Caged Wings

by DestinyHead123

There was a time where Ash Ketchum would've considered living a normal life. However, a chance meeting with a girl opened up the doorway that led to his dream of changing the world and the title of Pokemon Master. But to incite a change and achieve his dreams would require a journey like no other. * AU, Prequel of My Wings

43. Slippin'

Chapter 43

---

When did his downfall begin?

Was it the night he finally spoke with his father?

Was it the morning that he partnered with Malcolm Berlitz?

Or was it…the day his mother died?

---

Long mahogany locks.

Sparkling amber eyes.

And a smile that warmed your heart.

Ash stared at the far wall of Aaron's living room. His eyes were wide.

"Is that…her?" Ash asked in a whisper.

Aaron sat beside the center table as he adjusted the lens of his projector. The mechanical hum of the projector filled the silence before Aaron observed the picture it cast on the wall.

"Yup, that's your mother."

Ash sucked in his lower lip as he studied her closely.

He didn't want to admit it…but the memories of his mother weren't quite as clear as they once were. He almost forgot how beautiful she was…

Aaron smiled fondly as he looked at the photo of his wife. She was down on her knees where she tended to some plants. There were dirt stains on her overalls and the straw hat she wore had seen better days. But it was fitting looking for Delia. She was engrossed in her work.

"She was the most beautiful woman in the world…" Aaron noted as he began to flip through a few pictures.

He captured all sorts of moments between them. Their first date together. The night Aaron met Delia's parents. Their wedding day. Ash squatted as he saw his mother in her wedding gown. She was breathtaking to look at it. But the next picture forced him to blink back some tears.

It was his mother, the night that he was born. Her hair was frazzled, sweat glistened on her forehead and her cheeks were flushed red. But even in such a state, she never looked happier than in this picture as she held her newborn baby boy.

Aaron gave Ash a few moments to regain his composure. Ash took in a few deep breathes and wiped away the tears that escaped from the corner of his eyes. Then he looked to Aaron with one question on his mind.

"What happened?"

"This goes way back before you were born," Aaron began as he invited Ash to take a seat on the couch. "Before I met your mother, I ran a small security company in Vermilion City. We were among the first to use Pokemon as part of our staff, so we weren't very popular. But we landed our first big contract when Malcolm Berlitz came to town. He was expanding the shipping yards in Vermilion City and needed a team that could keep out the Pokemon trainers that used it as a battle site. So, he hired us."

Ash nodded as he sunk into sat on the leather chair and sunk into it.

"And when I say it was a big contract, I mean, it was a big contract," Aaron went on as he at the ceiling. "It wasn't a terribly hard job either, so I started to travel during my downtime. It was how I ended up in a place like Pallet Town where I met your mother. We only dated for about a year before we got married and you came along pretty soon after that," Aaron took a glance toward Ash who leaned forward as he listened intently. "Everything was great…but it didn't last."

"Well?" Ash motioned for him to continue.

"A good friend mine, my partner actually," Aaron stated. "His name was Butch; he was Cassidy's husband in case you're familiar with that name."

"Yeah, I know something happened to him," Ash said.

"You were about," Aaron wrinkled his nose as he thought about it. "I'd say you were about four or five years old when it started. Butch was my right-hand man; he'd facilitate a lot of the work we did at the shipping yards. Then one night he gave me a call and said that something wasn't right. One of the cargo containers on the docks was moving, so they cracked it open…" Aaron shook his head during a brief pause. "There were Pokemon locked inside."

Ash's eyes grew wide.

"They were restrained, drugged, suppressed…anything to make them easy to transport," Aaron went on grimly. "We started checking more of the cargo that came into Malcolm's shipping yards and we found hundreds of Pokemon."

"Someone was trafficking Pokemon through those shipping yards…?" Ash exclaimed as he jumped to his feet. Aaron gave him a nod before he continued.

"We started to look into it. There was a lot of movement in those yards, but we found a trend. All of the containers that were transporting Pokemon were from Kalos and they were branded with a red skull," Aaron explained. "But the trail ran dry there. So, we went to Malcolm about it to see if he knew what was happening right under his nose…"

Ash's stomach dropped when he made eye contact with Aaron.

"…Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.'"

"He's a man with big ambitions…you can never trust someone like that."

"Don't trust that man, Ash."

"Do not trust Malcolm Berlitz."

"Malcolm was running it the whole time…wasn't he?" Ash asked softly and Aaron gave another nod. Ash let out a sigh as he dropped himself back down into the sofa. He clapped his palms against the sides of his face. "I don't believe this…and I've been working for this guy for months. And he's been trafficking Pokemon in and out of the city."

"It's bigger than that, Ash," Aaron interjected. "The shipping yards here are the tip of the iceberg with Malcolm."

"What else is he up to?"

"Butch did some more snooping…he found someone that was willing to talk about what Malcolm was doing, and he learned everything," Aaron continued. "There's a tunnel that stretches across Kanto called Diglett's Cave."

"I've been there," Ash noted.

"It was built by Pokemon centuries ago. But Malcolm is expanding it to create a network of tunnels around Kanto," Ash felt his chest become tight. He could remember seeing those additional tunnels. In fact, he remembered that there were roadways in Diglett's Cave. This was the truth! "Once he completes it, he'll be able to transport Pokemon around Kanto and no one will be able to monitor or track what he's doing. And that's not even the worst of it…"

Ash looked to his dad as he bit down on his lower lip. What could be worse than all of this?

"He's building something called the Safari Zone. All those Pokemon that are captured for him are brought there. All we know is that it's some kind of place for them to be captured for sport or auctioned to the highest bidder," Aaron elaborated with a tremble in his voice.

"Someone has to stop this!" Ash declared but Aaron shook his head.

"We said the same thing…" Aaron admitted as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "We couldn't stand by and watch all of that happen. We went to the authorities about it but…Malcolm already paid everyone off. The police, Vermilion City, everyone was working with him."

"You must be joking," Ash muttered, but Aaron could only shrug his shoulders.

"He's been buying the loyalty of the trainers in Vermilion City to cover up what he's actually doing," Aaron continued after he cleared his throat. "We were the only ones that didn't fear Malcolm, so we dissolved our contract with him and became the Red Skulls."

To save all those captured Pokemon…Ash felt his chest begin to ache.

Malcolm convinced him to destroy the Red Skulls not even two hours ago.

"I…I-I'm sorry," Ash said in a whisper as he looked back to his father. "I had no idea and…I destroyed everything you had…"

"Don't apologize," Aaron interjected. "We've been trying to stop him for years, but there's only so much we can do."

All those battles in the shipping yards that were in the news. They weren't 'petty squabbles' as Malcolm put it. The Red Skulls were doing everything in their might to save those Pokemon.

"Battling the White Lotus at the shipping yards isn't going to get you guys anywhere," Ash exclaimed. "Isn't there anything else you can do?"

"We tried to go public, get some media attention it," Aaron paused and ran a hand through his hair. "That's where everything went wrong. Our threats meant nothing to him. Without proof of his ties to it all, there was nothing we could do about it…and Malcolm is more than capable of hiding it all. The only proof we can get is from Malcolm himself."

"What do you mean?"

"He keeps all of it in that briefcase…the contracts, signatures, all the dirt he has on everyone to keep us all in check. It's in there."

All of the instances that Malcolm held that briefcase flashed in Ash's mind. The man was never without it.

"If we could get that briefcase, we would have everything we need to expose what he's doing," Aaron stated. "We tried to get our hands on it before. Butch came the closest…but he lost his life to get that close."

Ash's vision went out of focus. So that was what happened to Cassidy's husband. It made his stomach turn. Malcolm was ruthless…and the more they talked about him, Ash realized that Malcolm was the centerpiece of their conversation. There was no way Aaron would bring up his mother at the beginning of all this without reason.

"And what about mom? Why haven't you said anything about her?"

"I think you know where I'm going…" Aaron's voice faltered and felt his chest become tight. "When Butch was killed, I snapped. I went straight for Malcolm and…he was waiting for me. I was caught and given an ultimatum,"

"That little boy of yours…he just turned seven, right?" Malcolm asked, a crooked smile on his face. "And your wife was quite a cook. It'd be such a shame for them to lose their lives over this."

"What you're doing is wrong! You have no right, and I won't let a man like you get away with this! Take my family, take everything! Because I'll be taking you down with me!"

"He knew," Aaron's voice wavered and he took a moment to recompose himself. "He knew that I…that I wouldn't back down and," Aaron sucked in his lips and swallowed the lump in his throat. "He had some of his people waiting on an order to kill you and Delia. I managed to warn her but…I didn't make it time to save her."

Ash seethed as he glared at Aaron, his jaws tight, and nostrils flared.

"You…" Ash needed a moment before he could continue. "You chose Pokemon over your own family? You let your wife die…for Pokemon?" Ash rocked back and forth as he grabbed a fistful of his own shirt.

He didn't know what to say. He'd never felt so conflicted. Should he praise his father for that decision or hate him?

Aaron could see Ash's uncertainty.

"Ash, I want to you know that this wasn't an easy decision by any means," Aaron said as he shook his head. "Malcolm is going to endanger the lives of Pokemon across Kanto…across the world! Delia wouldn't stand for it…and she chose to stand beside me. She knew that she might die…"

"So that man…" Ash balled his hands into tight fists as he looked at the picture on the wall. Ash engrained it in his mind, the image of his mother and the joy on her face as she held him. "That man…killed my mom?"

Ash took his free hand and grabbed his shirt as well. He trembled as pulled at his shirt and raised it to cover his face.

All this time…he was working for his mother's killer!

Ash squatted once again dropped his hands against the floor. The thud echoed out into the open corridor and the center table shook briefly.

"Ash," Aaron said and Ash raised his head slowly. "Will you help me bring down Malcolm Berlitz?"

Ash saw a new look in his father's eyes. The detached aura around Aaron was gone. It was like he found one last thing to hold onto. One little sliver of humanity left in him. And it took the form of desperation. He went to Ash on his knees.

"I need your help,"

"What could I do? What can any of us do?" Ash asked Aaron.

"Kill him…" Aaron's voice was a whisper and Ash stood up abruptly.

"What?" Ash exclaimed.

