Poke-genetics: victory?
They entered the room.
The place gave a sickening feeling to Genno. It was here that he learned of his dad's true nature. It was in this very room that most of his life had crumbled away. He hated this place.
«Hello, Genno. » a familiar voice brought him out of his thoughts.
Genno looked at the man sitting behind Marco's desk: his father, a grin of satisfaction on his face.
«Dad… » he began with a cracking voice.
However, the hyperactive part of his brain sent him a weird message.
«Since when do you smoke? » he asked, incredulous and perfectly aware of how ridiculous he sounded.
His father was indeed holding a cigar in his right hand, which was the first time he showed interest in something like smoking. Ash shot a completely baffled look at Genno for his lack of serious in such a crucial moment.
«Oh, I found these in one of Marco's drawers and I thought they could be useful. »
The last part of his sentence rang a bell to Genno's ears. He realized the danger with a shiver.
«Ash! Thunderbolt him now! » he shouted.
Ash followed his order and sparkles flew on his cheeks when Jonathan's calm voice interrupted.
«I wouldn't do that if I were you. »
Genno and Ash saw with growing horror that he had threw his cigar upward.
Toward the sprinklers.
A rain of water fell on them.
Shocked, Ash stopped under the smug smile Jonathan bore.
«Now, if you intended to use electric attacks, go ahead. Pure water may not conduct electricity, but I assure you this one is not pure. You will probably shock Genno just as badly as you shock me. »
«Ash! Do it anyway! » Genno urged.
After a second of hesitation, Ash nodded.
«…I was sure you'd try something funny no matter what, which is why I'm glad I could grab this before you entered. »
Jonathan stood up, revealing the gun he was holding in his left hand. He pointed the weapon at Ash and both teen froze in place.
«Now, I believe your goal was to make me your hostage by coming here, right? Well, this is my counterattack. I'm taking both of you hostages against the other. If you, Genno, transform to become immune to electric attack, I'll shoot Ash. If you, Ash, try to attack me with a move such as Thunder, you'll also attack your friend. Basically, this is what I like to call checkmate. »
Koga was leading their group and the task was even more hazardous than it should have. Thrice they had to put an enemy to sleep before it could alert the whole base.
He wiped off a few drops of sweat and concentrated on his task. His crobat was silently flying over his head, using echolocation to observe their surroundings.
He observed his pokemon movements, understanding its body language. The next corridor was definitely empty and there was no one behind them.
«Great, we can use some good news. » he thought.
Behind him, Erika, Brock and Jenny were trying to figure out the reason for his unexpected smile. Jenny, especially, was not in the mood for this. She had a bad feeling about this place.
«Koga… » she whispered. «Is the perimeter clear? »
Jenny was trying to slow her breathing. She had to calm down. She was a police officer and she was following her lost love's philosophy. She'd change this world for the better by saving Team Blast's victims.
It was on this positive thought that she heard a subtle, muffled voice.
«Get down! » she yelled.
A blade of silver wind flew just over Erika's head, luckily pulled down by Jenny.
Koga shot a look behind them. There was a golbat flying at the end of the corridor, using echolocation as well.
«Oh no! » the ninja trainer shouted. «We've been discovered! »
And hell broke loose.
«What do you mean? » Misty asked, scared of the answer.
«What do I mean? » Janes repeated, just like a chatot. «Exactly what I said: you considered I lost, which is ridiculous, since you do not know my goal. »
«What are your objectives? » Surge yelled.
«Forgetting your own taunts? Weren't you the one to say: «Do you think we're stupid enough to tell you? »? Don't worry though, I will tell you, as I'm sure you'll all look lovely in a minute. »
A dark tension fell upon the room. Janes was fully enjoying this delicacy known as fear.
«When he took control of Team Blast, Jonathan Avery gave me a very special order. He asked me to bring him his son and the trainer turned into a pikachu. »
They were white.
«So… what do you think I did after I pressed the alarm button? I let them bypass me and get to Jonathan. They used that moment of distraction really well, I was surprised by their quick reaction, but in the end, the result is the same. Jonathan has his two tests subjects at his mercy.»
A horrific detail jumped at Surge's eyes.
«You… gave the alert? » he articulated with difficulty. «When…? »
Janes's eyes were filled with her madness as she shivered in pleasure at the sound of the broken spirit.
