"We have to be wary of everyone we don't know; unfortunately, we have no way of knowing who's trying to get Ash and, by extension, us," Brock said as the gang continued their journey into the forest.
It took a while for anyone to get the fortitude to speak openly about what had happened to Thomas, even though they knew it was not only inevitable, but also vital. Brock eventually took control and began revealing his ideas for what was to come. Finally, he determined that they should be cautious about putting their trust in anyone; there was no way of knowing who would be plotting Ash's death.
"What happened, Brock?" May said rhetorically, her voice trembling. "I mean...we've nearly never had any reason not to trust strangers...random folks who just seem lost... and want a route out of the jungle."
The entire group pondered to themselves, asking themselves the same question. They all arrived to the same decision in the end.
They had no idea.
What had become of the world they had previously known? The only thing that was certain was that May was correct. The pokemon world had always been a secure haven. Threats from other people were exceedingly infrequent, with the exception of a few hazardous groups and teams around the world. Even still, these organizations rarely had a direct impact on the lives of trainers; hardly everyone on the earth experienced the same kind of trip as Ash. Indeed, it is safe to assume that no one has.
Parents would cheerfully send their ten-year-old children out into the world on their own. Despite their youth and naivety, they were never concerned about becoming victims of horrific acts. Their primary concern would always be whether or not their child will be able to realize their dreams.
Brock attributed the recent change to a relatively new rule that allowed for the mass manufacture of guns and other weapons. Though it was barely detectable at first, many officers Jenny in each region began to carry one. As a result, it was easy to see how crooks had gotten their hands on them as well.
"We've only been trekking for about 45 minutes, and according to my pokenav, we still have a little more than two hours until we reach the trail that will lead us to Viridian," Brock explained.
"That's fantastic! Two hours is nothing! We'll be out of here in no time!" cried Serena, pumping her fist in delight.
Serena's smile was washed away when she felt someone grab her wrist. She turned to find the perpetrator was Paul, who gave her a puzzled look.
"Don't get too excited. It's hard to see because of the trees, but it's nearing sunset. I'd estimate we only have an hour of light left, and that's if we're lucky," Paul explained.
Dawn, who was still reeling from what had transpired only an hour before, unwittingly allowed a scared expression to creep over her beautiful features. She fought the impulse to start sprinting, thinking it would help her get out of the woods faster. She could only stop herself when the terrifying thought of being separated from the group replaced her earlier thought.
"I-I can't be in here at night! It's already dark enough! We have to get out of here immediately!" Dawn began to panic. The notion of something else dangerous approaching in the middle of the night worried her.
She began to lose control of her body and was unable to move. Already worried about the girl, the group kept a close eye on her, wondering what they might do to help the obviously terrified dark-haired girl.
Dawn was still aware of her assailant's presence in her head. She could still taste his sour breath on her neck. His arms were keeping her hostage. His hands on her...
Her tears were streaming down her face by this point. It was obvious that what had transpired earlier had had a negative impact on her. She abruptly shifted her stance, almost as though she was straining.
Trying to break free from someone's hold.
Ash looked on with anguish in his eyes. What had happened earlier had devastated one of his best friends, and there seemed to be nothing he could do about it. She appeared vulnerable. So…broken.
He mentally chastised himself for inviting any of his pals to accompany him on this tour. Even though they would be there to help him, which would undoubtedly be useful, it wasn't worth seeing his pals suffer. He didn't think about it for long as he approached Dawn as gently and carefully as he could.
Dawn had closed her eyes for a long time, attempting to protect herself from her own mind. She was fighting with her head, trying frantically to tell what was real and what wasn't.
In her thoughts, she was still in his clutches, feverishly attempting to break free. Her paranoia prompted her to worry when she became aware of a powerful pair of arms wrapping around her body. She began shouting and swinging her arms aggressively, striking the person who was holding her dozens of times. Despite the onslaught, the person refused to release go, bearing the brunt of her blows.
Despite how she felt, it only took two sentences for her to calm down,
"It's fine..."
It wasn't so much the words themselves as it was the voice that said them. When she heard Ash's voice, she cautiously opened her eyes, as if to make sure it was him she was with. The only thing she needed to be certain were his deep brown eyes. She rushed up to him and sobbed onto his chest.
"It's okay, Dawn. I'm right here. No one's going to hurt you. Not with me around," Ash reassured her.
Despite the fact that she was still sobbing violently, his comments made her grin. The remainder of the gang looked on with a mix of elation and anxiety, knowing that they would all be there for one other.
Fear of not knowing what was going to happen next.
Not knowing how things will pan out.
This was the first journey that had no clear ending.
Dawn appeared to be in need of a good weep. Releasing her dread through hot tears and experiencing Ash's warmth convinced her that everything would be fine. Nothing could ever hurt her.
Dawn's weeping gradually stopped, and she was simply laying her head on Ash's sturdy chest.
"Everything's going to be okay, Dawn. I'm never going to let anything happen to you. No matter what the cost, I will defend you," Ash said, finally putting Dawn at arm's length.
Ash's face was painted with the same zeal that he would have during a Pokémon battle. This steely determination, however, softened when he took in the sight of Dawn.
He couldn't help but think that even with her red, puffy eyes and smudged makeup, she looked stunning. This notion, combined with Dawn's newfound comfort, was more than enough to turn his confident expression into a brilliant smile.
Hearing Ash's soothing words quickly dissipated all of her apprehension. Even just being in his company made her feel better. Dawn smiled for the first time since the incident.