"It's the only way…as long as Malcolm is alive, he'll do anything to protect his plans. We have to kill him, or he'll deny everything," Aaron piped up. "We can't let him-"

"No!" Ash shouted over his father. "I couldn't do anything like that!"

On his knees, in front of Ash, Aaron grabbed onto the fringes of Ash's wrinkled shirt.

"Please!" He begged. Ash could hardly believe that this was his father he was looking at. "You don't understand! He's going to destroy everything! If we don't stop him, everyone will become one of his puppets. The Pokemon, the people…it won't matter anymore unless we stop him right now!"

"NO!" Ash hollered as he ripped his shirt free from Aaron's grip.

"He killed your mother! He killed Cassidy's husband! He's threatening to ruin the lives of Pokemon across the world!" Aaron roared at Ash. "You're the only person that can get close to him. Are you really going to sit idly and let that man get away with this?"

Ash turned away from him.

"She was supposed to be there for you," Aaron went on as he looked at the picture of Delia. "We all should've been together. You, me, and your mother. He took that from you. He took all of it from you."

Ash raised a hand to touch his massage his temple. A furious headache was coming on.

He didn't know what to say anymore. It was all too much…

---

Sunday, May 28th

"We have to kill him…"

Ash rested on his bed; his eyes glassy as he stared up at the ceiling of his room.

What was his father thinking? How could Aaron ask him to kill Malcolm?

That was absurd!

How ridiculous!

But…

Ash turned his head to the side and looked at the nightstand beside his bed. Resting on it was a wooden frame that contained a picture of his mother. The same picture his father showed him last night of the day Delia gave birth to him.

"He killed your mother!"

"He took all of it from you."

Malcolm wasn't some saint. Far from it. B-But killing him…? Could Ash even follow through on something like that? Did he have the right?

"He killed your mother!"

Did that give him the right?

Ash shook his head.

It didn't matter what Malcolm did to him. Violence wasn't the answer.

Ash rolled over on his bed and stared at the wall.

There was nothing that he could say to justify killing Malcolm…

The man was a threat.

Ash didn't fully understand what Malcolm was plotting, but the points his father made last night were valid. Ash saw some of that proof himself. Diglett's Cave had modern roadways and metal bridges. Pokemon couldn't be responsible for that. Malcolm really was expanding that cave to create an underground transport system.

If what Aaron said was true then Malcolm was more than just a threat. He was about the expand Pokemon trafficking to all parts of Kanto.

"Are you really going to sit idly and let that man get away with this?"

Ash raised a hand to his chest and gripped his shirt tightly. There was more at stake than anyone knew about. Malcolm's plot threatened Pokemon all over Kanto.

"You're the only person that can get close to him…"

Why? Why did it have to be him?

Was it right? Was it wrong?

He couldn't tell…

There was a creak from the doorway, and Ash rolled over. The door to his room opened slowly, the hinges squeaking from the action. Pikachu poked his little head into the room and looked straight to Ash.

"Pika? Pikapi?" He asked and Ash took a deep breath as he sat upright on his bed.

"I'm feeling fine, Pikachu," Ash responded.

"Pi, Pikachu," Pikachu stated and Ash shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah, I have been up here all day," Ash agreed. "I think I'll come downstairs for a bit."

Pikachu came into his room as Ash got on his feet, and scurried up to Ash's shoulder.

"Pika-pika, chuuu?" Pikachu asked him as they left the room together.

"Ah, I've got a lot of my mind, that's all," Ash replied softly.

"Pi, pika," Pikachu offered.

"I know," Ash said as he shook his head. "I'm not ready to talk about it though."

Pikachu furrowed his brow but didn't press any further. They arrived in the living room downstairs and peered in to see who was present.

"I'm glad I sent Pikachu to check on you," Cassidy noted as she caught sight of Ash as he stood in the doorway. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm okay," Ash replied before he made a gesture to the television. "Don't mind me, you can watch your show."

Cassidy spared him a nod and turned her attention elsewhere. Ash took a moment to study Cassidy as she sat comfortably on the couch with Macy beside her. Ordinarily, she would be the first to greet him, but she was sleeping soundly on the couch. Her head rested on Cassidy's lap which allowed her mother to caress her head.

Cassidy smiled fondly as she looked down at Macy's sleeping form.

The picture of his mother flashed in his mind.

"She was supposed to be there for you,"

Aaron's words rang out.

"He took that from you."

Pikachu could feel Ash shift uncomfortably and his shoulder became rigid. Pikachu raised his ears as he studied Ash. The stoicism in Ash's expression seemed unnatural…like he was trying to hide something.

"Pikapi?" Pikachu asked him once more and that snapped Ash out of his thoughts. Ash blinked twice before he gave his reply.

"Don't worry, Pikachu," Ash assured him. "I'm fine."

Ash's gaze never left Cassidy and Macy.

"He took that from you."

---

Monday, May 29th

The house was quiet…too quiet.

Whether it be Shauna and her music, Casey and the television, or Macy and the array of sounds she was responsible for, there was always something. But upon returning from school today, Ash was greeted by a silent house. After he shut the door, Ash left his backpack beside the stairway and checked the living room.

"Hello?" Ash called out.

"Ash, is that you?" It was Cassidy's voice, calling to him from the kitchen.

Ash proceeded to the kitchen where Cassidy was seated at the table with her nose buried in a book about baking.

"What are you doing?" Ash asked with a snort. Cassidy set the book down and sent a leer in Ash's direction.

"I've always been crap at baking, that's why I'm glad we've got Shauna," Cassidy explained. "She told me to pick any recipe in this book and we'd do it together."

"That's nice of her," Ash noted as he came to take a seat opposite of Cassidy. "Speaking of Shauna, where is she?"

"I sent her out with Macy to do some grocery shopping," Cassidy answered. "I wanted to speak with you privately."

Ash raised his brow as settled into his seat.

"About what?"

"I wanted to ask you how your…talk with Aaron went," Cassidy explained as she marked the page that she was on and shut her baking book completely. She then raised her eyes to make eye contact with Ash. Her eyes were sharp as she crossed her arms and waited for his answer.

Ash hesitated to give an answer as he stared back at Cassidy.

"You don't have to tell me everything," Cassidy interjected. "It's not by business, but I thought you might want to talk about it."

"Well…" Ash paused for a moment. He didn't understand Cassidy's warning with regard to Malcolm until his father brought everything to light. "I finally get why you told me not to trust Malcolm. It all makes sense."

Cassidy nodded slowly.

"But why did you wait? Why couldn't you tell me that Malcolm is a maniac?" Ash asked her.

"Well, you needed Malcolm as your sponsor if you were ever going to battle Aaron, right?" Cassidy asked in return as she shrugged her shoulders. "I wanted you to be mindful of him. He might seem like someone you can trust. But he's a businessman who's only looking out for himself. He'll toss you aside the moment you start to question him."

Ash chewed on his lower lip for a moment, unsure of if he should continue further. But he wasn't the only one that Malcolm hurt. Cassidy lost someone too…

"Dad told me about Butch too," Ash added. Cassidy raised her brow slightly, but she kept the rest of her reaction concealed behind a straight face. Ash held back and broke his eye contact with Cassidy.

"What's the matter, Ash?" She asked him.

"Uh, I wasn't sure if this was a sore spot for you," Ash replied tentatively. "I don't want to bring it up if you don't want to talk about it. I know that-"

"Ash," Cassidy cut him off as she raised a hand to stop him. "It's okay. Go ahead."

Ash exhaled to relax.

"Sorry, it's just that…I want to know how you've felt all these years later," Ash said and Cassidy nodded to him.

"Don't worry, I understand…this isn't exactly an easy subject to ask someone about," She paused and pursed her lips, using that time to gather her thoughts. "It hasn't been easy, as I'm sure you know. I've never been very healthy, so I was always counting on Butch. The day Aaron broke the news to me that Butch was dead…" Cassidy shook her head as she looked away from Ash. "I didn't know what to do. Everything was already spiraling out of control thanks to Malcolm and it only got worse from there. I was heartbroken and angry at the world…but Aaron begged me to look after you."

Cassidy wore a small smirk as she looked at Ash.

"I didn't have much of a choice, and considering you lost your mom, I thought we'd be two peas in a pod," She reasoned with a snort. "Low and behold, a seven-year-old kid was ten times stronger than me. You weren't depressed or angry or…anything really. You just kept going, you and Pikachu."

Ash didn't remember much of his early days living with Cassidy, but he would take her word for it.

"Seeing you keep pressing forward, I knew I couldn't wallow around either, no matter how much I wanted to," Cassidy went on. "So, I moved on. I took in Casey and Macy and…that was the best decision I ever made. There was a void I was trying to fill, and the three of you filled it a thousand-fold."

She gave a smile as proof of her thanks. Ash couldn't help but return her smile.

He wanted to thank Cassidy too. She may not have been his mother, but she did her best to look after him. And for all the trouble he caused or got himself into, she continued to put up with him.

"All that said, even though it's been years and I feel like I've moved on…" Cassidy looked away and placed a hand against her chest. "There's still a part of me, deep down, that wants nothing more than to see that man face justice for everything that he's done."

Justice?

Ash bit down on his lower lip.

Malcolm needed to be brought to justice…

But was what Aaron wanted…justice?

---

Friday, June 2nd

Dinner time was always lively.

The dynamic conversations between Macy and Shauna kept everyone entertained and involved while they ate. But even amongst the free-flowing conversation, Ash still ate in silence. In fact, Ash was hardly eating…

Cassidy observed him from the corner of her eyes. Ash wasn't himself over the past week. He spent a lot of time up in his room and he rarely went out to train with Pikachu. Cassidy assumed that it was to study for his final exams at first, but Ash was never the type to study for school. He spent all his time in his room…brooding.

She was certain that the conversation with his father is what triggered this. Cassidy hoped that he would confide in her, but Ash was never very open with her. At times, he felt like her surrogate son. At other times, he kept to himself. It made her nervous when he was like that because Ash had a tendency to make rash decisions.

Cassidy was well aware of his weekends with the Red Skulls to make extra money before he became a circuit trainer. It was during those times that Ash closed himself off. It made Cassidy nervous to see him reverting back to that behavior.

