Ordeal of Will

by Ygbvfcd

After winning World Coronation Series, Ash comes home to unwind before embarking on a new journey. With so many of his old companions in Pallet Town congratulating him, Ash Ketchum's life cannot be any better. Will he be able to save the most important person in his life if actual evil strikes from the New Team Rocket? Poke/Advance/Pearl/Amour. Character Death and Dark themes.

14. Chapter 14

Nora took a long, anxious breath as the last vanishing figure vanished behind her front door. Now that Ash and the others were out of sight, the emotional wall received a direct hit. She knew she still had work to do, but without anybody to be strong for, Nora was having a tougher time focusing than she had anticipated.

It didn't take her long to let her mind wander. She tried everything to push the thoughts away, but finding something else to focus on in her jumbled mess of a mind was virtually difficult. A hand was placed on the policewoman's shoulder just as her thoughts began to dominate her and a few silent tears began to fall from her eyes.

Nora turned around to see her sister, Pamela, the chief of the Pewter City Police Department. Nora hastily tried to wipe away the few stray tears that had fallen and put on a brave front once more.

"There was an explosion, Pamela, and..." Nora began fast, muttering practically incoherently until her sister's encouraging glance calmed her.

"I know. When we were summoned, they told us everything." Pamela stated, prompting a brief nod of acknowledgment.

Fearing the response to the question that had been circulating Nora's mind, the two fell silent for a few moments. It didn't take long for a sudden surge of bravery to sweep through her body, allowing her to ask, "I-is there any news on who was in the station when it..."

Nora's breathing became labored before she could continue her sentence. Any confidence she'd had at the time had vanished in an instant.

Pamela drew her younger sister into a reassuring hug, not knowing what else to do "Try not to be concerned about it right now. I will state that many officers were not present when the incident occurred, and the majority are only now arriving. Many were in Pallet or in the woodland between Pallet and Viridian. We'd received a call from professor Samuel Oak regarding a Team Rocket member who was imprisoned in the forest, so a couple officers went to pick him up and investigate."

The news gave Nora optimism, but the slightly ambiguous response caused her to worry. She still didn't know who had been killed in the explosion... She'd been crying into her sister's clothing without ever realizing it, practically soaking it all the way through.

Nora immediately drew back and stood straight, realizing what she was doing. She wiped her tears away before speaking "I'm sorry, but I shouldn't have allowed my emotions get the better of me. I'm a law enforcement officer, and I have to act like it."

Pamela bemoaned her little sister's pathetic attempt to remain professional "Nora, you've only been on the force for a little over a year. You're only 26 years old and aren't even on duty. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could have prepared us for what transpired today. You handled this scenario like a true pro! I believe you have earned the right to a break."

Pamela said, putting a soothing hand on Nora's shoulder "You've shown yourself to be a very strong person here today. But just because you're strong doesn't mean you can't be vulnerable."

Hearing these comments, Nora relaxed her posture. She had every intention of releasing everything very soon, but there was still some work to be done before that could happen.

"I couldn't have done it without the help of Ash Ketchum and his pals. They were willing to put their lives at danger to save those folks." Nora reminded her sister, who nodded in agreement. She'd been told that everyone had been active in gathering the information.

"It's a good thing they were here. Even so, you conducted yourself admirably..." Pamela said, though the last bit was lost on the deafening silence.

"They were lucky to be here."

Nora couldn't help but recall Ash informing her why Team Rocket had come to Viridian in the first place. If Ash hadn't been present, then...

Nora pushed the thought out of her mind as quickly as it entered. It was not Ash's fault he was being pursued. He did not intend for this to happen. It would be quite absurd to blame him. She despised herself for ever considering the possibility.

With memories of the youngster still fresh in her mind, she recalled the promise she'd made to him and his bereaved companions.

Nora said, snapping out of her thoughts and cutting her still-rambling sister off, "I need someone to investigate the woman who was murdered here today. Her first name is Rose, but I don't recall ever learning her surname. It shouldn't be difficult to figure out that she works at the hospital. I promised the others that if she had a will, I would find out what she wanted done with her remains."

Pamela almost didn't understand Nora since she spoke so quickly and aggressively. Fortunately, she did, as seen by her head nodding.

"I'll have someone look into it right now." Pamela began. Nora continued, indicating how serious she was about the matter "That person, however, will not be you. I'd like you to go home and rest. You've had a long and stressful day. Everything can be handled from here."

Nora was visibly hesitant; she needed things done right away. Her eagerness to assist the huge group had temporarily pushed her wavering feelings to the back of her mind, and she had been prepared to seek down Rose's paperwork herself. Not only that, but she was frightened that if she didn't have a task to focus on, her emotional walls would entirely collapse. She was about to argue, but...

She was exhausted.

She was tireder than she'd ever been. And as the seconds passed, going home and resting became more enticing.

She also had faith in the other police, especially since Pamela could sense how important this was to her.

"Okay, but please complete it as soon as possible. And please let me know when you find out. And we should surely chat later." Nora spoke out, the tiredness in her voice beginning to show.

"Definitely. I'll also need to speak with everyone else who was involved, which shouldn't be too difficult because they're staying with you for the time being." Pamela replied

Without fully digesting what had been stated to her, Nora nodded and immediately disappeared into her house, finally at ease enough to let the other cops handle the matter.

Pamela couldn't help but notice how little her sister had changed over the years as she walked into her house. She'd always been able to focus and get things done even when things looked bad, and today had proven that a hundred times over. Pamela couldn't stop a faint smile from spreading across her face.

"...You're going to do amazing things."

The gang stood in the living room, watching as Nora limped tiredly through the front entrance, ultimately retreating into the master bedroom with only a brief wave signaling that she even noticed them.

Everyone had changed into a spare set of clothes after entering the mansion, waiting anxiously for their turn to take one of the house's few showers. As time passed, Brock and Serena took the responsibility of washing the garments.

The two carried out their responsibilities in silence. It wasn't so much that they didn't want to talk as they didn't know what to say.

Sure, things had settled down, but what could be said after such a day? The mood in everyone's brains was gloomy, and no one seemed to be able to discover something to cheer them up. The only thing that seemed to assist was to be time.

The silence was broken only when Serena loaded the first load of laundry into the washer.

"Grahh..." Brock sighed, frustrated. Serena appreciated the interruption, even if it wasn't quite a word.

Looking over at Brock to see what had caused him to grumble, she realized he was still scouring some cloth in the sink. While Serena was preparing the majority of the items for the wash, Brock was attempting to rescue Ash's jacket, shirt, and slacks. That had begun a little more than 5 minutes ago.

Serena was not surprised. The crimson liquid had ruined so much of the white and red jacket and pants that they were difficult to identify. There was no way the stains could be removed completely, but Brock insisted on trying.

Brock had made little progress after five minutes of relentless scrubbing.

"I don't think that will come out, Brock, no matter what you do. Why don't you just walk away? I'm sure Ash won't mind losing one set of clothes." Serena said, her words slowing Brock's frantic scouring. He finally came to a halt after a few moments.

Serena watched as Brock dropped the rag he was using to scrub and tossed Ash's clothes into the sink. The man then placed his hands on either side of the sink and bowed his head, appearing defeated.

Serena was little perplexed. After all, it was just a suit of clothes; Ash would understand. In any case, he's unlikely to want these clothing again.

"What's the matter, Brock?" Serena inquired after some time passed with no movement or sound from the doctor. There was an obvious response, but Serena had a feeling there was more.

Serena's comments seemed to resonate with Brock, as he sighed loudly and slowly raised his head a few moments after she stopped speaking.

Serena was surprised to see Brock's eyes welling up with tears.

Brock said, with a sad smile, "It's insignificant. Simply... something foolish."

Brock intended to end it there, but Serena's expression told him she expected him to go on. Brock sighed and prepared to speak, dropping the fake smile.

"You already know how I am. Because I am the oldest, I make every effort to be responsible. To maintain a cheerful attitude at all times."

Brock hesitated for a time, obviously considering his next words, "I just feel like...if I can't clean the blood off of Ash's clothes, then the stain on all of us from what happened will never go away. That this will haunt us for the rest of our lives."

Brock finished by shedding a single tear. It was easy to see how terrified he was.

Brock continued, glancing back at the crumpled clothing in the sink, without allowing Serena to answer "Until now, I was confident that everything would be fine. That we would find Delia, bring her home, and possibly end Team Rocket once and for all. I didn't have any worries even after Ash was shot, but after today..."

Brock returned Serena's gaze "It's just getting extremely difficult to maintain that unshakeable faith, you know? Serena, someone died today. Someone we were familiar with. I have no doubts about my pals, but I'm afraid this might be too much for us in the end."

Brock finished, his voice slightly breaking near the end. A couple more tears streamed down his cheeks, a weird sight coming from Brock.

Serena paid close attention to Brock's statements. He was correct about himself, she observed. Brock had never given her the slightest hint of doubt or pessimism. Brock, on second thought, has frequently been the one to pick everyone up. He was the only one in the group who had an elder sibling.

He was their rock, staying true to his heritage.

Serena had no idea how tough that must have been for him. Everyone had been so focused on Ash, for good reason, that no one had paused to consider everyone else, including themselves.

Even though Brock expressed reservations about the journey, Serena understood that wasn't the case. He had faith in his pals, as he stated. He was terrified, and rightly so. Even the strongest of people would be broken down by the atrocities they'd just witnessed.

