Chapter 3 - Spiderwebs
Rain pounded down against the glass window in as Ash sat on the sill, watching it run down in torrents. On arriving at Brock's family home after the fight at the gym he had locked himself in one of the bedrooms, refusing meals and avoiding the other occupants. Only leaving to use the bathroom and only once he was sure he would not be disturbed.
As he stared aimlessly out of the window, his mind was assaulted with violent memories of death and decay.
The hot blood dripping from his hand as he dropped the knife and blood bubbling at Giovanni's mouth as his gasped for life.
The screams of his Lapras as Rhydon decapitated it. The innocence of his water Pokémon forever lost.
Misty shouting at him how his mother had committed suicide, how he had abandoned her.
His fault, all HIS fault.
There was a knock at the door, he continued to stare out the window, ignoring it. Another knock and then footsteps.
He was alone.
This time the persistent knocking was accompanied by a voice.
'Ash! open up now! You can't do this forever! If you don't unlock this door, I'll break it down." Misty screamed from the other side, pounding the wood with all her might.
Ash sighed and lifted himself off the window sill, his bare feet padding across the cold polished hardwood floors. He unlocked the door and stepped back as Misty threw it open. He gave her a brief look and retreated further into the dark confines of the bedroom as Misty entered over the threshold.
"You should eat something." She said gruffly
Ash just grunted in reply.
"You can't keep just running away when things go bad." Misty started, ignoring the look of disinterest on Ash's face.
"Misty, stop coming in and acting like you know what the hell you're talking about." Said Ash, his voice laced with rage but he did not raise his tone. "You've got no fucking idea."
Ash felt the sudden urge to throttle Misty rise within him, to which he instantly repressed. Instead, he screwed his eyelid tightly together and pressed his fingers to his temples. He wasn't a woman basher and no matter how much Misty infuriated him, he would not strike her.
Desperate to avoid Misty's scathing expression his eyes roved around the room, before falling on a rectangular box, that was sitting open on the otherwise barren bedside table. It was a gym badge case that Forrest had dug out for him and left in front of the bedroom door after they had returned from the encounter with Rhydon. Ash had affixed the boulder badge to the top velvet cushion contained inside the case. Staring at it now, however, reminded him of Gary Oak and the case he had carried with him when they had first started their Pokémon Journeys. He shook his head furiously, trying to clear his thoughts. He didn't want to remember.
Misty, folded her arms in front of her chest and tapped her foot on the floor, she too felt anger and resentment towards Ash. "You're acting like a child."
Ash swung around and faced Misty; his face contorted with fury.
"Go Misty! Get out of here. I don't want to see you or hear you!" He screamed in her face, stepping towards her in the most intimating manner he could muster. He raised both his palms before him and stepped towards her as if trying to shoo her away. Misty stumbled backwards, her eyes widening with fear. Ash looked dangerous. The pupils in his eyes dilated and his teeth bared, he reminded her of a cornered wild animal.
Without so much as a second thought she scurried backwards through the open doorway and pulled the door shut. Refusing to take her eyes off the enraged man before her until the solid wood barred his face from her vision.
The sun had barely cracked the horizon, casting deep orange light across the remaining clouds of last night's storm, as Ash and Pikachu headed out of Pewter City. The ground was soggy from the heavy rain, which had thankfully ceased, and his boots slipped in the muddy puddles that lined the way. Ash was still riled up from his encounter with Misty the previous night. She thought him a coward, but she had no idea what she was talking about. She hadn't known him since he was a sixteen-year-old boy. How could she judge him?
An acrid stench, that reminded Ash violently of rotting flesh hit his nostrils before his eyes met the barefooted man with ragged maroon shorts and a dirty green T-Shirt stood, blocking his route.
"You're leaving already?" Tracey asked, with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Not you again, don't you have anything better to do than follow me around?" Ash protested.
"Ah! Not following you, just happened to be in the same place as you this time." Tracey replied brightly.
"Well, I'm not interested. Why don't you just fuck off now?"
"So, you're okay with letting Pokémon be used and killed like this?" Tracey appealed, ignoring the anger directed towards him. Ash instantly noticed this manipulation technique but felt compelled to argue.
"No, I'm not okay with that! But there is nothing I can do!"
Tracey grinned broadly, this time his eyes dazzled with knowing.
