A/N: Wassup people. This is the third chapter (if you didn't realise that before then im sorry its to late for you) and here I bring something else, a small blast to the past, a bit of a smarter approach and a question. Hey Mark Andrew! I hope so too. I plan to either do a bi weekly or a tri weekly update so that I can update the other stories as well. Also, yes to a degree I will be making some Gym leaders be like family to Ash, though not immediately. Thor94, hopefully the interesting typing is a good thing and not a bad thing eh? Also, that is a good question, I guess we're gonna have to wait and find out. Also really sorry about the posting the wrong thing. Totally my fault sorry about that. And yea. Already working on the next chapter.
BTW ** means comment from me.
Viridian City hospital
Much like the Pokemon have a Pokecenter to be healed at, humans also have their own Hospitals. White, sterilized walls creating a bright look, with nurses in sky blue outfits while doctors held onto their white lab coats. Funnily enough, hospitals were a symbol of happiness and health due to most cases being pregnancies or at least they used to be. Nowadays, with the mysterious attacks and frequent explosions happenig across the various regions due to the Criminal Syndicates, hospitals have become a place of depression, death and misery where families are given bad news.
Halls filled with heart wrenching sobs as parents found out their children were caught in an explosion, or the occasional manslaughter commited by supposedly random criminals, it was a sad sight for all to see, in a world were peace used to be a constant. It was this kind of picture that Professor Samuel Oak stepped in, along with his grandson, Gary Oak and his childhood friend Leaf Green. Sad looks adorned all three individuals, with Leaf doing her best to hold back her tears, Gary openly glaring at the floor and Oak himself having a frown on his face, something uncommon on the usually happy man.
The small group found their way on the third floor, in front of room E12. Stopping right outside, Oak put his hands on the kids shoulders. "Listen here kids. You don't have to go in there if you don't want to." Gary gulped before shaking his head, "No way Gramps, I'm going in. Right Leaf?" Leaf nodded in agreement, despite her fear of what they would see.
"Very well." Opening the door, they were greeted with a small white room, just like any other. The room had a window, allowing sunlight to stream in, while the sound of the heartbeat monitors created a calm if not somewhat disturbing background noise for those able to hear it. Walking towards the bed in the middle of the room, they stood in front of it giving them a good look of the occupant.
Ash laid on the bed, awake and recovered from the explosion that occurred yesterday. His eyes looked at the party in slight despair, having already come to the realisation that his mother was most likely dead. The trio, however, were more focused on his face. Oak sighed, while Gary clenched his jaw and curled his hands into fists and Leaf could no longer stop the tears flowing down her eyes. Flowing from just above his left eyebrow straight down and ending parallel with the left side of his nose was a red scar, while on the right side of his face was a diagonal one going from above his cheekbone down to his jaw.
All three however knew that underneath the clothes on his chest was another series of scars all made from the shrapnel of the explosion. The doctors had to stitch four different parts of his torso, two on his right chest, one by the solar plexus and the final one on the lower left side. When the injuries happened, they were life-threating which was the reason Oak urged Dragonite to move quickly. However, Oak was notified that the boy healed at an exponential rate for a human being, by the time the boy had arrived at the hospital his injuries were no longer a risk to his life and were still healing even during the stitching.
The doctors thought the Professor had something to do with this, but he suspected there was another force at play here, one more powerful and mysterious than they realise. Deeper investigation will have to wait though, in the face of the reality and the grief presented before them. Oak was the first to speak, "How are the wounds Ash?" His response was only a small nod, something completely different than the normal Ash Ketchum. Pressing on, Oak once again asked, "And the burn marks?"
Again, a simple nod. Sighing Oak walked around the bed and sat next to the young boy. Decades of living and still they despair-filled eyes of the child before him tugged at his heart. His shaky voice, again something completely unusual for the boy was heard, "Professor…did my mum make it out?" The elephant was spoken off and now needed to be taken care of. Oak looked down for a moment before steeling his resolve. "No. Your mother has unfortunately passed."
Instead of the sobbing and the screaming expected and to be honest, needed, there was only silence. Gazing back at the hospitalized child, he was alarmed to see that the little hands were clenched while the previous bright brown eyes seem to dim into a complete black. Panicking, Oak did the only thing he knew, never having seen this phenomenon before, "She was murdered!" That seemed to stop time itself in the room.
Gary and Leaf looked shocked at his proclamation while Ash cocked his head and asked one question.
Soon enough, Oak and the three kids were walking back to the lab. It was decided that Ash would live with the old Professor for the time being, giving him the chance to be taught as was discussed before. "Very well. Gary, Leaf I believe it's time you started heading home. It is getting quite late. Ash, tomorrow we start training." With that, the old man continued deeper into the lab, allowing the three friends to say their farewells for now.
Leaf, was the first one to speak, her voice quiet and full of concern. "Ash? Will you be alright?" Said boy only gave a thin smile, still angry. "If you need anything, just call. I'll be training with Frondoso. Okay?" With a nod, Leaf turned around and made her way back home, leaving Ash and Gary standing next to each other, for once not fighting. Gary spoke up, his voice different from the usual snobby like one. "You know it's for your own good. Can't say I like it and I'd be pissed as well but we both know it's for the best. "Ash, sighed before nodding his head in agreement. "End of the day Ashy-boy I'll always be better than you. But the strong have to help the weak and yada yada yada so I'll say this once." Gone was the cocky smirk he started off with, replaced with a determined stare, focused completely on the equally serious rival. "I got your back." With that, Gary raised his fist up, waiting for Ash.
