Chapter 32: The Truth and the Saving
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon and I didn't create Pokemon Reborn
Ash and Pikachu glared at Cal, with Pikachu's cheeks sparking while looked unfazed by their glare.
After about a minute, Cal glanced at Ash's left arm and saw a bit of metal, "It seems that you didn't come out completely unscathed." Cal told Ash.
Ash narrowed his eyes even more, "Yeah! Because of you and your boss!" Ash shouted.
"PIKA!" Pikachu shouted as well.
Cal turned his head down slightly, "You're right. What happened was my fault." Cal admitted with sadness, guilt and anger, most likely at himself and clasping both of his fists.
Ash and Pikachu stared at Cal for a bit, "So, why are you here?" Ash asked wanting to know what Cal wants with him.
Cal turned to him, "I want to talk to you." Cal answered.
Ash and Pikachu lowered their heads slightly, not letting down their guard, "About what?" Ash asked in suspicion.
Cal sighed sadly as he closed his eyes before opening them and looked at the pair, "About what was supposed to happen at the Mountain." Cal answered in a serious tone.
Ash and Pikachu were surprised by his answer but confused as well, "What's that supposed to happen?" Ash asked confused.
"Pika, pika?" Pikachu added on just as confused.
Cal nodded before he looked at the dark and cloudy sky, "You see I never wanted any of what happened to actually occur." Cal started to explain.
"You didn't want any of it to happen?! You joined Team Meteor!" Ash shouted.
Cal continued to look at the sky, "True. But there was only one reason why I joined them." Cal replied.
Ash raised an eyebrow, "What reason." Ash asked.
"Because my brother is a part of them." Cal answered.
Ash and Pikachu were surprised when they heard that, "I've told you before, that I spent my whole life trying to outshine Blake, my brother. About 2 years ago I discovered he joined Team Meteor. So, I joined them only to ruin him." Cal explained.
Ash narrowed his eyes, "But did you know what you were getting yourself into when you joined them?!" Ash asked.
"Of course, I did, but I was blinded by my rage and hatred at my brother. When Solaris offered me a chance to outshine my brother, to make me stronger. I accepted his offer, but after I met Kiki, I told Solaris that I'll continue being a member if he agrees to leave Kiki's island and everyone on it alone and he agreed." Cal answered.
Ash clasped his fist, "But what does that have to do about what was supposed to happen at the mountain?" Ash asked.
Cal sighed sadly before turning back at Ash, "When I heard that Solaris was to destroy Apophyll Academy by using a PULSE Machine that will make the volcano erupt, I was shocked and filled with rage by this. I confronted him about our agreement, but he didn't care, and he told me that he was going to destroy it no matter what. I wasn't about to let that happen, so without anyone knowing I installed a program into the PULSE machine." Cal explained.
Ash and Pikachu turned to each other surprised, before they turned back, "What kind of program?" Ash asked.
"When the PULSE would go critical, the program would overload the system. It would cause the machine to self-destruct and blow up." Cal answered in a serious tone.
Ash and Pikachu's eyes wide open in shock when they heard that, "All I had to do was to stall all of you long enough for the machine to blow up. I knew that your battle with Solaris would create a long enough diversion to power up the machine, everything was going as planned . . . what I didn't expect was Kiki showing up despite her sickness." Cal continued.
Ash and Pikachu said nothing but continued to listen to Cal's story.
"When Solaris ordered me to stop her Medicham and kill it I couldn't disobey otherwise it would run the risk exposing about my betrayal and eventually learned that I sabotaged the PULSE." Cal explained.
Ash understood why Cal did what he did, "You couldn't risk exposing yourself in front of Solaris, because you knew that if you did he would kill Victoria as well as Kiki and he would make you watch them die and they would try again to destroy the Academy." Ash replied.
Cal nodded in response, "Yeah, but when I saw Solaris was about to kill Kiki, he I couldn't take it anymore, so I left and I'm a rouge agent now." Cal finished.
