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, mental breakdown

Pairing: Ash x Gary

Chapter 23 - Story

Ash levels a steady stare at the Professor. It's time to talk.

The Professor sighs loudly as he picks at his pasta. His partner stares at him curiously before refilling his plate and digging in once more, struggling slightly with the sling.

"Well, as you know, Pallet is a small town that is rather isolated from the rest of Kanto. The nearest gym is in Viridian, but it is closed most of the year. And it takes a while to get to Cinnabar and Fuchsia no matter what mode of travel you use."

Ash nods absently. This is all common knowledge. Why tell us this?

"I doubt you two remember, but the military used to be very small. Mainly used for city gate patrol in big cities. Everywhere else, it was the police force and walls that kept most disturbances at bay. Any major incidents were handled by the nearest gym. That was how the League operated back then. However, everything changed when Pallet was attacked."

The brunet stiffens in his seat, a fork of pasta halfway to his mouth. It's slowly lowered back down in silence. The Professor continues to speak in a soft, controlled tone.

"The attack, in all honesty, came out of nowhere. It was a cloudy night since it was going to rain. Not a surprise with how spring is here. It was well after midnight when the screams started. I didn't even know what was going on until I had townspeople banging on my door pleading for sanctuary."

"With the lab being fortified with high grade metals and anti-weapon defenses, it is nearly impenetrable. It can even withstand a few Hyper Beams before a hole is made. It's all thanks to the League's funding of course. However they do charge me with projects every now and-"

"Professor, we know that already." Ash interrupts quickly to prevent another random tangent.

"Oh right. Of course. Well as soon as I heard what was going on, I sent a few Pidgeys to the nearby towns asking for emergency assistance. Then, I grabbed the pokemon here and went out to defend the town. The only other League licensed trainer we had was out of town to run an errand for me. Your father actually, Ash."

Brown eyes widen as his mouth drops open.

"Wait my dad was here then?! You said he disappeared when I was little!" He yells indignantly.

The older man's eyes narrow slightly at the second interruption. Ash crosses his arms over his chest and glares at the Professor across from him.

"Four is still considered little, Ash. I still have not heard from him since then, and his body was not found among the deceased after so he did technically vanish."

He opens his mouth to retort when his partner cuts him off.

"We can talk about that later. Just finish your story Gramps."

Ash switches his glare to the brunet. This is important dammit! I could have family left!

The Professor clears his throat noisily. "Well the rest is all a blur to be honest. There was a lot of smoke and fire by the time I got to the main part of town. All of the attackers were wearing black and were riding on pokemon throughout the streets. That's how they got the name 'Riders' actually. I sent everyone I could find to the lab."

Ash could see the darkness swirling in his partner's eyes forming. Maybe I should have pushed harder to have this talk before Gary woke up.

"I don't know how long it took before Viridian's military force showed up. I left the Riders to them and went to defend the lab. However, when I got there, it was almost destroyed. The walls had collapsed. All my equipment destroyed. Yet they left my house untouched. It was so odd. They should never have been able to break in."

Ash stole a quick glance at Gary but dropped his gaze to the table before his partner noticed. That because they were accidently let in. By a child that didn't know any better.

"There were so many bodies and blood...I followed a trail out the back. Everyone left alive had retreated to the edge of the Route 1, into the woods. I gathered everyone in a nearby clearing and set up a defensive perimeter with what pokemon I had left. By the time morning rolled around, the rain had stopped and there was no more smoke. We came back to an empty town. No Riders or military. I sent in my report but didn't hear from them until they came to collect you two for the Academy a few weeks later."

The Professor glances between the two of them silently. He twiddles his thumbs as he stares at the table with a sad look etched into his worn face.

Is he serious? That's it?

"...That's it? What about that was so damn important we had to wait for Gary to wake up to talk about? Besides you hiding the information about my dad from me." Ash asks acidly.

The brunet sits silently next to his grandfather. Waiting for more information before he speaks presumably.

"What are you still hiding from us Gramps?" Gary finally asks after a few minutes of charged silence.

Another sigh is let loose from the Professor. He opens his mouth and hesitates. He closes it again before taking a deep breath. He turns to face his grandson.

"I know Ash hasn't told you this because we talked about this while you were asleep but that Rider you fought? He said that they weren't the ones who attacked Pallet. And I believe he is correct. There were no dragons here, Gary."

Ash stiffens in shock. That can't be true. He flinches as Gary stands abruptly. Knocking his chair backwards onto the ground.

"That's a lie! I was attacked by one! I remember. I SAW it! And you just said yourself that the Riders got their name because they were all riding on their pokemon!"

The older Oak reaches out to put a comforting hand on his grandson's arm, but the limb is pulled away before he can make contact.

