Locked Away Chapter 51

Ash didn't move, didn't breath, didn't think.

A giant, thirty foot—fifty? Ash couldn't be sure, as he wasn't the best at sizing up terrifying adversaries.

A massive bird with talons the size of charizard, lumbering only a few feat away with a long, crooked beak and snarling nostrils. Not to mention feathered wings with gold and green trims matching a flowing gold crown of feathers on top of his head. His eyes were bloodshot beneath yellow holes that bore into Ash's very soul. The massive creature was far from a golden illumination of rainbows that he remembered, and seemed more like a stray demon from some biblical terror. Its wings were tucked tight around his body, easily twice the size of Moltres and Ash didn't dare move. He didn't know how pikachu was able to sit up on his hind legs, just in case. Maybe the mouse was some hidden representative of Ash's courage, because he was feeling pretty cowardly at the moment.

"Uh.." Ash croaked, but he was answered with Ho-oh screaming.

Ash, pikachu, togepi an charizard fell backwards, holding their ears. Knives on chalkboards were nothing compared to the mind splitting hell that echoed in through his ears and rattled his brains until he felt confused and tired and was lying flat on his back once again. Beside him, Pikchu had huddled into a fetal position, tugging on his ears, and while the massive creature screeched once more, this time lifting off of the ground, cutting into the grass by leaving huge concave gaps where he was perched prior, Ash tried to focus.

Charizard and togepi had the worst of it, their arms didn't reach their ears, and so Ash sacrificed his own hands to scoop both charizard's and togepi's heads under his arm.

"It's fine, guys!" Ash screamed as Ho-oh circled above them, matching the massive, whirling motion of the storm.

It was too quiet here, the screech was probably no more than a whimper down below—how ever far that was- but here, the clouds were a wall that bounced angry sounds from every corner and shook their very breath from their bodies.

Once more was enough, and Ash was shouting;

"Stop!" He yelled, breathless. Liquid trickled down from his noise, and it wasn't until the fluid touched his lips did he realize it was blood.

"Stop!" he shouted louder, squeezing his pokemon tightly—if this hurt him—he couldn't imagine what it did to them. To pikachu! Oh man, pikachu! Ash fought against the ringing in his ears to grab at the pokemon who started to shake violently and capture him beside him as the demon bird above circled once, then twice like some kind of scavenger, and then finally touched back down, kicking up a rolling dust storm that picked Ash up off the floor. Thanks to charizard, he remained grounded, but barely.

"Please stop!" Ash shouted again, his voice weaker in the wind as he touched back down to peer up at the monster. At least Ho-oh wasn't breathing fire, or directly attacking him like Moltres had.

The mind splitting ache in his head, and making him bleed wasn't much better, though. Ash wiped his nose and glared up through slanted eyes at the bird.

"I need your help!" in return, Ho-oh's head titled ninety degrees and Ash's fists curled tightly. "Please, my friends and family are in danger; I need your help to stop Team Rocket and Giovanni and they're coming to try to steal you, and they can't do that! I want to save you—and the world and-!" the words spilled out uncontrollably, and Ash thought he convinced the phoenix until his wings opened, revealing a blinding assortment of reds, yellows, and greens, and knocked Ash back down.

So they've tried! The voice was a deep, heavy voice inside of Ash's head that made his knees weak and stomach churn. Mixed with the voice was the shared image of the experiences of men and woman trying to climb to the top of Mount Silver to reach Ho-oh, and failing. His head ached fiercely, and he crumpled to his knees and started hacking.

Along with the cough, his chest tightened as if he were suffocating. Was it suddenly harder to breath, or was this the true power of a legendary pokemon? For ten years Ash played fodder to meeting most of the legendaries in existence, and for the second time meeting one in real life, he felt like spaghetti. Like a blowing pile of ash in the wind, and sick. He felt sick.

He started dry heaving after.

You come to me for selfish reasons. A scream that Ash wasn't aware was his own until he was grabbing his head and gasping rang in his ears.