"Now there's that wonderful smile of yours," Ash remarked tenderly, wiping away her tears with his thumb. Dawn felt her face warm up and her smile brighten.
He drew his arms away from Dawn and turned to face his friends, determination washing over him once more.
"That goes for all of you. I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again: I will not let anything happen to any of you. No matter what's at risk, no matter what may happen to me, I will make sure you stay safe," Ash concluded, only to be interrupted by Paul's mocking laugh.
"Come on Ash, you don't get to be the hero all the time. Let someone else have a turn every now and then, will ya?" "You don't have to do this alone... I'm with you all the way. No matter what, I'm going to make sure that nothing happens to anyone. I know I may not always be the nicest guy, but I am definitely no liar."
His laugh seemed contagious. Everyone knew Ash would go to any length for them, and they had faith in Paul as well. It was comforting to know that they were being watched over.
"I appreciate it, but we really need to get going; we've lost a lot of time, and we're surely going to be in the forest when night comes," Tracey said.
Dawn couldn't help but feel awful for squandering the precious time.
"I'm sorry you guys, if I hadn't stopped, we might've been able to get out of here before it became dark," she said, remorse coursing through her veins.
"Oh please Dawn, don't feel like this is your fault. You went through a lot, it's more than acceptable. Now come on everyone, let's get out of here!" May scoffed before placing her arm around her friend.
May let go of Dawn and made her way to the front of the crowd.
"I can get behind that plan!" Serena said, marching alongside May.
"Are you going to be okay, Dawn?" Ash said one final time.
Dawn's tears had long dried, and she had a bright smile on her face. Her crimson eyes were the sole indication that she was in pain.
She'd been staring wistfully at Ash since he'd addressed the gathering. Dawn's affection for him grew exponentially as a result of the comfort he brought her. She felt she could have confessed right there if it hadn't been for the current circumstances.
"Uh...Dawn?" Ash, who was waving a hand in front of her face, jolted her awake.
She blushed again and gave the man a thumbs up, saying, "I'm perfect Ash.
When Ash heard this, he nodded before turning and jogging to catch up to the others.
Dawn stayed motionless for a few moments, allowing the smile on her face to widen as she watched Ash chase after the gang.
Dawn murmured to herself before sprinting to meet up with everyone else.
"OK, things are getting a little weird out here. Brock, how much longer before we reach the exit? Serena inquired, her arms crossed across her chest.
"Well, if we keep going at this rate, I'd estimate..." Brock peered at his pokenav, "around 30 minutes."
"I just wish I could see more than three feet in front of me," May murmured, clearly concerned by the absolute blackness that surrounded her.
The sun had set over 20 minutes earlier, shrouding the group in complete darkness, and they all made sure to say something every few minutes to ensure that none of them had become separated from the group.
"Pikachu, could you perhaps walk ahead of us a little? "You might be able to help us see a little better," Ash inquired, seeing that Pikachu gave off a little glow, clearly from the sheer quantity of energy held within the small pokemon; it wasn't much light, but it was better than nothing.
"Pika!" The rodent gladly responded as he leapt off his trainer's shoulder and began to lead the party, his natural illumination allowing the gang to see maybe 3 more feet ahead of them than they had previously, though it was still not enough to make them feel completely comfortable.
May smiled at Pikachu's assistance, and not wanting him to be lonely on their journey ahead, she reached for a pokeball, "Come on out Glaceon!"
The icy blue pokemon emerged from her ball with a good, long stretch, indicating that she had been napping prior to being summoned.
"Gla?" Glaceon inquired, looking toward her trainer, perplexed as to why she had been ejected from her ball.
"Hey Glaceon," May said without pausing her stride. Sorry if I woke you up, but I thought you might enjoy keeping Pikachu company while we go through the forest."
Any weariness the pokemon still felt evaporated as she ran forward and began speaking with the yellow pokemon; May chuckled at the interaction; it was always lovely to see how much Glaceon enjoyed Pikachu.
Everyone was extremely tense due to the darkness and more so due to not knowing what lurked in said darkness. Normally, it wouldn't bother them too much, it wasn't as if they'd never spent the night in a forest before, but with the current circumstances, relaxing at the wrong time could spell disaster for any of them.
Misty, finally allowed her mind to wander away from the peril they were in, spotted a perfect opportunity to assist May with Ash... by employing the two adorable pokemon in front of her.
"Pikachu and Glaceon really do like each other a lot," Misty said, drawing everyone's attention to her, but her gaze was only on May and Ash, "You know guys, they claim pokemon express similar feelings as their trainers." What are your thoughts, Ash, May? "
May thanked the gods above that the light wasn't bright enough to plainly display her beet red face when she heard this.
Not surprise, Dawn and Serena felt jealousy gnaw at their insides, and as the group moved forward, the two secretly pouted at Misty and May.
Pikachu and Glaceon did seem to enjoy each other's company, as did Ash and May's, but what exactly did that enjoyment mean? Were the two simply platonic, or was there something more between them? After the kiss, Ash had been reevaluating his relationship with the brunette; Misty's words only served to advance these thoughts.
Breaking free from his thoughts, Ash noticed May's uneasiness and said, "Misty, now is not the time for this." We must concentrate on getting out of the forest."
Misty, who had been silently giggling to herself the entire time, forced a stern expression on her face. Ash was correct; they needed to get out of the forest first, then she could help May better her connection with Ash...and tease her along the way.
Now that there was enough light for everyone to see one another, the group became silent for the first time in hours, and Max took advantage of the opportunity to pose a question that had been on his mind for a while.
