Ash's answer was simple, to the point, but the people crowding around the raven haired man just couldn't... couldn't understand.
Ash spoke so darkly that it stopped everyone's tears and sent chills down their spines.
"Ash,... what are you talking about?" Dawn spoke hesitantly. Seeing his best friend in such a state shocked him.
Ash finally turned to his friend and shook his head in what could be fake or real confusion, the hard look never leaving his face.
"I will bring my mother back." Ash spoke with a violence that surprised even himself.
Things seemed to click for everyone at the same time. Ash thought he was pretty clear about his intentions, but seeing the look of both realization and fear on his friends' faces now made him think otherwise.
"Ash, you can't do this!" Serena yelled. Like the others, his mind was just processing what Ash was going to do.
"Giovanni said he was going to kill you! He told you so!" May added as loudly as Serena. Hoping the higher volume will transfer to Ash more effectively.
Ash's face twisted in both shock and pain as he saw everyone trying to tell him he couldn't do this. Ash thought that out of all the people in the world, Ash had the most support for him. And yet here they were, telling him to leave his mother to die at the hands of the darkest people in the world. Nothing in Ash's mind was entirely rational, but he didn't care or even notice. He had one focus and that was to save his mother's life.
Ash couldn't even look at his friends now, so he turned his gaze to the heavily clouded sky. It looked like it was going to rain, obviously because of the lack of sunlight and the dark clouds that seemed ready to burst. He couldn't help but laugh at that.
"Sure fits the mood..." he thought to himself.
After a moment, he let his gaze return to his friends.
Ash's eyes narrow with grief and anger; His voice had completely lost its characteristic warmth and comfort, "So you're saying that I should forget my mother? That I should let her die at the hands of two of the worst people the world has ever seen?! No… it doesn't is. happening."
The group had to admit that it was hard to argue with his reasoning, but that didn't stop them from wanting Ash to really think things through before acting.
Serena was about to argue with him, but lost her voice and cowered in fear when she looked into his eyes. They didn't look like usual. Right now they didn't have the warmth, compassion or desire that they usually have. At that moment, they were so cold, so full of malice...
so full of hatred.
"Ash, you need to think things through! Be sensible!" Brock tried to reason, raising his hands defensively as he spoke.
He could see what was going through the young man's mind and he didn't want Ash to lose his temper; he could hardly keep himself as he was. Ash's emotions were mixed and he knew that was why he acted the way he did.
Paul, showing no fear, walked over to the trainer and put them face to face before speaking, "You have to think Ash! If you don't, you'll die! You can't be such an idiot at a time like this! Stop the all the time being so damn rude and give..."
Paul was soon down, thanks to Ash's punch to the face. The raven haired boy breathed heavily as he clenched his fists in pain and watched Paavali writhe on the ground for a moment.
If this was the old Paul, he would have stood up and punched Ash back, no matter the circumstances. But he wasn't like that anymore, so he held back, knowing that he would be too difficult due to his high emotional momentum.
The others watched with a mixture of fear and sympathy. It was terrifying to see the anger build in Ash's eyes before he hit his good friend. Ash lost control and everyone knew it.
"Don't you dare tell me what I should do or not do. Are you calling me an idiot? HA! What an idiot I am when it seems I'm the only one still thinking straight! A little strange, because my mother was kidnapped, that they want me dead! After everything she's done for me, I'd die a million times over for her." Ash didn't specifically choose one person from the group to yell at. Instead, his eyes looked at each person as he yelled. Although his voice was angry, it was also very clearly filled with an incredibly deep sadness that made everyone feel immense sympathy for the man.
After that Ash said to take a moment to catch his breath. As he did so, he looked down at the ground. After he got his breath under control, he raised his head again. Although this time his expression was significantly different from before. Instead, Ash's face showed nothing but hurt and depression.
"Why don't you forget all the reasons why it doesn't work and focus on why it does...?" Ash managed weakly, his voice breaking towards the end. Then he bowed his head again.
Ash took a long pause, no one dared to speak at this time. If something Ash didn't like was said, he could break so he wouldn't come back...unless he was already there.
Angry did not return to the raven-haired man's face. She still looked hurt, Friday, which was clearly shown by the tears streaming down her cheeks. "I thought you were my friends..."
That hurt.
Bad.
Seeing the four girls and Max start to cry at his words, Ash felt regret, but that didn't change the fact that he meant what he said. What kind of friends were they if they didn't support his decision to save his mother? He couldn't understand them now, not when his mind was messed up like it was now.
Brock seeing the tear stained faces of the girls and the bowed heads of Paul and Professor Oak was enough to push him over the edge. He had enough. It wasn't Ash and everyone knew it.
Without hesitation she walked purposefully towards Ash, who was now looking down, letting her tears soak the dirt and soot under his shoes. As a few feet came into his line of sight, Ash looked up to see Brock staring at him. He could not predict what would happen next.
Brock stood up and punched Ash in the face, causing the boy to wince in pain and surprise. Paul looked worried because he didn't want Brock to suffer the same fate as him.
"Don't you ever say something so dumb and stupid again! Not your friend, pfft, what the hell! You know as well as I do that we're right! Following your mother alone, you might as well sign your own. death warrant..." Brock silenced his harshest voice that anyone had heard from him.
Ash's now irrational mind screamed at him to answer, but his mouth did not move; the blow silenced him. He had never seen Brock act with such vigor. He couldn't help but look at his older friend.
Ash met Brock's sharp gaze, the stone man didn't give an inch. Ash tried to look confident, but this blow seriously shook his composure. He felt the heavy feelings in his heart getting heavier and heavier by the second.