Serena attracted Brock's attention by gathering her breath "It's acceptable to be scared of what's going to happen, Brock. It would be odd if you were not. Just because you're older than us doesn't mean you can't be afraid, especially on this voyage."

Serena lowered her gaze slightly, a faint smile on her face as she said, "You've always been like a big brother to me and the rest of us. And I know you're the closest thing we've ever had to a father to me, Ash, and Dawn. And you've played those parts so well for so many years."

Serena moved closer to the doctor until they were face to face. Brock lowered his gaze to the blonde female, speechless. Her comments had meant a lot to him, almost enough to wipe away his tears.

Serena said again, softly smiling "And, while all of this is true, you are still a human being. It's natural to be worried and to have concerns. But you already know that since you'd say that to me or Ash."

This made the two of them laugh.

Serena became solemn "We'll make it through this, Brock. I'm aware of it, as are you. And you'll be there for us, just like you always are."

Serena flung her arms around the elderly man and hugged him before Brock could say anything. Everything Serena said was true; it was a strange feeling for Brock to be so unsure of his friends and the circumstances, and it terrified him. But that was to be expected. And, in the end, he sincerely believed that everything would be well.

"I see I've rubbed off on you a little bit these last several years." Brock laughed as he smiled at the blond.

The two slowly parted ways and exchanged encouraging smiles. Tracey appeared in the doorway at that precise time.

"Hello, you two. I came to see if I could be of assistance. Brock, Serena, do you want to take a break?" Tracey inquired.

Brock asked Serena if she was okay without saying anything. Brock accepted Tracey's offer with a smile and a nod of the head. He hoped to be able to take a shower once everyone else had finished.

Tracey smiled at Serena before glancing around to see what he could do to help. It didn't take long for his gaze to be drawn to the load of laundry in the sink.

"What should we do with these, Serena?" Tracey inquired about the bloodied clothing.

Serena turned around to see what he was talking about before responding, "Simply discard it. Ash will comprehend. It's preferable that way."

Tracey then set the clothing aside, intending to take them to the garbage can outside later.

---

Most people had showered after being in the house for less than an hour. Brock was currently in the shower and will be finished in a matter of minutes.

It remained quiet for a long time; it wasn't until 45 minutes had passed that they realized what was going on. Paul was the first to speak up. It wasn't anything important, just some light talk with those around him at the moment, who happened to be Misty, James, and Meowth.

May was sitting on the couch next to Dawn, with Max not far away. Ash had secluded himself from the others, while the constraints of the room kept him close to everyone else. His back was against a wall, and his eyes had been closed since they entered the house. Everyone could tell he wasn't sleeping, though.

They were all sleepy, yet sleep seemed just out of reach for all of them.

May and Dawn launched a lighter chat after seeing Paul and those around him talking, seeking to break the gloomy mood. Finding something to talk about was considerably more difficult than normal for the two buddies with so much in common, but they'd managed to force something at least. They would have wanted to have included Ash in the chat, if only to take his mind off of things, but it was clear that he didn't feel like talking right now.

May's mind wandered at some time during Dawn's speech. May wasn't sure why she'd thought of it, perhaps since Max always appeared to interrupt her at some point, but Max had yet to say anything. I still need to interrupt someone.

Dawn was mid-sentence when May turned her head to look at Max, who was sitting on the floor. His knees were drawn up to his chest, and his arms were securely wrapped over them. He had a serious expression on his face, which was unusual for the hyperactive child.

Max, along with the others, had been able to fight back their panic moments before they unleashed the grunts because he knew they had to do something. He was able to push all of his emotions to the back of his mind in case anyone needed assistance.

But now that he'd had some time to calm down, the shock and terror of what he'd witnessed had gradually crept to the forefront of his consciousness. Max had plenty of time to recreate the scene in his thoughts during the long silence that followed the house's entrance. And it was replayed over...and over...and over...

May's heart sank like a rock when she spotted his position. How could she have overlooked Max? Everyone was traumatized by the occurrence, but Max was just 14 years old and clearly taking it hard. She scolded herself for being careless.

Dawn was irritated because May had cut her off, "Hey! What are you doing, May?"

Dawn's eyes softened as she followed May's line of sight and came to the same conclusion as May.

May shifted her gaze away from her younger brother and into her lap, a look of sadness on her face. Dawn was the one who managed to shake her out of this stare.

"We should speak with him." Dawn muttered, and May nodded in agreement. Not wanting to waste time, the two made their move, with May leading the way.

Because they were so close, it didn't take long for the two girls to approach the group's youngest member, who didn't even notice the two beauty coming. Both girls bent to Max's level and stared at each other, unsure where to begin.

"...Max?" May began, hoping to get her brother's attention. "Max...are you okay?" she continued, seeing that Max hadn't met her gaze.

Max's head slowly went up until he was looking at the two girls crouched in front of him, as though registering May's final sentence. His expression remained impassive, which the two females interpreted as an even worse indicator than if he was scared.

"...I don't know, May," the boy with spectacles finally said after a few moments. What occurred today... I could never have imagined something like that happening to me."

"None of us did, Max," Dawn said, her face softening with sorrow. It came as a tremendous surprise to all of us."

"I just don't understand...why?" Max inquired, his voice hushed.

"What exactly do you mean, Max?" May was questioned. Obviously, it was related to the recent occurrence, but they needed to know exactly what he was talking about if they were to assist him.

Max's stare was fixed on the girls, yet he appeared to be seeing through them.

"Why did you go through all of that just to get to Ash?" Why are they so obsessed with him? How could somebody be so icy? So callous? She was completely blameless. They were all thinking, "Why...how could somebody do such a thing?" Max finished, his face finally exhibiting passion. A few tears began to fall down his cheeks.

"Oh, Max," May had no answers for him, so she did what she could think of: she hugged him. To demonstrate that he was not alone.

Dawn could only watch with sadness. All of Max's questions were excellent, and they were now running through her mind as well. It was starting to get to her, but she knew she had to keep going. She needed to move forward from this. They were all correct. And Max needed the assistance more than she did.

For a few moments, the three remained in their current positions, allowing their minds to take over. They had also piqued the interest of nearly everyone else in the vast room. The image made them all sad, but they realized it was only a necessary part of moving on from this incident.

One person was intently pondering about Max's questions while May and Max continued in their embrace. His face hadn't moved from the stern expression he'd been wearing for nearly an hour, but his gaze was fixed on the siblings and the dark-haired girl.

He knew he had to get past this, as did they all, and sitting about moping and allowing his thoughts to dominate him wasn't helping. This is exactly how it is now. The truth was that the threat was much more real. More than simply the lives of people in their group were at danger. This was their new reality, and they needed to be tough enough to deal with it. And he was their leader, even if no one had explicitly stated it. He had to set a good example. He had to be the strongest of them all. And he was going to start right away.

It would be difficult, and he would need closure on the Rosa situation, but Ash understood what he had to do. Everyone's attention was drawn to Ash when he stood up, except May and Dawn's. They all stood there watching as he approached the sibling duo, kneeling to their level until he got to them.

Max met Ash's eyes as he peeked over May's shoulder. May turned to see Ash crouching there when she noticed Max had moved away slightly and was peering beyond her. Dawn had taken a small step back to give the man room when he first approached.

"Max...I can't tell you how sorry I am that you had to witness it." That any of you had to witness." As everyone chatted, Ash gazed around the room. "As difficult as it is to admit, this is our current reality. We already know how far Team Rocket will go to find me. We are aware that we are not the only ones in risk. We need to be strong or we'll have a difficult time getting through this."

"Max, I was hoped that trying to offer you answers to your problems would help you get past this," Ash explained. Obviously, I don't know for certain, but I have a few theories..."

Max had long ceased crying, and his entire focus was on his idol. Everyone else in the room was drawn to Ash as well. They were as eager to hear what he had to say as Max was. And they hoped he was correct; that this would help them get past what they were going through.

"We now know that Team Rocket is willing to do anything. They want me since I've stopped them numerous times in the past, and many of you have even come to my aid. They're obviously preparing something major, something bigger than they've ever done before, and they don't want anything to get in their way...especially me." Ash took a breather to let his theories sink in.

May's eyes had gotten misty alongside her brothers' during their hug, and now he's questions were bothering her as well. During this interval, she said, "But...why just you...?" Others have previously halted their intentions. It's unfair that they're just interested in you. That you are the one bearing the brunt of the burden. It's just...unfair."

May's voice trailed off at the end as her emotions took over. She knew she was in danger, but they were pursuing Ash, the man she loved more than anything else in the world. She, like Ash, was more concerned with others than with herself. The other three girls who had affections for Ash must have felt the same way.

"I know it's not fair...but that's life," Ash said sadly to the lovely brunette. I'm not sure why everything always seems to revolve around me. I despise it as much as you do, but all we can do is fight through it and be strong. We'll get through this if we stick together and have one other's backs."

"We lost someone today," Ash said as he rose to his feet. Despite the fact that we had only known her for a short time, we adored her. But we also saved many other people's lives. We saved the hostages by banding together and remaining calm. If we keep this up, I'm confident we'll win."

At the time, no one knew what to say. Ash appeared to have done a complete 180 from only a few minutes previously, going from not saying anything to encouraging everyone. Ash responded to their ideas as if he could read their brains.

"Look...I know you guys consider me as the 'leader' of our group," Ash groaned before speaking. And I accept the accountability that comes with it. But I've been a terrible leader lately."

