Chapter 15: The Attack and the Ceremony
"Alright, Alright break it up you two", May declares running up trying to keep Misty from killing Ash.
"Well I wouldn't be in this state if Ash didn't charge off the ship like a Zubat outta hell", Misty replied.
"Uh…guys I think we have a limo waiting for us", Dawn said.
"Don't change the subject…wait a limo, where?", declared Misty.
"Over there…look", Dawn replied.
Everyone looks in the direction of the limo. The person standing on front was holding a sign that said 'Ketchum Group'. Misty returned to her wheelchair and Ash pushed her up to the car (with what little energy that hadn't been strangled out of him). As May, Dawn, and Brock followed behind them another black figure appeared a short distance behind them and begun mumbling something to himself then broke off and headed for his own car that was waiting for him a few steps away.
All of a sudden all 25 buses that were parked in front of the ship to carry the trainers suddenly exploded one after another right before their eyes. Everyone ducks in cover to avoid the shrapnel flying around from the wreckage. The assistant suddenly begins rushing everyone into the car and Misty with Pikachu and Rilou still in her lap. Hops himself into the car and takes off like another Tauros in a train station.
"Misty, are you ok?", asked Ash.
"Yes, I'll be fine just a little shaken up", Misty replied softly.
"How about everyone else, you guys ok?", Ash continued.
Ash placed his gentle hands on Misty; one on her shoulder and the other on her stomach.
"Good, I can still feel their heartbeat, moving just as fast as yours is, calm down or you're gonna have an anxiety attack", Ash said slowly.
"Oh Ash", Misty sighs laying her head on his shoulder.
Rilou and Pikachu are in the seat next to Misty.
"Um…excuse me driver?", Ash calls, "Is everyone else ok, did anyone get hurt?"
The driver rolls down the separating window.
"Hang on just a sec, and I'll find out", replied the guy in the passenger seat.
He picks up the phone near him and awaits a response.
Moments later…
"Sir, everyone made it out ok, thankfully the elite trainers along with our rescue personnel are assisting everyone in every way they can. All the fires have been quelled and everyone is safely making their way to the stadium", the guy in the passenger seat replied.
"Phew, that's a relief", everyone replies at once.
"So where are we off too", Misty asked.
"We are headed for the same place every other trainer is being taken the stadium in the center of the island for the opening ceremony", replied the driver.
"Thanks"
Bzzzt…bzzzt…bzzzt Ash's pokégear began to buzz rapidly.
"Hello?",
"Ash? Great you are ok, what about your friends are they alright as well?", asked the champ as Ash put the phone on speaker.
"Yes everyone is fine, a little shaken, but fine. We managed to get to the limo when the explosions began to go off", Ash replied.
All of a sudden buzzing could be heard all over the car, including Ash's.
"Sorry Mr. Champ gotta go, someone else is calling me along with everyone else's, we shall see you at the stadium when we get there", Ash frantically replied.
"Sure, see you shortly", replied the champ.
"Hello?", everyone began to answer their phone and speak to the worried families on the other end of the line as they had just saw what had happened on the news.
Soon frantic crying and joyful weeping could be heard within the car for the next 20 min. everyone trying to fill in their parents on what had just happened.
Most of them were against them staying any longer and demanded they come home immediately, but rejected assuring them that all will be well and that there was nothing to worry about.
Half an hour later the limo arrives at the stadium where Mr. Goodshow, the champ and the trap brothers were waiting for them. The champ opens the door and everyone exits the vehicle.
"Is everyone ok, I hope our little encounter didn't hurt you or any of the trainers", replied Mr. Goodshow.
"Don't worry we are fine and the driver informed us that the other trainers are as well, now as for what happened is some group trying to stop the tournament", asked Ash.
"Yes and no, yes because information about the champ's kid was leaked and now they are trying to capture or kill him or her to get the champ to come out of hiding, but as you saw already even his protection place here is even compromised so we have to take extreme precautions for everyone", replied the champ.
"Can you tell us what he or she looks like?", asked Ash.
"Well now let's see…no, not because we don't trust you, but also because the person doesn't even know either, so it's best to keep it that way for the time being. I'm sure you understand", replied Goodshow.
"Yes, well if you need us to help protect or even find the enemy we will gladly assist you", Ash replied.
"Well now… thanks Ash", replied the champ
"You're welcome, ow…", said Ash as Misty nudged him in the side.
"Oh Mr. Champ if you have a minute to spare can we talk to you privately", asked Ash.
"Certainly, follow me…", replied the champ.
Ash Misty and the champ step off to the side out of ear shot to everyone else.
"So, what's up, my friend?", he asked.
"Well it's about Rilou, um… do you remember when we called this morning for that request?", Ash asked.
"Well, yes it was to… (cracks a smile)…laugh (he busts out laughing)…if not mistaken…(he sighs as he calms down)", said the champ.
"Well I'm also sure you heard about what happened on the boat correct?", Misty asks.
"Yes, I read the report, but what happened during the recovery, my report read that Nurse Joy teleported you down to the Pokémon center and didn't reappear until the next morning which by the way a welcome party was waiting for you outside the elevator", he replied.
"Yes,…that is correct, but what we found out was troubling", replied Ash.
"Troubling, how?", he asked.
"Well we found out who previously trained him, and how you found and took him in like one of your own. And on top of that you even managed to break him out of his depression state and bring him back into training", Misty continued.
"H…how did you know, I told no one how I acquired him, unless…", the champ replied.
"Well, Nurse Joy's Alakazam is a very unique Pokémon and has the ability to read and project one's thought's whether they are human or Pokémon and project them to others. And we saw how Paul…abandoned him and how you took him under your wing", Misty said.
