Wow, we are at chapter thirty already? I didn't expect to reach here so fast.
Well, hang around till the end and please do enjoy reading this next chapter.
Lysandre sighed heavily as he collapsed on the couch in his quarters located in the Battle Pyramid, mentally exhausted. He closed his eyes, recent events playing through his mind.
One minute everything was peaceful before it all went wrong. It happened so fast that it ended as quickly as it started. In those few moments, he had failed to do the one thing he had been sent to do in the first place.
The orange-haired man's breath became ragged as remembered those final seconds. He was so close. Only if he had been faster maybe it would have been different. Maybe he would have been able to actually save Ash.
But now he had failed and the trainer was who knows where completely defenseless at Giovanni's mercy.
Thinking of it, Lysandre's stomach churned, even more, remembering that madman also had Delia in his clutches. Giovanni had both of them and Lysandre knew he couldn't do a thing, not knowing even where to start looking. He didn't even know how Giovanni knew that they were here in the first place.
"You can thank Team Flare's leader for that."
That single line kept echoing through his throbbing head. If Lysandre remembered correctly it was one of the Team Rainbow Rocket agents, Butch, mentioned it.
But what did he mean by that?
How could he be the reason their location was discovered?
Did that mean it was his fault from the start?
That Ash was only captured because of him?
If so, how!?
Groaning, Lysandre buried his head in hands. Never in his life had he ever felt so frustrated. Not even when he was still Team Flare's leader had the man had such trouble when encountering obstacles, even during their experiments on Z1 and Z2 there had been some indication on what to do, thanks to his scientists such as Xerosic.
But now?
He felt useless.
And he hated it.
Lysandre flinched as he lifted his head up, pain suddenly spiking from his left hand. Looking at it he blinked, confused. Even through his leather glove, the man could see it was swollen and throbbing, the fabric around his raw knuckles were torn with fresh blood still dripping from the wounds.
Hmm, maybe punching the ground in anger after Ash was captured might not have been the smartest thing to do.
Carefully slipping the glove off, Lysandre began experimentally closing and opening his hand. It worked perfectly, just sore and a little numb. From what he could tell, it wasn't broken probably just sprant. He would have to put some ice on it later just to get the swelling down. Shaking his head, the man was about to slip the glove back when something on it caught his eye.
A small flashing red light, barely visible. Frowning, Lysandre squinted his eyes taking a closer look at it, wondering what could it be. His eyes widened as realization hit him like a train.
'That bastard! When I get my hands on Giovanni!'
A murderous and deep growl escaped Lysandre's gritted teeth as he glared venomously at the tracker on the leather black glove. Ripping it off, the man held the small device between his fingers feeling pure hatred towards it, wanting to so badly crush it to pieces.
The only thing stopping him from doing so was that he knew it could possibly be the only thing to help find out where Ash might have been taken. This tracker was sending a signal to the source of all madness and Lysandre was going to find out where it was, no matter what.
"Ah, Ash so nice to have you back with us. Do you like what I did to Aether Paradise?" Giovanni grinned as he watched as the raven-haired boy was forced forward into his office, in handcuffs while Butch and Cassidy held the struggling kid in place.
Ash didn't reply, just glaring at Giovanni and kept squirming trying to get out of the iron grasps that were holding him. But, inwardly, he was appalled at what the man had done to the place. He was frightened, wondering what his so-called father had done with everyone, including his friends and Lusamine. The only thing that comforted Ash was that he was bargaining on the fact that Giovanni didn't know about his aura. With little training he received from Lucario, Ash knew he could still probably escape when he got the chance. All he needed to do was keep quiet and everything would most likely go smoothly.
However, Giovanni's grin became a mocking expression of sympathy, "Aww what's wrong my dear son? Did I interrupt your little aura lessons?" Ash's eyes went wide, his idea for a surprise escape already ruined, "H-how did you?"
Giovanni laughed, "You can thank Lysandre for that, Ash. He doesn't exactly keep a low profile when talking to his friend, Mewtwo. It's a pity though I can't still use them both. Especially with Project Nucleas and after the war. They would have been very helpful. But they are no further use to me being so soft." He stared at Ash intesinesly, "I suppose you will have to do."
By now, the raven-haired trainer wasn't even listening, just too confused. How does Giovanni still even remember Mewtwo? Didn't the Pokémon wipe his memories? And what did he mean Lysandre was talking to him? Ash only saw Mew when at the Battle Pyramid so when did the man talk to Mewtwo? And how did even Giovanni know about it in the first place?
All these questions were giving Ash a headache.
"Anyways, we have much to discuss," began Giovanni, excitedly rubbing his hands together and snapping Ash out of his train of thought, "Are you ready to learn how to be the future leader of Team Rainbow Rocket, Ash?"
Ash's scowled, disgusted by the idea. He was ready to protest when the doors of the office shot open with a loud bang and a large grunt dressed in a black uniform burst through, "Boss!"
"What now!?" snapped Giovanni, not happy that the conversation was interrupted. The grunt flinched before soluting the dark-haired man, "Ghetsis has some news from Unova. They encountered some people that tried to disrupt their operations. He has successfully captured and sent them to us. We just received them and they are waiting outside, sir."
"Friends of yours, Ash?" Raising an eyebrow at the boy, the man turned around and tilted his head to the side, gaze drilling into trainer obviously expecting an answer. However, Ash just kept silent, glaring defiantly at the man in front of him.
