Pokemon: Return of a Hero
I'm back fic fans! It's time for chapter fifty-two of Pokemon: Return of a Hero! Let's start with the shout outs: Mega Espeon: I'm pretty sure I mentioned this in either chapter fifty or fifty-one but most of Dark Ash's soul was destroyed from when Ash took control of their now shared body, even if Ash wanted to give him a new body, which he can't by the way, Dark Ash would not be able to survive, he must now rely on Ash for survival. Next, ultimateCCC: Dude chill out, he isn't going against his beliefs or anything, he is just convincing Dark Ash to help him so calm down, need I remind you that this boy has quite the habit of swaying people from the path of wrong? Moving forward, in either this, or the next chapter Ash will receive a major power up. I actually got the idea from the near end of the Yu-gi-oh Arc-V anime. If you know what I'm talking about you can probably more or less guess what is going to happen. Now… on with the fic!
Chapter XXXXXII
"What do you want Ketchum?" Asked Dark Ash in an agitated tone. "I told you already, I want to talk." Responded Ash. "Yeah, I know, you said that already. I mean what is it that you want to talk about?" Asked Dark Ash getting increasingly annoyed. Ash sighed. "Well if you had been paying attention to what's been going on out there you'd realize that we're getting our butt handed to us." Responded Ash. Both of them looked to the side in the same direction, looking out a window of sorts allowing them to see what was happening in the real world.
Fortunately, while both of them were communicating inside this strange mind scape of theirs, time around them moved an infinite number of times slower. "Yeah so?" Asked Dark Ash looking back at Ash. Ash sighed once more. "I… need your help." Said the legendary warrior. Dark Ash stared at the one he was cloned from. "Why on Earth would I help you? You defeated me, humiliated me, and then took my body for your own." Said Dark Ash. "Ok, to be fair that last one was your fault, we'd still both have our own bodies if you hadn't absorbed me." Pointed out Ash.
Dark Ash glared at him. "You aren't helping your case, you know, that right?" Asked the evil clone. Ash pinched the bridge of his nose. "Must I remind you that if I die in this fight, so will you?" Pointed out Ash. This caused Dark Ash to waver, but only for a moment. "So, what? I'm not exactly living life as it is. I'm literally a prisoner in my own skin." Pointed out Dark Ash. "That is fair, but don't forget that, that was because you tried to kill me and my friends." Said Ash. Dark Ash looked off in a different direction.
"Touché." Said Dark Ash. Then after thinking for a moment he looked back at Ash. "Why are you willing to trust me?" Asked Dark Ash. Ash looked at his clone softly. "People can change. I've seen it enough times myself. I'm willing to bet my friends won't trust you at first, but they'd still give you a chance." Responded Ash. Dark Ash glared at the legendary warrior. "Change? Ha! I was created specifically to destroy you!" Snapped Dark Ash. Ash continued to look at his clone.
"Is that what you believe, or what Giovanni told you?" Asked Ash. Dark Ash clenched his fists and looked at the "ground". Then he looked back at Ash. "Why do you do it?" Asked Dark Ash. Ash didn't understand what Dark Ash meant. "What do you mean?" Asked Ash. "Why are you so dead set on opposing the likes of Giovanni?" Asked Dark Ash. Ash looked at him for a moment. Then he chuckled for a brief moment. "What's so funny?" Asked Dark Ash. Ash looked at the dark clone. "It's just that no one's ever asked me that question before." Responded Ash.
Becoming serious Ash looked up at the "sky". "I honestly don't know why I do it? Maybe because I know that if I don't then there won't be anyone else who will. Why did you wish to destroy me?" Asked Ash. Dark Ash looked at him, then Dark Ash put two fingers to the side of his head. "How about I show you instead?" Asked Dark Ash. Before Ash could ask what, Dark Ash meant, there was a blinding light. When the light faded Ash realized that they were suddenly somewhere else.
