Last Chapter
When the door opened and Ash walked out, he was about to knock. In an instant, Ash's blood began to boil. The man had clearly aged since he had last seen him, but he could've sworn he had aged rather... gracefully. The man narrowed his eyes at Blake, as if planning his next move. However, the moment he saw his companion, his eyes lit up as if he was seeing colour for the first time.
"I've always wondered if you'd return, pleading for forgiveness." Ash resisted the urge to sock that man's smirk away. "Gary! It's great to see you again, my boy!"
Gary closed the gap between them and hugged his grandfather, wrapping his arms around the elderly man. He also put some effort into it, making sure it appeared completely genuine. "It's nice to see you, Gramps."
"Yes, indeed!" The professor let go of his partner and looked at him with interest. "I'm sure I haven't met you before... wait... have we?" Ash bit his lower lip from beneath his hat. "No… I know we've never met before. You would undoubtedly recall me." The professor cocked his head to the side, his calculating gaze returning.
"Who... what are you?" The older gentleman inquired.
Gary smiled. "Gramps, are you sure? I'm surprised you don't recognise him." The Professor exchanged glances between the two before Ash decided to call it quits. "My name is Blake, and I am the Paldea region's Champion."
In surprise, the Professor's eyes widened. It was genuine, and it was clear that the Professor had no idea he was speaking to Blake. He opened his mouth to speak, but he didn't seem to be able to form coherent words. He did, however, eventually find his voice. "I... I... I-I SAY! Meeting such a legendary trainer is a true honour! Your success has reached all the way out here in Kanto!"
Ash shook his head, fully immersed in Blake mode. "Please, the honour is entirely mine.' Meeting Professor Oak in person is a true honour! The Pokedex's creator! The greatest Pokémon researcher to ever grace the regions' grounds! Many people would give anything to be in my shoes right now, and I had the great fortune to meet your Grandson back in Paldea!"
Gary's eyes widened as the Professor seemed to praise him. "Is that correct? This is a conversation I'm looking forward to having! What brought you two together? I have a lot of questions! But, now that I think about it, such an important conversation would be inappropriate out here!"
He returned his attention to Gary. "Please, please, please come in! We must have a pleasant conversation!" Gary followed his grandfather inside, while Ash, for some reason, trailed behind him. The Professor sat down in front of his couch and television, and the two men followed suit. Oak began with zeal. "So there! Let's hear it for it! How did you two end up acquitted with each other in Paldea?"
Blake started with a small grin. "First and foremost, do you know what it is that we, as champions, must do?"
Oak scowled. "No, I'm not aware of any specifics."
Blake explained everything as simply as he could. "So, in addition to my duties as a champion, I make myself available to the public when resolving issues. I take pride in being able to assist my people in any way I can. This includes resolving disputes, criminals, gangs, disappearances, and murders, among other things. I always make time to try to help everyone I can. During the tournament, I received an anonymous tip that a person who had been thought to have died in a tragic accident had actually been murdered."
Oak's pupils dilated. "That is horrifying! Who would commit such a heinous crime?"
Blake gave a bitter nod. "I know. It's unbelievable that some people and Pokémon can be so cruel as to kill innocent people. But I suppose that is beside the point. What really perplexed me was that they wanted me to look into people associated with the victim rather than the crime itself. It was ridiculous, but as I previously stated, I try to make time for every tip I receive."
Gary went on to say. "So, the champions are all on break, as are all of the competitors, in order to rest, relax, and prepare for the sub-32 rounds. Blake saw me in a restaurant and remembered I was from Pallet Town, so he started asking me questions about it."
Oak extended his hand. "I must have overlooked something; what do you have to do with the murder Blake is investigating here?"
Blake gave a nod. "Ah yes! That's because the deceased person I'm looking into is named Ash Ketchum." Gary kept a close eye on his grandfather because Ash couldn't afford to look suspicious. While continuing, he maintained as casual an expression as possible. "I discovered that Ash Ketchum was regarded as a hero in Pallet Town, and that his death was mourned by his friends. However, I'm trying to learn the entire story because I believe I don't have it right now."
On the outside, Oak appeared to be keeping his cool. "I see... is that why you've come?"
Blake appeared perplexed. "Is that why I've come? As in, are you talking about here in this building or here in this town?"
