Hey everyone! This is chapter 22 of the Chosen One's Wrath. Thank you all so much to the love and support from last chapter as we push further and further towards 25 chapters and 1,000 followers/favorites on this fanfiction. You know what I'm going to ask next: If you're new, please follow and favorite both the story and myself if you enjoy this content! If you have questions about the story or about anything in general, please feel free to do so through reviews or PM. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
Last chapter was a doozy, shocker there right? That was a monster chapter, nearly eclipsing 13,000 words. It's the most I've ever typed up, and to be frank, I wasn't even through with the diary entries yet. I knew if I made it go any longer it'd be bad not just for the chapter but for my health. So, I opted to split the diary entries up as best as I could. I wanted to give you all some food for thought so that this chapter can slide in a bit more smoothly rather than just force-feeding some information. Let's see how that pans out.
Battle Scenes should return soon. I'll try and keep the recaps as short as possible for the obvious sake of the story, chapters should return to being approximately 10,000 words each around this time now. Some stuff this chapter I'll have to judge as I go. Let's see what happens.
Enjoy guys!
LegionZ Presents… The Chosen One's Wrath… Chapter 22
Last Chapter…
The sudden look of horror was obvious on her face. Ash took a small bit of pride when he saw the color of her face start to turn a shady of deadly white. She clearly hadn't expected Ghost to suspect she was a part of the murder; she was under the impression that he only was only interested in her dead son's ex-friends… and not herself. Ash fought to keep the growing smirk off his face. It was finally time to get the—
"I don't know." She whispered quietly.
Paul happened to notice Drew staying behind. Why?
Fortunately for him, Drew was completely unaware of his presence. The seconds ticked away aimlessly before Paul opted to switch positions on the building to where he could see the whole floor around Drew. He didn't realize what a smart decision he'd made until a figure appeared behind the green-haired coordinator.
She was wearing a pink skirt, a black top and a beanie that was a mix of blue and white. She sported a blue scarf on as well, which matched with her blue eyes and blueish hair. Paul's eyes widened considerably as the girl threw her arms around Drew and kissed him senseless. The girl broke off and let out a giggle.
Paul could only manage a small breath. "Dawn?"
The cold grip that was latched around Ash's heart was threatening to squeeze until Ash himself burst. Professor Oak had been there. Professor Oak was part of some sort of organization. It sounded like he had made a mistake trusting them, and Tracey was collateral damage. He sank into the chair, taking in all the information he'd just been given.
It had to be Team Rocket; Professor Oak had been working with Team Rocket. But in reading his entries, there was clearly some guilt and even hostility against his employer. Was Professor Oak really evil if he just wanted to find the Yzerlock, Tracey's supposed final work? Was he really just that misunderstood?
Then, a flash of purple filled the room, and out came a handful of people and Pokémon. A honchcrow landed along with his Espeon, neither so gracefully. Paul came out next, and finally, his target. They landed in a pile on the ground, and in an instant, Ash's dormant Pokémon who'd been either on guard watch or looking around the lab came to life, all prepared to attack if need be.
"W-what the-? Where am I?" The next thing Drew knew, though, he was knocked out with a swift punch in the jaw from the purple-haired trainer. "That's for making me run through a city to get you here."
Ash eyed up his purple cat, who looked utterly gassed. "Espeon, are you-" He didn't have time to finish as the cat collapsed on the ground, unmoving. He picked her up and immediately returned her to his pokeball. She was just tired, but why say nothing to him during the interrogation or after that? She must've expended the last of her energy to bring Paul back here with Drew. He'd have to let her rest.
"One tied up Drew Saiga, prime for interrogation… coming right up." Paul gruffly gritted.
Present… Enjoy!
After Paul had dragged Drew's unconscious body from the laboratory, Ash had went to check on his psychic type. He knew she could be headstrong and adamant in her defense of her trainer, but he didn't want the poor Pokémon to hurt herself. Sure enough, she had been over-expending her powers and didn't want to tell Ash out of fear of disappointing her trainer.
He should've known better. The problem was that he couldn't go back in and re-interrogate Delia when he was still hacked into Professor Oak's computer and had Drew tied up and gift-wrapped for him as well. For the moment, he had to focus on dissecting as much information as he possibly could from the Pokémon Professor. He'd long since made a copy of the information for safe keeping, but seeing it here, with his own eyes, it was something he'd waited years to do. This was his time. He pushed forward.
September 30th, 2013
I knew it. My work is seemingly ruined. Ash already left for Kalos. He didn't even stay for Tracey's funeral. He clearly off to fulfill Tracey's final wish, whatever that was. I wasn't even included in the so-called final hearing of Tracey's belongings. I wasn't allowed inside. In fact, only one person was allowed inside that was expected to be there, want to guess who it was?
Ash. Tracey permitted Ash to hear his final words both in person and on paper. Not his mentor. Not his… well I suppose since his family was gone they wouldn't be there. That doesn't change the fact that Tracey was keeping something from me.
This can't all be coincidence. Professor Sycamore being in Kalos full-time, Tracey's final words and final hearings both only involving Ash and then he takes off for Kalos while he knows I won't be available to follow him?
I can't believe I'm saying this, but I can't trust Ash. If Tracey trusts Ash with information but not myself, I can't trust Ash with anything either. But I can't risk going to Kalos with Sycamore there, other reasons included, obviously. Ash won't be coming back anytime soon because of Tracey's death. This puts me in a very tight spot. My next move is obvious, but painful. I'm treading carefully.
Ash reread the words and laid back further into the swivel chair. What was Oak talking about? What beef could Oak have with Sycamore that would make the Professor outright avoid a whole region? Why would Tracey specifically have only Ash to listen to his final words? He was good friends with Ash but did that really warrant a one-man hearing? Stuff wasn't adding up here.
December 11th, 2013
My plan is forming smoothly. At this point I can seriously rule out the boss betraying me. He would've offed me by now otherwise. I honestly can't believe the risk he took for the operation if that's really the case.
Ash is reportedly cruising through gym battles in the Kalos region. I was appalled to hear he now has a Froakie that he is growing a strong bond with. Sycamore was supposedly gloating about how he's unlike any trainer he's ever seen before. Don't make me gag. If Ash and Sycamore weren't locked arm-in-arm about the Yzerlock situation, then he wouldn't be so damn arrogant.