Humans are always creating wars with themselves, wishing only for things that will make them better than other humans. Humans are weak, you are weak!

"I am not!" Ash choked, but he didn't sound very convincing; his voice was barely above a whisper, and his mouth and throat were bone dry.

You seek my power for glory

"You're wrong, these men are evil!"

All men are evil! You think you are the first human to seek out my guidance? You are all the same!

"I didn't come all the way here for you to reject me!" Ash roared, digging his fingers into the grass below. "You have to help us!"

I-

"You owe me!" Ash shouted voice cracking and finally silencing the psychic presence of the bird that threatened to crush him. As the buzzing in his head faded, he collapsed onto the ground in a sigh, and pikachu and togepi who recovered from the previous voices raced to their trainer in concern—clearly, Ash had been the only one affected by whatever Ho-oh did to him.

That didn't mean his pokemon weren't protective of him. Ho-oh was triple the size of charizard, and yet he was still huffing in preparation to take on the massive bird. With any luck, they wouldn't have to.

Owe you? The bird snarled, his voice no longer causing pain.

"Yes? Because... because it's your fault." Ash gestured to himself, as if referring to his age, his life, everything. "I saw you, after that blast outside of Pallet town on my first day as a pokemon trainer. I was barely conscious and I saw you, flying above the route one's forest eleven years ago. Only hours before I spent the next ten years in a coma!"

Having regained his determination, Ash sat up on his heels to glare at the phoenix. His eyes told story, of years of surviving a world that faced wars and tragedy, of fear and dictatorships; and finally, of distrust and acceptance.

I have no memory of this.

"Before..." Ash breathed, struggling to his feet and exhaling. He thought he would collapse, but would never show that to Ho-oh. His head ached terribly, but he withstood the temporary pain. "Before I passed out, I saw you...and I...I think I wished...I think I wanted to do this—that—forever, and then I spent ten years comatose, reliving the same year, or the same experiences, meeting new people and pokemon that exist in the real world but can't remember me. I can remember them though, every single one of them! Everyone but you, and your stupid golden rainbows." he growled, tears stinging his eyes and he looked down to pikachu and togepi, heart racing.

"I...I wasn't here to save anyone—to protect my friends. I've lost family and companions because you stuck me in that stupid slumber!" So maybe his internal drive to see Ho-oh wasn't only about saving the world.

Selfish. Ho-oh countered, but Ash found the sound of the pokemon's voice soothing rather than the former distressing, numbing sensation. Ash sniffled, and shook his head.

"So you did it, it was your fault?"

No. The answer was too abrupt, too uncertain and Ash felt his resolve crumble and his shoulders slouched.

"What do you mean no? What else could do this?" Anger flashed in Ash's eyes. He stood up.

"You did this! You had to!"

The bird was angry again, rising and twitching with each shout. You did this to yourself! I only bestow what eternal happiness is deserved.

"And I deserved to be in a coma for ten years?"

Ho-oh didn't understand the complaint.

I do not control the terms of my gift.

"How about that it was a double edged sword! I didn't want your happiness!"

Than maybe you'd rather be dead! he lunged forward, large, feathered wings gushing in the wind around him, but this time Ash didn't flinch at the legendary pokemon. He stood his ground, eyes dark.

"You took away my life! Eternal happiness would have been letting me see my mom; see my friends! Your gift," he spat at Ho-oh, "Put me in an unreachable coma for ten years! Do you know what it's like to watch everyone else around me change while I stay the same!?"

The beast gave him a look, as if no one would understand that saying better than he could, but he did not interrupt as Ash shook in rage.

"When I died-" Ash was surprised by his own words as everything suddenly rushed back to him.

It's a miracle. The doctor said they don't know exactly what's going on. He's healing too fast. You're sure you're okay? No exit wound. No damage. No reason not to wake up.

He should have been a vegetable, by all accounts. He should have been dead. The difference between being shocked and being electrocuted, as Ash saw only hours ago, was that people didn't stand back up after the latter.

Ash felt his blood run cold, staring up at the beast.

