Less then fifteen minutes after he left the contest hall, where police were beginning to show up for investigation, he was on board a jet with both Misty and Alyssa for the return trip to the HQ.
He did not sit with them however.
He had brought Domino on board before either of the girls had arrived at the E-Vac site, and had taken her into a storage room where he bound and blindfolded her.
He then proceeded to treat the minor wounds she had taken. A bruise here, small cut there. And finally he had given her a small dose of anesthetic to knock her out for the trip.
When she was secure and comfortable, he examined himself and was not pleased with the damage he'd done.
He had been reckless, something which he knew by all means he shouldn't have let happen. But his emotions and feelings had gotten the better of him-
Affection is a weakness
And that ended with him needing at least two weeks recuperation before returning to the field.
His shoulder had dislocated from the fall, and the rib he had broken had pierced through purple and black bruising from when he hit the truck.
No permanent damage though, which was for the better.
Eight hours later, they had arrived at the Headquarters.
Misty and Alyssa, who hadn't seen him the entire flight, were confused and anxious as they saw him carrying the unconscious blonde off the plane, with a noticeable limp.
When they asked him, he remained quiet, entering the building and starting directly for the holding room.
He was the first to arrive, so he brought Domino in, secured her to the table and chair, and left the room without a sound.
When he did, the intercom sang "Ash Ketchum to the briefing room, repeat, Ketchum to the briefing room" and he knew that it was time to be yelled at.
Sitting around a round table, were Cynthia, Steven and Anderson. The last of the three looking positively livid.
He sat down, looked at the three of them and nodded.
Cynthia spoke first, she didn't sound angry or displeased, so he was glad, "Lance won the match," she said, "Four of his six will likely never battle again, but he won."
"They may still battle if their heart wills it," Ash replied, "when he returns I'll be repairing their Pokeballs so they're viciousness will subside,"
"His battle is garnering massive reactions from media," She went on, "But unfortunately, a bigger story is out there," His eyebrow rose, but he had that inkling of a feeling he knew what it was about, "Watch."
Cynthia turned the laptop on the table so that the screen faced him, onscreen were seven regional news stations all broadcasting the same thing but with different titles, Dead or Alive? Trainer Ash Ketchum or imposter?
"Circumstances don't always go as planned," He said simply.
Anderson looked like his fuse was about to burst, but thankfully remained silent, "You may have been seen, but in reality that is a minor detail. Whether they know you are alive or not is unimportant, what really matters is-"
"Domino," Ash finished.
"So it is Domino," Cynthia whispered, and seeing Ashs raised eyebrow elaborated, "Alyssa filled me in on the way back of your involvement with her. I'm surprised really at the restraint you showed during the take down if what you Alyssa told up was true,"
"I wouldn't harm her," Blinking at his words he tacked on, "she's to valuable of an asset,"
Steven regarded him curiously, "What do you propose we do Ash, should you be the one to interrogate her. Or would you like us to do it?"
What did he want? I want to speak to her, hug her, kiss her. But I can't, not now, not yet. I'll speak to her, alone, but not yet.
"Speak with her for now, but you won't get through to her. She'll remain silent, she's been trained just as hard as I've been so it'll be near impossible to get her to talk," Unless it's to me.
"You spoke fairly fast when we brought you-"
"The situation was different," Ash cut off quickly, "I spoke to you but gave nothing up, it was only when Pikachu showed up that I started letting things slip. I thought I was hallucinating, I thought I was having another of my fits. Stress had built up over along time, and whatever I said came out easily enough."
He rolled his shoulders, his right still fairly sore, and said easily, "Domino has nothing to worry about," Lies, "she has no reason what-so-ever to tell you a thing."
"What if we trade information about you?" Steven asked, "She is an Elite and has had a hand in your umm," He cleared his throat, "previous training when you were at the Ecruteak Academy,"
Ash shook his head, "No, nothing about me. And that is an order-"
"You can't order us here boy-"
Ash rounded on the Lieutenant, "Just like I can't snap your neck faster then you can get off your ass?" He growled, "your not my superior Terry, your opinion means nothing to me because you can't learn to forget about the men that died under your command-"
"Ash!" Cynthia barked sternly, but was ignored.
"You don't like me and I could give less of a damn, but if you don't drop the damn attitude, learn to put the past aside, and stop giving me that fucking look. I'll break your jaw, and I'd do it gladly so I don't have to hear your voice got it!?"
