Authors Note: This story has been inspired by Pokémon Master by Acey, Deltora Quest by Emily Rodda and, of course, the Pokémon Anime and Games. I definitely recommend you check out both Acey's fanfic Pokémon Master; and the Deltora Quest. This is still a WIP so I would love some constructive feedback. It also marks a return for writing for me for the first time in 10 years so I might be a little rusty.

Lastly; The name Pokémon: Storm is literally just because I had no idea what to name it and it was raining the day I started writing this.

Pokémon: Storm.

Prologue: A year prior

The beating wings of the Moltres beneath him illuminated him in a golden glow. He felt invincible as he soared the night sky on the back of the flaming bird. No one was more powerful, no one could rise to the heights he had risen.

The storm was ahead, the storm held no fear. The flashing of bright lighting and the heavy rumbles of thunder could not stop him.

He hit the clouds of the oncoming storm, he welcomed their icy chill, he craved it. He did not have time to register as his Moltres hit the cloud front with a dull thud and -

Then he was falling, the air held no resistance as he plummeted to the earth. But this couldn't be right, he was infallible. He was-

There was a sharp intake of air and the sleeping man woke with a start. His head shot from the pillow of his makeshift bed as his hands rushed to his head.

A dream.

He blinked and concentrated on slowing his breathing. It was still dark. Rising to his feet he faced a window hidden behind tattered curtains above his bedding. Ripping them back, he thrust the window open and let the cool night air wash over his face.

"Chu?" A sleepy question echoed from the cot on the floor he had created from himself.

"It's okay Pikachu, a dream." His rough voice answered. "you can sleep."

"Chaa" Pikachu yawned.

Ash chuckled to himself and turned from the window. Although dark, Ash could make out the features of the barren shack. Abandoned outside of Nacrene City, a remanent from the time of Team Plasma, the shack would once have been used by Team Plasma crews to refresh before heading out, but it had long since been forgotten about, perfect for a squatter.

The wooden floorboards creaked underfoot as Ash traversed the short distance from the window to where his clothes lay on a rotting wooden dresser with a grime covered mirror attached. On the Dresser next to his cloths sat a small candle and matchbox. Lighting it with a match from a matchbox it cast an eerie flickering glow across the dirty mirror. If this place had ever had the modern luxuries of electricity or running water, the connections where now relics of the past.

In the light of the candle Ash pulled on his pair of black sweatpants and black tank top over his muscular, battle scarred body. He then turned and studied himself in the mirror. His face was battle hardened and his hair was cut short, although still stuck out at unruly angles much like his younger self. His deep brown eyes reflected back at him, refusing to betray any emotion.

"Pika? Pikachu had leapt onto the dresser almost silently as Ash had stared at himself, the yellow mouse Pokémon gazed up at him intently.

"I told you not to worry." Ash met the eyes of his partner Pokémon and held his gaze. Pikachu did not look convinced but knew better than to push it. They had been together too long; Ash's stubbornness was unrivalled.

"We will go into town earlier today; I have some money from the last bounty so we'll get a proper feed. Maybe even a nice hot bath at the Poke Centre before I pick up my next job." Ash gave Pikachu a swift smile, he knew that his Pokémon could not refuse the offer. They lived rough, but this was the life of a bounty hunter. No place to call home, no body to call upon. And this is how Ash preferred it.

"Come on, let's go." Said Ash as he bent down to retrieve a tired looking backpack from the floor. Pikachu sighed and climbed up to his shoulder.

The sun was barely breaking the horizon as Ash entered Nacrene City. A sleepy silence mixed with a low fog hung heavy over the rooftops. It was too early to call upon the Police station to pick up his next assignment so he decided best he honour his promise to Pikachu first and provide food and a warm bath. The Pokémon Centre was open 24 hours and had free facilities for Pokémon Trainers to use. Although, no longer a Pokémon Trainer, Ash encroached upon their services often enough. Although they lived rough with no tie downs, Pikachu refused to allow Ash to go to long without attending to his hygiene.

As they entered through the electronic doors of the centre, they were instantly hit with an overpowering smell. "Chu!" Pikachu grunted from Ash's shoulder, wrinkling up his nose against the offensive odour. Ash located the source of the unpleasant scent and narrowed his eyes. Curled up on the Centres plush pink couches was a lump of dirt stained fabric. As Ash approached, he was able to make out a mane of long tangled black hair flecked with grey under a long travelling cloak which desperately needed to be disposed of.

Ash stared down, somewhat mesmerised by the dirty, smelly, sleeping man. He felt an odd sense of familiarity that he was unsure of. He continued to study the lump before him, trying to make out any identifying features, but they were covered by the ratty mess of hair. Suddenly he felt a pull on his hair that shook him from his trance. He turned his face slightly to see Pikachu's disgruntled expression.

"Oh, right. We're going." Said Ash, still unsure of himself.