"How are you guys?" I've been wondering why Lucario didn't use Heal Pulse on Ash again to heal him. Don't you think it would have been a lot less painful? " Max concluded.
"Good question Max...why don't we ask Brock, he is the doctor here!" Ash's eyes tightened as they approached Brock.
Noticing Ash's rage, Brock realized he had to tread cautiously with his statement, "Well, Ash, I'm not sure..."
He did not take his time.
Ash's eyebrows widened as he interrupted his older companion, "You don't know? You have no idea! Do you know what it was like to have a needle piercing my flesh and being able to feel every single prick and pull? That hurt...a lot. Not to mention the fact that I've been shot twice in the last week..."
"If you would have let me finish, then I would have replied, I don't know for sure, but I have a hypothesis as to why we shouldn't be too liberal in using a pokemon's healing skills on you," Brock stated, prompting the younger trainer to end his tangent.
Never breaking stride, the gang listened closely, inquisitive about Brock's reasons, especially Ash, who was the person most directly effected by this.
When the pokemon doctor noticed that all eyes were on him, he said, "Clearly, it was Ash's aura that enabled him to withstand what no one before him has." Even before all of this, I'd been investigating the use of healing moves on humans, attentively following any new studies that came out; that's how I knew it was something we could try on Ash as a last resort."
"Even if the process worked the first time, we can't use it every time something occurs to Ash," Brock concluded.
"However, why not?" As you stated, Ash's distinct aura is what let him to survive the first time. So what makes you think he won't be able to do it again? " Serena inquired, wondering what was on everyone's mind.
"Yes, the peculiarity of Ash's aura most definitely had a great deal to do with his survival, but I don't think that was all of it," Brock sighed before speaking.
"There was one particular study that was done by a researcher in the Sinnoh region," Brock added, seeing the puzzled expressions on his companions' faces. Since we first used the approach, the results of the assessment have been circling in my head."
"This study was unlike any others that had come before it. The reason for this is that it included an actual aura protector. Actually, it's someone we've met before, Ash, Dawn."
Ash's face flushed with awareness, "You mean it was...
"It was Riley," Brock confirmed, "and the person who donated their body to be subjected to the process was dying, slowly and painfully. Like most others, he knew his time was drawing to an end, so he permitted the treatment to take place. He truly had nothing to lose." Brock continued.
The young doctor waited to ensure that everyone was paying attention. He also did a cursory check to ensure that no one had become separated from the group as they marched on.
"Anyway, aura is a life force, something found in all living beings. With this information, the researcher asked Riley to sense the man's aura as a Lucario performed Heal Pulse on him. Sadly, the man died mere minutes into the treatment, like all others before him."
"Although the man died, Riley discovered what could potentially be the reason that the attack would only work on pokemon. According to Riley, the man's aura reserve quickly emptied as the move was used on his body. For some reason, Heal Pulse only used a small amount of Lucario's aura, but took all of the man's.
"I'm not sure what you're saying, Brock; Ash isn't like the others; he survived!" Misty replied.
"Well, here's where my theory comes in. Not only is Ash's aura unique, but it's also plentiful. According to what we've been told from aura guardians and various Lucario we've met over the years, Ash houses much more aura than an average person, which is why I think he was able to survive. Also, pokemon tend to carry a much higher amount of aura than humans, as well as being able to regenerate it faster, so it's easy to see why
"So you believe Ash lived because he had more aura to drain than a normal person?" James asked, more as a statement than a question. He was piecing together what occurred to Ash after he was shot, despite the fact that he wasn't there to see it.
"Exactly. For some reason, moves like Heal Pulse drain the aura of humans, and Ash just had more to give. The reason I suggest we don't use Lucario to heal unless it is an absolute emergency is because I have no idea how long it will take for Ash's aura to return to normal levels. If we do it too quickly, Ash could end up like all the others. I'd much rather be safe than sorry." Brock nodded toward James.
"Yeah, tell that to my aching forehead," Ash scoffed to himself.
Even though he knew Brock was correct and it was preferable to be safe, Ash was nevertheless irritated by how much pain he endured while being stitched up.
"I know it was better that we handled the wound the way we did, but now I'm going to have this massive scar on my skull," Ash lamented.
"That may be, but when all that blood was flowing down your face, you looked like a total badass; it was fantastic!" Max screamed, earning a slap from May for his profanity.
Serena stepped up to Ash and put her arm around him, saying, "Don't worry about that Ash. It's true what they say, you know. Chicks adore scars, especially when they're heroic."
Ash blushed and turned his head away from the blonde. He quickly recovered, though, and decided to have some fun at the expense of the girl. Despite what he'd said to Misty earlier, he couldn't help but have a little fun.
"Oh, so you think I look even better with the scar?" Ash inquired.
"Yup!...wait...I mean, no...WAIT..." Serena was taken aback by the seemingly innocuous question. Ash simply smirked.
"See, already making girls blush!" Paul exclaimed, barely holding back his amusement.
Serena retracted her arm from Ash and gave Paul a lethal stare, quickly silenced him.
"Anyway, thanks for the knowledge Brock! I love learning new stuff!" Max observed the scenario.
"You are such a geek!" May scoffed at her brother's nerdiness.
"Am not!"
"Are you?"
For a while, the two siblings went back and forth, annoying some and amusing others. Ash was one of those who found joy in their minor squabble.
He actually forgot what was at stake for a little moment. He had completely forgotten that his mother was in jeopardy. He lost sight of the fact that he was virtually promenading to his own death...
