Chapter 44


One choice, made in the fraction of a second. Thoughtless or premeditated, you did something.

Was it significant? Now that's the question.

To be honest, you won't really know. It's not until you're staring at the results of said decision. With a sigh, a young man readjusted himself on his stiff mattress which groaned in protest.

Now he had all the time in the world to figure out how he ended up here.


The emptiness of his routine was starting to eat away at him. It had little meaning in the long run.

Finish the tasks that he received…don't cause trouble. That was the golden rule.

He heard that was the best way to get on the good side of the staff.

The question remained – why was he here again?


Sitting at a cafeteria table all by his lonesome, he had his chin propped up on one hand and he could only look at the other occupants as they ate. The food they were given wasn't half bad, but it was nothing like what he ate at home.

It wasn't often that he had someone to talk to. So, he had a lot of time to himself…to think. Think about how he ended up here.

He could remember that it all began when he saved a girl with blue hair.


His mattress was as hard as stone, but he still found comfort on it as he laid back. He allowed his mind to drift and he thought back to that night. He would never forget the night that Cassidy went to the hospital.

It was the first time in a long time that he felt truly lost and…helpless.

That night would mark the start of his journey.


He started his journey before he saw his father, but his destination was determined for him the night that they were reunited.

Seeing his father again is what started him down this path – one filled with questions.

Questions that began to consume him.


Little did he know that those answers would lead to his own downfall.


When did his downfall begin?

Was it the night he finally spoke to his father?

Was it the morning that he partnered with Malcolm Berlitz?

Or was it…the day his mother died?


The room became hushed as all eyes rose to the television screen that was mounted up in the corner of the wall. Displayed was the evening news as they retold an old event.

"Tonight, we're going to take a look back at this stunning court case that took place in Vermilion City roughly three months ago," The news anchor explained as he organized his paperwork. "Everyone was caught off guard by how suddenly all of this took place, and the Berlitz Enterprise is still spiraling from the loss of its head executive and founder, Malcolm Berlitz."

There were whispers in the room as the title of the court case was shown at the bottom of the screen.

Berlitz Enterprise v Ash Ketchum.

"That's him over there?"

"That kid?"

"What the hell did he do?"


Friday, June 23rd

9:47pm.

Johanna Berlitz sat alone in the living room of her estate as she stared blankly at the television on the wall. It was broadcasting the travel channel to help Johanna plan a small trip for Dawn during her last summer vacation, but Johanna found herself adrift in memories of her daughter.

Earlier, she watched her daughter stand proudly in the foyer, garbed in an extravagant gown, arm in arm with a handsome young man that would accompany her to their senior prom. Johanna couldn't help but gush over her daughter as she took several pictures, much to Dawn's dismay, but she wasn't going to let a night like tonight pass by without any pictures of proof. Especially since her husband wasn't here to see it for himself.

Johanna sighed as she glanced around the room, and her eyes settled on the sizeable bookcase against the wall. Or rather, the large pink album that stood upright among the many books. She rose to her feet and approached the bookcase where she collected the photo album. Johanna smiled fondly as she looked at the picture that was held within the small slot on the cover.

It was baby Dawn on the night she was born. She was sound asleep, already swaddled in sheets with a small pink cap on her head. As Johanna opened up the album, the memories burst forth like water from a broken pipe.

Right before her eyes, she watched Dawn grow up all over again. From her first tooth to her first steps. Her first haircut. Her first day of school. Her first school performance. Her first best friend in May. There were lots of pictures of the two of them together. Their vacations in the summer. The trips to Kalos and Alola. Then came her teenage years. Her first day of high school. Her first homecoming dance. The first teacher she couldn't get along with.

Dawn and May's tenth anniversary. Johanna laughed at the picture of her daughter and May. The two of them were practically inseparable from the moment they met in grade school. Seeing her daughter maintain such a strong friendship with May was heartwarming to Johanna.

Most of her more recent pictures of Dawn were kept on her phone, and Johanna couldn't wait to have those printed and added to this album. Soon enough, she would see Dawn don a cap and gown to celebrate her completion of high school and take her first step into adult life. The doorbell rang and Johanna set down the book as she looked at the time.

It was just past ten o'clock. Dawn came home exactly when she said she would, and Johanna expected nothing less.

"She's such a good girl," Johanna noted before her phone began to ring on the table beside the couch. Johanna set down the photo album in exchange for her phone, and she furrowed her brow at the sight of an unfamiliar number. She raised her phone to her ear to answer. "Hello?"

It was a woman who began to speak.

"Can I speak with Johanna Berlitz?"

"Speaking."

There was a sigh on the other hand before the conversation continued.

"Mrs. Berlitz, this is Captain Jenny with the Vermilion City Police Department," She continued. "Unfortunately, I have to report that there's been an accident that involves your husband. He's being transported to the intensive care unit at Lt. Surge's Memorial Hospital as we speak,"

Dawn entered the living room and waved to her mother, but she stood frozen in place.

"Mom?" Dawn called out as she approached Johanna. "I'm home. Is everything okay?"

Dawn's voice restored Johanna's senses as her eyes regained their focus.

"Get to the car, Dawn," Johanna stated. "We have to go to the hospital."


10:48pm.

What started as a slow night in the lobby of Lt. Surge's Memorial Hospital became a scene of pandemonium with the arrival of four people that were sent straight to intensive care. A massive security force was on the scene within minutes of the four new arrivals, and they crowded the lobby both with bodies and their endless chatter of reports.

Dawn and Johanna sat among Malcolm's security force, anxiously awaiting any sort of news on Malcolm's condition. Dawn's chewed on her lower lip to the point where it became sore. Her day had been excellent for the most part. Her senior prom was a night she wouldn't forget, and Nando was a wonderful partner for the night. But as she returned home to conclude her day, she received news that put a damper on everything.

Johanna found herself practically trembling in her seat as she wiped her palms against the leg of her jeans. All she wanted was an explanation of what happened and if her husband was going to be okay.