"That's where you are wrong. There is plenty you can do."
Ash shook his head with frustration.
"I- I… I don't care!" Ash argued back, the words sounded weak and immature as they left his lips and he knew this.
Tracey cocked his head to the right and considered Ash with a smirk.
"I think you do care, that's why you want to leave, you care too much."
Ash scoffed, 'What absolute nonsense."
"Then maybe Misty is right. Maybe you are a coward then?" Tracey gave Ash a grin that made his stomach turn. He balled his right fist and punched it into the palm of his left hand. Affronted by the movement, Pikachu leapt from his shoulder to the muddy ground. Giving Ash a look that purveyed his offensive. Ash, however, was still thinking of Tracey. How did he know what Misty thought of him?
"Oh Ash, you can't fix everything with violence and running away." Tracey mocked him with an exaggerated sigh and shrugging, lifting his arms above his shoulders with his palms facing upwards, in a superior way. The move was deliberate, taunting Ash and provoking the anger which had boiled just below the surface since his run in with Misty.
"What would you know?" Ash snarled, glaring at the dirty man before him with a mane of mattered hair and an overpowering smell of decay.
"What I do know is, that if you do what you plan on doing, this will spread beyond Kanto. There will be nowhere left for you to hide." Tracy retorted. Still with that smug air of superiority.
Ash pinched the bridge of his nose and massaged it; this conversation was going around in circles and the smell emanating from Tracey was giving him a headache. Surely it hadn't been this bad last time? He also didn't care for Tracey's slights on his person, if he left then Tracey would believe himself to be right about Ash being a Coward, and this caused Ash grievance. He knew he shouldn't care what this Neanderthal thought of him for Ash's reasons where his own, but his pride would not let him be thought of as a coward and that he was running away.
"Have you ever thought there was good reason for me to leave." Ash hissed, unsure why he felt the need to challenge Tracey, but he assumed it was his ego getting the better of him.
"A noble cause, is it?" Tracey asked sardonically, his eyes dancing with humor. "More noble than protecting innocent Pokémon, of course. You're definitely not abandoning anything again. No sirree."
Ash growled, the sound deep in his throat. Tracey was teasing him and Ash was seething with rage, he may not have hit Misty last night, but he definitely had no qualms about haymaking the vagrant blocking his egress. He flexed his fingers before balling his fist. His jaw set in a hard line, tense with anger.
Tracey stared at him, smiling broadly. Seemingly unconcerned with Ash's tensed pose.
Ash glared at the Tracey, but made no further move towards him. Without another word, he turned on heel and stalked away from the other man. Pikachu tilted its head, eying Tracey with confusion.
"Chu?"
It then crouched to all fours and raced over the mud sodden ground after it's master.
Misty and Brock had their heads down, conversating over a map stretched out across the dining table as Ash returned. He threw down his black backpack in one of the seats and left the room without so much as a glance at the two other adults. Misty lifted her head and watched Ash retreat through the door leading to the hallway, noting his mud-covered boots.
"Pikachu" Pikachu leapt onto the table, leaving muddy paw prints on the edge of the map of Kanto. Misty turned her attention to the electric mouse, feeling a smile cross her lips.
"Hey, Pikachu." She reached out and stroked the yellow mouse's fur. "Why are you all muddy, buddy?"
Ash returned to the room with two bath towels and headed to the sink. He ran the hot water, checking its temperature with his hand before soaking one of the towels and walking over to the table. He picked up Pikachu and scrubbed it down with the wet towel.
"What are you planning?" Ash said, avoiding Misty completely and focusing his attention on Brock.
"The route to Cerulean City, I want to avoid the Mt. Moon trail, but it is seemingly impossible. Unless you're an advanced mountaineer, that is." Brock finished grimly.
"What's wrong with Mt. Moon?" Asked Ash, throwing the wet towel over the back of the seat which held his backpack. He then wrapped Pikachu in the dry one and held the Pokémon in his arms like a baby.
"Forrest has heard rumors that people who have entered Mt. Moon recently haven't been heard from again. I'm quite happy to put stock in these rumors."
Ash frowned and absent-mindedly rocked Pikachu.
"What does it matter to you?" asked Misty suddenly. "I didn't think you were coming with us."
Ash turned his eyes to the map and focused on the muddy paw prints left by Pikachu, refusing to look at the Orange-haired woman to his left.