"Losing my calm, breaking down, being darn near useless in situations when it is a major harm to not only myself, but to all of you," Ash continued, turning his gaze out the window. "I vowed to defend you guys, and I haven't been doing a good job of it," Ash said as he turned back to face his buddies. I need to improve. "I shall improve."

"Ash, this may be true, but you always show up just in time." You always deliver in the end." Serena expressed her displeasure with Ash's tone of voice.

"That's right, Serena. I can't let things get that far. We've come so close to being hurt because I can't act until the very last second. We're in a position that's unlike anything we've ever encountered. I can't act like that any longer. Things cannot impact me so readily. It may be difficult, and it may take some time, but I pledge to you all, I will do it...to ensure your safety."

Everyone in the room reacted differently to his statements. Many were moved by his genuineness and willingness to make sacrifices for them, but many were also disappointed. Not at Ash, but at the fact that he had to shoulder so much responsibility. That the universe seemed to have given him such a bad hand.

For a long time, no one said anything. Max quietly stood up and walked till he was standing in front of Ash after a few moments. His expression was solemn, and the only sign of melancholy on his face were his slightly red eyes.

"Ash...we will do all in our power to assist you." We've said it before, but it bears repeating: you're not alone here. We all love you so much, and we simply want to relieve some of the burden off your shoulders. So I know I speak for everyone when I say we'll get through this. We will persevere and save your mother." Max embraced Ash as soon as he concluded his speech.

Ash was taken aback by the seriousness of the 14-year-words, old's yet he still managed to hug him back. He knew his friends would want to help in any way they could, but hearing it expressed openly was encouraging. Nonetheless, Ash vowed to shoulder the most responsibility. Even if it wasn't on purpose, he knew the majority of the pressure had fallen on him, and he was fine with it. He was up to the task.

As Max began to move away, Ash allowed a smile grow across his face. Before speaking, he looked down, meeting Max's gaze.

"Do you realize you're a pretty brilliant kid?" With a chuckle, Ash inquired.

Max responded with a smile. He was thrilled he was made to feel better, but he was even happier that he could repay the favor to the person he admired the most.

"Yeah, well...one of us had to get the family's brains." Max stated, giving out a laugh of his own.

"HEY! "You scumbag!" May exclaimed at the boy, threateningly approaching him. Regardless of how she appeared, everyone could tell this was just a harmless sister exchange.

May successfully bruised Max's arm, and everyone laughed. After the day they'd had, they were all in desperate need of this. And because they didn't know how many more of these pleasant moments will come up in the near future. Everyone was terrified by the concept, but no one dwelled on it.

For the time being, they would accept anything they could get.

Nora emerged from her room an hour later, looking at least semi-rested. She chose to sit and talk with the group, who were now deep in conversation. She expected everyone to remain silent as they were when she arrived, so she was astonished to see them all speaking. Nora was still standing at the living room's entryway, just watching the group of friends.

Nora instantly noticed that, while the mood remained somewhat dark and somber, as was to be anticipated after such a catastrophe, it was also clear that they were simply attempting to go on. Not to focus too much on what had transpired. Her understanding of their interactions had improved...

Nora was overjoyed as a result. She couldn't believe how much these kids had to endure just on this one day. And she was aware of Ash Ketchum's previous heroics. The majority of folks did. She couldn't believe that youngster had been through so much in just 18 years.

She looked to her left and saw Ash engaging in normal conversation with Serena, May, Dawn Misty, and Paul. She was almost speechless. Nora had no idea how Ash hadn't crumbled entirely after learning the whole tale of why Team Rocket was here and what they intended. Sure, he'd been a wreck just hours before, but she could tell he was working hard to get over it. They were all.

The officer was really impressed by the group's maturity. She would have admired the group much more if she had heard what Ash and Max had stated before.

She was still near the entranceway when she observed someone arriving from the right. The oldest member of the gang approached the officer gently, a little smile on his face. Nora reciprocated Brock's smile and acknowledged him with a nod.

Brock came to a halt just next to Nora's side. "Nice to see you up; how did your snooze go?"

"Fantastic," Nora exclaimed, "I absolutely needed it."

"Yeah, I can understand that; after all you did today, anyone would be fatigued," Brock grinned.

"Speaking of which, I'm amazed none of you people are sleeping; for as much as I did today, you guys did just as much, if not more," Nora wondered.

Brock turned to face Nora, his face serious, "You should've seen it when you were asleep. I've never felt in such a somber aura. No one said a word for what felt like forever. It wasn't until about an hour ago that anyone said anything.

"This is the only way we're going to get past this. If we don't stay together, we won't even have to worry about Team Rocket because we're going to crumble all by ourselves. They need to keep their minds off of the bad stuff whenever they get the chance," Nora said as Brock's sad smile returned to his face.

"How about you?" Nora asked the taller man, who still smiled.

"I've always been the oldest in the group, so I guess I simply kind of took on the position of older brother, even a father figure to some," Brock shrugged, recalling his talk with Serena. "While we need to get the awful stuff out of our heads, we can't just forget it; we have to learn from it, so I suppose I've kind of taken that duty for myself, and Ash and Paul are the same way. All three of us would willingly suffer all the agony just to make sure no one else has to."

Nora regarded the man beside her with admiration. Her admiration for Ash, Brock, and the rest of the gang had increased exponentially over the day. It was obvious to tell that Brock was a wonderful person.

"You really care about them, don't you?" Nora inquired, despite the fact that she already knew the answer.

Brock nodded without hesitation, his sorrowful expression replaced by a real smile, "They're my family. I have a lot of relatives and sisters back home, but dare I say, I'm closer to these men than I am to my own flesh and blood, especially Ash."

"I've been with him for almost the entirety of his journey. I've seen the things he's done first hand. He's helped me in more ways than he will ever know. That man is as much my brother as any of my family back home," Brock continued, his voice firm, "I just wish he didn't always have to bear so much weight. Every time something bad happens, it seems that he bears the brunt of it."

When she noticed Brock's expression change to one of grief, she placed a hand on the slightly younger man's shoulder, turned to face him, and met his eyes.

"Brock, you're helping him. Just by being here, you're helping him. From what you've told me, you've always been there for him in the same way he's always been there for you. It's easy to see how much he respects you. How much they all respect you." Nora paused for a moment, looking deep into Brock's eyes, "Brock, you're such a great person. And from what I can tell, you

Brock was taken aback when he felt Nora's hand on his shoulder, but he'd been paying close attention to everything she said. Despite the fact that he'd only known her for a day, her words managed to soothe him. Brock could tell she had excellent insight, and everything she said was genuine. It was quite encouraging to have a third party comment on something like this.

"Thank you, Nora. That truly means a lot," Brock said warmly to the off-duty police.

"It's no problem, Brock. I mean every word," Nora replied happily.

Both parties became aware that Nora's hand was still on Brock's shoulder while she spoke, leading her to withdraw away swiftly and both to blush faintly.

"S-sorry about it," Nora said shyly.

"D-don't worry about it...Um...should we go join the others?" Brock asked, giving them both an out. They joined the rest of the party in the living room after they recovered from their embarrassment.

A tap on the door was heard not long after Nora and Brock had joined their friends. Nora stood up and answered the phone because it was her house. Pamela, her sister, was standing in the doorway, which didn't surprise her. Nora's attention was immediately drawn to the fact that she had some form of news.

"What did you discover, Pamela?" Nora inquired swiftly.

"Geez, Nora, I know you're excited, but can I come in first? Ash and his friends are in there, right? I want them to hear this, and I'd also like to meet the people who helped my baby sister so much," Pamela joked. Nora could see she didn't have anything 'wonderful' to report, and she was attempting to conceal it.

"You know, you really are too insightful for your own good...But may I just come in first?" sighed Pamela.

Nora didn't say anything, instead stepping aside to let the police in. It was only a ten-step walk to the living room, and those who inhabited it had overheard the two conversing and were now expecting the other cop to emerge at any moment.

Pamela and Nora arrived from around the corner in a matter of seconds, introducing themselves to the gathering. Pamela's gaze moved over the room, before settling on a certain raven-haired trainer.

No one said anything as she approached the boy with the Pikachu on his shoulder slowly. She came to a halt when only approximately 3 feet separated them.

"You're Ash Ketchum, correct?" She recognized the boy's appearance because he was a well-known trainer, especially after winning the league this year. Though, due of her character as a cop, she felt she had to maintain the niceties. At first, at any rate.

"I am," Ash said, meeting the woman's eyes. "How may I assist you, officer?"

Pamela stepped up and hugged the taller boy after they exchanged a few more glances. Ash was taken aback by the action and did not respond at first. He only moved when she began speaking.

"Thank you for assisting my sister; you have no idea how grateful I am," Pamela said earnestly.

She'd heard about the explosion a few minutes before Nora was able to phone her, and she was scared that her darling little sister had died.

Ash was at a loss for words. When they saw the two embrace, a few members of the group expressed their displeasure. May, Dawn, and Serena, to be specific. Even though it was evident she was only thanking him, it disturbed the girls that another woman was embracing the man they both adored.

"It was no problem, officer; in fact, I'd say Nora was the one who helped us; I don't think things would've turned out so well if she hadn't been there." Ash spoke clearly. Without Nora, Ash wasn't sure whether they could have come up with a plan. Or even if he'd been able to break free from his hysteria.

After a few moments, the two parted ways, and Pamela turned to face everyone else. "Thank you all; I can't imagine what would have happened if you hadn't been here, and please just call me Pamela."