Johanna's eyes were immediately drawn to the doorway as the doors parted to reveal both the newly promoted Police Captain, Jenny, and one of the surgeons that worked at the hospital. As they appeared, they were immediately swarmed by Malcolm's security guards, all of which were demanding an update on his condition.

"Easy, where's his family?" Jenny shouted over them as she ordered the guards to make some space. "We want to speak with them first."

"Over here!" Johanna called out as she stood up. The mob split, allowing Jenny and the surgeon to approach Dawn and Johanna. The room became silent as the surgeon was given the floor to speak.

"I'm sorry,"

His first words caused Johanna's stomach to sink. The surgeon shook his head as he met Johanna's stare.

"He was gone before the ambulance made it here," He continued. "There was nothing we could've done. Two bullet wounds to his chest, he flat-lined on the way and they couldn't resuscitate him."

Johanna became numb as she fell back down into her seat. Dawn blinked with a faraway look in her eyes.

Her father was just…gone? She saw him just a few hours ago as he was preparing to leave on a business trip and now, he was dead. How could that be?

"You'll be back in time for graduation, right?" Dawn inquired as she watched her father organize the paperwork on his desk.

"Of course, sweetie," Malcolm answered as he looked up to her. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Dawn lowered her head and her vision blurred. She could feel the droplets hit her hands below. How? How could this happen?

"Bullet wounds? He was shot?" One of Malcolm's guards interjected as he stepped forward. Jenny took a moment to size him up which triggered an introduction from him. "I'm Hayward, Malcolm's chief of security."

Jenny gave him a short nod before she made a gesture for the surgeon to speak.

"According to the report, the car crashed because the driver was also shot," The surgeon went on. "The shock from the collision only intensified the bleeding. There was no real chance of saving him after that."

"This was no accident then…" Hayward stated as he looked to Jenny.

"We can't be certain of that yet, but we've already opened a formal investigation," She replied. "We have both of the witnesses back at the station being questioned about what they saw. We'll have answers soon enough."

"I want names," Hayward declared as he looked back to a pair of nearby guards. "Who was on duty when Malcolm left? Who was assigned to accompany him to Lavender Town? Who else was in the car?"

Jenny took charge going forward.

"To our understanding, there were four occupants in Malcolm's vehicle, three of which were shot. Malcolm, the guard with him in the back and the driver," Jenny explained.

"And the fourth person?" Hayward asked as he looked around for an answer.

"Ash Ketchum," One of the guards declared as he looked up from the tablet in his hands. "He arrived a few minutes after seven tonight."

Dawn's eyes grew wide at the mention of Ash.

"What's his condition?" Hayward inquired as he turned back to Jenny.

"From what the witnesses have said so far, they found him in the street several yards from the crash," Jenny answered.

"He's unconscious right now, suffering from a concussion, a fractured collarbone, and further damage to his shoulder," The surgeon explained, and Hayward's eyes grew narrow before he looked to Jenny.

"That's your prime suspect," He stated.

"As soon as he's conscious and he's passed an observation from our staff, you'll be free to speak with him," The surgeon stated.

Dawn remained seated in stunned silence. The room warped around her as her vision blurred again. As if tonight could get any worse…Ash was now the 'prime suspect' for the supposed murder of her father. What was going on?


Saturday, June 24th

8:25am.

'Emergency meeting at the studio, be there at 8:30am today!' – Shauna.

Upon entering the dance studio, Tierno was greeted by a portion of the dance group better known as the Jive Steppers. Valerie and Miette were among the first to arrive and they situated themselves at the center of the room to wait for everyone else.

"Did you guys get this text from Shauna too?" Tierno asked as he approached with his phone out.

Miette and Valerie took out their phones to show the proof, not that Tierno doubted them.

"Did something happen?" Valerie asked with a frown.

"I'm not sure…it might have something to do with Trevs," Tierno replied.

"What happened to Trevor?"

"He got his letter from that film academy and well," Tierno paused to scratch at the back of his neck. "He said he was among the finalists but he didn't make the cut."

"Oh no," Valerie gasped as she covered her mouth. "He had his heart set on going there too."

"How's Trevor handling it?" Miette asked.

"He's…" Tierno shrugged his shoulders. "Trevor's tough, you know. He's not happy, but he'll bounce back."

"Do you think he's coming to this meeting?"

"I'm not sure if Shauna invited him or not," Tierno said with his brow furrowed. "She didn't send a group text, so I can't tell who she sent it to besides me? But I'll just ask him if he's coming."

As Tierno began to text his longtime friend, Shauna and Serena burst through the doors of the studio. Their sudden appearance demanded everyone's attention as all eyes went to them.

"Shauna, what's going on?" Miette asked immediately.

"It's Ash," Serena gasped out in reply.

"What do you mean?"

"He's gone missing," Shauna proclaimed and the group shared a glance. "I was out with Cassidy yesterday, and when I got back to her house, Ash was gone. Casey said he packed a bag and that he was acting really weird."

"If you ask me, he was acting strangely for the last month," Miette pointed out. "Like a total hermit."

"Now isn't the time, Miette," Serena snapped at her.

"I'm not trying to make light of it," Miette retorted. "You're acting like this is the first time he's disappeared for a few days. Last year, he used to do this all the time."

Serena swallowed her response. Miette did make a valid point. This behavior wasn't necessarily new for Ash. But it was the first time that they heard anything about it in quite some time.

"Still, it feels different this time, Miette," Shauna interjected adamantly. "Something is going on and he's too much of a numbskull to admit it! We have to talk with him, just like we did when Cassidy was in the hospital."

"Another intervention?" Tierno questioned as the group shared a glance.

"He needs it!" Serena exclaimed suddenly. "We can't leave him like this…he needs someone-anyone right now…before it's too late…"

It felt like he was worlds away from her and that distance was growing with every passing moment.

