AN: So I noticed that everything updates on my computer and the FanFiction app on my android but not on my Ipod. Any Apple users having the same problem? Maybe it just hates me. Idk.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or any of the characters. Just the random plot bunnies that my mind creates.

Chapter Warnings: Language, blood, injuries, lots of feels

Pairing: Ash x Gary

Chapter 22 - Research

Green eyes open to a brightly lit room.

Shouting. Crying.

'It's so loud. Why is everything muffled?'

Small hands reach up to cover his ears but they can barely lift off the surface he is laying on. Everything feels so heavy.

The brunet's head lolls to the side. Hazy eyes take in the stretch of shiny metal tables next to him. A body on each one.

The child panics. 'Where am I? Where's Mom and Dad? Daisy? Grampa?'

He struggles to sit up but his stomach hurts so much. He looks down to see white stuff wrapped all over him like he's a mummy.

'What happened?'

Red eyes. Slamming into a wooden crate. Wings spreading wide into the night.

Tears fall down his face. 'This is too scary. Make it go away! Mommy!'

A soft hand rubs his shoulder gently as he sobs into his hands. Glancing up quickly, he sees a brown haired woman with amber eyes smiling down at him.

Looking down, he sees a boy in his class at her feet. Clutching her dress with tear tracks slicing through the dirt on his face. 'His mom?'

Green eyes dart back up as she speaks to him. "Let's go find your mom and dad hmm?"

She gently lifts him up and places him on her hip. They walk away from the line of tables full of moaning people.

Looking around, he recognizes the strange machines that are in his Grampa's lab. He squirms in the woman's hold. 'I have to find Grampa.'

He jumps down and starts to run. He can hear her running after him. The other boy calls out to his mother.

He is almost at the doors. Gramps has to be out there fighting all the monsters. 'I can help!'

He pushes the door open and freezes in place. A large black shadow stands right outside the door. Red eyes narrow at him.

White light forms under its eyes. 'What's it doing?'

The little boy sways. Blood seeps through the bandages wrapped around the large gash on his torso. He falls to the side as the beam of light is released.

He turns to look back behind him. The nice lady is frozen in place. Amber eyes wide open. Blood dripping from her mouth. A giant hole ripped through her chest.

She falls to the ground. Blood spilling out onto the tiles. Agonized screams fill the air.

"MOMMY!"

xxx-War of the Dragon Riders-xxx

Gary wakes with a jolt. His breath harsh and shallow. Sweat covers his body. Green eyes quickly sweep over the camp. It was just a dream...

He flinches away from a body sitting on a rock next to his hip. Tired brown eyes stare at him, eyebrow cocked at Gary's violent reaction to his presence.

"Nightmare?" Ash's sleepy voice echoes out in the dark night.

He doesn't answer. Emerald eyes lock onto the stars above him. They twinkle in the dark abyss, unaware of the suffering of the lowly humans below them. Forever shining their light down onto the Earth. Providing some semblance of comfort and light.

There were no stars THAT night.

Ash sighs at his silence. The raven slowly stands and shuffles back to his sleeping bag.

"Ash...I'm sorry." Gary whispers.

Another sigh. He can feel eyes on him again but he continues to stare at the stars. I can't meet his eyes now.

"It's all my fault." Gary explains. "Your mom, the lab. Everything."

Silence. The raven sits back down at his side. A tan hand rests on his uninjured arm. Warmth seeps in through his thick jacket and shirt. Spreading through his body like the pleasant heat of the bonfire.

"What are you talking about Gary? Does this have to do with your nightmare?" His partner's quiet voice soothes his frazzled nerves.

Gary tenses. Glancing quickly at soft brown eyes, he looks back up towards the sky. He runs his hand over the long scar bisecting his torso.

"I woke up in the lab covered in bandages. I started crying, but your mom came up and comforted me...She picked me up and started walking around the lab looking for my parents but I...I got out of her hold somehow. I ran for the door to go help Gramps, but they were waiting outside."

He paused and took a deep breath. His hands are shaking.

"It was powering up a Hyper Beam but I didn't know what it was then. I was dizzy from lack of blood and fell over...It went right through her chest. Left this huge hole and you were screaming...covered in her blood….It's all my fault your mom died. How can you even look at me?"

Ash sits frozen next to him. Not a single muscle has so much as twitched since he started recounting his dream. He can't meet those brown eyes. Those eyes that always give away Ash's emotions so easily not matter how well he schools his face to prevent them from showing.

Gary fights back tears. I have no right to cry. I don't deserve it.

The raven leans forward. He stiffens, expecting a blow. Ash has every right to attack me now that he knows.

"Gary...my mother never made it out of our house." The raven states slowly, voice confused. "She went back in to get my dad's hat since it was the only thing he left behind. Our house collapsed on her. I pulled it out of her hands the next day. None of that was your fault."

