A/N: Wow! I can't believe it's finally happened. I've finally reached my halfway point chapter. This chapter lives up to its name in more than one way. After this chapter is done there should be 26 more chapters and an epilogue. Yep, just 27 chapters till the end. And not only does this chapter mark the middle of this fic, but this chapter also marks a new beginning. The beginning that takes this fic down a new road, a road that many of you have been waiting for. I repeat the remaining half of this fic will not only be about human battles but those between humans and Pokémon. Oh and this chapter is dedicated to everyone that has ever reviewed this fic. Thank you all for the encouragement and wonderful reviews that has given me the encouragement to reach this turning point. Also the reviewer's comment section will be at the end instead of at the beginning for this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon

Chapter 27

Running… scrapping… flashes of light… fills the halls, roads, and trains of Thunderbolt. The sounds of feet stomping in and out of the halls could be heard. All were dressed in yellowish green. Only about one fifth of the whole army was awake and ready for duty. The rest were sound asleep, but nobody cared. In their eyes this would be a short fight, and besides that, never in a battle had the whole army went at once for one battle. The generals, Kasumi, Haruka, Takeshi, Wataru, and Sakaki were busy directing the traffic and ordering their troops into one. Confusion filled the weapon room. Guns were being loaded. Their first battle with the new war plan was going to be put into play this night.

Guns, cannons, machinery were loaded and moved onto the hidden teleportation pads all round Thunderbolt. All were on high alert as they entered the outside world. The generals moved out first. Their guns held close to their sides… followed by the Lt.'s and Sgt.'s. All keeping the five individual teams as one as they entered the darkened realm. Snow covered the ground. It was still the wee hours of morning… probably barely striking three. The formations were in place as they waited for the enemy to appear.

The alert, the signal in the control room could pick up Pokémon sightings, miles and miles away and this one had been very faint… so who knows when the enemy would show up. Kasumi's breath quickened as she looked around the dense forest lines. Without humans in the outside world… trees had once again taken sprout. Trees… bare trees now covered the land, far and wide. Every time she came out to the outside world, she couldn't help but admire the beauty. Here, what they were standing on was what used to be the busy streets of Celadon. But now… now human creation could barely be noticeable. All had been burned down years ago leaving only the remains of stones that littered here and there. Between the trees, stones laid encrusted around its roots. The old cement streets and sidewalks were no more. The only indication of that there once had been streets here were the unconnected bits and pieces of sidewalk here and there.

It sadden Kasumi to see how great the change had been since the last time she been here… the ghost town of Celadon. She could still remember when it used to be lively. She remembered studying here in her youth. It was at this very place that she had received her gym trainer's license. The place where she watched him received his Rainbow badge from Erika. The memory of that battle still amused her even now. How hard he tried to get that battle with Erika… he even had to dress up like a girl to do so… so amusing… so hilarious… after they found out.

But the battle… it was interrupted… but after a kind act of courage… he got the badge any ways. He risked his life for a Pokémon. In Kasumi's eyes, what he did was not only an act of courage… but that of love. Even though the Pokémon that he ran back to save in that fire wasn't his own… he still saved it… because it was a fellow Pokémon… a friend. She couldn't help but wonder was he would say now… if he saw her. If he saw her shooting and fire at the Pokémon. What would his reaction be?

Heavy breathing could be distinguished next to her shoulder. Kasumi gave a side-glance and found Erika near her. She watched the way that Erika examined her surroundings. Kasumi almost wanted to slap herself on the head that very moment. How could she forget? Erika never saw Celadon after she joined Thunderbolt. When she joined, Celadon hadn't been destroyed yet. It was one of the few remaining cities that hadn't been pulverized at that time.

Kasumi remembered her discussion with the other generals… after she saw Cerulean… Years ago… before they had seriously declared war on the Pokémon. She was still a refugee then… she had returned to Cerulean to get her sisters away from Cerulean and into hiding with her… her Pokémon… her dear sweet Togepi… they still were her friends…

"Gyarados, land here," commanded nineteen-year-old Misty. The young woman hopped off the flying sea serpent and recalled it back into its ball. Placing it back into her purse she took out her Togepi, cradling it in her arms. Misty found the route that would take her home. For once she was longing to go home… it had been months since she seen this place… since she seen a city. Loneliness and solitude had been with her the last few months in that cave.