"...what was I?" His question changed, followed shortly by: "Where was I?" his chest tightened.

Sometimes a gift isn't what we need; but only what we can offer.

"So...you saved me?" the words felt wrong coming from his mouth. Had he really...died back then? How he survived, by the skin of his teeth, not only the blast, but being carried an hour to Viridian City—he shouldn't have been.

Again, the legendary beast shifted, then relaxed. His feathers rest flat against his body framing the thin nature of his avian form.

I did not. The bird answered, reeling back onto his hind legs.

Ash looked down thoughtfully, with more questions than answers even now. All this way and—his head rushed, and he hit the ground on his knees. This wasn't what he came here for—Team Rocket was coming. Appetite roaring loudly as pikachu and togepi returned to his side. Ash clutched at his stomach, recalling the events of that day so vaguely, even now. He wanted to remember it. What happened after—Misty had told him that she found him, carried him back to Viridian City.

"...so..." Ash mumbled, his chest felt concave. "You... I... I got lucky?"

Luck is a matter of fate.

Ho-oh leered again, staring into Ash's soul. Now that he knew who Ash was, his tempo changed to a kinder hum.

Sometimes, it is the fear the unknown that clouds our judgment. I have no control over your destiny. I simply play a part.

Ash stared up at the pokemon, grim and looking a hundred years older than he was. Maybe Ash wasn't supposed to know the inner workings of why he was standing here. Life happened to different people at different times, and sometimes...there wasn't always an answer. With a glance to the side, Ho-oh summoned some colorful fruit from a bush below the slope of the mountain top. They floated, then fell into Ash's waiting palms.

A peace offering.

Ash fell to his butt with a slouch, trying to hide the clear discomfort he was in after Ho-oh's display of power, and immediately divided the fruit between pikachu, himself, and togepi. Charizard, being the pseudo dragon that he was, wasn't keen on plant-life, but ate what small offering Ash had.

Ash waited until the throbbing in his body seized before he thought about speaking again. He wasn't sure he could survive another fit from the legendary pokemon.

"How long was I out?" asked Ash to no one in particular. Pikachu and togepi were pale and a little unkempt. Charizard was the usual, bashful dragon as normal; but Ash saw the black scales reaching down to his tail now and made a mental note to have it checked when they had this sorted out.

Two days. Ho-oh finally answered and his pokemon breathed a sigh of relief. Ash could see from their faces that it wasn't an easy two days. The creature had probably circled them. Funny, Ash thought that he had only been out for a few seconds—he didn't even remember arriving at the top of the mountain. It certainly didn't feel like two days.

"Two days?" said Ash in disbelief. "I must have been exhausted." And while he nibbled on the rest of the fruit, he stared in awe at Ho-oh, wondering what kind of powerful machines could contain something so huge and powerful to capture him; and how Team Rocket had managed to do so with so many other legendary pokemon.

Your friends are waiting for you at the town at the base of the mountain.

"You know that?" Ash asked, looking hopeful. "They're early though, I wonder if their search sent them this way, after all."

There are no traces of me left for them to find. Only rumors. Myths. They gave up shortly after you left.

Ash scoffed, wondering how the beast would know; but then figured it was better not to ask. Ho-oh was better for creating more questions than providing answers.

"So I've seen." Ash paused thoughtfully. "But, why stay hidden?"
Why do all legendary pokemon stay hidden? We are a creature of worship. Our involvement in humanity is a dangerous one.

"Why? Weren't you all beloved years ago? How can you help keep peace if you're all on top of a mountain somewhere in broken sanctuaries and ruined temples? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of your jobs?"

Our duty is not to interfere with humans.

"So that's why you helped me then?" Ash inferred, then bit his tongue immediately while glaring up at Ho-oh with a new found confidence. Oh, the irony of that.

You are fighting a losing battle. They will be victorious over you.

"So you won't help us?"

I will not interfere.