There was never any indication of what Ash was thinking.

As everyone completed their meals, Ash accepted the duty of collecting their plates to bring them over to the sink. He took two plates at a time while the conversation continued.

"Casey, have you been studying for your final exams?" Cassidy asked as she looked to her oldest daughter.

"Yup," She stated. "It's going to be easy."

"Does that include history?" Shauna inquired as looked at Casey expectantly.

Casey pursed her lips and looked away.

"Don't lose confidence Casey, you've been studying very hard," Shauna continued. "I'm sure you're going to do fine."

"Yeah, but I don't really care about the boring stuff, so I never remember it," Casey explained.

"I thought history was super interesting when I was in high school," Shauna interjected. "What parts of it do you boring?"

"All of the tall tales and stuff," Casey answered. "Like today we were reviewing the Samiya and the People of the Water."

"What could possibly be boring about that? Underwater palace, sea-dwelling people," Shauna said as Ash returned to the table to collect the remaining plates.

"It's all fake though," Casey reasoned. "They're all just a bunch of stories that have been passed down. No one really thinks that they're true."

"Alright then, what's interesting to you?" Cassidy cut in as Ash began to make his way back to the sink.

"I prefer the stuff about all the war criminals from the feudal era, especially the parts about when the wars were over and those guys were brought to justice,"

A plate shattered against the floor and everyone turned.

Ash stood frozen for a moment before his composure returned and he looked down at the floor.

"Uh, sorry," He mumbled as he rushed to the counter to set down what he was still holding. Once his hands were free, he stepped out into the hallway to get the broom and dustpan so that he could clean up his mess. As he returned to the kitchen, he found Shauna kneeling down, collecting some of the broken remains of the plate with her hands. "It's alright Shauna, I'll take care of this."

She placed what she picked up so far in his dustpan and moved aside for him to proceed. Like everyone else present, Shauna watched him wearily.

"Ash, are you okay?" Cassidy asked him from the table.

"Yeah," He said with a nod, though he avoided eye contact. "I'm fine."

"You sure?" Shauna pressed. "You're not fatigued or anything?"

"I said I'm fine," Ash insisted, but that didn't stop Shauna.

"You haven't really been eating like you used to," She went on and Ash finally looked directly at her.

"Shauna," He raised his voice over hers. "I said…I'm fine."

She raised her brow in response and didn't say anything more.

"I think it's time for Macy's bath, right Shauna?" Cassidy asked as she rose up from her seat. She gave a small nod toward Ash while her back was turned and Shauna understood.

"Yeah, you're right," Shauna said as she approached the table and helped Macy down from her seat. "Come on kiddo, let's go get you washed up."

"Would like to watch some TV with me, Casey?" Cassidy added as she looked at her oldest daughter. Casey gave a nod and within a few moments, Cassidy cleared out the kitchen.

Ash let out a deep sigh once everyone was gone as he looked down at the remains of the plate he dropped. It all rested in the dustpan which he picked up from the floor to deposit the shattered pieces into the garbage.

"I prefer the stuff about all the wars criminals from the feudal era, especially the parts about when the wars were over and those guys were brought to justice,"

"…were brought to justice,"

"Justice…"

As much as Ash tried to shut out Casey's voice, her words continued to return.

War criminals…of course they were evil. They were responsible for all sorts of atrocities that happened to innocent people. Whatever happened to them was well deserved. Justice…right?

But was Malcolm a criminal?

Malcolm was a tycoon who owned the shipping yards of Vermilion City.

"There were Pokemon locked inside…they were restrained, drugged, suppressed…He's been trafficking Pokemon in and out of the city."

Malcolm was a philanthropist who supported the underground circuit.

"He's building something called the Safari Zone. It's a place where Pokemon are captured for sport or auctioned to the highest bidder,"

Malcolm was…

"Malcolm is expanding Diglett's Cave to create a network of tunnels around Kanto…once he completes it, no one will know what he's doing."

He was…

"He killed your mother!"

Malcolm was a criminal.

But was killing him…justice?

"Ash?"

Ash's skin crawled as he turned and found Cassidy standing at the entrance to the kitchen.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah…I'm fine." He answered.

"You've been saying that a lot lately," Cassidy noted which caused Ash to look away from her.

"There are no problems here," Ash insisted as he focused on the sink in front of him. It was then he realized that he was standing at the sink that was nearly overflowing with soapy water. When did he do that?

"I came to check on you because the water was running for a while," Cassidy pointed out before she turned to leave and she added before left. "Remember, if you ever want to talk, I'm here for you."

Ash didn't say anything else as she left. Rather, he watched as the water in the sink swirled down the drain.

---

Wednesday, June 7th

Cassidy shook her head as she stood at her front door, and Brock furrowed his brow.

"Again?" He exclaimed. "I haven't seen Ash in almost two weeks, I'm starting to get nervous."

"I hardly see him myself," Cassidy mentioned with a shrug. "I heard that he'll go sit at the park for a while. You might find him there if you're lucky."

"I'll go take a look," Brock said with a wave of thanks before he jumped down from their front steps. He jogged on the sidewalk as he left Cassidy's home and maneuvered through the traffic, occasionally giving an apology to someone he bumped.

Brock was trying to contact Ash all last week, but his best friend was hard to find these days. Brock dropped by to visit Ash several times, but all he ever heard was that Ash went out for a walk. It was fine that Brock couldn't meet him in person, but Ash wasn't answering phone calls or text messages. That was reason for concern.

Over the course of their friendship, Ash would act odd at times and there was always a reason for it. It was similar to when Cassidy first fell into a coma. Ash needed help, but he didn't want to admit.

After a five-minute jog, Brock arrived at the gateway at the entrance to the park. Since it was early in the evening, the park was well populated and filled with the merriment of the children. Brock ventured in and followed the pathway through the heart of the area. He stopped in the shade of the trees to take a glance around in search of his friend.

His search for Ash concluded when he entered the true depths of a park, a secluded area with a few benches and lamps for company. A place primarily used by couples or those seeking solitude. Ash sat alone; his head tilted back as he stared up blankly at the sky.

Brock approached with his hands in his pockets and came to a stop in front of Ash.

"Mind if I sit with ya?" Brock asked and Ash's eyes widened as he focused on Brock. He raised his brow at Brock's sudden appearance but shrugged his shoulders as an invitation to join him. "So, uh, I haven't seen you in a while. What's up?"

"Not much…" He said dryly. "How about you?"

"Eh, I've been in the same boat as you," Brock answered as he put his hands behind his head and leaned back into the bench.

"What about your folks? How is the house hunt going?"

"My mom and dad narrowed it down to two choices in Pewter City, but they want to actually visit it in the summer. So, when everyone is off from school, we're planning a trip to go see them." Brock explained and Ash gave a small nod.

"Great," Ash stated. "Are you guys going to fly or drive?"

"My dad wants to do a road trip. He wants everyone to get a taste of Kanto, so I'm willing to bet he'll stop at every rest stop and landmark on the way," Brock noted with a laugh. As Brock witnessed Ash's lack of a reaction, his laughter fizzled out. In that brief silence, Brock studied his friend curiously. "Is there anything you want to talk about, Ash?"

Ash seemed to squirm as Brock posed the question, but he quickly settled down and crossed his arms.

"No…no, I'm okay," Ash responded with a sigh.

"Do you want to talk about something else?" Brock suggested and Ash gave a small nod. "Alright then, have you heard anything about your next match? Do you know if you're going to take on one of the remaining Kings?"

Ash pursed his lips and sunk into the bench.

"Eh, I'm not so sure yet. Malcolm has been…uh, busy," Ash muttered as he tightened his grasp on his bicep. "I haven't heard from Mr. Goodshow either, so I'm not sure."

"I remember Volkner said that you could challenge him anytime, do you think you could take him?" Brock inquired with the hope that this would bring Ash out of his shell. Ash sat in silence for a few moments and Brock took note of his attempts to answer, but his voice faltered each time.

Challenge Volkner…?

Ash furrowed his brow. A month ago, he wouldn't even waste a moment to consider the idea of challenging Volkner. That was an unquestioned 'yes' going as far back as February when they first began to train together. But now…Ash found himself feeling unmotivated.

He had yet to hold another training session with Pikachu since the match with his father. Ash wasn't even sure if he wanted to keep going. The thought of training brought on such a mixed bag of feelings.

The months of training, hours of practice…all in service to his mother's killer. He didn't know what to feel. He loved Pokemon, but he spent the past year using Pokemon to further Malcolm's agenda. Ash was aiding the enemy.

"Truthfully, I'm not so sure that I want to battle Volkner or anyone at the moment," Ash said softly and Brock wrinkled his forehead.

"Is this Ash Ketchum I'm talking to?" Brock exclaimed but Ash sent him a narrow glance in reply. "Sorry, it's just…I never thought I hear you say something like that. Are you sure you don't want to talk?"

"I think I'd prefer to be alone," Ash answered as he shrugged his shoulders.

"It's alright, I understand," Brock said as he rose up from the bench. "If you ever want to talk, I'm here for you."

Brock extended a closed fist toward Ash. His friend stared blankly at the gesture before he complied and bumped fists with Brock.

"Thanks…"

Ash watched as Brock turned to leave and Ash recalled the conclusion of his reunion with his father at his apartment.

"You're the only person that can get close to him…"

Seeing Aaron on his knees caused Ash's stomach to drop, and his request for Ash amplified this feeling by ten.

"We have to kill him…"

Ash grimaced and lowered a hand to grip his side.

"Are you really going to sit idly and let that man get away with this?"

Why did Aaron have to put all of this on his shoulders?

"He's going to destroy everything!"

Ash hunched over as his stomach became tight. He raised his head quickly to look for Brock. Thankfully, he was still in sight. Ash opened his mouth, but his voice remained caught in his throat.

"You're the only person…"

Was it right of him to drag Brock into all of this?

The stakes were high and this…

"He killed your mother!"

…was personal.

---

Saturday, June 10th

Serena shifted her car into park and took a deep breath. Then she looked out the passenger window and stared up at the front door of Ash's home.

"I don't know what's going on with him," Shauna admitted. "He's been acting really weird for the last couple of days."

