C26: I have been sitting staring at my computer screen all day so please be kind to this chapter. It mainly starts by examining Oak's past and trying to answer why he wants to kill everyone.

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Chapter 12: Orphan

Oak age 10

1947

Things just happened so quickly. I was lying in the gutter; I didn't know what day it was, I was so confused, I could barely remember my own name. Covered in blood and burn marks, Cold, naked and alone. People wandered around me observing the vehicle smashed against the wall by a Pokemon a few seconds before.

My life was empty, all I could remember were the few seconds before when that Machoke grabbed the car my Parents and I were in and started smashing us against the wall. A chill dashed up my spine as I remembered my Parents screams as their bodies were crushed and the petrol had caused the back of the car to explode.

I ran a hand across my scorched body, barely daring to touch in case my flesh fell to ash, but the burning hadn't done enough damage to do that.

While authorities wrapped me in a blanket and wheeled me into an ambulance I remembered the face of the human standing beside the Pokemon while it had caused the damage. He couldn't have been more than seventeen. With sleek black hair and business suit emblazoned with the letter R, and that disgruntled look on his face that told me he was looking for trouble.

All through the following week while the Doctors examined me and did all they could to heal the burning, I did not speak; I lay in silence wondering what sort of sick, twisted person could do this.

My life progressed, I learnt of a newly forming group known as team Rocket, comprised entirely of Pokemon trainers intent on dominating the species man had discovered and used for the good of humanity.

The fact a group like that existed angered me even more. All I could do was sit in an orphanage for six years, pondering, imagining, plotting…

Lance

As one of the Rhydon charged for me I pulled together all the strength I could muster and rolled out of the way colliding with Loreli. The two of us went flying into a wall as the other one came at us bearing its menacing horn.

Groaning from the pain I dragged myself to my feet and drew my handgun noticing a slight crack in the aquarium at the back wall. I grabbed Loreli and helped her to her feet as the first Rhydon had extracted its horn from the wall and was turning on us again.

It was our only chance, was it worth taking a shot at? We'd risked our lives even by coming here, why not try it again?

My thoughts ended too late though as the Rhydon horn closed in on us. Fortunately I fell away from the horn as we impacted on the Rhydon's face but the force of the blow probably shattered a few ribs. Before more damage could be done, I swung round and fired at the glass barrier until I heard the click of an empty gun.

The bullets shattered the glass and it wasn't long before water came bursting through, flooding the room. Being the Rhydon's natural weakness I expected it to work, but the Pokerus must have done something to these two as they just stood taking the tidal wave without flinching.

Already swimming, Loreli and I made for the side door while the Rhydon struggled to move through the quickly flooding room, even though the water should have hurt them a hell of a lot it surprised me to see them not paying attention to their hindrance.

I ignored my thoughts and dived down to the door followed by Loreli.

I wrenched the door open and was instantly blown through into a laboratory and hit the floor before having another wave of water splashed over my head. Loreli was spluttering from waterlog but grabbed me all the same as the room continued to flood.

"We need to get to higher ground" she yelled, I felt like pointing out that it was obvious but now wasn't the time, we had to concentrate on being alive.

The Rhydon behind us may have been too large to fit through the door but it was ramming its horn into the wall around it creating huge indents on our side.

I took in my flooding surroundings and found an elevator on the other side of the room. I half swam for it and mashed the button before the water reached its level.

The doors slid open; finally luck was on our side. We both dashed through into the tiny grey compartment closing the doors behind us before we were flooded.

The rush of adrenalin died down after a few seconds and Loreli and slid to the floor resting in an inch high level of water.

After a few seconds of awkward silence between us both, Loreli broke it by stating the plan of the century hopefully, but not very likely involving getting out.

"Higher ground" she hauled herself to her feet and looked at the lift floor numbers, after two seconds she bashed her fist against the wall and swore under her breath.

"Problem?" I asked stupidly.

"Our only option is to the bottom" she stepped aside revealing four floors. Basement floor 1, pokerus controlled research, advanced research and development and reactor.

After a couple more minutes of silence which I broke with the opposite to Loreli's suggestion.

"Lower ground it is then…"

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C26: If you have any questions about Oak's past, I'm going to put that in tomorrow's update, so save the questions in the reviews. And don't suggest Ash shows up in beta section, he's in Pallet town with Oak for Christ's sake! As I said in chap 3, he is Not the main character in this story