Chapter 36: Freedom and Betrayal

"I sure hope they're okay," Amy said to herself, sitting on a small rock with Sonic's letter.

"I'm sure they're fine," Misty assured her. "I'm much more worried about Ash and Pikachu."

"I hope he's okay," May whispered, holding her half of their ribbon on her heart.

Suddenly, a gleam of light shone above them all. Then it expanded into a dark portal.

"What's that?" Bonnie exclaimed.

"I don't know," Clemont shivered, "but it looks dangerous."

The portal began to suck them in. "Uh-oh," May murmured.

"Run," Brock said. "RUN!"

Everyone started running, but Bonnie, being small, slipped and started to get sucked away. "No!" Max cried, grabbing her hand and pulling on her to try and save her. Unfortunately, it was no use, and they both got sucked in.

"Bonnie!" Clemont cried.

"Max!" May screamed.

One by one, everyone else got sucked into the portal before it disappeared. The meadow was silent once more.

Darkness surrounded Sonic and his friends. Sinister energy crackled in the air. The whole atmosphere looked like a swirling vortex. The darkness was more than just the absence of light here: it was tangible and real.

"This place," Sonic said, "this is where Mewtwo is?"

"There can be no doubt about it," Shadow answered him. He looked Sonic over. "Looks like the dark atmosphere's got you stuck again."

"Yeah," Sonic grumbled. When they entered the portal, he turned into a werehog again.

"If I had to venture a guess," Tails said, "I don't think you'll be able to reverse back to being a hedgehog until we leave."

"Or we find a way to cure it," Knuckles muttered.

"Don't worry about me right now, guys," Sonic replied. "We have to find Ash."

"But where do we go?" Tails asked, looking around. "There's such a wide expanse before us! It's even worse than last night!"

"We have to start somewhere," Sonic said. "If Ash is in this realm, then we will find him!" With that, he set forth, followed by Tails and Knuckles. Shadow, meanwhile, stayed behind and closed his eyes.

"He's here, all right," he nodded. "But I have a feeling that there's only one who can find him." His eyes shot open again. "And that means trouble." With that, he disappeared.

"Max?" May called as she got up from the ground. It was cold as ice. "Max, where are you?" There was no response. She looked around, puzzled. "Misty? Cilan? Serena?" she called. Still no response. "I guess we got separated," she sighed. "Well, I hope they're okay." She shivered as a chilling breeze blew past, whistling sinisterly as it blew. "What a strange place." Her eyes widened. "Could this be where Ash is?" Her eyes lit up in hope. "Ash!" she called. "Ash, are you here? It's me, May!" She ran forward excitedly, calling his name while a sinister figure, hidden in the shadows, glared at her with hatred.

The light the Messenger growled angrily. It burns...BURNS! You...you will die...yes...you will...you will DIE!

Whom are you looking for?

Shadow stopped a moment, then turned and saw Shadow Mewtwo standing not far from him with a sinister leer. "You know who I'm looking for," he growled. "Where's Ash?"

Mewtwo just chuckled. I am.

Shadow clenched his fists at that, then turned away, only to see Shadow Mewtwo above him once again. Whom are you looking for? he asked again.

"I won't answer again," Shadow snarled. "Now where is he?!"

Hmhmhmhmhmhm Mewtwo sneered. I just told you that I am. Why continue your search if you have found what you were searching for?

"SHUT UP!" Shadow roared, unleashing a Chaos Spear. Mewtwo easily deflected it. "Don't speak as if you and Ash are the same, you monster!"

What?

"I know Ash," Shadow said. "He's not a weak human like the rest of his kind. He is strong, kind, devoted, and courageous to the death. I've always held humans in contempt, believing them to be weak and selfish. I once believed that all humans were that way. But when I first met Ash, his courage and selflessness told a different story. When we parted ways that day, I began for the first time to question my own beliefs. He is one of the few humans I have respect for."

Hmph. You know nothing, you naive little hedgehog.

"It is YOU who knows nothing!" Shadow shouted. "You know nothing of Ash. You have nothing in common with him. You are cruel, manipulative, and willing to kill anything that stands in your way. Ash is nothing like that. Don't say to me that you are Ash Ketchum, you fiend. You're nothing but a monster, and you will pay for making him suffer the way you have!"

Pay? Mewtwo chuckled in amusement. Oh, you amuse me, Shadow. You still fail to understand: Ash Ketchum doesn't belong to you anymore. He belongs to me.

"Oh, does he?" Shadow growled, clenching his fist and getting into a battle stance. "Well, I guess it's a good thing I'm not above thievery!" With that, he leapt up, curled into a ball, and shot straight at Shadow Mewtwo, striking the spike on his shoulder.

GAHHHHHHH! Mewtwo roared in pain. You...YoU...I wIlL..KiLl yOu, sHaDoW ThE hEdGeHoG! With that, he unleashed a massive blast of energy in all directions. Shadow had no chance to dodge it and got violently thrown to the ground. He grunted weakly as Mewtwo closed in for the kill. DeAtH...iS...mErCy...fOr YoU...yOu...DeSeRvE...wOrSe! I wIlL...DeStRoY...eVeRyThInG yOu lOvE! With that, he began forming a ball of dark energy in his palms. Then, when it was fully charged, he fired it at the downed hedgehog. Weak as he was, Shadow had no chance to dodge, and the blast hit. When the dust settled after the impact, he was gone. fInAlLy...sHaDoW iS dEaD…

"What have you done?!"

