Hello again everyone, and welcome back to the fourth chapter! I updated early cause I didn't have school this week, and I can probably add another chapter in 3-4 days, then after that it's the norm.

Review corner~

SuperGV88- That's not really what I intended, but your suggestion is still very good! And I will TRY to make my chapters 3-5 k from now on, but no promises!

Red Alfa- Thanks for reading, and I hope you still enjoy the story!

Light of Sins- Thanks for reading, and I hope you will stick with me until the end!

W.R. Winters- I don't really know what I'm doing actually, I just have a really crude plan in my head about the ending, and that's it. And Ash has been wanting to drink the super potion ever since Giovanni gave it to him, but will he use it?

muzafarmansoor97- Aww, thanks for the compliment! Like I said, I'll try to lengthen the chapters from now on!

AdvancedLover- Thanks! You won't have to puke any more! Wink wink.

Razzorow the Great Madman- Ash basically still hates his friends for not believing in him, but he knows there is something plotting behind them, so he tries to find out who this mastermind is, even though he could just leave his friends to die. Aww, so sweet and noble Ash!

I might as well say thank you all for reading, since I overflowed the review corner with it. But enough of me talking/typing. On with the chapter!


''Wake up.''

Giovanni mumbled groggily. It was, what, three in the morning? Who in their sane mind would even dare to awaken the great and once powerful Giovanni? He shifted in his bed and turned over so his back faced the intruder.

Suddenly, he felt his body being soaked in a bone-chilling liquid, and he quickly threw his blanket off, sputtering water everywhere. A figure cloaked in gloomy drapes and a black hood sat on his chair. Giovanni rose from his bed, trembling with rage.

''Don't bother getting angry. You deserved it.'' The figure calmly spoke. ''You smell putrid, rancid, as rotten as your former organisation,'' A wry smile spread across the figure's obscured face. The figure's voice was so monotonous, Giovanni couldn't pinpoint its gender.

''What do you know?'' Giovanni snapped, walking brazenly over to it. ''The Brotherhood is a great organisation!''

''Was,'' The figure corrected, then drooped its head, as if spotting something on the floor. ''Is that whisky?'' He pointed to the ancient glass bottle Giovanni held in his hands; The latter did not even realize he was holding it.

''Help yourself.'' Giovanni shrugged. He pulled a chair to him and sat directly in front of the newcomer, throwing the bottle to it. It caught the flying object with a deft flick of its wrist, and Giovanni chuckled, ''Mind you, that thing could knock out a whale with a single drop. I doubt you could stay sober if you took a sip.''

Giovanni swore he could see the figure smirking, ''Well then, I won't risk it. I am here because I need your help.''

The former Brotherhood leader spat on the ground, then wiped his sleeve across his lips and stared at the figure. ''What can I possibly do? And what could you possibly give me?''

''For one, I could give you back your old title as leader of The Brotherhood.''

That got Giovanni's attention. He leaned forward eagerly, lips smacking and clenching his fists together. ''What do I need to do? I'll do anything!''

The figure smiled. Just like that, he had Giovanni like putty in the palm of its hand. Another pawn added to the game, and another scapegoat for it.

''Wait.'' Giovanni's pupils narrowed down to little slits, and he straightened himself, eyeing the figure suspiciously. ''Who are you? How can you possibly give me back my old organisation?''

''Who I am is none of your concern,'' The figure replied smoothly. ''But if you insist, you may call be Labem.''

''Labem.'' Giovanni repeated, his brain processing the new information. ''That's bane in latin. Are you someone's bane?''

''More like the opposite.'' Labem frowned grimly, then brought the whisky to its lips, drinking the whole bottle in one gulp. It lowered its head to see Giovanni staring at the bottle like it was made of pure gold.

''Tastes sweet,'' Labem commented, then beckoned Giovanni closer. ''Now this is what I want you to do...''


Ash quickly ran down the streets, ignoring the angry complaints of passers-by he shoved aside.

''What is going on?'' He thought, as he took a left turn at a road junction. ''Jaina and Cynthia are dead? I have to get to the bottom of this!''

Then abruptly, Ash stopped in his tracks. Why did he even want to get to the bottom of this? Would it be better if this person who killed the girls just killed everyone else? Then Ash wouldn't have to worry about anything any more!

Almost immediately, Ash slapped himself. What kind of person was he, to even think that?! Letting his friends die just like that, no matter how undeserving they may be? But they've been accusing Ash so much already...first with Cynthia, then Max...what next? Accusing Ash of assassinating the Mayor?

