Finally! After all the action packed spooky chapters, we're back to a few lighter chapters! I'll try to upload Conqueror twice during a month, thrice if you keep up the support! Without further ado, let's get on it!
Shout-out to GaiaDragonSlayer for the submission of Luxio and other Pokémon! Nice backstory you provided too!
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.
Xxx
Permanent Wounds
'Ash…'
'The Savior of Lavender…'
'Such a fearless trainer…'
'Poor thing…' Ash could've sworn he heard people say this as he slept. How his worn out and tired body even manage to catch these lines was beyond him.
The Kantonian didn't know how long he rested, nor did he know how his companions were. All he knew was that he could finally rest easy knowing that Spiritomb was out.
How did he know that? Ash didn't know exactly, but a particular feline whispered it to him. How or who it was? Ash's exhausted brain didn't quite register nor did it seem to care.
'Hey Ash…' Ash heard someone whisper to him. It was distorted, and not quite clear. But Ash was sure he heard someone say that. 'Ash, wake up.'
"He's awake!" Ash opened his eyes, feeling intense pain wrack his body. "Easy Ash, easy." Ash felt a soft hand gently keep him down.
"Hey Leaf," Ash mumbled, a smile gracing his dry lips. His childhood friend was, quite frankly, looking dead. It was an improvement from what she looked like in the tower.
At least she was alive.
"I look like trash, I know." She remarked dryly. The doctor came over, checking his vitals and whatnot. Ash pushed himself into a sitting position, wincing.
"Where's my team?" Ash questioned her. "Is Mystic alright?! She-"
"She's alright Ash. Calm down." Leaf interrupted. "Everyone's fine. In one piece." Ash exhaled. "You were out like a light. What happened to you?" She questioned.
"…Mystic blasted me." Ash replied, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "Spiritomb… he forced her to do it." Leaf bit her lower lip.
"It's all over now." She replied, voice shaky as she clutched his shoulders. "All of us are safe. Okay?" Ash nodded, grasping her hands comfortingly. They were oddly cold, something he chalked up to the time she spent in Lavender Tower.
"You're good to go Mr. Ash." The doctor told him. "Just stay calm and cool for a few days and you'll be fine. I'll get your discharge papers." He nodded and left. Ash got up, nearly falling.
"Hey easy." Leaf told him, supporting him. Ash leaned down on his childhood friend, closing his eyes. The brunette wrapped her hands around him gently, pulling him into a needing touch.
Ash hugged her back, closing his eyes as he felt the real Leaf for the first time in so long. "I missed you." Ash mumbled.
"I did too, Ash." She mumbled back. "I did too." The two stayed in their embrace for a few more moments, leaning into the other. "I'm fine Ash. Really, we all are." She whispered.
"Yeah." Ash said, finally breaking his grip. He pulled back, blinking away the moisture on his eyes. He found Leaf wiping her eyes too.
"Speaking of missing," She had a grin on her face. "Delia and a certain blonde have been calling you ever since I reported the incident." Ash's eyes widened.
"What did you tell them?" He knew Leaf too well. Leaf gave him a coy look.
"I told them that I had arrived in Lavender Town and got pulled into the tower by the local Ghosts, and then you came in and saved me." Ash gave her a blank look. "If I didn't lie, they'll suspend my license as soon as possible."
''Still…" Ash sighed. "Let's get the call." Ash winced. "I don't really want to face my Mom's wrath…" Ash shivered.
"Eh, you faced Spiritomb." Leaf assured him. "Surely you can face Delia's wrath."
"Compared to an overprotective angry Mom, Spiritomb is a piece of cake." Ash bluntly answered. "Now, let's face it." Ash, with Leaf's help, managed to walk out of the room. "Where's my team?" Ash asked her.
"Resting." She replied. "It'll take a lot of time for them to completely recover." Ash pursed his lips. "But hey, at least they'll be completely fine."
"What about your team?" Leaf looked away. "Leaf, what is it?" Ash asked her softly. Leaf met his eyes, the normal joyful chocolaty eyes full of tears and regret.
"Some of them…" Leaf began, trying to keep her voice even. "Are hurt more than what can be healed."
"Which ones?" Ash asked quietly.
"Poliwag and Butterfree." Leaf replied, closing her eyes. "Poliwag simply doesn't want anything to do with me and Butterfree," Leaf took a deep breathe. "Couldn't last."
"Leaf, Leaf." Ash called out softly, cupping her face in his hands. "Hey, it's not your fault-"
"It is Ash," Leaf interrupted. "If I hadn't tried to play hero, then they would've been safe. Alive." A few tears dripped out of her eyes. "Hey, I'll meet you later."
"Leaf…" Ash called out as the brunette left him behind, running off. Ash didn't know what to do. He stood there, at a loss of words, as he tried to process the tragedy the young brunette had just witnessed.
"Mystic!" Ash roared as her screams rang through the tower.
Ash shook his head, gasping at the realization. 'I need to find Leaf.' Ash thought. The very thought of never seeing any one member of his team shook him. He could only imagine the pain Leaf was going through.
But before that, Ash had to face his mother.
The very thought scared him.
