A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the wait. Things have been really busy at work lately and I had a bit of a writet's block. Anyway, hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 4

A stunned silence gripped the room. Ash, Dawn and Pikachu were speechless, whilst May and Brock, whom had already heard May's story, stood grimly before them.

'What exactly are they planning on doing?' Ash finally managed to ask.

It was Brock who answered. 'I've been doing some research based on the information that May has given me and it sounds as if they plan on releasing Togoros'.

'Who?'

'Togoros, ancient, evil being. From what I've managed to dig up, he really doesn't sound like someone that we want to meet. Apparently, about seven hundred years ago there was a witch who was completely obsessed with power and he would do anything to get it and wouldn't think twice about killing anyone who got in his way. Or eventually he would just kill for fun', Brock frowned.

'A group of hunters finally managed to track him down and kill him. Only that wasn't the end of it. Somehow, during his time in hell, Togoros managed to get stronger and stronger until he was strong enough to break out, which he did about one hundred and fifty years ago. It was bad, no, disastrous for the world. During his time in hell, Togoros developed a hatred for all humans, a hatred that was only fuelled by the hatred of the demons down there with him. So the first thing that he did when he got out was start a massacre'.

'I bet that he had the time of his life butchering and torturing all of those innocent people', Brock continued in disgust. 'Apparently he liked to make their deaths as slow and painful as possible and even make them watch as he killed their loved ones. He made some of the things we hunt look humane by comparison'.

'Wait Brock', Ash interrupted. 'If he was as powerful as you say, then how did he get a body to contain him?'

'Good question. He has a line of descendants and-'.

'Who would have been desperate enough to do him?', Ash asked in disgust.

'Will you let me finish'.

'Sorry'.

'As I was saying; he has a line of descendants and anyone from that line is able to be possessed by him without their body being destroyed by the amount of power its trying to contain. So, back to the story. After almost a year, with the help of a whole bunch of the legendary Pokemon,Togoros was defeated and sent back to hell again. Although not before he had wiped out over three quaters of human life on the planet.

There was a silence when Brock had finished his story as Ash and Dawn took it in.

'Wow', Ash said finally.

'We can't let them free him', Dawn said.

May nodded. 'We know. That's why I called you here, so that we could try to come up with a plan'.

'Okay, so what do we do now?' Dawn asked.

'Well, I was on in the Orange Islands when I heard it', May replied. 'So I think that our best bet is to go back there and see if we can pick up any leads.'.

'Do you think that you will?' Brock asked. May shrugged.

'Well it's better than doing nothing', Ash decided.

'How do we get there?' Dawn wondered.

'Not in a blimp preferably', Brock said and he and Ash laughed.

'What's so funny?'

'Oh nothing, it's just when Brock and I went there for the first time with Misty, there was this thing with Team Rocket hijaking us on a blimp and trying to steal Pikachu as usual', Ash explained.

'Team who?'

An explosion came from outside.

Dawn jumped. 'What was that?' She cried, noticing that neither Ash, Pikachu, Brock or May looked concerned in the least.

'You'll see in a minute', May replied in a bored tone of voice.

Smoke poured in through the open window and Dawn could hear the sounds of people coming from within it.

'Prepare for trouble...' a female voice announced.

'And make it double...' a male one continued.

'Here we go again', Ash sighed.

'What?' Dawn asked, confused.

'Excuse us, it's rude to ignore people you know', the woman said.

The trainers turned their attention back to the window to find two people and a Meowth now standing in the living room. They all looked put out.

'Why should we care about your stupid motto, it's always exactly the same anyway', May snorted in disdain.

'Yeah and we know what your next lines will be too', Brock added.

'I believe that it's normally something like; hand over that Pikachu twerp', Ash agreed. 'And then Pikachu Thunderbolts you guys and then you all go blasting off again. Sound about right?'

'I'd say that it does', May chuckled.

Dawn was confused. 'Wait, who are these people?'

'That's Team Rocket', Brock informed her.

'They seem weird'.

'You have no idea'.

'Stop ignoring us', Jessie wailed, stamping her foot.

'Oh i'm sorry, where are our manners', Ash smirked, sharing a glance with May.

'Skitty, come on out and use Double Slap', May commanded.

The pink cat like pokemon emerged from it's ball and happily slapped Team Rocket repeatedly with it's tail. The trio yelled and cowered under the attack.

'Okay Squirtle, use Skull Bash', Ash ordered.

Squirtle burst from his ball and drove his head hard into the criminals, sending them flying through the window and up into the air, where they disappeared with a final flash of light.

'That was... interesting', Dawn said after a moment of silence. 'Does that happen a lot?'

'Oh its a regular occurence when yout travelling with Ash', May said cheerfully, returning Skitty.

'Yeah and it's not even your Pikachu that they're after', Ash said, returning Squirtle after thanking him. 'So, how are we getting to the Orange Islands?'

'Boat?' Brock suggested.

'It's as good a way as any', May agreed.

'Alright then, a boat it is', Ash smiled.

'There's a ship going there tomorrow at 10:15', Brock informed them, already checking departure times on his laptop.