Oak bit his lower lip for a few seconds before responding. "Both."
Ash resisted the urge to laugh. He pretended to be perplexed before pretending to understand. "Oh! No way, Mr. Oak! I'm simply here because I wanted to meet you before going to my target's house. And, in fact..." He got to his feet and looked at his wristwatch. "Anyway, it's about time I went out there. Gary, Professor, perhaps we'll see each other soon." He was about to leave when Professor Oak called out to him.
"Call me curious, but who is your intended target?"
Blake smirked, his back to the two Oaks.
"Delia Ketchum."
Present
Ash had always been curious about Professor Oak's secrets. He had a feeling that the old man was hiding something from him and the rest of the world. Something that had to do with his past, his research, and his connection to the legendary Pokémon. Ash had been waiting for a chance to sneak into his laboratory and find out the truth.
That chance came when Professor Oak had to leave for a conference in another region. He asked Ash to look after his space while he was gone, and gave him the access code to his security system. Ash agreed, pretending to be honored by the trust. But as soon as Oak was out of sight, he activated the security system and locked himself inside the laboratory.
He knew he had to act fast. He didn't know when Oak would be back, or if anyone else would come looking for him. He decided to split up his tasks between himself and his Pokémon. He had six of them with him: Sceptile, Greninja, Garchomp, Espeon, Haxorus and Pikachu. They were his most loyal and powerful companions, and he trusted them to help him with his mission.
He told them to search the laboratory for any clues or evidence that might reveal Oak's secrets. He instructed them to look for anything unusual or suspicious, such as hidden compartments, strange devices, or rare items. He also told them to be careful and not to damage anything. He didn't want to leave any traces of their intrusion.
While his Pokémon were busy exploring the laboratory, Ash headed straight for the main computer. It was a huge screen that covered most of the wall. It looked like it contained all of Oak's data and files. Ash hoped that it would also contain the answers he was looking for.
He approached the computer and saw that it required a handprint scan to access it. He smiled. He had prepared for this. He took out a small device from his backpack and placed it over the scanner. It was a handprint replicator that he had borrowed from one of his friends who was good at hacking. It could copy any handprint and use it to bypass any security system.
He pressed a button and waited for a few seconds. The device beeped and flashed a green light. It had successfully copied Oak's handprint from the scanner. Ash removed the device and placed his own hand on the scanner. The computer recognized it as Oak's handprint and unlocked itself.
Ash felt a surge of excitement as he saw the computer screen light up with various icons and folders. He quickly scanned them and looked for anything that might interest him. He ignored the ones that seemed boring or irrelevant, such as reports, papers, or emails. He focused on the ones that looked more promising, such as experiments, projects, or diaries.
He clicked on the diaries folder and saw that it required another handprint scan to open it. He repeated the same process with the device and got access to the folder. He smirked. This was too easy.
He opened the folder and saw that it contained hundreds of files with dates as their names. They were Oak's personal diaries that he had been writing since 1999. Ash was surprised by how long they went back. They covered almost his entire life span as he was born in May 20th, 2000.
He wondered what secrets they held. He decided to start from the beginning and work his way forward. He decided to click the first entry that piqued his interest.
April 20th, 2000
A young woman ran to Pallet Town and came to my lab. She looked like in a short while, she would give birth to a child. I talked with her and found out that she was a Team Rocket member who defected from Team Rocket.
What should I do? Is this a ploy? I had a spare house in Pallet Town which I let her stay in and told her that she could do some work and with that money, she could eventually buy the house and she smiled and agreed.
Ash found the entry to be interesting in saying that his mother's house previously belonged to Professor Oak. But there was no other important secret.
April 25th, 2000
The young woman, Delia, revealed that she was the partner of Giovanni and ran away without informing him. Now, I was concerned. Giovanni has a lot of power in Kanto and she who has Giovanni's heir, ran away from him.
Giovanni would definitely search for her. I had an argument with her and she started crying when I said that she did not do the right thing. She told me that she wanted the child to be away from Giovanni and so I should let her stay.
She requested me a lot and eventually I relented to her and allowed her to stay.
Ash found the entry to be contradicting what his mother said that she thought of him being dead more better than if he was alive.
May 2nd, 2000
Delia informed me that she wanted an abortion so that she does not give birth to Giovanni's heir. I told her that the child could live at this stage if she gives birth and the child has right to live even if it was Giovanni's heir.
