Chapter 2, as promised. Enjoy ^_^

The Downfall of Battle Club

Chapter 2:

.:. The New World .:.

Paul always said there'd be sacrifices. The time we've spent, the money we've spent, the fact that every living moment we've spent has endangered out lives; I deem all these as sacrifices. I could never return to my normal self. I've changed too much, experienced too much, seen too much, and for what?

…To bring back the single greatest thing that has ever entered my life. Defying the law was hard enough, but knowing that I defied Giovanni was on a whole new level.

I had faith in Paul. Not so long ago, my world was ending. The last few months couldn't have been possible without him. Everything we've done was because of him; from the moment when our friendship formed, until about five minutes ago, I could never have questioned Paul. But after everything I've sacrificed, it's led to one important question that, in Paul's eyes, means life or death.

"Do you trust me, Ash?" He spoke so calm. A Zen-like expression crossed his face. His composure, in comparison to the many people that I've met over the years, was unmatched. "Because if you do, you'd know the right thing to do."

Paul never bothered to specify what a sacrifice meant to him, but I would never have thought it would involve a human life.

A single spotlight, summoned from the dimming light bulb, was all that kept the room brightened. Hanging directly under the light was the 'sacrifice'. Quivering and crying, shaking uncontrollably, the human under the spotlight struggled within the shackles that tied him to the chair. A towel kept his voice from calling for help, and even then, I wouldn't have thought he'd have the guts to call for help. He knew of his crime, as did I, but is it really worth killing the man for it?

"You don't understand the gravity of the situation you've put me in, do you, Kenny?" Paul took a giant step, entering the spotlight before bending his knees to make himself the same height as the trapped man. "Pathetic."

Nothing but a muffled voice came out of Kenny's mouth as he used every last ounce of energy in his body to reply to Paul.

"Oh, my mistake," calmly chuckled Paul as he swiftly removed the towel that sealed his voice. "Now explain yourself."

"-I'm sorry! Please! I was not aware of that she was a reporter! I never meant to cause you any harm!" he repented. "If I knew this was going to happen, I never would have done it! You have to believe me, Paul!" I felt sorry for the man, but Paul already had him at the palm of his hand.

He rose, looking down at the sobbing man with a belittling grin. "I'm sorry, Kenny, but those kinds of mistakes are unforgivable. You put the organisation's life at risk… our future… our dreams… everything we've worked for over the last month was so close to being destroyed! Do you want this world to stay as it is?! To never know what it's like to be with our Pokémon ever again?! For this so-called 'New World' to reign on us forever?!"

Paul turned away, clenching his fist. I could see the passion he had almost leak in his sweat. Paul and I had a dream, a dream to bring back what was once ours. We wanted to be free again, we wanted to bring Giovanni to justice, but most importantly, we wanted our Pokémon back.

Information was leaked of our organisation in one of Kanto's largest newspapers. I knew for certain that it was Kenny, and I knew for certain who wrote the article – it was her. He must've fallen madly in love with her, spilling our greatest secrets and plans into the outside world. It was a simple mistake, but Kenny is a simple guy. Sure, it was gold to her and the outside world, but what it did to our organisation almost drove us to extinction. I'd somehow always imagined that Giovanni prayed for a moment like this, and now that it arrived, I barely sought the thought of his next move.

Giovanni wanted nothing more than to see our rotting corpses. Everyday he'd complain endlessly in front of his goons about how we must be stopped, how justice must be served, and how the enemy must be crushed. We were a hot topic in the politics of the day. They'd call us 'selfish', 'stubborn' and 'immature'. We called ourselves 'righteous', 'determined' and 'honourable'. We sat at opposite ends of the spectrum; similar to a race, none of us would move an inch until the other one was stopped.

"You are aware that Giovanni's going to take advantage of this situation, right?" Paul told the whimpering Kenny.

"I'm sorry!" he repeated, tightening his eyes in an effort to avoid Paul's crippling glare. "Please…I never wanted this to happen! I'm sorry, Paul!"

"Are you ready, Ash?" Paul spoke, still facing away from me. "Now's your chance to prove that you're better than them. Prove to me that you trust me! Prove to me that you would do anything to make the dreams we yearn for come true! Prove it, Ash! Prove it! Kill the traitor!" A tint of madness reckoned in his voice. "You know what's right and you know what has to be done, so use that gun and kill him!"

I was not ready to defy Paul, especially after how far we've come together, but the last line scared me slightly.

In my hand, coated in a layer of sweat, was the handgun given to me by Paul. 'Kill him', he said.

What choice did I have? I knew for certain that the man didn't deserve to die, but what he did put us all in danger. My friends would never have stood for such a thing. Kenny would've been dead a long time ago if it were them in my position.

