Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.
So sorry for the late chapter, I have been *so* tired and well, I could go on and on and on and on…. You get the point!
Thanks to everyone who reviewed my ficcy and extra special thanks to Pheonixx and Bahamut999 who gave me the attacks for Umbreon, Arcanine and Nidoking!! I'm gonna use them next chapter as this one is really long! NOT SHORT!!!!!!!! Thanx for those attacks!!!!!!!
Everything fuzzed into focus. 'Wha..? I-I must be in some kind of Pokemon centre….' Ash opened his eyes to a white room of his own, lying on a comfy bed. A bedside table was next to him with a glass of water on and a slight wind moved the curtains of an open window. The last thing he noticed was that he was hooked up to a machine that monitored his heartbeat. 'Was I… that…bad..?'
"Pikachu! Brock! Misty! Where are you?" Ash shouted hoarsely, knowing that he sent them somewhere when they were unconscious. "Anybody!" Ash stated to rush out of the bed, when, no sooner than he had done it, caused a shooting pain through his body. "Uhh, guess lying in bed is best…."
A yellow blur shot out from the hall into his room and landed on Ash.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu greeted Ash by jumping onto his chest. He winced as Pikachu landed on himself but nonetheless kept a smile.
"Pikachu!!" Ash hugged his Pokemon as much as he could without causing the shooting pain.
"Ash! You're OK!!" Brock and Misty shortly followed, Misty bursting in first and hugging Ash.
"Oww!"
"Oops… Sorry…are you OK?"
"…I'm fine…" He muttered. 'WHY, do you think I'm in a Pokemon centre, then? Because I'm fine?' He looked at the group before him. Something was missing!
"Where are Cyndaquil, Chikorita and the others?!!" Ash panicked suddenly.
"They're fine…. They're sleeping…" He seemed to relax at that. And rest a bit more in his bed. Ash asked how he got there and looked in a calculating way at Brock and Misty as they fidgeted under his gaze.
"……We found you by some trees" Brock spoke up, hesitant "…You were in a… bad shape" Understatement of the year "…We..we… go-"
"Well hi, Ashy boy."
"Gary?!!!"
"Just beat another trainer Ashy Boy. Couldn't help but wonder what you were doing here. Pokemon training too much for you?" Ash looked back at Gary. How dare he?! He'd better not say anymore or he'll get what's coming…
"Couldn't get another badge out of sympathy just like all the others? Hmmm. Thought so." The glass of water next to Ash shattered, the pieces of glass fell to the floor clattering. Brock and Misty looked upon Ash with unease. He just seemed to glare at Gary.
"Gary…just go…" Brock intervened. He took him roughly by the arm and pulled him to the door.
"And remember Ashy boy," Gary continued sneering, and although being pulled back by Brock, he had not acted in surprise; rather like he had been expecting it, "When I win against you, you won't get any sympathy from me if you have to be hospitalised because losing is *so* bad. Just like you are now." The windows exploded inwards, shards of glass falling to the floor.
"Smell ya later."
Brock looked suspiciously at Ash, thinking.
****
"…Ash, I'm concerned about you…" Said Nurse Joy. "You seem to have a scar near your sternum like something went through you, a scar across your stomach, numerous scrapes, cuts and bruises all over your body as well as marks on yourself caused by whips and red-raw marks on your wrists and ankles.
Ash gasped silently from the memories aroused and forced to look in Nurse Joy's eyes.
"I'm surprised you're still alive to put it bluntly. Look… Ash… are you OK to tell me what happened..?" She paused, "I need to know…"
He looked away, eyes hazy.
"… No…"
"…Tell me when you…feel like talking…"
After Nurse Jot exited, Misty spoke softly,
"… Ash… do you want to tell us what happened..?"
He hugged Pikachu tighter before answering. As though he was looking for peace and comfort he couldn't find. After a long time he spoke a whisper.
"……. They…they stabbed me…."
"Uh, may I point out, that if you died how did you live?"
"We….I…didn't…die…." Brock and Misty looked confused, seeing this he stopped,
"You wouldn't understand…." He hugged Pikachu harder still looking for that comfort and hope. Ash stroked Pikachu fondly. His fur felt soft under touch and it calmed him to think he didn't have to dream of seeing Pikachu or his friends like… like… He was with them. More hope than ever with them.
"Pikapi kapika…"
'I understand…'
A small smile appeared on Ash's face, "Thanks…"
Pikachu looked lopsided at his friend inquisitively, most people said that this was the cutest look a Pikachu could give, apart from when it was happy and in it's true nature. Or when it was showing loyalty.
"Pikapi Pika Kachu…"
"…Ash… You're alive…I thought you were dead…."
He hugged Pikachu tighter. The mouse type Pokemon asked a deeper question.
"…Pi…ka chu..?"
"…How did you…live..?"
"I don't know…"
Moments later Ash was asleep.
***
"What do you think he was talking about?"
"I don't know but something happened there…."
"…Yeah, I think Ash is hiding something from us, something that he's even confused about…"
***
"Wahey! I'm outta that stuffy Pokecentre!!" Misty sighed at the over-active Ash in front of her.
"Yeah, well remember Nurse Joy only let you out 'cos you pleaded even though you recovered quicker than she expected." Ash just ignored her and just ran along hyper-ly ahead of them.
"Ha! I'm gonna catch some Pokemon and beat that Gary! Let's go down that path, remember Nurse Joy said that there were lots of Pokemon to catch!"