"I checked in on him," Brock stated with a shrug. "He's doesn't want to talk right now."

"Ash?" Casey repeated. "You missed him. He went out again like thirty minutes ago and I don't know when he's getting back."

Serena was worried.

Not because everyone else was starting to worry about Ash. She was worried well before the battle he had with his dad.

There was a conversation she had with him over a month ago where she spotted a change in Ash's demeanor. He seemed like he was…lost. In all the time that she knew him, there was one other instance where Serena would describe him that way. That was back when Cassidy first went to the hospital and Ash was considering all sorts of ideas to keep his family together.

However, the cause for this change in Ash wasn't so obvious this time. Whether it was the battle itself, or the reunion with his father, Serena couldn't put her finger on it. But she knew what she needed to do. Ash was ready to make a myriad of rash decisions when Cassidy was in the hospital, and Serena felt as though he was headed in that direction again.

Someone had to intervene before Ash took action.

Serena looked back to check the traffic before she opened the driver's side door. She shut the door promptly and hustled to the sidewalk as another rush of cars came through and she locked her car from there. Then she turned to face the house and took another breath.

She still vividly remembered the last time she confronted Ash. He wasn't one to back down, and it made her nervous. She was about to step onto a minefield.

With another deep breath, Serena approached the front door and rung the doorbell. Cassidy answered after a few moments, and she gave a nod at the sight of Serena.

"He's in the kitchen," Cassidy said with a nod toward the hallway.

"Thank you for the call, Cassidy," Serena said as she entered. Once she removed her shoes, she ventured into the kitchen where she found Ash at the table with a bowl of cereal in front of him. He continued to stir the contents of the bowl as he stared off into space. Serena approached him and waved as he focused on her.

"Serena?" Ash asked as he furrowed his brow. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to come to see how you're doing," Serena answered as she took a seat across from him. "You haven't been answering any of my texts, I was a little worried."

Ash stared up at her with a blank expression. Then he sighed and looked back down at this cereal.

"There's no reason for you to worry," He stated dryly.

"Are you sure? You haven't been yourself lately," Serena pointed out as she tilted her head. "How are you doing?"

Ash took a glance at her and made eye contact. He quickly regretted that decision as he saw the shimmer in her eyes and her brow wrinkled with concern. Ash averted his eyes and bit down on his lower lip. It was always so hard to hide something from Serena!

"I'm doing alright, I've been busy," Ash answered before he stuck another spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

"I heard, I know graduation is like two weeks away," Serena noted. "Did you finish your final exams yet?"

"No, my last one is next Tuesday."

"Oh, that's good. Do you want to get together afterward to celebrate?" Serena offered hopefully. "I mean, it's the last big thing you'll do for high school,"

Ash shook his head in response.

"I don't think so, I haven't been in the mood to hang out with anyone."

"Is everything okay, Ash?" Serena asked him once again. Ash looked at her and narrowed his eyes.

"Why are you asking me that again?"

"Because you're a social person," Serena said immediately, undeterred by the look she received from Ash. "You don't act this way unless something is wrong."

"I want to be alone right now," Ash replied to her. "That doesn't mean something is wrong."

"Look Ash, I don't mean to pry," Serena began as she put up her hands. "But from what I've seen, it makes me worry about you."

Ash exhaled audibly as he leaned back. As much as the topic irritated him, he couldn't help but flashback to the night of his argument with Serena at Shauna's apartment. He was getting the same feeling he got that night. They were walking on thin ice.

His only choice was to alleviate her concern.

"Alright, alright," Ash took a moment to breathe. "What else am I doing then that has you so worried?"

Serena raised her brow, and her lips twitched but she forced her smile down. Brock, Shauna, and Cassidy said that he wasn't willing to talk at all. But perhaps she found the opening that she needed.

"I've been watching you, ever since we did that show at the Royal Casino," Serena elaborated for him. "That was when you started to act strange, at least to me."

"Well, what was I doing?"

"It's more like, you stopped doing certain things," Serena began as she looked him straight in the eyes. "The biggest thing was...you stopped smiling."

Serena remembered all the instances that she saw Ash over the last month and not once did she see him smile. That little sparkle or glow he had…it faded. She thought that the battle against his dad would restore what Ash lost, but not even then did Ash regain his shine.

According to everyone present, Ash was brilliant during that match with Aaron. But compared to his previous matches, Serena felt like something was different. Ash wasn't battling with the usual fervor and zeal. He didn't shine down on the field as he had in all his previous battles that she witnessed.

"I'm not smiling…big deal," Ash said with a shrug. But Serena wouldn't let him brush it aside.

"You didn't smile during the battle with your dad," Serena pointed out.

"So what?"

"Don't try to downplay it, Ash, this is a big deal," Serena retorted, but she kept her composure. "For as long as I've known you, anything involving Pokemon would always put this stupid grin on your face," Serena gave a small chuckle at the thought. "It's so obvious how much you love Pokemon. You're a great person as is, Ash, but Pokemon and battling, and all of that stuff seems to make you an even better person. You're so passionate about it that even though other people may not approve of you being a trainer, you've convinced all of us that this is what will make you truly happy."

Serena paused for a few moments and studied Ash's expression. He softened somewhat as he awaited her confusion.

"So, when I see you go through an entire battle and you don't even smile, I'm going to be concerned," Serena continued. "Are you losing interest in it or something like that?"

"Losing interest? Where are you getting all this from?" Ash asked in return.

"I know there's something between you and your dad," Serena went on. "That's your business and I understand that…but I don't like the fact that it's robbing you of something you love."

Ash furrowed his brow as he looked down.

"W-What are you talking about?" He asked incredulously.

"You said it yourself, you've been chasing your dad to get something from him, I don't know what," Serena added. "But clearly that took priority over everything else, and I don't think that's healthy for you. Especially if you're sacrificing the things you love."

Ash placed a hand on his lap and gripped the leg of his pants tightly.

"I haven't changed my priorities at all," Ash stated indignantly. "I've been working towards my dad for ages. This is nothing new."

"The way you're acting is definitely new," Serena interjected. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say it's like you forgot what you truly love trying to find something you don't need."

Ash's eyes shot up to her with a glare and it felt as though a fissure opened up between them.

"How would you know what I don't need?" He asked vehemently. Serena heard the change in his tone, but that wouldn't stop her.

"Don't you see it, Ash?" She asked him in return. "You're changing, and not for the better. Whatever you're trying to get from your dad, it's not doing good things for you,"

"Look, Serena," Ash cut her off as he slapped the table. His half-empty cereal bowl shook for a moment before Ash continued. "This is none of your business. I don't need you questioning what I'm doing."

"That…right there is your problem," Serena said sternly. "You can't shut everyone out like this. That's why we're all worried."

"Then don't be!" He snapped at her. "None of you can understand what I'm feeling right now!"

"That's why I want you to talk to me!"

Ash rose from his seat abruptly.

"Serena, I don't want to talk about this. Is that so hard to understand?"

"Closing yourself off is a mistake, is that so hard to understand?" Serena challenged him as she jumped to her feet. "You've got friends and family who care about you. We want to help, but we can't help if you won't tell us about the problem."

"It's not a problem you can help with!" Ash shouted at her. "You won't understand…"

"You're the only person…"

"This is something that only I can do," Ash stated.

"You don't have to tackle these things by yourself," Serena insisted. "I'm trying to help you."

"Ugh, you just don't get it! Are you even listening to yourself?" Ash wasn't holding back anymore. He was yelling, and the whole house could hear him. "You want me to talk, but you're not listening to me right now! Drop it, Serena! Just drop it!"

He brushed past her, but Serena grabbed onto his wrist to prevent him from leaving. Ash looked back at her and his nostrils flared.

"Serena, let go of me," He whispered and Serena felt her chest become tight. Her fears about Ash were becoming a reality.

"Where are you going?"

He stared at her for a moment, then he looked down at her hand that held him tightly.

"Let go."

He was heading to a place where she couldn't follow him.

She released her hold on him and he turned to leave.

Serena watched him from the entrance of the kitchen as he went to the front door. Pikachu came out of the living room to talk to Ash as he put on his shoes, but Ash paid his partner no mind and left as soon as he could. Pikachu scampered back into the living room and Serena followed him.

She found him up on the windowsill with his face pressed against the glass to watch Ash as he went off down the street.

"Pi-kachuuu…" Pikachu muttered as Serena joined him by the window. Her arm brushed against his tail as they watched Ash go through the window, and her heartbeat became deafening in her ears. "He's making me really nervous."

It was a little voice she heard that came from…

"Pikachu?" Serena exclaimed as she looked at the small Pokemon. Pikachu looked up at her.

"Pika?" He asked and tilted his head.

"I…I heard you," She stammered. "S-speak in English. Wait, was that you?"

Serena looked around the room, but it was just the two of them.

"Pi?" Pikachu paused for a moment and looked out the window once more. Then he nodded. "It's because you love Ash as much as I do."

Serena's eyes became wide.

"I don't know what to do," Pikachu admitted. "But we have to save Ash from himself…before it's too late."

---

Tuesday, June 13th

Ash gave a sigh of relief as he took one last look at the cafeteria of North Vermilion High School. The usual lunch tables had been folded and moved to storage so that this room could be used to host the final exams. At least two hundred desks occupied the cafeteria, some of them still occupied with seniors as they scribbled away at their literature final.

Satisfied with his answers and the essay he wrote, Ash turned in his test and silently said farewell to his high school life. It was all over.

Ash whipped out his phone to check the time. There was still almost forty-five minutes before the bus arrived to take him home. Considering this would likely be his last time at the school, he considered the idea of stopping by Fantina's room since she wasn't a proctor for the exams today.

However, that idea was interrupted by a certain bluenette who was waiting for Ash outside of the cafeteria.

"Hey, Ash!" She exclaimed as he stepped out into the corridor. Ash gave her a small wave as a greeting before she continued. "I haven't seen you in a while so I decided to wait for you since this was your last final."

"Oh, that's nice," He said as they began to walk together.

"I was heading to Ms. Fantina's room to pay her a visit, care to join me?" Dawn offered politely as she shot him a smile. Ash felt a shiver run up his spine as Dawn's little grin reminded him of Malcolm.