Seeing he wasn't getting an answer, Giovanni turned to the grunt, "Bring them in." The grunt nodded, "Yes sir." He turned on his heels while gesturing to someone outside of the office to come in, "Ya heard him."
"Serena." Ash's stomach flipped in dread seeing the honey-blonde girl being roughly dragged forward in chains along with Professor Kukui, Burnet and Meowth. Serena, hearing the boy's voice, stopped fighting against the grunt holding her and looked forward, relief washed over her seeing him, "Ash!"
She tried to step towards him but the large grunt from behind grabbed her arm and yanked her backwards, twisting it in his grasp ignorant of the pain he caused her, "Not so fast ya little brat."
"Don't touch her!" Ash's aura flared up in an instant, a blue glow surrounding his body. However, as he tried to use it to break free of his restraints his aura suddenly fizzled out, the glow disappearing and leaving him exhausted, panting for breath. The boy gritted his teeth trying to use his aura again and again but the result was the same, nothing.
"W-why can't I?" Giovanni, who was silently watching the scene playout, grinned hideously, enjoying being able to toy with the trainer that had caused him so much trouble, "Wondering why you can't use your little aura trick, Ash? Let me put this simply, those cuffs around your wrists absorbs any energy source used against it, including aura. So if I were you I would save my breath, Ash."
"Leave the twerp alone!" exclaimed Meowth, glaring at his former boss, so badly wishing he could use his Fury Swipes. Giovanni's gaze moved to the normal type and his expression immediately fell into a displeased snarl, "Oh, one of the traitors to Team Rainbow Rocket I see. I should get rid of you right on the spot for deserting," Giovanni paused before chuckling, "But what's the fun of just killing one of you? Maybe later I should get Agent Phantom to get those two other bafoons and bring them here just so I can end all three of you idiots at the same time."
The man revelled seeing horror flash across the Pokemon's face. Oh, how he wanted to enjoy this longer but he knew it was time to stop playing around and get down to business. Looking back to the raven-haired boy, Giovanni smirked, "Ash, I must say I was surprised when I found out that you can wield aura in the first place. It just extends my usefulness for you. The possibilities to manipulate such power are endless my boy."
"What are you getting at Giovanni?!" demanded Ash, tensing and not liking where the conversation was going.
"Uh, uh, uh," tutted the man waving his finger in a scolding manner, "Don't be so demanding my dear son. You might be my heir but that doesn't give you the right to be so rude." Ash could only sneer at Giovanni, dispising the way he was being talked to.
"I am sure you told your little friends that I want to create war," continued the leader of Team Rainbow Rocket, "And what I want to do afterwards."
"He did you monster!" coldly snapped Professor Kukui, overcome with rage. Why would anyone want a war!? Just so they could rule the world!? It made him feel sick to his core. It didn't help the fact that Giovanni was Ash's father and wanted to use the kid like some tool. He so badly wanted to take his family and run away as far as possible to safety but the chains around his hands reminded him that he was powerless against this villain.
Giovanni laughed, amused by the man's outburst, "A monster? Oh no, I see myself more as an opportunist who wants nothing more than to take advantage of the spoils of war."
"Even if it means innocent lives get hurt because of it!?" demanded Professor Kukui, clenching his hands into tight fists. Giovanni carelessly shrugged, unphased by the question, "Sacrifices have to be made sometimes. No matter the circumstances."
Ignoring the revolting stares he was receiving, Giovanni continued talking, "As I was saying, Ash, I believe that your aura could be a great asset to Team Rainbow Rocket. Especially after the war, I can see it coming in very handy in controlling those who want to resist becoming part of my empire."
"I won't help you with anything!" Ash roared, kicking his legs uselessly in the air. Giovanni tilted his head to the side, giving the boy a simple smile, "Even if it means costing the lives of all your friends and everyone in Aether Foundation?"
"What?" The kid stopped, his whole body going rigid with fear, "You heard me, Ash. They are no use to me and all I need to do is give the command. You either help me willingly or everyone you love will suffer painfully."
"Don't do it Ash!" yelled Serena, struggling against the grunts holding her, "Plea-mph!" From behind her mouth was suddenly covered by a large gloved hand belonging to one of the guards. He growled into her ear threateningly, "Shut up. This isn't your decision." His sharp nails began digging into her skin, causing the girl to flinch.
The boy swallowed heavily, gazing over to his friends in the room, each of them looking at him in a silent plea not to agree. As the trainer's eyes met Serena's, they stared at each other. Her light blue eyes practically begging him, almost looking on the verge of crying. Seeing her like this made something inside him twist in agony, knowing what he had to do.
He couldn't get his friends hurt. They couldn't be hurt because of him or even worse killed. He had to protect them no matter the cost. Like he had always done.
With a heavy heart, Ash looked away from her and dropped his shoulders in defeat while staring up at Giovanni, the dark-haired man patiently awaiting for an answer. Taking a deep breath, the trainer nodding his head, "Okay I will help you."
And that is a wrap of this chapter!
I know it was lacking in action and was short but don't worry the next couple of chapters are going to make up for that.
How? You will have to wait and see.
Anyways, I hope that you all enjoyed reading this chapter and please do review afterwards. Until next time, that is all for now folks.
Petrolhead1 shifting away