Ash flinched slightly as his thoughts returned to his assumption that if he hadn't been at Viridian, none of this would've happened. He didn't let himself concentrate on it, though; if he did, he'd be contradicting everything he'd told his companions only an hour before.

Serena took a step forward, introduced herself, and then introduced everyone else. Nora spoke again once everyone had finished meeting each other.

"I apologize for being impatient, but I believe you have something to tell us," Nora said, hardly concealing his agitation in his voice.

Pamela groaned as she heard her sister remark, "Yeah, I do. It's about the woman that was killed...Rose."

Everyone's interest was piqued, but they also recoiled slightly when they heard this. They'd pushed her death to the back of their thoughts for a while, but now it was time to face reality once more.

"I tried everywhere for a will. I questioned folks at the hospital, had officers examine her home, but we couldn't find anything. And as far as we know, she didn't really have anybody she was all that close to," Pamela said, taking the floor.

Hearing the painful reality of Rose's life caused everyone in the group to cry. They knew that everyone who'd ever met her felt she was a good girl, but it seems she never really let anyone get close to her after her family died.

"She had no immediate family, and you obviously knew her; how close were you?" Pamela inquired.

"Actually...we only met her yesterday at the hospital, and she showed us a lot of love when we were going through a hard stretch," James opted to speak for the group.

"Yeah, I guess we can't say we know her all that well," Tracey pointed out.

"Well, then, I suppose we're at a bit of a crossroads on what to do with the remains, I suppose," Pamela sighed again.

Ash walked forward, knowing that this needed to be stated, seeing both her and Nora in serious concentration, obviously about the conundrum at hand.

"Excuse me, Pamela," Ash began, gaining the officer's attention. "Last night, I was going through an incredibly difficult time. I almost lost someone very close to me. Rose talked to me for a long time and I don't know how she did it, but she made me truly believe that everything was going to be alright." Ash paused, unsure what to say next. Serena couldn't help but smile when Ash mentioned her.

"That woman did more for me in half a day than anyone could ever fathom, and now that she's gone, the only thing I can do to repay her is to make sure she has a good funeral." "If you'll let me, I'd like to have her buried; to have a proper sendoff for this beautiful woman," Ash said earnestly. Looking around, she noticed the others' serious expressions as they clearly agreed with the raven-haired trainer.

Pamela deliberated for a moment. She truly didn't have a choice. If there hadn't been anyone close to Rose, she would have been processed by the city and buried without a funeral. But this woman seemed to have impacted the people in front of her, and she wasn't about to deny them the opportunity to say farewell to her.

"All right, that sounds good to me," Pamela responded, nodding.

"I want to help. Get everything ready and send all the costs to me, and let's try to have the funeral early tomorrow, as I'm sure these guys have somewhere to be," Nora said immediately after her causing ended her remark.

Nora wanted the burial to be over as soon as possible because she was aware of Ash and his comrades' predicament. He was still on a mission to find his mother, and she knew it had to be urgent.

The gathering of pals stared at Nora in disbelief. She didn't have to do anything to help them, but here she was, doing her best to make their lives easier.

"Nora, we sincerely appreciate the offer, but you're not required to do that," Brock replied, stepping forward.

"I know I don't have to, Brock, but I want to. I simply want to help you all in any way I can," Nora said softly, her cheeks glowing.

Brock's cheeks flushed slightly as he nodded in appreciation to her tone of voice and sunny smile.

"Thank you, Nora; you've really helped us out today," Ash said gratefully.

Nora responded with a smile, stating she would be delighted to assist. The off-duty cop then returned her focus to her sister.

"Do you have any further news?" Nora inquired of her sister.

"Nothing in particular," Pamela replied, shaking her head, "but I'd like to talk to you alone for a minute if you don't mind?"

Nora nodded and motioned toward her bedroom door. I got what she was saying. She followed her sister's lead so that they could communicate. A conversation she hoped she didn't have...

Nora glanced toward her sister, a confused look on her face, as the two sisters entered the room and shut the door.

"So what is it you need to talk to me about? Why does this have to be in private?" Nora said as she sat down on her bed, not like where this was headed based on Pamela's face.

"It's about what happened...at the station," Pamela groaned before taking a seat next to her younger sister.

Nora's heart sank as she heard her sister's words. She'd wanted to know who had died in the blast earlier, but she'd managed to push those horrible thoughts to the back of her mind for a couple of hours per her sister's request, and her exhaustion also helped her clear her mind. But now it was time. She needed to know, no matter how bad it would hurt.

Nora gulped before asking, "How many...?" How many people died? "

She didn't see the point in skirting the issue; this was a hard reality, and she didn't see the point in skirting it.

"Umm..." Pamela began, her voice shaking as she spoke. "Eight. When it went up, there were eight people in the station. "This includes a civilian."

Nora felt a mixture of rage and despair instantly after her sister's remarks, and she stared toward the ground as she let out a breath, her mouth agape, an expression on her face.

"Who? What was its identity? " Nora gasped out, needing to know but finding it difficult to pronounce those four words.

Pamela didn't respond right away, looking at her sister with sadness as she slowly listed off the names, some of whom were men and a few of whom were non-Jenny officers. Of course, Nora knew all of these people and was deeply saddened by their deaths, but there were two names that stood out the most to her.

"Nora...Alissa...she was there...gone..." she's Pamela barely got those words out, not yet crying, but the tone of her voice indicated that her emotions were taking over.

Nora's breath seized when she learned of her cousin's death; Alissa was the one who'd trained her when she first became a cop, and this was by far the worst news she'd ever received. Her eyes were still fixed on the ground, her expression lifeless.

Pamela remained silent for a few moments, allowing Nora to recover from the shock of what she'd just heard before dropping another bomb on her.

Nora, on the other hand, appeared to be waiting excitedly to find out who the final victim was; she had an awful sensation in the pit of her stomach and needed to know who else had died on this day.

"Who is the last one?" Nora inquired, her gaze finally leaving the floor and falling on her sister, and when she saw she wasn't responding straight away, she spoke again, this time unable to hide the anguish in her voice. "Tell me, Pamela. "I'll take it."

As she returned her gaze to her sister, a few stray tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry, Nora..." Pamela barely finished her sentence, knowing that this news would be devastating to her sister, and she prayed she didn't have to tell her.

"Please tell me!" Nora raised her voice, full of fear and despair, but also immense strength.

Pamela stared her sister in the eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks, and sat in silence for a few more moments.

"Natasha. Natasha, she's...gone," she's Pamela said, her voice trembling. "I know how close you two were. "How she used to be your best friend..."

The older woman had anticipated her sister to cry at that point, so she was taken aback by her sister's stoic expression.

But she knew her sister better than that; she knew the news hadn't fully hit her yet, and her lack of rapid reaction only demonstrated how difficult the news was for her.

"Is that all?"

" Pamela stared at Nora, puzzled, "Is that all you had to tell me?"

"Well...yes, but-" Pamela began, but was cut short.

"Could you please leave me alone for a while?" "I just need to...let this all sink in," Nora said flatly.

Pamela looked at her sister with concern; she wanted to be there for her; she knew she wasn't the best at providing comfort for people, but she still knew her sister needed someone there with her, but there was no way she would let her stay when she already had her mind set; she was stubborn like that.

"Nora, please. You don't have to go through this alo-" The senior officer was cut short once more.

"No...! Just- Pamela, I need some alone time. I promise I'll be alright; I just...need some alone time, okay? "Pamela stared at her sister, puzzled. "Please, Pamela..."

Sighing in defeat, the woman bowed her head and turned to leave, despite her sister's begging tone of voice, which demonstrated that she wasn't going to change her decision anytime soon. Without turning around, Pamela said her final words before leaving.

"Just remember this, Nora... You do not have to go through this by yourself. You have me, and you have a room full of people who care about you." As soon as Pamela finished speaking, she exited, quietly closing the door behind her.

The group of friends outside her door were immediately aware of her presence; they hadn't heard much of the conversation, but they could tell by the look on Pamela's face that it wasn't an easy one to have, and it hadn't gone well...

"Pamela...?" Paul came nearer, the first to notice the woman's tear-streaked face, even with her head down. Are you all right? "

The woman nodded immediately, but her gaze never left the floor.

"I'm just worried about her..." Pamela explained, and even though they weren't sure what had been discussed, they still wanted to be able to help their new buddy.

"Is she all right?" What did you two discuss in there? " This time, it was Brock who spoke, and he wanted to know what had triggered such a strong reaction from the typically tough officer, not out of curiosity, but because knowing would undoubtedly help them in their abilities to help Nora.

She didn't mind telling everyone else; Pamela had only wanted to talk to her alone because she knew her sister wouldn't feel comfortable becoming so emotional in front of so many people.

"In the explosion, she...she lost several individuals important to her," Pamela explained, deciding it wouldn't harm to tell her new friends; after all, her sister obviously trusted them, which meant she did as well. I'm really worried about her. She's never had to deal with anything like this before."

No one knew what to say; they knew losing someone was difficult, and Nora clearly didn't know how to respond or deal with what had happened.

Everyone could tell Pamela was under duress, and it appeared to be over more than just her sister's well-being; all Jenny's were related in some way, and if they had to guess, they were certain that some had to have died. Her main focus was clearly on her sister, but she was also dealing with the loss of people.

"Pamela, I know you're worried about your sister, but it's evident that you lost someone as well," Dawn said as she approached the officer. I just wanted you to know that we're here for you both."

