SulliMike23 – Well, yeah. Ash will have to survive long enough to at least defeat Lanacan, but I'm planning on a twist in the story afterwards. Though yeah, it was a silly question. And I thought that I was a little more obvious on who the watcher was in this, but it should be a little more obvious in this chapter. If not, then I'll have it blatantly obvious in the next chapter.
Author's Notes: Well, it's much sooner than I thought that it'd take me to feel like writing again, but I guess that just means that it's better for you, my readers. :) Though, this chapter should me quite a bit longer. Anyway, here's the next chapter!
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"So you're saying that Ash wants me to wait for him in pallet?" Misty asked, setting her coffee down on the table.
Megan nodded. "He wants you to be safe while he hunts down Lanacan. That and he doesn't want to worry about you while he's fighting Lanacan."
Misty thought about this for a moment. "Tell me Megan. Why should I believe you?"
Megan took a sip of the soda that she had. "I don't see why you shouldn't believe me, except I know Lanacan. I think that Ash knows about him a little." Megan looked away as she continued, "I think that he may be trying to learn more about him before he confronts him." Megan looked directly at Misty and she began to squirm a little under the scrutiny. "Which is why you would put him in unnecessary danger if you were with him. Lanacan would kidnap you just to get at Ash. Which is what I think he was trying to do until he started following me instead."
Misty had started to reach for her coffee, but stopped when she realized what Megan was getting at. "He was following us?"
Megan nodded.
Misty paled a little as she realized a little more of what kind of person they were talking about. "S- so he was following us until we met you?" Misty stammered.
Again Megan nodded.
Misty realized something and looked directly at Megan, eyes blazing. "How do I know that you're telling the truth about that?"
"All you can do is take your chances out in the open where Lanacan could come at any time and without warning. If you go to Pallet town, as Ash has requested, you'll be in a place where Lanacan doesn't know you are, and you won't be an easy target, because the longer you live in an area, the easier it is to blend in in the area."
Misty thought about this. Misty couldn't help but admit that Megan was probably right at least about Lanacan being able to come out of almost nowhere and taking her if he wanted. Misty figured that she really didn't have much of a choice in the matter now. "I guess it would be nice to see Ash's mother again," Misty answered smiling.
"He has a mother?" Megan asked flatly.
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Ash kicked the can laying on the ground out of pure frustration. Lachlan and Ash had been searching for a way to Pinkin Island, but so far they weren't having much luck. As they made their way into the next Pokecenter, Lachlan asked Ash, "Are you sure that you don't want me asking this time?"
"Of course," Ash replied. "You couldn't do it near as well, as I could."
Lachlan stared at Ash for a moment. "Rigggghhhht," Lachlan drawled.
Ash shot Lachlan a glare before going in the Pokecenter. Ash knew exactly why Lachlan was asking. They (meaning Ash, because Lachlan merely followed) basically had to be escorted to the ferry to the next island due to the disturbance that Ash created. As Ash entered the Pokecenter, he noticed that there weren't many trainers in it at this time. Ash figured that reguardless of why they weren't there, it was still better, because then he wouldn't have to face a lot of Pokemon like he did in the third Pokecenter that Ash and Lachlan had visited. Mainly Ash had to face them alone, even though Lachlan was the one who had gone in there. Ash hoped that things would be a little better this time. As he walked to the counter and waited for her to finish talking with someone else, he was about to speak when the Nurse Joy asked, "Are you Ash Ketchum?"
Ash choked on what he was about to ask. He had no idea of why Nurse Joy would be expecting him. "Y- yes," Ash finally managed after a moment of trying to recollect himself.
"Well, I have a message for you," Nurse Joy said, handing Ash a piece of paper.
Ash quickly scanned the message:
Ash, I just wanted to let you know that Misty will be waiting for you in Pallet Town. That way you won't have to worry about her. Good luck finding Brian.
—Megan
Ash sighed. That at least was a problem that he knew that he didn't have to think about now. Which made him a little uneasy. Ash turned back to Nurse Joy. "Um, Nurse Joy?"
Nurse Joy turned back to Ash and replied, "Yes?"
"Nurse Joy, I was wondering if you might be able to help me get to Pinkan Island."
"Now why would you want to go there?" A voice boomed out behind Ash, causing him to jump.
Ash turned around. He had been so wrapped up in reading the message that he hadn't noticed anyone come up behind him. "I need to talk with someone who's working there," Ash answered, glad that at least he was getting somewhere. He at least was able to say more than he had the previous times.
"Who might that be?" the man asked. "I work there, so I might be able to help you out."
"His name is Brian. My friend and I need to ask him about something important," Ash said.
"So, you want to ask me about Lanacan, right?" the man asked.
Ash just stared at him. How would he know so much when Ash hadn't said anything? The man laughed at Ash's dumbfounded expression. Ash could feel his face color with embarrassment and anger, but it quickly cooled, as Ash quickly calmed himself down. "So, you're Brian?" Ash asked, after regaining his composure.
"Yeah. I've already spoken to your friend outside. He's waiting for us at the restaurant," Brian told Ash. "We'll talk more there."
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Lanacan smiled. It wasn't too difficult getting out of the jail, now he could have some entertainment while watching the guards search for him, while he's safely hidden, where they wouldn't think to look. Lanacan never really liked being locked in a jail, but it was always nice watching guards scurrying around while looking for someone that they didn't have a chance finding, because of how stupid they were. Lanacan knew that Megan might now try to get his target to a safe location, because she at least wasn't stupid like these guards. She would realize what his target had been and try to help the target. Lanacan didn't really care what Megan did, but he would like a bit of a challenge. Mostly because there wasn't much challenge in the things he did anymore. Modern technology just made it too easy for him.
