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Chapter 14

"What the hell is going on?" Brock asked. He received a firm push in his back for a response, causing him to fall to the ground.

Ash looked all around him. He saw that behind all his friends stood Team Rocket members. There were two grunts for every one of Ash's traveling companions. His eyes rested on May who had a grunts hand clamped on her chin. Her eyes were full of fear and locked on Ash. Ash felt anger rise through him quicker than he ever did before.

"I never would have expected you to stoop so low Ritchie!" Ash spat.

"Did you really not expect me to change over all these years?" Ritchie laughed. "Besides, I didn't stoop low if anything I reached new heights."

"Why? Why would you do this?" Ash was getting really tired of asking that question.

"Why?" All sense of the joyful boy Ash knew left Ritchie's face as his expression became cold. "I've been a Pokémon Trainer just as long as you have. I've worked just as hard if not harder than you have, yet I've never won a League trophy. How do you think it felt to know that the one trainer who couldn't beat me somehow became a Champion? That I became second best to the loser from Pallet Town? It ate me up inside. I couldn't accept it, so I took the opportunity to become stronger as part of the strongest organization in the world."

"You didn't have to go down this route. You made the wrong choice." Ash told him.

"It doesn't look like it." Ritchie responded. "You're the one being held down while I'm standing strong." He also raised a cage that held Pikachu helpless inside it.

"Are you two done yet?" Paul asked dryly. "In case you forgot already we have a job to do."

"I thought you of all people would enjoy Ash being mocked." Ritchie countered.

"Only I can do that, know your place." Paul talked down to the Kanto trainer.

Brock was writhing on the ground as two grunts held him down on the spot where he just stood as referee.

"Let me go damn it." Brock struggled as a pair of boots walked up stopped right in front of his line of sight.

"A few years ago, you would have begged to lay at my feet." A female voice spoke.

Brock looked up and saw the beautiful face he remembered from many years ago.

"Domino?" He recalled in shock.

"Happy to see me." She asked with a fake smile.

Despite the very serious situation happening, Brock couldn't help it.

"I'm happy to see so much of you." Brock had a view he would have killed for just 10 minutes ago.

Domino realised what Brock meant, her embarrassment and rage fuelled by Brocks eyes which wandered up her skirt. She drew back her foot and kicked him right in his face, relishing his cry of pain.

"Brock!" Dawn cried out from across the clearing.

"Quiet girl." A gruff voice came from the Rocket member that was holding her. "You and your friends will end up like him if you don't."

Misty recognised the voice instantly.

"You again Berch." Misty shouted.

"It's Butch." He snarled back.

"You idiot now she knows for sure." Came a shrill female voice from behind Misty.

"Don't think I don't know your voice too Cassidy." Misty fired back. She felt a sense of satisfaction as Cassidy cursed under her breath.

They weren't the only ones in trouble though as Gaz and Gary were surrounded by many grunts, as were Serena and Cameron. Max, Leaf and Iris were all separated away from each other and the rest of their friends.

May on the other hand couldn't care less about the three Rocket members that surrounded her. All she could do is stare in fear at Ash. He was completely isolated with more grunts around him than anyone else by far. Not to mention that Ritchie and Paul were there too, two people that she knew had it out for him.

She remained still, knowing if she moved, she could get hurt. She stayed as silent as possible, trying to hear what the three trainers were saying, however all she could hear was her own deep breathing and the breathing of the grunts around her.

She could also hear an abnormally loud heartbeat. At the first she thought it was her own, but it almost seemed to be coming from all around her. She couldn't focus on that though as she heard Ash shout from the centre of the clearing.

"What do you want from me? Why are you getting my friends involved?" Ash asked angrily.

"If it was up to me, I wouldn't be bothering with you, I don't feel you're important enough to be dealing with." Paul remarked. "However, the higher ups seem to think you might pose some sort of problem so here we are."

"I just want to travel with my friends to achieve my dream." Ash spoke passionately. "I'm just trying to be a Pokémon Master."

"That's a lie and you know it Ash." Paul sneered. "As long as I've known you you've involved yourself in needless situation in order to help Pokémon. I've heard multiple stories within Team Rocket that you've stopped our operatives in their missions many times."

"I'm not going to stand by and watch as Pokémon and people get hurt." Ash responded.

"And that's what's going to cost you your dream." Paul spat. "You can't keep out of things that don't concern you. You could have kept your head down, continued with your Elite 4 challenge and we would've left you alone, but you had to go digging for more dirt, didn't you? You could've been a Pokémon Master by now if you just kept your nose out of other people's business."