«When I pressed my neck. Our uniforms are a bit special. They come with a hidden emergency button in our collars, a small camera and a shocker. If the button is pressed, all other uniforms in a certain range emit a shock and inform the members of an emergency and the camera sends images to Marco's office. Marco thought that big red flashy lights were cool, but not as cool as the face of his opponents when they realized they were discovered without them knowing. I must say… I agree! » she explained with a twisted smile.
«We won't give up! » Surge suddenly denied angrily.
«You should. » she simply said while snapping a finger.
The doors on their right and left all opened, revealing the few higher ranked members getting out of their individual chambers.
Genno was thinking as fast as he could. What should he do? What COULD he do? A single movement would result in Ash being shot. Even if Ash understood his will to take down his father with him if necessary, he could not reasonably act without being noticed by his father.
«Genno, it has been such a long time since I saw that highly active brain of yours in action. Are you trying to come up with a plan to prevent me from knocking the both of you unconscious? Do you plan to delay everything so that your friends could try to rescue you? No matter how much effort you put into it, it won't work. It's futile, Genno. » his father explained.
«No, it's not. » Genno replied, having found an idea. «You said checkmate, but you're wrong. This is just check. While you prevent the both of us from moving, you can't put your threat to execution without losing. If you attack Ash, I'll get you. The opposite is also true. We're only in a stalemate. »
Ash was listening attentively without losing focus of Jonathan's weapon. Genno was right; he had to wait for his chance. He was worried to observe a satisfied expression on the scientist's face.
«A very good analysis, Genno. It makes no doubt you inherited my intelligence. »
As Genno felt nauseous at the pride in his voice, his father slowly moved his left hand toward the pocket of his jacket.
«However… you talk as if I have only one weapon… »
His arm sprung itself at lightning speed and they could only see briefly a small tube of glass flying. The liquid it contained splashed Genno's face and the test tube broke itself on the metallic ground.
«This isn't… » Genno began.
His voice stopped dead in its track. Ash realized with horror that his friend's cheeks were twisted as he was holding back something.
He screamed in agony. The teen fell on the floor, his hands reaching for his face.
«GENNO! » Ash yelled.
He was rolling on the floor, screaming. His whole body was sending him waves of pain! What was happening to him? He screamed louder, his voice about to break. His back arched itself and he screamed again.
Jonathan looked at his tortured son with a grim interest.
«Hum… the process looks even more painful than I predicted. » he noted.
Genno was crying. It was too much; his whole body was slowly burning from the inside, he was being stabbed by a thousand swords, he was being torn apart by lightning! He could not take it… he wished for all his heart for it to stop, no matter what was the end!
«You see, my son? It is important not to underestimate your enemies. The wisest will hide their trump cards. This is mine. »
Horribly slowly, the pain faded, letting only an empty feeling in his mind. He felt terribly wrong.
«You might want to take a look at yourself. » his father politely remarked.
Fearing for the worst, he turned his head to look at his right arm.
It was still Ash's arm.
Then, he saw what his father did to him and some of his inner strength disappeared, just as easily as the small flame of a candle in the middle of a storm.
«This is a particular chemical product that I developed during the last few weeks. I know that its counterparts are a lot simpler to use, but I've found a few advantages to this. First, it does not take into account the physical strength of its target. Second, it leaves the body extremely tired. Third, it is completely unexpected. This is the why I think this stabilizer is a lot more efficient than a simple pokeball. »
The last word completely shocked Ash. If it had the same effect as a pokeball… that meant... Genno was stuck as a ditto forever!
His face was of a pale yellow color.
«It's…just like you… to invent something as crazy as that. » Genno hatefully said.
«Now, now, are we going to engage in another stupid debate about the value of science? Science is and will always be heartless. It's just a tool and I'm using it. What's wrong with that? »
«You're just a sorry old man. Science is as heartless as any abstract concept. It is your responsibility as a scientist to give it a heart! » Genno replied with burning convictions.
«A responsibility? That's cute. »
His anger seemed to fuel his strength as Genno stood up, unsteady but standing.
«No, it's not! That's something it seems you completely lost at some point. Responsibilities are something only a strong person can bear. You're weak! »
And in that last statement, he poured all his bitterness. Ash silently observed his friend.
Jonathan… was not in the least content with that comment.