For now, I need to keep a low profile and keep contacting my… er…. Associates? Sooner or later, everything is going to be ready. I just need to wait to spring the trap. I'll let the boss handle the searching and I'll prepare to tie up loose ends. But if I'm being honest, I have no idea how long that will take.
Time to pay visits to some old friends.
The champion muttered. "Let me get this situation straight, Oak thinks I went to Kalos to communicate information with Professor Sycamore over the Rainbow Yzerlock? I still have no idea what the hell this thing even is six years later! Looks like the Pokémon Professor was going a bit crazy over this thing."
April 20th, 2014
It should be going down soon. I've met with the people I've needed to speak with and I'm surprised how easily they agreed to the plan. Of course, I knew some wouldn't be so easily swayed. It's important that the boss never hears of this. He'd probably have my head if that ever happens.
Any day now, I'm getting more anxious by the day here.
Ash bit his lip hard, could this be it? He knew very well that in not too long, he would return to Pallet Town and the betrayal would occur. What was the next entry? It could tell the tale he yearned to see. He held his breath.
May 13th, 2014
A year ago I was in an alright spot, at least for digging up information. But now, everything's gone to hell. The little boy I've known since he was able to walk is dead. Delia is wailing every night now. It's up to me to comfort her. It's even worse because now her only living child is somewhere that she can't be.
This wasn't how it was supposed to happen with Ash, and damn those who took his life away. Not for his sake, but for mine. He was my final connection to the Yzerlock. Without him, there's no chance of anything materializing from my end. Leads have gone dry. Money may begin to run out if a breakthrough isn't made. The boss is demanding progress, and I don't blame them.
With nowhere else to turn, we must dive headfirst into work. Delia can handle the behind the scenes work. She's the perfect cover-up after all!
Ash fought the urge to slam his head against the desk. No, that wasn't concrete. Oak sounded like a selfish bastard if he ever knew one, but it didn't sound like he wanted Ash dead. After all, if Ash had this information, why would he want Ash dead in the first place? In addition to this information, what was his mother doing that would qualify as a cover-up? It didn't make any sense.
May 17th, 2015
It's been just over a year since Ash passed on. I haven't exactly stayed up to date with these entries, at least not as consistent as I usually was back in the day. What's happened since? Well, for Delia, she's moved past it. Ash is nothing but a memory for her now, as far as I can tell. The crying has long since stopped.
Gary was oddly crushed about Ash's death. I always thought the two couldn't stand each other. Apparently I was wrong. I asked him about it a few weeks ago and we got into an argument. I'm unsure of what his problem is.
For the Yzerlock, as you could expect, nothing has materialized. Boss keeps me in the loop, and thank heavens for that. With Ash and Tracey gone, I have no way of getting any information. But I did something that makes me feel the slightest bit of guilt. Ash's Pokémon were all sold off to various companies, people and places. Of course, I don't feel guilty about that. What's bearing a heavy burden on me is that I didn't do any background checks on the people or places that I sold the Pokémon to. My runners did all the work in handing off the assets.
This happened awhile ago, some months at that. I wonder why nobody's ever questioned what happened to Ash's Pokémon, not that it would matter.
The champion could feel the blood rushing into his ears. The words he read on the screen made sense to his eyes, but not his heart. How could someone be so heartless? He had suspicions about Professor Oak, but never in his life did he think the man could be so cruel to sell off his Pokémon, the same Pokémon who had lost their trainer to an accident. Only his current six had stayed with him.
Some entries later and Ash found one that really caught his eye.
July 31st, 2016
Today marks the day my fortune changes. I was recently filing through Tracey's old work on the Yzerlock and something hit me like a sack of bricks. It occurred to me that when Ash visited me just before he left for Kalos all those years ago, he may have not actually been lying when he told me Tracey's supposed final words.
I always assumed he was lying. After all, all Ash told me was "there's a will, there's a way." There had to be a catch, but I didn't want to pry at that time. I had no way of knowing if Ash was really telling the truth, but there was too much coincidence in the whole thing for it not to be accurate, right? But thinking back on the situation, I think I overlooked something. If Tracey's final words were truly about something as stupid as "if there's a will there's a way" maybe I'm not looking at it correctly.
What if Tracey knew I was onto him? What if the reason I wasn't meant to hear his final will was because he wanted someone neutral to find the Yzerlock instead? Say, one of his good friends from Travel who happens to live in the same area? It would have had to have been premeditated though; Tracey's lawyer knew fully well only Ash could get the will.
I need Ash back more than ever. If only things hadn't gone to hell two years ago and everything would be fine. Money's looking fine though on the bright side, thanks to the boss. I'm beginning to formulate a plan. Once more, keeping the boss in the dark is crucial. I'll never be playing second fiddle to anyone else ever again, as long as I have my say.
As much as Ash disliked the professor, he had to admit the professor's theory actually sounded fairly realistic. If Tracey knew the Professor wanted his information, why not just give it up to his boss? Why hide it? For Ash, the obvious route would be to claim Tracey's will... if the Professor was correct. The issue was it would require him to come out as Ash Ketchum who had long been proclaimed dead. He'd need proof of this otherwise it would be moot. At least until he bided his time or learned more, he couldn't take the problem head on.
January 3rd, 2017
After about seven or eight entries of following cold trails, I finally found what I was looking for. So, as I thought, yes, Ash was able to claim Tracey's will. His parents are gone and he has no other relatives. Here's something I dug up, Ash wouldn't have been able to read the will until he was a legal adult, at the age of 18. That's a bit peculiar, and I wasn't able to figure out why.
I did, however, find the moneymaker. After some inquires with the lawyer, I was able to get something out of him. Tracey had updated his final will just a week before he was murdered. He put Ash on the list of people available. But Tracey didn't add just one: He added two total. That's right, there's a second person who has access to the information.
There's just one, tiny hiccup in the plan. I have no idea who the person is. It's confidential information. If there really is a second person who's got access to the information, I must find them. Ash may be gone, but if I really can locate this mystery person, then good riddance to Delia's legitimate son. He would've been a thorn in my side.
"What a selfish human being… he'll do anything for power and his own reputation. Scum." Ash scoffed. After a moment or so of rescanning the page, Ash took a deep breath and recapped. "There's another person who can access Tracey's will? Who could it be?" Ash stared at the words in shock. Part of him hoped this was some sort of cruel trick, but he knew this couldn't be one. This was legitimate. What came next?
