Chapter 29
In the dead of the night, when even the bustling Vermilion City came to a standstill, Ash's bedroom managed to be the source of something peculiar. For once, however, he wasn't responsible for it. As Ash snored with his mouth ajar, an unseen force separated the blinds in front of the sole window in his room. The same power then lifted his window, allowing a shadowy figure to enter his room.
The floor creaked beneath their feet as they stepped down from the windowsill, but the sound went unnoticed by Ash as he rolled over in his bed. Once they were safely inside, the person turned and leaned out the window to thank her assistants.
"Thanks for your help girls," It was the voice of a woman as she nodded to the two airborne creatures outside. One of them cooed softly in question. "We could kidnap him, but I'm not a brute like the guys. I want Ash to come along willingly."
Her partners accepted the answer, each of them giving a nod.
"Now use Magic Room for me, I don't want him waking up the whole house." She added. There was a brief flash of blue light, and then she turned her attention back to the slumbering young man. She approached him with silent footsteps and stooped down beside his bed to admire his unkempt appearance with a fond smile.
"After all these years, we've come so far," She noted. "Hopefully this will all come to an end in your lifetime."
Her brief and one-sided conversation with Ash came to an end as she took ahold of his nose and pinched his nostrils. It was a few moments before Ash's eyes snapped open and he shot up from his bed gasping for air.
"What the hell?" He groaned, squinting at the person at his bedside. He was under the impression that it was Casey or Shauna. But as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Ash felt his heart stop at the sight a stranger in his room with their face hidden by a hood.
He slammed his back to the wall as his heart raced. Who was this? How did they get in his room? Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that his bedroom window was open, but he knew for certain that he had left it shut when he went to sleep earlier.
"Pikachu!" Ash barked as he threw off his covers. He raced over to his door and yanked on the handle to the point where he threatened to tear the knob off, but to no avail. Ash began to pound the door with closed fists, calling for his partner. A hand touched his shoulder and he whirled around with wide eyes.
"Ash, I want you to calm down." The stranger said.
"How do you know my name and…who are you, what do you want?!" Ash shouted at her.
"My name is Bianca," She began, lowering the hood that had concealed her identity. The moonlight pierced through his room and lit her familiar face. The first thought that came to mind was the flock of Pidgey that would follow her whenever her saw her.
It was the 'Bird Lady!'
"What are you doing here?" Ash exclaimed as he pointed at her. "Why would you break into my room!?"
"I had to speak with you tonight." She responded simply and Ash creased his brow in response.
"Well, how did you get in here then?" Ash asked her, his voice growing softer. Bianca motioned for him to follow her to the window but Ash hesitated. She insisted he come with her and he eventually complied. Once he was at his window, she pointed out an avian Pokemon that was perched on the roof across the street from them.
"My Pidgeot brought me." Bianca answered him, and Ash's eyes grew wide at the sight of the massive bird. Pidgeot easily eclipsed him in height and he could only imagine the sight of her full wingspan. But even as he gawked at the impressive Pokemon, Ash knew for a fact that a Pidgeot couldn't unlock a window.
"But how did you get in here?" He questioned.
"Ah, I have another Pokemon with me, although she's on the shy side," Bianca explained. "She can use Psychic, so she opened up the window and helped me in. She also soundproofed this room for me because I know that you're not really the…quiet type."
In his panic, Ash had called out to Pikachu, but his partner never answered his pleas for help. At least now Ash knew why he went unanswered.
"So, does that answer all of your questions?" Bianca asked him kindly, and Ash gave a reluctant nod. His unease had faded considerably, but even though he knew this person, he struggled to accept that she had climbed into his bedroom in the middle of the night. "You know Ash, I've been watching you ever since our last discussion."
Ash tilted his head, unable to recall their last conversation.
"I came tonight because you finally spread your wings," Bianca stated warmly, arms extended in wonder. "It made me so happy to finally see them as they should be."
"Spread my wings?" Ash repeated with a narrow glance.
"…I do want to see the day that you spread those gorgeous wings of yours."
"Oh yeah, you said that last time," Ash noted. "But what does that mean? How did I spread my wings?"
Bianca's curved upward and she stifled a laugh.
"I can't answer all your questions, Ash," She retorted as she shook her head. Ash lowered his head and furrowed his brow.
"So then, what are you here for?" He inquired.
"I wanted to talk with you again," She replied. "So, tell me, have you ever flown before?"
"No, I've never been in a plane…" Ash said but Bianca wasn't looking at him. He followed her line of sight out the window, and he saw that she was staring at the Pidgeot.
Ash shivered as the crisp night air blasted him. Placed precariously on the back of Bianca's Pidgeot and clinging to the woman because his life depended on it, Ash could only marvel at what he was experiencing. They were soaring over the dense suburbs that occupied the northern edge of Vermilion City, fast approaching the point where the city thinned out and Route 6 began. Stratus clouds whizzed by, their appearance almost ethereal from the moonlight that bathed them from above.
"Wo-Wow!" Ash screamed, unable to contain his excitement any longer. "This is amazing! I've only heard stories about riding Pokemon that could fly, but this blows all of those out of the water!"
"Well before the Great Crisis, everyone used to use ride Pokemon around." Bianca pointed out as she glanced back at Ash.
"Really?"
"Mhmm. There were still planes and boats, of course, because you'd be crazy to try and cross the ocean on a Lapras, for example. It would take you like three weeks to get to Sinnoh, and that's if you don't get lost on the way." Bianca informed him, and Ash raised his brow. "I mean, riding a Pokemon won't get you places faster than a car, to be honest, but this is so much cooler, right?"