'Great, so we can all stay here tonight and go first thing in the morning', Ash smiled, settling back down on the couch.

Brock raised an eyebrow at his younger friend. 'Oh really, and have you asked me if you can stay?'

'You don't really mind do you Brock?' May asked him.

'Nah, I don't mind you and Dawn staying. But Ash, there's a perfectly good Pokemon centre down the road that you can stay in'.

'What!' Ash exclaimed. 'You're going to kick me out!'

'Yes. Maybe I'm tired of you taking advantage of me'.

'Aw come on Brock'.

'Now if you apologised, then I would consider letting you stay too'.

' I'm really sorry for taking advantage of you and you're a great person and you're the world's best doctor. How was that?'

'Very good. So Pikachu can now stay too'.

Ash fell over anime style. 'What!'

Brock laughed. 'Of course you can stay Ash, you know that I enjoy having you around'.

'Thanks Brocko'.

'You're welcome. You'll have to sleep on the couch though, May is in the spare bedroom'.

'That's fine, i've slept in worse places'.

'You can sleep with me if you like Dawn', May offered.

Um, thanks', Dawn replied a little shyly.

'No problem. It'll be fun, I haven't had any one to do girl talk with in ages'.

'Yeah, not since Brock was travelling with you', Ash joked.

Brock turned to Ash. 'So where is it that you're staying tonight again Ash?'

'Aw come on Brock, you know that I'm just messing with ya', he punched Brock playfully on the arm.

and punched him lightly back.

'I know'.

After a few hours of Ash, Brock and May catching up and May and Brock getting to know Dawn, they then prepared to go to bed; the girls and Brock heading upstairs and Ash making up a bed on the couch with the blankets and pillow that Brock had given him before going up. Once he had lain gotten comfortable, Pikachu lay down on his chest, his tail curled around his small body.

Ash smiled almost to himself. 'Goodnight Pikachu', he said softly.

'May hurry up, we're going to be late', Ash yelled up the stairs the next morning.

'Oh like you're one to talk', May snapped back.

'I'll never understand why girls take so long to get ready to go out', Ash said to Brock and Pikachu.

Brock shrugged. 'Beats me'. Pikachu also shrugged and continued to eat ketchup straight from the bottle.

'Hey when and how did you get that', Brock suddenly noticed. 'Come on Pikachu, give me that bottle'. He tried to grab the ketchup from the mouse but Pikachu sprung away from him.

'Cha', he said excitedly, anticipating a game of keep away with the Pokemon doctor.

Ash was about to help him when he got distracted by May and Dawn coming down the stairs.

'For your information Ash, it takes us girls so long because it takes time to look good', May said. 'Clearly you still don't care about your appearance'.

'Hey I have more important things to worry about', Ash replied nonchalantly.

'Ash, do you mind helping me out here', Brock called, bringing Ash's attention to the fight for the ketchup bottle and the fact that Brock was losing.

'Sure thing Brock', Ash replied, holding in a laugh at Brock's dishevelled appearance and Pikachu's triumphant smile as he held the bottle in his paws. ' Give it here Pikachu'.

The mouse tried to run away but Ash expertly snagged the bottle befote Pikachu had gone more than two steps. He handed it to Brock before picking up Pikachu and scratching him behind an ear.

Pikachu 'cha'd' happily and Dawn smiled, Pikachu was just so cute.

'Alright, let's go', Ash said, Pikachu climbing onto his shoulder.

Dawn glanced around the room. 'Where did I put my bag?'

'Right here', Brock said, handing it to her.

'Thanks'.

'Your welcome'.

'Are you coming with us Brock?' May asked.

'I'm giving you a lift to the docks but that's as far as i'm going for now', he replied.

Everyone grabbed their backpacks and filed outside to the garage that was situated behind Brock's house. His car was a black truck that had obviously seen better days, if the rust holes and various dents and scrapes were anything to go by.

Ash and May had a small arguement about who got the passenger seat until Brock whacked Ash around the head and told both of them to get in the back. Scowling they obeyed, leaving Dawn the front seat.

Just before she got into the truck, Piplup escaped from his ball and looked around excitedly.

'Piplup, get back in your ball', Dawn told him.

Pip pip lup', Piplup argued.

'It's fine if he wants to stay out', Brock spoke up, correctly interpreting Piplup's desire to be allowed to stay out and watch where they were going.

'Are you sure?'

'Yes'.

'Ok, say thank you Piplup'.

'Lup'.

'Your welcome. Ash do me a favour and open the garage door would you please? The motor is broken again'.

'Could have told me that before I got in the car', Ash muttered, but passed Pikachu to May and climbed back out of the car none the less.

'Thanks Ash, you can just leave it open', Brock called out the window once he had driven outside.

Ash jogged over to the waiting car and got back in. Brock waited until Ash had strapped himself in before moving off again.

The Vermillion city docks were rather busy when they arrived and Brock had to park on the street and the four of them had to walk to the ferry. Pikachu rode on Ash's shoulder as usual, whilst Dawn carried Piplup in her arms.

'I think that it's this way', Ash said, strolling off.