"Uh, I was actually heading to the library," Ash replied as he looked away from her. "I already said goodbye to Ms. Fantina yesterday."

"Oh, I get it," Dawn said with a nod. "It would be awkward to show up the next day."

"Y-yeah," Ash agreed as he gave a weak chuckle.

"So, I don't know if you heard, but I was selected to give a little speech at the graduation ceremony!" Dawn revealed as she beamed with pride.

Ash raised his brow as he looked back at her.

"That's awesome," He noted.

"If you don't mind, could listen to some of it for a few minutes?"

"Sure, why not," Ash said after a few moments.

Together they went to the library, though they were a little surprised to learn that the library was heavily occupied. It was too hot outside for the students to wait for the buses, so most if not all of them came to the air conditioning in the library as a haven until it was time to head home. Fortunately, Ash and Dawn found a secluded table far off in the corner where Dawn could speak freely.

She fished a notebook out of her backpack and flipped to the back pages where Ash could see that she'd written a small essay. Dawn took a moment to scan the paper before took in a deep breath.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, considering that we've all adorned a cap and gown, we all know that today is a very special day. For many of us, it marks the culmination of four years of hard work, whether that's time spent studying for tests, practicing sports, or forging friendships," Dawn paused for a moment and looked to Ash. He raised his brow before she returned her gaze to her paper. "But as we take a step into uncharted territory, we have even more things to consider. What kind of job do I want? Do I want to get married or should I stay single? I could go on, but I think you get the point. We have big decisions ahead of us, but it's not something that we should be afraid of. These are now decisions that we'll be trusted to make on our own. We're no longer kids who need direction. Or teenagers who need guidance. Now we're adults who listen to the experience of those who came before us and use that to make an informed decision. That's not always going to be easy, but each decision we make will be a chance to make a difference…"

Ash's vision became unfocused as he heard Malcolm's voice overlay Dawn's.

He didn't hear the rest of her speech. His mind drifted back to the night of his match with Aaron, and Malcolm's proposal afterward.

"He is the one who can pave the way to a better world for trainers and it starts with this…"

"Unification."

"This is your chance to make a difference."

Malcolm was using him.

Malcolm didn't care about making things better for trainers. He wanted to control everything to push his own agenda. He was a Mightyena in Mareep's clothing. A man who preached philanthropy but in truth was a selfish monster.

"What did you think, Ash?" Dawn asked and that dragged him back to reality.

"It was…it was good, Dawn," He answered after a moment.

"Oh, thank god," She breathed out in relief. "That's such a relief! I haven't let anyone hear this yet."

"You're going to do fine," Ash assured her. "Now, don't you want to go see Ms. Fantina?"

"Yeah, I had one more quick question for you," Dawn said as she began to put away her notebook. Ash shifted uncomfortably in his chair as he waited. "I'm curious but…have you given any thought to my offer?"

"Offer?" Ash repeated as he creased his brow.

"To go to prom with me," Dawn clarified and Ash lowered his head immediately.

"Uh…right, I'm sorry, I didn't forget or anything it's," Ash paused. "I actually feel like it would be best if you went with someone else."

He refused to meet Dawn's gaze, but based on the tremor in her voice, he was certain that she wasn't happy with his answer.

"Are you sure…?" She asked him one last time.

"It's not you, Dawn," Ash continued. "This is entirely me. I have all of this stuff going on and I don't think I'd be a fun date. I'll ruin the night for you and I really don't want to do that."

"I um, I understand," Dawn said as she snatched up her backpack and rose to her feet. "Will I see you at graduation then?"

"I hope…" That was all Ash could say.

Dawn bid him a farewell, but Ash didn't even watch her go. His focus went elsewhere from the moment of her departure.

"There's still a part of me, deep down, that wants nothing more than to see that man face justice for everything that he's done."

Justice.

Ash opened up a web browser on his phone and searched for a definition of justice.

"The maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments," Ash read quietly, then he shook his head.

That didn't help.

He changed his search criteria to examples of justice, searching for the subject that Casey brought up at dinner last week.

He traveled back through history and entered the feudal era through a very popular article. Using various references and texts found in the Johto region that dated back several centuries, a picture of the shattered remnants of the region was painted in Ash's mind. Constant warfare ravaged the land, taking all of the men from their homes which left their villages unprotected against the marauders that lived in the mountains.

They raided the villages and plundered them for everything they possessed. They claimed the lives of those who attempted to stand against them. When the wars came to an end and the warriors returned, they found their homes in shambles. Many lost their families, wives, or children to the marauders. The warriors sought justice and banded together. They ventured up to the marauder camps within the mountains and slaughtered them all.

Justice…no, this was revenge.

The article reasoned on the motivation of the warriors. Marauders plagued Johto's history during the feudal era, to the point in which every village trained their men to defend against an attack. It wasn't simple vengeance for those they lost. Former generations were affected by the presence of those marauders, and future generations would continue to be threatened by them.

It wasn't revenge. It was to protect those that they loved and to ensure that they could have a secure future.

Justice?

Ash closed the article and set his phone down on the table.

Did his father want revenge on Malcolm…or was he trying to protect everyone else?

"There were Pokemon locked inside…They were restrained, drugged, suppressed,"

"There's a tunnel that stretches across Kanto called Diglett's Cave…Malcolm is expanding it to create a network of tunnels."

"He's building something called the Safari Zone…it's some kind of place for them to be captured for sport or auctioned to the highest bidder."

"We've been trying to stop him for years, but there's only so much we can do."

"If we don't stop him…he's going to destroy everything!"

"He killed your mother! He killed Cassidy's husband!"

"Are you really going to sit idly and let that man get away with this?"

Ash massaged his temple for a moment before he raised his head.

"The assignment of merited…punishments," Ash said softly.

This was to protect everyone.

The Pokemon and trainers that Malcolm was using!

Just like how he used Ash.

Ash reached for his phone and went into his call history. He looked for a number that he called once in the past back in March.

His father.

Ash quickly looked around to see if anyone was in earshot. Once he was certain it was clear, he called his father and placed his phone against his ear. It rang for thirty seconds, and as expected, it went to Aaron's voicemail.

"Hey dad, it's Ash again," Ash began. He took a deep breath before he continued. "I've decided that…I'm willing to help you. Call me back when you want to talk about this."

---

He became numb.

The next few days passed without him really noticing.

---

Thursday, June 15th

His next conversation with his father was short, and it happened in the middle of the night. It was barely past midnight, but Ash was still wide awake as he rested on his bed when his phone began to vibrate on his nightstand. If it was at any other point in the day, Ash wouldn't have bothered to check, but only Aaron or Malcolm would try to contact him at this hour.

There was no listed contact for this number, but Ash recognized it. It was indeed his father.

"I got your message," Was Aaron's greeting. "I'm glad you changed your mind."

Ash didn't really know how to proceed with the subject, but thankfully, Aaron took charge.

"It's going to take about a week to get things in place," Aaron went on. "I have a contact near Malcolm, but he's been too close to do anything himself. He's going to help you get into position."

"So…what do I have to do?" Ash asked.

"I can't tell you yet, but Malcolm is going to contact in the new few days. Whatever he asks you to do, just go along with it." Aaron explained. "He's going to give you a date, and you have to come to my place to talk one last time."

Aaron didn't even say goodbye before he hung up the phone.

Once Ash set his phone back down on the nightstand, he looked at his empty hands and saw that his fingers were trembling.

Could he follow through with this?

"To create a secure future for everyone…" Ash muttered.

He clasped his hands together tightly and ignored the sweat on his palms.

"And protect those that I love."

---

Everything fell into place.

When he got the phone call from Malcolm, there was no turning back.

---

Monday, June 19th

It was a voice message that prompted Ash to call Malcolm. Of all the things to do, Ash left his phone on vibrate the night before and missed the call. So, he got into contact with Malcolm first thing in the morning.

The sky was well lit as the sun began to separate itself from the horizon. But even at this time of the morning, Ash could imagine Malcolm seated in his conference room, slowly plotting the rise of his empire. And as expected, Malcolm answered his phone immediately.

"Ash, it's good to hear from you," Malcolm began as a greeting. Hearing his voice caused Ash's eyes to widen and he could feel his chest grow tight.

He was speaking to the man that killed his mother.

Ash could feel his hand begin to tremble, so he tightened his grip on his phone as Malcolm continued.

"I haven't had any time to speak with you since your last match," Malcolm continued. "Nor have I had an opportunity to contact Charles, but it seems like he hasn't been able to organize another battle with the Five Kings yet."

"Charles hasn't…" Ash paused for a moment and cleared his throat. "Charles hasn't called me either. And I've been a little busy myself."

"That's fine, but will you be available later this week?" Malcolm inquired which caused Ash to raise his brow.

"When exactly?"

"From Friday night to Sunday morning,"

"Is something happening?" Ash asked.

"I'm planning a brief business trip to Lavender Town. One of my associates has been scouting trainers there for the underground circuit, and he found a promising prospect that I was told to come to see for myself," Malcolm explained ruefully. "This would be an excellent way for you to learn your role as ambassador by joining me to meet this trainer."

"Um…" Ash wrinkled his nose as he took a moment to consider the offer.

"I understand that you don't want to leave your family," Malcolm interjected. "That's why I thought a short trip like this would be more appropriate."

Ash still wasn't convinced, and Malcolm took his silence as a cue to continue.

"Of course, I know your graduation is coming up as well," Malcolm pointed out thoughtfully. "I have no intention of making you miss that, and I have to be there with my wife for Dawn."

Ash's gaze grew narrow as he took a hold of his shirt with his free hand and grasped it tightly. Then he exhaled deeply before he began to speak.

"Why not, I mean, it's two days," Ash reasoned, and he was certain that Malcolm donned his usual smirk.

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear," Malcolm exclaimed. "Come meet me at my home on Friday evening at seven o'clock sharp. We'll be leaving then."

"Alright, I'll see you then,"

---

The rest of the week was a blur.

He could hardly remember the time between that phone call and when he found himself standing outside of his father's apartment again.

---

Friday, June 23rd

4:17pm.

Top floor. Apartment ten.