"You bet!" Ash cheered, and Bianca's Pidgeot trilled in agreement.
"You know Ash, I don't know if anyone's ever told you this before, but you have a very…" Bianca stopped and Ash leaned over a bit, waiting anxiously to hear what she would say. "I'm not exactly sure what to call it, if I should say that you're dauntless or adventurous, but you have a kind of…appreciation for new things. There aren't many people that would jump from the second-floor window of their home onto a Pokemon they've never met, but you did."
"Gee, I don't really know what to say about that." Ash responded as he scratched at the back of his head.
"Well, what I'm really trying to say is that I think it's so encouraging to meet someone that isn't afraid of, or disrespectful toward, Pokemon," Bianca clarified. "It's not something I run into too often and," Bianca turned her upper body to look behind them, spotting the shadow that followed them in the distance. "I wish my friend there would try to get to know you too. I think it would be great for her to be around someone new."
"Is she really that shy?" Ash asked and Bianca nodded.
"We live a very secluded life. She doesn't handle strangers so well anymore." Bianca answered, causing Ash to look back at the silhouette that was trailing them. He knew for a fact that she was a Pokemon, one that he had never seen in the PokeHub database. She possessed a streamlined form, resembling that of an aircraft.
Ash tilted his head with a frown, wishing that Pikachu came with him. Perhaps his buddy would've helped him break down the barriers between himself and the Pokemon.
"Wait, so where do you live?" Ash asked as he turned back to Bianca.
"Out in Route 6. It can get lonely at times, so I come to Vermilion City every now and then to shop and be around other people." Bianca explained. "But that's enough about me, I came to talk about you, Ash."
"Me? What for?" He questioned.
"I wanted to tell you how happy I was to see you spread your wings," Bianca commented. "When I last spoke to you, I saw your wings and felt terrible seeing them chained up to your back so tightly. I know you were going through a hard time back then, but I was fearful of what you might decide to do."
"What did you think I'd do?" Ash asked causing Bianca to shrug her shoulders with a sigh.
"I don't know. I've seen many people react differently to having their wings chained. But you put my heart at ease," She revealed with a hand on her chest. "At every hurdle, you rose higher and higher. You shed your chains one by one…until your wings were set free. And then you finally spread them during that battle in the Hidden Cove. How did it feel?"
"How did it feel?" Ash repeated. "I don't know. I mean, I still don't even know what that means. How did I spread my wings?"
Bianca glanced over her shoulder at him and he could see a faint smile from the dim light available.
"I already told you, Ash, I can't answer all of your questions," Bianca remarked and he huffed out a 'fine.' "But what I will say is…your wings can take you to a place unlike any other."
Ash knit his eyebrows immediately, a vision of the mountaintop coming to mind. The hushed serenity of it was unlike anything he had felt before, and he'd felt closer to Pikachu than ever before! Was that the place Bianca was referring too? A plane definitely couldn't get him up to the peak of that mountain, but could a Pokemon do it? Or was it really just 'his wings?'
"Ah, here we are!" Bianca exclaimed as she pointed down below. Ash abandoned his thoughts and leaned over to see what she was looking at. Whatever it was she was pointing at, Ash couldn't see it in the darkness of the night.
Pidgeot warbled and began a slow descent into the thick forests of Route 6, heading down into a clearing where Ash spotted a wooden cottage. He would've missed it completely if not of the warm orange glow that came from within it. The grass flexed in response to Pidgeot's landing, and Bianca leaped off of her back with ease. Ash followed suit and saw that Bianca was looking up at the moon, waving to it. For a brief moment, a shadow flew over the clearing, and in that short time frame, Ash recognized it as the other Pokemon that had been following them. Bianca's 'friend.'
"Is your friend going to join us?" Ash asked curiously. Bianca shook her head in reply.
"She's going to wait until you go back home," Bianca replied and all Ash could do was shrug his shoulders. "Now come inside."
Pidgeot only followed them as far as the front door of the cottage. She could fit through the doorway, but Ash could imagine it being a hassle for her to get in and out of the small home. Rather, Pidgeot remained on the porch where an enormous but torn and weathered cushion was located. Ash waited at the doorway and watched as Pidgeot stepped onto the cushion, her talons tearing up the filling before she nestled herself into the mess.
"Uhh…" Ash looked to Bianca who giggled.
"Those cushions only last about a month for her," Bianca commented. "That's another reason I'll go into Vermilion City every now and then. There's a little craft store that I order those cushions from since her talons ruin them pretty quickly."
Ash could only imagine the cost of replacing those, and the odd task off getting them outside the city.
"Wait, you don't have a car, so how do you get those cushions back here?" Ash asked as he stepped into her home.
"Oh, my friend who was trailing us, she helps me get back home with it." Bianca explained though she could see that Ash probably didn't hear her answer. His focus had gone straight to the Pokemon that stepped into the living area after hearing their arrival.
The shiny, well-groomed coat of fur that looked brilliant in the light provided from the fireplace. Amber eyes that studied him intensely as they reflected the flames from across the room, but the most striking feature was the large nine tails.
"Ninetales." Ash said softly at the sight of the Pokemon.
"That's right, Ninetales told me that you two had met before," Bianca said as Ninetales looked to the far corner of the room. It was one of the few areas where the light of the fireplace didn't reach, an area shrouded in darkness.