Brock looked reluctant. All of the group looked reluctant. They'd expected Ash to be more careful after his experience.
"I dunno Ash…"
"Pii…"
"Oh come on!"
Reluctantly Pikachu, Brock and Misty agreed and followed Ash to path.
**
A boy stood inside a Video-phone.
"Keep track of him- he's got potential for us to exploit" The man stroked his pet Persian, and smiled evilly at the thought. "Are you close by him?"
"Yes. I saw him in the Pokecentre two weeks ago. I have stayed in the area just in case you needed me." He smirked "You did a pretty good job with him, sir, are you sure he's the one? He didn't look to special in that bed."
"Are you questioning what I saw?"
"…N-no sir."
"I want you to get there a quick as you can. NOW." He ordered.
"Yes sir!"
"Also, test him – to see if he is the right one, I don't want to take any chances."
***
"Cool! Look! Lets go down that path – There are lots of Pokemon there!!" Ash waved maniacally and pointed down a dusty path.
Misty sighed.
"Pleeeeeese!" He looked at her in a pleading way. She looked at him once. How could she refuse? After all, he had been cooped up at that Pokemon Centre. They need to relax as well.
"…OK…OK… you need a break," she finally gave in.
"You sure that's a good idea?"
"Come on…" She wasn't in the mood for arguing with Brock, "Anyway, he's halfway down the path and into the forest ahead, now."
"Huh? HEY!!! Wait up!! Stop Ash! Ash! ASH!!!
***
The trio stopped to catch their breath.
"I… forgot…how hyperactive…Ash was…" Brock wearily collapsed on the ground. Panting on the ground he took in his surroundings. The path they had just ran along had broadened out into a clearing and the forest that had been around them had thinned out; now they were dotted about the place. A steep, chalky rock side lay ahead of them, almost vertical and the tallest thing around, as though it could have been a look out.
Misty stood up.
"Kay, we've just travelled through a forest and ended up… somewhere. DOES ANYBODY HAVE AN IDEA WHERE WE ARE???!!"
Ash peered through a bush, apparently looking for Pokemon "Who needs a map!"
Brock pulled the map out of his bag and studied it. "Hmmm… Well it appears we are somewhere from the Pokemon Centre… Nurse Joy…. Nurse Joy…"
Misty looked Ash "Who needs a map? Apparently us as no one knows where we are. And you," She turned to a starry-eyed Brock, "A Reality check is in order!"
And so the mallet came down.
Ash yelped with excitement upon seeing a Pokemon "I found one! I found it!"
"You've found what?" Came a familiar snidey voice "You've found your common sense, have you? About time too."
"Gary?!" Ash turned sharply to see Gary in front of the sheer rock side, cocky as usual. "Brock woke up groaning, and Misty watched the older boy with great intent.
"Don't look too surprised. And why do you always say that? Saying 'Gary' every time you see me gets boring after a while."
Ash grunted in reply.
"Looking for your Pikachu? I'm not surprised. I knew it would run away sooner or later," Ash stepped forward and an annoyed "Pika" sounded, but Gary just ignored them. "The rat must've known you were a bad trainer, it was obviously looking for me."
He was starting to go too far.
"Well, I don't want to have the rat anyway. It was a sure thing that is was weak, didn't like it's trainer, thought he was a bad trainer and generally, a stupid, idiotic Pratty, little thing. A thing that is owned. A thing that doesn't have feelings, all Pokemon are inferior- especially that one"
Gary smiled cruelly but it faded as he saw his rival's face. He backed up a bit. He'd never seen his face
Misty and Brock turned to see Ash's expression but their attention was diverted to a sudden cry from Gary.
He had suddenly flown from where he was standing to be held up, as if in suspension against the rock face. From his expression, it looked as if an invisible force was pressing against his entire being.
Ash walked backward, looking in horror at what was happening. Surprise and disbelief was written all over his face.
Brock slowly turned to Ash. "Stop it," he spoke softly.
"Stop what?" He was surprised at how much his voice shook from the anger and from the surprise.
"You're hurting Gary." Misty spoke as softly as Brock.
As much as Ash hated Gary, he didn't want to see him ….
"He's hurt me! My feelings… Pikachu's feelings most…"
"He hasn't hurt you physically."
"Pichuka…"
Ash looked at Gary.
"Hey, look," Gary strangled out "Even your Pikachu is agreeing that it's annoying and inferior."
'How can he do this…. He's against a rock face, in the air and he's still causing pain….' Ash thought aggressively.
Gary cried out in pain as it seemed the invisible force seemed to increase its pressure on him.
Ash glared at him, eyes blazing with fury.
"And well, I personally think you are the worst trainer-ever…" The Pokemon Trainer managed to say.
He was finding it hard to breathe now. Ragged breathing could be heard, and, somehow, Gary unhooked some Pokeballs from his belt and shakily threw them down to Ash.
His Nidoking, Arcanine and Umbreon appeared in the clap of white and took their battle position for their opponent. They looked around the clearing, but found no Pokemon except three annoying little people and one Pikachu- but that didn't look ready to fight.
"Umbreon… A-attack… him…" Gary pointed to his rival who backed away from the psychic pokemon "And Arcanine! Go…go for those to."
***
Ash watched as the Umbreon he faced walked towards him. He couldn't do this! Gary couldn't attack people with Pokemon! He wasn't that lowly…
Gary called out Umbreon's first attack….