His hand slowly crept to the pocket containing the green vial. He brought it to his eyes, and slowly swirled the liquid. How wonderful would it be, to simply just...forget everything that happened to him? To just be, 'reborn', and live a life without any troubles?

Ash sighed. He knew he couldn't leave his friends to die, but it tempted Ash so much, too much actually, to let the mastermind kill his friends. He spotted a small ice cream vendor in the park, and a familiar little yellow rodent stationed next to it.

''Pikachu!'' Ash scolded, walking to his Pokemon. ''You were here all along eating ice cream?!''

Pikachu gave a sheepish grin, then held up an ice cream cone to Ash, the vanilla already melting and dripping onto the floor.

''I can't believe this.'' Ash face palmed, then grabbed Pikachu's tail, dragging it along. ''No ice cream for a week!''

''PIKA!'' The little Pokemon squealed, digging its claws into the ground.

''Stop playing around Pikachu, we gotta go to the bank and check out Jaina!'' Ash pointed to the building directly opposite of them, and Pikachu finally relented. ''Thanks bud, now let's check her out.''


Pikachu wrinkled its nose at the disgusting stench that filled the room; it barely could keep about its consciousness. Ash was breathing through his handkerchief, and crouched down to inspect the bloody corpse.

''How could this be...'' He breathed, running his fingers through the giant wound in her chest. ''Someone must have came and killed her after I left. But who?''

Ash knew the answers wouldn't magically appear out of thin air. He ran a finger along the jagged edges of the cut, careful not to cause any more bleeding. ''It's...so precise and quick. And the skin is perfectly sliced, just like a knife slices through butter. The weapon must be some kind of dagger.''

He ran his finger down the body, and noticed something stuck under Jaina's left hand. ''Hmm...she must have torn it from the murderer.'' He reached in and pulled out a thin strip of grey fabric, and sniffed it.

''Ughh...why did I do that?'' Ash quickly put down the fabric. ''Smells like day old gym socks.''

''Pikachu!'' The little rodent started nudging Ash, then pointed to the road. Outside, there were a few police cars parked along the sides, and officers were already walking out.

''Cops are here. Let's go, Pikachu!'' Ash called, and he sprinted into the back door, emerging into the back end of the city, which was directly next to the haunted forest, the place Ash intended to go next.


''Pika Pika!'' Pikachu repeatedly tugged on Ash's pants, sounding nervous and...afraid.

''I know this forest is scary but we have to find out how Cynthia died!'' Ash said, shaking off the Pikachu. ''Now come on!''

Ash was almost halfway through the forest, but no sign of any dead corpses or blood or anything. It was almost as if someone knew that Ash was coming, and they hid away the crime scene.

''Pikachu!'' Pikachu sounded more alert and anxious than afraid, and it went a little further, banging against Ash's legs.

''Pikachu, stop being a baby. This forest isn't haunted.'' Ash dismissed, and Pikachu started pulling on its fur.

''Now where might Cynthia's body be...''

''PI. KA. CHUUUU!'' Pikachu screamed, and Ash turned back to tell his Pokemon off.

What he saw was not just a Pikachu, but a blazing inferno, spreading from tree to tree, engulfing it whole like a baby might engulf a pacifier. Ash gaped at the monstrous sight. The fire was about to reach them!

''Why didn't you tell me earlier, Pikachu!'' Ash snapped at it, and it face pawed. ''Never mind. We have to get out of here!'' Ash turned to run in the opposite direction, but the fire had already spread to the other trees, and it surrounded the duo all together; They were trapped!

''How do we get out of this mess, Pikachu...''


Brock sat on the bench, replaying the scene over and over again.

''I'm saying...let's break up.''

It played and played itself inside Brock's mind until it stuck in there like a broken cassette tape. May had cried and fled the room after that, leaving him alone in the Pavilion. A million thoughts were racing across Brock's mind, but one of them, the most unnerving and self-doubting one, kept showing up in Brock's head: Did May break up with him because she knew Ash was alive?

Brock slammed a meaty fist on the marble columns that supported the Pavilion. If only he knew what was on May's mind. If only he knew why Ash killed Jaina. If only...if only...

If only Ash didn't exist.

Brock spotted a single rose lying around on the floor. He picked it up and delicately balanced it on his index. ''It's about time I paid respect to Cynthia, for all she's done for me. Hope your spirit can rest peacefully in heaven.''


''Come on, Ash, think!'' Ash smacked his forehead for inspiration, but all he got was a sore bruise from all that knocking.