Anderson glared at Ash, his face bright red. Ash knew he killed Anderson's men, and for that he knew the Lieutenant would have it out for him. But if that tone, that damn look appeared one more time. The one that all to clearly labeled him as a monster, then he'd lose his cool.
Anderson stood, his chair screeching against the hard wood floor, and left for the door.
When is clacked shut, Cynthia regarded him coldly, "Ash-"
"He needed to hear it," Ash said sharply, "I said it before, you want my help, then keep men like him away from me. I have enough to deal with as is, I don't need someone staring at me as if I'm going to pull out a gun and light the place up. If he want's to work then fine, if he's going to be a prick then keep. Him. Out."
Ash stood on his own now, "I need to go to the infirmary, I have a bit of my ribs sticking out from my stomach, I'm tired, sore, bruised, and so I'm going to get checked out. Speak to Domino if you will, or whatever. I need to patch myself up."
Only now, did Cynthia and Steven see the limp he walked with and the way his arm was held protectively to his side. "He's... Something else," Steven said lowly, "but what he said was true, you could hear it clearly in Andersons tone that he was about to pull off some sort of comment,"
Cynthia nodded, "The end result wouldn't have been pretty, especially with how Ash is right now." They sat in silence for a short period before she said skeptically, "Did he seem like he was keeping something to himself?"
Steven stood next, "I wouldn't question it Cynth, if it comes to it we can question him. There are a lot of things we still don't know about him, but right now we need to contact Lance. See if they took this Raiden character into custody."
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The doctors said he needed two weeks recuperation, three if he exercised regularity.
He didn't have three weeks though, he had a few days sure, each day Team Rocket worked their way through the system and slowly gained power. He needed to be on his toes, ready to get back out whenever a situation called for him.
Right now Domino was his assignment, but despite his need to see and speak to her, he restrained himself.
No matter how much it hurt him.
He owed it to speak with Misty and Alyssa after ignoring them for the past 12 hours.
After that, he'd sleep.
Then he'd make his decision, stay or go.
He moved slowly down the hallways, ignoring looks like always that were sent his way, and towards the lounge.
As he neared, he caught his mothers voice from inside, "Are you sure you should be... Should be telling us this without his permission?"
His eyebrows furrowed and he stopped to the side of the door frame, "I... It's, well..." Alyssa was put off by something, shaken, "I've... On the day of Indigo, not long before he was shot... When Ash left the lodge, and we went looking for him, the day of the shooting I learned why he... Why he left when he did,"
There' isn't going to be tomorrow for me Aly
He blinked and shook his head, pushing his voice aside for the time being.
"Remember when I told you, Ash sank to... Levels where he wanted to, quit Team Rocket by any means?"
"W-Where are... Does this have to do when you kissed-"
"He, he wanted out. For good, no more Team Rocket... No more nothing,"
Hero homicide? He wouldn't try... Would he?
There wasn't a response for sometime, and he was tempted to go in and breakup this information party when Alyssa spoke again, "I tried to stop him, he didn't want me to. I'd have to shoot him myself to get him to change his mind, he went into the battle knowing he'd be... Killed."
"He... He wouldn't... Not A-Ash..." This was Misty, her voice quivering, trying unsuccessfully to not accept her words.
"You wanted to know why I kissed him. I kissed him because I thought I'd never see him again, because he said his goodbyes back at the lodge, because I was losing the most important person in the world to me,"
Where? Was the only thought he had. Where had she kissed him? Mouth, or cheek. Did they have something... Were they... Before the shooting...?
A wave of nausea struck from out of the blue, and he pushed himself away from the wall and opposite the door. His vision swam, and he staggered, falling to a knee before willing himself to get to the bathroom.
What is this? Was he remembering... Or was something... Was something wrong with hi-
His legs gave out from beneath him, his hands reached out asking for something to grasp, but all they did was close on empty air.
His chest hit the ground, and pain coursed through him but was lost as his minded faded once again into unconsciousness.
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Domino had since regained consciousness, removed the blindfold despite her being handcuffed and sat still in her chair.
She knew for a fact that it had been Ash who had cuffed her to the table as they were fairy loose around the wrists, which either meant he trusted her, or he was planning something.
Or something she wasn't entirely aware of as of yet.
So she'd wait until he came to her, she wouldn't speak to him. Not until she knew who he was, her Shayne, or the person before him.
Should it be Shayne, she'd be careful, unsure of what or why he was doing what he was doing. And more importantly more unaware of what he did and did not know.