Two candles that were mounted on the wall became lit, and Ash's eyes widened as a wooden pedestal was revealed. Resting on top of it was a small easel that held a thick book…a tome.
"So soon, Ninetales?" Bianca asked but the Pokemon ignored her.
"What are you talking about?" Ash asked them and Ninetales approached the pedestal and sat there.
"Ninetales is waiting for you." Bianca revealed as she raised a hand as a gesture for Ash to join Ninetales. Ash looked to the Pokemon, who rustled her tails, beckoning for Ash to come with a nod of her head.
Ash didn't hesitate and kneeled down in front of Ninetales to groom her mane. In response, Ninetales delivered a headbutt to Ash which left him splayed out on his back.
Not me you dolt! The book!
Ash sat upright and came face to face with the sharp gaze Ninetales was aiming at him. He gave a weak chuckle as he scratched the tip of his nose.
"Sorry, I uh…never mind. The book," Ash said as he got back on his feet, now focused on the item in question.
It possessed a worn leather covering, and the pages were colored from years of decay. On the front cover was nothing more than a circle etched into the leather with what appeared to be a pupil at the center of it. Almost like…an eye.
"Did you want me to read this?" Ash asked as he glanced down at Ninetales. There was no response, so he looked to Bianca for an answer.
"Just look inside." Was all she said.
Ash returned his focus to the book and carefully opened it with the tips of his fingers. The first several pages were blank, but soon enough Ash reached a point where he found some text and he furrowed his brow at the sight of it.
It was some sort of archaic language.
Letters or…symbols that he had never seen before.
No, wait…
As he turned the page, he began to find some resemblance between these symbols and the English alphabet. Most of them were close to the letters he was accustomed to, but each and every symbol had a big eye at the center of it. It was hard to get used to as he went through the pages, making comparisons between these symbols and what he knew, but as he continued, he began to group the symbols into words, and the words into sentences.
The Grand Cycle.
The Cycle of Man.
The One True King…
Ash ran a hand through his hair with a heavy sigh. Nothing made sense!
Even as he adjusted to how the text was written, it was ultimately nothing but a bunch of useless information.
"What does all of this even mean?" Ash asked as he looked down at Ninetales. The Pokemon looked at him and then looked back toward the book. "Ugh, I don't even read this much in English class."
Ash saw a hint of a smile on Ninetales' face and she rustled her tails.
"Fine, I'll keep going." Ash muttered.
He dove back into the book and pressed forward. It became easier for him to read the text, and he flew through the next few pages until he reached what seemed to be the end of the first chapter.
It concluded with: "When every life meets another life, something will be born."
When Ash read those words aloud, the letters in the book began to blink at him. Ash stumbled backward with a gasp as the letters abandoned the pages of the tome, rising up into the air. He gave a shout as he fell down onto his bottom again, eyes wide and mouth agape at what he was witnessing.
Floating letters…
Five of them separated from the group that hovered above the book and spelled a word for him.
Flash.
Ash was swallowed within a blinding light.
"Do you know of the Way?"
"Does he know of the Way?"
"He has been to the Peak, he must know of the Way."
"He has seen the Peak?"
"Indeed, he has."
"Then he must know of the Way."
The voices came from everywhere, as though Ash was sitting at the center of an audience. Actually, maybe he was, he wasn't really sure what to make of the beings that surrounded him. He was at the center of the mountaintop again, with the hundreds, if not thousands of those floating letters around him. Their voices varied, male and female, whispering, stating, shouting and exclaiming. Some of them were filled with child-like exuberance, others spoke with teenage ignorance. But one voice filled with age and wisdom piped up, silencing the rest as another letter descended from above.
The letter N.
"Nia!" They exclaimed as the letter approached Ash.
"He does not know of the Way." She declared. Ash tilted his head as he glanced at 'Nia.' Her voice…he heard it already. It matched the voice of Ninetales…
The questions broke out once again.
"How can this be?"
"He is with us on the Peak, is he not?"
"How can he not know of the Way?"
"He was brought before the Book," Nia announced. "He is one of the Few, brought before us to see the Way himself."
Nia looked back to Ash, who was simply at a loss for words. But then again, what could you say when you were seated before a council made up entirely of…a floating alphabet.
"Okay, can anyone here tell me what the heck is going on?" Ash exclaimed and Nia floated right up to his face.
"There is much you want to know child, but now is not the time. Your focus belongs elsewhere, now go," Nia stated as they motioned toward the empty skies out in the distance. "Glimpse into the Way, and you shall see. How it was once, the way the world should be."
Out in the distance, far beyond the edge of the mountain, Ash saw three rings take shape. They rotated freely around the sphere within it. The rings came to a standstill, aligning with each other which granted him access to what they guarded.
"But how do I get out there?" Ash asked as the letters moved aside, allowing him and Nia to approach the edge of the mountain peak.
"Take flight child, your wings are open," Nia stated, and Ash glanced over his shoulder to see them for himself. "Enter the gate."
The vast majority of the wings he had seen were always white.
However, there were three exceptions to this.
Bianca had scarlet tipped wings.
Volkner possessed golden wings.
And his own wings were the third.
Ash peered over the edge. It was a sharp decline from there, with nothing to catch his fall. As a test, he kicked a stone off the side and watched it disappear in the clouds below. He winced, fearful of what was in store if he couldn't actually fly.
"So how does this work?" Ash asked.
"Hmm?"