In the corridor outside of the studio, Brock leaned against the wall as he listened to the conversation between his friends. Held tightly in one of his hands was a crumpled piece of paper that he found in the envelope that Ash left him the night before. He wanted to join his friends, but he hesitated each time he made an attempt to enter the studio.

Brock, I wish that I could tell you this face to face, but I'm about to make a bad choice and I don't want anyone to talk me out of it. This is one of those things that you have to do, regardless of the consequences. I'm sorry that I haven't been talking much, but this is something that I don't want other people to get involved in. I'm in the middle of something big and I'm the only one that can stop something terrible from happening…but it looks like you won't see me at all after this.

That's why I'm leaving you with all of the money. Don't come looking for me to give it back, I'll be long gone before you can find me.

If I could make one last request, can you look after Cassidy and the girls? I know they're strong and they can handle themselves, but I just want to know that someone I can trust will be looking out for them.

Ash.

Brock's hand tightened around the short letter to further wrinkle the paper. He had no idea where Ash went, nor was his best friend answering his phone calls or text messages.

What the hell was going on?


10:08am.

What was she going to do?

May placed a hand against chest as she took in another breath. Her heart was pounding which did nothing to ease her nausea. How could this happen?

As she stood over the sink within her adjoining bathroom, she wrapped an arm around her abdomen as she leaned forward. Then she raised her head to look into the mirror. Her hair was in a frazzled mess and May could see that her skin had paled.

What was she going to do? Should she tell anyone? What was going to happen when she did?

Her stomach grew tight as she stared at herself. There was no way that she could handle this…

May left the sink to take a seat on the toilet seat cover. She placed her hands against the sides of her face and she could feel her hands trembling.

"What am I supposed to do?" May whispered.

Her vision became obscured and May could feel the tears reach her fingertips. She wiped at her eyes with the bottom of her palms as she sniffled, but her eyes wouldn't remain dry. She could only imagine what her friends would say about this.

"Are you serious, May?"

"You can't do anything right, can you?"

What her family would say…

"How could you be so irresponsible?"

"Do you understand what you've done?"

What her father would say…

She could imagine his unforgiving stare as he shook his head. This would surely be the last straw with him.

"I raised you to make better decisions than this. You're an adult now but you're still acting without forethought…"

May looked back to the counter of the sink beside her. Resting on it was a pregnancy test that displayed its results. No matter how many times she looked at it, the plus sign only added to her distress.

How was she going to handle being a mother…?


1:58pm.

The Berlitz Estate saw more visitors in the past twelve hours than it had seen all year. Security vans and police cars lined the long driveway of the property and some even parked out on the lawn. The entirety of Malcolm's security force was present within his home, as were several investigators that worked for the police department.

Within the estate, Johanna and Dawn found themselves seated in the living room, accompanied by both the same tandem of people from last night. Malcolm's head of security, Hayward, and Captain Jenny. However, they had some additional company this time in the form of a middle-aged man who wore a long trench coat despite the temperature of early summer.

"Dawn, Johanna, I'd like the two of you to meet one of the best private investigators who agreed to look into this case," Jenny stated as she made a gesture to the man. He stepped toward them and gave a short bow as a greeting. "This is Looker."

"It's nice to meet you ladies, though I wish it were under more light-hearted circumstances," He stated which caused him to pause briefly. "Though I suppose I wouldn't meet you under any other circumstances. That aside, I can assure you that some of the best people in Vermilion City have turned over every stone since last night. And I believe we're getting close to a conclusion."

Hayward crossed his arms as Looker reached into his jacket to take out a small notepad. He flipped through a few pages for a moment before he settled on some of his most recent annotations.

"The lab has given us the most concrete suspect, Ash Ketchum," Looker began and Dawn bit down on her lower lip to maintain her composure. "We had the gun swept for fingerprints, and Ash's are the only ones that can be found on it. Obviously, that is more than enough grounds to draw a conclusion, but I was interested in the motivation. Are any of you familiar with the relationship between Ash and Malcolm?"

"Ash Ketchum is one of Malcolm's associates," Hayward answered. "I don't know much about it; it was one of those partnerships that Malcolm didn't give us all the details on."

"Ah, the plot thickens…" Looker noted as he pulled out a pen to begin adding to his notes.

"I can't offer much else," Johanna added. "I knew Ash was friends with Dawn, but I wasn't aware of any partnership between him and Malcolm."

All eyes went to Dawn. After all, she spent the most time with Ash.

"Did Ash ever mention anything about this?" Looker inquired and Dawn looked down at her hands.

"Once," She replied softly.

"Remember I said that I was getting my shot to be a Pokemon trainer?" Ash reminded her and Dawn gave a nod. "In professional matches, lots of people place bets on your battle. You need a sponsor to match their bets and…your dad is my sponsor."

"He made a deal with my dad to get him to act as a sponsor," Dawn explained slowly.

"For what?" Hayward asked with a frown.

"Anything involving Pokemon could get you arrested, and he doesn't want you getting involved in all of that."

"I don't know," Dawn said as she shook her head. "He didn't say."

"Do you know when they formed that partnership?"

"Ash told me this back in February, but I don't know if that's when it all started."

Looker sighed once he finished writing down his latest thoughts.

"I don't know how I feel about this," He mumbled which prompted a question from Jenny.

"Based on the evidence you have, it all points to Ash. Everyone else in the car was shot and Ash's fingerprints are on the weapon," Jenny reasoned.

"That's my problem with it. It all suggests that it was Ash, but I don't see a motive for him. And there was also a bullet hole in the roof of the car which to me is evidence that there was a struggle at some point and the weapon was fired inadvertently," Looker explained before he looked back to Jenny. "I'd like some more time to do some research. I feel like there's more here than what meets the eye."

"How long are you thinking?" Hayward demanded to know.

"Just a few days. It's not like Ash is going anywhere, he's still unconscious in the hospital, isn't he?"

The meeting was quickly disbanded, and Dawn was wrapped up in her thoughts. But she felt someone place their hand on top of her own, and her vision came into focus. It was her mother seated beside her.

