Hey guys, this might be a little late because I had MCAS this entire week but I will try to get this to you in time. So thanks to everyone who clicked on this story, I really appreciate it. Anyway this is about a year later so ash is 20 years old.
101TheEditor: Oh yeah, you were a huge help for me when I published. So thanks again and good luck with The Aura Will Prevail, I eagerly await the next chapter
Sailor Taichichi Vageta: Well i had planned a action flashback for that involving Giovanni's men apprehending Sabrina, but I had explain how Ash knew that Aaron was his father and Would you have really wanted to have two flashback's in one story? Well Ash will do that, but that will happen later in the story. Aaron really won;t be all that involved anymore, Riley might be, but Ash will have no aura control and won;t be going around firing off aura spheres left and right. Ash was about 19 in the last chapter and is going to be in his mid 20s (probably 24ish) in this one.
Rupbyspe: I've seen stranger comments, but thanks. I have trouble finding good places to leave off though. Anyway thanks again and good luck with the pokemon academy and the controllers of the earth and sea.
Chapter 4: The Darkness within Ourselves
The clanging of bars, the footsteps of the guards, the sounds of the other prisoners, the sound of the crackling fire that seemed to laugh at your captivity. These are all the things you had to get used when you are one of Giovanni's few prisoners. Most of the others were taken away after a few days to be executed or they simply died of starvation and dehydration. Some even took their own lives. She heard a man bash his head into a wall so many time that he fell unconscious and bled out only a few cells over. She still has nightmares about that. The only small comfort was the Pokemon the guards tried to make her kill when she asked for a pillow. A small Eevee, the guards told her to kill and use the fur for whatever she wanted. She could never do that, she could never hurt an innocent Pokemon. Another small comfort was a pane less window. They probably put it there to show her an escape she couldn't reach, or make her colder when the wind blew in her cell. But to her it was a way to see the world that she had been sealed off from since she was a child. She could barely remember her own parent's faces anymore, or her brother's
Then there were the things that made her already horrible conditions worse. The main one being an overly cocky, arrogant, bastard of a son Drew. He came to her cell often, more often than she would like, and gave her roses. After he left, she would always use them as kindling for the fire. They weren't much, but they did do something to make it warmer. She didn't understand why he came around to her cell. Did he like her? Or was he just messing with her to make everything worse, trying to show her what she was missing out in the real world. She didn't care, he kept on coming no matter how mean or rude she was to him. Playing it off as if she were playing hard to get, claiming that he didm;t put her in there and if it were up to him, she would be out of the cell. She didn't believe him, he was full of shit. But he was the only one she would talk to, even if talking meant yelling at him or insuring him. She used to talk to the other people, one girl named Solidad was put in the cell next to her. She had been there for a month and they had become good friends. But the guards came in and had Solidad beat in front of her. Just to scare her, soon Solidad was taken away, as to where she doesn't know, but she would never talk to the other prisoners whenever they came in.
"Vee!". A small cry from her only companion awoke her. Eevee always did when he came.
"Hello my dearest" a sweet voice that would make most girls heats flutter said
"What do you want cabbage head" May said as she sat up from the small and uncomfortable piece of shit she called her bed
"Now, now. Is that anyway to treat your husband?" Drew said, am arrogant smile written on his face
"You are not and never will be my husband you arrogant prick" May said, now on her feet, an frustrated expression on her face
"Oh but you will be, I have told you this from day one, haven't I?"
"Shut up and leave"
"Oh you are so cold" he said in a sarcastic voice "Just like this cell perhaps if you would allow me to come in their and warm your bed with you"
"Why don't you just piss off already" May said
"If that is what you wish, but one day you will be mine May Maple. Remember that." he ended as he walked away, dropping a rose through the bars.
She was alone again save for her friend. No one else was in the tower. She knew she was in Saffron, in the top right tower of the castle that stood looming over the city. If she pushed her cheek flat against the wall she could see some of the city and the edge of another tower. That's how she knew where she was. I look a little bit like Petalburg, like her home
"Vee?" her normal type friend asked.
May put on a brave face "Yeah I'm fine, just reminiscing is all"
Her name was May Maple, she was seventeen years old and had been in this place since she was twelve and she was the only daughter of King Norman, who was now known as the Rebel King. She knew he wouldn't give up on a war. At least not without causing as much trouble as possible for King Giovanni. She knew that from what little she could remember about her father. All she longed for was to go home, or at least see her family once in a while. It would make this place almost bearable. But alas, there was no such hope that Giovanni would let her see her parents. He came to see her once in a while. Simply to see if she was still alive. He was disappointed every time when he saw her glaring at him, Hell's fury written in her eyes.