After a few moments, Brock broke his stern look and sighed, "...But I know it has to be done."
"Brock! What are you doing!?" Dawn yelled, unable to believe what Brock had just said.
The chances of Ash losing his life chasing after his mother were very high and the young blue cub wasn't sure if he could live in a world without her...
or if he even wanted to...
the others but her . Oak and Paul, who seemed to be on Brock's side, they felt exactly how Dawn felt about the situation. They wanted Delia back as much as the others, but Ash would almost certainly die if he tried to save her; it's exactly what Team Rocket wanted.
Ash got big when Brock said what he did. After his initial reaction, he didn't expect anyone to be on his side.
His brother just proved him wrong, except for the blood.
"If it was someone I loved, I would think and act as you do now." Brock added seeing the shock and surprise on Ash's face. "I can't even begin to imagine everything you're feeling, and I know you're not mad at us, you're mad at Team Rocket. I guess you're a little unreasonable about everything that's going on. Just know, we only want the best for you. But like I said, I understand why you have to do it."
Ash looked at Brock for a moment longer before looking at his other friends, hoping to get their approval as well. Brock turned to the others.
It looked like Brock. spoke again when interrupted .
"No Ash! You can't do that!" May tried to reason with the boy, even though she knew deep down that his mind wasn't going to change, and as much as she hated to admit it, she couldn't blame him. If he had been in her position, he had no idea what he would have done.
Ash calmed down a lot after Brock said what he did to him. Hearing that someone was actually coming to his side, he relaxed as much as anyone could in his current situation.
He calmly walked towards the group of shocked girls and his other friends, including his youngest friend Max, before he spoke, "I want you all to listen to me and carefully. I promise I'll be back, alive and well . , where my mom is with me and Team Rocket is gone forever... I just need you all to trust me."
The tearful eyes of her friends met hers hesitantly. Max was the first to overcome his emotions enough to speak.
Ash was his idol in almost everything. Ash was everything Max wanted to be, from a pokemon to how he lived his life. And when his older brother developed, he completely understood Ash's way of thinking, even though he hated it.
"Do what you have to do, Ash. I'll support you all the way." Max said trying to sound fierce but failing. His mind tried to shut his mouth but his heart wouldn't let him.
Ash smiled sadly at his youngest companion and silently thanked him for his support. with a nod. Similar thoughts floated through the minds of Ash's female companions..Would Ash be able to do that? Could he survive?
Could they trust him?
That last thought destroyed any doubt that Ash would survive this. So, one by one, each girl expressed their support for Ash to complete this task. However, it was clear from their voices that the thought still terrified them.
What made them change their minds? Simple… they all had full faith in Ash. Absolute confidence.
Absolute confidence.
Without saying a word, afraid to ruin the moment, Ash hugged each woman as long as possible. The support of his closest friends was the only thing that got him through this, Ash was sure of it; without them he felt nothing. After fighting Dawn's hug, Ash pulled back and gave them a soft smile.
"Thank you all. I'm glad you understand why I have to do this. And I'm sorry about the last one, I shouldn't have yelled at you or told you what I did. My emotions are running high right now, but that's no excuse. I care about you all more than anything else in this world and the last thing I want to do is hurt you or scare you and I know you're just trying to protect me and I can't thank you enough. cares about me as much as you do." Ash explained calmly, his usual warm and caring tone returning to his voice. "I have to leave first thing in the morning. I must find him as soon as possible."
When the raven haired man finished speaking, a smile crossed Brock's face as he said the one simple word that had been on his mind since he was with Ash on this matter.
"We..."
"What?" Ash asked the pokemon healer not knowing what he was talking about as he wiped the last tears from his eyes. Paul knew though as he joined Brock with a smile.
"He said 'we', Ash. Like we're bringing your mother together." Paul explained.
Ash's mouth dropped open as he heard the purple haired trainer elaborate. He didn't know why he was upset because he has the best friends in the world.
Now seeing Brock's intentions, the others joined the chorus. Everyone also hoped it would help lighten the mood, if only a little.
"Yes! We're with you all the way!" shouted Max. This time his enthusiasm was completely genuine.
"Sure, we're all going with you! I'd follow you to the ends of the earth, Ash." Serena spoke sweetly, her cheeks a little red.
"Surely you can use a water pokemon boss on the go right?" Misty said spinning the pokeball in her finger wgile blushing a little. It was surprising how the women completely turned their feelings 180.
"Ash, you know I would never make you go through something like this alone. Not when you are so important to me." May spoke with a smile, adding a little blush of her own.
"I like you too much to let you do this alone." Dawn said, ignoring the blush growing on her cheeks.
Ash should have been excited that his friends were willing to help him on his journey, and at first he was, but when he realized something, all the happiness he felt about it disappeared. The shock subsided as Dawn finished speaking… only to be replaced by fear and dread.
He should have known that his friends wanted to help him, but he couldn't let that happen. Not on a trip where even Ash had to admit the possibility of death.
Ash's face showed an inner struggle that made the others fear that something was wrong.
Just as May was about to ask if she was okay, Ash spoke.
"You're not coming with me…" Ash announced quietly.
No one understood what he said so Brock asked, "What did you say Ash?"
"I said you wouldn't come with me, none of you." Ash spoke much louder this time to make sure his point got across.
"Ash what are you talking about?" Dawn asked, worried that he knew where she was going.
Ash started to speak but a somewhat angry Paul punched him, "You better not say what I think you're going to say, Ketchum."
