Broken Hearts But Not Spirits by wyldclaw

Plot: first 2023 fanfic and first long over due WCverse fic in ages Ash's feeling after the events of my fanfic Pokémon the Movie 2000 II : Lawrence's Revenge so beware of major spoiler for that fanfic. Ash's pov. I own zero Pokémon characters mentioned- lawrence is the name ive give the antagonist of Pokémon the movie 2000 and one of the villains of Pokémon the Movie 2000 II : Lawrence's Revenge

. ". ". Indicates humans talking , ( ) is translated Pokemon speech and italics are thoughts. I've borrowed some lines from that fanfic and a line from the third movie. Warning you may need tissues nearby. warning Enjoy!

XXX

It was early evening somewhere in Johto and I was jumpy - I couldn't help it. I kept looking around at the slightest sound - even the sound of Ledian around spooked me As I walked with my new girlfriend Misty, my Pokémon Pikachu . I suppose my jumpy nerves were on overtime due to what the three of us had gone through the past few days .

Is Giovanni around here ? is h-he kidding somewhere ? I thought as I nervously looked around, my heart racing fearful of the man along with Lawrence made our lives- particularly mine- beyond hell in the past few days .. I shivered hearing His cold voice threateing he made to Pikachu before his unexpected evolution and I echo in my head as i walked :

Why don't you and I pay a little visit to Pallet Town, Ashton? I can't wait to see Delia's face again. She loves visits from her baby" Giovanni said in a low voice only Ash could hear, "and if she tries to contact the authorities."

All I see when I look at you is a soft plain Pikachu, I can tell there is power within you and I know the perfect way to get it out of you- it will also harden you up at the same time When we get back to my headquarters, I'll make you go through a long, harsh beating session. then days without food and chained to a wall with powerful chains and shock collars in isolation will remind you about the order of things. I'm your master now and you will obey me ."

"stupid boy. You're its Achilles' heel. Didn't you see how it didn't want to shock me once I threatened to have Lawrence cut you up? How it risked its own safety to get you free? How it tried to beat Persian even after it had been it that cage and injured. It proved it will do anything to keep you from harm so I'll use you to break its spirit and bend it to my will. What amazing incredible power, I can't wait to tap into it for my own personal gain. But even if my-" he stressed the word," Raichu had energy, that net is completely unshockable. If it disobeys me I'll take it out on you. If it continues to rebel… …I'll kill you."

"I have a deal for you, boy. I let your girlfriend here-go free and you give me that very powerful mouse of yours in return "

I shivered and shook my head. trying to rid myself of his voice. Misty and Pikachu looked over at me . ( Ash?)

"What's the matter?" I sighed. "His threats are in my head." I stated . I didn't want to elaborate. - The the fact I'd been threatened with beating and possible death by Giovanni if then Rainchu didn't obey him was my burden to bear.

Misty nodded at this , .. ( That make sense.) Pikachu said, .

We walked in silence for a while, which suited me fine. I was trying to distance myself from all that had happened recently and get the of my then Raichu lying still on the Pokemon Center bed for that brief time out of my head. The breeze and the growing nighttime sounds were a welcome distraction. soon we came to a little wooded clearing that had two fallen old logs in it. It wasn 't unlike the clearing we had been in a few days ago when Misty and I had that big fight. Holy Mew was that fight just days ago? It seems like a lifetime since then . So many things have happened since then ...

Misty sat on one of the logs and I did the same as she looked around . Pikachu layon the ground next to my feet, panting . and winced. She and I looked down at him. "What's the matter Pikachu ?" I asked as i bit my lip concerned. He's been through enough hell .

He saw my concerned facial expression. (I'm fine Ash.. it's just.. my wounds. )

" I think.. we should stop here for the night. It's getting late and dark. We should probably cook dinner ."

My stomach let out an enormous roar at the word 'dinner' and my companions smiled. "Guess someone's starving."

(I'd know that hunger pang growl from anywhere.) Pikachu gazed up at me.. On the outside The small yellow Pokemon looked the same as he did before the incident asides from the sc=few scars on his body , the white hospital bandage around his cracked rib . But just like me he'd been forever changed. I could tell he was really exhausted from everything that had happened to him recently from his poisoning at the Cerulean City Gym to everything that had happened the other day. Staring at his wounds made my heart break- he'd suffered worse than me but I somehow held them back.

My new girlfriend grinned. "Yeah .." I agreed. For I' d been too wound up to notice what i had eaten for breakfast and lunch. I hadn't the heart to eat much dinner night even though all Lawrence had given me a stale piece of bread to eat. I was too concerned about Pikachu- well then he'd been a Raichu - fate after he'd taken the bullet Giovanni shot at me. I practically wolfed down the crackers she'd given after dinner. Surprised I'm not passed out from the lack of food. " I guess i'm running on empty from the past few days."

" There's the food loving dense boy i know."

"Hey.. I'am not that dense." I reply and she just rolls her eyes.

I pluck Cyndaquil's Pokéball off my belt, maximized and raised my right arm in mid air .. " I'll help you out Mist.." I reached back to turn my hat around but only touch my messy black hair. "Where 's my -oh." I remembered Lawrence destroyed it when I wouldn't scream to lure Pikachu back. I don't feel like myself without it.

Misty pats my shoulder . "We'll get you a new one... You look weird without a hat."

"I definitely don't feel like mysel." I admit " Cyndaquil I-" I stop as I glimpsed at the multiple deep indentations where the ropes had been on my arm. The painful memories of being tortured while I was tied up came rushing at me like a charging Rhyhorn. I lowered my arm. I can't do it . I just can't look at any of my or Pikachu's injuries without being reminded of ..them or what they did. I thought as my body shook.