"And how do you know it was Paul?", the champ asked.
"Well I've battled with him many times during my Sinnoh travels, and trust me I know how ruthless he could be especially to his Pokémon. He battles solely on power, never cares about the state of his Pokémon's state of health, he brings them to the breaking point of no return if they don't adapt to his fighting style", Ash replied.
"Go on…"
"Well we first met in Sinnoh when I had lost Pikachu, because of a mishap of Team Rocket trying to take him again, and we were searching for him and found Paul catching Starly. When he analyzed them with his Pokédex he released the two of them, but when he told me why… it just pissed me off. Then I demanded he battle me, but he wanted a three on three and I only had two: Aipom, and my own Starly. So after I found Pikachu we battled, but it ended in a draw. Then he had the nerve to release the Starly that he kept. Then many times after wards we battled, and most of the time he would win, and then sometimes I would win. But when we entered the double battle contest in Hearthome city, he released Chimchar only because Chimchar never could use his blaze ability like he wanted. So I took him in and look what happened, he evolved and became stronger than ever", Ash said.
"Wow…that's somethin' if I do say so myself", said the champ, "Well Ash yes I did follow him, and on many occasions I might add, but I maintained a distance away from him the entire time, ahhh… nothing like a good investigation to keep one on his toes. Then one night I saw him catch this Rilou, but the way he took him in was astounding".
"It was around 2:00am and I had been observing him for several months now, and I'm sure you know this part with the hunter right?", he asked.
"Yes, I even fought the hunter on many occasions as well as she also tried to steal Pikachu", Ash replied.
…
…
"Damn", the champ replied.
"What is it?", Misty asked concerned.
"Oh its nothing, anyway after a gym battle in the Johto region he released him after falling in yet another gym battle, for some reason Rilou just couldn't fight up to standards in gym battles, he would do fine in the training, but once he got to the gym battle…he simply just couldn't put that effort into it. So after Paul had released him, he turned his back and just began to walk, Rilou was still injured from the battle and could only just lie there as Paul just kept walking. I found him a day later propped up against a tree, trying to get out of the rain still trying to recover if he was even attempting to at that point.
Then I looked into his eyes while he sat there and to tell you the truth I didn't see much hope for him, but I picked him up and with my Gardevior's help she teleported us several hundred yards down to the nearest Pokémon center, were I got him treated. From Nurse Joy's analysis if he stayed out there any longer he might have died from his injuries or even pneumonia, after he was back up to par I took him back with me to the place where I was staying", the champ said.
"It was going to be my goal to get him to smile, and after weeks of trials, I didn't get so much as a smirk until one day, while training with my Pokémon, he came up to me and pulled at my leg with a sad face. He wanted someone to spar with so, I brought out an old friend who hadn't seen much action in a while, and would have 'em start warming up, but as I saw Rilou fighting even though he would get knocked back over and over again he would still get back up to fight. After a while with them fighting I began to see a smirk come across his face, and when he finally knocked down that old friend he jumped up and down like a little school girl. It was now going to be my goal to change up his fighting style to fight like he wanted to not what anyone else wanted, what he wanted.
While preparing his training regimen he was watching two of my other Pokémon practice attacking and defending with moves. He did something I didn't expect, my Arcanine was using extremespeed to dodge my Sceptile's leaf blades, and he just sat there with a serious look on his face watching every movement Arcanine was making. Later that night I saw him practicing that move, it wasn't perfect but soon he got the reaction time down, and was able to pull it off flawlessly. Then I made the horrible mistake of walking in on this. He threw on a petrified look, until he passed out, and when he woke up moments later he did something I wouldn't expect…he had that no conscious look in his eyes and…", he continued.
"He went berserk", Ash said
"Yes, but it wasn't as long as it had been when you had him, it was for about a minute. And he only hit me with one attack. I think maybe he still has some anger towards trainers, but only because of Paul and I think he didn't want anyone to know of this."
"Well Ash at least you had the courage and speed to stop him, the moment it happened, and you even did something I never would have thought of trying…", the champ replied.
"I didn't want to hit him, but he put to many lives in danger with that stunt if Infernape and him got to serious the ship might have been destroyed and I couldn't risk so many people's lives like that", Ash said.
"And I trust you know about his counter since you managed to get him serious at least once am I right?", the champ asked seriously.
"Yes I do", replied Ash.
"Well let me warn you now, don't let him get any more involved with the fight if it drags on too long, even if he is your only Pokémon, if he gets too serious there will be no stopping him until he either passes out, or annihilates everything in the vicinity", the champ said even more serious than he was before.
…
Ash and Misty stare at him in shock.
"Not even placing him back…"
"Nope not even forcing him back into his Pokéball, he will just pop right back out."
"Either get him out of there, calm him down quickly or stop the fight", continued the champ.
"Yes, thank you very much", Ash and Misty replied.
"Oh and one last hint before I go, his aura sphere is very unique, it'll be up to you to figure it out from there", said the champ into Ash's ear very quietly as he passed the young trainer to return to Mr. Goodshow.
"Huh? Thanks Mr. Champ", Ash replied.
"Oh and call me Alex, no Mr. or Champ just Alex", he replied.
"Ok, thanks M… oops I mean, Alex for all you helped us with, I'll see you later, Ash replied.
"Well now that's out of the way, Mr. Thundertrap here is going to take you to the reserved room we had set for you", Mr. Goodshow came up and said as the champ walked towards him.
"Reserved…"
"Room…"
"Yeah!", everyone cheers as Thundertrap begins to lead them to the room set aside for them.
As opening ceremonies begins what kinds of challenges await or heroes. Find out next time on Events Unexpected.