She was sad and requested a lot for an abortion and I told her that she should have made her decision much earlier and the child can grow up to be a good person if the child was raised well. She then stopped requesting.
So Professor Oak was the one who saved him from being aborted by his mother. That matched what his mother revealed to him.
May 20th, 2000
Delia gave birth to her child under my supervision. Delia did say before that she hoped the child would die on birth, however, I made sure that the child was delivered properly. Delia did see the child and she cried as she knew that he reminded her of Giovanni.
She said the child is Giovanni's heir and it is sad that such a person is born in the world. I warned Delia not to kill the child and that I would surveil and find out what she does so that the child is alive and she nodded.
Ash realized that his mother did not want him just because he is Giovanni's child.
June 5th, 2000
Delia seemed to be adjusting to motherhood. She named the child Ash, after the ash from the trees that surrounded the lab. She still seemed distant from Ash, but I could see her starting to care for him.
I worry about what will happen if Giovanni finds out about the child. I must do everything in my power to protect Ash and Delia.
Professor Oak also helped him to stay away from a path of crime.
June 10th, 2000
Delia has been taking good care of the child, but she is still struggling with her decision. She asked me about adoption and I told her that it is possible. She said that she will think about it.
June 15th, 2000
I received a letter from Giovanni himself. He demanded that I return his child to him. I immediately went to Delia's house and informed her. She was terrified and begged me to protect the child.
I assured her that I will do everything in my power to keep the child safe. I will also increase security around the house and make sure no one can get in without our knowledge.
June 20th, 2000
The security measures seem to be working well. No one has attempted to enter the house. However, I received another letter from Giovanni, this time threatening me and my family.
I am deeply worried and have informed the authorities. They have promised to increase security in the area and investigate Giovanni's activities.
June 30th, 2000
I met Giovanni who saw me and he wanted to see the child. I allowed him on the condition that he does not kidnap the child and he agreed to the condition. Giovanni then saw Delia and the child.
Giovanni then said "The fruit does not fall from the tree." and said that he would take no action to kidnap the child but he was sure the child would join Team Rocket once he becomes a trainer. Delia then started to cry a lot on raising Giovanni's heir. I said that the child would stay away from Team Rocket due to the upbringing.
Giovanni then laughed and said "Try to do what you want, Delia hates him a lot, and he will come to father one day."
Ash realized that Giovanni supported him but it again showed that his mother disliked his birth. Ash saw a few entries later.
September 19th, 2008
I am the original Professor but I am getting jumped on by others. I am sad that I am not that famous now compared to other professors. Younger trainers do not want my original Pokedex and they want the newer high tech ones.
I am not short on money but some extra cash flow would not hurt.
August 30, 2010
Today is the day that Ash and Gary would get their first Pokemons. I am excited to see how they progress as Pokemon trainers. They both have a lot of potential and they are the future.
Giovanni might monitor Ash but I hope Ash does not willingly go to Giovanni.
February 14th, 2013
I got a strange offer from some man who was very tall.
In some ways, I can see this all starting to work out for me. Who knows, maybe one day I'll be able to compete with him. My 'Ambitions' of becoming a professor have been blinding me the entire time. I can see for myself what they're made of now.
April 3rd, 2013
I have been doing research on Ultra Beasts and Rainbow Gauntlet. It is important that Giovanni does not come to know about my research. I know I cannot fully trust Ash as he might be playing double agent.
It is for myself that I must protect this information from anyone, even my grandson, Gary.
July 17th, 2013
The boss was finally made aware of the Ultra Beasts as well as the Rainbow Gauntlet. I would like to know how. He doesn't seem to realise I've been aware for this long, bless my heart. They're planning some kind of operation. This could be disastrous, and I'm still in the dark about it. They're giving me last-minute updates on what's going on. I'm not going to be able to back out now.
What are their plans?
"Who are they?" remained the unanswered question. Ash would think about it and come up empty-handed. This was only raising more questions than it was answering.
November 12th, 2013
My strategy is coming together nicely. At this point, I can rule out the possibility of the boss betraying me. Otherwise, he'd have offed me by now. If that's the case, I can't even believe the risk he took for the operation.