Green orbs widen in shock as guilty relief floods his system. It wasn't my fault. I won't lose him. Tears slip from his eyes.

Ash gives his hand a squeeze before unzipping Gary's sleeping bag. The raven crawls in before zipping it back up. It's a tight fit but he doesn't mind.

Curling into his uninjured side, a warm arm slips around his waist. Soft black hair tickles his shoulder. Taking a deep breath, Gary closes his eyes once more. Absorbing every ounce of silent comfort his partner is offering.

xxx-War of the Dragon Riders-xxx

Tears slip from brown orbs once the brunet's breathing evens out in sleep. He finally remembers...It was his fault the Riders managed to penetrate the lab's defenses and kill so many. He literally let them in.

Ash closes eyes tightly as he remembers the worst day of his life. Forever seared into his brain. He curls closer to the brunet. One of the few sources of comfort he has left in this vicious world.

He had to go to the bathroom. It was really late since his mom was asleep already. Loud noises came from outside. He ran to wake up his mother.

She quickly grabbed him and rushed downstairs to leave. The house shook and they almost fell.

The air outside was smoky and stung his eyes. There was fire everywhere. He hid in his mom's shoulder.

They rushed to the lab at the top of the hill.

"Don't worry, pumpkin. We are almost there. That's the safest place to be."

They followed the small crowd into the building. People who were hurt were laid on shiny metal tables. They sat against the wall.

Booms and screams continued to hurt his ears due to their sheer volume. He held close to his mother. Tears streaming down his face.

His eyes opened upon hearing a piercing cry over the rest. He panicked when his mom set him down as she stood up. He gripped her pants tight to not lose her.

They walked over to one of the tables. He couldn't see who it was at first. A small head peeked over the edge to look at him.

His mom picked the boy up and held him on her hip. He shuffled after her when she started to walk again. He jumped when the boy landed in front of him and ran away.

His hand was ripped away from her pants as she ran after him. The boy went outside but stopped just past the door.

A bright light hurt his eyes. Looking up he saw the boy and his mom on the ground. He screamed.

"MOMMY!"

He rushed over to her but is grabbed from behind and lifted into the air. His arms reached for his mom. Blood poured out of the hole in her tummy.

A loud roar drowned out his screams. A strike to his head made everything fuzzy. Sight faded to black. The last thing he saw was someone grabbing the other boy and his mom being set on fire.

A quiet sob leaves his throat. He stiffens as an arm wraps around his back. He glances up slowly but his partner is still deep in sleep. Offering him comfort even when unconscious.

He can never know the truth. If he did, he will never forgive himself and will be forever lost in the sea of rage and despair. I won't be able to save him.

Taking a deep breath, he pushes the memory to the back of his mind where it belongs. He focuses on the warmth of the live man next to him as he falls asleep once more.

xxx-War of the Dragon Riders-xxx

They return home the next day. His partner insisted that he can fly on his own but after nearly falling of his flyer, Ash made him ride on Pidgeot with him. Seeing the sleepy look in his emerald eyes, he roped them together just to be safe.

The brunet fell asleep minutes later slumped against his back. Is it normal for someone with a possible brain injury to sleep so much?

Pidgeot lands outside Professor Oak's lab a few hours later. Ash turns his head to wake Gary up but the green orbs are already somewhat open. He helps the injured man off his flyer and into the lab.

Seeing Ash practically drag a limping Gary in with the brunet's arm over his shoulder, Professor Oak rushes over to help get the injured soldier to a chair.

"What happened?" The older Oak cries out in worry as he frets over his grandson. "Where have you two been?"

Ash pauses before answering but Gary is already asleep again in the chair.

"Growlithe sensed something approaching. Charmeleon evolved in order to meet the threat in the air...It was a Dragonite and Rider. We rushed to follow them and ended up engaging them in Grampa Canyon. Gary tried to kill him but the Dragonite threw him into the rock wall and then they just left. Thankfully, the medic team arrived soon after and had a Chansey with them, so he's fine for the most part. Just can't seem to stay awake for too long. Is that normal?"

The Professor, who had been poking and prodding at his grandson's body during his explanation, glances over at him. After reassuring himself that Gary is in fact alright, he studies the brunet quietly before answering him.

"Hmm. Well if he was thrown into the wall by something as strong as a Dragonite, he would have some broken bones and possibly a brain injury from it being rattled around in his skull. Brain injuries will make you sleepy, usually. Add in the rapid damage and rapid healing, his body is probably just struggling to re-adjust itself. He will sleep on and off for the next few days I'm guessing."

Nodding in acknowledgment, Ash turns and grabs his partner's arms. With the Professor's help, he is able to get Gary on his back to carry the brunet upstairs.

After tucking in the unconscious soldier, Ash returns to the lab. He pulls the Rider's sack from his discarded pack.