She did, for instant have a few triggers she could use encase of emergency.
Giovanni had after all, made sure there were fail safes implanted into Ashs memory when the memory wiping had taken place.
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They found him unconscious, brought him to the infirmary, and could not find a reason for him to pass out.
The only reasoning form the doctors was exhaustion.
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What's happening to me...
He bent back and his spine popped, he let out a relieved sigh.
Ash raised his hands before him and started on the punching bag once again. He knew he wasn't supposed to be stressing his body, but he couldn't stop himself.
When he slept, he saw Alyssa held by those Grunts, knife pressed to her cheek.
When he slept, he saw his home back in Pallet in flames.
When he slept, he saw the bodies of his friends.
When he slept, he saw that it was his fault.
So he pushed himself, hard. Past the limit, to the point where he wanted nothing more then to lay down and die.
But he couldn't.
It was his fault for what would happen if he didn't protect those he loved. He needed to be faster, stronger, smarter.
If he didn't?
They would all die.
The punching bag sunk inwards with his fist, swallowing itself from its center, as it was thrown by the force of his fist off the hook and across the room. It hit the ground, rolled three meters, and stopped.
A little over a year now it had been. Since he'd been brought into Team Rocket and begun to use his Aura.
The ability was disturbing he thought as he went over to the bag on the ground, gripped it with both hands and began dragging it back to the stand.
He could control it if he was calm, or most of the time anyways.
If he did, he was faster, his reflexes sharper, his strength... Uncanny.
But when he was angry, focusing on it, or even thinking about it, might accidentally call upon it.
So he took his anger, or stress out on the bags, or by lifting weights. On something that wouldn't feel the pain he wanted to inflict.
He set it back onto the hook, and went back to work. The leather surface rippled like water as his fist drove repeatedly into it.
His reason for the anger this time was not for what had been done to him, but because of what was happening- or what he believed would happen to Alyssa.
A new guy, Grant his name was, was... Getting buddy buddy with Alyssa. Something he didn't like in the least.
Grant was new to the Academy, and... Ash cracked his neck, Giovanni had gone and requested that Alyssa be the person to help him should he need something.
She seemed alright with it, you can't deny a request from the boss after all, and had accepted.
But now all she had done was help him. He came to join them when they ate, (Ash turned him around each time) when they had free time, and just when ever he damned felt like it.
But here's the thing, Ash could not figure out the reason why. You don't get a tour guide in Team Rocket, your given a list of tasks and you better damned do it well unless you want to be punished. So what was Giovanni's and this guys aim?
He didn't know.
But the worst of the entire situation, Alyssa seemed fine with it. And this threw him off completely as it was so out of her character.
She seemed alright with the tag along, even though he had explained that there had to be reason behind his being there.
She told him he was being paranoid.
Him... Paranoid. It wasn't paranoia that was eating at him, it was... It was... Hell he didn't know what was eating at him, but he didn't for the life of him like that Grant guy following Alyssa everywhere.
Something was going to happen.
But what?
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Misty sat alone in her room, phone in her hand with a number already dialed in.
All she had to do was press call.
The decision she was making, or wanted to make was scaring her.
When Ash's memories came back, he'd remember that they had had a relationship. He'd also remember Alyssa's kiss, before going on to learn that not long after his death she began to see Gary.
Which would direct him towards the former Rocket- Misty blinked and shook her brown hair. I shouldn't be thinking of her like that, she thought ashamed.
If she considered Alyssa a member of Team Rocket, then that was the same as calling Ash a Rocket.
And they weren't.
Not anymore.
I hope...This last thought directed more so towards Ashs case. He was a Rocket still, they all knew that until his memories returned.
So until then, she had to start building her relationship with him. Something where Alyssa was certainly farther then her in. Misty only knew fragments of the last six years of Ashs past, Alyssa knew five.
The blond knew the person he had been before his... His second kidnapping like the back of her hand, while she knew little to none.
So she had to make her choice.
Fight for Ashs affection, or remain with Gary.
She didn't know which to choose.
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Grant... Ash wanted to try his hand at interrogation, he'd never had thought before. But as he sat at the darkened table in the back of the cafeteria with Alyssa and the member of Team Rocket...
He wanted to take him to the basement and have a go.
Something. Was. Wrong!