"Got nothing better to do." Said Ash, agitated. Misty pursed her lips and stole a look at Brock, who just shook at her. The message was clear, don't push it.
"Are Forrest and the rest coming?" Misty asked Brock, changing the subject away from Ash.
"No, Forrest has decided to remain here, just in case Rocket find out that one of their Pokémon have been defeated. The others have decided to head to Johto."
"So, when are we leaving?" Ash questioned Brock who answered with a humourless laugh,
"Whenever you're ready."
The afternoon sun was low on its downwards trajectory. Casting a fiery orange glow on the few stray clouds which remained in the sky. Ash trudged along behind Misty and Brock; his eyes cast downwards onto the well-worn roads of Route 3. Carefully avoiding the deep ruts left by carts headed to and from Mt Moon. Brock lifted his hand and stopped without warning; Misty came to a stop besides him while Ash, who had not been aware in the change of conditions walked full pace into Misty's back sending her sprawling into the dirt. Misty gave Ash the filthiest look she could muster and pushed herself back to her feet, checking her elbows and knees for damage in the process. Ash, embarrassed, looked away without offering to help. Pikachu chided him from his shoulder.
"What was all that about?" Misty spat, rubbing her left elbow and glaring at Brock as though it were his fault she had fallen.
"I think we should make some sort of a plan; I don't think marching into Mt. Moon without some contingencies is very wise."
"And why didn't we do this before we left?" asked Ash, sternly.
Brock shrugged, looking Ash square in the eyes. "I figured it was better to leave before you had another crisis of faith."
Ash snarled and stalked off to the side of the road. He coaxed Pikachu off his shoulder before sitting down in the dry brown grass, Misty followed suit, sitting as far as she could from Ash. Brock glanced at the pair before taking his place in between them. Pikachu climbed up onto Brock's outstretched legs and curled into a ball.
"What do we know about Mt. Moon, apart from the death thing." Ash asked Brock coolly. Brock shrugged,
"To be honest, nothing."
Misty let out a frustrated sigh, "Well, how do you plan for that, Brock?"
Brock didn't answer her. "I don't know, Misty. That's why I thought we better talk about it now."
"Oh, I thought stumbling around blind was a much better idea -"
"Can you two shut up." Ash snapped viciously, cutting Misty off and bringing the attention onto himself. "I'm sick of you already."
"Then what's your plan, Mister I-know-better?" Misty rounded on him.
Ash laid back and stared up at the sky, "I don't know. You're just giving me a headache, that's all."
"So anyway, what did make you change your mind? You seemed pretty intent on leaving this morning." Brock asked before Misty could continue on Ash, moving the subject from Mt Moon. Ash gave Brock a glance and frowned.
"How are you contacting him?" he countered, to confused looks from his two travelling companions.
"Who?" Misty asked curiously.
"Tracey." Ash finished, bluntly.
Misty and Brock's eyes met, sharing the same bewildered look. Misty's face betrayed her pure confusion, while Brock's contorted to one of uneasy seriousness.
"Do you mean Tracey from the Orange Islands?" Brock started slowly, carefully studying Ash's face. As if wary of Ash's reaction.
Ash nodded, irritated. Who else could he possibly mean?
Brock slowly chewed the inside of his mouth, overcome with a pained expression. Slowly tilting his head from side to side he carefully chose his next words.
"Well, the thing is, when I was in Johto, I heard a few things. And well, you see," Brock stopped his indecisive muttering, taking a deep breath and looking Ash squarely in the eyes. "Tracey died in the First Wave. He's been dead for years."
Ash let out a humourless bark of laughter. "Right, so you're saying I imagined him both times? You think I'm some sort of Skitzo?" Ash accused, daring Brock with his expression to agree.
"No," Brock countered, warily "I'm just telling you what I know. I can't say what you did or didn't see."
Ash stood upright and paced viciously backwards and forwards. His mind reeling. Again, he was being lied too. Perhaps they thought him unstable? Anger raged inside him, he desperately wanted to lash out at the two adults before him. Violent fantasies flashed before his eyes, a well-placed attack, a cry and the sweet smell of death emanating from their fallen bodies.