"Flying, I mean." He clarified.
"Just think of what gives you strength and you will stay airborne."
"Think of what gives me strength…" Ash trailed off, collecting the thoughts he needed.
His friends, his family, his dream…and Pikachu!
He leaned forward, but before he even began to fall, his wings caught an updraft. Ash was thrown up into the air over the mountaintop, allowing him to see that only a small portion of it was visible. The rest of it was concealed within a dense fog.
His wings spread out gallantly, and Ash looked toward the free-floating rings as his destination. The air was still, allowing him to glide straight to it. Five of the letters were following him to the gate, and they went ahead of him.
They spelled 'Flash' for him again.
As Ash entered the gateway, he was consumed in a bright light.
The highest peaks just barely stood over the cloud layer.
But even these mountains paled in comparison to the tree.
It towered over the highest of heights.
His wings kept him afloat, and Ash marveled at the sight of the tree. Among the many peaks that pierced the top of the clouds, the tree extended from the tallest of them. Its sizeable roots were embedded in the mountain top.
"Head to the surface, child." It was Nia's voice.
He followed the direction and tucked in his wings, diving down into the clouds. The air blasted his face, forcing him to squint as he descended. Ash couldn't tell how long he had been in a nosedive, but when the clouds finally broke, he discovered how truly monstrous this mountain was in size. It was mixed in among an incredible chain, but the base of the mountain that the tree rose from was inordinate in comparison to the rest.
Despite coming down beneath the cloud layer, Ash was still high enough to see the lands below. They stretched out into the horizon, as vast as the sea. He continued his descent and leveled off once he was close enough to see the ground. As he neared the end of the mountain range, he noticed the sprawling forests occupying the ground with a flowery garden ahead.
There were people here!
They were all tending to the wonderful garden, and they were aided by Pokemon!
Bellossom and Sunflora tended to the plants.
Poliwag and Buizel provided the water.
A Kricketune played an upbeat tune as they worked.
It was marvelous!
Ash set himself down on the hillside overlooking the garden and his wings dissipated, the feathers as vibrant as the flower-filled fields below. Ash laid on his back and relaxed with a grateful sigh. Hearing the small exchanges between the people and their Pokemon put Ash's heart at ease.
This was what he wanted, what he always dreamed of!
A world where people and Pokemon were united!
"You are Ash Ketchum! The one heralded to walk the Path of Mastery!"
Ash's eyes snapped open in search of the thundering voice. He couldn't see the source, and the people in the garden didn't react at all. He must have been the only one who could hear it.
"You are Chosen! Prepare this world…and guide the King!"
Ash sat upright, opening his mouth to question the voice, but the letters returned.
They spelled out 'Flash' in front of him once again and everything faded to white.
Sunday, January 15th
Ash shot up from his mattress with his heart racing, skin drenched in sweat.
Adrenaline…this early in the morning? From what? Was it that crazy dream he had?
Ash ran a hand down his face and flicked the perspiration off. With a sigh he turned and set his feet on the floor, rubbing at his eyes to help them adjust to the sunlight that was beaming down on him, through his open window.
Open window…
Ash eyed his window warily, the curtains waving softly from the breeze. It was still open, just like how he had left it last night on the back of a Pidgeot. He shook his head and let out a chuckle.
That had to be some sort of crazy dream. The 'bird lady's reappearance, that strange book, the council of talking letters, that garden paradise. It was definitely a dream.
"Yesterday was a crazy day…" Ash concluded as he rose up from his bed and approached the window. It was just past nine o'clock on a quiet Sunday morning, so the commotion of Vermilion City had yet to set in. He could hear the Pidgey's chirping a gleeful song, and Ash smiled as he leaned against the window frame to bask in the sunlight.
He drew in a slow breath. A cleansing breath. His chest swelled and his troubles abandoned him. Whatever that dream was about; it didn't concern him now. With a glance at the nightstand beside his bed, Ash saw the sparkling platinum card that he received from Malcolm Berlitz last night.
His payment for winning matches in the underground circuit.
He clasped his hands together and pressed them against his cheek as he released another slow breath. It was all over. There was nothing that could tear his family apart.
Ash leaned back into the park bench with a vanilla and chocolate ice cream cone in hand. Casey sat beside him with the same treat, though she only attacked the chocolate portion.
"I'm almost done Casey, are you ready?" Ash asked her.
"Ugh, geez, why do you have to eat so fast?" Casey muttered causing him to chuckle. "Yeah, I'm ready."
The two of them exchanged cones, continuing the small tradition that had stuck to since they first had ice cream with Cassidy all those years ago. They would order two vanilla and chocolate cones; Casey would eat the chocolate halves while the vanilla was left for her brother.
Ash accepted her cone and devoured what remained for him, letting out a belch of satisfaction. Casey jabbed his side with her elbow.
"Fatty." She commented and Ash stuck his tongue out at her.
Ash watched her out of the corner of his eye as she ate, and hid his smile from her. It was still early in the morning when Ash made a suggestion that he, Casey, Macy, and Shauna go to the park. Of course, Macy was all for the idea, and no one had the heart deny her that. While Shauna supervised Macy on the playground, Ash and Casey went to an ice cream cart that was set up in the park.
Looking to the playground, Ash spotted Macy at the top of the slide with two other kids. He couldn't make sense of their shouts, but the mixture of laughter made it clear that they were having a blast.
All was well.
"Casey?" Ash said to get her attention as she ate the last bite of her ice cream cone.