"-And according to the media, a bill was denied in secrecy that dealt with the age ruling for becoming a Trainer,"
Alyssa sipped her water, and looked to Ash, "What do ya think about that Ash? Do you think that would have benefited training or hindered it? You are a Trainer after all,"
He remained silent, cap pulled down so that the shadow entirely shielded his eyes. He had told her repeatedly when they were alone, he would not be himself in front of this guy.
His cold demeanor was for everyone but her, so in the presence of this jerk-off he'd have to present that to her as well.
Grant, who was Alyssa's age (How bout that?) looked Ash up and down and smiled, "Still shy huh? Well it's a good thing you've got a great gal like Aly-"
Oh the will power he possessed. How much strength it had taken him to not lunge over the table and break that son of a bitches nose.
He was the only one who called her that.
He called her Aly.
Sue called her 'Lyssa on occasion.
But this guy...
Ash stood, his chair silent as it pushed against the ground. He took the water bottle, went around the table to Alyssa and whispered in her ear, "I'll break his nose if I stay here, I'll be in the gym for a few hours. Come when he's gone." And ignoring her hurt look, he started for the cafeteria doors.
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Lance had arrived back at the Headquarters a few hours after Ash had lapsed into unconsciousness.
The Specialist was currently laying on a cot in the infirmary, strapped to the bed and kept away from his family members.
A few days after Ash had accepted the deal with Cynthia to help the G-Men, he had informed them of his hallucinations and what they did to his thought process.
He told them about the most recent shooting, and told them that should he pass out unexpectedly on them, it would be for their benefit to keep him held down encase a repeat should occur.
So as he was held in confinement, Cynthia, Steven and himself stood outside of Domino's room.
They watched her through the window and he said, "What do you think Cynth? How should we go through with this?"
The Sinnoh Champion placed a finger to her lip and regarded the captive with hesitant gray eyes.
"Ash said we wouldn't get any information from her. We should believe him on that, because as he said his situation was different. Hers however, is not."
"Do we have a name yet?" Steven asked, "Other then 009, Domino, or Black Tulip?"
"No, but Alyssa is looking into it," Said Cynthia absently, "She's surprisingly skilled working on it, she still has access into their databases so we set her up with a secure network to see if she can come across anything useful,"
"She has a grudge against the Tulip," Steven said pointedly, "you should have heard her over the radio when she spotted her. If not for Ash, I can say she would have pulled the trigger,"
"If not for Ash," Lance spoke, "We'd be down three regional Champion titles. We owe him for what he'd done for the battle,"
Cynthia sighed, "I have a feeling we'll be owing him a lot more by the time this is done,"
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If he didn't stop staring withing the next few seconds, Ash was going to walk over there and tear his eyes out.
Grant didn't think he'd see with his back turned to him. But he saw the way the Rocket member... The member... Watched Alyssa inappropriately as she went through a light work out. The bastards stare on her...
Ash shook his head and tilted his direction of the pull up bar, "Go for twenty if you can," he kept his voice low even though Grant was on the other side of the room, "then fifteen sit ups okay?"
Alyssa took her towel, wiped it across her forehead, and nodded, "Alright," She said breathlessly.
He and her had a difference on what a light workout consisted of, but he kept the bar from being to exhausting for her.
Her situation wasn't like his, he could handle himself easily enough despite how tired he was. But she could do fairly well one on one (He had seen this first hand) but that was only if she was fully rested.
So he kept her from reaching exhaustion, to be on the safe side.
He watched patiently as she pulled her chin above the bar twenty three times before laying on the ground, knees bent.
He stepped lightly on her toes, and she began the sit-ups, "What should we do after this?" He asked quietly, "The two of us,"
He saw her roll her eyes and he fought back the wave of irritation that struck him, "Dinner?" She proposed.
He looked skyward and shrugged, "Let's not eat in the cafeteria tonight," and she blinked.
"Where else would we eat?"
Since his back was turned to Grant, he allowed a small grin on his lips, "I know a place," and her eyebrow rose, "how about eight? I've got to run 5K before I shower, so that'll give you time to wash up and get ready,"
His grin widened a margin as she her eyes lit with anxiousness, "You don't know any places," She chided teasingly, and then grunted as she completed her seventeenth sit-up, "but sure, it's a date,"
He allowed his eyebrow to raise and she laughed, "Where should we meet up?" she asked as he helped her to her feet.