Ash stopped pacing just as suddenly as he had started and sat back on his heels. Placing his head in the palm of his hands he pressed the pads into his eyes. The dead don't talk, he told himself firmly. However, confusion weighed him down and he felt a bite of hysteria ready to overcome him. Focusing only on slowing his breathing, he calmed himself. He would not break in front of these people who already thought him weak, maybe even disturbed.
"Did Tracey convince you to stay?" Misty asked, her voice barely above a whisper and laced with fear. Ash looked sharply at her, considering her intent.
"No one convinced me to stay. I'm just here for now."
Misty gave a sigh, Ash's evasiveness irritated her but she was well aware of his stubbornness and knew there was no point continuing with him.
"Let's just keep moving, shall we."
"Fine by me," Ash leapt to his feet. Acutely aware that nothing had been decided for their entry to Mt. Moon, but he figured he would just worry about that when the time came.
The moon, full and bright, cast an eerie glow across the treetops. The leaves of the trees, silver grey in the moonlight, were still. The night was unnaturally silent and the air was cold, biting at any exposed skin.
"I wouldn't go that way if I were you."
A shadow shifted and from a branch above them a wild man with emerald green hair that jutted out at all angles, jumped and landed cat like before them. In front of him a Sandslash flexed its long claw like fingers.
Ash studied the man's tanned face, looking for any recognition of familiarity. The spiky bangs of his hair hung down in front of his mint green eyes. He was dressed lightly, with only a drawstring backpack and what looked to Ash like a sword, sheathed at his belt.
"And why not?" Ash asked him caustically, folding his arms over his chest. On his shoulder he felt Pikachu tense, staring down at the Sandslash, eyes focused. Beside him, Misty moved one of her hands to her belt, resting it the Pokeball which contained Starmie.
"If you don't want to die that is. But if you do, well, be my guest." The green haired man replied, placing a hand on the hilt of his sword. Brock, sensing trouble, stepped up in front of Ash, breaking his line of sight with the newcomer.
"I apologize for my friend here. He does not have very good people skills." Brock waved his hand dismissing Ash before continuing. "We are just travelers in these parts, displaced by the war." Brock's voice held an innocent tone and he opened his body language as though to portray pacifism. Even Ash had to admit, Brock's acting skills were very good.
The man removed his hand from his sword and ran it though his green hair, his eyebrows furrowed as he studied the brown-skinned man before him.
"You look like someone I know." The man said slowly. "Where did you say you were from, again?"
"I didn't actually," Brock replied. "But my companions and I have just left Pewter – "
"Forrest!" The man interjected. "That's who you look like!"
"Ah well, that would probably be because he is my brother."
The man looked at him as though he was seeing him clearly for the first time, the Sandslash before him visibly relaxed. Ash raised his eyebrow and caught Misty's eye. Seeing his own expression reflected back at him on her slim, pale face.
"I trade with Forrest," The man explained to Brock, his wariness of the trio evaporating. "I often come across many useful things from the Rocket supply carts that come from the Mountain. Forrest trades fairly, of course."
"I must admit, Forrest never mentioned you." Brock replied "Although if he had of it may have helped." he added the last sentence under breath. AJ appeared not to notice, however.
"My name is AJ." He strode forward his hand outstretched to Brock. Brock received it gracefully.
"Brock, and my companions are Misty and Ash."
AJ's hand dropped away from Brock's and his eyes opened wide in astonishment. "Ash? League champion Ash?" He darted around Brock to gain a better view.
"You probably don't remember me, but we met many years ago, when me and Sandslash, or Sandshrew as it were back then, ran our own gym."
"100 victories before you would take on the Gym leaders to qualify for the Kanto League." Ash recalled, surprised at himself for remembering this scrap of knowledge from his childhood. AJ nodded, beaming.
"Come with me. I have somewhere where you can stay the night. Get out of the cold." AJ beckoned. Pikachu chattered on Ash's shoulder, warm to the idea of escaping the cold. Ash shrugged to himself and fell into step behind AJ. Misty and Brock following his lead.
A/N: This chapter was originally longer but I decided to spilt it into two separate chapters, otherwise it felt too long and too bottom heavy. I should have the next part up soon. just after I finish editing it and making sure it flows well. Any feedback on the story so far is always welcome.
Thank you to everyone who has favourited, reviewed and followed so far. It means a lot to me, as an amatuer writer, that you are enjoying this.