Xxx
Cynthia hissed in pain as Nurse Joy changed her wound's dressing. "You'll be fine within a few days Cynthia." The blonde bit her lower lip.
"Can't it heal faster?" The blonde asked. "Can't Chansey just use Heal Pulse or something?"
"I would but it's not allowed for specific reasons." Nurse Joy replied apologetically. "But, you'll be back to perfect health even without it." Cynthia nodded and got back up to her feet.
"How do trainers even go through their first year?" Cynthia gritted her teeth as the pain hit her. "I don't think I'm going to survive even my first year."
"That's the risk of being a Pokémon Trainer." Nurse Joy replied sadly. "Why do you think people opt for other professions instead?"
"How many trainers die annually anyway?" Cynthia wondered. Nurse Joy pursed her lips.
"More than the League cares to admit." She sighed. "A new system is rumored to be implemented soon. We're hearing that for the previous fifteen years though."
"I heard about it too." Cynthia replied. "Why doesn't the League take action? Make it a little easier for trainers to last."
"The League's working process is a bit faulty." Nurse Joy admitted.
"A bit?" Cynthia repeated.
"Moving on, what Pokémon have you decided to adopt from Damien?" She asked, more than eager to change the subject. Cynthia nodded.
"I thought about it." Cynthia replied. "But the problem lies that adopting all of his Pokémon at once would be a little problematic. I want to bond with everyone nicely but spreading my attention around so many Pokémon at once would be difficult."
"Well, your wound isn't going to magically heal up." Nurse Joy answered. "So it isn't as if you're going to leave really soon. You can interact with them and see which of them you want to have."
"I want all of them to be honest." Cynthia replied. "But with Gible already a new Pokémon and my team being full…"
"I understand." Nurse Joy spoke up. "Well, you can interact with them while you are here. Then, after deciding which ones are willing to go with you, you can capture them and keep rotating your team every once in a while."
"I can do that." Cynthia pursed her lips in thought. "I should've gotten a Fighting Type in Saffron too though. This strategy would've helped a lot back then."
"You can get it when you revisit Saffron." Nurse Joy replied. "Right now though, see what Pokémon you want to keep with you."
"The real question should be what Pokémon want to be with me." Cynthia replied. The two reached outside to see Cynthia's team interacting with Damien's.
Cynthia smiled, seeing them getting along quite well. Braixen was hitting it off with an Espurr (She was told the names by Nurse Joy), watching her utilize her Psychic abilities knowing she'll be able to harness them in the future too.
Riolu was playing tag with a very fast Sneasel and Purrloin, trying his best to catch the sneaky Dark Types but failing. The wild Eevee Cynthia had saved overlooked them, making sure they didn't get into any unnecessary trouble.
The three were young. Someone had to act like the elder.
A heavily scarred Luxio off in the corner, sleeping off. Cynthia had to admit, the scars made him look very intimidating. Whether he got the scars from Damien or before was unknown…
Gible was with Mawile, inspecting her second, larger mouth with awe. Cynthia knew what kind of species Mawile was and was slightly worried. She was a Fairy/Steel Type too, meaning she had immunity against Dragons.
A Swablu was drifting off in the air lazily, overlooking the Pokémon Center. Cynthia saw Buizel and Squirtle again bicker with a worried Roselia trying to calm them down.
Nidorino was off in the corner, eyeing the Luxio. He caught Cynthia's eye and growled, cutting off his stare. The last thing she wanted was the two to start fighting.
"I'll say all of them would like to be with you." Nurse Joy commented. "They're hitting it off with your team."
"What happened to Luxio?" Cynthia asked. Nurse Joy sighed sadly.
"You mean the scars, right?" The blonde nodded. "I don't really know the reason, but from what I got from his teammates was that Damien loved to hit him." Cynthia clenched her fists tightly.
"I really wish I had let Nidorino loose on him." She growled.
"As much as I loathe accepting it, such abuses are common." She told her. "Many trainers don't treat their Pokémon as good as you do. Many don't know how to even treat them properly."
"Why doesn't the-"
"League take action?" She asked. "It does. It's just not efficient enough." Cynthia looked at Luxio sadly. "But I know one thing. He deserves a trainer like you."
"Well," Cynthia looked over the group of Pokémon. "I should go interact with them." Nurse Joy nodded.
"I'll go back to my duties." The pinkette left leaving the blonde alone. Cynthia slowly walked to them.
"Hey guys and gals!" She called out, gaining their attention. "My name is Cynthia. Cynthia Carolina. I'm a trainer," She saw a few of them makes faces at the title. "But I'm nothing like Damien."
Cynthia crouched down. "Alakazam asked me to give you a new home. With me. If you don't want to stay with me, you can go back to your old homes like the many of your former teammates."
Having been on a journey since four years, Damien had ample time to gather rare Pokémon from all over the world and collect them. Many had chosen to go back to the wild rather than trust a trainer while some needed to be treated first.
The five before her, Mawile, Luxio, Espurr, Purrloin, and Sneasel were the only ones wanting a new trainer and being comparatively unharmed. Cynthia didn't want to imagine the trauma and damage the Pokémon needing medical attention had after seeing Luxio.