Ash and Pikachu didn't say anything for a bit, Ash and Cal stood there in silence for a bit until Cal broke with a sigh, "Regardless you saved Kiki and I'm forever grateful for that and I'm sorry about your arm. I understand if you don't believe me." Cal told Ash as he looked down.
Ash stared at Cal, "No . . . I believe you." Ash replied.
To say Cal was surprised would be an understatement as he turned to Ash, "Y-You believe me?!" Cal asked shocked.
Ash nodded in response, "Yes I do. Because I doubt that you came all the way out here and waited for me to simply to tell lies. But if I had to guess you were hoping to run into Victoria correct?" Ash asked.
Cal nodded in response, "I know that you didn't want anything to happen but, on the mountain, but when Kiki showed up and it limited your options. You had no choice, you were also forced to make an impossible choice, to either destroy their trust in you and to save them or to let Solaris kill them, causing you to blame yourself and watch as Solaris destroys Kiki's legacy." Ash continued.
Cal sighed before he nodded, "That's pretty much it." Cal replied.
Ash nodded, "While I do believe you, it will take some time to trust you again." Ash explained with Pikachu nodding in agreement.
"I was expecting that. One more thing." Cal told Ash.
"Yeah?" Ash asked.
"I saw you and Victoria kissing each other. I assume that you two are dating right." Cal asked in a serious tone.
"Yes, we are." Ash replied.
After about 10 seconds Cal gave a small smile, "Then take care of her. She deserves someone that will look after and trusts her. Can you do that?" Cal asked.
"I swear on my life that I'll protect her from anything and everything that intends to hurt her." Ash swore in a serious tone.
Cal's smile grew a bit and nodded, "Good. One day I'll tell Victoria the truth. But for now, there's something I got to do. I hope we meet again. Until then." Cal replied as he turned and walked away.
Once he was out of sight Pikachu turned to Ash, "Pika, Pika. Pikachu." Pikachu told Ash making Ash turn to his partner.
"I'm fine buddy and I think Cal needs to find himself. As for us let's save those children." Ash replied making Pikachu nod in response as Ash ran towards Opal Bridge.
Once he was there, he walked underneath and saw Victoria, her Pikachu and Cain trying to move some of the smaller rocks out of the way while Victoria's Incineroar and Cain's Nidoking are moving some of the larger ones out of the way.
"Hey guy!" Ash called out making everyone stop what they were doing, turned and saw Ash and Pikachu.
Victoria and her Pikachu smiled, "Ash! / Pika!" Victoria and her Pikachu shouted as they ran to them as Ash's Pikachu jumped off his shoulder.
Victoria hugged Ash with Ash returning the hug and it's the same with the Pikachu's.
Soon Ash and Victoria broke the hug, "I'm glad you're ok." Victoria said in relief.
Ash smiled, "Thanks Vicky." Ash replied.
Ash broke the hug and turned to Cain, "I got the badge." Ash told Cain making him nod in response.
"They probably told you that I ran away." Cain replied annoyed as he turned around not facing them and crossed his arms.
Both Pikachu's jumped on their trainer's shoulder as everyone stared at him, "(Sigh) The reason I ran away was because I need to get away from my mom." Cain told the pair.
Ash, Victoria, both Pikachu and Incineroar were surprised while Nidoking looked sadly at his trainer.
"She's wasn't the happiest with the way I turned out to be. (Sigh) She told me that I reminded her too much of dad and he wasn't the nicest person. She also wasn't too happy about the choices I made about people who I had fun with, and she told me that she never wanted a boy." Cain explained the pair.
Everyone was shocked by this, "Cain . . . I'm, I'm so sorry." Ash apologized.
Cain shrugged his shoulders as he sighed and looked up slightly, "Don't be. It's not your fault. All she's doing is living in the past. That's the reason why I left." Cain replied before he turned back to the raven hair trainers.
He took a few steps forward, "While I was out. I learned what's it like to have freedom. It can be a scary thing especially when you're young. It's why I'm trying to set Heather right otherwise she might end up like me." Cain continued.
