skin on his arms, blood trickling from the minor wounds. He wanted to struggle, to fight back, but his body was refusing to obey.

Dread filled him, thoughts of the past encounter filling him ..

I'm going to die ..

A flash of yellow dashed through his line of vision, a faint glow providing barely enough light for brown eyes to see the inky-black fur camouflaged almost perfectly in the night. Trembling from head-to-toe, eyes barely open as her consciousness wavered, it was with a firm slam of her paw that Umbreon rammed down on the scan button of the discarded pokédex ..

.. just before she cowered back, collapsing to the ground as sheer malevolence tore at her ear-drums.

Only the source of the invisible agony came from the gadget sparking and twitching at her paws like a tortured soul.

For all Ash knew, his ears were in the process of being burnt away entirely from his head. A piercing, high-pitched screech shattered the air like a dozen infuriated Tyranitar, drilling into his head like a Fearow's Drill Peck, cracking his skull from the inside out and suffocating him like acid churning within his lungs.

The wail of agony was directly above; a sound of sheer distress that could have torn apart a mortal's soul. All of the pain Ash has experienced in his sixteen years of life, even multiplied a dozen times could not have reached the level the creature was undoubtedly feeling at that very moment.

The heated pressure left - there was his opening! Ash pulled his leg free as though it were tangled in dried strands of grass, nor was there a further attempt for the creature to pull him back. He knew it was thrashing violently; chunks of earth were thrown this way and that, stray stones pelting his skin while the force of the beast's frenzied thrashes rumbled through the dirt and threatened to thrown him off balance. But half-crouching as he ran only to distance himself from the creature contributed to his success.

"Ash!"

At the call of his name, somehow heard through the racket, Ash looked up just as Gary reached his side. He couldn't see the extent of any injuries they'd sustained, but whatever pain they felt through their physical wounds could not possibly compare to the screech drilling into his head.

Ash knew his consciousness was slipping, even without the light-headed sensation. He was dizzy, his feet refusing to move correctly and constantly on the verge of betraying him.

A beam of red light, and Umbreon's still body disappeared back into her poké ball.

Staraptor .. Buizel .. Torterra .. Infernape .. what had happened to them?!

Ash opened his eyes, desperately straining his retinas to locate them in the solid black surrounding him. He reached for his belt, clumsy in his haste to unclip the poké balls and lifting them up. Even if he couldn't see them, the poké balls could still find them, right?

His heart rose in his chest as the four red beams shot out, each poké ball weighing down as the lights disappeared. They were back. And they almost slipped from his grip when Gary roughly grabbed his upper arm, pulling him away where twin wails of agony continued to shriek, one artificial, the other from a beast ..

.. a seemingly wounded beast ..

"Ash, hurry up!" He heard Gary yell as he slowed to a stop, fists clenching around the poké balls in his hands. Fury bubbled up within him like a tropical storm. That beast .. that vile creature was just a few metres behind him. Wounded. Vulnerable.

An easy target.

"Now is our chance!" Ash shouted back. "It's down, we can battle it!" But as he was turning back towards the downed predator, Gary's hand clamped around his upper arm once more.

"Battle it with what, Ash?" Was the anguished reply. "Our pokémon are in no fit state to battle, let's just get out of here while we still have the chance!"

Ash was ready to argue back, when an unbearably loud snap struck the air.

An oak tree crashed to the ground, torn in half as easily as a tooth-pick.

Gary finally lost what little control he had remaining on his temper. "Ash!" He didn't wait for a reply before he pulled on the trainer's arm, forcing him to run or be dragged along. There was a brief hesitance before his common sense kicked on. They couldn't win this battle.

Instead they ran. The forest was much less dense, the leaves over-head thinner in number. The glimmer of compassion shone, the forest gradually disappearing; transforming into a vast open field. Previously impossible to navigate, dribbles of moonlight cast an eerie spotlight across the glen. The light was sufficient enough for them to determine which direction to run.

They knew this field. Childhood years spent exploring every inch of the grassy playground, chasing pokémon and building tree-houses .. the ranch just outside the lab.