"A Pokémon Master isn't just a Champion. He isn't someone that beat an Elite 4, that beat a regions Champion. A Pokémon Master is someone who has achievements in and outside of battle, but also someone who never stands by when a Pokémon or trainer is being hurt or exploited. That includes anything you or your damn organisation do." Ash was screaming in the face of his old rival. It's gone past rivalry at this stage between Ash and Paul.

"You're so pitiful Ash." Paul shook his head. "Believe whatever delusions you want; I would've thought you'd have given up on ideals by now after what you saw at Pokémon Tech."

Ash felt a chill run down his spine spreading throughout every one of his nerves.

"How did you know about that?" Ash asked.

"We have eyes everywhere Ash." Ritchie answered. He then pointed to a spot behind Ash.

He turned and was shocked at the sight.

Giselle was flanked on either side by Drew and Kenny. She had her hands tied behind her back and her eyes showed nothing but fear.

"So, this is what you meant when you said you were ordered?" May asked angrily. "You joined Team Rocket? They gave you the orders?"

"Shut up." A grunt holding her ordered as he slapped his hand over her mouth.

"You need to understand Ash, the more you get involved the more people you know will get hurt." Paul warned.

"Why move now? What's your plan?" Ash asked.

"All you need to know is that we're going to take your Pokémon and leave you here without any means of following us. Don't worry we won't hurt them, they're not worth it." Paul explained.

"So, your only reason for doing this is to slow us down?" Ash asked, not understanding.

"Of course not." Paul laughed. "There's a lot more but why would we reveal all our plans?"

Paul turned around to address all the Rocket grunts in the areas.

"Everyone! Listen up! Take each and every Pokémon off anyone who's not a Team Rocket member here. Once we have every Pokémon, squad 7 stay behind to be sure the rest of us aren't followed."

The grunts began to make their way around the group and take all their Pokéballs away from them.

Kenny and Drew had passed off Giselle to some other members. Kenny then made his way over to Dawn with anger and lust in his eyes.

"Stay away from me." Dawn warned.

"Not much you can do about is there?" Kenny said with a sick smile. "Now where do you keep your Pokéballs?"

Kenny began to run his hands down Dawn's back, he then moved them to her stomach and slowly raised them higher.

"Stop it! Get away from me Kenny! Please!" Dawn cried.

"You Bastard! Leave her alone." Misty screamed.

Gaz was watching in disgust and anger at the sight, he began struggling to shake the grunts off, but it only resulted in an elbow to the back of his head.

"Stop wasting time!" Paul shouted at Kenny, who finally reached into Dawn's bag and extracted her Pokéballs.

"Until next time Dee Dee." Kenny smirked, He also took pokéballs from May and Misty, he then handed the pokéballs he took over to Drew before leaving.

Iris was staring at a Team Rocket member in the distance. They tried to keep their face covered but Iris knew who it was. He couldn't fool her.

"Are you going to stay hidden over there, you coward?" She shouted.

The person simply turned around and walked further away, showing a flash of green hair.

Meanwhile a man a woman and a Pokémon were watching from the top of a tree deeper in the woods.

"This could get out of hand." Meowth told the other two.

"We always tried to steal Pokémon, but we never went out of our way to hurt anyone, we were the ones always getting hurt." James spoke.

"I don't like it either, but our hands are tied here." Jessie spoke through gritted teeth. "We were told what would happen if we interfered, it's them or us."

"But…" James wanted to argue but know he had nothing he could say.

"We've always hated those twoips, but I never wanted to really hurt them or worse." Meowth explained.

"Me neither but what can we do?" Jessie asked. "I just don't want to watch this."

Back in the clearing, the Rocket grunts were ready to move out.

"You know we're not just going to let you go. We will follow you and find you." Ash told them. He saw Pikachu, Piplup and Axew caged up in the corner of his eye which only angered him further.

"Oh, we're about to account for that don't worry." Paul explained, he turned to Ritchie who was standing nearby. "You should do the honours greenhorn."

Ritchie looked reluctant but he moved behind Ash after a piercing look from Paul.

"On your knees Ash." He commanded. Ash refused to move causing a couple of grunts to hit him until he collapsed onto his knees.

"Sorry Ash, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to reach the top. Part of that just has to be making sure you're no longer in the picture."

"What are you doing?" Ash asked panicking.