Ash and Victoria nodded in response, "Well let's go and save them." Ash told making everyone nod in response.
"Lead the way." Victoria replied.
"We'll be right behind you." Cain added on.
Ash walked up as he took out a Poke Ball, "Infernape I choose you!" Ash shouted as Infernape appeared on his knuckles and feet.
Infernape turned his head towards Ash, "You know what to do." Ash told Infernape making him nod in response before turning back at the pile of boulders.
Infernape stood on his feet, closed his eyes, he slid his right foot clockwise across the ground until it was at the back, as he waved his right arm in the same pattern as his foot as he clasped his right fist and the fire crown grew slightly.
After a minute of silence Infernape shot his eyes wide open and swung his right fist forward. He slammed it into one boulder sending it flying and many other boulders followed that one until a path was made.
Everyone was shocked by this, "A-amazing. Remind to thank Kiki for teaching Infernape this." Ash told Victoria.
"Sure. Don't worry." Victoria replied as she and Cain returned their Pokemon and Infernape lead to way clearing more boulders with the trainers following him.
Soon Infernape cleared the last pile of boulders revealing the door, "And here we are. Back to where we began." Cain explained.
Ash nodded, "Thanks Infernape." Ash thanked Infernape as he returned him, putting the Poke Ball away, turned to Victoria and Cain.
"Let's go." Ash told the pair making them nod as they walked through the door.
Once inside they saw a set of stairs and the tracks followed underneath a door, "Hmm, this can't be right." Cain said as he walked up to the door.
He grabbed the handle, but it wouldn't budge, "Thought so it's locked." Cain told the pair as he turned to the pair before he turned to the stairs.
Ash and Victoria turned to the stairs as well, "They must've gone this way." Victoria said as all of them ran up the stairs.
Once they reached the top it led to a room.
They walked outside where they were back at Obsidia Ward, "We're outside again." Ash said confused.
They saw that two massive holes in the ground preventing them from leaving unless you have a Flying type.
Ash turned and saw a building that had some smashed windows and parts of the sign are hanging on by a thread, "Could they be in there?" Ash asked making Victoria and Cain turn to where Ash was pointing.
"That's the Yureyu Building. It was nearly destroyed due to an earthquake." Cain replied.
"But it can serve as a great hideout. It's big and there's a lot of places to hide." Victoria added on.
Ash nodded before he turned to the pair, "Alright my plan is that we strike at night. That was we have cover and we'll use the element of surprise to our advantage." Ash told the pair making them nod in response.
"So, for now we wait." Ash continued.
Timeskip
It was now night-time as Ash, Victoria and Cain stood outside the Yureyu Building, "Alright if you guys are ready?" Ash asked making them nod in response.
Ash opened the door, peaked inside and saw no one, "It's clear." Ash whispered as they all walked in with Ash slowly closing the door behind them.
Once they were inside, they noticed how the place is a mess and the lights are flicking on and off for about 10 seconds.
Victoria grabbed Ash's right arm a bit scared by their surroundings.
Ash turned to his girlfriend, "It's fine Vicky. I'm here." Ash reassured Victoria making her smile and nod in response.
"Alright, well let's start climbing. We're bound to found them eventually." Cain suggested making the pair nod in response.
Soon all three trainers ran up some stairs they battled some Meteor Grunts. They saw a computer monitor, Ash turned it off as it said, '3F Gate Open'.
They continued to run upstairs until they ran down a hallway, they turned and what they saw shocked them down and horrified them.
Two Meteor Grunts are holding Shelly by her arms with the one on the right holding a knife that is next to her neck.
"SHELLY!" Ash shouted in shock and rage.
"A-Ash, Vi-Victoria, C-Cain. I'm s-sacred. P-please help m-me." Shelly pleaded to them terrified and with tears falling from her eyes.
"One more step and she'll get a new hole in her throat." The right male grunt threatened as he brought the knife closer to her neck.
Ash and Victoria were horrified, while both Pikachu sparked their cheeks but can't do anything because they'll kill her.