"Outside your dorm, I..." Here he hesitated, "I've got to get Sue to look at something for me, it's nothing really important,"
"Is it a rash-"
Ash almost rounded on him, broken his jaw, and thrown him into the mirrored wall. But he ignored the comment and continued looking at Alyssa, "Hands up, feet spread, legs bent,"
She took the stance like she always did and he said, "Have at it,"
So she went on the offense, swinging, kicking, ducking, all like he had shown her to when they began training together.
He never struck her, but corrected her when she made a mistake or misjudged in timing.
This continued on for sometime until he told her to hit the showers.
A few hours later, he did something he wouldn't forget for the rest of his life.
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Due to habit, Sue had chosen to watch over Ash while he was out. Like when he had been under her care, she had checked his overall health, lacerations, bruising, trauma. He had more scars then she remembered, and after what she heard he and Alyssa had been doing, she found it hard to believe that he was still in working order.
His eyes were closed, and he lay shirtless on the cot so that the wires attached above his heart were free from obstruction.
When she had seen Ash being carried towards the infirmary, she had followed and been the one to tend to him.
While she had done so, much to the objection of the other doctors, the scene had played out much like it had in the past. Although there were more people caring for him then just her and Alyssa.
Alyssa, Misty, and Delia had been the first to arrive while she tended to him. Alyssa was confused, and worried, panicking with such a strange likeness to how she had been at the Academy.
Asking for every little thing, was he alright, what happened, was he going to die. She went the distance, over analyzing what had happened, and ended tearing up.
Misty and Delia were worried, but not quite to Alyssa's length. Delia had asked her for what happened, and when she had replied with over-exhaustion the mother had sighed with relief.
That is until the Sinnoh and former Hoenn Champion arrived, where they had her strap Ash down to the cot to make him immobile.
After some explanation, most on the Champions part about Ash's warning, they had been escorted from the room while, she scoffed when she heard this, the hired staff looked after him. Because according to some sonna bitch in a suit they were the best people for the job.
Despite that she had been the one who looked after him for a little over two years.
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Ash did not run after Alyssa left for the showers, but instead went towards the battlefields. He had a meeting today, something he hoped wouldn't take long so he could prepare for that night, and Giovanni did not like to be kept waiting.
He climbed the steps up to the door of the lobby, pushed open, and went across to Giovanni's office.
The Grunt usually stationed at the desk next to the door was not there at the moment, so he knocked twice and waited without the usual interruption of 'You can't just-' before being silenced with a stare.
The door opened and Giovanni regarded him coolly, "Ash, you're looking well." He kept silent, "How long now has it been?" He asked, "Not since your accident I suppose?"
"What do you want to talk about?"
Giovanni grinned that tight lipped grin and stepped aside so he could enter, "I just want to speak with you, is that so wrong?"
What the hell does he want?
They sat down at his large oak desk and Giovanni placed his palms flat down on the surface, "How has everything been going lately?"
"Why is he here?" Ash asked plainly, Giovanni's happy go lucky bullshit attitude was frightening. For such a cold man to speak the way he was, as if they were going golfing on some Sunday afternoon together was completely wrong.
"Who?"
"Grant, why is he here."
Giovanni looked confused, "You'll have to be more specific Ash, I really don't know-"
"That fucker you assigned the girl to watch, why!?"
When Giovanni's eyes lit up, Ash felt his spine shiver, "It would be better if you kept your language appropriate Ash," he paused, "he's a new recruit much like yourself, although he's taken to life here much faster then you have,"
Lies, 100% general grade BS. Ash shook his head, "Why here? Why the girl?"
"She seems like a wonderful candidate for the job of showing the young lad around. You and her have become close have you not?"
Fuck off, Ash kept any expression off his face and said, "He can make friends elsewhere,"
Giovanni grinned, and Ash wanted to break his teeth in, "Are you jealous of the boy?"
Ash allowed the scoff to escape him and he shook his head, ridiculous, "Transfer him out of here, he's causing trouble."
"Oh, how so?" The Boss seemed amused by the idea.
"If you really brought him here like me, which I sure as hell doubt, then why hasn't he gotten my treatment huh? He's not here because of the girl, I'd bet my life on it, you brought him here because of me. Why? What for?"
"You've become more observant," He remarked, "your training has been moving along steadily. I'm proud-"
"It's not for you, now answer the question."
Their eyes met, and Ash thought he had crossed the line by addressing him like that.
"Careful boy," Giovanni said lowly, black eyes flickering dangerously, "the boy's here for reasons that do not concern you," Lies, "we're done here, now leave."