She was dying to see the place of her birth. The warm lights that radiated out of the store windows, the sound of human talking, the prospect of taking a warm shower once she got home were everything and anything that she wished for. She longed for those necessities. Dreaming of such realities, Misty continued down the road, happily stopping at the sign "Cerulean City 10m" She loved that sign that moment. It told her that she was almost home… a home she use to despise… but this time… she longed for.

As the ten meters came to an end, Misty's dreams was shattered. The dreams, the fantasies that she had dreamed up were all broken at the exact moment. Before her was nothing she dreamed of… nothing she wanted to see… the one thing… she didn't want to believe that she would see here… the same image that she had seen not so long ago… in Pallet.

Rumble, dirt, rocks, and trash littered the site before her. Her heart pounded as she ran… she ran. She ran passed the children clashed in dirt, their clothes raggedly, torn. Some were crying. Families, mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters were hugging and crying. Their forms were all desperate looking … the look of just haven lost something important.

Misty understood that feeling. She had seen such expressions for months now. She had received and welcomed numerous amounts of people like this to the cave, for months now. But this time, she didn't want to see them. All she cared about was returning home. It had been a year now, since she left this place. It had been her home for a year… a real home. She was a well-respected gym leader here… and all she cared about now was seeing it.

Misty ran and ran. She knew this route by heart haven gone this way all her childhood… even though the rumble she found were the gym stood or more like use to stand. She felt warm tears flow down her face… for once it wasn't for about missing… him … but about herself. She felt Togepi leave her grasp and return into her purse which she had sat on the ground. "No," moaned Misty. The sight before her overwhelmed her. Everything… every memory of her parents, relatives they were all slashed away in that gym. Now… now it was all gone. In its place laid only a pile of rocks, glass, metal pieces, and other unrecognizable objects. A white light flashed before her. Immediately she walked to it and pulled it out. It was the Seel that hung over the gym. It was the sign… next to it she found the words "Cerulean City Gym". New tears formed as Misty hugged the sign closely.

Hatred, remorse, sadness, anger, scariness filled her heart. She laid there in awe for hours and hours hugging the gym sign… never moving an inch…

She didn't want anyone else to suffer that pain, that agony that she had suffered that day. When Thunderbolt was official formed, Misty argued and debated to the other generals that all the Lt.'s, the gym leaders shouldn't return to the city that they ran their gyms at, if could be prevented. Only four out of twenty gym leaders that had joined saw their cities after they were destroyed, and Erika was not one of them.

Kasumi hoped more than she ever hoped before that Erika was strong… that she won't fall into despair at seeing Celadon the way it was now. Knowing that comfort was the only thing she can give, she moved her own hand to that of Erika's and squeezed it comfortingly. "It's okay. It's okay. Be strong. Stand strong," mumbled Kasumi more to herself than Erika. The young woman nodded.

"I know, Gen. Kasumi. I know. I've been preparing for this moment too long," mumbled Erika. Her face was set straight once again as she looked forward for the enemy. Kasumi left her side and paroled the area. The scouts had already been sent to search further south where the enemy was said to be coming from.

Three hours had passed… still no enemy. At even a sign of them could be seen. The generals had deformed the troops now. No longer were they standing but sitting near their weapons. Kasumi huddled together with the others… deciding whether to retreat on account of false signaling or stay for another hour. They all knew that the sensor was very new… they just got it about a week ago… before it was always people who stood watch for invading Pokémon. It was always the defense for them… they never went to look for the Pokémon… that would be too reckless... but they knew that once the new coming year arrived they would go on the defensive and find their leader.

"I say retreat," said Sakaki simply. "This is stupid. We'll been waiting here for an hour… that sensor probably picked up a Pokémon in some cave nearby. I told you it was a stupid idea to use that machine in the first place.

"No! I say we wait… another hour… I was just speaking to Lt. Natsume… she says senses something… something powerful nearby… but… but it keeps changing course. She doesn't know why," stated Takeshi.

"Yes, Lt. Itsuki said the same," confined Wataru.

"I still say this is pointless… if they're trying to avoid us…" The generals' eyes went big at Sakaki's words. All were thinking the same.

"Dear god," mumbled Kasumi, "could figured out we're located underground… and… discovered we're here?"

"No… no… they couldn't. The psychic barrier is too strong for any Pokémon to break," said Wataru with a voice of confidence.

"They why are they avoiding us?" asked Haruka.

"Has anyone here have any common sense? What if they aren't trying to avoid us? What if these Pokémon aren't the fighting ones… just the ones that evil and don't like humans. It could be looking for food," snapped Sakaki. His voice was drowned out by a gasp from Kasumi.

