Hey guys! I should say I've uploaded the previous chapters in such quick succession that I don't think I'll be able to keep posting at that rate! Ideally I should have one up once every week/2 weeks at the latest so follow to keep up to date! So as AdvancedLover pointed out Cedric hasn't really had too much of a role up until this point, don't worry I do have plans for him. But I've decided to bring forward one major part of his back story and just go into his childhood for part of this chapter. I'm going to experiment with using POV's this chapter for the first two parts!
Last Time:Ash, Cedric and May set off towards Silver City. On their way they met Christine who was being attacked by three goons who work for the Mayor. There was also a leak to the press about the information obtained from the device Gary's lab had sent into the sky causing Gary to close his lab to all but himself. Also Ash had another dream where he saw Arceus who told Ash to protect Christine and warn Gary of one of his aide's intentions. Lastly we got an insight into the Mayor's back story where we discover that his parents were killed in front of his eyes..
Chapter 6:The Door Is Found
Cedric's POV
I cannot believe I'm actually out here. Lying in my tent just a couple more days walk until Silver City. We are going to meet Bill from Kanto in Fir Town who is an inventor and knows Ash too, so that should be interesting. But I can't help but miss my mother.
It has been just me and her since I was very little. My only memories of my Dad are of him shouting, usually at me and my mother. He never did like it in Foxedge Town, he said it was too small. That there was nothing anybody who lived there could accomplish. Well I guess we showed him, the family business took off after he left and our still small town flourished, especially with the help of Gary's Lab.
Although that isn't what they always argued from. A lot of nights when I was in bed I would hear him come in late at night. The shouting would make me cry most nights. It was scary, I always found it hard to hear shouting when I was young. My mother said it was to do with my grandma from his side passing away but it always seemed to be more than that. He always wanted more and couldn't appreciate the little things. Life's small pleasures.
But back to the point, I still miss her. After my father left I never once saw my mother cry, she was a tremendously strong woman. Nothing ever seemed beyond her, she was like a superhero to me. But the morning I left, I saw her shed a tear. It broke my heart in two really, I said I could stay but she insisted I go and follow my dream because she hadn't followed hers.
She was originally from the Hoenn region and was actually a rather good trainer, but when she met my father who was from Foxedge Town she followed him back to Jiolt and has been there ever since. She has never even been back home thanks to the family business. It was awfully hard on her but part of my dream was that by being a strong trainer I could provide for her a better life. I could hire more help for the business and she could go back to Hoenn and see her old friends and that. A few have come to visit, but very rarely to say the least. She would get tremendously lonely.
After my father left she had changed. Her smile always seemed empty after he was gone. As much as it was hard to live with him, she really did love him as did I. Although she never told me where he went, I always thought it'd be nice to meet him again, but I was so young when he left I barely remember what he looks like. My mother didn't keep any photos with him in them just to help try and forget.
I don't know what he went on to do, but my mother said he wanted to go to a big city and get involved with politics. Politics never did interest me, sadly they all seem to look out for themselves. It sure wasn't going to be anything I got involved with. I mean I still found it ridiculous that they allowed 10 years old to go on journey's throughout such vast and dangerous regions.
But still the thought of him trying to make a difference seemed a noble one. I wonder if he got anywhere. Maybe he was part of Congress? Or maybe a councillor? Or maybe a Mayor?
Christine's POV
It was only a few months back that I asked my Dad about going on a journey. I had Squirtle already but we hadn't set off for a couple of years as Squirtle had hatched from an egg that my dad gave me for my 12th Birthday. I wanted Squirtle and myself to become best friends before we set off. Squirtle and I would go out and we caught a bunch of Pokemon too that live at my parent's house. We had battled a few times against trainers and usually won, in fact the first time I lost in 10 battles was to those goons.
I still feel shaken by that. I hadn't lost yet, even overcoming type disadvantages, me and Squirtle were a very strong team. Well I guess we all have to lose at some point. It's the only reason I am still a bit shy around Ash, May and Cedric. I worry that they think I am weak. I want to challenge Ash and Cedric to a battle as I know Ash is very experienced (I still can't believe how many legendaries he has encountered) and Cedric seems to know his stuff. If I was going to prove myself the morning provided as best a chance as any.