November 22nd, 2017
I have no leads on the second person who had access to Tracey's will. I know that until I get something, there's nothing I can do. The only little tidbit of information I could come up with is nothing more than an educated guess: the person who's included that wasn't named Ash Ketchum is not from Kanto, or maybe, wasn't in Kanto when Tracey was killed.
It got my brain churning: why was only Ash's name announced at the final hearing? Why not the second person? Why were they not in attendance either? The difference between the two is that Ash was expected to be there, hence why he was announced. The other person was more than likely away, and therefore, why he or she wasn't introduced as a listener or benefactor.
Why hasn't Tracey's lawyer contacted the person who has access? Why hasn't it still been claimed to this day? I have a great deal of questions that will remain unanswered for a long time. For now, I stay working with the boss. We'll see what happens.
Ash yanked down on his red vest and straightened his hat. "All this time, he's still working arm in arm with Rocket? Why? Is it seriously just information Oak is after by working with them?"
February 9th, 2018
The boss is making a move. It's been years since we've had much contact with Ultra Beasts, but the boss thinks he's got something. There's… well, just a few catches. The biggest one is that it's not in Kanto or any of the big six. The catch is that's it's in a relatively softer region: it's a place called the Alola Region.
I've never heard of the place, but apparently they're the hotspot for ultra beasts. This is the first I'm hearing about it. Tracey never mentioned it, and it's never mentioned in his work either. Very unusual, but the boss says he's got an inside person on the job and they sound pretty confident. I'm glad to be watching this closely. I'm going to be an eye in the sky for this operation. Hopefully, within not too long, we'll have this locked up tight.
His eyes never left the screen. Ash felt as though he may throw up, and his world began to crash down around him. "No… I-It's not possible… there's no chance…" Ash stammered softly.
February 11th, 2018
Our information was spot on. Our troops landed only a day ago and we've already sighted an ultra beast. It was the most hideous thing I've ever seen. It had such incredible power. I was measuring statistics from it and I gathered as much information as I possibly could. I also transferred it to my home desktop, just in case of emergencies.
The boss was right about this place; it's small but has so much potential. I think we're going to set up shop in Alola, and I'm planning to go out to the site myself to see what we've got in store. The Yzerlock has to be there. It's the only thing that makes sense.
What doesn't is why Tracey never picked up on it. There's not a single place where he mentions Alola or anything being connected to the four islands. I checked and double-checked his work. There's nothing. Oh well, all that matters now is that we find the Yzerlock and put it to good use.
Carefully, Ash clicked the button to the next page. He anxiously clicked on the next entry, holding his breath. He began reading, and within seconds he felt chills running down his spine.
February 15th, 2018
This is Professor Samuel Oak. The time is currently 2:57 AM. I have just arrived back in Kanto after travelling to Alola for a handful of days. This may be my final transmission. People must know what terror lies in Alola should this message ever find someone who needs it. They must be warned.
Everything's gone. The soldiers, the Pokémon, the leadership, the plans. It's all gone. We arrived in Alola on cue and set up our camp, taking up the majority of the MeleMele island beachfront. We had all sorts of technology set up with armies of Pokémon at the standby. We were preparing to launch a full sweep of the Yzerlock, and nobody was going to stand in our way.
And in a moment, all hell broke loose. I was in the research tent when it all happened. There were screams from the grunts, cries of agony from fallen Pokémon and humans alike. There were explosions everywhere. I ran out into a torrent of flames and was blown aside by a barrage of boulders. I was sent on the ground with a fractured ankle. I looked up and saw an orange Pokémon with bright green eyes snarling at some of the grunts nearby. It looked like a dog or wolf of some sort. I began to crawl away.
The next thing I knew, a whirlwind of sand picked me up and threw me like a ragdoll to the waterfront. I had soot and sand covering my face, my usual lab coat was gone. I could hear explosions and screams of pain from my comrades. When I came to my senses, I saw a singular man walking out of the explosions like it was out of a movie. He had a billowing black outfit, almost like he was an assassin. He wore a large black hat that covered his eyes and was flanked by a handful of his Pokémon. I believe one was a Heracross and the other was a Sceptile. I'd never been so scared in my entire life.
A few of the grunts dragged my body on the nearest raft that was piled high with bodies of the wounded. They screamed to get the boat moving, and as the boat rumbled away, I watched in sheer terror as the Heracross assaulted one of the grunts who saved my life and broke his body in half with a single Megahorn. It sailed through the air and splashed into the water nearby. His body emerged, his mouth slightly ajar and spine broken in half. The Sceptile ruthlessly murdered the other grunt, from what I could tell, it was a single blade that ripped into her like a hot knife penetrating a piece of paper. Her body crumbled like a graham cracker.
I looked around and after peeking over the boat's walls, I saw dozen or so ships like my own in full retreat. One final look back at the beachfront, smoldering with flames, decimated by explosions and loitered with the parts of human and Pokémon remains, I saw the cloaked man standing there with his 'army' of Pokémon.
There couldn't have been more than twelve. An army of about a dozen defeated an army of a thousand. That man could have chased us. But he didn't. After rendezvous with our air support and a travel back to our HQ in Kalos, I began to wonder why he didn't.
The next day, I got my answer.
I awoke to the sickening sounds of flesh being torn from body. I rolled out of bed and grabbed my crutches. One look into the hallway and I thought my time had come. The same Pokémon who had ravaged our entire attack the day before were now slaughtering everyone and anyone inside the base. Wails of agony came from the surviving Pokémon, pleads of mercy from the grunts fell upon deaf ears. And at the end of the hallway, through the smoke, out came the cloaked man once again.
It was at this point I became convinced of who this figure was: the Angel of Death.
I watched as admins fought valiantly against him down the corridor and were beheaded, cut in half and thrown from the building. I heard the gurgles that emitted from their bodies as their lives were ended one by one, their bodies hitting the floor like dominos. There was no honor, there was no mercy, and there was no stopping. I locked the door and with one defiant move, I leapt from the window, knowing it was my only chance to not be slaughtered.
By some miracle, I survived the plummet. I knew the fall wasn't horrible, only three stories or so. It would have a decent chance of ending any life. I could feel an agonizing pain coming from my stomach; it didn't take a genius to know I had broken ribs along with my already busted ankle. But I was alive. It had been a calculated risk. I got up, stumbling and hobbling, crutches long since left behind. I nearly tripped over the bodies of the grunts. There were so many. Their eyes lay wide open, body parts missing and blood coating their clothes. As I stumbled, I noticed the bottom door barricaded and two figures standing guard.