"You see, I can't go back to travelling yet." Cynthia pulled her shirt up to show them the gash on the side of her belly. "Until then, I'll love to stay with all of you. You can decide whether you want to stay with me or you want to choose another trainer till then. Kay?"
They nodded. Cynthia smiled and sat down completely. "So, what are we waiting for? Let's play!"
Xxx
"Ash!" Ash winced at the look on his mother's face. She was worried sick. "How are you?" She asked.
"I'm alive." Ash joked, regretting immediately once he saw her face. "I'm okay, just… rattled."
"What were you thinking entering that tower Ash?!" Delia scolded. "You're not Lance or any Champion yet Ash, you're a rookie trainer!"
"I couldn't let Leaf die there." Ash weakly protested.
"So you decide to join her." Ash winced at her tone. "Why the hell were you thinking Ash?" Without waiting for Ash's answer, she continued her rant. "Did you even dare to think what would've happened?"
"No," Ash winced again. "But I couldn't just let Leaf die! I had to do something!"
"You could've let the League handle this!" Delia retorted. "But no, Mr. Ash Ketchum had to go play hero. I swear, one day you're going to give me a heart attack with these antics!"
"I'm sorry," Ash apologized. Facing Spiritomb was a walk in the park compared to facing an angry Mother. "Hey, but I'm fine. Leaf is fine. Everything's okay."
"Yeah, like I'm supposed to believe that." Delia rolled her eyes. "Ash, I never stopped you from becoming a trainer or pursuing your goals but that doesn't mean you'll be this reckless! God, you're getting worse!"
"Yeah, I deserve that." Ash grimaced. "Mom, calm down please. I'm fine. Everyone is fine."
"Why do I even bother with that thick skull of yours?" Delia growled.
"Because I'm your son?" Ash replied with a cheeky grin. Delia sighed, shaking her head.
"How are you? And don't tell me that you're fine because one is simply not fine taking on such an entity such as Spiritomb." Delia added, seeing his look.
"I never really heard about Spiritomb." Ash said. "It was… unique." If by unique he meant utterly evil, then he was on point.
"I don't know much about him either. You can ask Professor Oak about it. Or maybe Cynthia, Spiritomb are said to have originated in Sinnoh." Ash nodded.
"I need to call the Professor too, switch my Pokémon around." Ash stretched lazily. "I have to call Cynthia too, have to check up on my Pokémon, meet Leaf at Lunch, and talk to the Elder…" Ash trailed off. "I have a lot of stuff to do."
"How long will you be staying at Lavender?" Delia asked. Ash thought about it.
"I won't be leaving anytime soon, that's for sure." Ash replied, trying to imagine the healing his team would have to go through.
"What's up with you and awfully strong Pokémon?" Delia asked. "First that Rhydon in Rock Tunnel, and now this Spiritomb. Can't you have a mild journey for once?"
"I can't help it." Ash answered. "I'm a trouble magnet. But hey, look at the bright side! We get stronger after each incident. This time, Mystic and Ivysaur evolved and I most probably got a Haunter to keep with me."
"One day you're going to end up dead." Delia replied back bluntly. Ash winced. "Ash, I know you can't resist playing hero but please, for once just think of me! You can't imagine what I'll feel when my dear son…"
"Hey, hey! Mom!" Ash quickly interrupted, seeing Delia on the verge of tears. "I'm fine, ain't I? Don't worry." Ash tenderly touched the screen with his hand. "I'm not leaving you alone."
"Promise me you'll refrain from doing such reckless stunts." Delia asked him. Ash considered it. Doing such stupid things was his instinct, something which was hard to ignore.
"I'll try." Ash responded at last. Delia frowned. "I'll try, really I will." Delia finally relented with her frown. "So, how's life at Pallet?" And with that the two slipped into simple, enjoyable chat.
It was after some time did Ash remembered that he also had other matters to attend to. "I'll call you again Mom but I need to meet Leaf for lunch and contact Cynthia too."
"Cynthia is worried sick Ash." Delia told him. "She'll probably give you the scolding you deserve." Ash winced again.
"So much for being safely back." Ash joked. "Love you Mom! I'll call you as soon as I can! Bye for now!"
"Bye Ashy! Take care!" The call got disconnected.
Ash sighed, getting up. He had to call Cynthia too but Leaf took priority in these circumstances.
He'll make it up to the blonde later.
Xxx
Cynthia fiddled with her pokedex, trying to decide on something. 'If I call her, she'll constantly go on how reckless I am and all this and that and just scold me.' She thought.
'But she's my mother. I can't just ignore her for the rest of my journey.' A part of her countered back. 'I can stall the call until she calls me back though. Make her desperate to talk to me.'
Cynthia felt a little childish talking to herself like this. She wanted to call her Mom, and tell her about the warning Damien had given her. But a part of her didn't want to, seeing how the last call went.
The blonde fought with all the logic and reasoning before getting up with up a grunt. "Fine, I'll call her." She murmured and made her way to the video phones.
Giving Nurse Joy a greeting on the way, Cynthia sat on one of the many unoccupied video phones and dialed her Mom's number. Hopefully she'll answer. It wasn't that late anyway.