"Hmm?"
"I want to say…thanks."
"For what?" She asked.
"For believing in me," Ash stated. "I don't know if it was a big deal for you, but it meant a lot to me."
Casey rolled her eyes and jabbed his side with her elbow once again.
"Quit being so corny," As she finished her sentence, she belched in a similar fashion to Ash, and her cheeks turned scarlet red as several people turned to look at her. Ash burst into a fit of laughter at her expense, and Casey punched his arm in response.
It was at that moment that he heard himself laugh for what felt like the first time in ages. A genuine laugh from the pit of his stomach…actually, he was laughing so hard his stomach hurt.
This felt almost right.
He had everything that he had been working toward.
Two wonderful sisters that he adored.
Friends that were irreplaceable.
And the money to cover his every want.
What else could he need?
His laughter died down as he saw an image of the garden paradise from his dream. He had everything he needed, but there was one thing missing. Pikachu should've been with them right now.
All these people in the park, they didn't know the value of having a Pokemon as their perfect companion. These kids, out of dozen or so of them on the playground, only Macy would ever appreciate Pikachu's presence. The rest of them would be told to stay from the little yellow furball if he got within twenty feet of them.
It wasn't fair to them. The children wouldn't even get a chance to have their own opinion of Pokemon. Their parent's opinions would be forced upon them, and another generation would be denied the chance to develop a relationship with a Pokemon.
Ash had worked hard these past few months to solve his own problems. But he was nothing more than a grain of sand in the grand scheme of things. The greater goal, his dream of a world where everyone was united…that was what he wanted to achieve.
Ash and Brock sat within the glittering lobby of the First Regional Bank of Kanto. The lobby was bustling with activity, but the two of them were alone in the waiting area. For the third time since their arrival, Brock posed the same question he asked earlier.
"What are we doing here, Ash?"
Ash continued to ignore this question and instead, offered a question to Brock.
"Did you bring everything I sent in the text message?"
"Yeah, but what do I need all of that for here? I already have an account with a different bank." Brock pointed out.
"I know that."
The sound of heels clacking against the marble floors earned their attention. Both turned to look out into the lobby and they saw a beautiful woman approaching the waiting area. Time slowed for Brock as he observed her walk, how her curly locks bounced with each step, how her business attire hugged her form.
"Now I know what you brought me here for!" Brock exclaimed with rosy cheeks.
She entered the waiting area and approached them.
"Hi, you must be Ash and Brock, my three o'clock appointment, right?" She asked them and Ash gave a nod to confirm. "Great, my name is Francesca, nice to meet you guys."
"No, it's nice to meet you, Francesca!" Brock declared as he took one of her hands. "Such a beautiful name only surpassed by your own beauty! Please, honor me with your presence at dinner tonight to build upon our fated love!"
Ash deadpanned, as did Francesca.
"Uhh, yeah-no thanks." She stated quite bluntly as she removed her hand from Brock's grasp. Brock lowered his head in defeat and Ash stifled a laugh at another appearance from the 'Master of Rejection.' "So um, if you guys will follow me to my office, we can get started."
Her office was actually a small cubicle farther back in the lobby, but it was considerably quieter. She invited them to use the chairs in front of her desk while she got set up at her computer.
"Alright, so this should be a pretty quick process provided you brought all the information I need." Francesca began as she took a file out of her desk and placed it in front of them. "Two forms of identification as well as the documents I sent you, Ash."
Brock pulled out his driver's license and passport. As he placed these items on the table, he watched as Francesca went through a three-page form, marking several blank spots with her pen. Once she finished, she slid the paperwork across the table to them along with a pen.
"Alright, all you guys have to do is sign these and initial on the spots I marked." Francesca stated as she collected their ID's. She rose from her desk to take these to the photocopy machine in the back corner of her cubicle.
"What's all this for?" Brock asked Francesca as Ash began to sign off of the document.
"To create a joint bank account between the two of you." Francesca answered, causing Brock to look at Ash incredulously.
"Is this what I think it is?" He asked Ash. Brock received a small smirk in reply.
"Ye-up."
"Dude, no way. That money is yours, you earned it." Brock stated as he stood up in his seat.
"Brock, where you going?" Ash asked to halt him before he could leave.
"I'm not letting you give me any of that money. You worked too hard to start giving it away."
"Giving it away?" Ash repeated in disbelief. "Is that what you think I'm doing? Stop and think for a minute Brock, without you, I don't know if I would've made it through the last few months. I don't care what you have to say, at least some of this money is rightfully yours."
Brock bit down on his lower lip and kept his back turned to Ash.
"Come on now, Brock, you know it and I know it," Ash went on. "You've worked just as hard as I did, you deserve this. You can do all the things you wanted…you can send your parents on that little vacation you talked about. Are you telling me they don't deserve that?"
"Oh, that's low," Brock groaned as he glanced back at Ash. "That's like trying to blackmail me into taking this money."
"I wish my friends would blackmail me into accepting money." Francesca said, perhaps a bit too loudly. Her cheeks reddened as Ash and Brock looked to her so she did her best to laugh off her embarrassment.
"You could take a little vacation too. It'll give you some time to kick back with your brothers and sisters, which you're going to need if your parents are away for a while." Ash pointed out causing Brock to stifle a laugh.
Ash saw the chip in his defense. The thought of sending his parents on a vacation was the only thing that could entice him into accepting the joint account, and Ash continued to attack his weak spot.