"Ash…" breathed Kenny, his entire body shivering violently under the immense pressure. "Please, Ash…please forgive me…"

Kenny was a righteous man who knew what was right, but it took the simplest of mistakes to land himself in Paul's hand. He grew more and more impatient as I hesitated. I kept lifting and lowering the gun, my heart pounding restlessly. The pressure was unbearable. My heart could've exploded. I couldn't have imagined how Kenny was feeling. He was still young, barely seventeen-years-old, and he had to get himself mixed up with us.

…But I couldn't take the risk. I raised my gun, pressing it against the back of his head before pulling the trigger. "I'm sorry, Kenny, but this is for my Pokémon."

3 months earlier…

"…And in other news, seven people have been caught using Pokémon to battle outside Viridian City this morning. They have been detained and await further-"

I flicked around the channels with little motivation, my eyes struggling to understand what the world had come to.

"Giovanni. Mr. Giovanni!" I watched a reporter grab the attention of Giovanni. "On the two year anniversary that you decided to ban Pokémon, do you still stand by your decision to this very day?"

"Of course I do, the world is now a better place as you can clearly see-" Giovanni calmly said before I switched the channel.

"-another Pokémon-related attack has, this time, killed an innocent young-"

For every moment of the day, for every blink that refreshed my outlook on the world, for every second of my life that I had spent depressed, I could come up with a reason on why Giovanni should be stopped.

Quite amazing, isn't it? Time moves so slowly when there's nothing to do; it's almost like a curse. The longest two years of my life was spent in this 'New World', watching TV and reminiscing of my time as a Pokémon Trainer, and I sure as hell missed those days.

My reason to continue living in this excuse of a world rested with one thing, and one thing only.

"Pika-Pikachu!" my first ever Pokémon called out to me, galloping onto my lap where he curled into a ball with his wide eyes gleaming at me. I smiled. My last ounce of sanity rested with this Pikachu… my last hope in praying that the New World would finally come to an end.

The law stated that a Pokémon must be kept in their ball at all times, but after seeing my Pikachu's reluctance to stay in his ball, I refused to abide by the law. Sure, Pikachu loved me even more for it, but that made me a criminal of the state, an enemy of Giovanni.

I sighed, heaving my heavy self around my apartment before gazing out the window. An entire week of rain drew the curtains for an unusually sunny day in Viridian City. Looking out to the distant forests, a sea of trees enveloped in a thick layer of green began to shine. The view of the outside world is the only thing that I can appreciate now. The apartment complex where I resided was nothing special, not to mention it was cheap. I left my home back in Pallet Town two years ago. I couldn't bear to stay there any longer; too many memories of my time with Pokémon I've left behind along with my home and my very own Pokémon that are kept sealed in Professor Oak's former laboratory.

"Certainly is different, don't you think, Pikachu?" I sighed, glancing out the window lazily. "Two years ago today…wow…you don't suppose I could run for office, eh?" I asked out of the blue with a wide grin. "You know, teach that Giovanni-guy a thing or two?"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu giggled, crawling up to my shoulder before taking a long, hard stare at the outside world. I also giggled, after all, it was the little moments with my Pokémon that kept me going, that kept me motivated and longing, aspiring for change. Me running for office?! I don't have the gut. Giovanni made light work of anyone that stood against him anyway, and I wasn't particularly willing to join them in line.

I sighed. "I'm off to get some groceries. You remember what I told you, right?" I stood up, placing my Pikachu back on the sofa as he opened an eye and pointed it at my direction. "Stay away from the windows, stay away from the door, and don't answer the phone, okay?" I firmly reminded.

"Pika!" Pikachu, despite hearing those words of mine for the thousandth time, replied with an upbeat approval. My strictness only justified my love for Pikachu. Many times he's been caught, but many times we wriggled ourselves out of trouble. Every day, a trip to the grocery store meant that there was a small chance that Pikachu may follow me, or that a wild Pokémon would appear out of a bush looking for food and then a panicked individual would draw their firearm and shoot the poor thing. The world never used to be liked this, but ever since Giovanni came into power, it was almost as if. This 'fear' was what kept people were afraid of Pokémon Giovanni in power. Daring to run against him was pretty much a death sentence.

Outside, it looked just like any normal day. The summer breeze and the midday sun gently pressed against my face like a soft cushion. The once lively streets that were filled with people and Pokémon have been altered to make it as if there are no Pokémon. It couldn't be denied that the world just looked emptier without their presence.

"That'll be $9.60, please," the cashier told me.

