Ash and May ran down the hall, panting as they approached the lift. Their hands were clasped to ensure one didn't fall behind. They glanced back at Gary, the boy barely visible where they stood. He'd let them escape, and they knew very well that if he figured it out he'd be taken hostage. They may be an unorthodox group but they were still a gang. And a successful one at that.

Pressing the button to open the lift they ran inside, staring at the panel that offered the floors. Ash looked down at the key card, his eyes scanning it before turning to the panel. His eyes landed on the bottom of the panel, a small slit in the metal that looked to be just fat enough to allow the card access.

He could still hear the battle behind, slotting the card into the hole and pleasantly surprised when it fit. The doors slid shut behind him a second after the key had been taken, the lift travelling down to a floor not even marked.

"Where are we going?"

"How should I know, all I did was put a key in a hole. It seemed to fit."

"If you've broken this I swear to god." She didn't finish, she didn't need to, Ash was well aware what his friend would do should he have them trapped. Not to mention what Gary would do, risking himself only to have them stuck a moment later.

The ride wasn't long, the lift doors opening not a minute later.

Plain brick corridors stretched out before them, each winding off in different directions. A labyrinth. Ash couldn't see the other end but he was sure there was a door there. And whatever they were in was hiding something important. Why else place something as extravagant as this in a headquarters?

Biting his lip nervously he took a step into the maze, May grabbing onto him to force him to a stop.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? You'll never make it through that."

"Well, we certainly won't just standing here. I'd rather get lost forever than giving up before we even started. Gary thought we could do this. I'm sure he knows what's down here." May couldn't fault him, and despite her better judgement she released him and followed his lead into the maze.

They'd been inside the maze for a little over five minutes now, each turn bringing them back to the start. They'd navigated a good three feet inside before winding up at the entrance. Cursing as he leaned against the wall Ash tried to think of what to do next. They couldn't just blindly walk, all that seemed to be doing was getting them back at the start.

May folded her arms as she thought, pursing her lips slightly.

"Let me lead. I've got an idea. We can't walk randomly like you do. The furthest we got in before was going right. But, I think that's a trick. We'll go left." Ash raised a brow at her, but he didn't question it. She was quite smart, and her ideas tended to work nine times out of ten.

He followed the girl as she took another attempt at the labyrinth, turning left first and reaching a dead end and two paths. One she knew returned them to the beginning and another that she hadn't noticed at first.

Taking that path they were lead into a hall they hadn't been in before. A smile crossed her face at the simple fact. All the halls looked the same but there was a small difference with each one. Whether it being the colour slightly off or the stone pattern being different. Some were obvious and others less so. This was obvious. Every third stone was bright purple.

She walked slowly, not trusting the hall. She didn't think they were the kind to harm their own employees but if this wasn't the way she was sure they wouldn't hesitate to attack.

Ash seemed to have picked up on it too, his eyes flitting about nervously. He was on guard, his fingers curling into fists. Not that they'd do much good here.

They passed with no problem, halting at the next set as they stared at three different halls. All looking identical. No matter how hard either looked they couldn't find the difference. Stepping forwards Ash chose the door on the right, heading into it only to be bounced off his feet, a painful thud following.

"Ow, what the hell?" He grumbled, rubbing at his head and leaning back on his arm as he stared at the hall. Only just noticing the small gap of black above it. A mirror. But it wasn't reflecting him. "Who does this? I almost feel bad for their employees."

"Something important has to be down here. I just don't know what."

"Well, whatever it is it best be worth all the trouble we're going through. Which one's the real one? I don't much feel like walking head first into another mirror." He stood as he spoke, his finger never leaving his forehead, rubbing at the forming bruise and cursing his own luck.

May pressed her hand against each hall, the centre proving to be the real one.

He followed her down the hall, his hands running down the bricks. He didn't know why he was doing this, nor why he was catching a pokemon. This wasn't his world nor was it May's. Yet here they were, saving a pokemon and catching it. What would happen after? That was a question Ash asked himself constantly.

Pushing the thought to the back of his mind before he lost sight of the girl already choosing another hall, Ash jogged ahead, his eyes squinting. He didn't like this maze, that he could say for sure. It seemed to enjoy toying with him.

Ahead was pitch black, nothing was visible but the small pin prick of light at the end of each hall. Each a different colour.