Pamela met the dark-haired girl's eyes only to find her smiling reassuringly at her, and as she looked around the room, she noticed the same expression on everyone else's face, which caused a little grin to form on her face as well.

"Thank you so much. "You really are nice people," Pamela added warmly.

Brock realized he had to act at this point because, while Pamela was now taken care of, Nora still required assistance.

He loved Nora. Even after only meeting her, he felt a connection with her. She was already a close friend, and they both could tell. Even though they hadn't talked much, he and the others cared deeply about her. Brock knew he had to do something to aid his new friend, a person he cared about.

"I'm going in there," Brock said angrily, taking a significant step toward the bedroom, only to be met with a hand on his chest, causing him to pause his stride. Looking toward the source of the arm, he saw that it was Pamela.

"She stated that she needed to be alone." "She needs some time for it to sink in," Pamela lamented. Dawn had removed her arm from the officer when she felt the woman shift.

As the woman spoke, Brock's stern expression never left his face. But when it finally hits her, she'll need someone to help her... And I wish to assist her."

Pamela met the taller man's gaze; he was unwavering, and she could clearly tell that he cared about her sister very much, even after only knowing her for a short time. She wanted to be there for her sister, but she thought that maybe at this moment, she should let this man take the lead; she was in no state to comfort another, and she wasn't sure she would've been able to stop him seeing the seriousness on the man's face.

Brock nodded in gratitude as Pamela lowered her arm and nodded her head, enabling him to enter the room. He'd just talked to her about being there for his friends, and he knew this was a time when his caring demeanor would be able to come into play.

He dashed inside the bedroom, carefully closing the door behind him.

Even after the door was shut, Nora's eyes didn't lift from the floor; she hadn't even acknowledged that there was another in the room with her. Brock noticed that her eyes were still dry, with no evidence of tears anywhere to be seen. This concerned Brock slightly, because he knew that holding your emotions in was no way to get past an event like this.

Brock approached the bed slowly. "Nora?" Brock, it's me... Are you all right? "

He realized it was a ridiculous question, but he didn't know where to begin. Seeing her still not acknowledging his presence, he moved forward, sitting on the bed next to her, but leaving enough space between them to not overwhelm her.

"Nora..." Brock deliberated over what to say, but he felt compelled to speak something so that the stillness did not consume them totally.

Brock placed a reluctant hand on the woman's shoulder, still unsure what to say; no words seemed fitting for the feelings being felt at the time.

Brock decided something needed to be spoken after a few moments, so he went with his instincts...

"...It's all right, Nora."

For whatever reason, these remarks eventually made Nora turn to face him, her attitude still harsh, but he could see tears welling up in her eyes.

"Why, Brock?" Why do such things happen...? " Nora spoke, her voice full with emotion, but her face stayed almost stern; a few stray tears dropped down her cheeks, but she maintained a nearly stoic attitude.

Brock offered Nora the best compassionate look he could muster, saying, "...I'm not sure, Nora. I'm not sure why things like this occur. What I do know is that there is just one way out. That is why it is acceptable."

"...Is everything all right?

" Nora hadn't started crying yet, but it was evident she was on the verge of losing control of her emotions.

"In order to get it out. "You don't have to bottle everything up inside," Brock said, gazing the woman in the eyes. "The only way to get past this is to let it all out, no reservations." You have your sister to support you, and now you have all of us. We love you, Nora...I love you, and I just want to assist you."

Nora peered into Brock's eyes for what seemed like an eternity, but it wasn't long before something within her snapped, causing tears and cries. Brock quickly encircled the woman in a tight embrace, one hand caressing her back and the other placed on her head.

"It's fine. Let let all hang out. "Let it all out," Brock said softly and reassuringly.

Nora's head was buried into Brock's chest, soaking it with her cries, but Brock couldn't care less; all he cared about right now was assisting Nora.

Everyone on the other side of the door could hear her tears, filling them with anguish, but no one moved a muscle because they all knew she needed this, and as Brock had stated, it was the only way to get past this dreadful tragedy.

Everyone, including Pamela, realized that the only thing they could do now was wait.

Again, stillness engulfed the entire group; the sobbing had lasted a long time, but it had ceased about 5 minutes ago; now, they were just waiting, and they didn't even know what they were waiting for.

It was late in the evening, and everyone was fatigued; the emotional and physical stress of the day had caught up with them all, but they couldn't sleep yet; they needed to make sure their new friend was okay first.

Not two minutes later, the door to the bedroom opened, and everyone rose to their feet, except for Brock, who appeared alone, closing the door behind him.

Brock knew he had to say something when he noticed everyone staring at him.

"She's doing better," Brock sighed, a sorrowful look on his face. She managed to get it out. It will take some time, but she will overcome this. "Just like the rest of us."

Just as Brock finished speaking, the door opened again, and this time Nora was the one who stepped in the doorway, allowing a sorrowful grin to form on her face.

"Don't worry, I'll be OK. "Brock really helped me in there." Nora turned to face the taller man, a genuine glad smile on his face as he caught her gaze. Nora then went back to the rest of the party, saying, "It'll take some time, but I'll be better." "I'll just need some time."

Before saying anything else, Nora moved up to her sister and hugged her warmly before returning her eyes to the rest of the group.

"I appreciate everything you've done for me today." Despite all that has happened today, I am grateful for the opportunity to meet you. That I may now name all of you my friends," Nora concluded, a real smile on her lips, despite the fact that she knew she was sincerely pleased in that moment, her tear streaked face betrayed her actual thoughts.

Nora then returned her focus to Brock, her smile lingering on her face.

"Brock, I can't thank you enough for what you did for me in there," Nora said emphatically, plainly genuine about how much it meant to her that he helped her get through a difficult period, despite everything else he was going through.

In answer, Brock smiled and scratched the back of his head, since Ash's demeanor had clearly rubbed off on him over the years. Nora, you're a powerful woman. Everything is going so beautifully for you. That is something I greatly like about you."

"Brock, this is the most difficult thing I've ever had to go through." I wouldn't have been able to start moving past this if someone hadn't been there to support me. Saying what I needed to hear. Giving me a shoulder to weep on." Nora took a breather and returned her gaze to her sister. "I love my sister, but she's not the best at comforting people."

Nora's caustic tone made the entire group laugh, including Pamela, and she then took a deep breath, her face serious as she confronted Brock once more.

"It's going to take a long time to recover from the loss of my cousin...and my best friend, but you helped me start to cope." You may not believe you accomplished much, but you did, Brock. And I appreciate it more than you could ever know." Nora concluded her speech by embracing Brock tightly.

Brock was astonished, but immediately hugged back, grateful that he could assist her, and he actually meant what he said, knowing that she meant what she said as well.

Everyone could see how much what Brock had done meant to Nora, even if it didn't seem like much, and they were all thrilled that Brock had been able to help her learn to deal, and that was all that counted.

Ash's smile faded as his worries began to overpower him; after what had happened today, he was hypersensitive to the idea that he and his friends weren't the only ones in risk because of Team Rocket.

He was certain that Team Rocket would be present wherever he went, and while he hoped he could claim it would be, he had a sickening sense that this wouldn't be the last time an innocent bystander would be harmed by his situation.

Nora had lost her best friend because he happened to be in town that day, and Rose had died because Ash had decided to come to Viridian City. He knew he couldn't exactly hold himself responsible, but it was hard not to when it seemed like all of the bad stuff always seemed to circle around himself, and as a result, anyone he was with, anyone near him, was in danger.

He knew he couldn't save everyone, but that didn't seem to be the issue right now; his mere existence was enough to wreak death and destruction all around him, which made him feel worse than anything else could.

He knew he couldn't dwell on it; none of this was his choice, obviously, but it didn't matter; there was nothing he could do but help in any way he could.

Ash sighed, pushing the ideas out of his mind, knowing that if he kept them there, he wouldn't be able to fulfill his commitment to take his position as leader more seriously.

"Arceus, this is going to be difficult," Ash thought to himself. He was usually an emotional person, so focusing on the task at hand would be difficult; however, he could focus on these emotions once the task was completed; he only hoped that moment came sooner rather than later...

"Guys, let's attempt to get some sleep. I know it's still early, but I'm fatigued." James stated, knowing they still had a long road ahead of them and that a good night's sleep would assist them enormously after everything that had transpired today.

Nora sniffled, her eyes still slightly watery, before saying, "You're correct. I only have one spare bedroom, but you're all welcome to spend the night. After everything you've done, the least I can do is provide you with a place to sleep."

"Thank you so much, Nora. We sincerely appreciate it," Serena replied, as she, like everyone else, wanted nothing more than to sleep.

"You're welcome to stay for the night as well so you don't have to go all the way back to Pewter," Nora said to her sister. We can share my bed like we did when we were youngsters."

Pamela smiled and nodded to her sister, "I'll take you up on that sis, thank you." But I must depart for a short time. "I'll have someone take care of all the funeral arrangements." She then turned her focus to the rest of the group. "I'll have someone take care of all the funeral preparations." We'll attempt to hold the service at noon. There is just one graveyard in Viridian, so it shouldn't be too difficult to locate. I'll also make sure to inform others. Hopefully, some individuals from the hospital or from the surrounding area will stop by. I hope to see you all there."

Without becoming too depressed by their lost friend's memory, the group nodded in understanding and showed their gratitude before Pamela left.