For a little while, everything seemed normal. He was with his companions, about to embark on yet another adventure in the hopes of becoming the world's greatest Pokemon master.
But, of course, that couldn't endure.
Tracey raised his voice to speak over the two squabbling siblings, "It shouldn't be long till we reach the exit of the forest now!"
Despite his booming voice, no one could hear him over Max and May's bickering. It'd become so bad that they'd stopped walking solely to concentrate their insults on each other, compelling everyone else to do the same. The worst part was that they weren't even being inventive with their comments. All their squabble had become was a series of 'are nots' and 'are toos.'
"Ugghhh! Max, you are so annoying! I wish I never let you come with-" May abruptly paused her speech as she noticed Paul, a finger to his lips and a stern expression on his face; he obviously wanted absolute silence, and being reminded of the situation they were in, she was more than willing to give it, even if it meant pausing her fight with her brother.
May then let her gaze wander to Ash, who appeared to be paying close attention to his surroundings as well. When everyone noticed this, they all fell silent.
Everyone but Dawn.
Clearly oblivious to Paul and Ash's somber expressions, the dark-haired girl exclaimed loudly, "What's wrong gu-"
Her entire being was forced to remain silent. She could still feel her lips moving, but no words were coming out. She soon realized a hard hand had found its way over her mouth. She then returned the hand to its owner.
Dawn would have blushed blazing red if it hadn't been for the grave expression on his face.
At that point, the dark-haired girl realized what the others were saying. It was sort of...buzzing?
"Oh no..." Max and May exchanged glances, both thinking the same thing.
"We have to run right now!" cried May.
"That's one thing we can all agree on, May," Max said, ready to sprint at any moment.
Serena, Tracey, Meowth, and James appeared perplexed as to why they were agitated by a simple sound. A noise that most likely meant nothing.
"Perhaps, if someone was following us, they wouldn't be as loud and clear," Serena replied, oblivious to the risk.
"It's not a someone we have to worry about! It's more like a lot of somethings!" May exclaimed, widening her eyes and raising the pitch of her voice.
"Can't you hear that sound? It's a swarm of-"
Just then, roughly 30 Beedrill made their presence known to the group in front of them, completing Max's sentence.
For a split second, no one moved, everyone too transfixed with dread and surprise to do anything but look.
"Oh sh*t," Paul muttered.
"Everybody go!" Meowth exclaimed as he shuffled his feet before launching into a sprint.
The gang took off without further prodding.
"Thunderbolt, Pikachu!"
"Ash exclaimed, neither he nor his pokemon slowed.
The electric rodent was able to launch his attack, but his accuracy was poor due to his rapid movement in the opposite direction. He and Glaceon could have turned to battle, but they realized they couldn't take on what appeared to be about 30 full-sized Beedrill.
A few members of the group groped for a pokeball, but immediately realized that they would not be able to release their pokemon and alert them of the situation before the wild Beedrill arrived; their numbers were simply too large.
Fortunately for them, Tracey was correct when he said they were close to the exit; they only had roughly a half-mile to go through the dense brush.
Sprinting half a mile wasn't too difficult for any of the group members, thanks to years of traveling and training; after only a few minutes of running, the low light produced by the moon could be seen past the treeline barely 500 feet in front of them.
"Hurry up, they're closing in on us!" Ash exclaimed from the front of the pack, having the most endurance and speed of anybody else, allowing him to be at the vanguard of the march with ease.
They were getting closer, and everyone, especially Misty, could practically taste the relief that would come with leaving this godforsaken grove.
400 feet.
It was generally knowledge that most forest-dwelling Beedrill would not leave the deep cover; it was virtually always more advantageous for them to stick to a familiar location.
Almost every time.
300 feet.
Though there have been countless incidents throughout Kanto where Beedrill had abandoned their familiar environs when angry. Extremely agitated.
And that was exactly what these Beedrill appeared to be; despite this, the group's sole hope was that these wild pokemon would stop their pursuit at the forest's edge.
200 feet.
They were going to make it! They could see light streaming in from the grove's gap.
Nobody observed one particular Beedrill gain up speed since they were all so preoccupied with the thought of getting out safely.
100 feet.
Serena, who was no slouch when it came to endurance and speed, found herself towards the rear of the pack, and she felt an overpowering want to look back, but she managed to push the feeling away for a while, knowing that doing so would put her in severe danger.
If only she had listened to her own advice and looked behind her.
Perhaps she might have avoided the rogue Beedrill's venomous stinger, which soon became embedded in her right shoulder; it wasn't deep, but she could feel the poison seeping into her bloodstream.
Serena shouted in pain and panic, drawing the attention of her friends, who all looked over their shoulders to see what was going on, but none of them stopped running, not even Serena, instead throwing their heads over their shoulders, attempting to figure out what had occurred.
The gang was terrified as they learned what had happened, and both Ash and Paul had to battle the urge to rush back to the honey blonde girl and fight the Beedrill personally; it would be suicide.
Pikachu, on the other hand, knew that a Beedrill sting wouldn't have the same effect on it as it would on a human, and the yellow rodent had always adored Serena, so he halted in his steps and turned his small body to face the oncoming swarm of Beedrill.
Pikachu wasted no time in unleashing a tremendous thunderbolt, not only allowing Serena to flee the rogue, but also temporarily halting the rest of the bee pokemon.
When he realized his job was done, Pikachu began racing with the rest of the gang toward the exit, which they reached in a matter of seconds.
Everyone turned around, panting, praying that the Beedrill wouldn't follow them, but they knew that request would never be answered.