"Gary, you can ride more than just a flying dragon as I am sure you both know. Pidgeot, Fearow, Charizard, Tauros...there are many pokemon that soldiers and trainers can ride. Tell me exactly what you remember about that attack please."

Fists tighten visibly at the brunet's side, the knuckles a shocking white. Blazing green eyes attempt to burn a hole in the table from the ferocious glare being released. He speaks through tightly gritted teeth.

"I was hiding. Saw a long tail. Followed it in an alley. Saw red eyes. They glowed. I was hit by something, that caused this."

The brunet raises his shirt to point to the jagged scar that bisects his torso. Now just a thick white line from years of healing.

"It had huge ass claws, was able to knock a fucking building over. Water evaporated from its skin for fuck's sake! Then it roared and spread its huge ass wings. There was someone on the thing's back and I passed the fuck out. Happy?"

Ash sits in silence glancing between his fuming partner and the silent Professor. The longer the silence continues, the angrier Gary seems to get. Just as the brunet's mouth opens to yell more, the Professor turns back to him.

"Ash, describe the Dragonite you two fought."

Flinching at the glare that is redirected his way. He thinks over the battle that nearly cost his partner his life.

Where is he going with this?

"It was just a normal Dragonite. The only thing different about it was the black armor it was wearing around its torso, head and tail."

The Professor huffs softly and makes a circle with his hand to continue. Ash sighs and leans back in his chair.

"It had light orange scales and long antennae sprouting from the top of its head with a small horn between them. Once the armor melted, its cream underbelly was revealed. Thick arms and legs. And tiny teal wing membranes that shouldn't be strong enough to lift it off the ground let alone make it one of the fastest flyers known. Like I said, a normal Dragonite."

The older man shakes his head slightly and points at his weathered tired eyes.

"What color were its eyes, Ash?"

What is that supposed to mean? They're red aren't they?

Brown eyes focus on his partner as the brunet slowly bends down to pick up his chair to right it back up. He sits down slowly. Green orbs blown wide as blood drains from his handsome face. Leaving a ghostly mask behind.

"Gary?"

Shocked viridian eyes slowly raise and meet his. The brunet is shaking. What the hell is going on?

His partner's lips move slightly. He can barely hear that words are escaping from Gary's mouth. "Its eyes...were gray."

Ash freezes in shock. He quickly turns to a stone faced Professor. Then Professor Oak was right? But if there were no dragons, then it wasn't the Dragon Riders. Is there another group calling themselves the Riders? What attacked Gary?

Just what the hell is going on? Everything we thought to be true is falling apart around us. And there is nothing we can do to stop it.

xxx-War of the Dragon Riders-xxx

The beast's large gray eyes lock onto him. A white light begins to form inside the dragon's open maw. Hyper Beam.

Gray. Dragonite's eyes are gray.

"Its eyes...were gray."

A pair of eyes glow red from the firelight across the street. They narrow. A bright glow. Pain.

"No. This is impossible. It WAS a dragon! It had to be!"

Gary stands and rushes toward the lab. He locks onto the giant monitor on the wall behind the main computer. Running towards the device, he pulls up Professor Oak's files on Kanto's pokemon. He can hear echoing voices calling his name but he finds himself not caring at all, focusing on the task before him.

Scrolling to the bottom he sees gray eyes stare back at him. No...no! The data is wrong, it has to be. My eyes were playing tricks on me. They were red. They have to be.

He falls to his knees. He can't look away from the giant gray eyes staring down at him. Noises are muffled. All he can hear is the rapid pounding of his heart. He flinches at the hand that gently lands on his shoulder.

Turning around, he pulls the butterfly knife out of his pocket and levels it at the enemy trying to attack him. A black haired man stares at him with hands raised in the air. Why does he look sad? Where's the dragon? What is going on?

He looks around frantically. He recognizes nothing. His breath comes out in small gasps. There should be smoke and broken machines.

What's going on? Am I being attacked again?

A throbbing pain runs through his chest. Falling to the ground with a cry of pain, he wraps his arms around his torso. Tears fall from his eyes. Throat constricts from the smoke.

I can't breathe.

Feeling hands on him once more, he curls in on himself to avoid more injuries. A sharp pain causes him to raise his head. A withered hand is slowly pulling away an empty needle.

His eyes widen in horror. He crawls backwards on his hands. Black invades his vision.

No! Not again. I don't want to go back there again!

The last thing he feels is two drops of liquid fall on his face.

xxx-War of the Dragon Riders-xxx

AN: I can't say I have ever had a mental breakdown quite like that so it was hard to write. Hopefully it came out ok.

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Next up: Chapter 24 - Hospital