For the time being, I must maintain a low profile and continue to contact my... er... Associates? Everything will be ready sooner or later. I just have to wait for the trap to spring. I'll delegate the search to the boss and prepare to tie up loose ends. But, to be honest, I'm not sure how long it will take.
It's time to pay some old friends a visit.
February 22nd, 2014
It should be finished soon. I met with the people I needed to talk to, and I was surprised at how quickly they did agree to the plan. Of course, I knew that not everyone would be so easily persuaded. It's critical that the boss never finds out about this. If that happens, he'll probably have my head.
I'm getting more and more nervous by the day here.
Could this be it? Ash bit his lower lip hard. He was well aware that he would soon return to Pallet Town, where the betrayal would take place. What was the following entry? It could tell the story he wished to see. He kept his mouth shut.
January 18th, 2018
The boss is about to make a move. We haven't had much interaction with Ultra Beasts in years, but the boss believes he has something. There are only a few catches. The most significant disadvantage is that it is not in Kanto or any of the big eight. The catch is that it is located in a relatively softer region known as the Paldea Region.
I'd never heard of it, but apparently it's a hotspot for ultra beasts. This is the first I've heard of it. Tracey never mentioned it, and his work never mentions it either. Very unusual, but the boss claims to have an insider on the job, and they sound quite confident. I'm glad I'm keeping an eye on this. For this operation, I'll be an eye in the sky. Hopefully, we'll have this under control in no time.
His gaze never strayed from the screen. Ash felt like he was going to puke, and his world began to crumble around him. "No… It's not possible... There's no way..." Ash mumbled softly.
January 20th, 2018
Our information was correct. Our troops only arrived a day ago, and we've already spotted an ultra beast. It was the most repulsive thing I'd ever seen. It possessed incredible power. I was measuring statistics and gathering as much information as I could from it. I also copied it to my home desktop in case of an emergency.
The boss was correct about this location; it is small but has a lot of potential. I believe we will set up shop in Paldea, and I intend to visit the site myself to see what we have in store. The Gauntlet must be present. It's the only explanation that makes sense.
What doesn't is why Tracey didn't notice it. There isn't a single mention of Paldea or anything having to do with the four islands. I double-checked and triple-checked his work. There isn't anything. Oh well, what matters now is that we find the Gauntlet and use it.
Ash carefully clicked the next page button. He held his breath as he clicked on the next entry. He began reading and felt chills run down his spine within seconds.
January 24th, 2018
Professor Samuel Oak here. The time now is 2:57 a.m. I've just returned to Kanto after spending a few days in Paldea. This could be my last transmission. People must be aware of the terror that exists in Paldea in the event that this message reaches someone in need. They need to be warned.
Everything has vanished. The soldiers, Pokémon, leadership, and plans. It's all gone now. We arrived in Paldea on time and set up camp, taking up the majority of the beachfront near Glaseado Mountain. We had all kinds of technology set up, as well as armies of Pokémon on standby. We were about to launch a full sweep of the Gauntlet, and nobody was going to stop us.
And all hell broke loose in an instant. I was in the research tent at the time. There were grunt screams and agonising cries from fallen Pokémon and humans alike. There were explosions all over the place. I dashed out into a blaze and was blown aside by a hail of boulders. I was thrown to the ground with a broken ankle. When I looked up, I saw an orange Pokémon with bright green eyes snarling at some of the nearby grunts. It appeared to be a dog or wolf of some kind. I started crawling away.
The next thing I knew, a whirlwind of sand had picked me up and tossed me to the waterfront like a ragdoll. My face was covered in soot and sand, and my usual lab coat was missing. My comrades' screams of pain and explosions could be heard. When I came to, I saw a single man walk out of the explosions like he was in a movie. He was dressed in a billowing black suit, almost as if he were an assassin. He was surrounded by a slew of his Pokémon and wore a large black hat that covered his eyes. One was a Heracross, and the other was a Sceptile, I believe. I'd never been so scared in my entire life.
A few grunts dragged my body onto the nearest raft, which was piled high with wounded bodies. They screamed for the boat to move, and as it did, I watched in horror as the Heracross attacked one of the grunts who had saved my life and broke his body in half with a single Megahorn. It sailed through the air before splashing into the nearby water. His body appeared, his mouth slightly ajar and his spine split in half. The Sceptile brutally murdered the other grunt with a single blade that ripped into her like a hot knife penetrating a piece of paper. Her body fell apart like a graham cracker.