"You wouldn't hurt such a sweet and innocent girl, would you?" Cain asked.
"Yes, we would. Boss's orders. If anyone tries to get close, we split her throat. If you leave, we'll forget this happened." The other one replied.
Ash growled at this, "A-Ash d-don't worry a-about me. J-just save t-the others." Shelly told them.
Everyone is shocked by this, "No way! I'm not leaving you!" Ash shouted.
"A-Ash don't fo-forget that I-I'm not t-the only o-one here. You still ha-have to sa-save the others. P-Please for m-me." Shelly requested.
Ash growled as he clasped his fists tighter, "I'll come back!" Ash shouted as he ran away with Victoria and Cain saying something similar as they followed him.
The two grunts turned to each other and smirked in victory by the fact they left.
They didn't realize that Ash is peeking around the corner and glaring at them.
Soon he turned his head facing Cain and Victoria, "What are we going do? We can't leave poor Shelly alone!" Victoria shouted as a whisper.
"I know. But I have a plan." Ash replied as all huddled together as they whispered.
The two grunts were still holding Shelly's arms preventing her from escaping, "Hey boys!" Cain shouted as he walked out of the corner with a smirk and he winked at them.
"Didn't you understand, we'll do it!" The left grunt shouted holding the knife against her throat again.
Ash walked out of the corner with Pikachu still on his shoulder, "I know, which is why going to make you guys an offer." Ash told the pair making them narrow their eyes at him.
"What kind of offer?" The left one asked.
"You let her go and I'll give myself up." Ash replied.
Shelly gasped as she heard that, "No Ash! You can't!" Shelly shouted without stuttering.
Ash turned to Shelly, "I promised that I wouldn't let anything happen to you again and I intend on keeping that promise." Ash replied.
Shelly's eyes widen with a fresh batch of tears rolling down her eyes.
The two Meteor Grunts stared at each other for a bit, before they nodded and turned back to Ash, "Sure you got yourself a deal. But first drop all of your Poke Balls." The right one ordered as Ash took out his six Poke Balls and dropped them on the ground.
"Ash are you sure about this?" Cain asked.
Ash nodded without hesitation, "Yes I am." Ash replied.
The two grunts smirked, "Now let her go." Ash ordered.
The two grunts chuckled evilly, "As if. There a thing such as lying." The right one replied.
Ash's expression didn't, "What a coincidence. I lied to, NOW!" Ash shouted as two figures jumped up and over the wall, one landed on a table behind the right one while a larger second figure landed behind the left one.
The smaller one held a purple energy sword against his neck with the other one held a green energy blade against his neck.
"WHAT THE!?" The grunts shouted as they turned to their attackers, the right one was Ash's shiny Sneasel while the other one was a normal coloured Gallade.
Ash walked up to them, "Let her go. Or else they'll end you." Ash ordered.
Scared for their lives they released their grip on Shelly.
She ran up to Ash, hugged him for dear life, as she started to cry, with the tears falling on his stomach. Ash returned the hug, "T-thank (Sob) s-s-s-so m-much (Sob) b-b-bro-brother." Shelly thanked Ash in between sobs.
Ash bent down to her level while not breaking the hug, "I'm sorry I took so long. But I'm here now and I'll never leave you." Ash replied warmly.
Shelly looked up at Ash and nodded her head as they broke the hug. She noticed Ash's left hand harder than the right one, she lifted his sleeve and saw his arm replaced by a machinal one.
Shelly gasped at the sight, "Wh-what happened to your?!" Shelly asked in shock by this.
Ash frowned, "I'll tell you later." Ash answered.
Ash then turned and saw Victoria walking up to them, "Take care of her." Ash told Victoria making her nod in response as she grabbed Shelly's right hand and walked her away.
Ash glared at the two grunts, "You know if I'm as cold and heartless as you people I would've killed you myself." Ash told them in a murderous tone.