Ash realized that it was one of the Rainbow Rocket labs. "Where are we?" Asked Ash looking at his clone. "My memories." Explained Dark Ash. Ash realized that Dark Ash was looking at a very specific direction. Ash glanced in that direction as well. Ash's eyes widened for a moment realizing that what they were looking at was the Dark Ash of the past. He was floating in a test tube. Just then Giovanni entered the lab. "Wake him up." Instructed the Giovanni of the past.
The scientists moved around, opening the test tube. Soon the test tube was opened, causing Dark Ash to fall on the floor. Dark Ash groaned as he lifted himself off of the floor. Dark Ash stared at Giovanni and Giovanni stared back. "I had been implanted with the memories necessary so that I'd understand the situation." Explained Dark Ash. "I don't understand, what does this have to do with why you wanted to destroy me?" Asked Ash. "That is what is next to come." Explained Dark Ash.
With that the memory shined brightly as they were taken somewhere else. Ash looked around. Then he saw another past version of Dark Ash. It appeared as though the dark clone was training. "Why are we here?" Asked Ash. "This is why I wanted to destroy you." Said Dark Ash. It appeared that Dark Ash was sparing against multiple pokemon. No matter how hard he tried Dark Ash couldn't use his pokemon attacks. Because of that the clone was continually being beaten into the ground by the pokemon.
"Again." Said Giovanni after Dark Ash's most recent defeat. Dark Ash tried to get to his feet. "Get. Up." Snarled Giovanni. Dark Ash looked at the one who had created him. "Why… why are you making me do this?" Asked Dark Ash miserably. Giovanni had no pity for the clone. "Because you need to become stronger, you aren't strong enough to defeat the Ketchum boy, and until you are strong enough and destroy him I will make your life a living nightmare, am I understood?" Snapped Giovanni. The past Dark Ash looked down in self-pity.
Suddenly foot collided with Dark Ash's stomach knocking the wind out of him. Dark Ash briefly glanced up to see a menacing glare on Giovanni's face. "Am. I. Understood?" Snarled Giovanni. Having lost his ability to speak Dark Ash just shakily nodded his head. Then Giovanni grabbed the boy by the collar and pulled Dark Ash's face dangerously close to his own. "I've been told that hatred can make someone stronger, well guess what? If it's true then you should hate the Ketchum boy, after all you only exist and are suffering because of him." Said Giovanni.
Then the evil leader threw Dark Ash to the ground. Giovanni looked at two of his men. "Take him away." Said the (Ex-(?))Viridian gym leader. The grunts both did… whatever salute it was that they were supposed to do and then they dragged Dark Ash off to the room where they kept him. He just sat alone in the dark (no pun intended) just contemplating what Giovanni had told him. "So, I exist and suffer because of Ketchum huh?" The past Dark Ash asked himself aloud. The clone hugged his knees to his chest.
"If it is true that I suffer because of him then I'm just going to have to make him suffer! Then I won't be the one receiving pain and misery!" The past Dark Ash half cackled and half sobbed. Ash could only watch as he saw the past version of his clone suffer. Then he and the present Dark Ash fast forwarded to the next day. Ash watched the past version of his clone trained. Now the past Dark Ash had no remorse as he viciously beat every pokemon thrown at him into the ground. All while wearing an insane smirk on his face.
Once all the pokemon he was fighting were defeated. Giovanni walked over and did a slow clap for the past version of Ash's clone. "Very well done." Said Giovanni. The past Dark Ash looked at Giovanni with an insane look in his eye. "It's just as you said, I let my hatred take hold and now I'm unstoppable!" Cackled Dark Ash. His cackling was cut short when Giovanni landed a punch into the past version of Dark Ash's jaw. The past version of Dark Ash fell to his knees and looked at Giovanni.
Giovanni stared at the boy ruthlessly. "It appears that while you are well versed in delivering powerful strike, you are not very in depth about receiving them. It appears as though we know what our next course of training will involve." Said the evil leader. The past Dark Ash could feel his heart drop at Giovanni's words. Then the clone grimaced. "It appears that I will have to suffer even more because of Ketchum, all the more reason to hate him, which will only make me stronger."