Pikachu was hugging Ash's legs. It looked so scared and fearful, sparks started flying off its electric pouches.

''Wait a minute...electricity creates fire!'' Ash realized. ''Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt and make a ring of fire around us!''

Pikachu looked skeptical, but did as Ash commanded. Its cheeks pulsated with glowing electricity, and released it in a single lightning bolt that jumped from tree to tree in a huge arc. The trees that were struck immediately caught fire, and started burning.

''I hope this works,'' Ash muttered under his breath. ''If it does, we're alive! If not, I just made our deaths twice as fast.''

Pikachu was sweating from all the heat generated, and Ash crouched down, hugging Pikachu tightly, for what might be the last minute of their lives.

Suddenly, the heat stopped. Ash didn't dare risk opening his eyes, for all he knew, he could be seeing the afterlife right now. Curiosity finally overtook him, and he dared a small peek. The ground was scorched, and smoldering remains of trees littered the area around Ash, but he was safe!

''We did it Pikachu!'' Ash hugged his best buddy even tighter. ''We did it!''

Pikachu suppressed a sigh, then noticed a small charred figure in the distance. ''Pikachu!'' It pointed.

''Hmm? What's that!'' Ash saw the figure too, and inched closer to it. With a jolt, he realized this hunk of black carbon must be Cynthia!

''Oh that's just gross,'' He wrinkled his nose at the putrid stench, and his lungs felt like they were about to break down and shrivel up into nothing. ''Now how are we going to inspect your death?'' He aimed that question at the blackened body.

''What. Happened!'' A voice said behind Ash, and he turned around to see Brock staring at Cynthia, the rose in his hand falling down to the floor.

''This isn't my fault!'' Ash protested, waving his hands frantically. ''I didn't do this!''

''Enough!'' Brock yelled, and charged at Ash. Ash barely had enough time to block when Brock rammed into him, sending him flying.

Ash got up and spat out some blood. ''Okay, now you've got your revenge. Now will you just stop and listen to me!''

''What could a murderer and arsonist possibly say to me!'' Brock growled, and aimed a blow at Ash. It bounced off his skull, and he staggered back.

''I won't let May love someone like you!'' Brock aimed another punch, but Ash dodged it.

''Wait wait wait...May loves me?'' Ash sounded puzzled, rubbing his forehead. ''I think you're crazy.''

''Ash...just get out of my sight. Leave this place, and never show your face in here again!'' And Brock walked off, leaving Ash alone.

''Jeez...this is the thanks I get for helping people?'' Ash sighed. ''What else do I get?''

''This!'' A voice behind Ash said, and Ash turned around to see Paul wrap a length of string around Ash's neck.

Ash coughed and sucked in for air, his hands fumbling on the string. Paul, however, didn't even bat an eyelid. ''You killed Cynthia! You...killed her! I loved her! Why did you have to take me away from her! Doesn't matter now. You can go and visit her in hell!''

Ash, at the sound of this, roared and pulled on the string, snapping it. He turned around and tackled Paul to the ground. ''I did not kill any one! Stop making me look like a bad guy! Cynthia probably never loved you anyway.''

Paul screamed, and lifted Ash up, ignoring his struggling and blows to the head. He walked to the edge of the hill- The forest was on a hill that had a river on one side and the city on the other- and looked down at the river.

''Everyone will thank me for this. Trust me, you'll thank me too.'' Paul smirked, and threw Ash down the hill, his screams getting softer and softer until they could not be heard.

''PIKACHU!'' Pikachu yelled, and jumped onto Paul's face.

''Get off me, you pathetic weasel!'' Paul tore Pikachu away from him, ''Serve your master in hell!'' He threw the Pikachu down the hill too, and laughed maniacally.

''I better tell the others there's no need to go to the Sinnoh League Championships anymore,'' Paul smirked, and walked off, ''Because Ash died from 'unexplained circumstances'...''

Unbeknownst to him, or anyone, was a girl crouched behind a bush, her eyes forever horrified by what Paul has done.

''Paul...killed Ash...'' Dawn whispered apprehensively, then clutched her chest, trying to steady her breathing. ''What do I do? Do I tell the others?!''


Before anyone says anything, this is an AU, so it's perfectly fine that Paul loves Cynthia. End of discussion.

Done and done! I hope you all enjoyed, and if you do, please leave a review! I always love reading reviews made by anyone of you, and guests are free to review as they please too! I hope you all enjoy, and see you all next time!