Ho-oh stared at Ash. "You sought to control me like the king of Pokelantis?" Ho-oh asked slowly. Ash shook his head. "No, I didn't want to control you. I just wanted to meet you. I… I was a fool then. I was prone to being over confident and arrogant," Ash admitted softly. Some in the tent listening were a little surprised at how he referred to himself. "Were?" Ho-oh remarked coldly. "I'd like to think I'm better now. More mature," Ash agreed. Ho-oh glared at Ash. "Why did you come up here?" it asked Ash. Ash relaxed ever so slightly. Ho-oh wasn't going to attack him. It was more curious in him than angry at him. "I told you, I'm here to help. I want to help you and take you somewhere where you and everyone else will be safe," Ash offered but he knew almost instantly that he had said something wrong.
"Somewhere safe you say? You sound like those humans," Ho-oh spat angrily. "What humans?" Ash asked quickly. He felt it would be best to keep Ho-oh talking. "Those humans that captured me and experimented on me," Ho-oh replied furiously. Ash realised that Ho-oh thought that he might be in league with the humans that had hurt Ho-oh. "Forgive me Ho-oh. I chose my words poorly. I'm not going to force you to go anywhere you don't want to go," Ash assured the Pokémon. Ho-oh glared at Ash. "Please, Ho-oh just trust me enough to help you," Ash implored and reached slowly down to show Ho-oh that he was unarmed, sensing that this act of blind faith might help Ho-oh trust him. Ho-oh tensed as it watched Ash move. Ash froze, instinctively knowing that Ho-oh was about to attack. "May I?" Ash asked softly. He waited until Ho-oh gave him a slight nod. Ash then lift his top up slightly to show that there were no pokéballs on him and turned in a slow circle. He dropped his top back down and resumed his previous posture with his hands up in surrender. "You see, I'm unarmed. I could have brought my Pokémon with me, for protection or to attack you. But I didn't. I trusted that you wouldn't attack me. Please Ho-oh trust me," Ash remarked softly.
Ho-oh tilted its head at Ash curiously. "Words mean nothing to me. Only actions mean anything," Ho-oh commented, finally not angry. Ash relaxed slightly. "Alright, then what can I do to prove to you that I mean you no harm," Ash offered. "If I told you what to do then it would mean nothing," Ho-oh retorted quickly. Ash nodded in understanding. "Come closer," Ho-oh ordered Ash. Ash edged closer to the Pokémon, nervous. He stopped a few metres away from Ho-oh. "Come closer," Ho-oh repeated. Ash swallowed nervously but did as Ho-oh requested until they were so close that Ash could touch Ho-oh if he tried but he didn't. He still held his hands up in surrender. He didn't want to provoke the Pokémon and it seemed that the Pokémon could very easily be provoked. Ho-oh lowered its head until it was level to Ash's. It looked into Ash's brown eyes and slowly Ash lowered his arms and his eyes seemed to lose focus. He relaxed into his standing position and swayed slightly on his feet. As this happened a light green sphere formed between Ho-oh and Ash and expanded to encase them both.
I've admitted it before and I'll say again, I love a cliff-hanger. I just want to clarify, anything Ho-oh says is telepathic. I just haven't bothered putting the word telepathically after everything Ho-oh said.
So, until the next chapter.