Despite Paul's warning, Ash still spoke, "I have to do this alone. Team Rocket wants me dead, and if you're with me, there's no telling what might happen to you."
Most of the anger the group felt was said Ash's soft voice couldn't take them off. It was obvious that this was extremely difficult for him and that he was scared, especially doing this alone, but he just cared too much about them to put them in such serious danger. It warmed their hearts, but they did not let it last.
"If anything happened to any of you, I..." Ash's voice trailed off. "-I could never live with myself. That's why I have to go alone."
It was now too obvious. Of course, Ash didn't want any of them to come. He was just making sure everyone was safe, as always. But this time, if he wasn't careful, his kindness and compassion, his love for his friends and family, would kill him.
Without help, this outcome was almost certain.
Ash looked at his friends expectantly, waiting for some sort of response to his words. Serena slowly walked forward, placing herself directly in front of the man she loved with all her heart.
Ash looked down at the blonde and met her watery eyes.
Wasting no more time, Serena spoke, "Ash... What you just said about not being able to live with yourself is exactly how any of us would feel if something happened to you. I know I speak for everyone when I say that if we just sat there and let you do it alone, we wouldn't be able to live with ourselves."
They stared at each other even after Serena finished her explanation. it wasn't .sure what was going on inside of her, but with everything horrible that had just happened, looking into Serena's beautiful blue eyes made her… safe
Ash broke from her gaze when he felt a hand on his looked up to to meet Paul's steel. dark purple eyes. In fact, she kept saying with a small smile on his face. "We just want to help you, man. You turned me from an A-class arsehole to a half-decent human being. You made me better. I can't thank you enough for that, but I can start by helping you. bring your mom back."
"Ash, you made me the coordinator and the person I am today. You helped me so much on our journey, you took so much time to guide me and show me the right path when you could have been focused on yourself. This is all I can pay you back. And more than that, you're the best friend I've ever had. I would do anything for you, Ash. Because you've proven time and time again that you'll do the same for me," Dawn added with incredible sincerity, tears of love welling up in her eyes as she thought of all that Ah had done for her. He was slightly surprised by how much he loved Ash at the moment, but enjoyed the feeling regardless.
"You're the reason I left the gym to follow my dream of becoming the best trainer in the world. And even though that dream has changed a little, it doesn't change the fact that you're my best friend. I'm with you whether you like it or not." Brock said with a smile.
"Ash, you literally saved my life. Even more than once. Not only that, but you've completely shaped the person I am, and I've become pretty cool, if I do say so myself." May laughed, "For that, I am eternally grateful. Ash Ketchum, you are by far the most important person in my life and you will always be the only person in that position. I want nothing more than to be there for you as you are for me."
"Traveling around Hoenn and Sinnoh with you was the best decision I ever made in my life. Experiencing the world in this way, even before being a trainer, was and always will be the greatest time of my life. I may be young, but I'm coming with you to take down Team Rocket and bring your mother back!" Max exclaimed, exuding infectious confidence.
"You've changed my perspective on so many Ash, including me. You have made me a better person and I will forever be grateful to call you my best friend. I'll come with you, no objections," Misty added.
As everyone else gave their two cents, Ash looked down to see Serena who hadn't moved from her spot in front of him.
Meeting his warm brown eyes, Serena smiled lovingly, "I've said it before and I'll say it again… I'll always be there for you Ash Ketchum no matter what. You've affected me in more ways. than you'll ever know, and you is truly the most amazing person I have ever met or will ever meet and I am so happy for that fact. Like I said before, I'll follow you to the ends of the earth, Ash. I really believe we can do it. Never give up until the end, okay?"
Despite the circumstances, Ash couldn't help but smile at what Serena and the others said. However, that smile quickly disappeared as he began to question whether it was a good idea or not. to let his friends to come on this most important journey of his life, he quickly arrived at one undeniable conclusion.
No.
It wasn't.
But seeing the look of determination on the faces of all his friends, he knew that even if he told them to stay, they wouldn't. They would follow him, be there for him, no matter how hard he tried to convince them not to.
Ash took a moment and sighed as he removed his hat and ran a hand through his unruly black hair. Then he made sure that everyone's eyes covered him.
"You're stubborn, you know that?" Ash said as he let the softest of smiles grace his lips.
His words were like music to their ears. Ash rightly assumed that he wouldn't have been able to keep his friends away as the same thought crossed everyone's mind as they waited for his answer. No matter what he said, they would have followed him wherever he went.
Smiles were common to all; No one yet understands how different this adventure would be.
Professor Oak spoke for the first time since his arrival. "As much as I don't like the idea of you going after Team Rocket, I know I can't stop you. Besides, it might be our only chance to save Del. We better get back to the lab. Everyone. can stay the night and leave in the morning If you leave tomorrow, you'll definitely have to rest for the rest of the day."
Everyone seemed to agree as they started walking down the road.
The trip to the lab was usually a very peaceful time for Ash. .traveling for so long he learned to appreciate the beauty of a leisurely walk. However, that was completely opposite of how he was now. think how he will actually save his mother.
At this point, it was more than obvious that the Rocket Squad wanted to kill, and the fact that Ash was the organization's first target did not put his mind at ease.
He tried to convince himself that he was not afraid that this adventure would be like all the previous ones. But even he couldn't lie to himself. The truth is that he was afraid. Hell, anyone who wasn't afraid in that situation had to be crazy.
The gravity of the whole situation finally hit him fully. A walk he normally enjoyed became a personal hell for him as thoughts of both fear and failure consumed him almost completely.