"Alright Ash, alright," Brock conceded as he returned to his seat. "I'll do it, but not for your sake. For my parents."
"See, I knew you were a good son." Ash commented with a grin.
The two of them filled out the remainder of the paperwork, and with Brock's name now attached to the account, he was granted full access to Ash's funds.
"Are you sure about all this, Ash?" Brock asked him one last time.
"Brock, there's no one I'd trust with this money more than you." Ash stated without hesitation.
"Aww, that's so nice." Francesca said with a smile as she sat across from them at her desk.
They bumped fists and the process concluded with Brock receiving a platinum card for his own use. They bid a farewell to Francesca and made their way out to the parking lot behind the bank.
Fortunately, the car had been parked in the shadow cast by the bank, so it remained cool for Pikachu, hidden within. As they entered his car, Pikachu climbed onto the armrest between the two front seats to give them a greeting.
"Alright buddy, now there's we have one last thing we have to do today." Ash said, and Pikachu lowered his ears in dismay.
The sun was beginning its descent toward the horizon as Ash and Brock zipped through the dense foliage of Route 11 in Brock's car. There was a plethora of roadways scattered about the area, most of which went to the eastern coast of Kanto. To reach the coast was probably a three-hour drive by car, but the beaches there were beautiful. However, most people only knew this by the pictures provided on the internet. The seaside area was recognized as Route 12, an untamed land inhabited solely by Pokemon, and for many people, a place that was considered to be off limits.
For Ash and Brock, their destination was located in the equally untrusted Route 11. The sprawling forests that surrounded them were likely unnerving for a regular civilian, but Ash loved the mystery of it all. What Pokemon were out there waiting to meet him? Did they want to battle, or maybe share an Oran berry?
They had gone perhaps thirty minutes into Route 11 before the paved road they were following came to an end. It continued as a dirt road, but Brock brought his car to a stop.
"How much farther in do we have to go, Ash?" Brock inquired.
"It's like ten minutes from here," Ash explained. "If we follow the road it should lead to a place we can park, and then the rest we have to do on foot."
They pressed onward, and like Ash had said, the dirt road led them into an area where four other vehicles were parked. Brock pulled into his own space and turned off his car, watching as Ash and Pikachu eagerly jumped out of the passenger seat. Now standing upright, Ash lifted his t-shirt and removed his belt from his pants.
"Ash, what are you doing?" Brock asked as he climbed out of his car.
"I was reading about Diglett's Cave on the PokeHub," Ash began. "They said they have metal detectors in there as a precaution."
Brock raised his brow.
"Really?"
"The crazy part is they said its some sort of Pokemon too," Ash added. "It's for the like the off chance the police are investigating the cave, these Pokemon are like a natural defense against them."
"Wow, that sound pretty cool." Brock noted as he began to strip himself of any metal. His belt and watch were tucked away in the backseat of his car while Ash collected his duffle bag from the trunk.
Their adventure into Route 11 began with Pikachu leading them through the brush. Tree branches rustled above them occasionally and a group of Pidgey or Pidgeotto would take flight, startled by the group of three. The Spearow would remain perched in their trees, eyeing them with their sharp gaze, but Pikachu's presence made them wary of attacking. Rattata would dart across the pathway every now and then, concealing themselves in the underbrush, though Ash could feel their gaze as his group pressed onward.
Secretly, Ash was hoping to see some sort of super rare Pokemon, or maybe one that he hadn't seen on the PokeHub yet. Unfortunately, this little wish remained unfulfilled as they arrived at the entrance to Diglett's Cave. The entrance to the cave was one large chamber dotted with lights that were mounted on the wall to light the darkened room. At the heart of the room was a sizeable hole and ladder to take them several meters below ground, to where the cave began.
"Come on Pikachu, let's go!" Ash exclaimed with a grin, eager to see what awaited them down below. Pikachu climbed onto his shoulder as he stepped down onto the ladder. It became humid as they spent almost forty seconds going down before it opened up into an impressive tunnel that was illuminated by many ceiling lights.
Ash wiped the sweat from his brow and adjusted the strap of the bag on his shoulder. His shirt was already starting to stick to his torso, and they had only just begun their trek.
Diglett's Cave was a relic from the past, existing long before the Great Crisis. It was said that it once acted as a shortcut from Vermilion City to Pewter City, but that was before planes had been invented. It was inhabited with many Pokemon, but mainly it functioned as a nest for Diglett, the Pokemon responsible for the creation of the cave. Today, Diglett's Cave functioned as a hub for the underground circuit and the trainers of Vermilion City.
Valued items such as Pokeballs and Potions were delivered to Diglett's Cave and sold from there. It was a safe house, since even the authorities from Vermilion City dare not enter the cave for fear of getting lost in it.
"We're going this way, Brock." Ash called out. The room that they started in was large, with two tunnels going in opposite directions. They would be heading to the left.
The journey continued at a moderate pace as Ash and Brock drained the water bottles they brought. The humidity was nothing to take lightly as they ventured through the tunnel. With time, it opened up into another large chamber, although this one was far more developed than the previous one. It had multiple floors and bridges to connect the raised areas.
Not just regular bridges to walk on, they were wide and reinforced for weighty objects to move across like…vehicles, perhaps?
"Up there," Ash commented as he pointed toward the second floor of the chamber. They had entered from the lowest point, but there were ladders scattered about to help them scale the steep walls and reach the upper levels.