What got to her the most though was the lack of things to do. She could tend to the fire, play with Eevee, read, or think. She hated doing the last one. It always ended up with her thinking about he family and made her want to cry. She refused to cry in front of these guards, she had done that too many times already.
Her favorite was to read. She loved playing with Eevee, but that could only last so long. Reading could last her for a while and passed the time. It helped a lot because like this today she would wake up and fall right bad asleep till late afternoon. There was an entire library somewhere in this castle and she could grab one book at a time if the guard was nice. Right now she was reading a book called "The Phony War". It was about when an Aura Guardian went into the Tree of Beginning and used his aura to stop a battle from raging over the land he protected whig was not involved in the war. The book never mentioned a name though.
First she began to do her hair for a while before deciding to read a little more ways into the book, she picked it out from under the pile of hay that was her mattress and began to read. With some guards she had to keep the book hidden because they had taken her books away a few times. Soon though Eevee demanded attention and began to nip at her fingers. She chuckled and took a metal nail that had come out of the window and used it as a bookmark. Not the most effective bookmark but the only one she had none the less.
She played around with Eevee, chasing her around, being chased around, playing silly games, the only things that could make her smile anymore. Soon thug Eevee tired. These things only lasted an hour or so. So she went back to reading. And when she was nearing the end of the book, she heard the footsteps of someone coming down the hallway.
"Lunch time" said a guard dressed in the standard armor of the Kanto Kingdom. Only this one had the secret service logo on his shoulder. A red "R". That's how you knew if it was one of Giovanni's special forces. He opened the gate a crack and slid the bowl across the floor and locked the gate again, he the proceeded to walk down the corridor that he came from.
Tonight's "feast" was just a small bowl of broth with what appeared bits of old meat and bread broken up in it. The guards must've been in a good mood today. She took a few pieces of the meet and bread out and gave them to Eevee and began to pick out some of the bread and meat for herself. Soon all that was left was the broth. She drank about tow thirds of it before sliding the bowl over to the patiently waiting Eevee who began to lap up the rest.
This is what her meals usually consisted of. It got rid of needing to give her food and water separately. They thought it was genius to do it all in one bowl. Once Eevee was done she left the bowl by the door so a guard could pick it up whenever and returned to her book. It had been about twenty or so minutes when she heard the door open again. She didn't manage to hide the book in time though.
"Hello again beautiful" Drew said. It was only him, it didn't matter whether she had the book out or not when it was just him.
Her only response was a glare before turning back to her book.
"Is that anyway to treat your husband?" he said in a mock hurt voice.
She didn't even acknowledge him that time, she knew it angered him whenever she ignored him and it was showing.
"You know, I gave the guards the night off so we could spend some time together" He said with a suggestive smirk on his face after recovering after his initial failure.
No response
"Hey I'm talking to you" he said, annoyance dripping into his voice.
Again no response
"Hey! Listen to me when I talk to you!" the anger was clear on his face
Not even a glance
"You bitch, pay attention to me!"
Still no response
But what did turn her head was when the cage door opened and he came storming in, throwing the keys on the floor.
"I said pay attention to me!" he roared as he grabbed the book and threw it away. She began to sit up from her bed but her threw her back pinned her beneath him. Eevee jumped from the floor and bit his hand that had her arm pinned above her head along with the other one.
He yelled in pain and threw Eevee over to the there side of the cage. Her body making a loud CLANG as it connected with the bars. He turned his attention back to her. "No one's getting in my way now" he said as he began to lean his face downwards towards May's and was a mere inches away when May did the one thing that she could do.
She kneed him in the balls as hard as she could.
He let out a loud squeal that should've come from a little girl. She pushed him off her and kicked him once more for good measure before running and grabbing the slowly rising Eevee and the keys that lay foolishly on the ground and turned and locked the door and jumped back right before Drew's hand plunged through the bars in an attempt to grab her. He looked at her angrily, "Just give me back the keys and we'll pretend this never happened" he said, the sweetest smile he could must brought up up his face.