Speaking of which, the large building was visible in the distance, the spot of hope just within grasp. It was getting closer with each hurried step. Pain pulsed through Ash each time his foot connected with the ground, his knees weakened and threatening to give in.

But they were so close .. they jumped over the fence .. don't look back .. the back door was closer .. within reach ..

The force with which they struck the door was sufficient enough to tear it from it's hinges, but the sturdy build held strong and remained intact. Ash stumbled across the wooden flooring, his sense of co-ordination helped in no way by the lack of light. He knew they were both creating a racket, even with his blood pounding in his ears and obscuring all other sounds. His legs felt like dead weight beneath him, numb with fatigue and bruised from the events that had taken place only minutes ago. He didn't doubt that there were a number of angry scratches on his face, especially if the prickles of pain were any indicator.

Any trace of adrenaline was sapped from his system, and Ash could do little more than lean heavily against the counter as the muscles in his legs gave in. Each breath he took grated down his throat like sand-paper, sweat trickled down his face and stung the corners of his eyes. He wanted to erase the strain from his entire body, to simply collapse on the floor and sleep his exhaustion away; it would be worth the horrendous cramps he would inevitably wake up with.

"G .. Gary .. ?" He forced out between pants, and immediately regretted using up the little oxygen he had to spare. He opened his eyes with some amount of strain and Gary swam into his vision after several blinks.

Leaning against the counter opposite, Gary was in no better shape than Ash felt; countless scratches tarnished his previously smooth skin, exhaustion was clearly visible in his very being, his clothes were torn in places and he looked moments away from passing out. He would have been in better shape had he recently dug himself out after being buried alive.

Even so, Gary lifted his head as though it were the weight of an Aron, his emerald eyes meeting Ash's after a moment of hazy confusion. His chest rising and falling as much as Ash's, he still managed a small smile. "On the bright side," he spoke breathily, "we made it." His choice of words were a clear insight to how light-headed he was.

Nonetheless, Ash found himself nodding slowly. "Y .. yeah," he puffed. "So, wh .. what now .. ?"

Gary seemed about to respond, but the voice that sounded didn't belong to him.

"Now you both explain exactly why you were both foolish enough to pull off such a reckless stunt."

After years of being scolded by that very same tone, there was no possible way either teenager could have mistaken it.

Ash looked up, and sure enough, Professor Oak stood in the doorway leading into the lab. The little light from the room behind him barely showed more than his silhouette, but the stern expression Ash had seen many times on the renowned professor's face was no doubt making a come-back. He could practically feel the glaring blue eyes burning into his skin.

"Hey, gramps," the spite in Gary's tone took Ash by surprise, "just decided to stop by and visit. Work gets a little stressful at times so I decided to take a vacation back to the town I know and love. Problem?"

Whether or not Gary was considering how his choice of tone and words would affect the outcome of the conversation, it felt obvious to Ash that any chance of a positive one had been drastically reduced.

"Under normal circumstances I am always glad to see you home and well at least once in a while. But when you burst into the lab bruised and bleeding after I distinctly told you to stay away, then yes there is a problem." Not once did the professor's form move; he could have been a statue for all either of them knew. "So I will ask you once, and once only: why did you disobey me?"

Despite the clear physical strain, Gary stood up to his full height and met his grandfather's eyes with a harsh glare of his own. "I don't know, perhaps it had something to do with the fact that clearly something was going on, something that was hurting you and apparently nearly killed Ash and his mom, and you were planning to keep me in the dark, but y'know, hard to tell with these things."

The professor lifted his arm, flicking the switch on the wall and casting the room into light. The few bruises and scratches on his face must have been minor; though still visible they were healing well. "Just get away from the doors and windows. Goodness, you two have no idea how lucky you are that you weren't killed." His voice was almost emotionless.

Gary scoffed, his anger and annoyance clear. "Lucky? Oh, I think we both figured that one out as you can tell. What the hell is that thing, and what the fuck is going on around here?"

Professor Oak's frown tightened a little. "I've told you more than once, Gary; I don't appreciate that kind of language."

"There you go again, avoiding the subject. Is there anything you do trust me with?"