'Wrong way Ash', Brock grabbed his arm to keep him from going any further. 'This way'.

He led them to a medium sized boat that sat at the end of the docks. Passengers were boarding or saying goodbye to friends and family, whilst dock workers loaded luggage into the cargo hold.

'Alright, be careful guys and if you need help then call me', Brock told them.

'Sure thing, thanks Brocko'. Suddenly unable to resist being evil, Ash added, 'if we see proffessor Ivy, do you want us to tell her hi from you?', he smirked.

Brock suddenly disappeared and looking around, Dawn spotted him a few metres away crouched on the ground, hugging his knees.

'Don't mention that name', he groaned.

Dawn sweat dropped. 'Uh...'

'Don't worry about him, he'll be fine', Ash told her. 'See ya soon Brock',.he called, he and Pikachu still sniggering as they boarded the boat. By the time May and Dawn joined them, Brock had recovered and was waving them off.

Piplup had jumped up on the railings and almost fell off when the ship began to move. Dawn grabbed hold of him.

'Piplup, be careful', she scolded him gently.

'Aw, he's sort of like Blaziken when he was a Torchic', May cooed, petting the water type on the head. Piplup chirped and leaned into May's caress.

'How long will it take to get to ? island?' Dawn asked Ash.

'Well we'll be docking on Pummelo island in about two hours. But then we have to make our own way to Moro island', he replied.

'So what shall we do in the mean time?'

May and Ash looked at each other. 'Eat', they said at the same time.

'We're finally here', Dawn announced happily, stretching as they came off the small fisherman's boat.

Ash only noticed that he had been staring when he heard the fisherman's amused grunt behind him. He glanced around and also caught May's knowing smile. Blushing slightly, he pulled his hat lower and walked forward.

'Right, let's get going', he said unnecessarily loudly, ignoring Dawn's quizzical look.

'Ash, do you even know where you're going?' May called after him, still smiling.

'Of course I do'.

'Of course you don't'. Gary popped out of thin air, right in front of Ash.

Ash yelled and jumped back, almost falling in the water. 'Good to see you May, you too Dawn', he added, floating over to the girls.

'Gary, quit looking down my top or I will bring you back to life, rip your stupid, ugly head off and shove it up your ass after using your eyes as ping pong balls', May said in a deadly calm voice.

'Ooh scary', Gary mocked.

May growled softly.

'Still don't know when to shut up do you?' Ash commented.

'Nope'.

'Okay, where are we going May?'

'I found the demon in a little village a few miles east of here, I guess that we could start there', May shrugged.

'Then lead the way'.

For the next two days, May, Dawn and Ash tried to find out anything that they could about hell's plan but came up with nothing.

'You know, there is one thing that we haven't tried', Ash said cautiously on the second night.

They were sitting around their campfire, just finishing up dinner after a long day of once again getting nowhere. Their pokemon had also been allowed out to eat.

'What's that?' Dawn asked.

'We could summon a demon'.

May's head shot up and even Pikachu stopped eating to look at his trainer.

'Ash i'm not so sure about that', May said warily.

'Well we need to find out what they're planning and we're not getting anywhere at the moment', he pointed out.

'Yes, but summoning demons is always kinda risky'.

'And the rest of this job isn't?' May had no reply, so he continued. 'Look, we'll call Brock or go back to his place and get him to help us. When has Brock ever messed anything up?'

'There's a first time for everything'. May said, still unconvinced.

'Come on May, what other choice do we have?'

'Okay, but I still don't like it'.

'Neither do I' he admitted.

'Hey Ash', May said, sitting down by the fire next to him. It was a couple of hours later and May and Dawn had gone to bed whilst Ash stayed up, staring into the flames of the fire.

'Hey', Ash replied, snapping out of his revorie.

'What are you doing up?'

'Could't sleep. You?'

'Same'.

'So, what's up with you and Dawn?'

'What? Nothing', Ash denied, glad that it was dark so that May couldn't see him blushing.

'Oh don't play dense with me Ash Ketchum, I saw you staring the other day. And any other time that you don't think that she's looking for that matter'.

'We're just friends'.

'But you both want to be friendlier, if you know what I mean', May said, wiggling her eyebrows.

'Quit making that face at me'.

'Then admit your feelings'.

'No'.

'Ah, so you admit that you are hiding feelings for Dawn'.

'I never said that', Ash was blushing for real now'.

'You didn't have to'. Ash remained silent and May sighed. 'Okay Ash, look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't have feelings for Dawn'.

'I don't have feelings for Dawn', Ash said a little too quickly and not quite meeting May's eyes.

'Why don't you just tell her how you feel?'

'No'.

'Are you scared that she'll reject you? Because I'm positive that she feels the same way about you'.

Ash didn't say anything, he just returned to staring into the flames, lost in his thoughts. May sighed again. 'Alright, good night Ash. Don't stay up too late okay'.

'Mmm hmm'.

'Why can't he just be honest about his feelings for once', May thought to herself as she curled back up in her sleeping bag and closed her eyes.

Okay, just a quick note on how to pronounce Togoros' name. It is pronounced; Tuh-go-ross. Okay, hope that helps.