May stood, thinking through her choices, trying to deduce what would be the most likely answer.

Ash stood beside her, fumbling through his pockets to occupy himself. He didn't have an answer, his mind couldn't figure out puzzles, if he was honest he'd be lost without the girl.

"I think this one...though it may be a trap." She shook her head as she thought, not knowing what to do.

"It doesn't matter which one. If it's wrong we'll head for the next." Ash assured, patting her shoulder before heading down the hall she believed was the next route.

"Ash, slow down, we'll have to start again if it's wrong." She called after, running after him.

They managed to make it to the end of the maze after numerous twists and turns and countless restarts. They were amazed they'd managed to make it through alive. Ash dropped to the ground as soon as they made it through, his legs aching from the amount of walking he'd done over the past twenty minutes.

"Now's not the time Ash, we're at the end." May chastised softly, holding her hand out to help him to his feet. Truth be told her legs were aching too, but they were at the end. Now they just had to see what was on the other end. He groaned but didn't protest, standing awkwardly and leaning against the wall.

"So, how do we make it through?" Ash asked, seeing a hole for a card in the large doors.

"Ash, hand me the key card." She held her hand out, wrapping her fingers tightly around the plastic. This was their only chance to get through, otherwise. This entire time spent in the labyrinth had been a waste.

Slotting it in place she waited for something. Anything. Any sign that it was working. Nothing. Her eyes widened before dropping shut, a pained sigh dropping from her lips.

It didn't work.

Ash stared at the card, convinced it was May's fault. His fingers trembled softly as he grabbed at the card, pulling it out before stuffing it in once more.

"I-It's not working. May it's not working!" His voice rose in panic, eyes widening more and more in disbelief as it refused to register the key. They needed another one! "What the hell May? You could have told me!"

"How was I supposed to know you idiot. I know as much as you do. And shut up will you? Someone's bound to find out we're here!"

"Good! Let them know! Maybe then we can get in!" She went to yell back but found she had nothing. Honestly, that was probably the smartest things she'd heard from him ever. And he didn't even realise it.

"Hey! Hey!" She shouted too, now hoping to attract attention. It was their only chance, however much she didn't want to admit it.

Feet could be heard on the other side, though they were far more cautious than she'd have imagined. They were nearing the door.

An afterthought occurred to her and she froze.

"Don't stop now. Hey!"

"No, Ash, how are we supposed to get past them once they open the door?"

"I dunno?"

"We'll have to knock them out. But with what?"

"Uh, maybe push them over."

"What are we? Children?"

"Well, yes."

She pinched the bridge of her nose, taking in a deep slow breath to calm herself.

"I was being sarcastic." May ground out, before another word could pass her lips the doors slid open, a green light flashing above the sliding doors.

Two men could be seen swamped in lab coats, thick glasses making their eyes seem three times as big as they should be. Barely having time to wonder how they could see out of such atrocities May dived behind the door, hoping they really couldn't see anything.

The men look around briefly but don't have time to react at the two hiding people as both drag them forwards and knock them out with panicked punches to the back of the head. They were weak and definitely ineffective, but it seemed to do the trick as they slouched down, heads lulling back against the wall.

As they were about to go in May stopped him.

"What?" He hissed.

"We stand out too much. We need to change."

"I think they'll know we're not them even in their clothes."

"Maybe not, look at their glasses, it seems they really can't see. Even with them."

Not having a better option they peeled off their lab coats and glasses, hanging them over their shoulders. As they attempted to settle the glasses on their faces everything distorted itself, looking as though it was hundreds of times bigger.

"Why don't we put them on our heads." Ash offered, already moving them away. He couldn't help laughing slightly to himself, knowing how idiotic he must look. Oversized coat draping across the ground and thick sightless glasses propped on his head.

She agreed, following his lead as he headed into the room, hitching his trailing coat up. Inside were three more people, all wearing thick glasses of different blind intensity. Though none spared them a second glance, far too concerned with their experiments.

Ash cast his eyes around the room, landing on the far wall, pokemon of all different shapes and sizes were stacked there, trapped behind pod like things. All with a look of resignation.

And on the middle shelf by the wall, banging desperately on his pod was a small yellow pokemon, eyes wide and voice silenced.

Pikachu.

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