«Weak? I'M weak? » he asked incredulously. « I don't remember ever hearing something that ridiculous before. I am at the head of the most powerful organization in Kanto and it had nothing to do with trust, heart or another stupidity. It was just wits and treachery. »
«You're not their true leader and you know it. They want Marco as their leader. They won't follow you forever… »
«That's where you're wrong. » Jonathan said with a smile.
He pushed a button on his desk and the door on their left opened. It was Marco's room.
They hazarded a look inside at Jonathan's insistence.
The bedroom seemed comfortable without being luxurious. The walls were red and black, contrasting with the rest of the base that was of a single metallic color, the furniture were following the same trend, even his bed.
He gasped in shock. It was… impossible.
Marco Blaze was sleeping in it!
Genno looked at his father's with round eyes and a gaping mouth.
«That's… not supposed… to… We saw you catch him with a pokeball! »
Jonathan could not show more evidently is triumph.
«True, but my poke-genetics genius knows no bound, you know? As for your previous arguments, I'd say that the members will follow me until Marco wakes up… which won't happen without the right medicine. »
That was just impossible. It went against all the others theories of poke-genetics made by his father himself. Even he was not that intelligent, it was just plainly impossible. It was as impossible as the sun plunging into the ocean.
«I see that you're quite shocked, my poor son. » Jonathan stated with a strange paternal tone. «Perhaps I could cheer you up a little. I will tell you the truth, I am impressed at the way you escaped both Janes and the brave citizens of Kanto. You used a double layer trap against her and tried to divert their attention with an improvised speech. Granted, it didn't work, but still, I'm sure a few people were moved by the nonsense you said. »
«It wasn't nonsense. » Genno protested.
He had thought every single word of it.
«Really? In that case, you are a bit of a hypocrite. » Jonathan stated, disappointed. «You said they were egoists for thinking about saving the ones they love. You said that they shouldn't sacrifice anyone, that you were right in fighting criminals regardless of your own security. Frankly, I'm surprised you found the strength to say such hypocrisy. You have no family yourself.»
Had Genno been struck by lightning, he wouldn't have looked more shocked.
His own father had told him he had no family. He really was alone this time.
«You were there preaching that they should disregard their children's suffering to fight, that they should not try anything that wasn't up to your standards. You are alone. You have no one you'd truly be heartbroken to lose. I may have been that person at some point, but you rejected me. You had no one else besides me, your mother and your grand-parents already passed away. You have no family, yet you can preach to others that do that they should be like you and fight. You have no idea what they are going through. Oh, sure, you can imagine how horrible it is, but you are not living it. You blamed them for pretending to be nice persons, right? Well, who blamed you for trying to drag everyone in a conflict where they might lose everything when there was no similar risk to you? Speak honestly; you went against Team Blast to save me in the first place, right? When it proved itself not to satisfy you as I was not like you wanted me to be, you decided to fight against Team Blast to defeat me, right? Where is all that selflessness that you so intensively demanded of others? »
His head was spinning. It was… true! Everything was true! He was a hypocrite, a liar. He felt disdain whenever someone was not fully giving their all to fight Team Blast while he only did for his own selfish reasons.
«Genno, don't look so shaken. You just realized that, deep down, you are the same as me. You don't really care for others. You want your own desires to be done and you will use others if necessary. »
He did.
«Now that you see the truth, let's experiment together again. Wouldn't you like things to be the same as before? Father and son, looking together at the secrets of poke-genetics. Isn't that what you want deep down inside you? »
Genno look at the ground. He did. He wished so many times for things to go back to the way they were before. He remembered the times where they were just the two of them, experimenting and having fun. If only…
Another memory replaced these precious moments: hundreds of unconscious pokemon supported by machines in a pokemon center. The atrocities Team Blast had caused came back to his mind: the face of John accusing him, Ash yelling to the sky after Alakazam had taken Alex's mother away, Sebstian Dexter's panicked expression as he was being turned into a pokemon, Jenny breaking down at Janes's taunts, the bruised bodies of the poke-geneticists when he rescued them, Misty's sadness when she learned the truth… so many images of torment, of pain were flashing before his eyes.
He could never take part in that. He was not that monstrous.