There were moments in Ash's life when he could recall making terrible decisions, times in his life when he knew that he had made the wrong call—and maybe someday throwing what he believed was an apple at the head of one of the strongest pokemon alive would make the list, but for now, Ash stood, trembling in anger.

"We can't lose! There's too much at stake, and if you won't help then do us a favor and at least stay away from Team Rocket!" Ash shouted, and startled the creature. While the object was small, it was blunt and enough to push the bird back a few centimeters. Ash expected an immediate retaliation, some kind of deafening screech, or to be swallowed whole by the bird; instead, he lumbered over Ash.

Intrigued, he asked: And why should I help any human?
"Because if you don't, the rest of the legendary pokemon are going to be hurt—worst case scenario, they could all die—including your counter-part, was it Lugia?" It was as if Misty was speaking for him, the same manipulative tactics she used to win in an argument, with his voice. "Team Rocket isn't waging a war on just humans anymore—they're being cruel to pokemon by putting will-bending chips in their heads, and holding thousands of species hostage in cages. Even if you don't care what happens to us—you have to care about what happens to them—to me?"

The last line caused the colorful, wide eyes to narrow.

"I mean, I don't exactly know what makes me so damn special, but it's a good enough reason to stop me from dying, so..."

Then, Ho-oh leaned in until his eyes and beak were inches way from Ash, staring him down for any indication of a lie. Ash scoot backwards a few inches from the gust provided by the movement of the large creature, but held his ground. On a long list of questions Ho-oh had, starting with how the young man scaled the mountain at all, survived the blistering cold, stood up to his psychic powers, and understood his speech without pain; after all, this couldn't have been a part of his his gift. He coyly asked the most important question of all;

Human, what is your name?

Ash inhaled, a spark forming in his eye. "My name is Ash Ketchum, and I'm going to be the world's greatest Pokemon Master someday!"

XOX

Ash stumbled down the mountain grinning. For the first time in years, Mount Silver was manageable as he dipped, and dived where the wind formerly suffocated him. Ho-oh's will and power was the culprit of the never ending storm brewing overhead of the Johto regions mountain. A inexplicable vortex of safety and damnation for all who neared it; and yet respectfully left the rest of the world untouched.

Until today.

Ash thought the sun shined a little brighter today as he ran alongside pikachu, held onto togepi, with charizard waiting in the wings beside him. In his hand, he clutched the once confusing gift from Agatha—a master ball, fully opened, and containing the first legendary pokemon Ash had ever owned. Before a legendary pokemon could be captured, they needed to consent to the pokeball; agree to be contained—but at any time, Ho-oh let Ash know, he could escape the ball and raise hell. That was why the pokeball wouldn't work before, it needed to be in the presence of a deity. Ho-oh came along to assist the rest of the stolen legendary pokemon, not to help Ash. Or at least that's what he agreed upon.

The fact that such a small container could hold so much power was mind boggling to Ash, but he hadn't the time to think further. Ash's life was no less confusing than it had been before he started this journey—but he at least had one more party member; a powerful ally.

"Woo hoo!" Ash shouted, jumping off a rather steep ledge that could have easily lead to an abrupt ending of his story, but he knew that charizard would swoop in to save him; he always did.

Scolding Ash with an over the shoulder glare as he straddled the pokemon's shoulders Ash inhaled the fresh air riding down the mountain and stuck out his arms.

"We can do this!" He screamed eagerly, his cheerful voice carrying over the mountains, past the trees, and into a distant echo as his three pokemon agreed.

XOX

"He's late." Jessie bit down hard onto her thumb nail, pacing back and forth.

"We're early, Jess, sit down." James asked, eyeing the woman. Watching her move back then forth, and back then forth was more nerve wracking than watching meowth bat angrily at a stray forest mouse.

"You think he would know!" Jessie shouted, turning at James with a glare.

"Maybe he already does and is there?" James suggested, lifting his head to look up at his long-time companion. Jessie shook her head several times, then continued to pace and bite her nail.

"There's no way. He would have told us."