Bless their hearts, they hadn't noticed me. I suspect now that with all the bodies falling from the buildings, they'd assumed I was dead like the rest. With their backs temporarily turned, I had little time to act.
I made it into the treeline, and I was in the clear, but something made me turn around. I heard a yell from someone that was all too familiar. The boss. I looked out of the trees and curiously peered around. I wished I hadn't. The very next moment, the loudest and most sickening noise I'd ever heard plagued my eardrums. I almost screamed in morbid fear when a body landed on the concrete not ten feet away from me.
It was a man in a black trench coat. He had black shoes and black pants on. He had orange hair and blue eyes. I could tell his eyes were blue, because they were wide with terror. His body looked like a flattened pancake, blood all over his body and his head snapped all the way back, indicated a broken neck. His jaw was face-first in the pavement, bent all the way back and teeth shattered. His body was so mangled it looked like something out of a horror movie.
It was my boss. It was Lysandre.
My boss was dead. It was only then I realized I was coated with his blood head to toe. The force of the impact had killed him instantly, if his neck hadn't been snapped prior. I could only stare up at the top of the building in gut-wrenching terror, and I saw something I'll never forget.
The cloaked man was there, a Charizard by his side. He was standing on the edge of the roof of the six story building, as if admiring the work he'd done. The building was ablaze in every location, smoke filling the air along with the still somewhat hearable cries of pain and the unmistakable smell of burning flesh in the air.
I did the only thing I knew I could do: I ran.
Or hobbled, more accurately. It made perfect sense to me as I tried to get away; he had let us go the day prior so he could track us to our hideout. The Angel of Death had killed approximately a half-thousand soldiers in Alola the day before, and here he was again, finishing what he started.
I fear I've angered Arceus, and he has sent his Chosen One to finish us all for our deeds against the world. As I made my escape back to Kanto, I've received word that someone wiped out Team Flare entirely from the face of the earth. Every single person who was a member was reportedly slaughtered, and it was because of an invasion they attempted to make on his region.
The Angel of Death. The woman speaking to me at the coffee shop had no idea I was a part of the organization, the ankle injury obviously lost on her as it was on everyone. What began some days ago as an expedition or a search of sorts to find an item lost to history has ended in my entire team, the group I've been working with for over five years now being wiped off the face of the earth.
I now have no feasible way of finding the Yzerlock, but that is, as ironic as this sounds, the least of my worries.
The blood, the screams, the body parts flying everywhere… and the cloaked man. It's going to haunt me every single day until I pass on. I'm beginning to wonder if those who died got it easy, because I will always live in fear of the cloaked man. I'm the last remnant of Flare. I'm the last remaining member. Was I ever really a member? It never felt like it, even if Lysandre did trust me these few years. I need to recover, start over. I can wait a couple of years before searching again, and when the time comes, I must be ready.
Ash stared at the screen, all feeling lost in his body. He had feared it not to be true, but it was indeed. Professor Oak had indeed been working with a group, but it hadn't been Rocket like he originally thought; it was Flare. Lysandre had approached him all those years ago, not Giovanni? The boss was Lysandre, not Giovanni? Professor Oak didn't know the Ghost was the man who slaughtered every single person in Team Flare?
Truth be told, Ash had no idea Oak had been at either the beach or the headquarters building. Ash knew fully where their outposts and their headquarters were in Kalos. After all, he did travel there. When the invasion had hit, Ash had only been leader for a few months. He saw this not as an invasion, but as an opportunity. He ran with it.
But this wasn't the cold, calculating Ghost people knew today. The Ghost that defended those beaches wasn't the guy who was frightening but at least merciful. No, this was the Ghost that would vaporize anyone standing in his path or threatened his region. This Ghost would slaughter every man, woman and Pokémon who dared to fight against him or his region. They would pay for this, every last one of them. He saw this as the test to prove he was worthy of not only leading his region, but also defending his region.
Remember, Alola was only used to the idiots known as Team Skull, and they could handle them with ease. When word got out that a group known as Team Flare was set on invading Alola, panic began to rise, and Ash knew he had to step in before they could deploy their troops. He'd seen them in action in Kalos, and knew he had no time to waste. So, he hit the beachfront with everything he had; his 13 Pokémon. He had given orders to his elites to simply make sure none made it to the roads, and that he would slaughter all of them, Pokémon included.
Flare clearly hadn't expected anyone would be bold enough to make a move, because he wiped a slice of the base before anyone ordered an attack against him. By the time they were mobilizing soldiers to fight, it was too late. Ash ordered his Pokémon to kill on sight. These people were scum of the earth, and needed to be treated as such. They deemed that they were to control legendary Pokémon as they saw fit. He'd be damned before he let them corrupt his region.
Of course, he himself joined in on the action. Using some of the high-tech weaponry from Aether Paradise, which had yet to be connected with ALT City, the Ghost saw to it himself that everything was burned to the ground, and no survivors would be remaining on the island.
He didn't give them a chance to explain or fight back. Within an hour, everything was gone. He had watched as the survivors sped off, inevitably to return to their headquarters and regroup, lick their wounds and plan their next move.
That's when Ash would press on the offensive. He knew the Lumiose City Café base was nothing more than a base inside the biggest city. The true HQ was located elsewhere, which was why he had to tail them. And he did. Sure enough, they hadn't been expecting his arrival, and he mowed his way through the grunts there as well. The admins were cut down, with the lone exception of Malva, who wasn't on site when it happened.
He had brought Lysandre to the roof and ruthlessly snapped his neck while he was in mid-sentence, then promptly tossed him off the building, a loud 'SPlAT' indicating the leader of Flare was no more. And to him, that was it.
He had eliminated the threat, and he was seen as a hero. Originally, the Pokémon League had been furious of his actions, but when reports came out that Team Flare was prepping for a massive invasion in Alola and had already landed troops there, they began to see Ghost's dilemma. In the end, not a single punishment came his way. They threatened his region, and he retaliated.
Diantha had been horribly embarrassed by the showing, not for her region but for her image. Ghost had publicly came out with a comment, ripping the Kalos strike force for being inept enough that not only could they not stop Flare on their own ground, they allowed Flare to leave for Alola and then make Ghost clean up their mess. It was one of the reasons Ash couldn't stand Diantha.