"Are you okay, Dawn?" Johanna asked her softly. Dawn met her mother's gaze and took a moment to study her expression. Johanna's brow was knit, her jaws tight and her eyes were red and misty.

"I'm fine, mom," She replied and Johanna exhaled.

"I know this is a lot to take in all at once," Johanna noted as she looked around. There were two officers in the living room whom Captain Jenny and Looker were speaking with now. "It's all happening so fast so, just let me know if you need anything, alright?"

"Don't worry mom, I'll be fine," Dawn insisted. "But are okay?"

"I didn't sleep much last night, but I'll manage," Johanna replied as she forced a smile for Dawn.

"Are you sure?"

Johanna's expression softened as she lowered her shoulder, but when she opened her mouth to reply, Looker called out to her. "Mrs. Berlitz, can we speak with you for a moment?"

Dawn watched as her mother steeled her expression and rose to her feet to join them. Left alone to her thoughts again, Dawn drifted back to an old conversation with her father.

"Pokemon trainers are different from regular people…"

Were they really that different?

"Pokemon trainers only take…"

Was that…was that really true?

"If you get close to them, they will hurt in ways you can't imagine…"

Dawn shut her eyes and leaned back into the chair.

"Ash is no different."

How could he do this?


6:13pm

Ash gave a soft groan as he shifted, and his body began to protest at the slight action. He attempted to raise his right hand to his eyes to clear the debris and moisture, but he couldn't move his right arm at all. He forced his eyes open and saw that his right arm was held in place by a cast.

As his senses returned, he could feel that his neck was encased in a brace, and his efforts to raise his left arm was met with a furious spike of pain through his upper body. Ash settled back down into his bed and blinked repeatedly until his vision focused for him to take in his surroundings. It took him a few moments to realize that he was in a hospital room, though his physical state should've been a dead giveaway. He groaned and turned his head slightly to see the rest of his room, but a sharp jolt flashed through his neck once again and he conceded the bout to his pain.

Ash took a few shallow breaths, careful to make sure his chest didn't expand as he inhaled. Even that small action caused him to flinch. How did…how did he get here? Why was he here?

A dull pain struck the top of his head and brought back the final thing he saw while he was still in the front seat of Malcolm's luxury car. It was Darach holding up a firearm which he proceeded to strike Ash's head with. Everything leading up to and following that moment was still a hazy mess.

Ugh…what happened? How long was he here? Days? Weeks?

Thankfully, a nurse arrived within a few minutes to perform a routine checkup, and he was glad to see that Ash was awake.

"That was a scary fall you had, Ash," His nurse explained. "You could've broken your neck, and I'm sure you know recovering from that is nothing to take lightly. Fortunately, in your case, you've only got a broken collar bone that will heal naturally and the physical therapy isn't nearly as bad. Anyway, I'm going to get your doctor, she has a few things to go over with you."

Ash's doctor arrived promptly and introduced herself as Joan. Similar to his nurse, she gave him a brief summary of his injuries, but she also had a warning for him.

"There are a lot of people who have been waiting for you to wake up and all of them have a lot of questions for you," She explained. "As your doctor, I can only delay them until I judge that you're fit for questioning."

Ash held a straight face as he looked at Joan. He expected this much. If Darach followed through on what was planned, it was no surprise that he was going to be questioned.

"You don't have to protect me," Ash stated. "I knew this was going to happen."

"Are you certain?" Joan questioned him with a narrow glance. "This isn't something you have to address right away, especially in your current condition."

"I'm stuck here, so there's no use trying to put it off," Ash replied as he shrugged his shoulders. He shuddered from that thoughtless action as his neck grew tight.

"I'll state my position once more," Joan reiterated. "I don't have all the details about why the police department is trying to question you, but as a doctor, the condition of my patients is my only priority. My recommendation is that you rest and recover. Your body is still in shock from the injuries, there's no need to create some added stress."

Joan was about to continue, but the door opened and a man and woman entered his room together. The man was sharply dressed in a lab coat over his suit that Joan quickly addressed as the director of the hospital. The woman, on the other hand, was dressed in all black and she possessed some striking red hair. At the sight of Ash, she raised her brow and shot a smirk at him.

Joan was called over to the duo for a brief conversation. They spoke in hushed voices, though Ash still got the gist of their discussion. Joan expressed her concerns that she shared with Ash to the director, but the woman wouldn't settle for it.

"I don't care about all of this," She stated before she looked back to Ash. "He's conscious, so I have to speak with him."

"And as his doctor, I won't allow that at the moment," Joan interjected. "It hasn't even been an hour since he woke up. He's hardly in any condition to be interrogated."

"I'm not here to interrogate him,"

The director cleared his throat audibly to get their attention before their tempers could flare.

"Joan, this isn't a question of Ash's condition," The director began as he pushed up the glasses on the bridge of his nose. "Our instruction was to care for Ash until he was conscious, it's out of our hands now…"

"But sir," Joan cut in.

"Not now, Joan, this isn't the place or the time," The director said with a gesture for her to follow him out the room. Joan clenched her hands tightly as she sent a narrow glance toward the woman. She simply raised a hand and motioned for her to followed her superior out of the room.

The door clicked once it was shut and Ash looked to the woman that remained. She wore a black uniform with a flak jacket, and pinned to the high collar of her jacket was the jewel of her garments, a golden 'V.'

"Who are you?" Ash asked wearily as she pulled a seat over to the side of Ash's bed.

"You can call me, Ariana," She replied as she leaned back and crossed one leg over the other. Ash's eyes widened, which caused her to chuckle softly. "You're familiar with my name, right?"

"What do you want from me?" Ash asked her in return as she opened her jacket. She removed a small electronic tablet and activated the device.

"It's not what I want from you," Ariana replied as she began to swipe at the screen of her tablet. "It's what my boss wants from you."

"Well, who is your boss?"