"Well, I'm going to go to my room and attempt to sleep." I apologize for not having enough room for everyone. However, there are a few extra blankets and pillows in the closet over there. "I hope you're all comfortable enough," Nora said, motioning to the hall closet.

"It's no issue, Nora," Ash said with a smile. Thank you for providing us with a place to sleep for the night. We sincerely appreciate it."

Nora reciprocated the little smile and turned to enter her room, leaving Ash to open the door to the guest room. He peered in and turned on the light, checking out what the place had to offer. After a few moments, he turned around and faced his buddies again.

"All right, so there's only one bed. "Dawn, May, Serena, and Misty, it's a queen size bed, so three or four of you should be able to sleep peacefully on it." Ash informed his companions. And someone will have to take the floor. I just assumed you'd want to stick together."

All four females nodded and smiled at Ash, but one of their minds and the other three's subconsciouses were racing with ideas.

"OK, so that means the rest of us are-" Ash turned to face the others.

"Ummm...Ash?

Dawn's lovely voice cut the trainer short, and Ash turned toward her, observing the slightly terrified look on her face. "Do you think you could...sleep with us? I'm referring to the guest room. I...we'd just feel a lot safer if you were there."

The other girls nodded in agreement when they heard Dawn's remarks; they were all strong girls in their own way, but having Ash beside them would just make them feel a lot safer after what had occurred tonight.

"Of course," Ash said softly, nodding at the girls. I'd be delighted to."

For the first time in a long time, Ash's thoughts returned to what Misty had told him just a few days before. The day this all began. How May, Dawn, and Serena all had strong feelings for him. How they were in love with him.

Looking back, he wasn't sure why it surprised him so much when Misty told him. Despite being somewhat 'dense,' he'd still managed to pick up on a few hints from Misty, May, Serena, and Dawn over the time they traveled together, and obviously, May and Serena had kissed him. While all of this pointed to the fact that the girls had feelings for him, he still had no idea how deep those feelings ran.

He couldn't dispute that it felt nice to be so cared for, but there were a lot of issues that came with this circumstance. For one thing, Misty was correct.

Someone was going to get hurt if he wasn't careful, and his heart wrenched just thinking about any of the girls being upset, but he knew he couldn't ignore it forever, and when things calmed down, he knew he'd have to face it, plus there was still the problem of how he felt.

The one thing he was certain of was that he cared deeply about all three of them, and the more he thought about it, the more he realized that his feelings for the girls had to be deeper than that of just normal friends. His kiss with May. His kiss with Serena. His relationship with Misty. He'd found himself admiring Dawn's amazing qualities, and he'd be lying if he said he'd never thought of her as more than a friend.

Ash had just grown to despise having time to think, as he now had to worry about not only physical agony but also mental pain happening to individuals he cared about.

"This isn't the time," Ash told himself. He had no idea what to do about it. He knew he would have to confront it sooner or later, but that time wasn't now. For now, he would just care for them all. He would be there for them. He would keep them near.

Keep an eye on them.

After a while, most people had decided where they were going to sleep, with blankets, sleeping bags, and pillows strewn across the floor in both the living room and the guest bedroom.

Despite being exhausted, four women and one man had forgotten that laying silent in the darkness was a perfect place to let your thoughts consume you, which plagued everyone currently laying in the guest room. May and Dawn occupied the bed, as the two knew each other the best, while Ash lay on the floor on the side of the bed closest to the door and Serena and Ash lay on the floor on the side of the bed closest to the door and Serena and Ash

The four girls were all thinking the same thing: Ash had lost control for the second time, and Dawn was the only one who'd said anything to Ash, but the others didn't know.

The dark-haired girl wasn't afraid of Ash. Not at all. But she was afraid of what he could have to do in the future. She was more concerned about her friends...how they were taking this. She could tell by the looks on their faces that they were thinking about it. She didn't know how she knew.

And Dawn was correct. Seeing Ash choke that man almost to death was terrible. It was evident that Ash was loyal to his word, that he would do everything to defend them, but they couldn't see that at the time. All they could see was how Ash had gone dark...

The three girls knew he would never injure them, but like Dawn, they didn't like seeing this side of him, and they couldn't deny that they were little terrified of him. They hated themselves for it, knowing how silly it was, but one of them in particular thought that he needed to know that...

"Ash...?" May began by sitting up and gazing over the bed to the side Ash was on, as well as turning on the bedside lamp just above her head. Seeing the man in question sit up and stare at her, she said, "There's something I need to say, and I don't want you to be furious, okay?"

Misty and Serena were unsure what May was going to say next, but Dawn had an idea.

Dawn was about to say something, hoping to stop May from saying what she knew she was going to say, but May beat her to it. She'd seen how hurt Ash was when she'd brought it up the first time, and even though she wasn't exactly thrilled with what was going on, she knew Ash was so emotional, so relentless because he cared so much for them.

"About what happened today..." May was unusually shy, which Ash noticed, and he became concerned. "Ash...you did it again. You lost control and nearly murdered the man."

Even in the dim light of the room, it was evident that Ash's face darkened and his eyes shifted to the ground in response to her comments.

Each of the females was noticeably saddened when they saw his reaction; this was obviously a difficult subject, but all four felt that they needed to know what they were thinking, that they wanted to get this off their chests.

Dawn could only sit in silence as she watched the scene unfold in front of her. She hated that they were bringing it up, but if they didn't tell Ash what they were feeling, it would fester until it potentially turned into something ugly. Plus, she was concerned for him, and maybe this would help...? She wasn't sure, but her mind was just as jumbled as the others'.

"Ash...this is the second time you've gone postal...I-we simply..." May hesitated, unsure how to go, having soon learned that the girls around her shared her feelings.

"You're afraid of me, aren't you?" Ash's voice betrayed his pain and small contempt.

No one said anything, but Ash could see the fear on everyone's faces as he looked around the room. At that moment, Ash could only focus on the fact that he did what he did for them, and this thought served to add a bit of anger to the list of emotions he was currently feeling, at least that was how his mind was trying to rationalize it...

Ash's attention then returned to Dawn. He'd discussed it with her before, and she'd promised she wouldn't be afraid of him. He believed she knew what he might have to do to defend them.

"How about you, Dawn?" You promised me..." Ash began, his voice so full of anguish that it broke the dark haired girl's heart, as it did everyone else's, but they still thought this needed to be discussed, and the others were also slightly perplexed because they hadn't heard the two's previous chat.

Dawn swiftly shook her head, unable to bear seeing him in such pain. "No, Ash. I'll never be afraid of you. You've repeatedly demonstrated that all you want to do is protect me. But..." Dawn didn't want to finish, but she thought telling her friends what she was going to do would help them realize that their sentiments, their anxiety, were utterly incorrect. "But I'm afraid of what you might have to do." That you may have to pollute your soul to do what you believe is essential to defend us."

"I was terrified when you beat up James. I'm sure we were all. There was no necessity for you to maintain that choking hold for as long as you did; we're just...concerned. "Scared..." May continued, unsure of what she was saying; her mouth seemed to move on its own at this point, something that happened to May when she grew overwhelmed.

Ash's sole reply was a stony expression, but the females knew otherwise.

"Do you feel the same way?" He addressed Serena and Misty, who were conflicted after seeing how much Ash had been injured, and after hearing what Dawn had said, they were beginning to realize that their sentiments were far from grounded in reality, and they weren't sure whether they could go on. If you've got anything to say, say it."

"Ash...we're just concerned." And what you did...it worried us." Serena spoke for both of them, with Misty nodding in agreement, realizing that they were only scared of his behavior, not him, but their brains couldn't seem to explain that appropriately.

Ash's gaze remained on the two ladies for a few moments before nodding, his face impassive; he then proceeded to rise up, retaining the girls' full attention; they could tell he was feeling a variety of emotions at the time: hurt, sadness, frustration, and...anger.

Ash sighed and moved his gaze away from the group of women, muttering something under his breath.

"What are you doing, Ash?" What exactly did you say...? " Misty inquired nervously, growing increasingly annoyed that May had brought this topic at all.

"I said...You guys are naive," Ash remarked, taking a long breath before returning his gaze to his companion.

Dawn was quickly understood, Misty and Serena were little bewildered, and May felt a touch of rage rise up within her; her short temper, while better than it used to be, still reared its ugly head every now and then.

"Then why don't you clarify what you mean, wise one?" May asked, her voice sarcastic.

Ash shifted his gaze to the brunette, then back to the others before shaking his head.

"You act as if you weren't aware of what happened today. Someone died in front of us. We seen firsthand what Team Rocket is capable of! "Realizing he'd mistakenly raised his voice, allowing his irritation to take hold of him, he took a deep breath and steadied himself. "Look...this is more serious than anything we've ever gone through. I'm no longer willing to take any chances. I simply cannot afford it."

He decided to continue after seeing no one speak in the short amount of time he offered them to respond. "If I wasn't worth more to them alive than dead, they would've killed me without a second thought." Then they would have slaughtered you all."

"...We understand that, but-" May began, and everyone wished she would just shut up. They quickly recognized that Ash was correct, and despite the fact that he had slightly lost it back then, everything he was saying was accurate.

"There are no buts, May!" If I don't accomplish what needs to be done, we'll all perish! It irritates me. I regret what I did. I detest that I almost murdered that man, and I'm terrified that I did. But I simply don't understand..." Ash stopped off, his gaze falling to the floor, his tone softening.