"Maybe. Maybe not." James muttered, folding his arms against his stomach and leaning over his crossed legs. "If he's not here tomorrow like we planned, we will look for him in Kanto. It's big news. They must have advertised it on the islands."

"Or, he was too busy trying to find that stupid legendary pokemon and got himself killed!" Jessie inhaled. "He's just a little kid, we shouldn't have let him go off alone! We made that stupid girl a promise and-" she inhaled, eyes cross as she touched her forehead with the palms of her hand, and grew awkwardly silent under pained glares.

"Aww, I didn't know you cared." Ash's voice emerged from the trees, and with a low-flamed charizard, black around the nostrils and both togepi and pikachu on his shoulders, he grinned at the two formerly evil people.

Ash expected a joke in return, some sarcastic reply, but instead. James and meowth rushed at him for a tight hug, and Jessie appeared horrified by his sudden appearance. Ash chuckled at the sudden affection; to think a few weeks ago they hardly considered him an ally, and now they were on hugging terms. Ash accepted the embrace.

"...Okay, guys. This is getting kind of awkward." He muttered and James and meowth both snapped away from him, their solemn expressions mimicking Jessie's horrified one. A round of stares circled the young man, and then James gulped.

"Jess, he doesn't know."

"Meeoowth." The cat added, taking a step back. Jessie moved forward to grab Ash's shoulders, and it was at that moment he knew that something was indeed wrong. Pikachu and togepi took defensive stances. Did someone get hurt? Were they found out? Followed?

"What's going on?" Ash asked, refusing to let Jessie lead him to the bench James was sitting on moments ago. Since he seemed stubborn, and determined to remain standing, Jessie sighed, and pat him on the shoulder affectionately. It was weird, Jessie wasn't affectionate. Ever.

"...We need to go back to Kanto." James spoke softly, too softly for the thief that he was. Ash's eyes narrowed, then he scoffed.

"Why?" Watching their glum expressions, fear replaced his dopey edge. They hadn't asked about Ho-oh, or pikachu, or what he saw, so panic filled Ash's chest. "Did something happen?"

Silence.

"James?" Ash called on him immediately, knowing that he was the most genuine of the group. He didn't meet Ash's eyes, and instead looked to the ground.

"There was...an accident..." James scratched at the back of his neck and exhaled. "Your friends...uh..." The lavender haired man cleared his throat, tugged at the color of his black suit and then shifted uncomfortably. Ash's cool went out the window a second later.

"What accident!" Ash shouted, heart beat hammering against his chest. "What happened?"

At Ash's shout, he thought he saw tears pool at the corners of James eye, and the wounded, ignored Jessie chimed in.

"...There was a boating research accident that...claimed the lives of Misty Waterflower and Gary Oak; they say a few more casualties were amassed, but didn't release the names."

...White noise. More deafening than Ho-oh's screech chilled Ash to the bone.

"A mistake." Ash breathed, "There has to be a mistake."

"Pikachu-pi!" Pikachu whined, covering togepi's ears who had froze at the news as well. Behind the group, charizard who had stayed quiet during the event slumped next to the tree line in defeat at the news. Shoulders low and head dipped; eyes wide.

"There might be. It was released yesterday. We made our way here as fast as possible after...the news."

Wide eyed and mouth open, Ash wasn't entirely sure what to think. No way, not Misty. Not Gary. On a list starting from the most stubborn and least likely to...to die, those two made at least the top of his every time. They were too stubborn.

"No." Ash groaned, stepping away. His head was spinning, and without realizing it, he found himself sitting on the ground, clutching the earth to be sure he wasn't sinking. He had no idea how he got there.

"Last they were seen, they were...visiting Pallet Town to see Oak; they had been in Saffron City prior to that. Apparently Oak asked for them to help with a project and-.."
"Them?" Ash shot up, grabbing Jessie and shaking her. "Is Brock alright?" His mind couldn't wrap around what he was hearing—how stupid! How stupid! He knew that he shouldn't have left them. Ash knew that separating was never the right decision, and yet he did anyways!