"I'm impressed that you can stand after I crushed your fucking balls" she yelled before throwing the keys into another cell and running through the door. She ran down the corridor that led to the staircase which would bring her down to ground level. She reached the bottom of the stairs and carefully peaked around the corner. Two guards were walking in the opposite direction and there was no one else around. It was perfect.
She quietly ran to a set of double doors and slowly opened them to reveal someone's bedroom. She was hoping it would be the way out, but now that she thought about it, that would be further down the hallway. She began to run once again, Eevee still in her arms and began to check any room that looked like it could lead outside. At the end of the hallway Eevee jumped out of her arms and ran towards a door and sniffed the bottom of it.
"Eevee" she called and May ran over and cautiously opened the door to reveal a lowering sun and some soldiers milling about, going around on business. May picked up Eevee and closed the door. She ran behind the statue of a Dragonite that stood on either side of the door and began to look for a way out. She could only see two. One was to jump off the wall into the ocean, tow was to steal a horse and ride away. She liked option tow better.
There were a few Rapidashes tethered to a poll and some carriages and a few Ponyta that appeared to be jun training. Her most promising choice were the Rapidashes that were tethered to the poll at the gate. She just had to wait till someone untethered one so she could take it. As if to answer her prayers, a servant of some sort came over and began to untether one and just as he untied the tether he was shoved to the ground.
"Sorry!" May said to him as she mounted the Rapidash. With the click of her heals the Rapidash shot off like a bullet. She rode through the yelling soldiers and through the closing gates that led out of the castle to burst into her freedom. She made no celebration though, with Eevee placed between her legs she rode through the city blowing past civilians and guards. And finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she ran through the gate of the city and continued to ride on.
The wind was blowing through her hair as she rode away, as to where she didn't know. As long as it was away from Saffron City she was fine with it. She turned her head back to look once more at the city that had been her prison for so many years of her life, but her attention was brought to the horsemen that were currently on her tail and gaining. She clicked her heals to get the Rapidash to go faster and it bolted away, but it seemed to have no effect and the men continued to slowly gain distance on her. Suddenly though, the slightly dead grass she rode on turned a sickly shade of black. The dirt had been replaced by mud and the air became fowl with decay and a heavy fog.
She turned back to look ahead of her and saw bogs everywhere in front of her. She pulled on the reins of her Rapidash, but that Rapidash didn't make it in time and fell head first into a bog and bringing it back into the air and sending May and Eevee to the other side. It tried to rise to the surface and get out, thrashing everywhere in an attempt to save its life to no avail.
"Shh shhhhhhh. Please be quiet" May whispered. "I know, its okay, everything's going to be okay" she whispered. The Rapidash stopped its thrashing and looked directly into May eyes as it sank lower into the bog. May looked back, eyes welling up a little with tears. She turned around and stood up. Before running away from the fast approaching voiced and into the forest that seemed to close around, as if not letting her back out.
She ran and ran, as fast as she could. She couldn't hear them, but they were following her, she just knew. She tripped over something for a moment and fell to the ground. She turned to see what it was and saw a Paras rise from the muck and scum on the ground. This Paras was weird though. Just like everything around it, it was jet black with dull grey sports on the mushrooms it had on its shell. It began to crawl towards May and released a black looked gas from its mushrooms before scurrying away.
May stood up quickly but began to choke on the gas and Eevee did the same. She turned to run away again but fell down once more, she managed to get up again and began to stumble through the woods, Eevee in tow. Soon she began to see things though. Creatures burst from the trees and the dead rose from the ground. She screamed and ran away only to fall once again. She looked up to see her arms melting in front of her and screamed at the tip of her lungs before falling into unconsciousness.
-IN SAFFRON CITY-
King Giovanni sat on his throne with a persian on his lap and an angry expression on his face. "So let me get this straight, you gave the guards temporary leave, you charged into her cell, dropped the keys on the floor, got kneed in your balls, and got locked in the cell"
Drew kept his eyes to the floor but nodded his head.
"Well what are you still doing here?! Go out an get her before she gets to a town and gets away. She the only thing that's keeping Norman from declaring an all out war"
"Well it's just that she ran into the Dark Forest. The men who were chasing her followed but only three of the seven came back and one was on the brink of insanity"
Giovanni let out a long sigh. You could easily tell that through his calm demeanor he was furious "Go and find someone who had been through the Dark Forest and get her back, now" he said in a dangerously low voice.