"Gary, you know full well that I trust you; both of you. But this situation happens to be one where trust isn't concerned when it comes to either of you."

"Then, what? What is it?" Gary snapped, his eyes pits of emerald flames. "Does someone hate you so much they're trying to kill you with some kind of freaky mutant?"

The professor closed his eyes with a sigh. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Why do you keep avoiding this? What could possibly be going on that you don't want me to know about?"

Ash's eyes flickered from Professor Oak to his grandson as each spoke up. He would have spoken up, but the unfolding argument was reaching a personal matter. Any words he had to contribute would likely make the situation all the more enraging for the two involved.

"Gary," the professor said, his blue eyes meeting the emerald green of his grandson's, "I'm not doing this to antagonise you. I don't expect you to understand, but there is so much more to this than you know. So drop it!"

Gary faltered, and for a moment it seemed as though he were backing down. His eyes were a little wider as his mind worked, silently spinning together a reasonable truth. " .. it's all happening again .. " The whispered words were barely a breath. Then his momentarily stunned expression contorted into one of fury. "Don't do this all over again, okay? I remember those weeks when you forced Daisy and I to move to Johto, not telling either of us what the hell was going on. Do you know what that was like? Whatever was going on, I was completely oblivious, and when you finally let us come back, you sat us both down and the first thing you told us was that mom and dad were dead! Please don't tell me this is all one big repeat!"

The professor flinched as though he'd been physically struck. "This .. " He paused to clear his throat. "This isn't about your parents, Gary."

"It doesn't matter who it's about; I know someone is going to end up dead and I'd rather not be standing around on the sidelines completely clueless about everything until you decide to call me up to say 'hey, sorry to bother you in the middle of your work pile-up, but I thought you should know that Ash is dead. Yes, horrible accident, completely unforeseen tragedy. Okay, bye, good luck with everything!'. Because that can't work a second time around! Who is going to leave this time?!"

"Gary, please - "

"Is it because of Daisy?" Gary interrupted, his tone quieter but no gentler. "Did she leave because you told her the truth? .. are you scared that I'll leave as well?"

For a long moment, the professor only stared at his grandson. The silence drew out for an audible minute before: " .. I already told you, it's not like that - "

"Then what is it about? I've had it with all the secrecy .. " Gary closed his eyes. He looked weary, exhausted and on the verge of giving up. "Do you trust me?"

The professor's reply was instant. "You know perfectly well that I do."

Hesitantly, Gary took a single step forward, his eyes never leaving those of his grandfather's. "Then prove it," he urged. "Let me help you for once."

Silence.

It drew out so slowly and thickly, Ash would have quickly lost count if he'd been keeping track. Gary and his grandfather seemed to be caught up in a telepathic discussion; their eyes were hard, body language giving nothing away.

It was rather intimidating.

But then the professor sighed, and the illusion was shattered. Breathing became so easy Ash doubted he had been doing so in the past minute or so.

"Come inside." Professor Oak said simply, turning away from both teenagers and towards the lab. "If I am going to give you those answers, then we all be much more comfortable in the other room."

Ash could only stare for a moment. Even Gary seemed mildly stunned. Professor Oak took the opportunity to elaborate;

"Whichever way this will turn out, for now I agree. You are old enough, both of you. And I am not going to keep this from you any longer."

At those words, Ash broke his silence: "Professor .. ?"

The elder Oak didn't look his way. "I can hope only that you will be able to forgive me. You've both lost so much .. " He paused to take a deep breath, hesitance leaking into his stature as he managed to continue;

"Sit down, you two. I am going to tell you everything."

Intuition


Author's Note: Finally, we're gettin' somewhere! :D And alas, while questions shall be answered, new ones have arisen .. the plot is finally getting started. Hopefully the next update won't require an outrageously long wait like this one xD

In the meantime, what d'you guys think? Good, bad, horrendous? By the way, please forgive the battle scene. I'm one of the many writers who fail at writing them. T_T

Please feel free to leave a review. A few words go a long way :)

Oh! I have to ask - I've been considering changing this fic from 'Adventure' to 'Suspense' or 'Mystery'. I think they have stronger elements than adventure. What do you guys think?