He turned sharply to see a familiar brunette looking at him in horror and anger. YoU he snarled.

May clenched her fists in anger. "Where's Shadow?!"

DeAtH...dEaTh Is...mErCy...FOR ALL! Mewtwo roared, unleashing another blast of dark energy. May leapt to the side and dodged it.

"If that's what you call mercy, then I have none to spare!" May shouted, pulling out a Pokeball. "Blaziken! Let's make this monster pay for what he's done!" She threw the ball, unleashing her most powerful Pokemon.

"Blazzzz," she growled, glaring at Mewtwo.

YoU cAnNoT...dEfEaT mE Mewtwo snarled. ThIs iS...mY wOrLd nOw! With that, he shot forward and slammed Blaziken with his tail, knocking her back. She got back up, a small flame on her foot. Then she leapt up into the air and kicked Mewtwo square in the chest, knocking it into the sky. Mewtwo swiftly recovered and shot back, firing several arrows of darkness. These didn't faze Blaziken too much, but they still took a toll on her stamina. She looked up and fired a jet of flames at Mewtwo. Mewtwo dodged, but the tip of his tail got caught in the flames. Taking advantage of this, he pulled the fire into his hand and shot it back at Blaziken. But the powerful fire-type just kicked it back, smacking him in the face. Angered, Mewtwo shot back to the ground and waved his hands around. Then a dark vortex erupted and consumed Blaziken. When it vanished, she was kneeling down on one knee, panting. Small embers began to crawl all over her body.

SuRrEnDeR Mewtwo growled, aNd YoUr lIfE WiLl bE SpArEd.

"Just how stupid do you think I am?" May retorted. "Besides, Blaze just kicked in!"

WhAt?!

"Blaziken may be weaker now, but her attacks become even stronger because of that! Blaziken! Overheat, now!"

"KENNNNNNNNNN!" Blaziken roared, unleashing a massive jet of flames that consumed Mewtwo.

GAHHHHHHHHHH! Mewtwo screamed. Then the flames dissipated, revealing a weaker but much angrier Shadow Mewtwo. I sWeAr...bY mY OwN pOwEr he snarled, I wIlL...rIp yOuR HeArT oUt! With that, he brought his hands together and charged a massive energy beam. May and Blaziken jumped to the side right as it fired off harmlessly into the void.

"Blaze Kick, now!" May shouted. Blaziken obeyed and slammed the recovering Mewtwo in the back of the head with a furious flaming foot. Mewtwo fell forward, and dark energy surrounded him.

ThIs iSn'T oVeR he snarled as he faded. I wIlL...kIlL yOu! Then, with an explosion of energy, he vanished. May held up her arm to shield her eyes. When she lowered her arm again, she saw that Mewtwo had vanished.

"He's gone," she whispered. She turned to Blaziken. "Great job, Blaziken. Return." She recalled him and looked around. "But...what now?"

"M-May…"

Her eyes widened. "That voice…"

"May...over here…"

"Could it be?"

"Ugh...it hurts…"

A smile erupted on her face. "It is! ASH!" She ran up to where Mewtwo had been a moment ago and found the trainer and his Pikachu lying there, weary but whole. She bent down and picked him up into a tight embrace. He returned it as best he could. "I'm so glad you're okay," she whispered.

"Me too," he replied, easing out of the embrace as he quickly stood up. "I feel much better now."

"What happened to you?" she asked.

"After Pikachu and I got sucked into this dimension," he explained, "Mewtwo bound us and tried to force us to fuse with him. I don't know what he wanted, but it was not fun."

"Did it work?"

"Not exactly. Our life energies ended up fusing with him, but they didn't mix. That's what caused his mental instability in those battles. He couldn't control all of that power at once." He smiled at her. "Thanks for saving me, May."

"Of course," she smiled, hugging him again. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"Same here," Ash nodded. They eased out, gazed into each other's eyes, then slowly moved their faces towards each other. Their lips were millimeters away –

"AUGH!"

Ash's eyes shot open at May's sudden scream. "What is it?! What happened?!"

"Augh," May groaned, clutching her abdomen. She fell forward into Ash's arms. He caught her and cradled her.

"May, what happened?!" he asked. "MAY!" Then he saw her chest: blood was all over it. "Oh, no!" he cried. "What happened?!"

Do you see it now?!

His eyes widened. He looked up and saw the Messenger standing there, holding a bloodied knife. "YOU!" he screamed.

Yes the Messenger sneered. Now you see what it is to be betrayed...to lose the one you love! Ash leapt at them, but they vanished. Soon, all those you love will be taken from you. You will have no one left.

"NO!" Ash screamed, looking around wildly. "Where are you?!" There was no response. He turned back to May, terror in his eyes, and cradled her once again. "May, please, stay with me!"

"Ash…" she whispered weakly. "I...I can't…"

"May, NO!" Ash cried. "You can't leave! Not like this!"

"I'm...sorry…" she exhaled. Her eyes closed, and her hand went limp.

"No," Ash whispered. "Please, wake up! May! May!" There was no response. He tightened his grip on her body, fighting tears, then screamed at the sky: "MAYYYYYYYYYYY!"