"Don't worry I'll make it quick." Ritchie said with a shaky voice. Ash heard rustling and then the familiar sound of a pokéball being opened. He felt the ground beneath him shake suddenly followed by the familiar cry that came from a Tyranitar.

Tyranitar saw the familiar trainer crumpled on the ground before looking at his own trainer. They had talked about the possibility of this not too long ago and it looks like the moment is here.

"What're you waiting for? You're wasting time." Paul shouted, yet he was looking away from them all.

May was watching in terror along with the rest of the group. She was had a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Leave him alone!" She screamed at Paul and Ritchie causing her head to be yanked back violently and falling to the ground.

"Do it now!" Paul demanded seeing the trainer and the Pokémon's hesitation.

"Cruz, use slash on Ash." Ritchie spoke quietly.

Ash's mind filled with panic, then fear, then just as quickly became empty. His last act was to move his head slightly so his faced to the left. He saw May lying on the ground with her eyes sparkling with fearful tears. It was a sad sight that ironically made her sapphire eyes more beautiful.

When he looked at her all his fear melted away, he was ready. It was the perfect last view. But he didn't want this to be his last sight. He wanted to see her face again and again and again, forever.

"Now, Cruz." Ritchie shouted.

"NOOOOO!" May screamed.

Ash flinched but he was stuck he couldn't move anywhere, he couldn't do anything, it was over.

Tyranitar began to swing his arm down flashing it's long, sharp claws.

"Metagross, Bullet Punch."

Before Cruz could make contact with Ash 4 large metal arms hit quick, successive punches on the gargantuan rock type.

"What the hell?" Ritchie exclaimed at seeing his Pokémon being taken down by the powerful psychic type.

Suddenly a surge of various Pokémon entered the clearing and began to attack all the Team Rocket members gathered.

"Retreat! Let's get out of here, now!" Paul commanded.

"Until our next date Romeo." Domino mocked before kicking Brock in the face one more time before leaving, causing blood to fill his mouth and trickle onto the grass where he lay.

Ritchie sprinted away from Ash following Paul after recalling Cruz. Ash got to his feet just as a purple haired figure approach him.

"Ash are you okay?" The female voiced asked.

"Yeah I'm fine." Ash looked up to lock eyes with someone he hadn't seen in years, Anabel the Battle Maiden.

"Anabel? I haven't seen you in so long, what are you doing here?"

"Well it looked like you needed the help." She smiled.

"That was your Metagross?" Ash asked.

"A lot of these Pokémon are mine." She told him, and sure enough as Ash looked around, he noticed a good amount of psychic Pokémon he recognised from his battle against Anabel in the past.

"That's not the only help I brought though." Anabel motioned to Lucy and Brandon, fellow Frontier Brains who were fighting of Team Rocket grunts who were covering the retreat.

"What are you all doing here though?" Ash asked.

"That can wait let's just make sure everyone is safe." Anabel told him.

Ash nodded before being almost knocked over again by an onrushing May.

"Ash thank God you're okay." She said in relief as she pulled him into a hug, causing Anabel's stomach to drop at the sight.

"I'm fine don't worry, I'm really glad you're safe too." Ash told her.

"I am," Suddenly May's relief for Ash's safety disappeared and was replaced by a stark realisation. "Wait, Drew and Kenny still have my Pokémon."

May, Ash and Anabel looked around frantically in an attempt to somehow spot the duo. Ash managed to find Drew leaning casually against a tree as Kenny ran past his partner deeper into the woods, Drew soon turned to follow him.

Ash wasted no time as he sprinted across the clearing to follow the two co-ordinators.

Gaz had just stood up, recovered from the elbow he took though still hurting. He saw Ash follow run into the forest after Drew and Kenny. His mind then filled with the sounds of Dawn's struggle and despair at the hands of her oldest friend. He felt himself fill with rage and he took off in pursuit of the trio.

"No! It could be a trap!" He heard Gary call out after him, but he didn't care, he continued running.

"Damn it!" Gary shouted. He knew he had no choice but to follow them and try to help. Gary got to his feet and ran and disappeared into the thick brush of the trees.

"Why do they always run off and leave us behind?" Leaf asked as she approached May.

May just stood in silence unable to answer the question as she stared into the unknown where the person she cared for the most just disappeared.

Hope you all enjoyed that chapter. Please follow, favourite or review if you'd like! Stay safe, wear a mask, Black Lives Matter!

RIP King Von