Ash was sitting at the table glumly, face buried in his arms. He hadn't moved for half an hour. His friends stared at him, looking very concerned. The Pokémon fanatic never refused food.
A.J. had already finished his meal, however, and was playing with the carefree Egg Pokémon. Professor Oak said quietly, "I don't think it has sunk in for the little one yet."
Giovanni nodded. "Perhaps it's better that way." His wife just looked frustrated.
Just then the phone called their attention. Ash didn't budge.
"Ring ring ring! Ring ring ring! Phone call! Phone call!"
Giovanni answered it, anger written all over his face. Somehow he managed to keep his voice calm and collected. "Yes?"
Officer Jenny's face filled the screen. "Mr. Ash Ketchum needs to meet me at the Virdian Hospital, immediately!" She disconnected.
Ash had already sprang to his feet, and was making his way out the door, followed by all the others in the house, including the reluctant but lonely Pichu.
The concerned father burst through the hospital doors and went to the front desk, Officer Jenny suddenly appearing by his side. "We discovered Jace badly beaten. He's currently in the ICU, and—"
Ash began to push past her, but she held out a piece of paper to him.
"—we found this."
In what he could later only describe as the most evil writing he had ever seen, the note read:
We have your wife and daughter.
Leave the police out of this, or else.
You, your heir, and just two Pokémon may come.
No others unless you never wish to see them again.
Go to the middle of the Viridian Forest.
We shall find you...
Even if you don't want to be found.
Revenge shall be ours, Ash Ketchum. Do not doubt that.
Ash's grip on the piece of paper suddenly slackened, and it fell to the floor in a featherlike manner. But his heart was lead.
Brock hastily grabbed the note, reading it, swallowing, and passing it on.
When all of the adults had read it, A.J. demanded, "Let me see!"
Pikachu tugged on his pant leg, receiving the boy's attention. He shook his yellow head sadly. He knew the boy would not like what he saw.
"You may enter now, Mr. Ketchum," Nurse Joy spoke to the seated Ash. "I'm afraid just you can come in at the moment."
Pikachu ignored that last statement. He was an important part of his Pika-pi and deserved to go in, too.
Ash felt a lump in his throat as he finally stared at his youngest son. It appeared that the boy had been left for dead. It was a miracle that he had been found in time.
"Jace," a ragged whisper came from his throat, tears springing to his eyes as his emotions threatened to overcome him. At least he had his son back...
The boy's soft wheeze was all that answered him for a while, but finally a soft voice managed, "Daddy?"
Ash pulled up a chair and sat beside him, taking the boy's small, bruised right hand, in a state similar to his entire body, but not broken as his left arm was. "I'm right here, son. I'm right here."
"Pika," the electric mouse added softly as he lightly jumped onto the bed and curled up beside the struggling boy's head. He would protect him.
"Will he be okay?" Giovanni's worried wife inquired.
Nurse Joy was solemn and sorrowful. "It's too early to tell, but we have hope for him yet." She disappeared into the room.
A.J. sat dolefully in the corner, forgotten by all, until Elekid waddled over and sat beside him, patting him on the arm. "Elek."
The noise got the attention of the other baby Pokémon, who flocked over. All except Pichu, who sulked by Professor Oak's feet. "Dear me," the Pokémon Professor sighed as he glanced at his watch. "I wish I could stay, but I have several Pokémon that are waiting to be fed."
"We understand, Professor," Giovanni said quietly.
Professor Oak left, his usual cheerfulness gone like flowers in the winter. With his departure a tense silence fell upon the crew.
"Pich," Pichu mumbled, hiding a large head in tiny yellow arms.
Ash and Pikachu were finally removed from Jace's room by Nurse Joy, the former looking more ragged than anyone had ever seen him. He appeared to have aged a hundred years, his eyes full of pain and grief.
"Why?" was all the Pokémon trainer managed before he collapsed on a chair next to Brock. Pikachu sat next to Ash's legs, leaning lightly yet heavily against them.
The dark-haired man then proceeded to mumble to himself, but even Brock, who was seated right next to him, had trouble discerning what he was saying.
"Must........Forest...but........Jace....behind....Can't leave.......but......go.......as possible...."
Guessing at what Ash had been muttering, the Rock Pokémon fan ventured, "We can all stay with Jace, and when he gets better he can stay with me and Ivy."
The traumatized father turned muddled brown eyes towards him, Mrs. Ketchum jumping in, "Yes. We'll make sure no harm comes to him. You must go find Misty and Riviera! Staying here won't help them!"
"Pi," Pikachu agreed softly.