«No. What I want is for things to get better for everybody and that's all! We will defeat you! »
«A liar to the end… » Jonathan sighted. «Listen, son. This pathetic attack will have no effect. My superior genius has already coordinated members to take down every single one of your allies and don't think I didn't realized there were two teams. You want to free the children, I bet. Too bad, I sent a group of members with a few golbats to locate them with echolocation and jam their own pokemon's signal if they use some. Face it, it is your loss. »
As his words were pronounced, a massive rumble shook the whole room, throwing Jonathan off balance.
He didn't have the time to regain it as a powerful iron tail hit him in the middle of the chest.
Jonathan was sent flying and made contact with the walls brutally.
Genno saw Ash jumped toward his father. He saw the man that brought him up reacted almost too fast, as if he was not all that surprised, then again, it was his father. Jonathan raised his left arm too calmly, as if it was natural. He pulled the trigger.
«ASH! »
His friend fell on the ground, blood flowing through the hole in his chest.
Things were not looking good. Koga was trying to come up with a plan to escape the desperate situation they were in.
First, they were surrounded.
Second, their enemies had an unbelievable numeric advantage.
Third… did he really need to state a third reason? Not that there wasn't. They were extremely suspicious of Erika's pokemon and were working to prevent her from using spores attacks. It would have been a great way to get out of this mess.
They had erupted in large number in front and behind them as soon as the scout golbat's Silverwind failed. They all called their pokemon out, though Brock's steelix had trouble fitting in the corridor. The battle started out immediately and they defended their titles of gym leaders fiercely. They were not leaders for show. They proved it by the ferocity of their counterattack, but the members were always getting back-ups.
They were out of breath.
Brock's steelix had at one point roared in a terrific manner earlier before he unleashed a desperate attack and was sent against a wall, shaking Team Blast's hideout.
At that, the members became more cautious, proceeding more meticulously, trying to prevent another unexpected attack.
Jenny was the most determined fighter in the leaders' rank and her arcanine and gengar were feared by the criminals' pokemon.
«Arcanine, Extreme speed! Gengar, confuse ray! »
The two pokemon obeyed the commands, trying to avoid the multiple attacks going toward them. Unfortunately, they didn't succeed completely. Gengar was the first to go down. A powerful dark pulse had hit it in the back.
Jenny bit her lips; they were not going to win this one.
«Arcanin, Fire blast! »
The fire type move was countered by a hydropump from one of the members' pokemon.
It was hopeless.
The members were slowly showing their confidence, they were clearly winning. The gym leaders were fierce opponents, but an army got a job done much more efficiently.
«Surrender! You will be defeated anyway! » ordered a captain.
«NEVER! » replied Jenny, silently supported by her companions.
«It won't make a difference anyway. »
Jenny swipe a few drop of sweat from her forehead and readied herself for a last stand. They wouldn't go down so easily.
«Arcanine! Use Overheat! »
The fire type pokemon growled in intimidation as he readied his attack. The pokemon in front of it bore expression of defiance or fear.
The arcanine unleashed his overheat, throwing its last strength into it.
A member yelled to counter with hydropump.
The blast of fire met the torrent of water.
At that, a cloud of steam blocked everyone's sight, leaving them unsure of the results. Jenny was the first to see it. Her arcanine was on the floor, unconscious.
This was the last straw. There was nothing to try left. Even her last attempt failed miserably.
A satisfied smile found its place on the captain's face.
«I see you're more reasonable now. Perfect, in that case, take them to…»
He stopped.
They looked at him with perplexity. Then, they saw what he had.
A wall of fire surrounded the leaders and Jenny. The heat! The corridor's heat had started to increase after Brock's steelix had launched its last hit. Beyond the blinding light of the flames was their hope, their salvation. In the middle of the inferno, they were safe… except if they stayed there for too long. Too much heat was… not recommended by doctors.
After a few minutes of suffocating heat, the flames faded and the atmosphere suddenly cooled.
They had trouble believing their eyes.
«What are you doing here? » Jenny asked.
Jerry was grinning of savage satisfaction after paying back the criminals that tortured him. At his sides were an hundred growlithe, all showing their joy of being free and having their revenge at the same time.
«That's a lot of growlithes… » Brock remarked, baffled.
«Think Genno, think! Don't stand there without moving, DO SOMETHING! » he thought in panic.
Ash was lying on the ground, his yellow fur dirtied by the blood, his breathing loud and erratic.