But anyway back to me setting off. It was the night before I left I was looking through a box of old photographs in our attic and I stumbled across a baby picture of me with a man I didn't know. So I asked my Dad who it was.
"Ah that's my brother, he set off on a journey when he was 10 and is still on that journey! He doesn't keep in touch but last time I saw him he said he watches over me. I still couldn't believe it when he showed up at the hospital to see you. Although he left right after that picture was taken…"
I will never forget my Dad saying that. He began to tear up and left the room to compose himself. When he came back he explained that my uncle had done incredible things, taking down Team Rocket, becoming Champion among lots of other things. But it was the last line that really stuck with me.
"I'd give anything to just know that he's okay. I've not seen him in 16 years. I know he's strong but I still worry." The tears began to form in his eyes. But now I had a real reason to go on my journey, to find my uncle and reunite our family.
It had been a long journey so far, I had my first two badges but had already made some friends in these three. I had been rather lonely as a child just down to shyness above all else. Being a trainer now was empowering, I could put on this front and nobody would know. Don't get me wrong, I am a good trainer but I can pretend to be really confident now. Back home, people could see right through me.
I don't mean to sound like I blame them, but my parents were a bit anti-social. They didn't seem to have any real friends in Silver City. Like they had people they knew and got on with, but none seemed like friends which is a shame on them. But I have an opportunity in the morning, I had become so good at feigning confidence but one loss had knocked me out of my stride, if myself and my Pokemon could put in a good account of ourselves in a battle against Ash I might regain that ability. And hopefully it will stick.
The following morning 3rd person view
The group had just finished tidying up after breakfast and just before they set off Christine spoke up.
"Ash I'd like to challenge you to a battle!"
Ash looked a little bemused considering he managed to clear off the goons by himself when she couldn't. However, he was not going to let that stop the battle. He gave Christine a grin and a nod. The group cleared the campsite whilst Cedric and May took their place at the side of the battlefield.
"Pinsir I choose you!" Christine shouted releasing her Pokemon. Ash noticed that Pinsir was carrying a Pinsirite.
"A mega stone? Well you must have trained hard! Let's go Pikachu." Pikachu hopped down from Ash's shoulder. Ash cast his mind back to when Pikachu defeated Korrina's Mega Lucario. Pikachu had done incredible that day.
"Pinsir use Focus Blast!"
"Pikachu dodge it!"
Pinsir charged the energy and launched it straight at Pikachu who dodged just in time. Ash spoke up.
"Christine, Pikachu has defeated Mega Pokemon before, how about you mega evolve Pinsir." Ash gave a wink and Christine agreed.
"Pinsir Mega Evolve!" She placed her fingers onto the keystone on her wrist. Red energy began to radiate between the two stones and in a bright flash of light the Pinsir had Mega Evolved, increasing its wingspan and the size of its pincers.
"Pikachu you ready for the challenge?" Pikachu responded by unleashing a large bolt of thunder into the sky. "Okay Pikachu use thunderbolt!"
"Pinsir use Sludge!"
Pikachu unleashed the thunderbolt at lightning speed and managed to hit Pinsir before the sludge attack could come off.
"Pikachu use iron tail!"
"Pinsir use Close Combat!"
As Pikachu arrived at Pinsir, the light shining from its now metallic tail, Pikachu and Pinsir began trading and blocking blows at each other before Pikachu jumped back and whilst in the air Ash called his next attack.
"Pikachu use Electro Ball!"
"Pinsir dodge it!"
But Pinsir was too slow. The ball of electrical energy crashed into Pinsir sending it flying back into a tree. However, Pinsir picked itself up from the ground and flew back to the battlefield.
"I knew that wouldn't get you Pinsir! Let's use Vital Throw!"
Pinsir grabbed hold of Pikachu launching it into the air.
"Pikachu Electro Ball!"
"Pinsir use Guillotine!"
Pikachu began to charge to electrical ball of energy but was too late. Pinsir caught Pikachu between its pincers. But it didn't complete the move. It just flew down and sat Pikachu on the ground.
"Christine thanks for not hurting Pikachu." Ash gave a smile and put his hand up for a high five as did Pikachu.