Ash stared at the Boss, before sliding his chair back, standing and leaving the room without another glance his way.
He didn't like this.
He didn't like this one bit.
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She didn't like it one bit.
She really didn't.
Alyssa typed rapidly into her laptop, eyes darting from file to file as she hunted down Domino's identity.
She had the opportunity to kill her, sights directly on her skull.
He had told her not to shoot.
Why? She realized that it could simply be for the reasons that she had been the business man like they thought. And it was his assignment to take her down.
But it wasn't, there was something else to it.
Don't shoot! Don't Shoot!
His voice was different than, surprised, nervous... He was hiding something from them, something that dealt with 009.
But what? Was she relevant to him? Did they meet within the past year? Something had happened, but she didn't know what.
And she was afraid to ask, afraid to find out that the person who had killed and tortured him had become an ally.
Or even worse, a friend.
So she hunted for information, not only on her birth name, but for records of the past year.
While Ash was still asleep, she was going to help him by finding information to use on the Rocket held in captivity for when he began his interrogation, seeing as how the Champions had failed to garner any information.
For now that was all she could do, later on though...
She figured she may seriously have to get back in the game.
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The weather was perfect with it being mid-June. Even though summer had started, the sky had blackened fairly fast, with stars peppered across the void.
On the rooftop of the Academy, he had set down a blanket for them to sit on for stargazing, and liberated a few pillows as well.
He had taken the privileged of pocketing an elevator key a week before when he had gotten into a scrum with a couple of Grunts who thought it'd be fun to interrupt his tracking class.
And what better way to have dinner, then under the stars? Something neither of them had done in years.
Ash walked over to the side of the roof and peered over the edge, he'd been up there a few times that week to mark out landmarks, surroundings, and obstacles.
Time was ticking, and he wanted out of Team Rocket. His Aura was coming along well, so now all he had to do was figure out how he would escape.
Faster reflexes could only do so much.
He tossed the though aside, and started back towards the elevator. He slid the card in the scanner, and the doors rolled apart.
It was dangerous to ride the elevator during the day, from 6AM to 7:30 at night were when the drill instructors rode often to change floors.
Afterwords it died down to those few who looked to catch a late dinner before heading off to bed.
Curfew was curfew no matter who you were.
Leaving the elevator, he was glad to see no one insight, he was after all not allowed to have a card that gave him access to multiple floors.
He was only allowed the stairs.
He moved sneakily enough towards the girls dorm, pushing himself into nooks and crannies when the evening patrol began there shifts.
Curfew was 8:30, but they began shoveling people towards their rooms near 7:45.
When he rounded the corner, he saw Alyssa dressed in a pair of black sweats and a loose long-sleeved shirt, he grinned, "Ready to go?" He asked.
"Yep!" She replied cheerfully, a grin of her own, "lead the way!"
They walked to the cafeteria chatting quietly, while they did so Ash had that feeling of being watched.
Something was off.
He didn't let it show though as they stepped through the doors and over to the counter. The cafeteria locked up at 8 and was usually abandoned by the staff half an hour before when everyone had cleared out.
Ash hopped over the counter, (Strangely reminiscent of what he would do about a year later) and gestured for Alyssa to follow his lead, "I don't think they'd mind so much if we raided the fridges, what do ya think?"
Her grin widened and she vaulted herself over the top, "I can't help but believe your right Ash,"
So they raided, a silent raid, but raid non-the less. In the back corner, Ash found a cardboard box which they piled their dinner into and set it on the counter, "What do you want for a drink?" He asked looking away from the contents of the fridge and to the blond who had her head poked into a pantry.
"Are their any soda leftover? Or is that all gone?"
He looked back and grabbed the last brand inside, "We've got four cans of knock off root beer left? Is that alright?"
"Sounds good!" It was times like these when her cheerfulness lifted his spirits. The paranoia he had felt about being watched slowly faded from his mind, and once they had enough they took their loot and started for the elevator.
Alyssa had been surprised when he had pulled out the card, she had had hers confiscated and replaced with one which carried less access to multiple floors should she help him escape. (A topic they had yet to speak about was why he had been brought to the Academy, as he still had no clue himself)
He merely shrugged her surprise aside and said, "I've still got a few tricks here or there," as the words left his mouth he glanced over his shoulder as he had the feeling comeback.
When the doors rolled open, he handed her the box, "I'm going to get changed out of these, head to the rooftop and I'll be back in 10 alright?"