It seemed she had forgotten about the whole ordeal. He certainly hadn't. When Ash changed into a cold, calculating but merciful leader, the screams and cries of pain began to haunt him a bit as well. He had taken so much life, but it had been for a good cause, right? His people would be at risk if he allowed them to invade, it was his duty!
And up until recently, he had finally put to hauntings to rest. Now, he feared they'd return. Ash held his head in his hands for a moment, taking in all the new information he had just acquired. He then clicked on the 'Next' button, to see the following entries. To his mild surprise, there were none to be seen. Oak's final entry had been when Ghost had slaughtered his whole unit. The question was, did Oak know about Ghost's old uniform? If yes, why hadn't he reacted differently when they talked face to face? Was he just that good at acting?
A few seconds more of thinking and Ash remembered something crucial. He needed to check Oak's financial records. He backed out of the entries section and located his target, italicized as Bank Records. The smallest of grins appeared on his face; the slaughter of Team Flare temporarily forgotten. A few clicks and Ash was prepared to see Oak's total funds. He grinned as a colored wheel appeared and began to spin on the computer screen, indicating that it was loading.
He waited patiently for the system to load, and while he was doing so, he made a mental note to check the Transcripts section of Oak's mainframe as well, he wanted to see recent transactions the Professor had made.
Then, the champion heard a soft 'ding' and Ash eagerly awaited his results. He saw the first few numbers appear and his smile grew with each number. Then, it faded when no more numbers appeared. Ash frowned and muttered aloud. "What?"
He refreshed the page and had a gobsmacked expression on his face when he saw the same number appear once more on his screen.
Monetary Value Available: $98,782.34
Ash shook his head and slumped in the chair. "No…" He immediately clicked into the transcripts section and began to delve through file after file, searching for what he prayed to not be true. "It… it can't be!" The more he looked, the greater feeling of dread he could feel weighing him down.
There was nothing on his Pokémon, there was nothing stating where they'd been sold to, how much they'd gone for, etc. But Ash knew fully well that with Flare gone and all accounts frozen, Oak shouldn't have had that much money, but it was inevitably more money that what the computer was telling him. That meant something was missing from the puzzle.
If Flare was gone, why was Oak so poor? As a world-renowned Pokémon Professor, Ash knew quite well that Oak made a hefty payday each time it rolled around. But there was no money, there was no trace of it, and there was no proof of anything. Like Delia, other than what they had specifically told him, Ash didn't feel like he'd gained much of anything of true evidence outside of Diary entries.
And entries that ended three years ago. Ash was 20 now. Everything he had was circumstantial. For the same reasons he couldn't arrest Malva, he couldn't arrest Oak. It was beyond frustrating, knowing that he only had been given answers to the questions he hadn't even been asking. He didn't know if either person was responsible for the betrayal. Ash logged out of the Professor's computer and snagged the flashdrive carefully, making sure no trace of himself was left behind. It was then that he began to ponder what he knew about the betrayal thus far.
Delia and Oak both had motives to get him killed, but both also had motives to keep him very much alive. It sounded like Del- his mom, was still very much attached to him, but she had been hiding dark secrets from him. Also, why would Delia fear he'd been close to finding out who his supposed half-brother was? Did he already meet this person? He tried to recall people he had met around the time of the betrayal, but was coming up empty handed, unsurprisingly. There had to be more motive, and unfortunately, his time was running thin in Kanto, and his purple cat was out of commission, drained from teleportation and mind-reading.
Oak on the other hand sounded like he was being selfish and he did sound like he was connected to Tracey's demise. He also sounded like he needed Ash to help him no matter what, which also made him sound guilty. But like Delia, there were plot holes. For one, Oak didn't sound like he got along well with Lysandre and was constantly hiding things from him. That also would be reinforced as a mutual feeling when Oak was kept in the dark in Tracey's attack and then following up by believing the attack was made for him. For Ash's death, it made no sense to why Oak would even want him dead. After all, if he possessed the valuable information from Tracey as Oak clearly believed, Oak would do anything to keep him alive, especially if he wanted the Yzerlock for himself. Why kill him? Plus, it sounded like Oak was furious that someone had killed Ash.
Neither Oak nor Delia had concrete reasoning for wanting him gone. Neither one had mentioned the traitors, and neither one had airtight alibies. Both had holes in their stories. Oak clearly was frightened Ash would uncover the Yzerlock first. Delia clearly feared her son finding out she had an affair and had a child behind her other son's back.
Was she scared Ash would unveil the truth? If so, who was the child's father, and who was the child?
Well, there wasn't much else to do here. Ash had his information, but he left the lab with more questions than when he had come in the lab. With Greninja swiftly locking the door from the outside and a small check that security was once more enabled, Ash ran off into the forest. On the security camera's, it would show a blackout of around a couple hours, and it would happen at the time of the battle.
It would make it seem like the battle had knocked out the camera's temporarily, but as nothing would seem out of order, Oak would think nothing of it.
Ash had two people down, a ton of questions to go and one Guinea pig left to question; a green haired one that still could likely have a great motive for getting Ash Ketchum out of the way: his current girlfriend, May Maple.
Silence reigned in the small cave not far from the Pokémon Laboratory. For a good deal of time it seemed as though nobody was even inside. Well, that was until a certain green-haired teen let out an indignant cry when he realized what had happened to him.
Drew realized very quickly he wasn't breaking out of his makeshift prison. There was a large green vine wrapped around his body, and his body was tied to a tree. He snarled a bit and began to attempt at breaking his metaphorical chains. He tried to recall what exactly had happened, but all he could recall was seeing a large purple blur and then nothing. He had just given Dawn the package she needed but then that was pretty much it.
It was weird, he never particularly enjoyed dealing in Kanto, but here he was. He had high hopes for his own future, in both Kanto and the world, but for the moment at least, he looked as though he was getting a wake-up call.
"Release me! Who's responsible for this atrocity?" Drew shouted and then was muffled immediately by his captor; a white handkerchief being stuffed into his mouth.
"Well, seems like you've not changed. How unsurprising."
Drew's eyes bored into his captors, and then they bulged. He recognized the man immediately.