Despite the fact that Serena had not yet felt the effects of the lethal poison pouring through her body, Brock and Tracey raced over to her and offered any assistance they could.
Everyone else's gaze was fixed on the break from which they had just emerged, a scowl on their features.
"Everyone, release your pokemon," Ash said, not wanting to spend any more time. We're going to show these Beedrill who slept with the wrong folks."
Everyone reached for a pokeball, and despite the fact that both Ash and May already had Pikachu and Glaceon out, they chose to release another pokemon to assist; May chose Blaziken, while Ash chose Charizard. It may have been overkill, but they weren't willing to take any chances.
Misty summoned her Politoad, Dawn dispatched her Quilava, Max summoned his Kirlia, and Paul dispatched his formidable Electivire.
"Everyone get ready, I hear them approaching," Paul said.
The swarm of Beedrill appeared from the jungle as if on cue, led by what they could only think was the same one that had injured Serena.
Without wasting time, the trainers launched a slew of attacks, each one dispatching a slew of Beedrill, and in a matter of moments, all of the Beedrill had either collapsed on the ground in front of them, or had withdrawn.
Even though the altercation was finished, May was still enraged. Not only had she had to deal with Beedrill again not long ago, but this swarm had also wounded her new friend. Rivals in love or not, May was not going to allow Serena to be hurt.
May spoke, "Blaziken use-" after picking up a random, fainted Beedrill from the ground in front of her.
When the brunette felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to discover the owner, she was surprised to see Ash.
"May, don't do it. "You know that if a pokemon takes too many damage after fainting, it will die," Ash stated calmly.
May gasped, despite knowing this. She'd been so blinded by her wrath that she'd nearly terminated the life of a pokemon, and even if it had wounded her friend, May had no desire for it to die.
Her eyes welled up, her gaze meeting Ash's, and she instantly gripped the front of Ash's shirt and cried into his chest. Ash wanted to console her, as he always did, but there was something else he was concerned about at the moment.
"Guys, we have an issue here," Tracey said, leaving Serena and Brock to explain what was going on with the female.
Looking behind Tracey, they noticed Serena sitting on the ground, with Brock crouching behind her, inspecting her shoulder, and the gang swiftly moved over to the performance.
As the group approached, they got a better look at the damage that'd been done; in the heat of the moment, they didn't have time to analyze exactly what'd happened to cause Serena to scream in such a way; of course, they had a notion, but now the truth was right in front of them.
The stinger ripped a hole in her blouse, which Brock enlarged to get a better look at the wound, which was anything but attractive.
Despite the fact that Serena had only been stung three minutes before, a massive bump had formed and the skin around the area had begun to turn purple.
"Are you okay, Serena?"
" Misty inquired, unsure what else to say.
Surprisingly, Serena raised her head and smiled brightly at the redhead, "Actually, I feel fine! I'm just a bit painful where the stinger went in, but otherwise I'm fine."
No one present had ever been stung by a Beedrill before, so they had no idea that symptoms usually didn't appear until 5 minutes after being stung...
"We should certainly get me checked out anyway." Better to be safe than sorry-" Serena began to rise, but as she approached her full height, all strength appeared to be zapped from her legs as she collapsed, only to be caught by the nearby Brock. They quickly observed Serena's eyes had contracted to slits and her breathing had become more erratic.
"What happened, Brock?! She stated that she was OK! " Max yelled angrily.
"I-I'm not sure...In any of the courses I did, they never really went into how a human would react to a Beedrill sting. But I do know that we need to get her to a doctor as soon as possible," Brock said, the urgency in his voice clear.
Ash approached Brock and extended his arms in front of him without saying anything, his grim demeanor never wavering.
Brock looked at the trainer's empty arms, puzzled, and Ash said calmly, "Give her to me, Brock."
Brock had complete faith in Ash, but he needed to know what he had in mind before handing over the injured girl; the raven-haired trainer had a reputation for being reckless, and this was a situation when nothing could go wrong.
"What are you doing, Ash?"
"I said, 'Give her to me right now!'" Ash screamed in a deep, commanding tone, clearly straining to keep it together before, and when Brock didn't do as he'd requested, he lost it.
Brock handed the comatose girl over to Ash without more comment, and the boy hurriedly turned away from the group, heading for Viridian City.
Although she was little intimidated by his outburst, Dawn and everyone else needed to know what he was doing, so she went closer, quietly hoped that her timidity didn't come across in her voice, "Ash, what are you doing?"
"I'm the fastest of all of us...I'm taking Serena to Viridian City," Ash said softly, without turning around. You can try to catch up with me, but I will not stop or wait for you."
With that, Ash began sprinting toward Viridian City, while the rest of the gang appeared to be frozen for a moment.
They quickly came to their senses, though, and set off after the boy. For a brief moment, all else was forgotten, and the only thing they could concentrate about was Serena's safety. If she would make it out alive...
Team Rocket HQ, Unknown Location
A woman hurried through the corridors of one of the many Team Rocket bases scattered over the Kanto region, clearly hunting for something.
She immediately turned a corner and saw the enormous, familiar doors that led to Giovanni's main office.
The woman waited for a response, being sure to knock to prevent further reprimand. The woman entered after hearing a muffled voice make its way through the door.
The huge desk, covered with very elaborate embellishments, was the first thing anyone saw upon entering the workplace. The captain of Team Rocket sat behind the desk. His ever-faithful Persian, sleeping contentedly on her own bed, sat next to him.