The two grunts started to sweat like crazy by how Ash sounded, "But, you're lucky I'm not. So, instead (Snap)." Ash snapped his right fingers as Sneasel and Gallade merely knocked them out by smashing their heads with the end of their attacks.
Sneasel and Gallade released the Grunts allowed them to flop on the ground, "Thanks, you two." Ash returned Sneasel and Gallade.
"Right let's go." Cain suggested making them nod in response.
They caught up to the girls as Ash handed Victoria her Gallade, "Thanks for letting me borrow Gallade." Ash thanked Victoria making her nod in response.
"No worries." Victoria replied as Ash led the way again with Victoria as well as Shelly at the centre and Cain is at the back.
Soon they walked down a hallway, they saw a room, turned and saw three figures.
Two Meteor Grunts, one male, one female and Charlotte. All three of them are sitting down with Charlotte sitting across the Grunts.
Charlotte turned and saw everyone, "Well about time you showed up!" Charlotte shouted annoyed.
The two Meteor Grunts turned and saw the gang causing Shelly to hide behind Ash, with Ash, Victoria and Cain in a battle stance.
The Grunts stood up, "Don't move otherwise we'll split her throat!" The male grunt shouted.
Charlotte turned to them, "Really guys? You're still going on about that?" Charlotte asked sarcastically as she crossed her arms.
The Grunts turned to her, "W-Well uhh . . . that's what the boss said to say, so . . ." The male Grunt replied as both Grunts sweat dropped.
Ash, Victoria and Cain were confused by the sudden change in tone by them, "Your boss Sirius, right? Let's put that on hold for a second and meet my friends." Charlotte replied as she turned to Ash and his friends.
"This is Ash, the girl behind Ash is Shelly, the purple-hair princess is Cain and I have no idea who the other one is." Charlotte introduced Ash's group.
"My name's Victoria." Victoria replied with her guard still up.
Charlotte nodded, "I see. Nice to meet you Vic." Charlotte greeted as she turned to the grunts.
"Everyone meet Simon and Tara." Charlotte introduced the Grunts.
The Grunts turned to Ash, "Yeah we've meet." Simon replied as he narrowed his eyes slightly at Ash.
"Yeah. I'm still annoyed when you defeated us." Tara added ono just as annoyed.
"To be fair you probably started that on your o- . . .wait, wait, wait! Charlotte are you telling us that you made friends with Team Meteor?!" Cain shouted.
Charlotte turned to him and shrugged her shoulders, "Why not? They're people too. They just happen to be on different sides then you." Charlotte answered.
"Yours as well!" Ash shouted furious by the fact that Charlotte made friends with people who belong on the same team who tried to kill Shelly.
Charlotte tilted her head slightly to the right, "True. But it beats being tied up." Charlotte replied.
Simon turned to Charlotte, "You know . . . we can't exactly let you go right?" Simon asked.
Charlotte turned to them, "True, Ash, princess will you do the honour?" Charlotte asked.
Timeskip
Ash and Cain defeated Simon and Tara without too much trouble, "Great, now you have an excuse." Charlotte told the pair not moving from her spot.
"Argh, why can't you tell your friends to stop being good?" Simon asked.
Charlotte turned to them, "Well, how about you lot stop being bad?" Charlotte asked.
"Yeah, she's right. Why don't you guys leave Team Meteor?" Victoria asked.
Simon sighed, "We can't." Simon replied.
"Why not?" Charlotte asked as she shook her head slightly.
"Because when Team Meteor successes, the world we be remade into a new one." Tara answered.
"What will happen to this world?" Ash asked.
"It will vanish. We know what Team Meteor does is wrong, but when the world is remade into a new one. All of the pain will never have existed." Simon answered.
"So, in other words. The end will justify the means." Charlotte replied.
"Exactly!" Simon shouted.
"Cool. Well, see ya later guys." Charlotte replied as she stood up and walked towards Ash's group.
Simon and Tara were shocked by this. Charlotte turned back to them, "Don't give me that look. It's not like you guys can do anything anyway." Charlotte replied making them grumble annoyed knowing that this is true.