Paul smirked at the teen. "Hey there green bean, betcha never thought you'd see my mug again huh?" Drew could feel the anxiousness begin to kick in full throttle. Paul circled him carefully, buying as much time as he could. He knew now that he just needed to wait for his 'employer.' The green-haired man continued to stare around the tree, watching Paul with growing fear. Drew began to speak muffled words, and Paul had pity on the teen. He took out the piece of cloth for him to speak.
"Why are you in Kanto Paul? That tournament is going on right now, you definitely have better things to do than risk your tournament vali—"
The teen cut him off. "I can get around that Drew. You think I've forgotten what you said? Think again." Drew could feel the dread pooling in his stomach, and on instinct his eyes shot to the ground, fear growing by the second.
Paul chuckled, cracking his knuckles repeatedly. "Man, I'm gonna enjoy this beatdown." He frowned and leaned up against the nearest tree. "Too bad I won't be the one giving it to you." Drew's eyes shot back up. "W-What?"
"You heard me. I'd say you'd lucked out, but that'd be a lie. I just didn't luck in. You're going to get beaten to a pulp, as long as I expect everything that's coming to you, ohhh and how it's deserved. In any case, my employer asked me on behalf of a higher authority to get you to a secluded place, and use his Pokémon for transportation means. I wasn't about to say no to a champion, after all."
Drew's heart stopped beating for the smallest of moments. "Champion?"
"He did."
Drew looked behind Paul and from the woods a silhouette began to materialize. He wore a red vest and red hat. He was sporting a dark gray undershirt with gray jeans. He wore grey and red gloves. As the man walked closer, the temperature in the area began to rapidly drop, and fear began to grow and grow in the green-haired boys mind.
"W-Who are you?"
The figure finished taking him steps closer to Drew and looked down on the teen. He quietly spoke after a moment. "Some call me the most powerful trainer on the planet. Others call me the Ghost."
Drew didn't bother restraining his gasp. "T-The Ghost?"
The teen nodded. "Yes. That's who I am. And the reason I'm here, and not in Alola right now, is because you… Drew Saiga, have some questions to answer. You're going to answer them truthfully, because I can tell when someone isn't telling me the truth, and if we need to get physical…" He motioned to Paul. "I'd be happy to let him at you for a few rounds."
That was more than enough convincing. Drew knew Paul was dying to get back at him for some comments he'd made on his battling skills. "Looks like I may not be out of luck after all." Paul said, a carnal grin plastered on his face.
"What do you even want with me? I-I'm just a coordinator! Why would you travel the regions just for my sake?" Drew stammered.
Ghost's crimson eyes narrowed. "Because you're going to give me all you know about Ash Ketchum and how you sabotaged his relationship with May Maple." Clearly, whatever Drew had been expecting, it wasn't that. The boys jaw dropped open; disbelief written on his features. "Um, what did you just say?" Drew got out.
"I said…" Paul stepped closer to Drew at this. "Tell me what you know about Ash Ketchum, and how you sabotaged his relationship with May Maple."
The silence in the forest was deafening. Ash's Pokémon as well as Paul's were both on patrol, making sure nobody or nothing got in. Other than the sound of leaves rustling from the wind, there was nothing that was heard and most certainly nothing else said. "Alright, let's try that again."
Drew didn't have time to think as something connected with his jaw. Paul had given him a lethal right hook, one that would've sent him sprawling if not for the vine keeping him in place. He spat out the blood in his mouth before coughing a decent bit from the pain.
"What do you know… about Ash Ketchum… and his relationship… with May Maple?"
Drew sputtered. "I don't know what you want me to say! Y-Yes, I loved May back in the day, but she was wild for that kid! I didn't think with my brain I thought with my… you know… private."
Ash scoffed disgustingly. "I don't need to hear that. Why would you kiss her when you knew very well she was attracted to someone else?"
Drew paled significantly. "…You know about that?"
Ash smirked, tilting his head ever-so-slightly to one side, as if taunting him. "Oh my god… you do know about it… b-but how?"
The darker haired teen shrugged. "You're talking to a regional champion, what did you expect? Now… answers."
Drew shook his head. "Look man, I swear I don't want anything to do with this. You've got it all wrong. Ketchum died years ago man, and… good riddance to him! He gave me nothing but tro—" The fist that connected with his jaw would've sent him sprawling if not for the vine holding him in place. Paul chuckled. "Still got the right hook."
The coordinator gasped and spat blood. "Fuck you! You son of a—" The same cross came the opposite direction, and more blood came out of his mouth. Drew felt a tooth jar loose and then come out altogether. He was huffing loudly, attempting to recover from the pain rocketing throughout his body. Paul was wrapping a towel around his fingers and knuckles to prevent more blood from caking his hands.
Drew gasped for air and tried to break free. "Let me go! W-When the champion hears of this—"
Ghost waved dismissingly. "Lance is of no concern to me. We're on the same page. Are you ready to talk now?"
"Fuck… you."
Ghost grinned underneath his hat. "Paul, seems like it's your lucky day."
A few beatdowns later and Drew was still no better for wear. He growled at his tormentors. "I can d-do this all day, you're not breaking me Ghost. Your minion here has—" Paul delivered a right cross and then laughed. "Maybe the solution isn't from a human then."
Ghost's eyes dangerously drew to Paul, as if trying to tell him something. Drew spat out blood and grinned, normally pure-white teeth caked red. "I've been taken to the rocker by Team Flare before. I can do this all day."
Ash's original worry from Paul was turned into curiosity from Drew. "Team Flare you say? Humor me." Ghost chuckled. "What caused that?"
Drew scoffed. "I'm not talking. Look, why the hell do you want to know about Ash Ketchum anyway? Dude died in a freak volcano accident; it was tragic." He drawled. Ghost bit his lip and began to pace around Drew in a circle. A moment or two passed of silence when he stopped right behind Drew. The coordinator appeared to be nonchalant, as if expecting Ash to do something drastic.
Instead, Ash took his thumb and dug it into Drew's neck, almost at the very back of the body part. The green-haired man gasped and then looked at Ghost in bewilderment. "W-What are you doing?"
Ghost shrugged. "Did you know that there are over 300 pressure points on the human body? Think it's over 350 to be precise. You see, many doctors don't know this, but there's a point on the back of your neck that is great for this kind of thing."
"What kind of thing?"
Ghost leaned in and whispered. "The, 'Stop fucking with me and give me what I need', thing."