The last time Ash was here, he didn't pay close attention to the poor condition of the building. There was evidence of Pokemon battles throughout the hallways, scratch marks, burns, dents, and even large holes in the walls. He couldn't imagine why someone would be battling on the top floor of a building, but he could hardly focus on that.

As Ash arrived at the entrance to his father's apartment, he raised his hand to the doorknob, but before he could take a hold of it, a blue aura surrounded it. The small device performed its only function without Ash, and the door swung open which sent a chill up his spine. Kadabra was waiting on the other side, and he raised one eyebrow before he invited Ash to step in.

The psychic Pokemon shut the door once Ash inside, and a call from the living room gained Ash's attention. It was Aaron's voice.

"You can come in here, Ash," Aaron announced.

The first thing Ash saw was the kitchen, and it was out of sorts. The shattered remains of several dishes and glass were scattered across the floor, some of it was hidden beneath the doors of the cupboards that must have been ripped off their hinges. Ash furrowed his brow at the state of the kitchen before he ventured into the living room and his eyes grew wide at the sight of it.

Everything was in disarray. The sofas were flipped, cushions tossed about and the plaster of the walls was dented or broken in several areas, far more than the last time Ash was here. But, in the middle of the messy scene was Aaron's center table with a black case resting on it. His father sat in front of the table, looking at him with visible bags beneath his eyes.

"Thanks for coming," Aaron welcomed him whether a gesture for Ash to sit on the other side of the table. Ash had to push aside a small lampstand before he could take a seat. "I'm sure you must be wondering what's expected of you."

Ash gave a nod as he got settled on the floor and Aaron continued.

"Truthfully, not much," Aaron answered, and Ash knit his brow.

"How?"

"All you have to do…" Aaron placed his hand on the case between them. "Is deliver this case to Malcolm's car tonight."

Ash looked down at the box and eyed it wearily.

"Is it…a bomb?"

"No," Aaron replied dryly. "I don't have those kinds of connections."

"What's in it?"

"You'll learn the answer later tonight," Aaron stated. "You have to get it into the car and remember to look out for Ariana."

"Ariana?" Ash repeated. "Who is-"

"Just remember that name," Aaron interjected and Ash furrowed his brow.

"Alright, and after that?"

"We'll walk that road when we get there,"

Ash met his father's grim gaze once more and his ears popped. The pulse of his heartbeat rang out, and his father's wings became visible. Ash bit down on his lower lip as he studied their appearance.

They were being choked. The black chains held his wings against his back more tightly than ever before. Ash looked back to his dad who held a neutral expression. He was suffering…but Aaron hid it well.

Aaron followed Ash's gaze and his eyes widened somewhat.

"You see them too, don't you?" Aaron whispered.

"See…who?"

"Not who," Aaron said as he shook his head. "The wings. You see them on other people, right?"

Ash held his breath.

"I figured as much," Aaron commented. "I see them too…"

"You can?"

"Yeah, I've always been able to," Aaron confessed as he looked at Ash. "I remember seeing your wings the day you were born. It felt as though you were destined for something special…but look at the mess I dragged you into."

For the first time since his arrival, Ash saw a bit of life appear on his father's face. A vein bulged on his forehead and his jaw became tight. Aaron raised a hand, closed it into a fist, and dropped it down onto the wooden table. It shook from the blow while Aaron bit down on his lip to ignore the jolt of pain that flashed up his arm.

"It wasn't supposed to be this way," His father's voice became strong, fueled by his fury as his hands began to tremble. "You weren't supposed to follow me on this path…those wings of yours, they weren't supposed to be wasted on something like this!"

Aaron grabbed the edge of the table and threw it to the side angrily. Ash fell backward in shock as Aaron jumped to his feet with a shout, but the table and the case became frozen in midair. A blue aura held these items and Kadabra stepped into the living room with one hand raised. Aaron looked to his partner with wild eyes.

Kadabra's eyes became veiled in the same blue aura and Aaron's eyes followed suit. The tension and anger around his father became subdued as he sunk back down to his knees. Using Psychic, Kadabra placed the table back down in its original location and set the black case down in front of Ash.

Aaron was given a few moments for his composure to return. As the man relaxed, a tear escaped from his eyes and he looked away from Ash.

"I'm sorry," Aaron muttered. "I must look pathetic to you,"

"No," Ash replied. "You don't…You've spent all this time trying to fight that man,"

Aaron became the leader of the Red Skulls to free the Pokemon that Malcolm captured.

"Malcolm is using everyone around him…"

The White Lotus, the underground circuit, Charles Goodshow…

"And he's hurt so many people,"

Butch, Cassidy, Aaron, and Delia…

"If I'm the only one that can make this happen," Ash picked up the black case and held it tightly. "Then I'll get this to where it needs to be."

Aaron looked to Ash and a tear escaped from his eye.

"Don't lose yourself in my battle,"

---

Those would be the final words that Ash would hear from his father.

---

Hun gave Ash a ride back home. They didn't talk at all during the drive. Ash simply spent the time staring up at the sky. It was overcast, to the point where it almost felt oppressive. But Ash embraced the solemn mood that it created as if the weather itself knew what was going to take place.

It was five-thirty when Ash returned home with his newly acquired item hidden within his backpack. He bid one last farewell to Hun before he entered his home. Once he removed his shoes, he found Casey laying on one of the couches with her earplugs in. When she caught sight of him in the doorway, she removed on to speak with him.

"Where is everyone?" Ash inquired.

"Cassidy had a doctor's appointment at four. Shauna said they would be back around six," Casey responded, and Ash gave her a nod.

"Alright, I'll be up in my room,"

As Ash began to climb the staircase, he recalled the uncertainty that he saw in his father. Even though Aaron was orchestrating this, he didn't know how everything was going to play out. But Ash was fully committed to seeing this through…no matter the cost.

He wasn't sure if he would have to leave Vermilion City and go into hiding, so he began to prepare after he called his father last week.

Ash reached the corridor of the second floor and spotted Pikachu sleeping on his small bed outside of his room. Pikachu rose at the sound of Ash's footsteps and came to greet him. Ash gave his partner a small wave but continued into this room. He went over to his bed and kneeled to reach under it. The duffle bag that he kept hidden beneath his bed months ago was filled with a change of clothes and some other necessities for his 'trip' with Malcolm.

Silently, Ash opened up his backpack to take out the black case and set it down on his bed. He didn't get much time to examine it when he first received it, but it was one of those briefcases with a number lock on the side. It required a three-digit code to unlock it which caused Ash to furrow his brow. Why would his dad give him this without the code to open it?

Ash pursed his lips for a moment. Aaron did say that he only had to deliver it. He didn't mention opening it and he didn't bother to answer what would happen once it was opened. With a sigh, Ash shook his head and transferred the case to his duffle bag. As he set it down within the bag down, Ash felt his hand brush against an item he kept hidden away in the bag. It was a small gift that he bought for Macy last week, a silver necklace with a circular locket. Something for her to remember him by in case…he didn't come back.

Ash sat down on his bed and took one last gander at his room. Then his eyes settled onto Pikachu who was watching him curiously from the floor.

"Pika," Pikachu asked. "Pikapi?"

"I've been meaning to talk to you, Pikachu," Ash said as he scratched at the back of his neck.

"Pi?"

"Well…I'm going away for a while," Ash went on. "And I can't take you with me."

"Pika-chu?" Pikachu asked as he lowered his brow.

"I don't want anyone getting involved in this," Ash explained as he looked away from his partner. Pikachu could sense a sudden change in Ash's demeanor. The darkness that was festering Ash intensified. "I have to do this alone."

"Chuuu, Pika," Pikachu suggested but Ash shook his head.

"No, you can't come," Ash stated adamantly.

"Pikapi?"

"Because you don't understand what I'm going through," Ash answered him. "This isn't something that we can do together. This is something I have to do for me."

Pikachu looked up at him, his eyes unyielding.

"I feel everything that you feel," Pikachu said in return. "And you've been letting this change you. I loved Delia too, but I-"

"No, Pikachu," Ash said. "It doesn't hurt you the way it hurts me. I have to do this."

"Pika," Pikachu replied as he stood his ground.

"You can't stop me," Ash looked down at his partner grimly before he stood up. Pikachu fell to the floor as Ash grabbed the handles of his duffle bag and began to walk toward the exit of his room.

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted as one final warning. Ash didn't bother to look back, though he wished that he had. There was a sudden spike of pain from his side as Pikachu tackled with the force he generated through a Quick Attack. Ash was sent to the floor with a thud and he landed awkwardly on his shoulder, but he ignored the pain.

When he looked up, he saw Pikachu standing in front of the doorway, his tail raised and electricity crackling from his cheeks.

"I won't let you go…" Pikachu declared. "I'll stop you if I have to!"

Ash grit his teeth and forced himself back to his feet as he shot a glare at Pikachu. The small Pokemon threw himself into Ash's chest again, but Ash was only forced back one step from this.

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted.

Ash took another step and Pikachu leaped at him again. This time there was more force and Ash stumbled backward.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu warned him, and Ash could see tears well up in his eyes.

"You're not stopping me," Ash said and Pikachu bit down on his lower lip in frustration. His cheeks crackled and Ash called his bluff. He took a step forward, ready to brush past Pikachu, but he was met with a lightning bolt.

Ash was knocked to the floor, but he refused to yield. He groaned as he held his head, but as he saw Pikachu blocking the doorway, his nostrils flared.

"Back down, Pikachu," Ash growled as he stood up to challenge Pikachu once more. As he got settled on his feet, Pikachu cried out and another Thunderbolt collided with Ash, but he was able to keep his footing this time. He glared at Pikachu and took another step forward.

In response, Pikachu upped the voltage. Ash's eyes grew wide as he felt the jolt travel through his body and he dropped to the floor once again. His arms were tingling, but his determination knew no bounds. He raised his head from the floor to look at Pikachu, and he saw the glittering tears of his Pokemon falling against the hardwood.

"Pika," Pikachu begged him softly.

With a grunt, Ash propped himself up on his elbow and slowly, he got back onto his feet. This time, he changed his course and made his way over to the nightstand beside his bed. Each step was agonizing as he fought to keep his balance, but as he reached the nightstand, Ash pulled open the drawer on it and reached in. Pikachu's eyes grew wide with disbelief as Ash pulled out his Pokeball.