Giovanni smiled as he noticed the newcomer "Ah...Domino. It's always a delight. What am I responsible for the visit? It's not often that my second in command shows up unexpectedly."
"Actually, I'm now third in command. Remember that Ghetsis comes in second?" Domino inquired, her voice unusually timid.
Giovanni laughed, "Officially, that could be correct. But you will always be my number two."
Domino grinned to herself as she heard her boss's comments. She'd always been a 'teacher's pet,' so when Ghetsis joined the squad and she was demoted, she was devastated. Hearing what Giovanni said restored some of her previously diminishing confidence.
Though Giovanni's thoughts should not have come as a surprise. The only agent Giovanni had exhibited genuine interest in during his tenure with Team Rocket was Domino. Even Ghetsis, the man's partner, was not on Giovanni's small list of persons he liked. He was only there because he felt he could help Team Rocket achieve their aim.
"So I'll ask again, Domino, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Giovanni interjected, diverting the discussion.
Domino's smile was quickly washed away as she realized why she'd come here in the first place.
"Sir, I have some bad news..." Domino took a breather, trying to gauge her boss's reaction.
Giovanni, on the other hand, did not react as she had hoped. Instead of his face collapsing as it usually did when bad news was to be delivered, his toothless smile remained.
Domino said, shaking the confusion from her mind, "Thomas is being held in custody. According to the information I received, he was discovered tied up somewhere in the wilderness between Pallet Town and Viridian City. His arm was also severely fractured, beyond repair, according to the physicians. Professor Samuel Oak of Pallet Town made the call to the police."
Domino hesitated for a time, her eyes set downward in befuddlement "That is the one portion that makes no sense to me. Why would Professor Oak call the cops if Thomas was discovered on the north side of the forest?"
"That is an intriguing development. I do have an idea, though, if you're interested." Domino nodded in response to Giovanni's offer "Samuel Oak is an important role in Mr. Ash Ketchum's life. I can't help but suspect Ketchum and his pals were involved in Thomas' capture."
"I must admit that I agree, but what about Thomas, sir? He was a fairly senior officer." Domino reminded her boss of this.
Giovanni took a deep breath and rose from his chair. He moved slowly to the front of the desk, leaning against it with his arms folded.
"It's a shame they were able to apprehend Thomas. I'm not sure if they'll be able to connect his acts to us, but it shouldn't matter because he wouldn't dare to speak. I must say, however, that I'm impressed Ketchum was able to sneak past one of our higher ranked cops. There's more to this youngster than meets the eye." Giovanni explained.
Domino noticed her boss starting to ramble, "Sir, what can we do about Thomas?"
Giovanni reacted immediately, "Allow him to rot in jail. He's not worth the bother of getting him out."
Giovanni's remarks caused Domino's eyes to widen. She'd known he was a frigid man, but this was different.
"Sir, with all due respect, Thomas has been an excellent agent for nearly ten years. How can we simply lock him up?" Domino, still perplexed, inquired.
Giovanni's smile faded for the first time since Domino entered the room. His lips curved downward, making a scowl that would make anyone shiver.
"He may have been a competent operator up until now, but if he can't get past an 18-year-old and his friends, he doesn't belong on Team Rocket. It's his own fault he was caught. I made no one go out and try to capture or kill Ketchum; it was an open invitation. Obviously, Thomas believed he could profit. He was proved incorrect. It's his fault." Giovanni ended abruptly.
Despite her surprise at Giovanni's decision, she let a smile come across her face. It was times like these that she realized why she joined Team Rocket in the first place; her frigid heart matched the Rocket boss's perfectly.
"Do you want me to go after the boy? I would never disappoint you." Domino inquired, eager. She'd had a run-in with Ash before, and after all the trouble he'd caused the organization, she desired a piece of him for herself.
"No. Not yet, at any rate. I'm curious to see what the boy is capable of. It's still early in Ketchum's adventure, and I'm curious to see how he tackles what's next. This will give me an advantage if and when he arrives. I've told agents to keep an eye on them at significant locations throughout Kanto, but not to get involved in any way. Unfortunately, because I hadn't expected so much to happen between Pallet and Viridian, no one other than Thomas was present to witness what had occurred "Giovanni smirked.
"This will also allow me to weed out the ineffective. If any additional rockets are seized, regardless of rank, they will not be released on bail. They will have to live with their shortcomings in a cell for the rest of their lives."
Although Domino was unhappy that she couldn't pursue the boy, she recognized that Giovanni's strategy was probably the best. Observing how Ash and his pals reacted to various scenarios would undoubtedly be beneficial to them in the long term.
Noticing the long quiet, Domino asked another question that had been on her mind, "How's the mother?"
A smile began to strain at Giovanni's lips once more "Wonderfully. So I've been told. I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting the woman. For the most part, I've delegated her care to Ghetsis."
Domino gave a nod. She didn't care about Delia, but she was interested how the woman was doing in the dreadful conditions she was sure she was in. She hoped for the worse.
"Now that you mention it, I do want to speak with our prisoner; I was going to go earlier, but I got caught up in some things. Who knows, maybe I'll tell her how her son is doing." Giovanni concluded with a menacing grin. Domino quickly joined in.
"Domino, please inform Ghetsis to meet me in the prisoner's ward. I'd prefer him to be present while we discuss." Giovanni made a request.
Domino turned and exited the vast room, only bowing in answer. Ghetsis' office is her new destination.
Giovanni turned to face his beloved Persian, who was sound asleep, before leaving the room.