He let his mind wander. Where was he just now? What did they do to him...? That last thought nearly sent him over the edge, causing him to physically shake his head as if to clear his mind. It kind of worked though...
He started to panic.
"Panic will not help. Take a deep breath and calm down." Ash said to himself.
Once he was able to calm down, his mind was only open to fear. Strangely, this allowed Ash to remember something from a long time ago. Something his mother had told him before he set off on his journey.
Ash was naturally excited to begin his journey, but there was also an element of fear that came with traveling alone at such a young age. He remembered confiding his fears in his mother and trying to find comfort in her embrace.
Then he said something that had been with Ash since those words were spoken:
"There can be no boldness without fear."
When he remembered this phrase, he felt like he was ten again, seeking solace in his mother's arms. These were the mantras that had gotten him through every previous life-threatening emergency. His numerous encounters with legendary Pokemon required an enormous amount of bravery. Something he couldn't have if he hadn't also been terrified.
These thoughts calmed Ash down enough that he began to enjoy the hike. Pikachu, who was resting on his shoulder, drew him out of his own little world.
"Pika Pi?" Pikachu inquired, concerned for his friend. He was utterly spaced out, and after everything that had just happened, Pikachu didn't want Ash to think about it too much for fear of a mental breakdown, despite Ash's strong defenses.
Ash smiled softly as he peered over his shoulder at his mate. "I guarantee I'm alright, friend. There's no need to be concerned."
Pikachu was skeptical at first, but after seeing Ash's real smile, he understood he wasn't lying. The yellow pokemon was relieved that his trainer and best friend had gotten past his former feelings. Pikachu had felt everything Ash had felt as everything was happening because of their connection, and it was horrible to say the least. He was just relieved that the worst appeared to be past. At least for the time being...
The group traveled in quiet for a little longer, only to come to a halt when Paul raised his hand, gesturing for them to do so. The gang peered to see what was ahead and why Paul had halted them, and they noticed something on the road ahead of them.
It was actually someone on the road, or twosomeones, both haggardly plodding down the road toward them.
They were immediately recognized by the group of pals.
After all, it wasn't every day that you saw a Meowth standing up. The pokemon's buddy was immediately identifiable by his unique periwinkle hair and brilliant green eyes.
Meowth and James
Forest just outside of Pallet Town
A gentle drizzle fell on and off. With how light it was, it was almost like a nice mist. This made the journey a little more enjoyable for James and Meowth because the usually hot Kanto sun wasn't pounding down on them at the time.
"Are we getting close, Meowth?" James inquired. If he was fatigued, he kept it to himself. He seemed to have boundless energy; after all, they had been walking constantly for the entire day. James ascribed his lack of tiredness to his strong want to help, which he'd never felt before.
"Just a little bit more, James. We'll be in Pallet as soon as we get out of this jungle." Meowth retaliated by slicing a limb in his path with Fury Swipes.
There was a clean cut trail through the tiny forest some distance away from the two ex-rockets, but they hadn't taken it. This was done out of concern of encountering any other Rocket operatives on the route. They knew the Rockets were after Ash, which meant there would very probably be grunts watching him in his hometown.
This concern originated from the fact that they had no notion who knew they had left the group. And they had a sense that leaving the newTeam Rocket would have devastating effects.
The two kept traveling quickly towards the town of Pallet. As they moved through the deep undergrowth, twigs snapped beneath their feet. Meowth's paw on James' leg signaled him to stop.
James was about to query Meowth about what was wrong when the cat-scratch pokemon put his finger to his lips, signaling for silence.
The periwinkle-haired man realized what was going on now. They'd passed through this numerous times when traversing both this forest and Viridian Forest. Meowth's hearing was exceptionally acute, thus he would alert James if something or someone was nearby.
It was generally nothing, being a Caterpie or a Wurmple, but there were moments when it may have saved their lives. Especially since they were able to conceal from a swarm of Beedrill that Meowth had noticed before entering their region.
James paid no attention to Meowth's activities and simply did what he was told. When Meowth pulled roughly on his pants, he sensed something other than a bug-type pokemon was there.
Meowth's pull drew James down to the cat's level, causing him to crouch. He was aware that he was supposed to remain silent, but he needed to know what was going on.
"Is it not more Beedrill?" In a faint whisper, James inquired.
When a twig snapped noisily not far from their position, Meowth threw him a frown and told him to remain quiet. Both the man and Pokemon's gazes were drawn to the location of the loud snap.
They couldn't see what it was yet, but Meowth's keen hearing picked up on conversation, indicating that these were people.
Fortunately for them both, the location in which they were hunkered gave a lot of cover from the direction from which the sound had come. The woods and deep vegetation would almost certainly be enough to keep them hidden.
This left them with only one option...listen.
The noises of twigs and branches breaking could now be heard by both parties as what was now identified as two guys approached James and Meowth. Within moments, they were close enough for James and Meowth to hear their talk.
"I still can't believe everyone else got to depart on the helicopter while we had to walk back to base because there wasn't enough room! We can't even use key roads! This is going to take an eternity!" One of the males voiced his displeasure.
The two men were now standing squarely in front of the hidden ex-Rockets. It was clear to them that these individuals were really members of Team Rocket; the uniforms they were wearing made it quite clear.
"I know, it's pure nonsense! They would not have been able to damage the house or capture the captive without our assistance. Wait a second, I need to tie my boot." The second grunt muttered this while lowering to one knee to knot his boot.