"Relax with all the questions, you'll meet my boss in a moment, he wants to speak with you," Ariana stated as she opened a video-conferencing application. Ash could only wait as Ariana set everything in motion, so he leaned further into his pillow and exhaled.

To pass some time in the silence, Ash made another attempt to remember what happened back in Malcolm's car. His skin crawled as the gunshots echoed in his head. He held still despite his urge to shudder as he remembered the blow to his head and then…he was pushed out of the car.

What happened to Darach? Was Malcolm still alive?

He wanted answers, but that would have to wait. His focus was drawn to his stomach as he felt a weight on his abdomen. Ariana had set her tablet down on his torso and propped it up on the case for Ash to view the screen. It was now broadcasting a silhouette that was seated behind a desk, though Ash could guess that it was a man based on the haircut.

"Ash Ketchum," A gruff voice demanded his full attention.

"Who are you?" Ash inquired.

"My identity is none of your concern," He responded. "The reason for this meeting is because I wanted to thank you for removing Malcolm Berlitz."

"So…he's dead?"

"Indeed," Ash received a nod from the person on screen. "Malcolm was always too ambitious and impatient for my tastes."

"Hold on…you wanted Malcolm dead too?" Ash asked slowly.

"Mmm, yes," He answered after a moment. "We cut ties with Malcolm many years ago, but I always knew he was plotting to get back at us. It pleases me to know that his little scheme won't be a nuisance to my plans in the future."

Ash furrowed his brow. How could this man consider Malcolm to be just a nuisance? Malcolm was trying to expanding Pokemon trafficking throughout the Kanto region!

"So, you were helping my dad?" Ash asked for clarification.

"We had a small hand in how everything unfolded last night," Was the answer. "However, things didn't go quite as smoothly as we would have liked. We know that if Malcolm were to die, it would open Pandora's box, so to speak."

"What do you mean by that?" Ash asked as he narrowed his eyes.

"As I'm sure you're aware, Malcolm had secrets," He went on. "His sudden death would trigger an investigation, and those secrets would be uncovered. The goal of this conversation is to make sure that doesn't happen."

"It sounds like you know Malcolm better than I do, so you know everything he's done," Ash pointed out.

"I am aware of his actions,"

"So why would I help you hide them? He's a terrible person who's been trafficking Pokemon around the region," Ash explained indignantly. "I'm not going to sit back and let that continue!"

"I don't intend for it to continue in Kanto either, Ash," The man stated adamantly. "But my priority is to ensure that Malcolm Berlitz and all his secrets are buried for good."

"Is that in the best interests for everyone, or just for the Vanguard?" Ash asked skeptically, but it didn't elicit any sort of reaction from Ariana or her boss.

"I wouldn't try to test us, Ash," Ariana warned him.

"And I'd listen to her," Her boss advised him. "You're at our mercy. Don't make an enemy out of us."

"I've heard about what you guys do to Pokemon trainers, I have no reason to trust or help you," Ash retorted.

"We didn't expect anything like that from you," The man noted. "But I can trust that our methods will make you follow our instructions."

Ash remained silent as he resisted his urge to challenge them. Charles already told him that the Vanguard was not meant to be taken lightly. If they wanted Malcolm dead, Ash could safely assume that they were even more dangerous than Malcolm.

The display on the screen changed. It no longer showed the darkened form of Ariana's boss, but now a familiar house. Cassidy's house.

His eyes grew wide as he saw a crosshair sitting at the center of the screen, and it zoomed in on the window where he could clearly see Cassidy, Casey, and Macy seated on the sofa in their living room.

"I have eyes and ears everywhere, I can see your family,"

The display on the tablet changed. It now showed Brock's backyard where Ash could see his friend on the porch, watching as his siblings played together. Then came a shot of Shauna's apartment through her window where he could see her and Miette in the living room. What followed was Valerie's studio apartment where she was accompanied by both Tierno and Trevor.

"I can see your friends…"

Ash felt his stomach become tight as he was shown the apartment that Serena shared with her mother, Grace.

"I can see your loved ones and, in an instant…"

The screen turned black and Ash felt a chill run down his spine.

"I can make them all disappear,"

It returned to the silhouette of Ariana's boss.

"My suggestion is that you follow our instructions if you want to avoid ending up like your father…"

Ash bit down on his lower lip. How…how did this happen? How did he end up in the same dilemma as his father?

"I was caught and given an ultimatum…"

Pokemon or his loved ones?

What would Ash choose?

An image of his father flashed in Ash's mind. He saw the wings sprout from his father's back, but as they spread out, several chains latched onto them and grounded Aaron to the earth. Ash recalled the regret that he saw in his father's eyes…he didn't want to become his father.

"Don't lose yourself in my battle,"

Ash held his bedspread tightly and let the tension build up into one breath. Then he exhaled.

"Wh-What do you want me to do?" Ash asked and he could hear the man give a soft chuckle.

"A court case is going to be opened against you," He began. "In order to stop the investigation immediately, you'll have to plead guilty."

"Plead guilty?" Ash repeated. "For murder? I'll go to prison for life…"

"It's your life," The screen switched, showing him the same images of all his friends and family. "Or theirs."

Ash's stomach dropped at the statement. The details Charles shared with him about the Vanguard continued to run through his mind. This wasn't a group to make idle threats. He didn't have any options here…

"Fine," Ash stated reluctantly as he looked away from the screen.

"We've already arranged for a lawyer to meet with you tomorrow morning. He'll go over the proceedings with you," Ariana's boss continued.

"And you won't hurt anyone I know, right?" Ash asked softly.

"As long as everything goes according to plan, everyone will be fine,"

His assurance was hardly convincing, but Ash didn't have a choice but to accept it.

"Alright, I'll do it."


Sunday, June 25th

Four years culminated in one day.

Graduation day!

The grand finale of high school life.

The rite of passage into adulthood.

Dawn raised her hand to readjust the tassel on her cap for the umpteenth time today as she stood among her peers. The venue for their graduation ceremony was the VSPA – Vermilion School for the Performing Arts. Their grand concert hall was used annually for the graduating class of North Vermilion High.