Genno ran to him, ignoring his father completely. «CAN'T YOU USE YOUR BRAIN WHEN IT MATTERS? » he screamed mentally.
«An injury that serious will kill him. » Jonathan stated plainly.
No, no, no, no, no, NO! He had to do something, NOW! Didn't he think of a solution for something like that at least once?
He did.
Genno rapidly plunged his hand in his pockets, praying with all his might that he had actually put them there. His prayers were answered.
«I have no choice Ash! It's that or dying! » he said, just like a justification, as he took one out of his pocket.
Jonathan stared at the object with curiosity.
«You had one on you. I'm surprised. Why would you need that with you? »
He did not listen, instead he threw the pokeball at Ash.
He had no doubt it would work. Ash was too injured to fight against the process. His friend was absorbed in a ray of light inside the pink pokeball. The indicator only glowed once before locking on its target's DNA. Genno immediately took the item and hid it under his shirt.
«What are you trying to do here? » his father questioned as he stood up and walked toward his kneeing son. «Do you think that by hiding that pokeball under your clothes, your friend will be safe? That by capturing him with a pokeball, his injuries will magically disappear? Wake up, Genno, it doesn't work that way. »
Genno looked up to his father. This man had no remorse in shooting his son's best friend in front of him and was actually trying to discourage him from saving said friend. This was beyond sick. His face held the most arrogant smile he ever made.
«Pathetic! » he said in an ironic echo of his father's critics. «And you call yourself a poke-geneticist? »
The tone made Jonathan doubt and he subconsciously took a step backward.
Just as Genno was opening his mouth again, the small computer screen on Marco's desk displayed the face of a nervous member.
«Sir, the prisoners have escaped. All the policemen and women were freed and they attacked some members. Plus, they fled with the children. »
Seeing the face on his superior, the man lost the few nerves he still had and cut the conversation before he would be punished. Another truly infuriating event blown Jonathan's wrath out of proportion: Genno began to laugh madly.
His face red with anger, Jonathan grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him at the height of his face. Genno didn't even flinch. Instead, he continued to express this primal joy with a ferocious grin.
«Truly a genius you are. You failed to realize that I gave the key of his cell to Stan, which in turn gave it to Jerry. I wonder: did you really turn so many officers into pokemon for fun? Have you not even thought they'd be dangerous opponents if they had the chance to strike back? Enjoy the mess you've created yourself. »
A punch in the face knocked him to the ground, but even that failed to stop him.
«You're a joke. Even with all your pretention, you didn't realize that I had fooled you right under your nose. Hiding Ash's pokeball under my clothes? Is that all you saw? Perhaps even a poke-geneticist like you can't see past the evidence. Tell me, does the appearance is reflected in the DNA? »
The question was plain stupid for they both knew the answer.
«Don't toy with me. » threatened Jonathan.
His son didn't listen.
«Of course not, a scar, a lost limb, a change of haircut or anything similar won't show up on a creature's DNA. Yet, a ditto will perfectly replicate another creature's appearance and body. If the transformation was limited to the DNA alone, it would be imperfect. This is another reason a ditto must look at something it want to change into: to see details that are not visible on the DNA's level. »
«I was the one to emit that theory. Where are you going with that? » he asked, his anger merely contained.
«The next part is what's most important and is something you never had the chance to discover: a ditto doesn't turn into a human if it can avoid it. It's harder and feels weird. Yet when it does, it is exactly the same as its target… meaning it copies the clothes. »
A look of pure shock passed onto Jonathan's face. How could he have missed that? More importantly, that meant …
«Now, I bet you see where I'm going, right? » he said, despise hidden between his word. «Pokeballs were recently updated to add a special feature. If a pokemon, like me, take one away from its trainer, it is considered stolen and will be sent back to the trainer's storage. This usually takes five to ten minutes to happen, but when a pokeball is completely in contact with a foreign pokemon from every single direction, it considers that it has been eaten… in which case the recall happens in less than ten seconds. »
On the ground, Genno gloated with a savage satisfaction.
«He's gone, Jonathan. Ash is out of your reach now. »
The scientist face was twisted by boiling emotions.
«So, if I summarize, your hostages are gone, you failed to strike your enemies and a test subject has been taken away from you while you were looking, all while you claim to be of superior intellect and strength… let me say this: if there's a loser somewhere, it is definitely you.»