The man's posture put him literally face to face with James. Fortunately, James could only just make out the other man, and it didn't appear that the other had noticed him.
He concentrated on his breathing, taking short, fast inhalations via his nose and exhalations through his mouth. For a brief period, the two guys appeared to lock gazes. James' heart sank as he thought he saw a look of familiarity on the man's face
"Come on over here. This brush appears to contain something." The man remarked to the other, who agreed and knelt beside him.
James' and Meowth's hearts began to race. They needed to think quickly. Fortunately, this was a specialty of the scratch-cat pokemon.
Meowth jumped from his place of relative safety and showed himself to the two rocket grunts, scaring them half to death in the process.
Following the brief jump scare, both men were exhaling heavily. They looked for the perpetrator after they had recovered.
What they saw was a regular, everyday Meowth. He was sitting like a good cat, licking his paw.
"Meowth! Meowth!" Meowth stated as he carried out his strategy.
When they realized they were not in any danger, both men sighed. Both of them were concerned that it was a more deadly pokemon.
"What a stupid cat..." As he regained his balance, one of the grunts murmured.
"Just leave it; we need to get moving if we want to get back to base quickly." Said the other man, who had regained his footing in front of his partner.
"Sure, whatever." The man gave a grumpy response. "I can't wait to see what Giovanni and Ghetsis will do to that Ketchum youngster. Whatever it is, it has taken a long time to arrive."
"I'm not sure, but you can bet your bottom dollar it'll be awful." The second man answered by giggling at the possibility of inflicting harm.
"I know, I can't wait till that jerk is held accountable for his crimes against Team Rocket. I've been saying for years that we needed to be more violent! It's already paying dividends." As the two men got out of hearing distance, the first man added.
Both Meowth and James breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that the coast was now clear. When he was confident the grunts were gone, James emerged from the dense foliage he'd been hiding in.
"Excellent work, Meowth. Your quick thinking was impressive. Back there, you saved our asses." The cat pokemon was complimented by James.
"It was insignificant. Simply a cat being a cat. Despite the fact that acting like a total house Meowth is completely demeaning." The scratch-cat spoke up.
That elicited a tiny giggle from the two. Their expressions became solemn as the laughing subsided. They understood right then and there that laughter would be an anomaly in their near future.
The two pals locked gazes, each interpreting the other's solemn look.
"Those people were unmistakably from Pallet Town." Meowth stated.
"And they were talking about them wrecking a house and taking a hostage," James shuddered.
"I believe we can safely claim we know who that hostage is..." Somberly, Meowth added. The hostage they mentioned had to be Ash. Could it be anyone else?
"We need to get to Pallet Town...right now." James spoke urgently before the two bolted in the direction of Pallet.
The gathering of pals remained motionless as they watched the two rockets approach. The gathering was currently staring at them, more perplexed than anything else. They noticed James was dressed differently than they remembered.
Both James and Meowth were perplexed. What brought Ash here? He wasn't intended to be the hostage, was he?
"Who did they capture if it wasn't him those guys were talking about?"
Meowth was concerned.
While the rest of his companions were perplexed, Ash saw nothing to be perplexed about. All he saw were two members of the group that had kidnapped his mother. The organization that was attempting to assassinate him.
Ash tightened his hands and gritted his teeth, visibly enraged.
Both James and Meowth appeared pleased to discover that everyone was fine, especially Ash. But as they looked over the shoulders of their companions, they noticed the smoking soot that used to be Ash's home.
"Oh my goodness..." James murmured as he covered his lips with his hand.
"At the very least, Ash is-"
Meowth began, but was stopped short by a loud thud next to him.
As everyone turned to hear the sound, they all saw James fall to the ground, someone on top of him. Ashon is on top of him.
Ash had noticed something crimson.
He exploded.
When James finished speaking, Ash raced off at full speed and tackled him to the ground. Fists were flying as soon as Ash established command over James.
Pikachu had rushed alongside his trainer, equally enraged. However, as he prepared to attack, he recognized that Ash preferred to tackle this on his own for the time being. Instead, he chose to observe and wait for an opportunity to strike.
Ash was straddling James' chest, ensuring he couldn't flee as he began the assault. He began with a barrage of right and left hooks to James' face.
"You dare to show your face here, you scumbag! Wasn't destroying my home, killing our pokemon, and kidnapping my mother enough for you? Huh?!" Ash yelled right in James' face.
However, James did not answer. All he could do was stare, completely stunned and terrified. He'd been following Ash around various places for years and had never seen him react like this. The wrath, the pure loathing visible in his eyes, could literally be felt. James felt himself wishing he hadn't been the target of this fury.
The rest of the group was stunned and unable to move. Just moments ago, it appeared that Ash had regained control of himself. They assumed that seeing someone affiliated with Team Rocket had caused him to snap yet again... Nobody could blame him for it.
The fact that James did not react to his barrage of inquiries enraged Ash even more. If he hadn't entirely lost it before, he did by now.
"I'm going to murder you! I'll fucking kill you, you son of a b*tch!" Ash shouted even louder than before, a feat that others around him did not believe was possible.
It was around this time that the shock began to wear off and the gang realized what was going on. Hearing Ash claim he was going to murder James exacerbated the issue, as he appeared absolutely serious by the way he was beating him.
Ash's fists were continuously flying by this point. He launched blows at James' face, drawing a lot of blood. One of his fists in particular had a blue light around it as it landed harder on James' face than the other.