"We don't know." Jessie didn't fight off his grasp as she squatted beside him and Ash felt sick, actually, he was sick. He turned away from Jessie, the news washing over him like a delayed response to food poisoning, and what little he had eaten expelled from his throat and onto the dirt. Bile raced back and forth in his stomach and he lurched.

"...chhaaa." the mouse groaned, while togepi remained still and quiet.

"No, this can't be happening." Ash brushed cold sweat from his forehead to get a better grasp of the situation. "You're wrong." Ash breathed.

"We could be!" James couldn't stand it, seeing Ash falling apart so quickly. He wasn't used it; for once, Ash's age screamed at him. James had to find a comfort, anything to stop Ash from spiraling. "There's a possibility that the media is just-"

"James!" Jessie shouted at him for even giving the implication. Ash shot up to his feet, wobbling.

"So why would you tell me they're dead then!? Did you see it yourself!? Were there... were.. were there bodies!?" He was screaming without knowing it, his voice carrying with no right or reason, and both adults hung back quietly to watch his sanity unravel.

"Ash, calm down." Jessie waved her arms, but Ash flung her off of him and stomped way. His head was spinning and he shook violently.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Bodies, Misty's body, floating away in some horrible place—a boating accident? To what degree? Did her sisters know? Did Leaf know? Oh god, his mom. How would she handle the news—and Cole.

"I...I can't." Ash couldn't breath here, in the dim forest. The trees mocked him from every angle and he felt flushed and fevered.

"We have a flight to the Viridian City airport, we can be in Pallet Town to investigate by noon tomorrow—you just have to-"

"No!" Ash screamed, chest lurching, stomach aching and shaking his head. He waved charizard over and the looming dragon ventured toward his trainer with pikachu hopping onto his shoulder. Togepi hadn't moved since the news was given, and Ash knew to pick up the egg, who was shell shocked.

"I...I can't. I'll see you three there." And with that, he was off again.

Jessie, James, and meowth yelled at him as he flew away, discouraging this act of sudden aggression in fear of what he could find once he was there; and Ash couldn't blame them. He knew that they weren't at fault for the accidents and they meant well, but he couldn't stay.

Ash had to be in Pallet Town yesterday, to discourage whatever insane, lethal activity his friends were getting into, or be there to assure their safety. He should have never separated from them in the first place. His friends were safer with him, and they were stronger together. Yet, until he saw the...until he saw them, he would cling to hope.

He had to.

XOX

"Sir," A husky voice called into a dark room. Glasses gleamed in the dark, and black hair tucked into a tight pony tail flicked notes onto a tablet. "The plan has been set into motion."

Inside was a dark, brick wall lined with metal bars and a rust scent. Inside of the small room was a torn and ragged bed with stained, black sheets and the distant sound of the occasional drip of water. Sitting on the bed was a man in a gray outfit, hands clasped together, hidden by the darkness of the underneath of the bed where he sat. Streaks of deep red hair gleamed past his hulking hands as his teeth grinned together.

"Good work, Sebastian." His voice was deep, and remnants of a long cough traced the ends of his throat. His voice was far from smooth, it was coarse and haggard as he leaned forward, the long brow of his forehead forcing his face into a perpetual frown. His smile was menacing, and more than disturbing.

"My pleasure, boss." The lanky 'therapist' replied while adjusting his glasses. "Should I begin phase two?"

"Yes, as soon as possible—those children will know my wrath."

"They're playing right into your hand." Sebastian's evil smirk hadn't faded a day since he first met Ash, and his arms crossed, and his eyes narrowed. "It amazes me how you can know so much within this cage."

As the lumbering, giant of a man rose from his bed frame, a loud squeak echoed, and he flashed a silver and rainbow colored band on his wrist that dug into his skin; as much a part of him as his eyes were. A snarl close to a chuckle rumbled form his stomach as he turned to look outside the prison cell he was rotting away in.

"When you hold the power of a god, anything is possible."

Author's Note:

Ho-oh and that owl from ATLAB would have gotten along greeeeeat.

See you next chapter

NINT