While parents, relatives, siblings, and the like were already seated in the hall, the graduating students waited anxiously behind the stage, ready to make their appearance before their loved ones.

"Dawn, you don't have to attend if you don't want to," Johanna advised her earlier this morning. "I'm sure everyone will understand."

Dawn shook her head.

"I can't mom," She stated. "I made a commitment to be there for my speech, and I've worked so hard for this…I don't want to look back at this in the future and regret that I missed it."

"I know sweetie," Johanna said as she embraced her daughter. "Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"Yeah, mom," Dawn said as she forced a smile for her mother. "There's no need to worry."

Dawn knew that there was no face that she could put on that would put her mother's heart at ease.

All things considered; it was no surprise that Dawn couldn't relax. She rocked back and forth in place as she chewed on her lower lip. It took all her willpower to prevent her mind from drifting back to the controversy that was taking place in her house.

Dawn shook her head and adjusted her focus. A few of her classmates approached her earlier to talk since they noticed that she was oddly distant today. Dawn politely declined, even though she did want to talk, but only with her closest friends. However, both May and Nando were preparing to assist the school choir with a performance.

With a sigh, Dawn reached into the pocket of her gown for her phone. With a quick glance she saw that there was still fifteen minutes before the ceremony would begin, she still had time for a quick walk. As she left the backstage area, she ran into one of her teachers and assured him that she was only going to the bathroom for a few minutes. Dawn took her time as she walked and crowded her thoughts by trying to memorize her speech. It was strange. She wasn't the best at public speaking, but she didn't feel very nervous about talking in front of a crowd today. In fact, she welcomed it as a distraction from everything else.

Soon enough, she arrived at the bathroom and entered. One of the stalls was occupied and Dawn could hear the person within shuffling quite a bit. As Dawn approached the sink to observe herself in the mirror, she grimaced as the girl in the stall began to retch. Thankfully, it only lasted for a few moments before the toilet was flushed.

Dawn's eyebrows shot up as she May exited the stall with a groan.

"May?" Dawn exclaimed and May jumped at the sight of her friend.

"Dawn? What are you doing here?"

"Forget me, are you okay?" Dawn asked as she brushed aside May's question.

"Oh…uh, yeah," May replied sheepishly as she approached the sink to wash her hands. "I'm fine, just a little nervous about singing in front of everyone today."

Dawn narrowed her eyes skeptically as she observed her friend. May caught sight of Dawn's stare and decided to change the subject.

"So how are you feeling? Do you think you'll be alright with your speech?"

"I'll be fine, it's not like I'm the first one up or anything," Dawn reasoned. "I feel like everyone is going to forget every speech besides Sorrel's, he is the valedictorian after all."

"Oh, don't be like that, Dawn," May consoled her friend. "I'll remember your speech."

"Aww, thanks May," Dawn said before she took a glance around the empty bathroom. "Look at the two of us…today is our big day and we're hiding in the bathroom."

May stifled a laugh once she thought about Dawn's statement.

"It's funny though," May pointed out. "Isn't that how we met each other back in grade school?"

Dawn looked up in thought for a moment, then her eyes grew wide.

"Oh my god, you're right!" Dawn exclaimed. "It was back in first grade when the classrooms didn't have a private bathroom anymore. I remember you screaming for help because your shirt got caught on the lock of the bathroom stall."

Dawn couldn't help but laugh at May who crossed her arms with a huff.

"You didn't need to remind me of that," May muttered.

"But how could I not?" Dawn asked her in return. "If it weren't for that, I never would've met my best friend."

May looked at Dawn and relaxed her posture.

"Well, I guess that's true," May noted before she donned a grin. "After all, where would you be without me?"

Dawn rolled her eyes and May gave a laugh.

"Oh, I almost forgot, did Nando talk to you at all yesterday?" May asked.

"No, why?"

May beamed with pride.

"He finally decided," May began and Dawn raised her brow. "He's going to Sinnoh after graduation to join an orchestra there!"

"He's really going for it?!" Dawn exclaimed and May gave her a big nod.

Nando was going to be a professional musician!

"That's amazing! Aww, I can't wait to see him after the ceremony!"

There was a chime over the intercom that Dawn and May recognized. It was a call for the graduating class that their show was about to begin. The two of them stood in silence for a moment and then they looked to the mirrors on the bathroom wall. Together they observed their appearance, their white gowns, and caps.

"I guess, this is it," May said softly.

"Right…goodbye high school," Dawn said and she repeated herself for good measure. "Goodbye."


The concert hall of the VSPA was wonderfully decorated for the graduation of North Vermilion High School's class of ninety-five. The voices of the school choir joined harmoniously to conclude their performance, and the audience rose to their feet as they whistled and applauded. As expected, they were nothing short of phenomenal, and that included the last-minute additions in the form of May as a lead vocalist and Nando as the principal player on the piano. Despite what most would consider only a little bit of practice, everything came together almost perfectly on-stage.

The school principal stood proudly at the center of the stage as the choir dispersed to return to the seats among the graduating students on stage. As Nando rose from his seat behind the piano, their principal raised his hand in a gesture toward Nando.

"As a special announcement, I know the majority of the staff and parents are familiar with Nando, one of the brightest students our music program has ever seen," The principal began as all eyes in the room turned to the young man. "Recently, he received an invitation to join the Jubilife Symphony Orchestra in Sinnoh. He accepted their offer last week and will be joining them as their youngest musician ever!"

Nando prepared himself in advance for this moment, but he was still startled by the outburst. His peers burst into applause and the audience followed suit. He looked around for a moment and found Dawn near the front of his class in the seats reserved for those giving speeches. She put on a smile for him and motioned for him to take a bow. At the sight of her, Nando relaxed and followed her suggestion.

As the applause died down, the principal called for everyone's attention as they continued the student portion of the ceremony.