Giovanni quickly made his way to the section of the building where the prisoners were housed. He stopped motionless in front of the old door that led to his goal. Before taking a deep breath and entering, he nodded to the guards stationed in front of the door.
Despite the fact that he was the one who authorized the construction of this section of the hideout, Giovanni despised visiting it. For one thing, it reeked of sewage and other foul odors. He strolled along the hall, seeing the empty cells that lined each wall.
Giovanni cursed silently as he collided with an old, dilapidated chair that had found its way into the man's path. That was something else the boss despised. The three free hanging light bulbs evenly dispersed across the hallway were the only source of light in this corridor. None of them provided a lot of light.
He disliked being here, but he was pleased with how he'd constructed his jail. It was a truly horrible situation, something he desired for his slaves.
After a short walk, he arrived at the only cell, which was adjacent to the door via which he'd entered. He thought he'd show Delia the courtesy of giving her the largest cell with the nicest view because she was his only prisoner at the time. Given that there were no windows, her only "view" was the door at the end of the hall. Giovanni referred to it as dramatic irony: offering the victim her lone option of escape while keeping her aware that she would never be able to access it.
Giovanni soon found himself at the head of the cell. He noticed how much nicer this cell was than the others. It had a bed, though the slab of wood on legs was barely a bed. It also came with a pail to use as a toilet, which he discovered was nearly full. He congratulated himself on how wonderfully he had treated this particular prisoner.
Yes.
Giovanni was a decent man.
Delia curled up in a ball on the "bed," her back to Giovanni. The only thing that made her realize she wasn't alone was the sound of the cell door opening.
Delia jumped out of bed and hurried as fast as she could toward the open door. However, she was readily apprehended by a man's muscular arm. A man who had just closed her sole exit behind him.
Giovanni couldn't help but giggle as he caught her. Giovanni brought Delia back to the bed, making sure the door was bolted behind him, before hurling her onto it.
"You still have so much fight in you! I can see where he's coming from." Giovanni said this with a sickly smile. Delia was dealing with extreme exhaustion; being in this environment for a few days had taken its toll on her. So much so that she couldn't even process what the Rocket boss had said.
Giovanni approached the woman gently. Delia backed away instinctively from this strange man, but she was quickly stopped by one of her prison's four cursed walls. Giovanni crouched down when he was only a few steps in front of her, placing himself on the same level as the seated woman.
Giovanni responded with a friendly smile on his face, "Is there anything I can buy you? Anything goes. Whatever you want. More water, maybe a magazine...? Anything?"
Delia glared, knowing he was being clever with her. He reminded me of the other person who kept coming in here, Ghetsis.
Delia soon found herself face to face with the unknown man. For a few moments, they stared each other in the eyes. Delia had had enough of looking at this creep, so she gathered all of her spit and spat in his face.
Giovanni's sole reaction was to close his eyes. He then gently raised his hand and wiped as much saliva from his face as he could in one swipe. The fact that he never stopped smiling frightened Delia the most.
Giovanni abruptly drew his palm back and hit Delia in the face, sending her sprawling to her right. Giovanni quickly rose to his feet, adjusting his suit as he did so.
The Rocket boss spoke without waiting for her to recover "I'm terribly sorry! Where have my manners gone? We haven't even been introduced yet! My name is Giovanni, and I am the captain of Team Rocket. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
Delia had recovered from the open-handed slap and was staring at the newly identifiable Giovanni with distaste in the time it took Giovanni to say this.
Despite her best efforts, Delia was overcome with disbelief; Ghetsis had not mentioned this. Was it Team Rocket who had kidnapped her? The same folks that followed her son around, attempting to steal Pikachu? The same individuals who had almost killed her son...
She'd only had a few run-ins with Team Rocket, but she'd always dismissed them as unimportant. Seeing Jessie, James, and Meowth get blown off by her had made them appear harmless to her pre-teen son at the moment.
That was obviously not the case, as evidenced not only by the kidnapping, but also by the murder attempt on her own son and his companions.
This man had kidnapped her, and she remembered hearing about them taking over the Silph Company headquarters and killing scores. She was afraid before, but knowing she was in the hands of a major criminal organization heightened her terror tenfold.
Delia had obviously not hidden her surprise as effectively as she had hoped "I see you're familiar with the name. I'm not shocked, because Team Rocket seems to be all over the place these days."
Giovanni continued, seeing that he was unlikely to persuade Delia to speak to him at this time "I'm sure you're wondering why you've come here. Why did we take you from your nice little house and lock you up in this cell?"
Giovanni waited for a reaction but got none. He did detect a glint in Delia's eyes that told him she was quite intrigued.
"Well, that's not your fault." "It truly has everything to do with your son, Mr.-," Giovanni began.
Giovanni was interrupted by a newcomer to the gang, Ghetsis, who was about to enter the cell, "...Ash Ketchum."
Delia didn't even try to hide the surprise on her face this time. Almost immediately, any concern for her own well-being gone, to be replaced by terror for her son.
Giovanni sighed, trying to control his rage; he despised being cut off, "Thank you, Ghetsis." "I believe you two have previously met," he pushed out.
The ex-plasma boss locked eyes with the auburn-haired mother before seductively licking his lips, causing the woman to tremble in dread and loathing. Ghetsis has made a number of sexual remarks about the young mother despite the fact that he has yet to do anything to her. Delia was afraid of what the man would do to her if given the chance.
"Anyway, I think it's finally time for me to tell you why you're here." Giovanni stated this. Soon after he spoke, her maternal instincts kicked in, and she shot a lethal gaze at the man in front of her.