The video phone rang, and rang, and rang. Every ring left Cynthia with baited breath, as she waited for her Mother's voice to pass through. The call was finally answered.
"Hello, Sophie Carolina here." Cynthia heard.
"H-hey Mom." She replied, trying to keep any emotion or stutter out of her voice. The video switched on, showing Sophie Carolina, blonde hair wet as if she just had walked out of the shower.
"Cynthia." She spoke. "What happened to you?" She asked, examining her. Cynthia mentally chided herself for not fixing up her appearance before. Unkempt hair, a scar on her face, bags under her eyes, and the wound thankfully hidden from her Mom.
"I'm fine." Cynthia replied. "Just tired from the journey." Sophie pursed her lips.
"Are you really fine?" Sophie questioned, her Motherly instinct telling her she wasn't.
"Yeah, yeah." Cynthia tried to calm her. "Okay, you win." She sighed. "I'm not fine." The blonde quickly told her about what occurred with Damien, from their first meeting to the end.
"Promise me you'll take great care of yourself Mom." Cynthia pleaded. "I don't want you to get hurt because of-"
"I'll be fine dear." Sophie replied. "He's all talk and no bluff. Don't worry. Take care of yourself for me. Okay?" Cynthia nodded.
"I really hope he gets what's coming to him." Cynthia uttered darkly.
"Did you talk to Ash?" Sophie questioned.
"No. I didn't talk to him in quite a while." Cynthia replied, realizing it. "Why, anything happened to him?"
"He didn't call Delia so she asked me. Hope he's fine." Sophie murmured.
"He'll be." Cynthia waved it off. "He's tougher than he looks." The blonde remembered his incident in Rock Tunnel.
"Where did the Fearow hit you though?" She asked. Cynthia got up, lifting her shirt up. "Oh my, and you said you're fine?!"
"I'm fine. Now." She ended sheepishly. "Mom, do you still blame Ash for what happened in the Hidden Village?" Sophie looked away.
"Let's not rake up old wounds." She answered. "But, yes. I still blame him."
"Why?" Cynthia asked.
"It was his plan which led to you two getting so much hurt-"
"It wasn't his plan!" Cynthia interrupting, having enough of blaming Ash. "It was my plan! He merely followed it! He took the blame for it everywhere so I wouldn't have to suffer! Stop degrading him for something he didn't do!"
"Why didn't you tell the truth?" Sophie questioned.
"He made me promise I wouldn't!" Cynthia retorted. "So please, stop blaming him for all this! It was my entire fault!"
"And all the crap I gave to Ash and Delia…" Sophie frowned. "Dear, why tell me this now?"
"I just wanted to make things right." Cynthia replied, breathing deeply to calm herself.
"You know," Sophie began. "When you were little, I and your father would always fantasize about what the great Cynthia could achieve when she grew up. You never lied about anything. You just couldn't." Cynthia quietly heard it. "You spilled everything, no matter what it was. Glad to see the trait hadn't left you yet."
"Remember, the truth may be bitter and ugly, but it's better than a beautiful lie. Lies only lead to destruction Cynth. Keep that in mind." Cynthia nodded. "Enough about this, tell me. How is your journey going?"
Cynthia began to ramble all about what happened to her all this time, enjoying her chat with her mother.
At least something good had come out due to Damien.
Xxx
'Where would I find Leaf though?' Ash thought, trying his best to ignore the looks the local residents were giving. Apparently they thought of him as a savoir since he defeated Spiritomb.
Technically, Leaf, Anpu, and all of their teams combined managed it. Everyone played a crucial role. For him to get all the credit was a bit unfair. Ash still had to check up on his team and how they were fairing.
He inwardly winced at the condition Mystic would be in. From Misdreavus's torture to Spiritomb, she had suffered the worst out of his team.
They had won, but at heavy prices.
"Where are you Leaf?" Ash questioned, looking around. Something tugged at his pant leg, taking his attention. It was a local Ghost, trying to tell him something. Ash crouched down. "Yes?"
The Ghost pointed towards the tower making him frown. "She's at the tower?" He nodded. "Thanks." Ash got up and made his way towards the tower.
The Ghost could've been playing a prank on him but Ash was pretty sure the local Ghosts wouldn't dare currently. After all, he had defeated the strongest Ghost of all, Spiritomb.
Ash reached the path heading towards the tower and felt… comforted. "Huh?" Ash couldn't help but utter as the Tower felt welcoming, a very drastic change compared to his last visit.
Ash saw various Ghosts on the way bow down to him in gratitude making him smile. "You don't have to." Ash spoke up softly as he made his way to the tower.
The doors opened themselves just as he was about to push them. Ash entered inside, looking at the lit tower for the first time. The damage from Spiritomb's control was evident, various tombstones broken, the walls weakened. The local ghosts alongside some residents were repairing it.
Ash felt an invisible guide lead him to Leaf. Ash followed it, relishing in the fresher aura of the tower. For being a graveyard, it had an oddly homely feeling to it.
He spotted Leaf on her knees, weeping in front of a grave. Ash had no difficulty in identifying it as Butterfree's grave. Ash didn't know what to do, to give Leaf much needed space or to go ahead and comfort her.
