Chapter 3: Storming Paradise, The Phoenix
So, two quick things for this chapter. Thing one is that I am trying something new with the POV labels at the beginning of sections. Thing two is that this chapter will be getting a little dark closer to the end so I must tell you that it may be rated M. This being, possible death, rape, and torture. However, it all ends with someone being a hero.
MT. Lanakila: Ula'ula island: Alola Ash POV
In Alola they say the region is only that cause of its beauty. A trainer can come to Alola to relax or battle on a new level of strength. The four islands hold the power of nature incarnate. And trainers chosen by the island guardians may use this power. The islands are also a place where, Coordinators who have lost their passion, to restore that same lost passion.
But for one trainer Alola, was home, and revival. Ash Ketchum stood on the mount Lanakila in the Alola region. He had a determined look on his face as he saw those that betrayed him make their way up the mountain. He smiled and took three steps back. He grabbed a pokeball from his side and enlarged it. "Let's give them an Alolan Welcome." He says as he rushes the side of the mountain before jumping off. As he falls the pokeball snaps open and Lunala appeared from the white.
They stop in front of the group and Ash tips his hat to them. "What are you doing, you could have been killed." Dawn says as Lunala begins to levitate in front of them. I look at them and use my aura to make my voice different. I definitely didn't need them knowing who I was. "Your right I could have. However, I have absolute trust in my pokemon." I say as I scratch Lunala on the head. "Lunala, here, would never have let me hit the ground, of course her psychic typing helps with that. And of course, the speed training I gave here." I say as Lunala gets closer to the ground. "Also, there is something that most people here in Alola have with their pokemon and that is an absolute bond." Finally noticing that my aura was making me sound like a native to the island. "Now, names Dallas, who are yawl, haven't seen you around here." I say in the same voice as Lunala lands on the ground. I then return her to her pokeball after jumping off her back. "Oh, all of us are here for the tournament, we are trying to be champions." I smirk at that as I tip my hat to them. "Well, be expecting you at the tournament, they call me the peoples champion as I am almost undefeated in recent years. So, I'll be seeing you around." I say as I pull out Solgaleo's pokeball and call it out. "Let's make the sun go around. Solgaleo." The Alchemic lion appears and I jump on its back. "Oh, and word to the wise, Alola is one of the biggest temptresses I have ever seen, it may look beautiful but every region has her secrets. Isn't that right Misty Waterflower." I say and begin to ride off. I knew I was in their heads now.
When I make it back up the mountain, I get off Solgaleo and return him to his pokeball. My friends were sitting and standing around a bench with pokemon out. Aaron was standing next to the bench with his Lycanroc (Midnight) out as he was checking him over.
"You ready for this Ash, once you enter that arena, there is no going back. It will be time to reveal yourself." Travis says to me. I look at him and then back at the group. "Travis, if I am revealed, you guys need to hide, Giovani will stop at nothing to have the legendaries, I need you all to hide and only come out when the ghost is clear, understand." I say as I see little Daniel and his Lilliepup run around Aphmau. "Sure, do and I will keep them safe if they do find us, after all we know how Giovani can be. If he wants something, he will stop at nothing to have it." I nod and walk towards the pokecenter and get ready to register myself.
When I got inside, I am met with the normal scene. A single nurse joy and her assistant pokemon, usually a Chancey or Wigglytuff. Sometimes and Audino. This one had a Comfey. "Welcome. How may I help you?" The nurse joy says to me. This is when I become nervous, I had been hidden from the world for almost 2 years now. If I came out of this hiding would my new family be in danger. Would the girls I love be in danger. Is there a chance that they have already been taken by Team Rocket and when I finally went to take them down for the final time, would I still be saving live people if they found out that raid on the island had failed?
"I'd like to enter into this tournament." I say as I hand her my pokedex. The nervousness still apparent, but now there was a confidence, if I revealed myself, I would be able to save them the moment that Giovanni revealed himself. I would be able to see them again.
"Thank you for registering, Mr. Lycan. You and your family will be staying in the Romeive mansion. (Props to those who get the reference for the mansion)" I nod and walk back outside. Travis nods to me and we all call out our ride pokemon. "Daniel, Logan, Dotty, you're with Ash." Aphmau says as I call out Solgaleo. "Hang on tight guys, Solgaleo only knows one speed." They all nod and I pat the lion's mane. Then we take off towards the mansion.