I looked around, and after peering over the boat's walls, I noticed a dozen or so ships in full retreat, similar to my own. With one last glance back at the beachfront, which was smouldering with flames, decimated by explosions, and littered with human and Pokémon remains, I noticed the cloaked man standing there with his 'army' of Pokémon.
There couldn't possibly be more than twelve. A dozen-man army defeated a thousand-man army. That man had the potential to pursue us. He, however, did not. After meeting our air support and returning to our headquarters in Kalos, I began to wonder why he hadn't.
I received my response the following day.
I awoke to the horrifying sounds of flesh being ripped from the body. I got out of bed and reached for my crutches. I thought my time had come after one look into the corridor. The same Pokémon that had wreaked havoc on our entire attack the day before were now slaughtering everyone and everything inside the base. The surviving Pokémon wailed in agony, and the grunts' cries for mercy fell on deaf ears. The cloaked man reappeared at the end of the corridor, through the smoke.
It was at this point that I realised who this figure was: the Angel of Death.
I watched as administrators fought him valiantly down the corridor before being beheaded, cut in half, and thrown from the building. I could hear their gurgles as their lives were taken away one by one, their bodies falling to the floor like dominoes. There was no honour, no mercy, and there was no turning back. I locked the door and leapt from the window, knowing it was my only chance to avoid being slaughtered.
I survived the fall by some miracle. I knew the fall wouldn't be too bad, only three stories or so. It would have a good chance of taking anyone's life. I could feel agonising pain coming from my stomach; it didn't take a genius to figure out that I had broken ribs in addition to my already broken ankle. But I was still alive. It was a calculated risk. I stood up, stumbling and hobbling, my crutches long gone. I almost tripped over the grunts' bodies. There were a lot of them. Their eyes were wide open, body parts were missing, and blood was all over their clothes. As I stumbled, I noticed a barricaded bottom door and two figures standing guard.
They hadn't noticed me, bless their hearts. With all the bodies falling from the buildings, I'm guessing they assumed I was dead, too. I had little time to act because their backs were temporarily turned.
I made it to the treeline and thought I was safe, but something made me turn around. I heard a yell from someone I knew all too well. The man in charge. I peered around curiously through the trees. I was sorry I did. The next thing I knew, the loudest and most sickening noise I'd ever heard was piercing my eardrums. When a body landed on the concrete not ten feet away from me, I almost screamed in agony.
A man in a black trench coat approached. He was dressed in black shoes and black trousers. His hair was orange, and his eyes were blue. Because his eyes were wide with terror, I could tell they were blue. His body was flattened like a pancake, with blood all over it, and his head snapped all the way back, indicating a broken neck. His jaw was face-first in the asphalt, bent all the way back, and his teeth were shattered. His body was mangled to the point of resembling something out of a horror film.
It was my boss who called. Lysandre was there.
My boss had died. It was only then that I realised I was covered in his blood from head to toe. If his neck hadn't been snapped first, the force of the impact would have killed him instantly. I could only look up at the top of the building in agony, and I saw something I'll never forget.
The cloaked man appeared, accompanied by a Charizard. He was standing on the edge of the six-story building's roof, as if admiring his work. The building was on fire in every room, smoke filling the air along with the still audible cries of pain and the unmistakable smell of burning flesh.
I did the only thing I could think of: I ran.
Or, to be more precise, hobbled. It made perfect sense to me as I tried to flee; he had let us go the day before so he could track us down to our hiding place. The Angel of Death had killed about a half-thousand soldiers the day before in Paldea, and now he was back to finish what he started.
I fear I've enraged Arceus, and he's dispatched his Chosen One to annihilate us all for our crimes against the world. As I was making my way back to Kanto, I received word that someone had completely wiped out Team Flare. Every single member was allegedly slaughtered, and it was all because of an invasion they attempted on his region.
The Angel of Death. The woman at the coffee shop had no idea I was a member of the organisation, and the ankle injury was obviously lost on her, as it was on everyone else. What began a few days ago as an expedition or search for an item lost to history has resulted in the annihilation of my entire team, the group I've been working with for over five years now.
I now have no viable way of locating the Gauntlet, but, ironically, that is the least of my concerns.