"A few our of seniors were allowed to write a small speech, a reflection of their senior year, and what they're looking forward to," The principal explained as he motioned for the first student to take his place at the podium.

Dawn at the front row of her class, her speech folded nicely and tucked into the pocket of her gown. Rather than focus on the audience in front of her, she focused on the tassel of her cap that hung in front of her face. At the slightest tilt of her head, it began to wave back and forth. Her eyes tracked its movements aimlessly and this small movement caused her mind to drift.

Her senior year had its ups and downs, but there was a certain charm to it all. A sprinkle of magic and the source was none other than Ash Ketchum. From the moment she first met him, Dawn could feel that he was different. There was something about Ash that made him seem larger than life. He exposed her to all sorts of new thoughts and ideas.

"People still fear Pokemon, and I think it's time for that to change."

"What do you think life would be like if we had to live with Pokemon?"

"Anything is possible!"

He dragged her through a typhoon of emotions that she'd never felt before.

He frustrated her.

"I mean you clearly have talent, but…it feels like your work hasn't really matured yet."

He made her dance.

"It's a line dance so the steps are simple, don't think too much and just move with the music."

He inspired her.

"I mean, what's the point in having dreams if they're not motivating you?"

He left her…confused.

"I can't let it mean anything to me, Dawn."

He made her heart skip a beat.

"Alright, alright Dawn," Zoey interjected. "I'm glad you're in love."

Through it all, one statement from her father rang out.

"Eyes up, Dawn, because life goes on,"

Now she sat at the cusp of adulthood…and she would bid farewell to both Ash and her father.

Eyes up. Dawn raised her head and focused as she heard the applause for the latest speech. With a quick glance to her left, she saw that the seat beside her was empty. Emmi, her classmate, had just finished her speech and took a bow before she returned to her seat. Dawn gulped as she realized that she was next.

"And now, we'd like to invite Dawn Berlitz to the podium,"

Dawn took a breath before she rose from her seat. There were some shouts from her classmates as she took the stage. Once she was situated behind the podium, Dawn reached into the pocket of her gown for the speech she wrote, but as her fingertips grasped it, she hesitated. She had something else that she wanted to say.

Dawn left the speech in her pocket and instead raised her hand to adjust the microphone. She cleared her throat as she scanned the crowd and she soon found her mother in the second row. They made eye contact briefly and that was all Dawn needed before she proceeded.

"Um…it's an honor to stand before you all today. There are so many people who had a part in helping us reach this day, from our parents at home, to the teachers we studied under…to our principal and superintendent who joined us today. A big thanks to all of them for watching over us for all these years and I hope that we've made you all proud. Originally, I was going to speak about our path to graduation and what follows this event but…" Dawn looked upward for a moment as she breathed out. "I've been thinking about the subject of change and how quickly things can change without us even realizing it."

She paused for a few moments as she focused on her mother down in the audience. Johanna's brow was creased as she held a hand against her chest, watching her daughter with a great deal of concern.

"I'm sorry if this isn't well thought out, this is just one of those moments where you do something against your better judgment," She apologized before she proceeded. "I learned recently that there can be major catalysts that change your life forever and those can happen in the blink of an eye. Some of them are expected and unexpected," She glanced back at her peers that sat behind her. "We've worked for several years to reach this day where we can stand before all of our loved ones and walk across this stage to accept our diploma. This ceremony is an 'expected' major catalyst that will change how we live our lives going forward. We won't see our friends every day anymore. We may not see our family as much as we're used to. We'll have to say goodbye to the routine we've been living in and brace ourselves for what's ahead."

Dawn shut her eyes for a moment as she took a quick breather. Then with the air in her lungs renewed, she continued.

"But there are also unexpected events," She shrugged her shoulders. "Obviously, you can't plan for them, but they're also capable of changing a lot of things in an instant. We might get passed on for a job after a really good interview. We might have to end a relationship with someone we thought we loved…we might lose someone precious to us. Moments like that will make it feel like our soul is about to shrivel up but…my dad used to tell me that when you experience a loss, or hit a wall, or even fail…that isn't the time to put your head down. He always told me to keep my eyes up…because life goes on."

Dawn looked back to Johanna and they shared a small nod.

"You can forget everything that I've said, but I sincerely hope that if any of us are going through some hard times that you remember those words. They've helped me through some tough spots and I hope that they'll be of some use to you all later in life," Dawn said before she forced a smile. "To conclude, I'll say the same thing my mom is going to tell me when I meet her after the ceremony. I'm proud of our class. We're all capable of accomplishing great things, and I wish you all the best. Continue to work hard, be strong and I'm going to miss you all. This is goodbye, so congratulations class of 95."

Dawn gave a small bow to acknowledge the audience before she returned to her seat. Emmi gave her a pat on the shoulder and whispered that her speech was great. The final speech was delivered by Sorrel, the valedictorian. His subject was memories and he spoke eloquently. Dawn was among the masses that found themselves reliving their senior year as Sorrel provided all sorts of short stories from different students.

The past year was littered with highlights that earned a standing ovation from the audience, and with each story, Dawn felt her throat grow dry. She sniffled and wiped at the corner of her eyes every so often as the moment drew closer.

"Dawn Berlitz!"

The student body erupted with applause as Dawn was invited to cross the stage. Cameras flashed all around her as she approached the principal. She accepted her diploma with her left hand and shook his hand with her right. Then they turned together to smile for the pictures.

"And now, the turning of the tassel, your commencement," Their principal announced as he looked back at the class. "Before we continue, I ask that you take a moment to remember all of your academic and personal achievements that have led you up to this day. Remember all of your classmates, your parents, the faculty, and staff with who you've spent the past four years," After a brief moment, their principal raised his hands. "And now, I ask you all to stand up."

Phones and cameras were raised throughout the audience in preparation.