"I'm sorry, Pikachu," Ash muttered as he aimed the device at Pikachu.

Pikachu acted first and fired off another Thunderbolt. Through his many months of watching Pikachu practice, Ash was able to distinguish the size of this one. It was a large and heavy bolt. His eyes widened and he crossed his arms in front of his chest as he waited for the impact.

Ash's senses became acute, sharpened to the highest degree as Pikachu's Thunderbolt enveloped his body. But it-it didn't hurt. It wasn't an attack…it was a connection. He could feel Pikachu's heartache. It was a situation that no one wanted to be in.

Pikachu wanted what Ash wanted…but he didn't want to lose Ash in the process.

"I loved Delia too…"

"That's why I have to do this," Ash muttered as he extended his arm again and took aim with the Pokeball. "Return."

The red light swallowed Pikachu and snatched him into the Pokeball. It began to shake violently in Ash's hand, but Pikachu was unable to escape. Ash looked down the trembling device and peered into this piece of technology to see Pikachu within it.

Pikachu looked up at him and reached out toward Ash with his small paws, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I…I don't want to say goodbye,"

"You have to let me go, Pikachu," Ash said one more time.

He raised the Pokeball and touched it against his forehead. Ash shut his eyes as he felt Pikachu's heartache resonate within him, and finally, the Pokeball stopped shaking. When Ash opened his eyes, he saw Pikachu turn away from him and then fade from his sight.

Ash steeled himself as he lowered Pikachu's Pokeball.

Ash gave a sigh as he looked up at the ceiling. It took all his strength to blink back his own tears before he looked to the clock on his nightstand.

It was already five forty-five. He didn't have much time.

He grabbed his duffle bag as well as Macy's locket and went downstairs. He held onto the banister tightly as he went downstairs. His legs were still a little numb from the Thunderbolts he received. When he made it down to the first floor, he went back into the living room and slowly approached Casey.

She removed her headphones once again and set down her phone to speak with him.

"What were you doing upstairs?" She asked him.

"I was…moving some stuff around," Ash replied quietly. "I have to head out, but I wanted to give you something before I go."

Casey looked at him skeptically as he sat upright on the couch and he stooped down to be at eye level with her.

"Where are you going?"

Ash ignored her question and lifted the locket for her to see.

"This is for Macy. I want you to give it to her when she gets back for me, alright?"

Casey accepted the necklace and sent a curious glance back at her brother.

"What's this for?"

Ash didn't answer her. Instead, he placed Pikachu's Pokeball in her other hand.

"And I want you to look after Pikachu," Ash added and Casey seemed to catch on. Ash's withdrawn behavior over the last few weeks, it wasn't without cause. He just refused to share it, and he was still acting the same way.

"Wait, slow down," She demanded. "Where are you going?"

"I have to go…somewhere," Ash replied as he stood up again.

"Well, when are you getting back?" She asked as he turned to leave. Casey jumped to her feet and pursued him to the front door. Her heart began to race as she held the objects that Ash gave her.

"You…you told me to trust you when everything was bad," Casey pointed out, and Ash froze for a moment. "Should I trust you here? Are you really going to come back?"

"I…" Ash didn't dare look back at her. "I don't know."

With an inward sigh, Ash reached for the doorknob. Once he stepped out of that door, there wouldn't be any more opportunities to turn back.

He took a breath and went forward, but Casey latched onto him. Her two skinny arms encircled his lower torso and she buried her face in the back of his shirt.

"Don't go," She begged him softly.

It took a moment for Ash to wiggle himself free from her grip, but he finally turned back to her. He didn't make eye contact, but he placed his hand on top of her head for reassurance.

"I have to…but," He paused for a moment and breathed. "I'll be back one day, I promise."

Ash left her and she only went as far as the front steps as she watched him go.

---

He stopped at Brock's house. It was nothing more than a thirty-second visit.

Lola greeted him at the door and Ash placed an envelope in her hands with the instruction to give it to Brock.

That gave him enough time to catch a bus to take him across town to the east side.

Diglett's Boulevard.

---

Ash sat quietly at the back of the bus. It was fairly crowded with people heading at the end of the workweek. The chatter between the passengers and the roar of the engine gave Ash little choice but to put on some music through his phone.

But as he traveled across town, text messages and phone calls piled up.

Two calls from Cassidy, both of which he ignored. Then came a text message from Shauna

'Casey said you went out. Are you going to be back for dinner?' – Shauna.

Ash stared at the screen of his phone blankly. But before he could even think about giving Shauna a response, a text arrived from Serena.

'Just checking in. Are you feeling alright today?' – Serena.

He closed the messaging application on his phone and turned up his music. Even as it blasted through his headphones, it could barely compete with the roaring engine of the bus whenever the driver stepped onto the accelerator. He closed his eyes to shut out the noise altogether.

"You stopped smiling,"

When?

"Anything involving Pokemon would always put this stupid grin on your face,"

When did he…?

"Are you losing interest in it?"

When did he let something else supersede…?

"You said it yourself, you've been chasing your dad for something…but clearly that took priority over everything else,"

His love for Pokemon?

Ash opened his eyes as he felt the bus surge forward. With a quick glance out the window, he saw that they merged onto the thruway that would take them to the east side. Only a few fore more minutes.

Before he could become absorbed in his thoughts once again, his music was shut off and in its place was his phone's ringtone. He looked down at the device and saw that a call was incoming. His screen displayed a picture of Brock. With a sigh, Ash waited until Brock was sent to his voicemail, and in time, his phone chimed with a new voice message for him. Ash paused his music before it could resume and played the message that was left from Brock.

"Hey, Ash, what's going on?" Brock demanded right out of the gates. "My mom gave me that envelope you dropped off and I read the note you sent me. Why are you giving me all your money? I'm coming to your house to give back your debit card and we're going to talk for a bit. See you."

Ash looked up at the ceiling of the bus, his mind adrift in questions.

What sent him down this path?

His hunger for the truth about his mother?

Was that search necessary, or nothing but a selfish ambition?

His phone buzzed in his hand again and it dragged him back to reality. He looked at it once more and saw that it was a text message from Dawn.

She sent him a picture of their gang of friends at prom night. Dawn, May, Drew, and Nando stood around their final art project for Ms. Fantina. Drew gave the camera a wink, May flashed a peace sign, Nando wore a smirk that embodied his usual composure, and Dawn…

She looked at the camera with a crooked smile on her face. Her smile didn't have the usual sincerity, though her next message offered an explanation as to why.

'Sorry you missed this; thought you might appreciate a few pictures from tonight.' – Dawn.

Ash stared intently at Dawn's face. She didn't intend to smile in such a fashion, but her shape her lips took on reminded Ash of Malcolm. He shut off his phone screen and took a breath.

"I'm sorry Dawn," Ash said softly as he looked out the window. Raindrops began to hit the glass as the sky rumbled. "It's better this way."

"Next stop, Diglett's Boulevard!"

---

Rain was in the forecast.

Thankfully, it looked like Ash would beat it.

He sprinted through light drizzle and cursed at how massive each property was on this street. The Berlitz Estate was one of eight homes on Diglett's Boulevard, yet it took ages to reach it on foot.

The sky boomed above him as the threat of a full-on downpour grew larger by the moment. As he rounded the bend, the stone wall that surrounded Dawn's home came into view, and Ash could see that there was a car waiting at the end of the driveway. The same luxury car that he rode once before with Dawn and May.

As Ash grew closer, the back door of the car opened and Malcolm's guard stepped out of the car. Despite being dressed in a very sharp black suit, the guard didn't care one bit that he was in the rain.

"Ash has arrived," He announced as Ash came skidding to a halt in front of him. The guard came around onto the sidewalk and made a gesture for Ash to stretch out his arms. Ash followed his instructions and the guard began a brief check of Ash. However, as he did so, the back window of Malcolm's car was lowered to reveal the owner of the vehicle.

"Let him in, we haven't got the time for this," Malcolm declared as he peered out of the window of his car. "Ash, get in the front here, we have to get moving!"

The guard stiffened noticeably before he stepped aside for Ash. The young man approached Malcolm and greeted him with a nod. The sight of him caused Ash's chest to grow tight, but he held a neutral expression.

"Sorry I'm late, the bus was behind schedule," Ash offered as an explanation.

"And so are we, hurry up and get in the front," Malcolm repeated his order and raised his window. Ash licked his lips as he looked to the handle of the passenger door. His heart raced as he drew close to the door and raised his hand.

The bag that hung from his shoulder felt as though there was suddenly a brick of lead within it.

"We have to kill him…"

Could he really follow through with this?

Ash looked back down Diglett's Boulevard from where he came to get here. He could walk away from it all.

"He killed your mother!"

Ash bit down on his lower lip and grasped at the strap of his duffle bag. He closed his hand around it tightly to the point where the veins in his forearm began to bulge.

"She was supposed to be there for you…he took all of it from you."

"This is…to protect everyone," Ash reasoned and he took a breath.

He opened the door and slid into the passenger seat. A familiar face was waiting for him in the front of the car, the butler of the Berlitz Estate. Darach.

The gentleman gave Ash a nod as he settled into his seat.

"Well hello, Ash, it's good to see you again," Darach commented as Ash set his bag down at his feet and put on his seatbelt.

"I could say the same," Ash replied before he glanced into the back of the car. He'd been in it once before, so the quality of the inside of this vehicle didn't catch him off guard. It was in phenomenal condition with fine upholstery and equipped with more technology than Ash noticed last time.

Malcolm was seated in the back, his eyes glued to a tablet that he held. Beside him was one of his guards who wore a pair of glasses and an earpiece to communicate with the rest of the team. Darach shifted the car into drive and fell in line behind one of the black vans that held Malcolm's security force. The second van stayed behind them as they began to roll down Diglett's Boulevard.

"I'm sorry again for being late, Mr. Berlitz," Ash apologized. Malcolm raised his head to make eye contact with Ash.

