Chapter 99 – The voice in the darkness
Mossdeep Space Centre…
"…This is the Centurion!"
Pikachu found holographic image beamed onto the table almost mesmerising. A strange compilation of green complex shapes spinning around and around in a circle above his head.
"Pika."
He followed it's movements, moving his head at the same speed. So taken by it was he that he almost missed what commander Willard said next…
"Its design is based on the Mega evolution of Salamence. The engines and propulsion system is contained here in the body. The wings are comprised entirely of solar panels. These four turrets protruding from the head contain the crew's living quarters and other facilities. These fins contain the two flight decks. Primary in the left. Secondary in the right. The head rotates so as to create a centrifugal force within the turrets and fins. Simulated gravity."
"Pikachu!" around and around the hologram went. It was almost hypnotic. Pikachu felt his eyelid becoming heavy.
"Now the kidnapped Pokémon would have been kept in one of these five chambers…"
The holographic image changed, from a diagram of the entire vessel to a three dimensional blow up of the mega salamence's head, with its schematics visible inside. A green light appeared in five parts of the hologram, highlight five rooms; two in each of the fins and one in a turret on the lower left hand side.
"…These holds contain the status chambers. Passengers and general staff in the main hold down here in turret C. Crew in the chambers in the fins. And then finally these smaller chambers behind the flight deck are where we house the power source."
"The power source," asked Samus.
Willard's response brought Pikachu back down to earth…
"The Centurion is powered by infinite energy, the life force of Pokémon. The intention is to keep the Pokémon who provide their aura in status pods in these two chambers. As you can see from the framework the chambers are connected directly to the engine…"
"PIKA."
"What!"
"You're kidding."
Pikachu found himself on his all fours, growling at Willard, his fur bristling and a spark of electricity flying around his cheeks.
He wasn't the only one seemingly angered by this information. Cameron and Jimmy both let out outraged exclamations, while Typhlosion, Lucario and Nova seethed with anger. Nova was bearing his teeth.
"Are you telling us that your spaceship steals Pokémon's life energy," Cameron demanded. "That's That's monstrous."
Willard's eyes narrowed. "I did just explain this. Aura is the most powerful force known to man. This vessel was designed to travels decades between stars. We had to find a way of powering it for prolonged periods time."
"It's designed to be extremely in using aura," added one of the other Space Centre personnel gathered around the table. A small woman wearing a white lab coat and dark sunglasses. "It doesn't kill the Pokémon or even particularly weaken them. Depending on the Pokémon's aura, it may only use between twenty to forty percent."
Cameron raised an eyebrow. "May only use."
"Admittedly it might be up to ninety percent with weaker Pokémon."
BANG… Jimmy slammed his fist on the table. "You shouldn't be using any of the Pokémon aura at all. They're living beings not your batteries. I expect this from team rocket."
"We don't have to justify ourselves to children or Pokémon," snapped another of the adults, just as angrily.
Pikachu recognised him at the one who had tried to have him thrown from the room earlier. It made him even madder and he flicked his ear with irritation. How he longed to electrocute the man. To strike all the terrible, selfish humans at this table with his thunderbolt.
"This bickering is pointless," said Samus. "It won't help the Pokémon on the Centurion. Willard, how do we get them off there."
"There's a long range laser communication system we use to communicate with the vessel," the commander replied. "It can be used to give commands to the onboard computer while the crew are in hyper sleep. We can use that to turn the centurion around and bring it back to earth!"
[Pokémon]
Meanwhile…
"…Anything…"
Ash felt as though his heart has stopped beating. He moved his hands away from his eyes and looked up. No longer crying. The only thing he could see were the lights of the Pokémon Centre across the street. Hadn't he just heard….
"Hello," he said, his voice trembling. "Who's there."
There was no reply…
'Must have been my imagination,' Ash thought to himself. Then…
"…You are prepared to pay any price too attain what your heart desires…"
He had definitely heard it this time. A voice speaking to him from out of the darkness.
He started to turn his head to look over his shoulder, but the voice spoke again.
"…Don't turn around…"
Ash turned back to face the Pokémon centre, his heart thumping in his chest. "W-who are you?"
"…Someone who can give you what it is you seek…for a price…Don't turn around…"
Ash had, instinctively, tried to look over his shoulder again.