Her vision was glazed into the sky… the darkened sky was brightening. A beam of light shot out from the clouds forming a beam of light… a simple 'z' shape was formed for a moment before disappearing… covering the sky into darkness again… but… but during that time… she saw figures… figures flying through the sky. She pointed into the sky and turned and saw Haruka, Takeshi, and Wataru all staring in wonderment.

The shock disappeared and immediately commands were made. A rustle was heard from the army as they manned their post. "Fire!" shouted Sakaki. Guns, sounds of explosion filled the air… aiming into the sky. Havoc filled the earth… none knowing if it hit its mark. That's when Kasumi realized the error in this plan. They would never know if they hit or not. She looked into sky. The way the bullets exploded… that's when her blood ran cold. There was something wrong… something wrong with the way the bullets exploded into the sky. These bullets… they had them tested for high evaluation shooting and this wasn't what was supposed to happen.

She turned and saw the exact same looks of confusion upon Haruka, Takeshi, and Wataru's face. They too had a look of confusion and worry. Once turning to look at Sakaki all she saw was a look of grim victory. She couldn't help but sigh. It was an old habit that the ex-leader of Team Rocket had. His problem was he was too caught up in winning to think… that's why it was usually him and Wataru that lead the armies out to war. Sometimes Takeshi went too… but Kasumi and Haruka… they commanded the armies from within Thunderbolt… giving the health and location status of the incoming enemy.

She continued to watch the sky. The fireworks that the bullets were causing… but she couldn't see the enemy. Could they have already escaped?

Darkness… a loud sound…

Falling… falling… into a dark abyss…

Kasumi's POV

I open my eyes and find myself… somewhere else… a dark room… I'm no long on the battlefield… this place… it's so confusing… where am I? How did I get here? Voices… I hear voices… no… just one voice. I look around…no… I'm not in a room.

Water?! I raise my hand and catch a drop of water. Drip! Drop! Drip! Drop! No. I'm definitely not in a room. Outside maybe… but… but where. I look around… trees… a castle… a castle in the sky. No… no… not in the sky… on tall hill… trees… trees shade it…

Light! I see light! I'm moving but how? My feet… they're moving on their own accord…up… up these never ending stairs. Stairs? How could there be stairs. Drip! Drop! Drip! Drop! Liquid falls to my hand. I look down… red liquid. More falls. I gulp. Blood! I raise my hand to my face… a rub my cheek… blood smears over my hand… covering it with my own blood. My own blood infecting me.

No! I can't think about this own. My ears… ringing… no… someone singing… someone's singing… singing beautifully. I feel myself easing… my run slowing… to nearly a stop. Then I see it! The end… I see the end. Finally! I run to it! I want it so badly… I know that all my answers… they're all stored there.

One more step… just one more step! So close! Too close!! The steps, they crumble…

NO!!! I scream…I try to scream… but no words come out. I fall… fall… so close… so close…

Darkness… I'm surround in a never-ending darkness once again. Pain… agony inches though my body. I tried to stand. My feet don't want to work. I wobble before catching my balance… on a chair. Where did this chair come from? I limp to it and sit.

Ahh! Comfort, such comfort. But still I can't help but wonder… where am I?

A shadow, a shadow! How can there be a shadow in darkness? I shake my head… am I loosing it? No! It's still there, the shadow! A shadow of somebody! Somebody familiar… somebody I know… but… but I can't put my finger on it. Who is it? The room… it brightens… but… but the figure remains… dark… as if in shadow. It moves and… and becomes two… two! How can that be…

Laughter! Cruel laughter surrounds me.

"NO! STOP!" I shout. I scream. Tears pour down my face… I curl into a ball… rocking… rocking back and forth…

I awake.

"Kasumi!" shouted a worried voice. I open my eyes. My vision it's all blurry… a figure… a young woman is before me… a look of concern upon her face. I blink… my vision clear. It's Haruka. A worried look is held upon her face. She seemed to have been crying. Redness is still blotched into her face.

Normal POV

"What… what happened?" mumbled Kasumi. She finds herself on the ground… covered in snow. Bloodstains cover her body.

"The… the bullets… the enemy are deflecting them… one landed close to you, Misty. You fainted," muttered Haruka, tears stained her eyes. She tries to wipe them away… only to have made things worse.

"Oh," muttered Kasumi before trying to sit up. A ray of pain fills her body, paralyzing her.

"Don't try to move," said Haruka. Concern fills her words. Kasumi falls back and lands in the snow. She moans in pain as the pain runs throughout her whole body. She turned her head here and there and found herself in the woods. "Where… where am I?"