"I was hoping to make it to Lavendar Town before sunrise tomorrow," Malcolm commented. "We're a little behind schedule, but we should be alright. We'll likely spend a few hours at one of those awful rest stops on the way to sleep."

"Sounds fine to me," Ash said with a nod.

"So, Ash, have you decided which of the remaining Kings you'd like to battle next?" Malcolm inquired as he raised his brow and shot Ash a smirk.

At the sight of that expression, Ash chose to face forward again as he considered his options.

"I haven't really," Ash answered. "I was more interested in my dad than anyone else. But if I had to choose someone, I'd have to say either N or Volkner."

Malcolm chuckled inwardly and Ash could picture the mirth in his eyes.

"It's a shame N never challenged the remaining Kings; I was certain he could beat any of them. And then if you were to defeat him, everyone would have no choice but to submit…" Malcolm marveled at the prospect. "Ah, but that isn't the case. We'll have to dethrone each of them, one by one."

Ash wrung his hands together as he stared down at the duffle bag that rested on top of his feet. When exactly was he supposed to open that box? What was waiting in it for him? Was there a signal? Aaron told him next to nothing after giving him the box. Ash heard Darach clear his throat beside him, so he quickly averted his gaze to peer out the window instead.

"By the way, what's the plan when we get to Lavender Town?" Ash asked.

"There is a small area outside of the perimeter of the city where the trainers host their battles. Word has spread about a girl your age who's quite the trainer. It might be worth it to recruit her," Malcolm explained. "So, the plan is to observe, and based on your opinion, we may have an additional guest returning home with us."

"What's her name?" Ash inquired curiously.

"Sabrina…something," Malcolm muttered as he shrugged his shoulders. "There's a little bit of footage of her battling on the PokeHub under my account if you'd like to see something right now."

Ash was grateful for the small distraction as it made a few minutes pass. He was sure that the video of Sabrina would've been enchanting…if he watched it. Rather, his eyes continued to travel back to his duffle bag.

He replayed the battle twice, but in both instances, he barely laid eyes on the battle itself. With a groan, Ash shut off his phone and looked out the window again. Then that he realized how long he had his head down. They were driving among the tall trees of Route 11 already!

The rain was more intense, but Darach drove fearlessly. Ash looked at the passenger window, but it grew dark enough for him to see his own reflection in the glass. As he studied his face, he licked his dry lips and his throat became parched as questions swirled around his head.

What exactly was he supposed to do here?

An alarm sounded within the car, and Ash's blood turned cold. His vision blurred as he slowly turned his head toward Darach, wondering if the man had somehow figured him out. But as soon as the alarm started, it was silenced.

"Sorry," Malcolm interjected as he looked down at his phone. "I always forget that my phone will sync with the AI in this car. I have to take this call."

Malcolm raised the window at the center of the car to seal off the back from the front, which left Ash and Darach together. Darach took a moment to glance at the caller whose name was displayed on the dashboard of the car.

Ariana – Vanguard.

"Remember…Ariana,"

However, what drew Ash's attention was the name that followed as he recalled what Charles shared with him about that group of people.

'The Vanguard possess a way to strip a trainer of their Pokemon.'

It didn't surprise Ash at all that Malcolm would be associated with people like that.

But as Ash stared at the name on the dashboard, the screen turned green. He blinked as it now read 'autopilot engaged.' Ash looked to Darach as the man removed his hands from the steering wheel and turned to look at him.

"Well, Ash," Darach began, and Ash felt his chest grow tight as he latched onto an expression of stoicism. "When your name first popped up last year, I never imagined things would turn out quite like this."

"What are you talking about?"

"Ariana is our cue," Darach stated and Ash's eyes widened. He glanced back at the window that had been raised between the back and the front of the car. "Don't worry, its soundproof both ways."

"You're the one helping my dad?" Ash still kept his voice in a whisper. Darach gave a nod to confirm.

"And I believe you have something I've been waiting on," Darach said with a gesture toward the bag.

"Wait, so you know what's in the case?" Ash asked quietly as he reached down to unzip his bag. "Is it like poison or something like that?"

"No," Darach answered as he extended his empty hands toward Ash. "What's in it shouldn't matter. You've done your part."

"B-B-but," Ash stammered for a moment as he held the case. "Why do you want to kill Malcolm? You're his butler."

Darach's eyes darkened at the mention of his title.

"Exactly," Darach replied. "I've seen most, if not, all of the heinous acts that man has committed, or intends to carry out," Darach motioned for Ash to hand him the case. "Malcolm has hurt many people, many more than you would care to know about. What I'm about to do is undo all the damage that he's done."

Ash gripped the sides of the case tightly. In his hands was the life of Malcolm Berlitz. Once he placed this case in Darach's hands, Malcolm would soon meet his end. Did he have the right to determine someone's fate?

No…

But neither did Malcolm.

The constant back and forth in his head was brought to an end. A moment of clarity.

Ash met Darach's gaze and set the case in his hands.

Darach accepted the item and set it on his lap to input the code to unlock it.

"Did my dad tell you the code?" Ash asked softly.

"No," Darach shook his head. "I was told that A-V would be the key."

"A-V?"

"Ariana – Vanguard," Darach repeated and Ash looked back at the dashboard.

"How?"

"The first letter of each name," Darach elaborated as he spun the dial to put in each number. "Their number in the alphabet. One, twenty-two."

There was an audible click as the case unlocked, and Darach lifted the top to reveal its contents. It had a padded interior to hold the item in place. A dark-gray firearm.

Ash's eyes grew wide as Darach picked up this gun by its handle to weigh it in his hand. Then he opened the chamber to ensure that there was ammunition loaded. He snapped the chamber back into place and looked back to the console of the car.

"Get down further into your seat," Darach stated.

Ash drew in a few raspy breaths as he slid downward. This was it…

Darach placed his thumb against the switch for the middle window that separated the back and front of the car and lowered it partway.

"What kind of business do you think I'm running?" Malcolm sounded irate as they began to hear his discussion again, but he immediately took note of the window dropping to the point where Darach could look over it. "Darach, what are you doing, I'm in a meeting. If you need to talk to me, use the intercom."

"I'm sorry, sir, but not this time,"

Ash stared at Darach, his hands trembling as Darach lifted his arm over the window to aim the weapon into the back of the car.

There was another click, and what followed was a sound that only heightened Ash's panic. He pressed himself against the passenger seat, his heart in his throat. Then, he slowly turned his head to steal a glance into the back. The bodyguard that accompanied Malcolm was slumped over his seat with a red stain growing on his shirt from the bullet wound to his chest. Malcolm sat in his seat, bewildered at the sight of his butler held him at gunpoint.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Malcolm roared, but he practically swallowed his tongue as Darach moved his sights to him.

"I am not some fool! I'm well aware of everything you did to take possession of your estate!" Darach spat vehemently, tightly grasping the trigger of the weapon with his gloved hand. He abandoned the usual calmness and professionalism that personified him. Instead, his eyes were lived as he wore a wild stare! "I know that you had Lady Caitlin put to death because she wouldn't sell her property to you!"

Any rebuttal Malcolm had was silenced by the threat of the weapon.

Ash sucked in a breath of air as he recalled the portrait Darach showed him months ago. The beautiful brunette who previously owned the estate that was occupied by the Berlitz family…Malcolm was responsible for her untimely demise?! Ash looked into the backseat again, and the sight of Malcolm's pale face and trembling hands made him feel…good.

This crooked man was responsible for the death of his mother, for ruining his father's life, for denying Ash the opportunity to grow up with his parents! Everything that was wrong with his life was entirely because of the decisions that this man made! It was all his fault!

And yet…

'Don't lose yourself in my battle,'

Ash's humanity tugged at his heart.

'You've been letting this change you…'

"It's like you forgot what you truly love trying to find something you don't need…"

"You're changing, and not for the better."

"Whatever you're trying to get…it's not doing good things for you,"

Ash was forced to act.

He got a hand on the gun and pulled in an attempt to pry the weapon from Darach's grasp.

Why was he doing this?

Malcolm Berlitz destroyed everything that Ash cherished. He was deceptive, manipulative, and a murderer. He deserved to die! But out of the corner of his eye, Ash saw the bodyguard beside Malcolm, and that sight told him otherwise. Ash couldn't wish death upon anyone. An innocent life was lost in this already, and he couldn't bear the thought of knowing someone else would die because of him.

"W-What are you doing?!" Darach screamed at Ash as he tried to rip his arm loose. Malcolm began to scream into his phone with desperate pleas to 'Ariana.'

Ash didn't respond as he yanked hard at Darach's arm, and the action caused Darach to pull the trigger. Another shot rang out and Ash winced from the sudden assault on his ears. Darach took the opportunity to put an end to the struggle and raised his free hand to retaliate.

The blow to his head left Ash dazed, but he could still hear clearly.

"Your father didn't want you in any of this. You've done your part, Ash, goodbye."

Suddenly he heard a rush of wind as the car door beside him was thrown open. Then his world was sent spiraling out of control. Ash hit the ground shoulder first and screamed as he rolled against the concrete. His shoulder and torso flared from the pain and his clothes were quickly soaked from the heavy rainfall. It took a few moments for Ash to regain his bearings, but he was certain he heard another pair of gunshots in the distance.

Tires skidding.

The engine roared.

A crash.

Ash raised his head, his vision hazy. There was an orange glow…fire. Malcolm's car?

An approaching light gained his attention and he tried to turn his head, but his neck resisted the movement. He let his head drop back down to the ground, but he heard tires screeching as another car came to a halt.

---

A/N

Hello everyone, long time no see. I know I can only apologize so much, so I'll throw you a bone instead. I delivered on chapter today, and I'll post the next chapter next week. How does that sound? Pretty good right, because the last time I updated this story within a week of a previous update was mid-2018. This is a rare gift where the planets align. But in actuality, this chapter was complete since September, but the next one is special so I didn't want you to forget what took place here going into the next chapter. It'll go up at some point during the holiday weekend, so just be on the lookout for it.

I believe this is my new longest chapter. I somehow managed to top the last one, but this chapter was nuts! I hope you all enjoyed it. Leave comments, I'm more than happy to answer what I can without spoiling what's going to happen next.

Shoutout to MjrGenMatt for his help! And I will see you all again shortly!