She seemed even more surprised, "Rooftop?" He winked, pushed her lightly in and hit the button for rooftop. When they closed shut, he slid the keycard into his pocket and started for his room.
He wasn't sure how long they'd stay up on the roof, but he figured a couple hours at the most.
He hoped this would relieve the stress he'd been feeling for the past month with-
Rounding a corner, he walked headfirst into a Rocket. For the brief moment of distortion he felt, he blinked and felt his eyes darken as he stared into Grant's green eyes.
"Oh ho, sorry there Ketchum," Grant the ever cheerful said, "didn't see ya coming, I'll see ya later," Ash kept silent and still as the Rocket walked around, and past him.
When he was out of sight, Ash picked up his pace. The nagging feeling back once again.
Something. Is. Wrong.
Returning to his storage closet of a room, he stripped off his sweatshirt for a more favorable short sleeved T, and his sweat pants for a pair of clean workout shorts. It was going to be a warm night.
While he was alone, he shut his eyes held out his hands and let out a calm steady breath across his lips.
He felt the cool of Aura flowing around his core, he concentrated on bringing the feeling to his finger tips when his head snapped up, eyes flashed open, and looked to the door in surprise.
He had heard something.
How though.
He tore open his door, and out into the hall. He glanced around and was surprised when the world flashed blue and grey around him. The halls moved and separated, as if looking through another persons eyes as his vision moved around corners, down halls, until it reached the elevator.
His vision seemed to climb up a grey pulsing elevator-chute, and out through the seam left from the two doors on the top floor.
Horror spiked, his heart flat-lined, and the imaging disappeared. Leaving him standing in the hall.
He'd seen Alyssa.
She wasn't alone.
He ran, heart thundering in his ears as he sprinted towards the elevator. Alyssa was on the roof, and she wasn't alone.
Something was happening.
He seemed to go faster then what was humanly possible as he sprinted straight up to the elevator doors and shoved his hand into his pocket.
Except he didn't have a pocket, he wore shorts.
Alyssa wasn't alone on the roof, and he had forgotten the key.
His room was far, the stairs were around the corner.
He ran, hearing things he shouldn't be as his feet carried him up the hundreds of steps. A grunt had been climbing leisurely down, when he was shoved roughly aside by Ash as he continued his ascent.
The door leading to the roof required a key, he didn't have one.
She was going to get hurt, it would be his fault.
Anger spiked as he stopped in front of the roof top door. He hammered on it, "ALYSSA!" He shouted furiously! "ALYSSA OPEN THE DOOR!"
And then he heard her call, "ASH! HEL-"
Silence, "It's GRAN-" silence.
She didn't finish, but he knew.
He knew and he hated himself.
She wasn't alone, he couldn't reach her, and Grant was with her.
He was going to kill him.
Little did he know, that even though it was used figuratively, it would soon become reality.
He didn't realize when his eye flashed blue as his foot connected where the lock on the door would be.
The door was a heavy metal, but sailed back on its hinges as if some cheap wood.
He stepped out into the night, and heard the struggle. His eyes locked on the pair laying on the blanket.
Fury built, fury he never thought possible as he saw Alyssa struggling to escape from beneath Grant. The latter of the two had torn Alyssa's shirt off and was now working his way to her-
Ash had closed the distance in less then 2 seconds, ripping the Rocket from atop her and then diving atop him.
He punched him repeatedly in the nose, it shattered.
He punched him repeatedly in the ribs, 4 broke.
Ash grabbed the son of a bitch by the collar, "I'll fucking ki-UFF!" An elbow caught him in the stomach and he was winded.
Grant freed one arm, pulled back and threw a quick shot at his head. Ash pushed the Rocket away as his head snapped to the side.
Grant began crawling back, before standing and sending him a delirious, crazy grin. "She's small," He said lowly, and Ashs eyes narrowed, "Not much there, but she tastes-"
Ash cut him off, kicking him in the abdomen before punching at the now horribly misshapen nose. Something was happening, Giovanni knew, he cooked this up.
He'd kill him, he'd do it.
Proudly.
Ash went forward to throw one last shot into his temple, but Grant surprised him by nimbly side stepping, moving behind him and kicking at his back.
Ash staggered forward, caught himself and felt his blood run cold.
Alyssa ducked a jab, retaliated with a right, "ALYSSA GET AWAY FROM HIM!"