"No problem Ash, I trained Pinsir to do that, it's not a move that should ever be used in full. At that point catching them is enough."
"I must admit I under estimated you! You've got moxie!" Cedric said as he walked over.
"No Cedric Pinsir has moxie." Cedric and Christine let out a chuckle while Ash and May just let them share that moment themselves.
"And on that note I think we should get heading! Bill will be waiting in Fir Town for us!" Ash proclaimed, and the four of them headed off towards Fir Town.
At Foxedge Town Laboratories
Gary sat at the computer desk his eyes staring blankly at the data coming through to him. The dark patches under his eyes and empty cups of coffee lay throughout his office. It had been a few days since the press release and the constant ringing of the phone had taken him to the point where he unhooked it. Only his mobile phone would be answered as only a handful of people have his number.
Sorting through data like this was half of the reason he had his aides, organising pictures, graphs, spreadsheets were all so tedious to him. He took a moment to feel sorry for them and how he was using them. However, the feeling didn't last long as he reminded himself that somebody had betrayed him. In fact a private investigator was due to arrive in a few days to help Gary determine the source of the leak, he could only pray to Arceus that the investigator didn't turn out to be a journalist in disguise.
But for now he turned his attention back to the video clips he was sorting through and that was when he saw it. On the mountainside there was a door shape etched in stone on Mt Sivolt. He zoomed into it as much as he could only to witness there was ancient text written across it. It was a language that had not been used in a long time in the Jiolt region and only a handful of people these days would have even a remote chance of translating Potongue. Luckily though he was one of those people. Gary was very much an academic, his arrogance as a trainer was something he transferred to his research and he wanted to know everything he possibly could.
He wrote out the symbols that he could make out on the door:
Σκούρο φορές περιμένουν όσους προσπαθούν να ελέγξουν
το πεπρωμένο του άλλου . Αφήστε αυτό να χρησιμεύσει ως μια
προειδοποίηση για το τι να περιμένουμε στην αίθουσα της προέλευσης
He brushed down an old dusty textbook that he retrieved from his chest of drawers that he kept in his office and set about the long process of translating the words.
What he did not realise is that somebody stood in the shadows of the laboratory. With their computer they could see inside Gary's office thanks to a brief few minutes of hacking the computer system. She had found what she needed.
The Mayor's Office
The phone was ringing and The Mayor proceeded to answer it.
"Hello…. Ah so he has found a door? Okay… Once you know the translation let me know, we need this confirmed for the next stage of the plan." The Mayor hung up the phone and placed it down.
"Well now… Things have just gotten interesting." He said with a smirk.
Fir Town
"And welcome to Fir Town!" Christine proclaimed.
The other's however, collapsed to the floor.
"Thank you Arceus! We made it!" Ash and May were on their knees contemplating kissing the tarmac that they had missed.
"Now, now. Don't get too excited you haven't even seen me yet!"
Ash stepped up and looked at the man in front of him, with the same brown hair style that he always had and once again in a shirt and trousers looking smart.
"Hey Bill! What's up?" Ash asked, the two shook hands. Ash formally introduced the Cedric and Christine before answering Ash's question.
"Well Ash there's a reason I brought you here, I've invented something really cool that's just finished being set up!" Ash, May and Cedric's eyes began to wonder, after all this was Bill. The man who invented the time capsule and Pokemon storage system! He was a legend. "I've been expanding on my teleportation device and well… I've succeeded."
"You can teleport now? That's a huge breakthrough!" Cedric said.
"Haha, you would think that." Bill gave a slight grin that slowly turned into a huge one. "You see I mastered it years ago between two teleport machines side by side, not long after I met Ash actually. However, I couldn't get it long range. But what I've managed to do is create a device that does it over vast distances!"
"How big do you mean by vast?" Christine seemed sceptical.
"Well how about every town and city in Jiolt? It's just finishing being installed and I thought you guys would like to try it with me?" Bill asked.
The group were enthusiastic and Bill decided to treat them to dinner as there was some more finishing touches to be made. Bill took the four of them to a small restaurant that served food native to Kanto.
Shortly after the five of them had finished eating Cedric and Christine began asking questions.