( llAshy? What's wrong? You're shaking.) Pikachu remarked as he carefully leapt up into my lap.

"Ashy ? Are you alright ?" my companion's voices seemed far away as Misty came over to my side and knelt down besides me . She took Cyndaquil's Pokéball from my hand and hd my hand in her left hand.

I numbly shook my head. "It's just… it's just -" I tried to say that was was bothering me was the immense weight of what i'd gone through in the past few days changing my life for ever but the words just wouldn't come. I just wanted to be a regular boy on a Pokemon journey.I felt my eyes going from the slightly faded slap mark on her face to Pikachu's injuries to my own hand.

(What happened is .. finally hitting you.. and me. A-all of us.) Pikachu took the words right out of my mouth and licked my arm and I nodded.

" No wonder you were so quiet and solemn today.. but I don't blame you .. L-Lawrence and … h-him- they're beyond psychotic, coldhearted and cruel.. an-and th-that's being nice about it . You've been through hell . This might cheer you up "

She kissed me on the cheeks and on the lips for a few minutes. I was totally caught off guard but I embraced it. . A sense of warmth spread through my body and it stopped shaking . I felt like I was being lifted a few feet off the ground . When she stopped the kiss a few minutes later and parted her, I felt like I was in a daze. "Holy Mew .. that was incredible."

"Feel a bit better?"

I nodded. " I'll go get the firewood with Cyndq help. You both ..just need time to rest and p-process what happened." She said.

I looked around- remembering all too clearly what had happened the last time she went went off into a dark forest by herself. That fight was what started this whole mess. . "But what if he has grunts -"

"Charizard sent him and this three idiots packing remember? He's proplably chewing them off They usually have to recuperate for a day or two before they come back after us again. "

"Oh yeah.. I forgot."

( but keep in mind those three dolts saved us .. twice that day . Once with the pill that taught me Substitute.) Pikachu pointed out. (And-)

"When Meowth bit Persian's tail and slashed it." Misty finished. "they wanted to help us .."

I remembered what they'd said in Greenfield at that strange crystal tower when they helped save me from falling ." It's really very simple. If anything ever happened to you, we'd be out of show business. " .

" They didn't they?"

She smiled " so I don't think we have to worry about them tomonight. I'll leave Corsola with you. Besides if someone unwanted shows up . you can always send Notcowl or Phanpy for help… I won't be gone long… I promise " She answered as she took off her Water/Rock Pokémon's minimized Pokéball and place it next to the stump. She kissed my cheeks and i blushed tomato-red. " I love you." she said at then went up to her full height.

"L-l-love you too." I tripped over the word.

Pikachu gazed up at me as we saw her walk away and disappear into the forest. (She'll be fine.. She has Golduck now.) He reassured me and I hugged him and carefully as I could , away o of his injuries.

"I know pal but after everything.. I can't help it.. Lawrence was terrible enough but when he entered the whole situation…" I gulped as i stroked the mouse's soft fur.

I brushed my hand against a scar and he flinched. "Sorry. "

(it's okay…) He was silent for a minute, then looked pop his black eyes wet with tears. . (H-He was beyond deplorable.) he said softly. (I.. never ever want to be in his hands again.. no matter how briefly. He was absolutely brutal .) he shook for a few minutes and i calmly stroked him until it stopped / . I didn't blame my starter for being absolutely terrified of the Team Rocket leader .

(when h-he talked about lawrence h-hurting you and then b-beating me I felt shattered.) I felt tears run from his face to my arms. (I f-felt… like i failed in my duty to protect you. I felt utterly defeated and helpless...)

I shook my head , feeling tears run down my own face. "Don't say that buddy. Y-you didn't fail and you weren't helpless . . Y-you did everything you possibly could to save me from that savage heartless demon. You stood up to him and the despicable wretched Persian and fought your very best about that cat."

(He was merciless.. you saw what- h-he did to me. He called me weak and pathetic and c-called you a p-pathetic weakling. That's when i knew I'd had way more than enough and .. did what i had to. )

"I saw everything. Good reply spitting in his face. " The mouse smiled. " For what its worth you made an astounding incredible Raichu. That speech was truly heartfelt , moving and beautiful. its not your fault at all . I'm proud of what you did that day "

( E-even takin the -) He couldn't say the rest of the sentence: gunshot would to the heart.

I nodded, the words stuck in my throat. " E-e-even th-th-that. That psycho m-may have br-broken our spirits and shattered our hearts that day but.." I wiped my teary eyes with my sleeve. " but he'll n-never break our powerful friendship bond..N-nothing can."

(N-not even my …) he looked away and I knew he didn't want to mention his brief death and mysterious de-evolution. It went too deep in our broken souls . Eventually- I didn't know how- I was going to have to tell me girl friend what happened in that small room. But the would were still too fresh in my mind. I nodded .

"N-Not even th-that could tear us apart. "

The two of us just cried and hugged each other for a while- losing all track of time. Nothing existed aside from the two of us .

"Y You're the strongest , most strong willed , st-strong hearted Pokemon I -I know.."

(I second that. ) Golduck said, eyes glowing as he , Cyndaquil and Misty emerged to the clearing , a huge pile of firewood floating in mid-air next to them.

"I agree . You guys feel much better now?" Misty asked , seeing our tear streaked faces. Honestly , I felt lighter than I had earlier. all that i really needed was a much needed cry and talk.

I nodded as Golduck mentally put the firewood down in a safe dry spot and his eyes went back to norman. Cyndaquil turned it into a campfire with two Ember attacks. . " Yes. All we needed was a good cry.. " My stomach yowled loudly again. " Now when's dinner gonna be ready?"

Everyone groaned.

The End