Spoke the past version of Dark Ash. With that Giovanni took the past version of Dark Ash away. Then everything faded into white as the two returned to their original mind scape. Ash looked solemnly at Dark Ash. "I'm sorry." Was all Ash said. Dark Ash looked at the one that he had been cloned from. He didn't say anything at first but when he did finally speak he said. "Don't blame yourself, I let Giovanni twist my mind, I let myself become the monster that you fought."
"Then help me, Giovanni is the true reason that you suffered, don't you want revenge?" Asked Ash. Dark Ash chuckled grimly. "What's the point? Even if I do help you, what is there left for me? Your fiends would never trust me, I'm a monster, a creature of darkness." Said Dark Ash. Ash looked down towards the ground causing his hat to shield his eyes from view. Then he looked back up at Dark Ash. "Did you know that light and darkness are brothers?" Asked Ash. This statement confused Dark Ash.
"What do you mean? Asked the dark clone. Ash decided to elaborate. "Light isn't truly a force for good, nor is darkness a force for evil, people only label them like that because they understand the light, but can never tell what is lurking in the shadows, people fear the unknown (no not the pokemon) and they don't understand darkness, not really, but light depends on the darkness, just as darkness depends on the light, one cannot exist without the other, it is all about balance." Said the legendary warrior.
Dark Ash stared at Ash for a moment before speaking. "I didn't know it was possible to be both incredibly philosophical and deep, yet incredibly cheesy and lame at the same time." Said Dark Ash. Ash pulled a face of "Don't be a d***." But Dark Ash wasn't done talking yet. "But, thanks I appreciate it." Said Dark Ash. Ash gave small smile at his clone. "So, does that mean that you'll help me?" Asked Ash hopefully. "I'm considering it, but first I want you to answer a question for me." Replied Dark Ash.
Ash raised an eyebrow. "And what is that?" Asked Ash. Dark Ash looked at the person he was cloned from with a very serious expression. "Tell me. Tell me why do you do it?" Asked Dark Ash. Ash wasn't sure what that meant. "I don't follow." Said Ash. "Why do you risk your life? Why are you always willing to put the lives of those around you first and be a hero?" Asked Dark Ash. Ash blinked in surprise at the dark clone's question. Once recovering he did something that surprised Dark Ash.
Ash began to laugh. It was just a low chuckle at first but steadily increased in volume. Dark Ash stood there blinking with his arms crossed. Ash sighed once he was finished laughing. Dark Ash just stared at Ash. "Really?" Asked Dark Ash. Ash had a smile plastered on his face. "I'm sorry, it's just that no one has ever asked me that question before, despite everything that has happened no one has just stopped and asked me why I'm a hero." Said Ash. "Well?" Asked Dark Ash. Ash stared at his clone in surprise.
"Well what?" Asked Ash. This caused Dark Ash to fall over anime style. He then quickly jumped to his feet. "Well why do you do it!? Why are you a hero?!" Shouted Dark Ash angrilly. Ash sighed. "You want the truth? I don't like being a hero, truth be told I hate being a hero, sometimes I wish I could've pawned all this responsibility off onto someone else and have just had the chance to be a normal trainer." Said Ash. This surprised Dark Ash very much. "S-seriously?" Stammered Dark Ash.
Ash continued. "Having this power for the most part has only caused me a lot of pain and suffering, especially over the course of the last few weeks, but the thing is that even if I could give the power to someone else I wouldn't, call me cynical, call me selfish, heck, call me paranoid, but I will never and would never push this nightmare onto someone else. Destiny chose me to be a hero. So, I have to be a hero, there is nothing else to it. Honestly this job is incredibly dangerous and could kill me, heck there's no could about it, I've died and been brought back more times than I care to remember."