"…Don't look at me…If you look at me, you will die…"
A chill ran down Ash's spine at these words and he stared down at his knees. "W-what do you mean. W-what I want?"
"I know where it is the humans have taken your kit…I could take you to him…"
Ash's heart skipped a beat. For the first time since the beach he felt, just a little hopeful. "Y-you. You know where Ashachu is?"
"…Yes, oh yes…I know where your kit is…"
"Where?" whispered Ash. He was having to fight the urge to look around. His breath quicker his heart felt like it was trying to burst out of his chest.
"…In a place far away beyond these realms…To the other side of the doorway…"
That didn't sound too good. "I-I don't under," Ash begun, until his mind presented him with the image of an object in the sky. A white vortex like…A tunnel to everywhere an nowhere. "Wait. Do you mean to tell me hey took him. They took Ashachu into an Ultra Wormhole?"
"…You are quite the perceptive one…"
"And. And you can take me there," said Ash. "Though an ultra wormhole to where Ashachu is…"
"…Perhaps…But first I need something from you…"
"What," asked Ash. "What do you need?"
"…I need the Cosmotter…I need your other pup…"
"Geyser? Wh-why do you need Geyser?"
"…Because…The Cosmotter is the key that shall open the door…DON'T TURN AROUND…"
The voice became louder and Ash notice a distinct note of menace. For the third time he forced himself to look back down at his knees.
"…Ash…I'm so close to your know…I could touch you…"
"If-if I bring you Geyser. You won't hurt him will you?" Ash couldn't believe he had just asked that question. Was he really about to make a deal to surrender Geyser, his other pup, to this dark disembodied voice. Really?
"…Bring him…Bring the Cosmotter to me…And you shall have have what you desire…Just bring the Cosmotter into the dark…And I will find you…"
And that's when Ash felt it. It was very brief and faint. So much so he couldn't really be sure he had felt anything. Something bushed his shoulder. He couldn't help himself this time. He jumped to his feet, turned around and saw…Darkness.
There was nothing and nobody there!
"Did I…Imagine that," Ash wondered starting to doubt himself.
He didn't have much time to dwell on the matter. For at moment his x-transceiver begun to ring.
"Hello…Cameron." A smile appeared on his face for the first time since the Space Centre as he saw Cameron beaming at him from the screen.
"Hey Ash! Great news! You need to get to the Space Centre right away!"
"What?"
"HURRY!"
[Pokémon]
Mossdeep Space Centre – The Control Room…
Pikachu and the others were back in the control room. The bodies of the Team Flare grunts had thankfully been cleared away. Even so, the stench of blood and death remained heavy on the air. Pikachu was reminded of the scene every time he drew breath.
He tried to put it from his mind and concentrate on what was happening around him. The rows of computer desks had now been filled by technicians from the space centre in white coats and the room was full with the sounds of clicking keyboards and the occasional shout of something technical to the commander.
"Generator powering up…"
"Sending the tracking signal now…"
"Generator at full capacity in five minutes…"
Complex images, diagrams and number were flashing across the giant monitor on the front wall. Pikachu had no idea what any of it meant, though Willard did. His eyes darted back and forth and his lips moved as if here were reading the strange number and symbols that kept appearing.
"What's going on here," Pikachu whispered to Umbreon.
"I think they're trying to locate the spacecraft," the moonlight Pokémon replied.
Pikachu's eyes widened. "You understand any of this." He wave his paw at the screen.
Umbreon shrugged. "Not really. I just heard one of the nerds say something about locating."
"Commander," called out one of the technicians. The nerds as Umbreon had called them. "I'm not receiving a reply signal from the Centurion."
"Team fare must have disabled it," someone else suggested.
"That's not possible. The radio signal reflects off the Centurion's solar panels. It can't be disabled."
"Send another signal with a wider range," ordered Willard. "It's possible the team flare have moved the Centurion out of position. They shouldn't have been able to travel too far."
It was then that Ash entered the room. Pikachu felt a surge of joy as he heard him call out, "Err…Hello…"
"Pika." He spun around, his maw falling open in a wide grin as he spotted him in the door way. "Pikapi!"
"Pikachu…" Seeing his mate again made Ash feel better than he had since the launch. He knelt down on one knee and stretched out his arms and Pikachu ran up the isle between the desk.