Drew stood up straight immediately "y-yes sir, ri-right away sir" he may be the son of Giovanni but his father did not tolerate failure. Drew turned on his heal and sped walked through the throne room taking six guards with him before leaving. "We're heading down to the taverns. Each of you split up to a different tavern and try to find someone that has been in the Dark Forest before. Of you don't find anyone then meet back at the palace gateway" with that the soldiers dispersed, heading into different areas of the city.
Soon though they all ended up at the the palace gateway with no one to accompany them. "Alright so does anyone have news about someone who's been in there?" Drew asked
A few of them shook their heads and a mother just said "no". "I had heard from "The Persian's Claws" that there was a man who had been in there" one spoke out. "Yeah me too, they said he wears a dark cloak and an Aura Guardian hat, even though his isn't one. They tad me he is a mercenary for hire an goes simply by "Ranger". He apparently never gives his name out. He usually stays in the Obsidian Onix while he looks for work"
"Then that's our next destination" Drew said and they rode for The Obsidian Onix.
-INSIDE THE OBSIDIAN ONIX-
The door swung open to reveal the son of King Giovanni who was flanked by six guards. All heads turned and glared at the new arrival. There were a few unruly looking men at a table close to the door, two people at the bar and a few others sitting at some other tables. Drew walked over to the bar counter immediately and sat down. One of the other men sat up and left and the bartender came over, knowing what happens if you get in the bad side of a prince. "Hello peasant, I don't suppose you have the Ranger here by any chance do you?" Drew asked in a snide voice.
"By whom do you mean the Ranger sir?" the bartender asked, he knew exactly who the prince wanted but he preferred to face the King's wrath than the Ranger's.
"You know, the Ranger. He always stays here when he's in Saffron does he not? So where is he?"
Sir I don't think he's here right now. Perhaps I could deliver a message from you to him?" the bartender asked
Drew hand shot over the table and grabbed the man's collar and he pulled the man roughly over the counter so his torso was practically laying on the counter. "Lie to me again and I'll have your fucking fingers ripped from your hands" Drew said menacingly.
Suddenly a hand shot put and gripped Drew's wrist and began to squeeze painfully causing him to release the bartender. "If you have business with me I suggest you take it up with me and not my host" staid he only other man at the counter, his grip still slowly closing in Drew's wrist. The man had raven black hair and but Drew could only see oner of his brown eyes. He had a black mask that rested around hid neck. He was dressed in a black cloak that had a grey strap with a thick black stripe going through it that only left a sliver of grey visible on each side of the stripe going from his left shoulder but halfway down the strap a second part attached and wrapped around his other shoulder. His left side was hidden in the shadows, but Drew was on his right so he could see part of his face even though he was facing the counter.
"Let go of my hand now!" Drew squealed out. The Ranger obliged and let go. "Are you the Ranger that has been into the Dark Forest's deepest depths and come back out alive?"
"What of it?" he said still facing the counter
"By order of King Giovanni you are hereby employed to bring us into the forest and bring back an escaped prisoner"
"No"
Drew paused in surprise "What do you mean no?"
"I'm not going to get mixed up in the King's business, it'll be nothing but trouble" the Ranger said.
"This is not a request, this is an order by king Giovanni himself"
"Really than where is he? All I see re six men and a boy who won't stop moving his lips and figure out that I don't do anything for free"
Drew smiled suddenly "So it's money you want huh? I'll offer you thirty gold pieces once we get back to the gate with the prisoner"
"Deal, but I am not responsible for your men. You do what I say, when I say it and you'll be fine"
"I will not take orders fro-"
"You do what I say, when I say it. Got it?" the Ranger interrupted.
"For now peasant" Drew spat
The Ranger smirked " Then we have an accord. Pikachu, my hat please" a yellow mouse came from underneath the counter with a hat in its mouth and jumped on his shoulder. The Ranger grabbed the hat and put it on his head. The hat was completely black and had a a frayed end. Ot was the hat of an Aura Guardian, the only difference being that there was no blue band going around the top with the Aura Guardian's symbol on it.
"My Rapidash is in the stables, I assume yours are just outside as well?"
There we go that was Chapter 4. This is the setting for the rest of the story, and next we will be going into the whole track down and stuff. I might go a bit farther than that and have them keep going through the Dark Forest. Anyway Thanks for reading, Comments, suggestions, criticism, and anything else is welcome, till next time.
-novaking2832