It was mid morning by the time Ash and Pikachu had left the Pokémon Centre with freshly laundered clothing, clean bodies and filled tummies. On exit Ash had scanned the room for the strange sleeping man but he and his repugnant smell had vacated. The townspeople now filled the streets, lining up at sidewalk cafes for their early morning coffee hit, heading to work or just idly window shopping. Although with none of the hustle and bustle of the major cities, Ash still felt uncomfortable being amongst this many people. He valued his solitude. Diverting his gaze to the concrete footpath to avoid having to look at the many faces, they made their way to the Police Station where Ash would pick up his next bounty.

Ash had always wondered as a child how a police force could be run with just one officer and a Growlithe at each location, but as he aged he found that although Officer Jenny would look after the smaller crimes like petty theft or drunk and disorderly, the majority of the real police work was left to bounty hunters, some paid a pittance where others paid a handsome price. This line of work was sure to attract the more colourful characters of the regions. With the power hungry, antisocial or just plain violent fighting for the best bounties. Ash, however, had gained a reputation as one of the top hunters with his aptitude and his likelihood to bring bounties in alive. This held him in high regard with the Guildmasters and they gave him preference to the higher end bounties, much to the chagrin of other hunters, who disliked the favouritism this afforded him.

The insides of the police station where calm and cool. Behind a woodgrain desk a couple of male officers were taking reports from a woman and child. A Growlithe sat in the corner and watched. Its head held high and chest puffed out, as if to exude its importance as a Police Pokémon.

Ash sat in one of the hard seats that lined the outer walls of the Foyer. Pikachu jumped down and climbed onto his lap and curled up, they were used to this taking a while. The Guildmaster of this particular Station didn't hold much regard for keeping time, although he was short and to the point, which Ash respected. Neither of them had time for the nicety's society expected.

As he waited, Ash watched the officers behind the desk. Jenny often put the young grunts on desk duties. "Earn your stripes", she would tell them "You youngin's are in too much of a hurry. You need to un learn that." She'd lecture them on their first day. Many of them quickly became disillusioned with the force. Some left never to return; others jumped ship to bounty hunting, which caused instant disapproval in Jenny's eyes. She had no respect for bounty hunters. Believing them to undermine her work and the respectability of the police force. The last group where the stayers who were rewarded for their loyalty to the job with the chance to follow Jenny around to catch small time crooks or transport defendants to court dates. A thankless job with low pay and terrible conditions.

"Ash!" The Guildmaster appeared at the entrance to an office just off to the side of the foyer. He was short and large framed, with a balding head and glasses just slightly too thick. Although he looked slightly comical, anybody in the busines knew not to get on the wrong side of him. Guildmasters were not in their position because they were easy targets. Guildmasters were Bounty hunters that had perfected the trade, and giving jobs and taking a cut just got easier as you got older.

Pikachu jumped to the floor as Ash rose to his feet and headed towards the office. After a brief handshake the Guildmaster pointed to a seat, not dissimilar to the one Ash had just vacated. Ash took it in silence as the Guildmaster took one opposite him.

"Last bounty returned alive, no issues, paid out." The Guildmaster said as he flicked through a file he had on a side table next to him. "As to be expected." He through the file away and looked at Ash.

"Got one, not high paying, ex-Team Plasma player, skipped bail. Wanted for Pokémon cruelty, extortion and assault. 500 poke yen, take it or leave it."

Ash shrugged, "Fine."

"Great," the Guildmaster said with no real enthusiasm. He extracted another manila folder from the messy pile beside him and flung it across to Ash who caught it on reflex. He opened it and briefly read the details before handing it back. "I'll have him by the end of tomorrow."

The Guildmaster nodded and stood up abruptly. "well, if that's all we're done here." Ash stood too, reached out and shook hands with the Guildmaster and left the office, closing the door behind him. He looked down at Pikachu and said with no emotion. "Looks like we're hired again."

Upon leaving the Police Station, Ash headed towards the route to the Pinwheel forest, the location of the Bounty was said to be in the upper Mountains of the Unova region, it would take a day to get there and he had promised the Bounty back by the end of tomorrow. Perhaps he was being dumb but Ash never failed to deliver. However, as he walked the road an uneasy feeling settled over him. He stopped and looked down to Pikachu who had stopped by his feet.

"We're being followed." He noted to which Pikachu tensed and let a few sparks fly from his cheeks. "Pika!"

Ash turned on heel and also tensed, if this was another Bounty Hunter looking to settle a score, he was ready.

But he was met not by another Bounty Hunter but the same dirty long black travelling cloak that he had seen in the Pokémon Centre earlier that day. Taking in the dishevelled sight before him revealed a skinny but wild looking man. The man's hair was still tangled and unruly but now was lank with wetness, implying he must have taken time to bathe while at the centre. Ash was also surprised to see that the man before him was not at all old, his face was smooth but his eyes were beginning to show signs of wrinkles. Again, the unexplained feeling of familiarity washed over Ash, even his Pikachu had a puzzled expression on its face. Its head half-cocked to the side, mouth agape.

"You're a hard man to get a hold of." The man spoke. His voice was soft, belying his wild exterior. Ash said nothing, still feeling unnerved. The man chuckled and stepped forward. "I'm not surprised you don't remember; it's got to be at least twenty years since I last saw you."