"After all I've done for you...after saving each of your lives so many times...What I don't understand is how any of you can be afraid of me..." Seeing his sadness made all the anger leave May and tears well up in Dawn, Serena, and Misty's eyes. They hated seeing him in pain, and this time it seemed that they were the ones who'd caused it.

"I've spent my entire life protecting those I love, and I love you guys more than anything!" Hearing that you're...afraid of me...after everything I've said and done...the it's worst thing you could've said."

With that, Ash turned around and exited the room, accidently slamming the door behind him, leaving four stunned, apologetic girls behind.

They didn't mean to hurt him. That was the last thing any of them wanted to do. And they realized now that they had never been afraid of Ash. They simply didn't fully comprehend everything that was going on. Their minds were so jumbled from the events of the previous few days, that only nonsense seemed to spew from their mouths. After all, it was a lot to take in all at once.

Dawn had recovered fast, knowing she had to say something, and the room was utterly silent for a few minutes while the girls silently cried.

"He's right, you know," everyone said as they wiped away their tears. "About being naive." Everything he mentioned is entirely accurate."

"I know," Misty said, nodding her head. I'm so foolish... People are perishing. We'll probably have to go there sooner or later. Even if it didn't have to happen today...nearly it's unavoidable."

"I realize Ash is worried now," Serena said. "He's so afraid of losing us that he's willing to contaminate his soul." To do whatever it takes." Serena looked to be talking to herself, as if she'd just grasped the significance of what she was saying.

"Why did I have to bring it up, Arceus?"

"May berated herself; she'd just terribly damaged her best friend because she was experiencing something completely wrong.

"May, it's not your fault. Nobody is to blame. You needed to express your emotions or it would have been far worse when you ultimately hit a breaking point. I performed the same thing just before we left the lab a few days ago. "I recognized then what you have now."

"We hurt him so severely..." Misty murmured, her gorgeous blue eyes welling up with tears, and Serena and May weren't far behind.

"We have to go apologize," Serena said, getting up from the floor, only to be halted by Dawn's voice.

"No, we should stay here and wait." Ash will return soon. You already know how he is. He needs some time to contemplate, and then he'll return. Hell, he'll probably try to apologize to us." Dawn said with a faint, forced laugh.

The other girls forced a grin, knowing Dawn was correct. That was simply who Ash was. They wouldn't be able to sleep until Ash understood how sorry they were, so they just gazed at the door and waited, hoping to Arceus that Ash would be okay.

---

Ash walked out of the guest bedroom, his irritation and rage returning. He marched past the living room and into the bathroom, turning on the light and standing in front of the sink, peering in the mirror. Hearing for the second time that the people he loved about the most in the world were terrified of him cut him profoundly.

Having said that, he could see where they were coming from...

He didn't need to hold the choke for as long as he did because the man was already unconscious. He would have killed that man if he hadn't been taken off of him. Whatever the man had done, it was not a situation in which Ash would have needed to kill, but he almost did. He'd nearly sullied his soul when he didn't have to.

He'd been looking at himself in the mirror and hadn't realized he'd been breathing heavily. He put his palm to his face, feeling tears slide down his cheeks he hadn't realized he'd been sobbing. To help calm his breathing, he turned on the coldest faucet he could find and lowered his head to spray water into his face.

"Are you all right?"

Ash was taken aback by the voice. When he turned to face the door, he saw Brock, James, and Paul standing in the doorway. It had been James who had spoken.

He still hadn't gotten his breathing under control, and Ash's expression frightened his three companions greatly.

"What are you people up to?" Ash inquired, attempting but failing to conceal the anguish in his voice. His pals observed right away that he didn't even acknowledge what James had asked.

"You slammed the door when you left the bedroom," Paul said as he stepped into the larger-than-average bathroom to make more room for everyone. You know how loud it was?"

"I'm sorry, I-" Ash closed his eyes and groaned.

"Don't be concerned. Now respond to the inquiry, "What's wrong?" Paul interrupted his pal and spoke firmly.

Ash didn't know why, but he felt compelled to overcome this obstacle on his own, despite the fact that he knew it was false. And witnessing his friends' harsh expressions made him realize how much they wanted to help him. And if he'd learnt anything in the previous several days, it was that expressing your ideas and feelings was the only way to overcome them.

While the encounter with the girls had had a profound impact on him, something else had pushed itself to the forefront of his mind.

"It's about today..." Ash said, sighing.

"Ash, I know you're taking Rose's loss hard, we all ar-" James jumped in right away, assuming he understood what this was about.

"No, James. That's not it. It all comes down to that man, their leader." Ash spoke quietly, his gaze drawn to the sink.

Brock sighed, realizing what was going on...

"I knew Ash, he almost died. That almost happened... I'm sure that was a spur of the moment decision. That's not your personality, Ash."

As thoughts raced through Ash's mind, he tightened his jaw a few times. He quickly turned to face his friends again, tears welling up in his eyes.

"I'm not sure about that, Brock. "I'm not sure anymore..." Ash spoke sadly, almost fearfully.

"If you want us to help you, Ash, you need to tell us what you're talking about." "What exactly do you mean?" Paul inquired. Brock appeared to have a wonderful concept, but the other two found it difficult to understand everything that was going on in their friend's head.

"I'm not angry because I nearly killed him." Ash's directness made James choke. Brock and Paul just stared at each other. Ash hurriedly looked in the mirror again, then returned his attention to his friends. "I really wanted to, Paul." I wanted to murder that dude. To hold him accountable for what he did..."

The three men's breathing became labored as they let Ash's words to wash over them. They couldn't take their gaze away from the man in front of them as he returned to the mirror, his hand supporting himself on the sink.

"I was so upset at what he'd done that I almost murdered him because I couldn't contain myself." Keep my rage under control. Whatever he did, I was certain that I would never take a life until absolutely necessary, and yet I almost did. What does that tell you about me? "What exactly does that make me?" Ash finished speaking and turned to face his friends. His voice was full of contradictory feelings, as tears streamed down his cheeks.

Brock, Paul, and James were at a loss for words. This revelation shocked them to their cores, and they were too astonished to think of anything to say.

Ash returned his gaze to his friends.

"You know, the females said they were terrified of me...

Dawn told me a few days ago, and the others simply informed me in there." Ash gestured his way out of the bathroom. "That hurt so much..."

"... But how can I blame them when I'm scared of myself?" As he spoke, Ash's voice broke. Brock dashed forward and embraced his brother.

"Brock, I'm a monster." I've got a monster inside of me. "I can sense it." Ash wept. All James and Paul could do was sit and cry.

"Ash, pay attention." Brock spoke out, moving away from his pals to look him in the eyes. "You are not a beast. Except for a pure heart, you have nothing inside of you. Did you forget you were descended from the aura guardian bloodline? You couldn't be an aura guardian unless you had a pure heart."

"How did I nearly murder him, Brock?" How?!" Ash inquired, frustrated.

"You said it yourself, Ash: you'd do everything to protect us and them. You reasoned in your mind that maybe, just maybe, the man didn't deserve a second chance. But, at the last second, you recognized he was no longer a threat. That he would never be able to damage the people you care about again." Brock reacted angrily.

"I didn't give up, Brock! Not until Nora yanked me away!" Ash yelled back, oblivious to the fact that everyone was sleeping in the next room over.

"So you're saying you couldn't have outmuscled me, Nora?"

...Ash, you've outmatched both me and Brock. If you didn't genuinely want to let go, you wouldn't have." This time, it was Paul who spoke, drawing Ash's attention.

What he'd said was the first thing Ash remembered.

His thoughts were muddled. On the one hand, Ash was furious at himself. He had just said he would be stronger, and now he was breaking down again. But he reasoned that this couldn't happen until he got whatever he was dealing with out in the open.

But the vast majority of his thoughts were about himself. He was scared of himself. What he nearly did. His lack of regret for what he was about to do. Up until the moment where Paul mentioned being able to finish the task if he wanted to, not a single word had entered his mind. But what Paul had said was correct.

He vividly remembered that occasion. He was furious, but the moment Jenny clasped his hand, the rage began to fade. And he kept it well hidden, but he was shocked at what he'd almost done. While he was terrified of what he was about to do, he knew he would have felt no guilt for killing that man.

Brock realized he needed to strike while the iron was hot; progress was finally being made. Brock quickly approached Ash until they were standing side by side, each staring into the mirror. Ash's face was etched with an expression of intense turmoil. In the mirror, Brock caught his brother's eyes.

"Ash, you're not a monster." Brock began gently. "You're as far away from it as you can get." You're courageous. You are a true hero. You're willing to do things that no one else will, but you also know when to say no. "You did pause."

Brock yanked on Ash's shoulder, pushing him to turn around. "You're not a murderer, Ash. You're a defender. You're a keeper."

"He's correct, Ash. Nobody is afraid of you; they just don't understand what's going on. It's hard to blame them; this is a lot to take in. Furthermore, if they were truly terrified of you, they would not have requested you to sleep in the same room with them." James elaborated. His remarks only partially alleviated Ash's thoughts on the subject at hand. This was something he needed to discuss with the girls again later.

Ash's mood was lifted by his friend's words. He needed these words of comfort more than anything else right now. He honestly believed he was a monster. Everyone felt he was a monster.

He'd realized not long ago that he could have to take someone's life at some time during this voyage. Everyone had to be ready for it. He didn't like it, but if it came down to a life or death decision, he'd choose life every time, no matter what. He only hoped that in the future, he would be able to decide when lethal force would be necessary...