Dark Ash was surprised. "You've died? And then was brought back to life? Seriously?" Asked Dark Ash. Ash put two fingers to the side of his head? "Care to see?" Asked Ash. Dark Ash nodded. The world disappeared into white as Ash showed Dark Ash each and every time he sacrificed himself to help the good guys win. The time Mewtwo turned him to stone, the time drowned in the undersea temple, the time he was frozen in outer space during the episode with Victini, Zekrom, and Reshiram, and so many other times.
"Not only that I've had to stand by and watch as so many people and pokemon were hurt because the selfish ambitions of evil people." Said Ash. He showed Dark Ash the time Celebi temporarily died and the time all those people and pokemon were turned to stone by Yveltal. He also showed Dark Ash all of his battles against the evil teams. "I've seen stuff that has mentally destroyed me and given nightmares even to this day. It would be selfish to want to push that pain onto someone else." Said Dark Ash.
"So, since I can't want to pass this power and responsibility to someone else do you know what I want instead?" Asked Ash. Dark Ash nodded his head. "I want to defend those who cannot defend themselves." Said Ash. Dark Ash chuckled just a little bit. Ash turned serious. "Dark Ash, all funniness aside, I truly need your help." Said Ash. The legendary warrior stuck out his right hand towards Dark Ash. Dark Ash stared at the hand Ash had stuck out towards him, contemplating on it.
He had suffered for all of his short life because Giovanni despised Ash Ketchum. Now Dark Ash finally had a chance to change his life for the better, the chance to stop Giovanni and Team Rainbow Rocket. Dark Ash grinned broadly and grasped Ash's hand. When their hands met something amazing happened. Dark Ash's soul began to glow brightly. (Remember this essentially their minds and souls talking) The shape of the soul was beginning to change, and it seemed to become stronger.
When the glowing subsided Dark Ash's soul looked different. Now his messy hair had become a dark crimson that matched his eyes, his skin was now even paler than it was before, his jacket was mostly black with some red details and he wore purple pants with black and red shoes, even his hat had changed, he wore it backwards and it was golden down the middle with the sides being black. Dark Ash looked himself over. Ash smirked slightly. "That's a nice look, Dark Ash." Stated Ash.
Dark Ash smiled at Ash's kind words. "I think we should start calling me something else, I'm not a clone of you anymore." Said Dark Ash. Ash looked at the boy he now shared a body with. "I've got the perfect name for you." Said Ash. "Yeah and what is that?" Asked Dark Ash. "Ash smiled "Shadow." Said Dark Ash. Shadow, liked it, it rearranged the letters of Ash, and as for the other part, well that's pretty self-explanatory. Shadow nodded his head at the suggestion. Then the two of them turned towards the window to the real world.
"Well then, let's get going." Said Ash. Shadow nodded his head again. Then together, side by side, the two of them walked through the window to the real world so that they could fight together against the evil organization that wants to destroy everything and everyone that Ash ever cared about. Shadow looked at Ash. "Hey Ash?" Said the crimson haired boy. Ash turned his head to look back at him. "Yeah Shadow?" Asked Ash. Shadow smiled. "Thank you." Said Shadow. Ash smiled. Then together they walked through the window.
This is officially the longest chapter in the entire story, seriously. Now that Dark Ash, I'm sorry, Shadow, has joined the side of good it will be time for the ultimate clash. The combined strength of Ash and Shadow versus the six fusion legendary pokemon. If the good guys win, Team Rainbow Rocket will have been defeated and the world will have been saved from their insane tyranny. But if they lose… well let me put it mildly and say that everyone and thing will be screwed. It all comes down to this, this story will have probably another five or so chapters left. Then my story will finally be complete. Also on an extra positive note I've now reached over one hundred and fifty reviews for my story and I have had almost thirty-four thousand views on my story, I'm not sure if that is a lot since I don't check that kind of thing when I'm reading other people's stories, so stay tuned. That is all I need to talk about so I'm going to go now. So until next time fic fans, Nemon0416 is outta here!