"So Bill, I've gotta ask. You've created some of the most astounding inventions the world has ever seen and connected people who would never have dreamed could be. Why did you do it all for free? You could be a multi billionaire by now! William Fate who owns Pokesoft!" Cedric asked.
"That's true I could be rich by now, but I am an inventor. I'm happy just to invent! Governments give me pretty good money to live off of but cover all my outgoings for my inventions. It's not really different to being a trainer really. You guys win money from people you beat, I get some money for every invention I want to make." Bill offered a comforting smile.
"So how does it actually work? Your teleportation system?" Christine asked with some intent. She seemed a bit concerned about it.
"Don't worry it's perfectly safe Christine. You know the psychic energy Abra's produce? Well I discovered the brain wave that produces that ability. After finding out the information I needed from the brain wave all I had to do was build a device that could replicate it. It took me 6 years of working on it every day but I finally got there! Luckily enough it wasn't like the time this one trainer who I met came to see me and I had a lab accident. Let's just say I know what it feels like to be a Pokemon!" Bill let out a sigh and cast his mind back a long time ago.
Flashback Begins
"Hey Red? What's up?" Bill asked through the phone.
"Hey Bill listen I need something, I need you to design a device that can keep me warm in extremely low temperatures." Red asked.
"May I ask why?"
"I'm climbing Mt Silver to train." Red said.
"I don't buy it. A man who has the ability to defeat Elite Four's already would not do something this extreme to train." Bill responded with a hint of sass.
"Okay I'll be honest, I completed the Pokedex. Or at least I thought I had… I found out I need to find Mew. There was a text I found while exploring in Cinnabar Island that the way Mewtwo was created was by using Mew's DNA which they found on top of Mt Silver. So I have to go there to find Mew."
"Okay I''ll do it Red, but make sure and keep in touch. You're a good friend and I'd hate for something to happen to you."
Flashback Ends
"So how did you keep in touch with the trainer who saw your lab accident?" Ash asked.
"We tried, but we drifted…" Bill looked down at his empty plate, staring blankly for a moment. Christine had caught onto this.
"You are lying." Christine stated.
"How would you know? You only just met me?" Bill asked trying to put on a happy exterior.
"I can see it in your eyes. But beyond that, let me take a punt. He disappeared, you never saw him again. And it wasn't just you he didn't see. He didn't see anyone. Was his name Red?"
Bill tried to laugh off the suggestion but the fact the others looked serious suggested to him they knew something.
"Yes…" He reluctantly said. "I only said because you guys seem to know something. What do you know?"
Foxedge Town Lab
"Eureka!" Gary called aloud. He looked round remembering nobody else was there. "Oh well one of the signs is madness is talking to yourself. But hey I can be like the nutty professor! Gary Oak The Nutty Professor. They could make a film from that…." He trailed off onto a little speech before realising that he had neglected to write down the last word of the translation.
He stepped back from his board and read the word's he had written.
Dark times await those who try to control the destiny of another
Let this serve as a warning of what to expect in the Room of Origin
"Oh dear Arceus… Could I have just found the Hall of Origin? That one word is a little off but that's to be expected."
Gary pondered the words. He had potentially just found the Hall Of Origin a landmark discovery the likes of which had never been seen before. The troubling part was that he knew he had found it. But he couldn't really tell anyone. People from all across the globe could try to take advantage of it for their own game. No he couldn't do that. This was a secret he would have to live with. He cleared the blackboard.
"Wait a second." He began writing on the board as if examining a crime scene. He listed off the names of all his aides and began looking at their files. Only one was from Jiolt and could realistically have had any prior knowledge. Ash's words about the aide "intentions were of cruelty and greed." He began scrolling through the security footage to the night of the leak. He saw him make a phone call that night and 40 minutes later the press had begun to arrive in Foxedge. Realistically it made sense it could only be him. It was Callum.
Okay I should say I know Callum only had a minor part in the story but I felt he had to have a name. He won't play much of a part in the rest of this story. As for the rest of this chapter I hope that you enjoyed it and like the back story of Christine and Cedric. For you Advanced Shippers out there not much between Ash and May but there will be in the next chapter!