Ash stood there awkwardly, trying to decide on what to do. After a few moments, Ash felt an invisible force push him forward towards her. Ash stumbled forwards, feeling briefly annoyed.
However, he was thankful since a difficult decision was made. Ash crouched next to Leaf, paying his respects to Butterfree first. "Leaf," Ash whispered.
The brunette looked at him, and threw her arms around him. Ash held her tightly, letting her weep into his shoulder. Leaf sobbed while Ash rubbed her back soothingly, caressing her hair.
"He's gone Ash," She whimpered. "He lost his life trying to save me." Ash quietly sat there, letting her release all of her emotions. Ash felt tears drip down his eyes at the condition his childhood friend was in.
"Hey, Leaf." Ash whispered. "It's not your fault. Spiritomb killed him." Ash mumbled. "He died trying to protect you."
"I shouldn't have tried to play hero." Leaf cried out. "He would've been much better if I hadn't!"
"Leaf, it was his choice." Ash mumbled. "He loved you too much to let you risk your life alone. He could've just said no. But did he?"
"No," She replied.
"He wanted to help you. He wanted you to live. To make it big." Ash whispered. "We're Pokémon Trainers. We lose some we gain some. It's the bitter truth."
"It isn't fair." She whimpered.
"Many things aren't. But are we supposed to lose hope?" Ash questioned. "Leaf, you're an excellent trainer."
"If I were, Butterfree wouldn't have died." She mumbled.
"Hey there, don't say that." Ash chided softly. "Remember the time I accidently broke a Pidgey's wing?" Leaf hummed in agreement. "I would've never been able to help it and the poor avian would've suffered for its entire life. But remember what you did?"
Flashback…
"Ash!" A young Leaf called out. "You're going to hurt him!" Ash simply stuck his tongue out. The Pidgey in his grip tried to fly away, struggling as Ash's grip hurt him.
However, Ash was too young to properly understand his discomfort and kept toying with him. "Pidgey use Wing Attack!" Ash threw the bird. The Pidgey, young and not quite used to flying adeptly, crashed down on his right wing.
"Pidgey!" Leaf shouted, running up to the avian. Ash did too, crouching next to the bird.
"Hey Pidgey, what happened?" Ash asked, the bird cringing in pain. Leaf carefully straightened him and looked at his bent wing.
"You broke his wing." Leaf told him. Ash's eyes widened. "Oh my God, what do I do now?"
"Pidgey! I didn't mean to! I'm really sorry!" Ash pleaded eyes full of tears.
"Hey, hey!" Leaf told him. "Calm down." Leaf comforted him. "I can patch him up but I need to go get the proper stuff." Ash listened to her. "Stay here with him and don't move or do anything. I'll be back in a bit."
"Can't we just take him to Professor Oak?"
"Professor will probably ground us for coming so far in the woods." Leaf responded. "And we haven't exactly done that good of a deed so…" Ash winced. "Hey, I'll go get the supplies. You stay here and protect him for any wild Pokémon."
She reached out for the avian and lightly stroked his neck. "We're going to patch up you real quick. You'll be flying pretty soon." She assured. Pidgey leaned into her touch. "Stay here, I'll be right back!"
Flashback End…
"You were so dumb then." Leaf mumbled.
"I still am." Ash responded jokingly. "You were the best out of the Pallet Crew Leaf. You still are. Gary may have more Pokémon, Cynthia may be more knowledgeable but you bond with them the strongest."
"Poliwag still left me." Leaf replied quietly.
"He just didn't see what an amazing trainer you are." Ash responded. "Now, wipe your tears. Kay?" Ash broke the hug they had. Leaf nodded and wiped her slightly tanned face.
"Can you stay with me here?" Leaf questioned. "I just want to sit here for some time." Ash nodded and sat down next to her.
They two stayed there, enjoying the other's company.
Xxx
It was at sunset did the two leave the tower. Ash led Leaf to the cafeteria of the Pokémon Center, feeding her some food despite her protests, and then tucked her in. He decided to check up on his Pokémon.
"Hello Nurse Joy." Ash greeted. "Can I see my Pokémon?" Nurse Joy nodded. "How are they?" Ash asked a sinking feeling in his gut.
"See for yourself." She told her Chansey to fetch his pokéballs. "The injuries they suffered were extreme. Nothing permanent though. With enough rest and medication, they'll be back to perfect health."
"Thank God." Ash sighed. "How's my Espeon?" Nurse Joy sighed.
"She's suffers from serious PTSD." The pinkette replied. "There is a scar on her back and her ESP has been affected too. She'll be having some difficulties using it for some days."
Chansey by then had returned with his team. Ash picked up the six pokéballs and attached them to his waist. "They'll be back to normal with proper care and time. Nothing to worry about." Nurse Joy gave him an assuring smile.
"Thanks." Ash dipped his head in acknowledgement and left the lobby. He made his way to the training fields where he could release his Pokémon.
Ash somehow felt a Ghost Type Pokémon sneak up behind him and turned. The Haunter he had befriended in Lavender Town greeted him. "Hey Haunter, how're you feeling?" Ash questioned. Haunter gave him a happy reply. "Let's check up on the team now, kay?" Haunter nodded.