It was safe to presume that James' nose had been fractured, as it had a distinct and noticeable bend in it. The blood that poured from it created a massive puddle on the ground next to his head. This was exacerbated by a big cut on his forehead, immediately above his brow. Ash's fists effortlessly pierced this delicate flesh.
"Ash! Please halt!" Meowth pleaded as he watched his only friend being viciously abused in front of his eyes.
Both Paul and Brock were looking for an opening, a means to get Ash away from James without getting harmed themselves. Eventually, the damage was too big to overlook, so Brock and Paul rushed in and yanked Ash off the ex-rocket, each suffering a few inadvertent elbows of their own from the infuriated Ash.
"Allow me to leave! I'm going to finish this jerk before he hurts anyone else!" Ash yelled at his companions, who were dragging him backwards by each arm.
Ash was fighting hard, trying to break free from the grip of his two companions. He was stronger than both Paul and Brock separately, but together he was unbeatable.
He gradually understood that he wouldn't be able to escape their clutches, so he devised another strategy. He swooshed about all of his saliva in his mouth and spat it on James' face before getting too far away from him. The ultimate expression of contempt.
Now that Ash was free of James, the entire scope of what Ash had done became clear.
To put it mildly, his face was a gory shambles. His right eye was nearly closed, and blood covered almost the whole surface of his face, with just the very top of his forehead spared. One thing was clear just by glancing at him...
James had been pummeled to within an inch of his life by Ash.
It was horrible, and most people decided to look away, not just to avoid the bloodied James in front of them, but also to avoid the horrifying vision of Ash pounding him that was repeated in each person's head. It was evident that the scene of their best buddy nearly killing a man would stay with them for the rest of their lives.
Nobody had ever seen Ash that enraged. Brock was pretty sure he hadn't heard Ash swear in his entire life, and yet here he was, swearing like a sailor while pounding some guy to a pulp.
To be sure, most people understood why Ash had snapped. If they were in the same scenario and under the same conditions, any of them would have done the same. But it was Ash who had done it.
Ash, the kindest, sweetest man anyone could ever meet, had nearly killed James.
No one dared to look at Ash at the time for fear of having their picture of him corrupted by this...animalistic part of him. May and Serena were already sobbing, afraid of the scenario, and Dawn and Misty weren't far behind. Despite this, they felt immense resentment for the two missiles. Everyone despised how erratic their emotions were on this particular day.
Max, on the other hand, appeared just as enraged as Ash. Having Ash as a big brother figure for so long had greatly influenced Max's behavior. It turns out that they reacted similarly in times of severe rage.
Max prepared to charge in himself after seeing that Ash was no longer in a position to harm James. Fortunately for the ex-rocket, Professor Oak had detected his intents and held him back, stopping any further attacks.
James had managed to stay conscious throughout the beating and sat up gently after a few moments.
"I certainly deserved some of it, but don't you think it was a little too much?" James inquired, sounding disoriented. He then flopped back down, unable to sit up any longer.
Meowth was worriedly standing over his friend. Ash had battered James nearly to death simply because he had seen him in the street. He was well aware that he needed to explain himself.
Meowth returned his gaze to Ash and saw a face he would never forget. The boy's face was covered in pure, unadulterated hatred, which terrified him. He appeared to be a wild Tauros on the verge of a rampage.
He then noticed the identical expression of absolute fury on the faces of both Pikachu and Max; fortunately for him, both were being held back so that they couldn't attack, Max by Oak and Pikachu by Misty, who had regained control of herself just in time to prevent Pikachu from charging.
Meowth took a deep breath before speaking. "Please! Allow me to explain!"
Some of Ash's rage seemed to have spread to the others, as many of them now wore hateful expressions. The females, on the other hand, were still staring away from the spectacle, tears streaming down their cheeks.
"So why should we? You not only nearly killed Ash, but your organization also kidnapped his mother!" Paul screamed, his rage rushing through his veins like blood. At this point, he was seriously considering releasing Ash so he could resume the beating.
"That's exactly what I meant! It is no longer our organization. We both left immediately after Jessie did what she did! You have to believe me!" Meowth was pleading at this point, concerned not just for his partner's safety, but also for his own.
The gang immediately grew curious as to whether what the pokemon had said could possibly be true. They had been Rocket grunts for a long time, so it was difficult to think they would depart so abruptly. But something piqued Oak's interest. He'd seen enough Team Rocket grunts to recognize the uniform, but when he looked at James, he wasn't wearing one.
"Everyone, I believe he's telling the truth." Oak spoke softly, attempting to keep everyone as calm as possible.
"Professor, how can you say that? These folks make a life by lying!" Ash exclaimed, and almost everyone agreed.
"Look at him; he isn't dressed in a Team Rocket jersey. He's dressed normally for the streets." Oak tried to convey that he didn't want to see any more violence.
"No way, that's not enough evidence. He most likely took it off to help support his deception!" Max was ecstatic.
"Wait! Do you not remember? James and I tackled her right after Jessie shot Ash so she couldn't hurt anyone else! That has to be significant! We had absolutely no idea what Jessie was going to do. We'd wanted to leave Team Rocket for a long time, and this sudden change in Jessie and the organization was the final straw." Meowth stated, little panicked, that they were still not believing him.
"Right, like you would-" scoffed Ash.
Brock cut off Ash "He's speaking the truth, Ash. I couldn't be sure since I believed I was seeing things, but just after you were injured, I looked towards Jessie, expecting another gunfire, but Meowth and James had her down. That's exactly what I saw."
Everyone, including Ash, is taken aback by Brock's appearance. They trusted Brock because he stated he believed Meowth. Brock was the most trustworthy person Ash and many others knew; he would never lie to him.