Top of the Mountain Dawn POV
When we reached the top of the mountain, I see that stranger and his lion pokemon again. Looking at the Pokemon, I could make out the possible typing. It was a steel type based on how the main stayed still as the Pokemon moved. It would also make since that this Pokemon may have been either a fire type or a psychic type as it seemed to have some psychic like abilities, including levitation and a strong sense of empathy as it seemed to truly understand its trainer's emotion,
However, what was truly bone chilling was the trainer. His amber eyes, the scars under his eyes, his messy raven black hair, the only thing that was missing was his Pikachu on his shoulder. A Pikachu that we killed two years ago. "Ash." I say to myself as the kid begins to ride on the back of the strange lion pokemon.
But how, we killed everyone on the island. That raid was supposed to be a way to remove a threat to Giovanni. Wait why did I care about what Giovanni's safety, or the safety of his plans. When did I start agreeing with him in his mission to rule the world?
Then everything hit me. What was really going on. I then began to panic, because that would mean that attack didn't work. He survived. That would mean that me and all of my friends were in danger. We were ready to kill Ash, why though, and what was this strange feeling in me. Like something that was leaving me. My mind was becoming clearer. Ash was in danger, and so were we if Giovanni found out he was still alive. I turned to May and see her with the same realization on her face. The others also have the same facial expression. The realization that we had done something horrible to our closest friend.
Romeive Mansion Ash POV
I arrive at the mansion and see that Aaron had outdone himself yet again. It was huge with enough room for all of us and then some. Lunala and Solgaleo had room to stretch out and walk the halls. "What are you guys waiting for, go and find your rooms." Aaron and Travis said as I booked it inside. I turn to the left at the end of the hall and begin to run up the strip of hall in front of me. I could almost feel at home here. I ran past room after room, looking for my room, when I saw it. It had the symbol of Arceus on it, and when I stopped, I heard someone squealing. Guessing it was Zane and KC I opened the door and saw that the room had an advanced PC system, meaning that I would never have to go to the pokecenter unless I wanted to for transfers. I had a single bed, because well you know. I lived on an island surrounded by married couples and there were no single women there. I was very lonely when I was on the island.
My gear was in the closet and I could see that I had a healing bay in there as well. There was a bathroom, so Aaron must have wanted me to stay in focus here. Wonder why. "Like its Ash, I figured you would want to stay hidden when you weren't battling and so that if they ever came after you, they would never be able to get far." I hear someone say behind me and see Aphmau standing at the door. "Yeah it's great Beta, but how did you guys get this set up." I ask as I point to the healing bay and PC. "Pokemon League gave them to us when they found out that you were with us." I nodded and sat at the PC. "Aph, am I ready for this, they are here and they know I am no longer a push around." I hear her hold in a giggle. "No idea if you are ready but, if it helps, we are all here for you." I nod, and boot up the PC. "I am going to gather some pokemon, maybe even grab one of the ones that Ivy gave me from Galar." I say as the welcome screen appears. "Alight but be prepared for them to have some powerful pokemon, team rocket is on their side." I nod as she leaves the room.
I select a few pokemon that I will need, either for training or just to find out what they can do. I then line my current pokemon on the transfer table and send them away. There is a flash of white and the new pokemon appears on the table. As I get the pokeballs, clipping to me belt, I get a since of Deja vu, I had done this in the Sinnoh League. Then I had a flash back to that league, all the fun I had with Dawn and the fun we had together. I finish my preparation for the night, then I leave. I needed to clear my head, and what better way than to train for the upcoming tournament. So, I went for a walk.
As I walk through the frozen woods that was the top of the mountain. I pull out a pokeball, this one had a bunny head on the top of the ball and had fire dancing around the bunny head. "Alright shake the ground, Scorbunny." I yell out as I throw the pokeball forward. It snaps open and reveals a small white bunny with fire red tipped ears. "Alright little one let me see what you can do." I say as he begins to run around and melt the snow away. "Alright so you seem to be pretty speed focused, okay so you may be of some help facing again the slower pokemon like Mamoswine." It nods and begins to run around again. "Alright Ivy, wasn't kidding you are pretty rowdy. You have more energy than a Lilliepup." I say as he comes back to my side. "Alright return for now, don't need for anyone to see you as you are my secret." I pull out his pokeball and return him.
"Alright Sobble, Hightide." I yell as I throw a pokeball forward. It snaps open, and with a flash of white a salamander like pokemon appears in the snow. "Sobble I want to see you and everything you have to offer." I say as the small chameleon pokemon. It seems super happy to see me. So happy that it starts to change colors and blend in with the snow. "Alight looks like you are something new to my arsenal, we'll have to train with that to become better a little more controlled." It nods and I pull out it's pokeball. "Return for now, we have a week to prepare." The red light connects it and it is sucked back into its pokeball.