"Pikachu, Pikapi…" With a happy cry Pikachu leapt into his trainer's open arms.
Ash caught him, hugged him tightly and kissed him on the crown of his head. "Mmmm Pikachu. Good to see you!"
"Pikachu Pikapi." Pikachu tilted his head backwards and licked Ash's face.
For a moment all that mattered was the two of them, this moment of intimacy, and everything around them seemed to disappear. They just held each other. Then their little love bubble was popped when Jimmy, Cameron and Virgil calling out and waving to them.
"Ash!"
"Over here."
Willard was ignoring him.
Ash's grip on Pikachu slackened allow the mouse to wriggle out of his arms and climb on his shoulder. Ash wandered up the isle to join his friends.
"You alright man," Cameron asked noticing the redness in his eyes.
"How's Geyser," said Jimmy.
"I'm fine…He's fine," said Ash a little hurriedly. "Geyser just needs to rest. What's going on. You said you had good news."
"There's a way to bring the Centurion back to earth," explained Virgil. "Apparently the vessel can be overridden from here."
Ash experienced a warm feeling of relief in this pit of his stomach, though that quickly disappeared when he remembered the exploding shuttle. None of these efforts would matter if Ashachu and Hunter weren't actually onboard the Centurion.
"That's great…"
"As soon as its back in close orbit the Space Force will launch a retrieval team to get your Pokémon off," Virgil explained. "Just sit tight."
"Commander," came the voice of a technician. "The Centurion is still not reflecting back any of our signals."
"Be patient," Willard barked back. "They could be traveling away from the earth."
"Umm commander," the technician replied. "Given the time frame I don't think there's anyway it could have travelled so far."
"Well it can't have just disappeared…"
"Unless," pipped up another technician whose words would plunge Ash, as well as Pikachu and Cameron, back into a pool of despair. "The centurion has entered an ultra wormhole…"
[Pokémon]
Three hours later…
"YOU FUCKWITS…Thanks to your project one of the most dangerous terrorist organizations has managed to escape to another dimension. With these children's Pokémon…"
Captain Samus was back in the control and she had brought with her a rage that would make even Charizard cower. Red in the face and shaking her fist angrily she tore strips from commander Willard, who stared back bewildered as if he couldn't believe what was happening.
Ash and Pikachu, along with the others were sitting at one of the desk. They both felt emotionally drained. Their thoughts millions of miles away among the stars with Ashachu. A few experiments and calculations had proved it. An ultra wormhole had opened, somewhere near the moon about six hours ago.
The Centurion must have entered it. It was the only reason why the Space Force's equipment was unable to detect it. Once this had been determined, Virgil had summoned the commander back from the mobile command unit, along with her temper.
"When this is all over I will personally see to it that you face a court martial commander. For now…You'd better have a damned good solution to this mess!"
Unfortunately he didn't…
He gaped at her with his mouth slight with his mouth slightly open for moment or so, then his eyes narrowed and he retorted, "What is your major malfunction captain. I'll thank you to keep a civil tongue in your head when you address me. If the Centurion has entered a ultra wormhole it will be effectively impossible to retrieve it. We can't track or communicate with it in ultra space!"
Samus' face turned a deep shade of vermilion. "Civil tongue. Civil tongue. How dare you sir. You're actions have allowed a terrorist organization to escape at the expense to two citizens lives. Now you're telling me there isn't any contingency plan for this type of eventuality."
"Like I said, we can't track or contact the Centurion through ultra space!"
What Samus did next shocked everyone. She drew a gun from a holster on her belt and pointed it at Willard. "You callous man! I should kill you right where you stand…"
"I think we should go," said Jimmy quietly.
Ash, Cameron and their Pokémon nodded. They had seen enough bloodshed for one day.
"I'll contact you if anything changes," Virgil mumbled as they got up to leave…
It was just as they were about to leave however, that something happened that made them decide to stay. One of the technicians, the one from earlier who had first suggested the Centurion may have entered an ultra wormhole, approached Samus and the commander.
"Ummm captain. There may be a way to contact the Centurion. All we would need to do is to find a way to get a signal into ultra space."
"Which is not possible," snapped Willard but Samus cut his off.