Ash took a deep breath before calling his entire team out. Within bright flashes, his entire current team came out. Ash winced at the condition they were in.
Charmander rushed over to Ash, jumping into his grip and clinging tightly. "Hey, hey!" Ash exclaimed. "Calm down there Charmander." Charmander gave him an angry look and struggled out of his grip. "I'm sorry for not calling you out sooner Charmander."
Charmander grunted and sat down, back to his trainer. Ash sighed, deciding to focus on him later, and turned to look at his team. "How are you guys?"
They replied with different tones. "I'm so sorry you had to go through all that because of me." Skylar flapped up to his shoulder, sitting down with a wince and nipping at his ear.
Viper and Ivysaur wrapped their vines around his arm in support while Mystic simply walked over and nuzzled against his leg comfortingly. Lairon grunted before sitting down, deciding to rest instead of talking to Ash. The Kantonian sat down, embracing his team tightly. "I'm so glad you guys are okay." Ash looked at Charmander. "Hey Charmander, I'm sorry. Okay?"
Charmander sighed before getting up and walking over to him. Mystic made space for him on Ash's lap, and he leapt on. Ash clutched him tightly as well.
"Thanks for the help, Haunter." Ash told the Ghost/Poison Type beside him. "We couldn't have defeated Spiritomb without you." The Gas Pokémon shyly fiddled with his hands. "Want to come with me?" Ash questioned. Haunter nodded after a few moments. "I'll capture you later. I have to shift my roster around too."
"But I see no reason to hurry," Ash commented once he saw the looks of his current team. "Let's take a break from training and travelling." They were all too eager for it. "We deserve it."
Xxx
A few days later…
Cynthia had quite the fun with the new additions. Sneasel and Purrloin were partners in crime, commenting pranks on everyone in the team except Luxio and Nidorino. The two apparently had quite the fearsome persona.
One thing the blonde had noted from Swablu was that she was one clean freak. The Cotton Bird Pokémon couldn't bear the sight of the slightest dirt and diligently cleaned it. Cynthia couldn't help but wonder just how she had survived with Damien.
Luxio kept silent and to himself. Cynthia knew she couldn't rush the trust process and had to give him his space. Overtime, she was sure Luxio would come around.
Mawile, God she was a handful. Mawile loved to play but what she didn't quite understand was the limits. Cynthia had researched on her species and found that the Deceiver Pokémon loved to… deceive. Cynthia hoped that Gible, the frequent victim of Mawile, could survive her antics.
Espurr was the only Pokémon Cynthia could trust. She was mostly with Braixen, another mature Pokémon, so the blonde presumed she could turn a blind eye over her.
"Cynthia," The blonde turned around. It was Nurse Joy. "There is a call for you." The blonde nodded and got up, signaling her Pokémon. They nodded and she made her way to one of the many Video Phones.
The blonde sat down on the seat and received the call. "Hello?" She greeted.
"Hey Cynth," The call switched to video, showing the tired faced of Ash Ketchum. "Yeah, don't stare. I know I look amazing."
"You can't stay out of trouble for one month can you?" She questioned. Ash shook his head.
"I have an addiction to it," Cynthia cracked a smile at that. "So, how's life?"
"Considering I didn't go into a haunter tower to save a friend of mine, just peachy." Cynthia answered. "At the rate you're going, I doubt you'll even get through your first year."
"So much for splitting up." Ash half-joked. "Well, as a Legend once said, trainers get filtered in their first year."
"Don't remind me of that scumbag." Cynthia muttered. Ash couldn't help but chuckle at that. "So, Leaf told me the battles in the tower were gruesome."
"Don't remind me." Ash grimaced. "I still have to properly check up on my team. They don't look too… great."
"You're lucky to survive such high level Pokémon and come out in one piece." Cynthia commented. "First Rhydon, and then Spiritomb…"
"Fine, fine! I get it." Ash sighed. "I'm reckless, I get it. I should've run away instead of trying to catch Rhydon and I shouldn't have entered the tower, but what's done is done."
"I'm hoping beyond hope that it has finally got through your thick skull." Cynthia sighed.
"I can't help it." Ash defended. "It's a trainer's life. Running headfirst into danger-"
"-No it's not." Cynthia scolded. "Many trainers make it to old age because they aren't reckless."
"Check the statistics and tell me how many trainers exactly make it to old age." Ash bluntly replied. "Why do you think many people choose other professions?"
"I don't think you'll mind being another number in the statistics would you?" Cynthia coldly countered.
"Now that's just rude Cynthia." Ash responded offended.
"I can't help it!" Cynthia retaliated. "Not even a month goes by before I hear someone tell me that Ash has been injured again!"
"Who told you about all this anyway?" Ash questioned.
"Your Mother!" Cynthia retorted. "But why do you care? You'll be off enjoying the feeling of playing hero while she worries her old worn heart out knowing your antics!"
"I know that," Ash replied weakly, knowing Cynthia got him. "That's why I'm planning to keeping Rhydon with me." Cynthia blinked.
"You're planning to… what?" She questioned, clearly confused. "Weren't you going to trade him or hand him to someone far better trained to handle him?"