"Ash is that really you." I turn to see May in the treeline. "Who's this Ash you speak of, I am Hydreian Lycan, from the Galar region." She looks at me and begins to tear up. "You were always a bad liar, look I found you so that's all that matters, I never meant to harm you, Giovanni was using this thing against us, some sort of ray that makes us think that you are weak and follow his every command." She says as she begins to break down into tears. "Glaceon broke me of it, she doesn't know how, but she did. The others they need help Ash. I hear them when the effects wear off, they are crying for forgiveness, they have fought for so long and every time they are broken of the will to fight then they are controlled again." She says. I didn't do anything; I didn't know what to do.
"I have a way to know if you are telling the truth, but you are coming with me, and if these people get hurt, you will feel my wrath." I say as I take her hand and begin to lead her to the mansion. All the way trying to get ahold of Travis, Lucinda, or Aaron. "Hello this is Aaron." I finally hear on Aaron's line. "Oh, thank Arceus, I need you to get a defensive area ready in case what I am about to do hits space Unova alright." I say as I make it to the back door. "May, this is your final chance to come clean, any sort of tracker is you currently controlled." She shakes her head and I pull her inside. "I think I figured out why my friends betrayed me." I say as I put her in a chair. "I need Lucinda and Travis here now." I say as Aaron calls them both down to us. "Tell them exactly what you told me May." I say as Lucinda and Travis sit in chairs across from May. "Alright Ash, So Giovanni, has been using some kind of ray to control me and all of Ash's old friends. When the effects begin to wear off, he drags us down to the room and does it again, he has been doing this for years for some of us. Others are new just starting a few month ago. They say they are from here in Alola; however, they are still fighting even now." She says as tears fall from her eyes again. "They tell us to do so many terrible things, they do so many terrible things. They break us, use some of us for things, others they turn into mindless soldiers for their cause. They did that to Max. that was the reason he shot you, they did it to me, I stabbed you, they used me Ash, they used me." She says adding new information.
I turn to my companions. "Is she telling the truth guys. Are those genuine." I say pointing to her tears as they fall. They nod and I fall to the floor. For two years, I have hated them. Two years that I wasn't fighting this. Children's minds are easiest to break. What have they done to Bonnie, and Max, what have they done to Dawn and May? They weren't power houses like the others, and for that matter, what have they used Iris for. She is higher than any of my friends as a champion level trainer, what have they done to my friends that are gym leaders or even those that became Trial Captains.
"How many do they have May." Travis says as he gets down to her level. He is calm and collected knowing that right now, anything could set off an aura bomb that could make the who island shake and tremble in its wake. "They have Brock, Misty, they had your mother, Ash, at one point however when she died, they disgraced her, she fought the longest and hardest, when they found out they had "killed you" she lost her will and died. They also have Annabel and Sabrina, however I don't know what they are doing to them, as the men don't touch them, and they don't do field work, Sabrina still runs the gym but she does so on auto pilot it appears. From Johto, they got someone but they don't talk about who, as even in mind control, they are still a little in control, but she is controlled still." She says as a glimmer of hope sparkles into her eyes.
"From Hoenn, they had me, Max, and Flannery, why they had her I don't know, and again she still runs the gym but it is on autopilot and she loses more than wins. But there is still room for her to win, most just do her gym last as the autopilot keeps her in a higher losing streak while she makes your life in the Hoenn region a little more difficult, mom and dad have already told me that I am to stay away from you." She says as he tears begin to dry. "That's not all either, in Sinnoh they only got Dawn, however they were trying to get ahold of Cynthia, Candice, Zoey, and Paul, however they weren't able to ultimately they did get Berry, and they also got another but again they don't tell us who it is." She says as she starts to name off random people that without Jessie and James being there they would have never known about.
"From Unova, they got Trip, Iris, Cillian, Elesa, Bianca, Skyla, and some girl named Hilda. They can't seem to break the last one however, and then last week they brought in another green haired kid, who they again are having issues breaking apparently, they can't seem to get past a firewall." She says as hope starts to spread through her. "May I only need to know one more region, who did they get from Alola." I say as everyone looks at me weird.
"They got a woman named Lusamine, who through her they corrupted the mind of her children Lillie and Gladion. After they were done with them, they were able to get five of the trial captains from the islands. They also got a guy named Guzma to help them out. Ash they all used to call out to you, apologies to you. They need help, please help them." I turned to Aaron. "May where is their base." I say as I turn. "They have a temporary one here in Alola. They said they were using some sort of paradise til the tournament was over." She says and I ignite my aura. "Aaron, it's time I get my friends back." I say and he nods. "I am getting Diantha and Cynthia on the phone now, Travis help young May here get to her room then meet us back here." He says and he nods. "May go with Travis and he'll help you get settled in." I say as my aura wraps around me. "And don't worry, we are getting them back." She nods and I sit down.