Charlotte turned back to them, "Well let's get the others." Charlotte replied as they continued to run up the building.
They ran upstairs and saw Noel sitting on a bed inside a cage, "Noel!" Ash shouted.
Noel snapped his head up a bit, turned and saw everyone. He ran and grabbed the bars, "Ash, Cain and everyone!" Noel shouted in joy and relief.
"Hey you lot! You're not supposed to be here!" A voice shouted making everyone turn to the right and saw two male grunts running towards them.
These Grunts were different, these two have the same matching cloths, the basic design of the cloths were the same but they are wearing black coats that are unbutton, the sleeves have a pattern on them, they are wearing a grey shirt, with matching pants with a black belt, black boots, the thing that stuck out the most was that they had three metal hooks with three Poke Balls on them and they merge into one that is wrapped around their right arm.
"You're keeping them cages? Real classy." Charlotte told the grunts with sarcasm.
"Why would this place have cages anyway?" Victoria asked.
"You may have heard that it was an earthquake that destroyed this place, right?" The first Grunt asked.
"Yeah. What about it?" Victoria asked.
Ash narrowed his eyes, "It wasn't an earthquake that destroyed the place. We took control of it." The Grunt answered earning surprised looks from Cain, Victoria, Noel and Charlotte, while Ash's glared grew.
"And now you can join the brat in a cage." The second Grunt said as he released a Beedrill while the first one released a Whirlipede.
Charlotte stepped to the front, "I'll handle these losers. I've been itching to pay them back for kidnapping me." Charlotte explained as she turned her head to Ash.
"You go on ahead and save Anna and Heather. I'll burn these guys to a pile ash, and I'll get Noel out of that cage when I'm done." Charlotte continued before she turned to them, threw two Poke balls, releasing a Kanto Ninetails and a Delphox.
"Thank you." Ash replied as he turned to Shelly.
"Stay here, things will get messy up there and I want you to stay here." Ash told Shelly making her nod in response as she hid behind Charlotte.
Ash and the others ran around them and upstairs.
When they reached the top, they saw Sigmund with his Electivire out and Heather is sitting on a bed still with same dead expression on her face.
Ash growled, "SIGMUND!" Ash shouted making him and Electivire turn, saw Ash, Cain and a girl that he hasn't met before.
"I knew that you would show up." Sigmund with his gaze focused towards Ash.
"And I would have thought that you'd turn yourself in!" Ash shouted.
"Well you thought wrong. I'll admit, it was fortunate that Sirius came along with this 'Team Meteor' and offered to help recapture my fugitives. And all he wanted in exchange was a ring that this girl has . . . I believe it was called the Ruby Ring." Sigmund explained.
Ash's eyes widen, "Damn it!" Ash thought to himself.
"After that I held her here, for questioning, but it seems that is not proving so easy, considering she's not saying a word and is quite as a Pichu." Sigmund continued as he turned his head to Heather.
"That's because of you, electrocuting her!" Cain shouted.
Sigmund turned his head back towards them, "The loss of speech is not the result of Electro – convulsion therapy. She's lost the ability to speak of her own free will." Sigmund replied.
"That doesn't make it right, for you to be doing something like this on children!" Victoria shouted.
"The truth of the matter is I do not care what you think. All I want to know is." Sigmund replied as he turned and stared directly at Ash.
"Ash, do you intend to fight me and to take her back?" Sigmund asked.
"Yes, it if means getting her away from someone like you!" Ash answered immediately.
Sigmund closed his eyes as he sighed, before opening them and turned to him, "Then so be it. Musharna and Drampa appear!" Sigmund shouted as the Unova Psychic Pokemon and the Alolan Normal and Dragon Pokemon appeared.
Ash stepped forward, "I got this, Sneasel and Hawlucha I choose you!" Ash shouted Sneasel and Hawlucha appeared with sparkles appearing around Sneasel.
All Pokemon glared at each other with Sigmund and Ash glared at each other as well. Both ready for an all-out battle.