"Thank you very much." Ash gave his friends a genuine smile. "Just...hearing that the people I care about the most in the world were thinking like that...that they were terrified of me made me wonder what type of person I am." If I was truly a monster. But you guys assisted me in breaking through. The final impediment in my midsection that needed to be removed in order for me to be the best I could be. Thank you very much."

His friends returned his smile, nodding in agreement with his statements. No one acknowledged that he'd spoken 'love'; they knew he loved them all, mostly as a family, but they weren't sure how he felt about the girls. However, it appeared to be just...more.

"Come on, come on. We should get some rest because we have a long road ahead of us." Paul said as he started to leave the bathroom. The others instantly followed him out.

As they walked away, they observed Nora, Max, Tracey, and Meowth were all fully awake and seemed to be listening. Ash couldn't blame them; he'd been ridiculously loud. He was starting to feel guilty about it.

Ash gazed at the four persons in front of him, his expression filled with regret. "I apologize for waking you up. And, um...how much precisely did you hear?"

He wasn't attempting to be covert; he was simply inquisitive about what they knew. If they'd heard anything, he'd have to explain himself. If they had heard everything, he would have saved a lot of time.

"Enough to know what you're going through." And it's all right, Ash. We'll get some sleep soon." Nora spoke up, resting her hand on the man's shoulder. "I apologize for your feelings, but Brock is correct. You have a good heart. That much I am certain of. You are not a monster."

Ash smiled and nodded his head in acknowledgement.

Seeing a pause, Max decided to inform Ash, "Ash, the females were also here." "Everything was heard."

Ash sighed when he heard this. He knew what he'd said had undoubtedly caused the women a lot of sorrow. He'd also been yelling at them. Even though he was only trying to make them understand, he couldn't deny that anger played a factor in what he said and how he spoke to them. He was deeply sorry for what he'd said and done now that he'd moved on.

Ash gave the younger lad a nod. "Many thanks, Max." He then returned his attention to everyone else. "You two should go back to sleep." I'm heading back to the guest room, hoping the girls are still awake."

With that, Ash turned around and walked back toward the guest bedroom. He came to a halt when he approached the door. He opened the door after taking a big breath.

He wasn't sure what he expected to see behind the closed door. Ash was so saddened by the girls' statements that he couldn't see the expressions on their faces. If he had, he would have known what to expect as he walked through that door.

Even after he'd shut the door behind him, the girls hadn't looked at him; it was evident they were buried in their thoughts.

"I'm very sorry." After a few moments, Ash exited.

The girls snapped out of their stupors and turned to face Ash, their guilty expressions growing more prominent as they did so. Their faces were sad, and tears streamed down their cheeks.

Ash was extremely hurt by seeing them in this state. He felt accountable.

"Oh, Ash..." Misty said something. Her voice was apologetic, as expected, but also concerned.

"There is nothing for which you should apologize." Serena began. "This time, we're the ones to blame."

"Ash, we had no right to bring it up. We should have recognized that was already having an effect on you. We've only made matters worse. We sincerely apologize." This time, it was May who spoke.

"Ash, none of us is afraid of you. I realized it a few days ago, and they do now. We know you would never injure us after everything you've done for us, after nearly dying to defend us. We're merely worried about you. We genuinely care about you." Dawn elaborated. Someone had finally figured out what the females were thinking.

"Please don't apologize, you've done nothing wrong," Ash said, nodding. You were perfectly entitled to your feelings, but I'm delighted you learned that everything I do is for you. You and the others are my life. I would go to any length for you."

Misty, May, Dawn, and Serena's hearts softened as they heard Ash's words. They can't believe how dumb they've been. They were simply so overwhelmed that their thinking became erratic.

"You are exactly correct in every way. We were being gullible. And I can't believe our stupidity caused you so much sorrow. Caused you to believe you were a monster." Serena expressed her sadness.

"I apologize for causing you anguish by starting the dialogue." I sincerely apologize. I hope you accept my apologies since I would be unable to live if you were disappointed in me." May apologized profusely.

"I couldn't live with myself if you believed I didn't entirely trust you." That you thought you weren't the most important thing in my life. You shouldn't have to suffer because of me. From our end. I just want you to know how much I care about you." Misty murmured softly, her words striking Ash's heart in the same way Serena's did.

"Ash...you are the furthest thing from a monster." You are a true hero. A defender. And the most significant figure in my life. In every aspect of our lives. We're terrified for you. I'm not sure what I'd do without you... I'm not sure any of us would be able to continue..." Dawn mentioned this. Regardless of how May and Serena felt about Ash, the dark-haired girl knew something needed to be said. To make the man she loved happy. Making him feel loved once more.

"You mean everything to me. And I'll be eternally grateful for having you all in my life. That I was fortunate enough to meet everyone of you. I forgive you even though I don't believe you have anything to apologize for. I'm glad you can finally see that everything I do is to make you as happy and safe as possible." Ash smiled as he concluded his remarks.

He recognized his feelings for Misty, May, Dawn, and Serena at this point. He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed it sooner...

It was true love.

He cared so much about them that it couldn't be anything less. The word love didn't seem to do his feelings credit. Of course, this revelation brought up another issue, but he could deal with that later. For the time being, he just wanted to bask in the joy that the girls had provided him.

Misty and the other women jumped out of bed and hugged Ash as close as they could. It took minutes for them to finally separate. Before they understand how exhausted they are.

"How are you, Ash?" May began shyly, drawing everyone's attention. "Do you want to sleep on the bed tonight?"

"No, you and Dawn get the bed," Ash said puzzledly to the brunette. We made that decision before. After all, you two need a decent night's sleep."

"No, Ash, I don't think she means that..." Misty stated, smirking and blushing.

Ash gazed at the redhead, perplexed. He then switched his gaze to May, Dawn, and Serena, who were all flushed pink and smiling down at the floor with little, optimistic smiles.

"Yeah... What I meant was, would you...you know...sleep...with us...?" asked May. May spoke quietly. She desired nothing more than to spend the night cuddling up to the man she adored the most.

Ash thought to himself before registering what she had said that her voice was adorable in this way.

His eyes widened in amazement as he comprehended what had just been demanded of him. Because there were other individuals around, she couldn't have meant it sexually. So she, and it appears that the other two, merely wanted to sleep near to him. His heart was pounding with excitement, especially after realizing what he'd just discovered, but he was also extremely humiliated. He wasn't sure if this was a good idea.

"But isn't it just the bed-"

"It's a lot bigger than it appears!" Dawn talked so swiftly that people around her were taken aback. She reddened even more and lowered her head when she realized this.

At this time, Ash was at a loss for words. He wanted it so badly because he knew how comfortable he would feel resting in their embrace, but he was torn.

Misty took a deep breath and steeled herself as she noticed the turmoil on his face. She took a step forward, catching Ash's attention.

"Please, Ash. We simply want to be near you..." Misty spoke out, her voice remarkably calm.

Ash caved after seeing how strongly the four wanted it. He simply felt wonderfully cherished. "O-Okay..."

The girls' faces brightened up when they heard Ash's response.

Ash got into bed. He wasn't sure how this was going to work with four of them, but he decided to just go with whatever they decided.

Serena walked in from the left side of the bed and grasped Ash's arm, hugging it close as her head lay on his shoulder. May did the same thing, but from the other side. His arm was right up against their breasts, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little excited; he'd have to exercise extreme restraint on this night.

With two of the three girls in place, Ash began to worry how Dawn and Misty would fit. They, like May and Serena, longed to cuddle with him, but she wasn't sure how. She had an idea after a few moments of thought. A daring one at that...

Ash stood at the foot of the bed, watching her approach him. Ash simply stood there, wondering what she was doing, as the lovely dark-haired girl made her move. She climbed up the bed till she was on top of Ash, her head reaching his chest level before coming to a halt.

Dawn raised her head to meet Ash's gaze, blushed scarlet with embarrassment but smiling mischievously, "Is this okay, Ash? Am I not too heavy?"

Ash was too surprised to respond right away, but he snapped out of it as quickly as he could before laughing himself. "Certainly not. As long as you're at ease."

Misty considered sacrificing her need to be close to Ash, but she opted against it since she understood life was short and she knew she would be happier resting on Ash than surrendering her need to be close to Ash because she was only human, unless the three girls disagreed. "I'd like to lay on Ash as well, but that would be uncomfortable, Would you mind if I did?" Misty said to Dawn.

May gave a mocking smirk. "You act like a friend to us three while assisting us with our sentiments, and one day you will try to take Ash away from us three by virtue of your good character, nay, lay on Ash with Dawn."

Dawn immediately realized what was going on and remarked, "You had an opportunity to take all of Ash for yourself, but you didn't because as apparent to us all, you confessed to Ash before us all and still helped us. Because of your deeds and thoughts, you deserve to be with Ash more than we do. I'll offer you a place to sleep."

Misty then observed Dawn partially move herself and made her way. The stunning redhead then moved up the bed till she was on top of Ash, close to Dawn, with her head next to Ash's head, and then she stopped.

"Believe me, I've never felt more at ease in my life." Misty, May, and Serena all hummed in accord as Dawn stated gently. Serena leaned down and drew the huge comforter up higher, covering them to just below their chests.

The weariness of the day had finally overtaken them. "Goodnight," Ash said as his eyelids grew too heavy to keep open.

Everyone said goodnight to him before he added one last thing, but only in his imagination.

"I love you."