Drew scoffed. "May want to go back to medical school Ghost, I'm not… feeling anything." He shuffled uncomfortably at this. It didn't go unnoticed by either Paul or Ghost. The latter motioned for Paul to come over and instructed him to take his place. Within a few minutes, Paul had the point locked down, and Drew could feel pain beginning to seep into his body.
Ghost began to pace, a small grin on his face. "You see, what you're feeling is the axnosial point. You don't need to apply too much pressure to it, but, if you hold constant pressure on the point for long enough, the victim undergoes several stages of agony. The first is pain, slowly rising up through the depths of your body until you can't call it just discomfort anymore. It eats away at your resistance until whatever fight you have left crumbles like a graham cracker."
Drew was squirming by now; the pressure have been applied for a handful of minutes from both men. He was groaning softly, trying to right the ship. Ghost looked down and took a few steps away from Drew, admiring the forest floor as though it was a mural. "The second stage is numbness. Because of where the point is, your neck becomes so… inflamed… overwhelmed, that the nerves that connect with it begin to lose function. You won't be able to turn your head, since that function will be long gone. This doesn't mention you will still be in excruciating pain, courtesy of the point's effects spreading to the spinal cord."
The coordinator let out a scream of agony, now fully writhing against his shackles. Paul didn't let up the grip. Ghost turned and began the slow walk back to Drew's tree. "And then… Mr. Saiga… the third and final stage of torment… is permanent scarring. It's said that, if pressure is held long enough on the point…"
He leaned down and smirked. "It will leave the victim paralyzed from the neck down for the rest of their lives, making the amount of damage irreversible and obviously unrepairable." Ghost leaned in and whispered quietly. "Bet Flare didn't do that to you, hm?"
Drew stared at Ghost, eyes darting rapidly across his figure and sweat beading all across his body. He was furiously gritting his teeth, trying not to break. Ghost continued. "By now, your body has to be rejecting every thought of rebellion and resistance that courses through you. But your will to hold your pride, or perhaps stubbornness, is clouding your judgement. If what I told you, or what you feel right now isn't enough to convince you, this will."
Ghost cocked his head to the side then realigned it; an almost-carnal smirk plastered on his face.
"I've got three hundred other ways to make you wish you weren't born."
The last wall of resistance crumbled. "O-Okay! Okay! S-Stop, p-please stop! I-I'll tell you anything, p-please!" Drew begged, tears streaming down his face. Ash nodded to Paul, who released the point swiftly.
"Answer my question: What do you know about Ash Ketchum and May Maple?"
Drew licked his lips which were coated with sweat and blood. He looked as though he'd been mauled by a pack of Vigroth's then thrown off a cliff. "Ketchum and Maple had a thing for each other back in their heyday. I-I mean, they travelled Hoenn together, but that was way before he died man, like, years before then!"
Ash nodded. "Keep talking." Paul stood behind Drew, arms crossed and ready for anything. Drew coughed and spat out blood. "H-He liked her a lot, and to my knowledge, the feeling was mutual. I always loved May; she was amazing. She was beautiful, she was funny, she was headstrong and she knew what she wanted. I was willing to do anything to get her, you know?"
Ash could feel the dread pooling in his stomach, anxiousness beginning to weigh him down. "What did you do?"
"I…. I wooed her. I'd give her flowers, I'd openly flirt with her, and yet I was never considered anything other than rival to her and Ketchum. I'm the better looking one, I'm the one in her preferred career, I'm the one who shows romantic interest in her, but she pins after Ketchum instead." Drew held his head and then looked at Ghost, pain in his eyes.
"Do you know what it's like to have something or someone you loved ripped from you without warning? Do you know the feeling of having your heart crushed in a vice? Do you Ghost?" Ash stared at Drew, unsure of how to answer. Thankfully, he didn't have to.
The coordinator turned over his shoulder. "How about you P-Paul? Got a woman to cuddle up with at night, or was that taken from you like it was with me?"
Paul scoffed. "None of your business. Besides, from what I'm hearing it sounds like she was hung up on Ketchum enough to the point where it was your fault that you didn't move on to other girls. If you're so dashing, why not pin after other girls?"
Drew roared. "Because there's NOBODY like May! She's PERFECT! And she loved HIM over ME!"
Silence for a moment or two. Drew was panting, a snarl etched on his face directed at both men. Ghost looked unfazed while Paul showed his usual bored face. Ghost nodded. "Well, let's continue then." Drew's eyes darted up to Ghost's, surprised at how swiftly they were hopping off the topic. "W-Wha—"
"It's my knowledge Ash and May went their separate ways after their time in… Hoenn, yes that's it. Care to explain why you didn't swoop in then?" Drew shook his head and scoffed. "Because she was still hung up on him. I don't get why those two never got together during the time they travelled with one another, but she never stopped pining for him. I still openly admitted I liked her, and back then, I assumed she didn't admit she liked me back either because she was too embarrassed or she was too young to know what love was."
Ash blinked. "When did this… obsession… for her stop?"
Silence from Drew told the story. Ash breathed out. "You never have."
Drew gritted his teeth. "I have done… so much to get her to love me the same way she loved Ketchum. I took her on a cruise. I got so many flowers. I even tracked her to Pallet for that party right before he vanished."
"I'm sorry, what was that?" Warning bells were going off. Drew's eyes widened ever-so-slightly in a panic, like he said something he shouldn't have. "I… uh…" Ash leaned in. "If you know something, speak now."
A moment of silence passed before Drew spoke yet again. "It was a few days before Ketchum went missing and, well… died. I was in Slateport trying to track down May again. I found her and saw her in the Pokémon center. Just as I was about to talk with her, I saw her hop on a video call with Ketchum. It broke my heart to hear those three little words come out of her mouth. I was crushed."
Drew continued after a moment. "And even worse, Ash somehow found the balls to admit it back. After all those years, it was over. I had lost. I was enraged. She betrayed me, in my eyes. I walked off and went to blow off some steam in the nearby park. I was brooding for who knew how long. In reality it was only maybe thirty minutes. On impulse, I made the decision to follow May to Pallet. Since I overheard everything, I knew she was leaving shortly. I was going to give it one last effort before I lost her for good, you know?"
Ash's' voice was barely a quiver. "So you invited yourself to Ash's home to take May from him?"