"Pi?" Pikachu said as Ash and Brock climbed one of the ladders. The walls of the room were covered with holes that were about the size of an opened hand, and Pikachu could swear that he saw something watching them from within the closest hole.
"What's the matter, Pikachu?" Ash asked as he grabbed the next rung.
"Pika, Pikachu." Pikachu replied with a frown, pointing at the next hole. It was directly in front of Ash's face, and he laughed at Pikachu's suggestion that they were being watched.
"There's nothing to worry about, Pikachu," Ash stated as he came to a stop and reached into his pocket to retrieve his phone with one hand. He turned on the flashlight feature and shined it into the hole. "See? Nothin' to worry a-a-a, whoa!"
"Diglett-eeee!" A shrill voice screeched as a small creature popped out of the hole. Startled from the sudden appearance of the Pokemon, Ash was caught leaning back and his only hand slipped off from the rung of the ladder.
Brock, who had been only a few rungs beneath Ash on the ladder, looked up after hearing Ash's shout. Before he could react, Ash's body came plummeting down on top of him and both of them went back down to the ground in a heap. The trio was splayed out on the ground, little swirls replacing their eyes and they gave a groan. When they finally got their bearings, Ash, Brock, and Pikachu found two Pokemon in front of them.
A hot-tempered Dugtrio who was berating a Diglett.
"Trio, trio!" They shouted at the Diglett in unison, and then one of them motioned toward Ash with his head. Diglett approached them with his head lowered, cutting right through the hard surface of the cave like it was nothing.
"Dig, diglett," He apologized as he bowed deeply. Pikachu was quick to accept Diglett's apology, and the two had a brief exchange where Diglett made a promise not to disturb them again. Ash and Brock merely chuckled before the two natural inhabitants of the cave disappeared into the ground.
Their second attempt to get to the higher levels was much smoother, and Ash and Brock found exactly what they were looking for. It was another tunnel, but resting on each side of the entrance were two stone statues. Each them possessed a nose that was tremendous in size, and Ash could only wonder why the sculptor would build them like this. They looked ridiculous!
Pikachu jumped down from Ash's shoulder and approached one of the statues, sniffing at its feet.
"Come on Pikachu, we have to keep going. The shop is at the end of the tunnel." Ash called to his partner as he and Brock were already making headway into this corridor. Pikachu looked back at the statue warily but scampered off to catch up with Ash.
At the end of this tunnel there was a steel door waiting for them. Ash raised a hand to bang on the door, and moments later the spy hole on the door slid open, revealing a pair of sharp eyes the took a moment to identify each of them.
"What's the password?" A burly voice asked them.
Ash and Brock shared a glance, and then Ash stepped forward with the answer.
"One, three, six, three, four, nine, seven, seven, six." Ash answered.
The current nine-digit code needed to access the PokeHub.
The spyhole was shut, and they could hear the tumblers begin to rotate before they locked into place with a heavy ker-chunk! The door opened, revealing what looked like a warehouse in a cave, shelves lined with the gear all Pokemon trainers needed. They were invited in by the doorman, a large man who slammed the door shut once they were inside.
He introduced himself as Duncan and told them he would be waiting at the back of the room when they were ready to make a purchase. Thankfully this room was much cooler than the rest of the cave thanks to the two air conditioning units in the back. Together, the trio began to traverse the aisles, inspecting the equipment.
Ash marveled at the Pokeballs that lined each shelf, bending down to take one in the palm of his hand and weigh it carefully. He gripped it tightly and saw his reflection on top of it. He couldn't help but smile. It felt right to hold a Pokeball in his hand.
Holding onto the Pokeball he had selected, Ash followed Brock over to a wall of stickers that could be applied to a Pokeball to help trainers mark what Pokemon was contained within them. It only took a few moments for Ash to find the proper sticker for Pikachu's Pokeball.
A lightning bolt.
Ash wasted no time applying it to the upper portion of the Pokeball and beamed as he showed the item to Pikachu on his shoulder. Pikachu's nose twitched in response, but he remained silent as the shopping spree continued.
The duffle bag Ash had brought was filled to the brim with Potions, sixty in total.
"Oh man, that's heavy!" Ash exclaimed as he felt the weight of his bag on his shoulder. He had been so excited about getting his hands on these supplies that he didn't even think about having to carry all of it back to the car. That would be a doozy…but at least now he and Pikachu could resume their normal training schedule, plus they would always have the money to come back and get more.
"Is that everything?" Duncan inquired as Ash and Brock approached his counter at the back of the room. Ash gave a nod and listed what he would be purchasing for Duncan to calculate the cost.
"Say, Duncan," Brock began to get his attention. "Ash told me that you have some sort of metal detecting Pokemon in the caves, is it the Diglett and Dugtrio?"
Duncan stifled a laugh.
"They play a part in protecting the safehouse, but it's not them," Duncan responded as he looked toward Brock. "The Pokemon you're talking about is called Nosepass, you passed them on your way in."
"We did?" Ash asked.
"I didn't see any Pokemon." Brock added.
"You did, you probably didn't realize it," Duncan explained, unable to suppress his grin, "The statues."
"Those were Pokemon!?" Ash, Brock, and Pikachu exclaimed, Pikachu doing so in his own words. The three of them were reminiscent of a Dugtrio and the image caused Duncan to laugh openly with a merry expression to contrast his hulking stature.
"Yeah, they're called Nosepass," Duncan replied after a few moments. "They're masters of magnetism, so if for example, the police raided this place, the Nosepass could strip them of their weapons before they even made it to the door."