Pokémon food was rare, too. Since two years ago, I had to adapt to the sudden change by creating my own Pokémon food. Pikachu and I had the mutual agreement that I needed some practice, but I still believe to this day that he just swallows it with a smile. As you probably could've guessed, I love my Pokémon, and would want nothing more than to see them back again.

Little could be said about what many other people felt about Pokémon, though…

"Get away from me, you filthy creature!" I shot my head in the direction of an elderly lady wildly swinging her walking stick in the direction of a baby Pidgey.

"Kill it!" another anonymous voice shouted. "That beak will take your arm off!" It wasn't long before an army of civilians rose to aid the elderly woman by throwing stones and prodding sticks at the young Pidgey as it attempted to get away from the hostile crowd.

"Don't let it get away!" another man said, throwing a particularly large stone at the Pidgey's wing. A direct hit was all it took to send the Pidgey plummeting to the ground. The swarm of angry, scared individuals dived after the fallen Pidgey, throwing every last ounce of energy at the helpless bird before… silence.

The crowd dispersed almost immediately, abandoning the last remains of the Pidgey; its wings soaked in blood and its legs snapped and crooked.

"Sick animal! Giovanni was right."

"Pokemon, scum of the earth!"

"To think I once owned one of them!" The crowd continued to mutter as they got on with their daily lives.

I, however, couldn't muster the energy to speak. The anger I felt that moment was enough to almost kill a man. I clenched my fist, exposing my blood-red veins as I lowered my head, shaking uncontrollably. A steaming hot tear flowed down my skin; the singed mark on my face where the tear slithered condensed as I rose my head up again.

How could this have happened…? What happened to people…?

I know what happened. Giovanni was what happened. The last two years have been nothing but hell for Pokémon, or at least, what's left of them. The so-called 'New World' was a world of fear where Pokémon were forced to stay hidden at all times, where any chance of getting Pokémon back was severely reduced, but most importantly; the 'New World' was a world where even the people began fearing Pokémon. Bullets spoke more than a Tackle, and that was the driving force behind Giovanni's success. They were brainwashed; fake stories and deliberate attacks were the medicine Giovanni fed to the people.

I couldn't stand here and do nothing. I wanted to change this 'New World' and bring back the old one. I was just one man, but I couldn't sit home and do nothing. Something had to be done-

"You're upset about the Pidgey, aren't you?" A sudden voice appeared to my right. I immediately flustered, throwing my sight in the direction of the individual before shaking my head frantically.

"No-no, of course not!" I replied. Who knew what he would've done if I had told him so. I heard a rumour that Giovanni has a spy around every corner, maintaining the fear and keeping Pokémon at bay.

"Oh, okay," he calmly said with a smirk. To my surprise, this individual looked around the same age as me. His thick purple hair reminded me of someone I had met before. He slowly strolled away, his steps short and gentle, but that wasn't what caught me. He had a look in his eye, the look of animosity that a Pokémon Trainer, such as myself, had as we encountered a dismal scene such as the one paved in front of my eyes. I could hear him scowl and shudder as he took a second quick glance at the mangled Pidgey, obviously showing as much disgust as me.

"Hey!" I called out, running to the purple-haired boy.

He turned around slowly, glaring at me with an expressionless face. I wasn't certain, but this guy had to be a Pokémon Trainer once. But how would I know for sure?

"Yes?" he spoke, waiting patiently.

"Ermm…" I hesitated. He could've been a spy for Giovanni for all I knew, I could be walking right into a trap. "I just er… was wondering… were you at all upset about the Pidgey?" I asked, flustering along the way. Checkmate, my friend.

"Yes," he replied with a frozen expression almost immediately. I widened my eyes, stunned. "I feel extremely sorry about the Pidgey-"

"What are you saying?! People can hear you!" I scolded, whispering viciously. "Aren't you scared if Giovanni hears you, or one of his spies? You do know what happens to people like you, right?" I propelled my hands against his shoulders, shaking him gently into place. "You'll be killed!"

"Giovanni? I'm not scared of Giovanni." The calmest of expressions crossed his face. He spoke so convectively, I believed every word he said. "I'm not scared of prison, torture or anything like that. The only thing I fear…is Mewtwo…"

Mewtwo…Mewtwo was the name of the Pokémon Giovanni is rumoured to have created. Whether or not it exists is a matter of opinion, and is highly debatable, but of all things to fear, why Mewtwo?

"So, are you going to report me to Giovanni?" he suddenly said, turning his eyes to his left. "Are you going to rat me out and send me to prison?" he asked, pushing my hands off his shoulders.