"We moved you further into the woods. The teleportation pad got bombed too. I… I got to go," muttered Haruka looking embarrassed. "The… the others will need me."

Kasumi nods understandingly. She watches Haruka get up before reaching into her pocket where she pulls out a bottle. "Here, take these. They'll dull the pain, a bit." Placing the bottle in one of Kasumi's hands, Haruka walks away. Kasumi watched her friend retreating figure. Her body is a hunched back position. Kasumi immediately understands… whatever happened… it was much worse than she had let her to believe. Kasumi sighs feeling much more alone than she really is. Looking around her surroundings she immediately realizes that she's not that much deeper in the woods then she once believed. There lying at her side was her handgun… her only protection. Looking down at the bottle of pills that Haruka gave her, Misty sighs as she reads the label. "Pain killers, how predictable of Ruka to have. Always carrying around painkillers when we go into battles." She groans as she twists off the lid. At least nothing's broken. "She pops two pills into her mouth and immediately fills the affects taking place. Must be Prof. Ookido's newest creation.

Knowing that the pain had dulled by a lot she allowed herself to reach for her gun. Grasping it, she immediately fills safe. This handgun had gotten her out of a lot of trouble the last couple of years… it was an old friend.

How could I have been so stupid… thinking of such thoughts… in time of battle… only the inexperienced blink out like I did. Kasumi cursed at herself before trying to get up again. This time the pain had dulled to a mere whisper. She could now stand firmly. She couldn't help but hold a funny feeling about staying in these forests… an unholy feel to it.

She watches the sky. The blasts of light radiating into the sky… only to be deflected back… such skills the opponent had… skill she could never possess. Immediately knowing that they came from the army. Kasumi walks on… following the flashes of light and Haruka's footprints which her straight to the war zone. The sight before her startled her…bodies littered the ground. She saw the teleportation pad sizzling. It would take months to repair… and the next teleportation pad was far away… in Saffron… or what use to be Saffron.

She looked at the sky… she studied it for a long time. Dawn was showing signs of forming… it was still dark… but not as dark as before. She watched the firing… the reflecting… the firing…the reflecting… it was a pattern… but the reflection… it… it was always at the front… never at the side… a mistake… a weakness. She was always good at finding those… she couldn't believe she hadn't seen it sooner. She looks down at her handgun… smiling knowing that once again it could be her old friend who would help her win this battle. She cocks the gun before aiming it up into the sky. Pinning it to the side… not the direction that everyone else was firing at… and she fired the shot. The shot rang clear… thundering the skies. All eyes turned to her… the shooting stopped. Kasumi clasped. She wanted to faint again… the pain was back once again. Damn! He still hasn't fixed though deflects. She watches as a flash moves to her side.

"Kasumi, why you come back?" asked the voice.

She immediately recognizes it to be Haruka, her overly concerned friend. She feels Haruka's arms hold her up… picking her from falling asleep. A light chuckle escapes Kasumi's lips. She moves her whole body weight onto Haruka. "Because I had too… and beside if I didn't that won't be happening." She raises her free hand and points to the sky. There, the blob was falling… falling down to the earth. The two watched together and found there were more than one… it wasn't only one enemy… there were more… maybe five or ten at the least. Kasumi watched them plummet to the ground… near the edge of the forest… trees snapped at the impact. A dust cloud formed over them.

She looked at the other generals and received a nod from them all. It was tradition… who ever made the wining shot would get to bring the dead/alive corpse back. With Haruka's help she managed to stand and even walk. Her walk was slow… but full of strength and spirit. She passed the still standing part of the army… her head held high as she walked to the site where the figures had fallen and let out a gasped.

A beautiful white bird laid closest to her… it's eyes closed… moaning in pain… a rainbow bird laid behind it… it too in agony. The creatures… the Pokémon they were glorious. There were more… she could definitely make out three of them… they were all in pain. Zaps of electricity surrounded their bodies… they had some how been electrocuted. And Kasumi felt bad… she hadn't bought these Pokémon down… something else had. One moaned again…crying in pain.

Her heart burned out to it. She had long forgotten how beautiful Pokémon really were till this very moment. She had forgotten the beauty and life they carried within them. At that moment… something moved. She stepped back… clasping her gun tightly. Another movement… then a head appeared from under the white bird… but it wasn't a Pokémon head… it was human head!

Black hair appeared then a very tanned face. A moan escaped its lips. The rest of the human's body appeared… draped in white… now stained with blood and snow… and very badly torn.