The voice rang bells in Ash's head but still all he could do was stand there, with a stupid expression on his face. Finally, he was able to stutter. 'W-who are you exactly?"

The wild man smiled broadly and laughed, "You might remember me from your journey across the Orange is – "Ash gasped and cut across him. 'Tracy?!" he managed incredulously.

Tracey nodded and now Ash's felt a wave of memories overwhelm him. He could now match the face of the 14-year-old boy he had travelled with to this stranger standing before him.

"Pika!" Pikachu squeaked in recognition. "Pikachu!"

Tracey looked down at Pikachu and nodded, still smiling broadly. "Yep, it's me."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ash asked, with a slight display of outward aggression. He didn't want or need reunions.

"Well, nice to see you too." Tracey laughed off Ash's unpleasantness. "But I am here because I wanted to see you."

Ash narrowed his eyes, he wasn't happy with this sudden, unwelcome meeting. Although curiosity gnawed at him, he didn't want to hear what some old friend had to say. He had cut everyone off for a reason. He wasn't looking to mend any bridges.

Tracey, seeming to foresee Ash's attitude continued, "I know what choices you made and why you are hiding here in the Unova region, I wouldn't have come for you if I hadn't of had good reason."

"Good reason?" Ash growled. "I'm not interested in what ever you have come here to tell me, you've wasted your time. Best you go crawl back into the cesspit you crawled out of."

"Yes, my appearance doesn't exactly exude confidence, but I've been living in the jungles of the orange archipelago living wild with the Pokémon, studying them as only I can." Tracey explained but Ash was already turning his back on the Pokémon Watcher.

"You can't run Ash, if I found you once I can find you again," Tracey fell into step besides him. "I'll assume you're considering using Pikachu against me. Not that you have much regard for human life these days I hear."

Ash stopped; he had been considering telling Pikachu to electrocute him but he decided to try beat him off with words one last time. "Listen, just leave me alone, okay! I don't care why you're here and I don't want to know you or who you are." Ash felt rage build inside him. How could this man come here and speak to him like he knew him! It had been twenty years, that was one thing he was right about.

Tracey, was not to be deterred by Ash's aggression, and pressed onwards "You'll want to know. Team Rocket have taken over Kanto. The Pokémon league have fallen."

Even in Ash's anger the words resonated with him. Team Rocket? The Pokémon League fallen? But Team Rocket had disbanded years ago, those incompetent buffoons couldn't have brought down the Pokémon League.

"I know what your thinking, how could those 2 and their talking Meowth, that couldn't even organise a root in a brothel, over through the Pokémon League? Well, it wasn't them. They haven't been seen since Giovanni's death, but Team Rocket have returned and they are much more of an organised unit."

"I killed Giovanni, I killed him with my bare hands when I was just 16. That was the end then!" Ash spat out, shaking with anger. He didn't want to remember that day, he could still feel the warm blood against his skin, the look of the life draining from Giovanni's eyes. Team Rocket was gone. And now this vagrant was standing here, telling him that Team Rocket where back. The memories forced themselves to the forefront of Ash's mind. Desperately he forced them down. Don't remember, the past is gone. The past is dead.

"You lie," Ash said coldly and started to walk slowly again.

"I wish I did." Tracey said sadly and waited for Ash to gain a few more steps before falling into step behind him.

"Well, what of Gary? This is his problem. Kanto, became his responsibility when I handed over my championship to him." Ash said now letting his curiosity get the better of him.

Tracey breathed in deeply, as if mulling over the words to say. 'When the Pokémon League fell, Gary… Well, Gary did not make it.:"

The news swept over Ash, he couldn't imagine his childhood rival, and then closest friend, falling in battle. Gary had always seemed so sure of himself, so confident in who he was and his abilities. How could anyone have beaten him, let alone killed him? He had been the undefeated champion for the last 12 years.

"I know it's not easy news to take." Tracey added with a tone of condolence. "but since you never officially lost the title, only transferred it to Gary. Well, that makes you the League Champion and our last hope."

For the third time Ash stopped, but this time he turned to face Tracey. His anger calmed and his face blanked of emotion. "Well, then it looks like Kanto is lost."

Tracey, stared back into Ash's eyes, he tried to hide the sadness that suddenly welled inside him. This was not unexpected, but he did not expect Ash to be so callous about it. He reached down into his coat pocket and retrieved a small red and white object to which he threw at Ash instantly. Ash reacted without thinking and caught it. Looking down at his hand he realised it was a Poke ball.

"If you ever change your mind, use that. You won't be able to enter through Johto, your best bet is to go via the Seafoam islands and then head to Pallet Town." This time, Tracey turned his back on Ash. There was no point standing here pushing the point. If Ash would not return, there was nothing more Tracey could say to make him change his mind.

"Good to see you again, Pikachu." Tracey said over his shoulder and began to walk away. Ash and Pikachu watched as he drew further away. "Chuu," Pikachu sighed sadly from Ash's feet. Ash however did not take his eyes from the retreating back of his one-time travel companion. Whatever trouble Kanto was in, he was not the one to fix it.