"Alright how do we do this Ash." Aaron says to me as I lay down a map of the Paradise. "He wants the legendaries, and he's going to get them. Plus, Ultra." I say as I pull the case out. "Alright all of you take the stage." I say as the pokeballs snap open. "It's time for me to end Giovanni once and for all, pick a partner and help them, we are raiding their base now." I say and they all nod.
After an hour, the legends have chosen who they want as a partner. For me, I had Necrozma, Zekrom, Arceus, Zamazenta, Ho-oh, and Mewtwo. "Alright everyone return your legends and we are heading out. Zacian and Zamazenta, show us your full power no holds bar." I say as I return to my team to their pokeballs. "Stay with me everyone who knows what else is in that paradise." I say "Hoorah." They all yell out.
In the Paradise. N/A POV
"How could you all be so stupid; she was the key to keeping the boy in tacked here. How the fuck did she even get free." Giovanni yells as he pulls out a gun. "No, you know what I don't want to hear it, consider this termination." He says as he pulls the trigger and takes out the two guards that were meant to keep may in her chamber. "He is no doubt on his way here, she probably already told him everything." He says as he gets some pokeballs. "Alright I am not failing this time, his father was a thorn in my side, I am not losing again." He says as he walks out to the other guards. "Clean that up and get them ready, we are about to have a war, and I need them in this battle." He says as the soldiers salute. "They always come to me; Ketchum better be ready for him to die." Giovanni says as he enters a dark room.
1 hour before raid. Steel POV
"Are you sure you are ready for this Ash; we can always have someone do reconnaissance first." Lawrence says. "Lawrence there isn't enough time for that, they have been in this mind control state for two years or more, they need someone to break them out, the three of them especially." Ash says as he lines up with the door to paradise. "Listen to me all of you now, once inside we can't leave until we have them all, where is Steel, I need him to stay with me, we are strong enough together that, getting to the main room will be a snap." Ash says as I walk forward. I already knew what was going to happen from this point on, I saw the vision, however I needed to help him. I may be able to change his future, by giving up mine.
Raid Begins Ash POV
Steel and I busted open the door with aura enhanced strength and dash in, as we ran Rocket grunts began to call out pokemon. I look to Steel and see a confident smile appear on his face. He may not be the strongest trainer, but he was one of the greatest fighters. However, before we could do anything, the legends snapped out of their pokeballs and began to take down the lesser pokemon. "Steel we have to keep moving, we have to get to the cells, he will be in one of them." I yell to the boy with glowing blue eyes. He dodges a strike from a grunt before breaking the arm. "10/4 watch your six." He says as he throws a throwing knife pinning a grunt to the wall. "Stay put if you know what's good for you." He says to the grunt as we run down the hall. We were using aura jumping and wall running. "You're doing great Steel, just keep up." I say as grab a guard and throw him into a wall, and smashing his skull in. "Steel we just smashed grunts into walls." I say as blood covers the walls. "Yeah we really need to limit the amount of death." He says as he throws another grunt into a wall. "I thought we were trying to limit the amount of death." I say as we run down the hall again the legends following close behind. "That was before I saw that guys face, he had a huge amount of ugly I felt like fixing."
We kick open another door and see some grunts there that we defeat without them throwing out pokemon. "Remember what she said Steel we have to get to the basement. She said that was where the control was done, just stay focused and collected." I say as I duck underneath a steel beam that had fallen through the floor. "Looks like Aaron has begun to destroy the structure that was added onto the island." Steel says as he slides under another grunt. "Steel we just need to get to the basement and free them from the mind control now." I say as I look down at the ground and a crazy idea comes to my head. "Steel Aura Blast the ground." He nods and we jump in the air and aim our aura spheres at the ground. "Fire." I say as the spheres blast a giant hole in the ground. We jump down the hole, hoping that it eventually ends up in the basement. I didn't know what to expect, however there was nothing in this world that was going to stop me.
When I get there, I see that all of my old friends were chained to the wall. It angered me, allowed me to tap into a piece of my aura. A truly missing link that Sir Aaron had left their bloodline, primal anger. The rage that had been building up in me. It was the catalyst for this anger, and what needed to happen was not going to be pretty. "Steel, watch my back please, I am going to get them out of here, I want you to take them and the others out of here." I say as I walk over to them. I turn on my aura vision and see that all of them are still alive.