It was to late, Grant landed a solid left to her shoulder, she turned with the blow briefly, and then before she knew it, his arm was around her throat, and his hand was on her bare stomach holding her to him.
Alyssa's eyes shut as she felt Grants hand move up from her navel, "I can see why you like this one so much Ketchum,"
"A-Ash!"
"Pretty, slim, smells heavenly-" His hand was creeping higher... And Higher.
Ash took a step forward, "N-N-Neh No Ketchum," Grant grinned, and moved the hand the was moving up to his waistband, "You stay there and watch the show,"
Why... Why is this happening.
"A-Ash help me..."
He couldn't though, not after seeing the glinting metal of the steel blade in the moonlight. The blade pressed to her throat and Ash swallowed anxiously.
He was unarmed, this psychotic son of a bitch had Alyssa at knife point, and he was violating...
Something... Something happened there. Something he would think about often for the next few years.
Grant walked Alyssa back towards the edge, used the hand that did not hold the knife to move towards the waistband of her sweats and began to lower them.
Before the Rocket with the crazy grin lowered enough to reveal her underwear, Ash snapped.
"Press back and push." His voice was fast, and before he finished he had advanced.
He and Alyssa trained, on occasion with knives. Never real, but should the occasion arise where one of them was in a fix. They had words or signals they used during training to pass on as a message.
And Alyssa caught his words immediately.
She shoved backwards into Grant, startling him, her hands shot up to the hand which held the knife to her throat and caught it as soon as she felt extra pressure applied.
She held the knife at bay for less then a second before Ash intervened.
In a trance like state, Ash had taken the knife hand, twisted it away from Alyssas throat, and shoved her aside. Grants eyes widened, and Ash with his free hand grabbed the Rockets elbow in an iron handed grip and stared directly in to his eyes as he slowly forced the knife to face Grants heart.
Grants free hand had come to try and shake his hand loose, but Ash was immovable. He tried a face shot, Ash ducked, moved behind him and wrapped an arm firmly around his neck while still drawing the knife closer to his chest.
Ash turned them so that Grant faced the edge of the rooftop, and then as if Grant wasn't even trying to stop the blade anymore. Ash drove the knife through his chest, and heard him gasp.
Three seconds past, and Ash released the knife, the hilt still protruding from Grants chest.
He placed a hand on his back, and pushed.
Ash watched, body shaking, heart pounding in his ears as the Rockets body tumbled over the side towards the ground.
That was the first time he killed a man.
That was the day he changed forever.
"A-Ash..." He spun away from the ledge, and saw Alyssa huddled on the ground looking at him with tears streaking down her cheeks.
He forgot Grant, forgot he had taken his life.
Ash hurried to Alyssa, getting to his knees and sweeping her into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry," He whispered feeling his own eyes hurt, "I'm so sorry Aly, I'm sorry."
"I-I..." She clung to him tighter, "He came up, I thought he was you. B-But then he came and and... My shirt and..." She cried harder and he felt anger swelling in him.
It was his fault.
He should have been there.
He should have done something before this had happened.
What would have happened if he had been a few minutes later, even seconds?
Would she have been raped? Killed?
That would have been on his consciousness if that had happened.
He held her tighter and shut his eyes, what would he do if he lost the most important person in the world to him?
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
His eyes opened, and they darted around the room. They had listened after all, Ash went to lift his wrists and was glad to see they were secured to the bed.
How long had he been out? Minutes? Hours? Days? He didn't know, but he figured the longer the better as he need sleep anyways.
It was more of a coma he figured, but his body was rested none the less.
He took in a deep breath, and called out, "CYNTHIA!? DOCTOR!? SOMEONE!?"
He waited, and waited, and soon enough a young nurse came in, needle in hand looking at him hesitantly, "I'm good" he said softly, "not going to cause any harm."
She came up to him, eying him wearily, "Are you sure, we have calming agents encase,"
He smiled at her, and she seemed to relax a little, "I'm good, it was just exhaustion, nothing else," Lies.
She undid the restraints and he thanked her, "How longs has it been?" He asked curiously rubbing his wrists.
"Three days," His eyebrow rose, "the Champions would like to speak with you if your feeling alright, although I recommend you go eat before anything else,"
"I will, thank you."
He left, ate, and then met with the Champions. The dream was pressed to the back of his mind until he had time to properly examine it. For now as he entered the briefing room, Cynthia stood and came over to him.
"We need you to speak with her,"