"Professor? Larvitar and Pikachu found this last night. It's the Rider's. We saw him digging and busting rocks when we got there."

He dumps the contents out on a clear stainless steel table. The Professor pulls on gloves and starts to sort the various gems.

"Let's see. We have a few Thunderstones, Fire Stones and Water Stones. Hmm. I don't know what these clear ones are. I will have to run some tests on them. But some fossilized amber is a rare find indeed. It even has a specimen inside! With any luck, this mosquito could have just consumed a meal and could have ancient DNA inside it. I would love to study this. With your permission of course?"

Ash nods his head absentmindedly as he glances over the pile of evolutionary stones. Why take this many stones? Plus there is what he said too. None of this makes any sense.

"Professor...The Rider...he said that they weren't the ones who attacked Pallet when we were little...He also knew our names and told me to save Gary because it wasn't his time to die yet."

The older Oak falls silent as his body stiffens. He mechanically sorts the stones on the table in the following silence. His movements almost robotic with how tense his body is.

Noticing the abrupt change in the older man's behavior, Ash looks to the floor. Dread fills the core of his being. "Professor? What really happened that day?" Ash asks slowly.

A weak smile emerged on his face. A large withered hand lands on his shoulder.

"I think it's best that that conversation waits until Gary is better."

Ash nods hesitantly and looks back towards the bag. He turns to leave to take care of the pokemon.

What is he hiding?

xxx-War of the Dragon Riders-xxx

Green eyes open and slowly focus on a familiar ceiling. My room? He struggles to sit up. Everything is stiff. Almost as if he had been asleep for a month.His stomach roars in hunger.

Slowly shuffling downstairs, he smells a delicious scent that leads him into the kitchen. A large bowl of spaghetti is on the table. Gramps and his partner are digging in with gusto. An empty plate sits on the table in front of his chair.

Plopping down in the chair, the others freeze and stare at him with wide eyes. He heaps an enormous amount of pasta onto his plate.

"Did you just get up?"

Gary turns towards the raven. His partner's head is tilted to the side in question as he looks Gary over.

"Yeah. I'm starving. How long was I out for? Feels like I've been asleep for freaking forever."

His mouth waters as he sprinkles a large handful of cheese over his pasta. The cheese melts quickly over the steaming sauce coated noodles. Twirling his fork into the pile before him, he shoves it into his mouth and almost moans in pleasure as the different spices and flavors burst over his tongue.

"About three days." Ash responds. "Four if you count the day we flew back when you were in and out."

Gary pauses in shock before shoveling another forkful in his mouth. Damn. No wonder I'm so hungry. His eyes close in sheer joy at eating such delicious food.

"This might be the best damn thing I have ever eaten Gramps. Kudos."

A small chuckle emerges from the Professor. His partner stares at the table with a slight blush on his face.

"I wasn't the one who cooked today." His grandfather smugly states.

A full-powered smirk bursts to life on his face. Perfect.

"Well Ashy-boy. You will make an excellent wife to some lucky man then."

A weak glare is sent his way causing him to chuckle. The raven turns towards the smiling Professor and tries to change the conversation.

"Professor, did you have any luck with the stones and amber?"

Green orbs widen in curiosity. Of course Ash would have Gramps look into those clear stones. Why is he studying the amber though?

"I still haven't determined the use of the clear stones. They emit a different pulse of energy than any known evolution stone in any region so I am not sure what it is yet. I will keep looking into that. As far as the amber goes, under a microscope, the specimen's abdomen appears swollen with liquid. My guess, it's blood. With the right instruments, I can extract it and see what pokemon it came from!"

Gary hums in interest, his mouth too full of pasta to talk.

"Gary, do you remember the museum I took you to in Pewter Town for your fourth birthday?"

Green orbs narrows in thought, he stares at the ceiling as he finishes chewing.

"Sort of. They were having some ancient pokemon exhibition or something. Some crazy ass scientist claimed he could revive fossils or some shit but didn't have any to test it on so no one believed him."

His eyes widen and his head whips towards his grandfather. A large grin is on the Professor's face. No way.

"Gramps, are you gonna send it to the whack job?"

"No, we can't." His partner quickly interrupts whatever his grandfather was going to say.

Two pairs of narrowed eyes lock onto the brown orbs of his partner. The raven fidgets in place. "They will report it to the military if they get a fossil since the League funds their research, like you Professor. It will trace back to us, and we can't afford to be under suspicion now. Not after what happened."

Green eyes narrow in confusion at the cryptic words. A frown takes over his face at the visible flinch that runs through his grandfather's body.

"It's time you tell us what really happened Professor Oak. We deserve to know."

xxx-War of the Dragon Riders-xxx

AN: Unlike the first chapter, I am going to do like reverse formatting for throwbacks. So thinking will be in normal text while it is in italics for in the moment action. Just for clarification.

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Next up: Chapter 23 - Story