Everyone felt a lot of their rage toward the now-identified former Rockets ebb away. However, Ash was naturally more enraged than the rest.
They let go of Ash's arms once Brock and Paul felt him relax significantly, knowing that he wouldn't leap back on James. He didn't try to attack James again, much to their relief. He simply stood his position and gazed at Meowth.
Ash exhaled, releasing even more of his rage as he proceeded to chill down. "We believe you, Meowth. But you must understand that given all that has just occurred..."
"Ash, I understand. If I were you, I would have done the same thing. I'm simply thankful you regained control before attempting to kill me!" Meowth attempted to lighten the situation with some humor. His statements, on the other hand, merely served to remind everyone of James's dire situation.
Brock, like everyone else, hurried over to James' aid when he realized what was going on.
"Professor, would you mind assisting me here?" As he crouched close to James, who was unconscious, Brock inquired.
Oak nodded and dashed over to join Brock in his examination of James. No one said anything for a time while they observed James being examined. Everyone felt awful about it now that James and Meowth were no longer on Team Rocket, but Ash felt the deepest regret of them. After all, he was the one who had caused the harm.
"Is he going to be all right, Professor Brock?" Ash inquired, much more timidly than before.
Before speaking, Brock groaned "You done a lot of damage to him, Ash. It's a good thing we got you away from him when we did. I don't know if he would have survived if you had hit him a couple more times in the correct spots."
Ash's breathing became labored as a result of his friend's statements.
"His nose is obviously broken, and the cut on his forehead will undoubtedly require stitches, but he should be alright after some rest. Only a few bruises and swelling. He could have a concussion, so we'll have to look into that as well." Brock concluded, certain of his diagnosis.
A collective sigh of relief was heard, with Ash and Meowth leading the way. The girls had managed to hold back their tears after hearing the news. They still didn't dare to look at Ash, the unknown anxiety they felt towards him causing them to do so.
"Come on everyone, we need to get him to my lab so we can properly repair him." Oak stood up from his huddled position.
Brock appeared to be about to raise and carry James when he was stopped by Ash's hand on his shoulder.
"I'll take care of it." Ash spoke solemnly. He still felt terrible about what he'd done, and he doubted he'd ever feel better about it, so he wanted to help James in any way he could.
After James was taken care of, the gang, which included Meowth, started walking to the lab. The long trek gave the members plenty of time to reflect.
Serena's mind was running at a breakneck pace. She was only now fully digesting what had just occurred. Her subconscious had already pushed the painful pictures to the annals of her mind, so much of it was fuzzy. But one thing would always remain, no matter what was forgotten.
Ash nearly killed James.
She cringed at the thought of what may have occurred if it had just been him and James there, with no one to pull him off and calm him down.
It was horrifying to see Ash snap and assault James like that, and from the looks of the others around her, it worried them as well.
She was fully aware that tragic experiences might affect people. Serena really hoped and prayed she'd never have to see that side of Ash again, and she had a feeling the others felt the same way.
Ash couldn't stop thinking about what he'd done. In that moment, he managed to terrify himself. He was terrified of losing control, of doing it again.
When Ash assumed James was still a member of Team Rocket, the thrashing he gave him seemed almost...therapeutic, despite the damaged knuckles that were sure to follow. It felt like enormous justice was being served, as though revenge for what the organization had done to him and his family was being meted out. Looking back on it, Ash was terrified of himself. What he was capable of.
Of what he desired to do.
The opinions of the others were similar. What Ash had just done to James was heinous, and the picture of it would stay with them forever. Everyone was terrified to see Ash get so...primal. The Ash they saw there was not the same as the boy they all knew and loved. He'd transformed into someone else totally in that instant.
That is what hatred can do to a person.
James began to appear at a new location at an unknown time. He tried to open his eyes but was confronted with extreme difficulty and discomfort. He was also suffering from a pounding headache.
"Oww... W-What happened...?"
As he writhed in pain, James thought to himself.
He tried to open his eyes again after taking a time to let the discomfort pass. He was able to open his left eye, but his right eye refused to join for some reason. It ached too much for him to even try to open it, so he just kept it closed.
The lights felt obnoxiously bright to the man, despite the fact that he knew it had to be due to the pounding migraine that had made him sensitive to it.
He sat up from his supine position to have a better understanding of the issue. After hearing the two rocket grunts in the bush, all James could think about was racing toward Pallet Town.
He could gaze around the room and try to gather his bearings now that he'd sat up and the lights didn't seem as bright on his sensitive eyes.
Rows of machines and seemingly endless shelves of what appeared to be scrapped projects of all types met his sight. When he turned back, he noticed a series of blotches on his naked chest.
Confounded, he tracked the cables that led from those patches in an attempt to locate a source. He didn't sure what had happened, so he didn't want to be hasty and take the patches off before determining what they were. This was in sharp contrast to how he would have acted years ago when he was still a member of Team Rocket.
He then heard a loud beeping sound. His gaze was ready to leave the wire trail when he realized the sound was coming from where the cables were leading.
He noticed a heartbeat monitor above him and to his left. A steady, rhythmic thumping of a heart, which he imagined was his, could be heard.
"So...I got hurt. But this does not appear to be a hospital." At his next thought, James half-scoffed, half-laughed. "It's probably a good thing this isn't a hospital. I wouldn't want my name on any record. Not after everything I've done..."
James peeled the patches off his chest all at once by yanking on the cables that emerged from each one, becoming slightly irritated with the continual beeping.
