Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon

Alive Again

Another One Gone

Ash looked closely at the young boy that stood two yards in front of him. He had messy brown hair with bits of dirt embedded in the scalp and his clothes had grease and dirt stains on them.

"Who was here? Did she have red hair?" he asked wondering if this was all a wild goose chase.

"Yep, the girl with red hair and blue eyes was taken by them." He replied.

"Was it Team Rocket?"

"No,"

"Who was it then?" before Ash could listen to the boy's anwser he felt a sharp tug on his pant's leg. He looked down to see Pikachu pulling hard on it with an expression that could tell you he was confused, then Ash looked up to see the boy was gone. "Huh?"

Pikachu was getting annoyed by being constantly ignored by his friend so he shocked Ash. Ash fell to the ground and Pikachu, with a pissed look on his face, started to yell at him, "Pikapi, chupi pika? Pi ka pikachu chu!" {Ash, what's going on? I want to know now!}

Ash lifted his buddy up and stood up. Pikachu rush from Ash's hands and to his shoulder. "I'll explain on the way to Brock's," he said walking towards to his old friend's house telling Pikachu about the phone call and the necklace.

They reached Brock's front door right as the sun came up from the horizon. Ash knocked on the door and waited until he heard a voice from the other side.

"Whose there?" said a female voice that had a sharp tone of something was wrong.

"Hey, Duplica. It's Ash." The door opens slowly to show a blue-green haired woman with bags under her crying eyes. "Duplica, what's wrong?" Ash questioned the distressed woman.

Suddenly, Duplica bellows and tear run down her eyes. Ash quickly grabbed her before she could fall to the ground. "What's going on and where is Brock?" he asked again. Duplica calms herself but tears still flow through her eyes.

"Come inside," she manages to say in a low sadden voice.

Ash goes through the door way and starts to follow behind Duplica. He looks around the house it's filled with pictures of Duplica, Ash, Misty, and Brock.

He starts to remember what happen to Brock after Misty's kidnapping and Ash's new career as the ultimate pokémon master. He remembers how Brock had fell in love with Duplica after the search was called off and the wedding between the two. Also, how Brock became the Pewter gym leader again.

Ash followed Duplica to the kitchen, where a small well decorated table sat in the middle with four chairs around it, and watch her sit down in one of the chairs clutching a piece of paper. "Where is Brock?" Ash asked sitting next to her. "H..e *sob* g.g.g.." she tried to say but started to cry again.

"He's what?" Ash said in a soft tone but received no answer. He asked again but again only got tears. "Duplica, you have to tell me what's wrong."

"He's gone!" Duplica yelled out with tears flowing through her eyes. "They took him away from me." She finally broke down and cried loudly.

"What?" Ash said. He couldn't believe it. His best was taken away by the same people that took Misty away. "When did this happen?" he said in a pissed tone.

"Weeks ago. They gave me this." She handed him a damp paper that had something written in black ink.

'Mrs. Slate,

Brock is now our! You will tell everyone that he went on a trip and hasn't come back yet, if you don't and report his disappearance to the police we WILL kill him and you! If you tell anyone we will kill him! If anyone finds out or we find out you have been having secret conversations with anyone, including Ash Ketchum, he will die because of you! You keep your bargain up and we might return him with out a hair harmed on his head.'

Ash put down the letter and looked at Duplica. "They probably already killed him," Duplica continued, " I should have told you but I was afraid that. that.. that." Duplica drew her head down and pouted. Pikachu jumped on the table and patted her shoulder. Ash sat there lost. He could believe it. First, Misty. Now, Brock. 'Who the hell is doing this?' he thought to himself.

"Duplica, I he's still alive. I'll find him, I promise." He said standing up.

"Ash, please don't you'll just get yourself killed. I've shouldn't have told you," She said. Before Ash could say anything Duplica stood up, "Ash please go. Please, don't tell anyone that he's gone. Please!"

"I promise but," Ash stopped himself and pushed in the chair. "Take care Duplica." He said hugging her then he whisper in her ear, "I will find him, Duplica, I swear I will." Then left with Pikachu following him.

Ash looked at the morning sky and rubbed his eyes. He had forgotten that he hadn't had any sleep for the last three days. "Come on, Pikachu. Let's get back. We'll start from there," he told his yellow furred friend but Pikachu wasn't listening. Instead his ears were pointed up and eyes concentrated on the wood leading to Viridian City. "Pikachu, what's wrong?" Ash asked looking in the woods. Instead of answering, Pikachu ran towards the woods. "Pikachu," Ash called and ran after his pokémon into the woods.

After a while a thirty yards from Pewter City, Ash lost Pikachu. He started to look around but tripped over something big. He landed face first in the dirt. He lifts his head to see Pikachu pointing at the thing Ash tripped on. Ash gets up and examine the thing. It seem to be a man in his thirties, he wearing torn clothes, and was laying face down in the ground. He was badly injured and lied still on the ground. Carefully, Ash approached the man and turned him over. The man's face was bloody and he was slowly breathing.

"Brock!' Ash said looking at his injured friend.

The longest chapter so far. Hope you like it and sorry for the delay. Please R&R.

Next chapter: Will Ash makes it to a hospital before Brock dies? How did Brock get beat up so badly? Does Brock know who took him and where Misty is? And when is Gary coming in the story?