Giovanni put his hands in his pockets before proceeding "Your son, you see, has been a thorn in my side for a long time. Always getting involved and interfering with our intentions. It was now starting to bother me after all these years."
The Rocket CEO took a breather, a deceptively nice look on his face. He was letting his words soak into the young mother's thoughts. He then turned to his colleague, Ghetsis. He, too, smiled, but his was far more manic.
Despite the fact that she despised these two guys with every fiber of her being, Delia was completely focused on Giovanni's every word. Not only was she in danger, but Ash appeared to be as well.
"Even if I'm not the biggest admirer of the boy, I have to give credit where credit is due. Stopping the plans of a large crime gang as a ten-year-old...impressive to say the least. Impressive, but also humiliating. Most of our efforts have been foiled over the years by your son and his silly little buddies, causing us to lose the dread we've worked so hard to build in the public."
Ghetsis took a step closer to the woman "I used to be the leader of Team Plasma, another Unova-based organization. That is, until one Mr. Ash Ketchum stepped forward and not only terminated my reign, but also successfully disbanded Team Plasma for good."
Delia was immensely proud that Ash had done so much good for the world, despite her worry of what Ghetsis would do to her. The young mother then turned her gaze away from Ghetsis and back to Giovanni.
The man's phony smile faded as his eyes furrowed, showing his actual feelings. "It took a while, but I finally realized that something had to be done if Team Rocket was to remain a global force. So, when Ghetsis approached me and said he wanted to assist Team Rocket, I welcomed him with open arms. However, there was one thing we all agreed on before we could begin doing the things we actually desired. And the task at hand was to get rid of Ash Ketchum."
As she heard the man in the orange suit, Delia felt a lump rise in her throat and her eyes began to water. He hadn't mentioned how he planned to get rid of Ash, but the implications troubled her.
When the two men noticed Delia was in tears, dark smirks returned to their features. Giovanni, the operation's commander, added, "With Ash gone, there would be nothing to stop us from entirely taking over. No Officer Jenny in the world can stop us, and I feel it's safe to say that no one else is quite like your son. So the obvious next move is to assassinate Ash Ketchum."
Delia, who was balling her eyes out as Giovanni finished speaking, got up and spoke for the first time, "You will not harm my child! Do whatever you want to me, but don't include Ash in this!"
Delia had to resist the overpowering want to assault the two men in front of her. She couldn't even get past one of them, so she realized fighting would only make things worse for her.
Giovanni closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the woman's cries soothing him. The one thing that would lead to Ash's demise was there in front of him. The only thing that could possibly be nicer would be the death of his greatest rival and taking over not only the Kanto region, but the rest of the planet as well.
"That's a very generous offer you've made us. I admire your willingness to put yourself in danger for the sake of your son's safety. I honestly believe it. That, however, is not going to happen. The only reason we require you is to bring Ash to us. He'll be at his most vulnerable this way, making him very easy to...dispose of. Much easier than sending operatives to shoot him."
Delia's eyes were still welling up with tears, but her mouth had distorted into a frown; her hatred for these men had grown exponentially. "So you're using me to entice Ash to come here? Do you simply desire the terrible pleasure of terminating his life? Huh? Answer me, you scumbag!"
Giovanni couldn't stop himself from laughing at her comments "Oh, dear, I couldn't care less how that boy dies. However, I would not hesitate to kill him myself. I'd love to hear him scream when his bones crack, his blood pools on the ground, and I see the life leave his eyes..."
Giovanni and Ghetsis both closed their eyes, satisfied expressions on their faces as they inhaled deeply. To say the least, Delia was shocked. These were the sickest and most perverted people she'd ever met, and their only objective was to murder her precious son.
She hoped for the best, but she knew Ash would find her. He would never abandon his mother if he knew she was in danger. That was exactly the type of person he was. Delia would have been incredibly proud of her son for being so altruistic in any other situation. But Ash's ways may now lead to his death.
"But if I don't get to take that pathetic boy's life, then so be it. I've put a large bounty on his head, and it's open to anyone who wants to try to murder or catch Ash. Even if there is a bigger prize for his capture alive, I doubt many of those seeking him will care. They don't care what happens as long as they get some money."
Delia was able to control her sobbing, allowing enormous volumes of tears to stream silently. She had to believe that her kid would come out of this alive, as he always did.
Delia lowered her head before mumbling something quietly, not loud enough for the males in the room to hear.
"I'm sorry, Delia, could you just repeat that?" Ghetsis inquired, mockingly politely.
Delia instantly lifted her head, exposing the fire of assurance burning in her eyes "Ash is going to make it. He's going to survive, and then he'll take. You. Down."
The two guys were slightly unnerved by her unshakeable confidence, but not sufficiently to cause them to react overtly.
Giovanni moved slowly toward the cell's exit without reacting, motioning for Ghetsis to do the same. Delia's gaze was fixed on the two men as they marched.
Giovanni murmured something loud enough for Delia to hear as he turned away from her.
"I suppose we'll see..."
With that, they two exited the cell and, shortly after, the entire prisoner's ward.
Delia began panting when they were finally gone. Her lungs burned as she turned to face the entrance from where the two men had just emerged. She hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath, and now she was feeling the price.
Delia sat in complete stillness after regaining some sort of normalcy in her breathing patterns. This didn't last long, as the expression of confidence faded from her face, leaving her looking exactly like she felt...
Terrified.
The floodgates in her eyes opened up again without warning. Delia sobbed as loudly as she could, with only one thing on her mind, seeing no reason to try to be strong any longer.
"Ash."