Drew laughed at this, though there was no humor behind it. "See, that was the beauty of the situation. It was like Arceus had smiled down upon me. I got a call just minutes after that whole brooding period. I was invited to the party, and now I had the perfect alibi for why I was there. Now I could confess my love for her with true words and actions, rather than handing roses out or taking her to dinner."
Ghost hesitated then spoke. "Who invited you to the party? Ash wouldn't have been blind enough to do that."
Drew casually shrugged. "No, but his mom was."
Ghost's eyes widened. "What?"
"You heard me; his mom invited me. It was perfect timing. I thanked her again for the advice and went to Pallet, it was the perfect situation. I went there and confessed my love to her, and… it looked like everything had worked. I kissed her, and I couldn't believe it when she started kissing me back. I was in heaven. It was like I had my dreams coming true in that moment. I began to believe she had been leading Ketchum on."
His face fell. "And then… it was gone. Ash found us, and she told me to wait in the backyard while she ran him down in his angered state. I chose not to listen, because with the way she was kissing me and the emotions Ash had been showing, she wasn't going to stand a chance against him. I followed them and made it worse. She said she loved Ash, but it didn't make any sense from my perspective."
Drew chuckled humorlessly. "She kicked the private zone and she ran off. I had no clue what happened. I remember all of Ash's friends conversing about it quietly but admittedly I wasn't really paying attention. I… chose to go back to Hoenn after that was all over. I had laid it all out on the line and now I really didn't know what to do next."
Drew sighed. "Then word of Ash's death swept through. I figured it would be my time now to get May, but… she didn't want anything to do with me."
Ghost nodded. "She shot you down?"
"What gave that away?" The green-haired man drawled sarcastically.
"In any event, I haven't been able to talk with her normally since. It's been… rough. I know she's out there, and I know she thinks she'll never love again, and I know I'm the perfect guy for her. I don't know where she is, but I'm going to have her one day and show her I'm Drew Saiga; the guy she should've been pining after instead of Ash 'dense as a brick' Ketchum. There's nobody out there who's more worthy of her than I am."
Ash couldn't help it. "Nobody?"
Drew nodded adamantly. "Nobody."
Ash started to laugh at this, the first real laughter emitted in the entire conversation. "You'll be surprised to know I know very well where May is right now, and I have it on tremendous authority that she's seeing someone."
The look of utter shock crossed Drew's face before it turned into denial. "No… N-No! You're lying! She wouldn't take another boyfriend after Ketchum!"
"Oh I'm very certain she's dating him. They're quite serious if I do say so myself."
"W-Who? Who's the guy she's dating?" Drew cried, tears threatening to spill out, heartbreak about to occur all over again.
Ghost leaned in and smiled. "You're looking at him."
The coordinators jaw dropped. "… What? No… no… NO! It can't be! It's a lie!" Ghost smiled almost carnally. "She was very distraught when I first met her. I helped her discover the first secrets of Ash Ketchum's demise and we grew close, even when I stomped her peewee brother in an exhibition battle. We've been together for some time now. It's very true, I assure you."
In desperation, Drew turned to Paul, as if he'd tell him anything different even if it was fake. The trainer shrugged. "I'd lie to you either way, but he's telling the truth. Him and Maple have been linked for a while now."
Drew realized now why he was in interrogation. The woman he still loved to this day had fallen in love with a stranger… someone not named Ash Ketchum. "S-so that's why I'm here? Just for torture for your sick games?"
Ash laughed and walked behind him to Paul. Ash handed him something discreetly and then walked to Drew and smirked. "There's something I want to show you Drew. I'm sure you'll be surprised."
Ash bent both his knees so he was eye level with Drew. He then took off his hat and ruffled his hair slightly. He blinked his eyes rapidly and then in slow-motion, stared up at Drew. The coordinator studied the man for a minute, trying to put a finger on where he knew this man. He looked so familiar… brown hair, brown eyes, slight scarring on his face… no, were those birthmarks? It was almost like—
Drew's breath hitched. His eyes froze on the man across from him. He knew who this was.
Ash smirked. "Howdy pretty boy. Long time no see."
Drew's jaw dropped open at the husky tone. "I… It's not—" In a flash, Drew was muffled when Paul wrapped his hand across his mouth and stuffed the same pill used to wipe Delia's memories into Drew's mouth. His mouth covered and eyes wide with horror and disbelief, he would forget that Ash Ketchum was truly alive and a league champion. He fought to remain conscious but was clearly on the losing side. Eventually though, he stopped struggling and his limbs became loose once more.
Ash motioned. "Check him." Paul carefully opened Drew's mouth and nodded. "He's out, and the pill's gone. Well, the one half anyway. I'll give him the other." Ash nodded. Just in case Drew had faked taking the pill, Ash knew it was smarter to give him one half of the pill beforehand to begin the process and knock Drew out then give him the rest to confirm he was truly done for.
Paul commenced, and nodded. "It's done."
Ash took out Espeon, who was now ready to take Drew back to Viridian. One flash later and the duo was gone. Paul sighed and looked at Ash. "So… what did we gain from this?"
Ash licked his lips. "Drew is willing to do anything for May. My mom lied, or Drew's lying about being invited by her. What would she have to gain though from bringing Drew there? Why would Drew be part of the traitors if it just crushed May? There's a lot that isn't adding up here, and is stuff I'll have to sleep on."
Paul nodded. "What's next?"
Ash shook his head. "Nothing. We're done here. It's time to head back, we'll head back first and then Gary will leave."
"Why not go together?"
"Because Professor Oak is under the impression Gary and I met by chance in Pallet, not anywhere else. If we're seen leaving the region together, he'll get suspicious. Gary knows the plan. As soon as Espeon gets back… we get going." Ash motioned for Paul to follow him as they made to round up the Pokémon. The champion nodded to himself.
"It's time to win a tournament."
Paul suddenly cut in. "That reminds me, there's something I saw in Viridian I couldn't explain." Ash eyed him up curiously, waiting for him to continue.
"More accurately, someone."
AN: And that's it! Another monster chapter of 11,000 words for you all who've waited so patiently for it! A lot of fresh information, including the introduction of Drew Saiga and his perspective into the story now as well. There's three suspects, and all three have motivation to do so, and all three would be present at the time of the betrayal. Oak is at the lab; Delia is in the home and Drew was with Ash's friends… supposedly. What will happen next? Come back to find out!
If you're new, please follow and favorite both the story and myself so you never miss an update! Thanks for reading everyone, until next time!
LegionZ