"They did so well to break your spirit, and the fact that you wanted to die was icing on the cake." I hear the demons voice behind me say. "Let them go Giovani, it's me you want, and I am here." I say as I watch Steel use his aura to disappear. "Your right, it is you I want, but to get to that point I need to reach out through the bridges." He then clicked a button, and the chains were all released. "If you can kill me, they go free, but if I kill you, I get the legends and myths." He says as two weapons appear in front of me. "If it is the only way to get them free, then let's dance." I say as I grab my weapon. It was a 3-foot katana with the rocket insignia placed on the hilt.
I rushed Giovani and begin to swing at him; however, he grabbed the other weapon and began to fight back. For an old man he was fast and strong. "What you thought I would be slow and weak." He says as he pushes me away from him. "I have never been stronger, and it is all thanks to these people you call friends." He says as I realize that he now knew everything about me. My weaknesses, my strength, even how I battled. There was no way I would be winning this. Not without some help. "Giovanni your right, you learned everything about me from these guys, at least what they knew. I'm guessing you found out about new Island from Misty and Brock as they both knew about it." I say as my aura travels throw my body. A full cowl, (Props again for reference.) my arms were glowing blue and blue lightning traveled down my body, the power that I had stored in me. "It was over the moment you angered me. Steel now." I say as the Alolan native appears and grabs my friends and teleports out. I then rush Giovanni, I just needed to distract him long enough for my friends to get out of here. "So, you do still have more that I don't know, amazing the amount of power you have." Giovanni says as grunts come into the room carrying Multiple girls all with guns to their heads. "However, I know one thing about you. Your one weakness, your friends." I watched as he pulled the trigger and shot Lillie in the shoulder. She fell to the ground screaming in pain, he missed her heart and hit her shoulder.
I felt something new break in me, breaking past me limits, I rushed Giovanni, stabbing him straight through the heart. "How?" I hear him murmur, even though the broken speech and blood pouring from his mouth. "Simple, you broke someone that was supposed to be unbreakable, you harmed his friends, killed his mother, but you see that girl you shot, he loved her, and that was the straw that broke the camel's back." I hear someone say as Travis enters the room. "Ash, there is no going back from this, he is dying, he cannot be saved, however she can be." I pulled the blade from Giovanni and rushed towards the fallen blonde. I held her close and felt her heartbeat.
"Ash is that you." I hear her say as I begin to tear up. "Yes, please just stay calm, I am going to heal you." I say to her as I felt her move her other arm towards me. "I am sorry, he had control of us, we never meant to hurt you." She says as she begins to whimper in pain. "I know, I know, just relax the pain is going to be gone in a second." I say calmly, I let my aura travel down my arm and into her. I then begin to hum Lugia's song. Watching as my aura turn from a stunning Azul, to a soothing sea green. "Kill them all." I hear Giovanni say as the grunts all cock their guns. "Do it, and none of you leave here alive." I hear a saving grace say. Aphmau and here Gardivoir stood behind the grunts. She had a purple aura blazing around her. "You okay Ash." I hear Aaron say as the rest of my new family appears in the lab room with us. "I'm fine but I need you to start getting all of them out of here." I say as Travis and Lucinda begin working on that. Removing the other girls two by two. I held Lillie until they came over and took her from me. She was going to be okay; I knew she was. I then breathed in deep and turned to face Giovanni. "Giovanni, I have decided your punishment, I am going to heal you." I say as I take steps towards him.
As I get close, he looks at me, "And what, pray tell can you do for me, I have had my heart stabbed by a sword, and that same weapon removed forcefully from the same organ. I am dying Grandson, there is nothing you can do for me." He says as I step closer. "Your right, there is nothing I can do for your physical body, however before you go and face judgment, I can say my final words." I say kneeling next to him. "Grandfather, I know you never like my father after what he did to your original team Rocket, but everything you have done, everything you've said, I forgive you. And if you can't find the strength to accept this forgiveness, then there is truly nothing anything in this world can do for you." I say as I walk over to my family. "Wait, Red was my Son." I stop dead in my tracks and smile. "Yes, he was, and he forgives you to." I say stepping next to Travis.
However, as we warp out, I take one last look at Giovanni, and I see tears coming down his face and he takes his last breath. I then do the same, I begin to cry, I had just taken a life.
The Mansion Travis POV
When we get back to the Mansion, Ash immediately goes to his room, I could have sworn that he was crying. Was it in happiness to have his friends back or sadness because he had just killed the last of his biological family? I watch him walk away, and realize it's not because of either, it was because he had taken a life. He had taken the life of an evil man, but he still took a life. But this was only the beginning, we had gotten all of his friends that were being affected by the mind control, but there was so much more coming, Lucinda, and I had seen it. A shadow, and light that burns the sky.