Misty stepped back further watching the human step out of the mess of Pokémon. She made out a young man. A young man with beautiful, raven black hair and a very well built body. His face was down… so she couldn't make out his face. Around his waist was a belt… a silver-coated belt with small gold and silver colored balls stringed around it. A small pouch was attached to the belt also and a small knife stuck out of it. Upon his shoulders, a strap was seen connecting to his back. Two long sticks stuck out of his back… Kasumi clearly made out the colors gold and silver.

She watched him attentively… swearing that he could sense her staring at him. He looked up revealing a very tanned face. His eyes stayed closed under them were two faint birthmarks. She held her breath, mesmerized at his features. She watched him open his eyes… a pair of big, glorious amber eyes stared into her… into her soul. He looked at her… studying her… before a huge smile appeared upon his face. He was smiling a crooked but very familiar smile that Misty put her finger on where she had seen it before. The young man walked forward… still smiling, but this time Misty didn't back up. She felt safe… knowing somehow that he wouldn't hurt her.

The man looked down and stared hard at her hand. A questionable look appeared upon his face. An innocent look of wonderment appeared on his face. Misty couldn't help but think it was sweet. A chuckle left his lips… startling Misty. He stopped laughing… and watched her. Seeing that she made no movement or response to his laughter, he spoke.

"Hey Mist," said the young man simply… grinning.

Misty's eyes widened. No one called her that but… him. Her eyes widened more as she felt tears fall from her eyes. She immediately let go of the gun in her hand and ran to him. The pain in her body forgotten. She ran to him... smiling… beaming. She threw her whole body weight on to him... pushing him into the ground. Her lips met his as she kissed him. Oh! How long they kissed!

The army all watched in wonderment… thinking that their general had finally lost it. Only Takeshi, and Haruka couldn't help but smile… they beamed. The kiss ended… and dawn filled the skies. The sunlight caught his face… radiating it. His eyes sparkled… tears of happiness appearing upon his face. Misty's tears stained them both.

She muttered…

"Ash."

A/N: Well! That sucked didn't it? I wanted Ash's return to be more… more dramatic… but things didn't turn out that way… unfortunately. There! I did it. Ash is back! YEAH!! Ash is back! So time me your insights on his pending return by dropping in a review. You know you want to!!!

Reviewer's Comments: Well now you all know what happened and stuff I can finally give you all some what straight answers. And without knowing it a lot of you guessed right at the least the ones that told me your guesses. See it wasn't so bad, was it?

Labannya::: You do? What? Cause I don't even know what I'm up too. Any ways. Thanks for the reviews.

Night::: Hmm… bet the end surprised ya huh? Ashy's back? Guess you and I both don't know me very well. Thanks for the review.

Jarzard::: A new reviewer, yay! Thanks for the compliment! Three forms of Ash? Eep! What's that mean? Thanks for the review, and I hope you continue to review this fic.

Etherelemental::: Hey! You're right! You guessed so right! Aww… thanks and thanks for the review.

Joy-girl::: Yeah! Now that I think about it was too obvious. Maybe I shouldn't have bought Ash back. Hmm… you think I should have done my other idea belong this fic even more? Cause since the beginning I've decided that Ash's return be the midpoint of this fic. Thanks for the review.

Ash and Misty forever::: Lucky you! You're on a three week vacation, and I have to sit in a class room listening to teachers talk on and on and on and on… Thanks and thanks for the review.

Overlord::: Well… that wasn't that bad was it? Yeah. High school has barely started four weeks for me and I'm already to start to hate it so badly!!! So much homework!! AHH!! Hours and hours of it!!! GOD HAVE MERCY ON MY POOR SOUL!!! Any ways thanks for the review.

Dream][Walker3::: I tried. Really I did. Thanks for the review.

Crystalstorm21::: Really…it was fun to read. So how did this one turn out? Boring and confusing huh? That's my insight on this chapter any ways. So did you get it, right? Whoever you thought it was? Thanks for the review.

Melani::: Thanks and you so guessed right. Yes… I know poor me. These just aren't my days. I so long for middle school once more. Any ways! Thanks for the review.

Dancergal06::: A new reviewer!! Yeah!! That's okay! At least you finally decided to drop me a review. That's all that counts. You go it right too!! Thanks for the review, and I hope you continue to review this fic.

Finaille Nailo::: Thanks. No problem!! Thanks for the review.

SulliMike23::: Actually you got it! It was Ash!! Thanks for the review, and of course I'll continue this fic.