"One more word from you and I will shoot you. Go on…"
The technician looked nervously between the two before continuing, "If satellite or probe could be sent into ultra space, it could project a signal to the Centurion commanding it to change course and return to earth."
"Would that not require the opening and closing of an ultra wormhole," asked Sami's.
It was that moment that the expression on Willard's face changed. It was imperceptible to most. Only Lucario caught and only because of his ability to emotion. Willards eyes flashed at the technician, as if warning him to not to say something.
"Lu…" Lucario gazed at Willard and frowned.
"Hypothetically at least it might be possible to hold a wormhole open once it has opened using a temporal magnetic field."
Samus was impressed. "What is name sir."
"Dr. Aaron Chang, sir!"
[Pokémon]
From fear and desperation, to hope, to hopelessness again and now back to a faint glimmer of hope. The last few hours had taken Ash on an emotional rollercoaster. And for all the talk of holding open wormholes and probes into ultra space Ash still had no idea where Ashachu was or if they'd ever see him again.
He needed to be by himself…He couldn't take much more of the arm commanders arguing or the highly technical, complex and confusing talk of the scientists. He told Cameron and Jimmy he needed to go and see Geyser and Pikachu to stay with him.
Ash made is way out of the space centre and back down the road to the town. It was still very dark outside, thought fortunately the lights on the space centre and the buildings of Mossdeep City provided enough light for him to be able to see where he was going.
It was about halfway along the path that Ash heard it again…The voice in the darkness…
"…So…Ash…Have you consider my offer yet…"
"Huh." Ash stopped dead in his tracks and looked wildly around, his heart suddenly racing. "Who said that."
"…Short attention span I see…my offer…Have you considered it…The Cosmotter…And you get your kit back…"
Ash was quite for a moment. Every instinct told him not to trust…Whatever this was. Every instinct told him to run…to get away…to put as much distance between himself and the voice in the darkness as he could.
And yet…
"Y-you can really save Ashachu. You know where he is…"
"…Your kit is in another world on the other this one…A place of desolation fo death…Where a monster dwells…"
Ash's heart skipped a beat. "A-a monster!"
"…A monster that roams the world…A monster that devours anything in it path…A monster that has destroyed its world….Reducing it to a ruin…"
But all that is needed to free him from this terrible place is the Cosmotter…"
"If I bring Geyser to you. You won't hurt him will you." No sooner had Ash said that then he regretted it. He knew he shouldn't be having this conversation. Knew he shouldn't even be considering what the voice was offering.
But still…Ashachu. Trapped in another world with a monster!
"…Quite the contrary…I will make him whole…"
[Pokémon]
Oshawott hadn't quite forgiven his trainer yet. He folded his arms and glared at Ash while tapping his foot paw, much like a parent scolding a child, as Nurse Joy wheeled the silver trolley on which he and Geyser sat out into the lobby.
Geyser on the other paw was delighted to see his trainer/parent. He sprang off the trolley and ran to give Ash a big hug with a happy cry of "Dew Dewott."
"Awww Geyser." Ash accepted his embrace, wrapping his arms around Geyser and stroking his fur. "Listen buddy. I'm really sorry okay. I never should have made you push yourself like that. And…I know you did your best."
"Dew. Dewott Dew…" Geyser shook his head as it if were nothing.
"OSHA." Oshawott let out a loud tutting sound and turned his nose up and his head away from Ash so as to show that he was not impressed.
Ash noticed. "Oshawott," he said gently letting go of Geyser. He attempted to stroke the little sea otter's fur, but was rebuffed by a violent snapped of Oshawott's teeth.
"Yeah No Ash. Osha!"
He quickly withdrew his hand and sighed. "I understand Oshawott."
"No. I don't think you do!" Oshawott retorted before turning his back to Ash. "If you did, you wouldn't have made Geyser do that."
Oshawott's words stabbed at Ash's heart like a Scalchop. He couldn't think of anything to say to that…Was there even anything to say to that. Oshawott was right. He had been so worried about Ashachu he had disregarded Geyser's welfare.
Geyser however did have something to day. "Come on don't be so hard on him. I'm fine now."
Oshawott spun back around and gaped at his pup. "Don't be so hard at him. Geyser he put you at risk because of Pikachu." He then snapped at Ash, "It's always about Pikachu isn't it Ash."