Ash couldn't help but think back to all his encounters with Gary. Even though they fought like rivals, it was always them. They got into trouble together, they defended each other, the pulled pranks together and one each other. In the end, this wasn't a simple rivalry but more of a sibling rivalry, one were they fought each other but protected one another from the outsiders.
Ash raised his fist and smirked. Gary grunted *As much as an 11-year-old can grunt* before turning around. "Well time to head off. Got to train with Clypeus. Smell ya later Ashy." With that, Ash stood alone in the lab, Oak having moved to another room. He didn't know what to think of the old man. On one hand, he was going out of his way to help him but on the other, he was keeping secrets from him.
Shaking his head and sighing softly, he turned around only to give a startled yelp as he saw his black Charmander behind him. Due to the colouration and the hiding of the tail, Charmander was able to blend in quite easily with the shadows. Plus, being a dark type Pokemon meant his stealth skills during dark were that much better. Ash however, was busy looking at his starter Pokemon, wondering one thing, 'What name should I give you?'
Unknown Location
Jon Lay knew he wasn't the smartest nor the strongest. In fact there was nothing special about him, his family or his upbringing. Which makes you wonder, 'Then why the hell are you working with Team Rocket?'
A valid question, one that he couldn't really remember his answer for. Was it because he needed the money? Or was it because he was bored with the conventional life? Maybe it was because he desired to be different or wanted to torment people. Team Rocket used to be a minor Criminal Organisation. But after the first fall, where the Champion Red decimated their bases and nearly killed all the higher ups, they rose from the ashes more powerful and more hateful. The new leader was ruthless, cutting down any opposition inside the Kanto and Johto Regions while establishing their own power base.
Old members flocked the shadow and soon word spread out, bringing newer people in. It was on a Wednesday, during the summer season, where twenty-year-old Jon Lay decided that he would be different. He decided, he was tired of the Pokemon Trainer lifestyle, incest at the stagnant way of life of people without Pokemon and to be honest, he wanted to see people die.
'Oh right! I just remembered. I'm a psychopath.' Indeed, Jon had always found that watching people go through their last breaths to be the most amazing event ever. Sometimes the person begged for help, like his mother. Others cursed and cried like his siblings. The worst was when theu smiled, having accepted their fate, like his dad while the best were the ones who struggled, trying to cling on to their miserable lives in an attempt to fix it.
The former people pissed him off. 'How could they be happy with a boring life? Why? Why don't they want to be different, special or something? If not a bad guy at least a good guy. Just don't be the boring civilian who dies by accident.'
The latter though always brought a smile to his face. 'That's right. Now you realise your stupidity, your mortality and your flaws. Now you want to change, to be something different! Well guess what. Too late Bob.' So he wasn't surprised when he joined Team Rocket and became part of the Assassination team. 'Nice people. Very eccentric.' He thought as he walked towards the briefing room. He didn't know why, but for some reason his boss, a chick named Ariana was very anxious about this mission and wanted an immediate report. ' It was just one random lady.'
Walking inside, his eyes found her immediately. Wearing white, knee-high boots with a white and black dress accompanied by a black belt and golden earrings, her red hair and eyes only added to her intimidating aura. "Hello grunt. Mission Report." An aura that was shattered by her shaky hands and eyes that kept shuffling about. Jon saluted, 'As one should when in the presence of arrogant pricks.' "Yes ma'am. Target was executed and the house was blown up."
Three things happened at once that he took note of. First, she started to smile and relax. Then her body stiffened, and she frowned. Lastly her eyes widened and glowed in anger while she started shaking. "Target? What about the other one? And why in Arceus name did you blow up the fucking house!"
Ever been in a situation where someone told you to do something, you misheard them and then also improvised? Well, were you killed, cause Jon sure feels like he's about to die? "Well ma'am, there was no second target and the briefing said to hide all evidence." Ariana's jaw clenched. "You imbecile! Not only does that old man now know we have personally attacked him but we also did it under his nose!" Snarling she turned around and slammed her hands on the desk. "Get out of my sight grunt. Now I have to fix this mess."
Jon was very happy. Happy he wasn't tortured, disciplined or murdered… Well he wouldn't mind the tortured part from her. In fact, he was so happy as he walked out, he never heard the small hiss before he closed his eyes for the last time. Ariana stood behind him with her trusty Arbok, a giant of a snake, behind her. " Idiot. This is Team Rocket, we don't accept failure. We are the best of the best." With that, she called back her Pokemon and walked out, never noticing the figure in the shadows. Glowing blue eyes shone beneath a dark hood, as the figure stepped out and chuckled. "Best of the best eh?"
A/N: Yo. So this is the bit were I ask you guys a question. The fuck's his name? Charmander's Name = Surtur/Niddhog/Miercebryne/Blauwgon. You choose and tell me cause I can't pick this. It's like Pokemon Red all over again! Also. Did ya like Jon? I didn't really want to keep him. Hope no one wanted more Jon.