"That's so cool!" Ash said with starry eyes.
"And don't worry, they won't bother you on your way out. But don't be afraid to say hello either." Duncan said and the group gave him a nod.
The final price for their shopping trip was thirty-one thousand, five hundred dollars. Eighteen thousand for sixty Potions, and the remaining thirteen thousand covered the cost of the Pokeball.
The price of a Pokeball was sky high for a number of reasons. These devices that were crucial to a trainer's career were only made in one place on the whole planet - the Pokeball Factory north of Laverre City in Kalos. The cost of making and shipping them all over the world them was extraordinary, and in a market of supply and demand, these items were currently worth as much as a decent car.
With a swipe of his new platinum card, all was taken care of and the group was on their way. They said their goodbyes to Duncan, the Nosepass and any of the stray Diglett they ran into on their way out of the cave. Lugging the heavy duffle bag became a shared duty between Ash and Brock, and it eventually reached the point where they were carrying it together. The stifling humidity left them drenched in sweat and anxious to get back outside.
Climbing up the ladder to reach the entrance of Diglett's Cave was excruciating with the weight of duffle bag hanging from Ash's back. But the higher he went, the cooler the air became, and that invigorated him for one final push. Ash gasped as he threw himself over the top, and rolled out of the way for Brock to join him up in the entry chamber. There was a breeze coming through, and after resting on their backs for a few moments, Ash and Brock rose up and went outside into evening sun.
Ash gave a sigh of relief as he placed the bag on the ground and peeled off his t-shirt. He didn't care about being shirtless as he tossed it on top of the duffle bag. Retrieving Pikachu's Pokeball from his pants pocket, he pressed the center of the ball to bring it to its full size. He extended his arm to strike a pose with his new Pokeball!
Turning around, Ash spotted Pikachu perched on a rock, admiring the skies that were plastered in red and orange tones from the setting sun. Ash approached his partner and took a seat beside him, placing a hand on Pikachu's head as a greeting.
"I know this isn't a day that you've been looking forward to, buddy," Ash began as Pikachu looked up at him. "You've told me before that you're not the biggest fan of these."
Ash lifted the Pokeball and Pikachu looked away.
"I want you to know, Pikachu, that I've never intended to keep you in it. You've always been with me almost everywhere I go; I don't think I could get used to having you in this thing either," Ash explained causing Pikachu to sit back on his bottom with a sigh. "I'd get a little stir crazy too if I spent my whole day cooped up in a Pokeball. I'll only ever use it if we absolutely have to. I'm talking about emergencies, end of the world type stuff."
Pikachu snorted, unable to keep a straight face from the comment. He then placed a paw against Ash's side.
"Pika," Pikachu began. He understood the need for a Pokeball. It was more than just easy transportation; it was for his and Ash's safety. Whether he liked it or not, Pikachu was willing to make the adjustment in living quarters for Ash's sake.
"Pikachu, you're something else," Ash commented with a great smile. "You're the best teammate I could ever hope to have."
Ash extended the Pokeball toward Pikachu.
"So, welcome to team 'Quest.' It's a pleasure to meet you, Pikachu." Ash said formally, earning a laugh from his comrade.
Pikachu raised his paw and tapped the center of the Pokeball.
The pleasure is all mine.
The Pokeball cracked open and Pikachu turned into a red light that was swallowed up within the Pokeball. It snapped shut and shook in Ash's hands a few times before the Pokeball hummed to confirm the capture of Pikachu.
As the capture was completed, the Pokeball opened again and Pikachu jumped out onto Ash's lap. Brock then approached the two now that team 'Quest' had officially been formed.
"So uh, is there any room for one more?" Brock inquired causing Ash and Pikachu to share a glance.
"The more the merrier, Brock!" Ash exclaimed. He was the biggest supporter and the first believer in team 'Quest!' Of course, they would welcome Brock warmly.
Ash thought of that world he saw in his dream last night.
A place where people and Pokemon lived together in peace and harmony.
With the help of Brock and Pikachu, the newest additions to team 'Quest,' he was certain that he could find a way to make that a reality!
A/N
So, this is a HUGE chapter, although I'm sure many of you are probably scratching your head. Everything from the first half of the chapter was alluding to future stuff. If you have questions, feel free to ask me via review or PM, I'm happy to give you the best spoiler free answer that I can. :D
I said this to a few people prior to posting this chapter, but consider this a prelude to the greater story within this story. I'm not going to say much else here in my author's note.
Notable Introductions
Bianca the 'Bird Lady.' She's already made appearances in the past, but she only received the title of 'Bird Lady.' Now she's a bit more relevant so I thought it was time to give her a proper introduction rather than throwing names around way back when she first appeared. She has some more future appearances, but I'm going to keep that to myself for the time being.
Those of you asking about Dawn, I'll just say it again, I haven't forgotten her. I can assure you that she is coming back, just be patient. The focus on this story is Ash, nuff said lol!
Update for you all: There's likely to only be one update in June. It's going to be a busy month for me, I have a bad case of writer's block and I've been stuck for like two weeks now lol. So, until I work through it, we may have a bit of a drought on our hands. My apologies in advance and I hope to see you again all sooner rather than later!
Credit to my beta-reader MjrGenMatt for his contributions, and my thanks goes out to those of you who take the time to message me or review, it's always appreciated. I say welcome to my new followers and I hope you enjoy the ride. Leave me a little love in my review section, peace out!