"Now is the time to turn your tassel as a mark of completion of your studies at North Vermilion High School. You may proceed," With a gesture to the graduation class, they all raised a hand and took a hold of their tassel to move it from one side of their cap to the other. Their principal smiled warmly before he made his final statement. "Once again, congratulations! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, North Vermilion High School's class of 95!"

The entire room burst into applause, and the senior class recognized that as their moment to remove their cap and pitch them into the air above the stage.

Dawn stood among her classmates and followed their actions. As she took off her cap, she raised his head and looked up with everyone else.

"Goodbye," She whispered one last time.

And she hurled her cap up with the others.


Tuesday, June 27th

The courtroom within the city hall was filled beyond its usual capacity, though there was extra security to account for it. All eyes were on the young man seated at the witness stand beside the judge and his declaration left the room in stunned silence.

"Would care to repeat that one more time, Mr. Ketchum," The judge requested of him.

Ash swallowed hard to clear the lump in his throat and he took a breath once more.

"Your Honor, I…I plead guilty to the murder of Malcolm Berlitz," Ash stated.

That statement would shake Vermilion City to its core.

"Well then, based on the information presented to the jury from various investigators with the police department, I can provide my ruling. You will now be serving a life sentence to the Cerulean Correctional Facility."

The judge raised his gavel and dropped it against the surface of his desk.

The sound echoed…


The room became hushed as all eyes rose to the television screen that was mounted up in the corner of the wall. Displayed was the evening news as they retold an old event.

"Tonight, we're going to take a look back at this stunning court case that took place in Vermilion City roughly three months ago," The news anchor explained as he organized his paperwork. "Everyone was caught off guard by how suddenly all of this took place, and the Berlitz Enterprise is still spiraling from the loss of its head executive and founder, Malcolm Berlitz."

There were whispers in the room as the title of the court case was shown at the bottom of the screen.

Berlitz Enterprise v Ash Ketchum.

"That's him over there?"

"That kid?"

"What the hell did he do?"

A replay of Ash was shown when he made his declaration from the witness stand.

"I plead guilty to the murder of Malcolm Berlitz,"


One choice, made in the fraction of a second. Thoughtless or premeditated, you did something.

Was it significant? Now that's the question.


How did he end up here?

Where did it all start?

The day he met Dawn?

No…just before that.

He made it to the front door of the school on his first day at North Vermilion High, but…he was nervous. The apprehension had his stomach in knots. He didn't want to be there yet.

So, he decided to skip school. Little did he know this decision would change the course of his life. As he left, he saw a beautiful girl with blue hair in the middle of the road. She would've been hit by a car if he wasn't there.

He was the only one who could've seen the car since he was walking away from the school. No one else would've reacted in time.

Ash saved her life because he chose to skip school.

Ash met Dawn because he chose to skip school.

Ash met Malcolm because he chose to skip school.

Ash was in prison…because he chose to skip school.


Was it a significant decision? In hindsight…yes.

Ash gave a sigh and readjusted himself on his stiff mattress which groaned in protest.

Now he remembered how he got here.


-FIN-


A/N

Welcome to the last author's note for Caged Wings. It's a little hard to accept that this is the conclusion to this part of the story, but this was always the ending I had in mind. I originally developed this during a brief writing course where I was told to imagine an ending that most people wouldn't be happy with…and this is what I came up with. That aside, I couldn't be happier with how Caged Wings turned out. This has been a fantastic writing journey and it's my pleasure to declare Caged Wings a completed story!

Now, I'm sure you must be wondering what's going to happen from here. I doubt anyone could've predicted this ending, and there's no way I could just leave it like this. But the Wings Universe has countless stories to tell, and Ash's is far from complete. There are still many mysteries that I introduced but have yet to revisit, not to mention there have been countless conversations about these 'wings' with no definite answer as to what the heck they are. There's no way I could just leave you all hanging. There has to be a sequel!

This is something that many of you brought up to me, requests to see Ash with more Pokemon, traveling between cities, the basic aspects of a journey. I would've loved to go on to the stage of his journey in this story, but I know that the first half of Caged Wings, unfortunately, turns away many people due to the high school setting. So, I can give you a few minor spoilers about the sequel. It will feature Ash on a journey and he will capture and befriend more Pokemon. I've been dying to write about Ash on an actual Pokemon journey, but I felt like I had to set it all up properly before I could throw him out there.

But as I've said in the past, the Wings Universe has reached a point where it is absolutely ENORMOUS. I don't know how many stories I can tell considering the pace that I write at, but it'll be my pleasure to tell as many as I possibly can. I hope you all will continue to be patient with me as this journey continues. When will the next installment start? I'm sorry, but you'll just have to wait and see. I've already started to work on it and I think the next part of Ash's saga is significantly better than Caged Wings. As I get closer to publishing that particular story, I'll be sure to update my profile to keep you guys informed. But between now and then, I have a few side stories that I'd like to start uploading that are also related to Caged Wings. Feel free to give them a read if you're interested.

As I look back on the entirety of this story, I'm astonished that this is the outcome of it all. It was supposed to be a fuzzy little romance, but it turned into an epic. I'm so happy that I wrote this! I have to give a special thanks to my beta reader MjrGenMatt. He was the first person to leave a review and he agreed to become my beta. The rest is history! Give him a round of applause because he'll act like he didn't play a huge part in the refinement of this work, but he did more than he'll know.

To all of you that supported this work during its course, I thank you wholeheartedly. I'm amazed by the following that this story received as it grew and I had some incredible conversations with some of you. I know life has been rough recently and I've lost contact with some people here. I hope you all are well!

2020 has been an insane year. The world changed right before our eyes. It's been an adjustment for us all, and I sincerely hope that Caged Wings could've acted as a little break from your current reality. To those of you who have been working hard throughout this, a big shoutout to you all. Stay safe out there! To those of you who lost someone, stay strong! To those of you in despair, eyes up! There's a light at the end of the tunnel, we're almost there!

As a concluding note, I just want to thank you all once again for accompanying me on this journey. Stay safe everyone, and I hope to see you all again soon.

DestinyHead123