The machine had died, leaving just a steady, unbroken beep screaming across the room. The sound was loud enough to aggravate James' headache and upset him further.
He tried to divert his attention elsewhere when he heard what sounded like voices coming from the room next to him.
James experienced a brief panic attack. Because of his track record, he would have to be wary of the authorities after quitting Team Rocket, but he would also have to be wary of other Rockets.
However, his worrisome thoughts were interrupted when he heard a familiar voice call in from the other room.
"...Isn't that what they did? Wow... How arrogant can you get? Being so sure of yourself that you're willing to put your life on the line for some sick game..."
James immediately recognized Meowth's voice, and he didn't seem startled or anxious, which was a very good indication.
"Brock! His heart has ceased beating!" With eagerness, he heard a mature voice declare. As the statement progressed, James could detect that the voices were moving closer to his location.
An old guy, whom he recognized as Professor Oak as well as Brock, rushed into his room less than 10 seconds later. The remainder of the gang, with the exception of a certain raven-haired trainer, followed these two.
A collective sigh of relief was heard as they entered the room.
"James! You've woken up!" Meowth shouted this as he charged up to James from the back of the gang.
James put on a happy face in response to his friend's joy. This was the one good thing he got from Team Rocket.
A true companion.
Meowth, a normally arrogant pokemon, embraced James' leg briefly before staring up to his face.
"Yep. Just a swollen eye and a severe headache." James turned to face the rest of the people gathered behind the cat, "I see we arrived reached Pallet Town. So, what happened to me?"
James' inquiry was met with some perplexity. That is, until everyone realized how much anguish James had endured. Short-term memory loss was normal for people in his circumstances, whether it was caused by brain trauma or mental turmoil.
"Do you mean you don't recall?" May inquired, a little worried about having to hear the explanation for what had happened again.
"No, but I'm delighted you've realized we're no longer part of Team Rocket. Anyway, all I remember is roaming throughout Pallet Town looking for and warning-"
"Me...?"
The newest visitor to the room cut James off.
Ash.
All eyes were on him because these were the first words Ash had said since they'd left the scene of the incident, which had been more than 3 hours ago. Pikachu perched on his shoulder as usual, appearing to be in a similar state as his trainer.
His eyes were red from the quiet tears he'd shed, and his jacket was partially stained with blood.
The blood of James
Everything that had happened to James in the previous few hours flashed back into his consciousness the moment his eyes met Ash's. It felt like a short film. He stood there seeing himself being viciously pummeled by Ash. He could hear the screams and profanity coming his way.
James stepped away from Ash in dread after replaying everything in his thoughts and remembering what had transpired. This insignificant deed crushed Ash's heart even further. He didn't want people to fear him. He was not that kind of person. When he saw James shrink in dread, he realized he had succeeded in something he wasn't doing.
Before continuing, Ash raised his hand in a non-threatening manner "I swear I'm not going to injure you, James. What happened previously was a total misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding? You thrashed the crap out of me!" James appeared to be gaining confidence.
Ash appeared to be about to react, but he suddenly hushed himself, deciding instead to sigh. "I understand, and I sincerely apologize. I'm not sure what happened. Something inside of me just...snapped. After everything that had transpired, I just lost it when I saw someone I thought was affiliated with Team Rocket."
"Listen, James, I deeply regret what I did. Even though I don't expect you to forgive me, I wanted you to know..." Ash concluded solemnly, feeling more guilty than he had ever felt before.
Everyone, including James, listened closely to Ash's comments. They could obviously tell they were genuine.
For a few moments, James merely stared, seemingly through Ash, while he digested things in his thoughts.
"Ash," James began, seemingly losing all previous terror of the boy. "I accept your apology. Also, I apologize."
To say Ash was taken aback would be an understatement. He had nearly killed this man only a few hours before, and now here he was, forgiving him. Not only that, but he's even apologizing.
But for what purpose?
What could he possible be apologizing for now that they knew James and Meowth were no longer on Team Rocket?
Seeing the shock and confusion on everyone's expressions, James continued, "I apologize for everything Meowth and I have done to you over the years. We spent years attempting to keep you and your best friend apart. It was a nasty thing we tried to do to you almost every day. I apologize deeply for this."
Before carrying on, James grinned at the electric rodent.
"I'm also sorry for what Team Rocket is doing to you right now. I swear I had no idea what Jessie and the organization had in store for you that day! I knew he couldn't be the bad guy as soon as I saw that gun. So, given everything I've done to you, I believe a good thrashing is more than justified." James finished while staring in the mirror for the first time, witnessing the devastation Ash had inflicted.
What he witnessed astounded him. He was stitched up above his brow, and his right eye was completely swelled shut. He reached out to touch his face, but when he touched his nose, he retracted his hand. It was still clearly broken and out of place.
James returned his gaze to the room full of new acquaintances. He took advantage of the fact that they were still not responding to speak further.
"Ash, how could I not forgive you? After all, the entire reason we came to Pallet Town was to assist you." Before becoming serious and addressing the one subject on his mind, James stated, "Meowth and I heard something about them kidnapping a hostage, which I mistook for you. Could you please clarify everything that is going on?"
Each participant emerged from their stunned states and processed what James had asked. Meowth looked to Ash to see if he'd respond. However, he was faced with the sight of
Ash, who was plainly pained by the reminder of the issue at hand.
Knowing Ash wouldn't answer for the time being, Meowth seized command. After all, they had just spent the last couple hours discussing the matter.
"James, I believe you should take a seat. We have a lot to discuss."