"Err…" I froze. He truly wasn't scared of Giovanni. "No, of c-c-course not! I just er-"

"Because you didn't answer my first question, answer me this, do you miss Pokémon?" he interrupted, pinning another question onto me. "Or wouldn't you mind having your legs mangled and wings made useless by an angry herd of savages?"

"…You really do feel that strongly, don't you?" I narrowed my eyes. What he was doing was suicide, against Giovanni's law. He didn't know me, why should he be telling me all this?

"Hmph, of course I do, and I take it your next question is 'why am I telling you all this?' am I correct?"

I flustered once more. "Well, yes, I guess that's a good question."

"Because you had a crushed look in your eye, as if you're missing in your life, something that was once very dear to you. And then I noticed your reaction to the Pidgey; you almost seemed disgusted by the people. Thirdly, hmm, berries and apricorn are only truly tasty to Pokémon; a human would require a rather strong taste to make them worth their money. I tell you, the person you bought it off must've been gullible, or simply not thinking deep enough into it. All these hints you've spilled out to me in the last few minutes, but don't fear, I have no intention of telling anyone, in fact, I wish to get your help," he explain to me without a hesitation. "You were once a Pokémon Trainer, isn't that right?"

I shook, taking a quivering step back with my eyes vibrating wildly. He could read me like a book, but how? "Who…wh-h-o are you?"

He smirked. "So I guess I was right, not surprisingly. The truth is, this is the first time I've actually walked up to somebody and talked to them about Pokémon in such a manner."

He paused for a moment, staring deep within my eyes with an almost petrifying look. "You and I, we're not so different. Both former Pokémon Trainers, both wish for the world to return, both appalled at how things have turned out. Somebody just needs to take the first step. And that step…" he stopped for a second, reaching into his pocket where he scribbled an address before handing it to me, "…is right here. I wish for you to meet me at this address later this evening, and er bring a Pokémon with you…"

My heart stopped. "A Pokémon?" I blurted out, only to attain a couple crippling glares from the incoming people.

"Yes, you heard me correctly, I said, 'a Pokémon'."

"A Pokémon?!"

"Yes, a Pokémon…"

"A Pokémon?!"

"We're not going through this again!" He whispered. "Meet me at this address and bring a Pokémon. Naturally, take a few precautions. Make sure no one's following you, make sure you don't see anyone looking suspicious, and make sure your Pokémon doesn't get out of your sight, you got that?" he explained.

I couldn't muster the energy to speak for a moment. What he was asking of me was… just wrong. I know he's keen about the issue and desires change just as much as me, but he would be willing to lay down his life for it?

"You seem troubled," he said, once again reading my uneasy expressions. "Giovanni's never gave a second thought about banning Pokémon, so why should we show him any respect?"

He stooped his head, baring his teeth at the ground in rage. "It's just a stupid law… a very mean, cold law… and I hate it! I hate it so much!" Tears steadily gathered in his eye, containing a very small amount of the hatred he had dedicated to Giovanni. "I want my Pokémon back, but I can't do it alone… that's why I need your help-"

"-Ash. It's Ash Ketchum," I replied, hastily. "And yes, I'll help you." I'd never intentionally took any of my Pokémon outside, well, not for the last two years at least. But I wasn't prepared to wait any longer. "But…my Pokémon-"

"-Pleasure," he replied, giving me an earnest smile. "And if you're careful, there shouldn't be a problem about getting your Pokémon from point A to point B. Trust me. And don't forget then, Ash. That address, that time, not a minute early or late, okay?" the purple-haired boy explained.

"Yes, I'll see you there." He nodded, turning away with a gentle stroll in the opposite direction. He seemed like a trustworthy person, the kind of person who, with unrivalled determination, would get what he wished for. But I still had several questions. Why does he want to see my Pokémon? Why does he wish to meet me? WHAT WAS HIS NAME?!

"Hey, I didn't catch your name!" I felt something special about this guy. There was something about him that screamed, 'freedom'. Almost like a beacon of hope, an invisible spotlight hovered over him. I was inspired. Never have I met someone with the courage to announce that they wish to bring back Pokémon, let alone announcing it to a total stranger, and for some strange reason, I had that excitable smile on my face. He knew of the consequences, yet he didn't seem bothered about anything. "I can't meet up with you if I don't even know your name!"

The purple-haired individual calmly stopped, turning around before smiling subtly at me. With a ghost-like voice, he spoke the few words that would change my life forever, the few words that paved the future for the next few months. Although I hadn't realised it just then, I had never realised how much of an effect such a simple question would have, or even what could become of it.

My story started here, an adventure was beckoning, the 'New World' was going to be challenged, and it all began with these words…

"My name's Paul… and you're going to help me stop Giovanni…"