"Well," Ash rubbed the back of his neck. "I was in Rock Tunnel for almost a month. We trained nonstop inside there. Yet, Spiritomb and his lackeys Mismagius and others defeated us so easily. Keeping a Pokémon as strong as Rhydon, someone who easily knocked my entire team out, would help me stay alive a bit longer."
"Well, for one you're forgetting the fact that he nearly killed you and your team." Cynthia mentioned.
"Viper tried to kill me when we first met." Ash replied. "I'm sure we'll get around eventually."
"Can't say I don't agree." Cynthia relented. "But you're not considering calling him back right now are you? Take some time, build your current team, and then consider it."
"Yes sir!" Ash mock saluted. Cynthia couldn't help but crack a grin at that. She spotted something orange moving in the background.
"Where's Charmander?" She questioned. Ash looked around before reaching for the lizard. There was some struggle before Ash managed to pick him up.
"Charmander, say hi to Aunt Cynthia." Ash told the struggling lizard. Charmander grunted, breaking free, and jumped off his lap, running away. "He's upset with me because I didn't let him out in the tower."
"Demoted from Mamma to Aunt," Cynthia joked. Ash chuckled.
"Yeah, that was a joke by Mystic and the others." Ash responded. "I forgot to switch my team around before entering the tower. Zeus would've been really useful."
"Oh yeah, that reminds me!" Cynthia exclaimed. "Are you challenging the soon to open Lavender Town Gym?" Ash raised an eyebrow.
"The what now?" Ash questioned.
"The Lavender Town Gym." Cynthia repeated. "You haven't heard of it?" Ash shook his head. "It's about to open pretty soon. Maybe you can try for your third badge over there."
"…I don't know." Ash responded truthfully. "My current team is out of commission. And given what we've been through, I don't really want to train or battle right now."
"You'll be resting in Lavender for a few weeks or so anyway." Cynthia replied. "If you feel up for the battle, do try it. If not, there are plenty of other gyms."
"Cynthia Carolina with her wise words everyone." Ash chuckled. "I'll just follow my instincts. It got me this far, it'll keep me going."
"Your instincts will get you killed one day." Cynthia remarked. Ash shrugged.
"Not if we get together by then." Seeing her confused look, Ash continued. "We'll continue travelling together sooner or later, right? You're not planning to continue your journey alone are you?"
"Well, I know for one my Mother won't mind." Cynthia mumbled. "I cleared all the bad air. I spoke up the truth." Ash simply smirked.
"You can't really hide anything can you?" Cynthia shook her head. "I'm surprised you held it in for so long."
"Hey, I'll visit the Pokémon Safari in Fuchsia City. Want me to capture any Pokémon for you?" She questioned.
"I'll tell you after thinking." Ash replied. "I already have 9 Pokémon so I'm not really in a hurry to add more."
"I have 14." Cynthia replied cheekily. Seeing Ash's flabbergasted look, she continued. "I recently captured a Gible and Eevee and adopted six other Pokémon making my total up to 14."
"…How in the world did you double your team in such a small time?" Ash questioned after a few moments. Cynthia looked around before getting up. "What the?" Ash questioned, seeing the gash on her side.
"Okay, so it began…"
"And all the crap you gave me for being reckless." Ash commented. Cynthia shrugged.
"I'm your best friend." She cheekily responded. "Can't help it."
"You got some very rare Pokémon." Ash commented. "An Eevee, Gible, Espurr, Sneasel, Luxio, Swablu, Mawile, and Purrloin. Different Pokémon from different regions."
"Let's say I got really difficult to beat now." Cynthia chuckled. "Still, I have to train up with them and reach an understanding and make training plans and rooster changes and- I have a lot to do." She realized.
"Hey, what do you know about the Pokémon Spiritomb?" Ash asked. Cynthia pursed her lips in thought.
"Honestly, not much." She replied. "It was a Secret Weapon created by the Dark Paladins, some group of freaks that wanted to take over the world, but was sealed away by some aura users. There are many copies but the real one lies hidden and sealed away."
"Guess we faced a copy." Ash nodded.
"You should ask the elder." Cynthia continued. "He'll know what's myth and what's true. I'm just telling you bits from folklore." Ash nodded. The two slipped into easy conversation by then.
Some indefinite minutes later…
"Remember how I told you that I follow my instincts?" Ash asked. "Well, I want your opinion on something."
"Ask away, my dear student." Cynthia grinned.
"My instincts tell me to get rid of Rhydon. Should I?" Cynthia considered the question.
"On one hand, you desperately want the power he possesses to help you. On the other hand, you don't really want anything to do with him." Ash nodded. "Leave it for now. You'll get your answer when the time comes."
"True. I'm not calling him back anytime soon anyway." Cynthia stretched, yawning. "Well, it was nice chatting up a storm with you. But I gotta go now."
"Stay safe, stay healthy." Cynthia told him. "It's hard finding a dork like you."
"An adorable dork you mean." Ash smirked teasingly.
"Please, don't be like Gary." She drawled. "Anyways, goodbye for now Ashy-boy."
"Okay blondie." Ash replied. "Enjoy your new Pokémon." Ash prepared to cancel the call.