Lanacan decided to catch up on a little sleep while he waited for the search to die down. At the most, the search would ensure that he slept peacefully. Especially since he knew it was him that the guards were searching for.
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Brock looked at the sky. He could tell that it was still early, but it felt like it should be a lot later in the day from how tired he seemed to be. For the first time in his life, he actually was tired from just walking the little bit that they had. Even when he was taking care of his siblings, he'd often go on hikes and even having to take care of his siblings constantly during those hikes hadn't tired him out near as much as he was now.
Isuelt turned to Brock and asked, "Are you okay?"
Brock nodded. "I'm fine. Just a little tired."
Isuelt gave Brock a look of clear disbelief, but she didn't say anything else. Brock was thankful of that. Even though she was the only girl that returned his interest, he still didn't want anyone else to know about this until he could puzzle it out. Brock figured that it might be that he might have caught something, but was still fighting it strong, but he didn't want anyone to worry unnecessarily about him. Especially Isuelt. Brock wasn't sure of why, but whatever interest he originally had in her, had now turned into something more. How much more, Brock wasn't sure, but it definitely was more.
The days of hiking had started to accumulate. They had been traveling for at least a week. Brock was no longer sure of how long it had been since Ash started hunting Lanacan, but he knew that it had been a while. Brock though, wondered about something he had read when he was becoming a watcher. There was an immortal very much like Lanacan, but who would watch a person who would become an immortal, just so that way he'd learn about them, for when he'd fight them later, he'd have an edge on that person. Brock at least hoped that that wasn't Lanacan who he'd read about, but Brock wasn't sure about that, and he didn't like the thoughts that that led to.
Maybe I'm just thinking too much, Brock thought. Maybe I should just relax a little more. Hopefully, this place that Megan is taking us to will really help us get to Pallet without Lanacan knowing that that's where they were headed. Wait! Relax Brock; relax. Don't worry about that. Just take it easy.
Brock was so deep in thought that he didn't even realize that Isuelt had started walking next to him. But, when Brock did realize that, he figured that she'd just started walking next to him, so he reached out and took her hand in his. Something that he'd wanted to do for some time but hadn't quite yet. As they continued to walk, Brock wondered how much this would really change things from what he had thought long ago that they would be like.
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"So, what do you know about Lanacan?" Lachlan asked.
"Why do you think that I'd know anything about Lanacan?" Brian asked.
Ash merely put Achmed's journal on the table, but Brian didn't seem to pay much mind to it.
"This is supposed to impress me?" Brian asked.
"Achmed wrote in here that you'd figured out what Lanacan's one weakness is," Ash answered.
Brian chuckled. "So, you think that I'd tell you this easily? You have got to realize that nothing is ever free, and information of any kind is very expensive. Then there's the fact that if someone knows what the other wants, it puts that person at a distinct advantage. I can tell that you will do almost anything to know this, so then I can charge almost anything I want then."
Ash and Lachlan stared at Brian dumbfounded. "Why won't you tell us what it is!?" Ash demanded, pounding his fist on the table.
"First, you have to pay my price," Brian answered. "Until then, you'll just have to wait. If you think that you can figure it out on your own, then feel free to, but remember, this is a game in which you don't get another chance so easily."
"Then, what did Achmed pay you?" Lachlan snapped.
"Achmed?" Brian asked, starting to laugh. "He'd paid long before I knew him. Another thing is, is that friendship can sometimes negate any price a business deal may create."
"So, what do you want from us?" Ash growled through gritted teeth. Ash wasn't sure he really liked Brian as much as he thought that he would.
"I see you're quick to realize some things. Let's hope you're quick enough to realize how to apply Lanacan's main weakness." Ash was about to say something, but Brian continued. "Lanacan has several weaknesses just like anyone else, it's just a matter of knowing how to exploit them. However, his main weakness is the easiest to figure out how to exploit, but it can also be the hardest. Are you sure that you want to know?"
Ash gulped. He wasn't sure. He looked briefly at Lachlan, but Brian quickly grabbed his attention again. "Don't look at him. Look at me. Are you sure?"
Ash realized suddenly that he had stopped breathing. Ash wasn't sure if he should, but he knew that he'd need to know what Brian seemed to know, no matter what the cost. If anything would help him beat Lanacan, then he'd be able to get back to Misty that much sooner. "Fine, what's your price," Ash said, sharply.
"How about you, Lachlan?" Brian asked. "Are you willing to pay?"
Ash looked at Lachlan. Ash couldn't help but pity Lachlan, because of how cornered he seemed to be. Though, Lachlan finally managed to nod after a few minutes of staring at Brian.
"Okay. First, you need to know that he loves to distract people. The greater the distraction, the harder it is to fight him, because you won't be focusing as much on the match as you should," Brian said.
"Get on with it!" Ash snapped.
"Well, if you don't want to listen, then you can wait outside for Lachlan to pay the price and learn what he needs to know to beat Lanacan," Brian answered Ash calmly. Ash didn't like this. He couldn't help but grit his teeth more and more as he had to put up with Brian. Ash didn't really know what he had expected, but he knew that this wasn't what it was. After a while of silence, Brian continued. "To beat him, first you must do something that will be very difficult for anyone." Brian waited a moment, then in a much lower voice, he said, "You must kill the ones you care about the most. Only then will I tell you what his weakness is."
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Author's notes: So ends another chapter. I'm planning on ending this as quickly as I can, but I'll also have an epilogue after I have the main part end. I'm not sure of how long I'll have the epilogue, but there will be one. Anyway, please review even if you have to flame. I just want to know what you think and that it was read.