"But Ashachu was in danger," said Geyser. "Ash was only trying to help. I was only trying to help…Wouldn't you do the same for me if I was in danger."
Oshawott looked genuinely taken a back by that question. "Umm…Yes but. That's not the point. As a responsible parent and trainer he shouldn't have…"
"Hey. I'm okay now," said Geyser. He raised his arms. "See fine. It was no different to fainting in a battle. Could use some Pokéchow though…"
"Errr…Ash…Is there a problem here," said a very suspicious Nurse Joy, interrupting their conversation.
Ash nearly jumped. He looked up at her and then around the lobby, noticing everybody's eyes fixed on them.
"No," he said hurriedly. "Just a…very important conversation between friends. Alright you two. Let's go…"
Ash was aware of everyone watching them as they crossed the lobby hall and made their way out of the Pokémon centre. The room had gone quite, except for a few people who were muttering. Ash could guess what they were muttering about…
For the second time that day Ash found himself grateful for the darkness. It allow him to disappeared from prying eyes once out of the Pokémon. Himself and the two otters were visible only as silhouettes, outlines in the blackness.
It was once they were back outside that Ash heard a familiar voice…
"Pikapi.."
"Huh…" He felt something warm and furry crawling up his legs and back and onto his shoulder. "Pikachu…I thought I told you to wait back at the space centre."
"I didn't want to be…Alone with those people anymore," Pikachu replied nuzzling Ash's cheek. "And I needed some fresh air."
Oshawott glared daggers at Pikachu and let out a low growl of "Oshawott," in jealously. But everybody ignored him…
But it the next voice Ash heard wasn't one he could ignore…
"…Ash…Do you have an answer to our little agreement…"
They were about halfway between the Pokémon Centre and the Space Centre when Ash heard it a again. The voice in the darkness!
He stopped dead in his tracks, his heart racing. "Do-do you guys hear that."
Pikachu frowned. "Hear what Ash…"
"T-that voice," Ash replied staring to get quite worried. "You seriously telling me you didn't hear that."
"Hear what?"
He looked down at Oshawott and Geyser. "What about you guys." They both shook their heads.
"…Oh…What is this…Is this him…the Cosmotter…"
Ash didn't say anything.
"….Yes…I sense great power coming from this Dewott…Yes…"
Pikachu was the first to see it. A number of lights glowing in the darkness just in front of them. Little green, red and blue gemstones
Being the loyal Pokémon, he immediately jumped into action, leaping off Ash's shoulder to stand protectively in front of him in a battle ready position. Paws spread apart, tail low to the ground, fur bristling and a dangerous crackle of electricity coming from his cheeks.
"Pika Pikachu Pika!"
And then the voice spoke again. And this time it spoke to Pikachu. This time, the Pokémon heard it.
"…There is no cause of your to be so…aggressive little rodent…I come not to threaten but to uphold the agreement I made with your trainer…He has brought me the Dewott and I will take him to his kit…"
"What," shouted Ash. "No way! I never agreed to that…" Sure, it has crossed Ash's mind. But he would never actually do that. They hadn't even made an agreement
"THAT'S BULLSHIT," Pikachu screamed back into the darkness. "Ash would never do anything like that."
Oshawott on the other paw was looking up at Ash with a look of betrayal etched across his face. Geyser was backing away in fear.
"…Tell him Ash…Tell the rodent the truth…I have seen into your heart…You love that mouse kit far more than any of your other Pokémon…In your heart of hearts, you are willing to sacrifice the others for either of those rodents…"
"No. No that's not true," said Ash.
"…Lair…"
And that was when the voice in the darkness stepped out of the shadows and Ash saw what it was…A crystalline monster with a terrifying visage. It was vaguely humanoid, with three large spikes on the top of is body, a dark grey symbol in its centre resembling a star, and five glowing crystal like objects were embedded in what appeared to be its face.
"…Now…give me the Cosmotter…"
"Geyser…RUN," shouted Ash as Pikachu fired thunderbolt at the crystalline creature…
"Pika-chuuuuuu!"
But the attack didn't seem to have any effect on the monster at all. Either it was immune to electric type attacks or simply too strong to be really affected by it. It raised a giant crystalline claw and prepared to swipe.
"Pika!"
As it brought it's claw down, Geyser sprung forward, a strange blue light emanating from his body…And then everything turned black!