"Wait!" Cynthia called out. "You want to adopt one too? I can get you one rare Pokémon too. They deserve a good trainer anyway."
"You can?" The blonde nodded. "I wouldn't mind a new addition to the team."
"I'll contact you pretty soon. Till then." Ash nodded and the call was cut. Ash stretched and got up. 'Well, that was fun.' He thought, deciding to relax in his room with his Pokémon.
They deserved the special treatment.
Xxx
"Hey, I can give you tons of money. Just let me escape." Damien offered the guards in front of him. They didn't reply sitting stoic as the vehicle escorting him to prison sped away on the highway. "C'mon, there must be something I can give you!"
"Silence and peace." One replied. Damien seethed, wanting to punch him. That darn blonde! This was all because of her! He almost had that darn Riolu too if Nurse Joy hadn't thrown him under the bus!
"Why am I not teleported to the prison?" Damien wondered. "That Alakazam seemed strong."
"You don't simply hold as much importance." The same guard replied. "You're just another tiny criminal about to face the reward of his evil deeds."
"You've got a really nasty mouth." Damien sneered.
"Keep all those threats to yourself if you can't back it." He smirked. Damien balled his cuffed fists. "Stupid poachers." There was a mighty roar.
"What the-" The whole vehicle was lifted in the air suddenly. The passengers were rattled. One of the guards clutched his gun tightly, peeking out the window.
Suddenly, the car was pulled down from the air. Damien clutched the handles on the wall tightly as the car hit the ground. There were sounds of gunshots outside, two guards fighting whatever had sabotaged them.
"What's happening?!" Damien questioned. The guards inside, who had just recovered, quickly opened the door and jumped out. Damien saw a pink outline around them and gulped. The guard's body twisted at odd angles, and they dropped to the ground limply.
Damien quickly cowered down, futilely hiding behind the seats. "Damien Dark." Damien was pulled out of the car, thrown on the ground. He looked up and saw a guy with turquoise hair and black clothing, a large red R on the chest.
"What do you want from me?!" Damien questioned, cowering. The man chuckled.
"I have a proposition for you." He crouched down in front of him. "I want you to eliminate this trainer." He produced a picture out of his pocket. "Do it and you're free to go."
Damien looked at the photo and felt his blood boil. "How do you know her?" He questioned.
"Let's just say I know her friend." He got back up. "Kill her and bring proof with you. I'll text you the location after you do it."
"Why don't you do it yourself?" He asked.
"I'm giving you a chance at revenge yet you want to throw it away." He shook his head pityingly. "Kill her or I'll give you a death far worse than what the League could offer."
He began to walk away. "Wait! Where can I find her?!" Damien questioned. "And how exactly am I supposed to kill her with no Pokémon?!" The man disappeared with the help of the pokémon he assaulted the guards with.
Damien gritted his teeth, looking at the guards. "I'll have to manage I guess." He quickly took off their vests and whatever he could scavenge off them.
He spared one last look at the photo, looking over the blonde dressed in a black shirt and pants. He tightened his fist, crumbling the photo within, and threw it down, stomping on it.
"You'll regret crossing paths with me."
Xxx
Response to Reviews (Quite a bit):
Anime4Life19: I hope you got your answer at the end ;)
Jtcooper515: I'm keeping it till Gen 6 since I don't want to complicate it too much with the Galarian forms and stuff. I would maybe include Z Moves but that's pretty much it. Besides, I can't be working on this story all my life. It gotta end one day.
I am Vegito: Your love and support makes up for all the hard work!
DAN2900807: For the assault, yes. But for all the charges combined? No. Do keep in mind that this is a story set in an alternate reality, not one in our life or rules. There would be some changes.
Cobb: I have a lot of plans to implement on and fix up some old storylines too. Let's hope I manage to live up to your expectations!
UltimateCCC: Yup.
Leafy: Can't really give Cynthia a Bagon right now since I would be overpowering her. Maybe in the future. And yeah, I did make this story a little darker and more realistic. And we haven't seen the last of Damien either. I'm trying to upload at least twice a month, 15 days per update. Let's hope I manage to keep it up!
Vital Info (1): Thanks a lot for the lengthy review! Really enjoyed reading the valid points you raised! I tried to answer as many as I could in the chapter, and they will be explained more clearly further on. And about some of the plotlines I didn't really keep on, I simply forgot. See, I have lots of things on my mind. The story is only one of them. So obviously I tend to forget a lot of them. I will do a quick read of Conqueror when I'm free, and tie up them loose ends.
Vital Info (2): The League's system is faulty, but to them it's perfect. Can't really do much about it. And they are not leaving unscathed from the incidents. They are getting affected. Once again, I tried to address most of the flaws you pointed in the chapter. Thanks for the two lengthy reviews! Quite the read but I really enjoyed. Your review is the example of Constructive Criticism I request from the readers!
Vital Info (3): They won't simply just brush over these incidents, trust me. And the League is faulty; let's just leave it to that. The Pokémon World has creatures breathing fire at their wish so obviously it's going to be very dangerous to live in. I'm trying to separate Conqueror from the anime. Cynthia will have her Champion team sooner or later too. The life of a trainer is very dangerous, let's face it. That's why many decide not to have the life of a trainer.