The blood, the screams, the flying body parts... and the man in the cloak. It will follow me around every day until I die. I'm starting to wonder if those who died had it easy, because I'll always be terrified of the cloaked man. I'm Flare's last survivor. I'm the last one standing. Was I ever a true member? Even though Lysandre had trusted me for a few years, it never felt that way. I need to recover and restart. I can wait a few years before looking again, and when the time comes, I must be prepared.
Ash stared at the screen, completely disoriented in his body. He had feared it was not true, but it was. Professor Oak had been working with a group, but it wasn't Rocket as he had assumed; it was Flare. Not Giovanni, but Lysandre had approached him all those years ago. Lysandre, not Giovanni, was the boss? Professor Oak had no idea Blake was the man who slaughtered everyone on Team Flare?
To be honest, Ash had no idea Oak had visited the beach or the headquarters building. Ash was well-versed in the locations of their outposts and headquarters in Kalos. He did, after all, travel there. Ash had only been leader for a few months when the invasion began. He saw this as an opportunity, not an invasion. He took off with it.
But this was not the cold, calculated Blake of today. The Blake who defended those beaches was not frightening, but he was merciful. No, this was the Blake, who would vaporise anyone who got in his way or threatened his domain. This Blake would slaughter any man, woman, or Pokémon who dared to oppose him or his domain. Every single one of them would pay for it. He saw this as a test to prove that he was capable of not only leading but also defending his region.
Remember, Paldea was only used to the cretins known as Team Snagem, and they had no trouble dealing with them. When word spread that a group known as Team Flare planned to invade Paldea, panic ensued, and Ash knew he had to intervene before they could deploy their troops. He'd seen them in action in Kalos and knew he couldn't afford to waste time. So he went to the beach with nothing but his 13 Pokémon. He had given orders to his elites to simply ensure that no Pokémon made it to the roads, and that he would slaughter them all.
Flare clearly hadn't expected anyone to make a move, because he wiped a section of the base before anyone ordered an attack on him. It was too late by the time they were mobilising soldiers to fight. Ash gave his Pokémon the order to kill on sight. These were the scum of the earth, and they deserved to be treated as such. They determined that they had the authority to control legendary Pokémon as they saw fit. He'd be damned if he allowed them to corrupt his region.
Of course, he got in on the act as well. Using some of the high-tech weapons from Aether Paradise, which had yet to be linked to ALT City, Blake ensured that everything was burned to the ground and that no survivors remained on the island.
He didn't give them a chance to explain or defend themselves. Everything was gone in an hour. He'd watched as the survivors sped away, inevitably returning to their base to regroup, lick their wounds, and plot their next move.
That's when Ash would go on the attack. He was well aware that the Lumiose City Café base was nothing more than a fortress within the largest city. He had to tail them because the true HQ was somewhere else. And he did it. They hadn't been expecting him, and he mowed his way through the grunts there as well. With the exception of Malva, who was not on site at the time, the admins were eliminated.
He had brought Lysandre to the roof as well as brutally snapped his neck while he was mid-sentence, then promptly threw him off the building, a loud 'SPlAT' signalling the end of Flare's leader. And that was the end of it for him.
He had defeated the threat and was regarded as a hero. The Pokémon League was initially outraged by his actions, but when it was revealed that Team Flare was planning a massive invasion of Paldea and had already landed troops there, they understood Blake's predicament. In the end, he did not receive a single punishment. He retaliated after they threatened his region.
Diantha had been horribly embarrassed by the performance, not because of her region, but because of her image. Blake BL had publicly chastised the Kalos strike force for being so inept that they not only couldn't stop Flare on their own turf, but also allowed Flare to flee to Paldea and then made Blake clean up their mess. It was one of the reasons Ash disliked Diantha.
She seemed to have forgotten about the whole thing. He most emphatically had not. The screams and cries of pain began to haunt Ash as he transformed into a cold, calculating, but merciful leader. He'd taken so many lives, but it was all for a good cause, right? It was his duty to protect his people if he allowed them to invade!
And, until recently, he had finally put an end to the hauntings. He was afraid they'd return. For a moment, Ash held his head in his hands, taking in all of the new information he had just learned. He then clicked the 'Next' button to see the entries below. There were none to be seen, much to his surprise. Oak's final appearance was when Blake slaughtered his entire unit. The question was whether Oak was aware of Blake's old uniform. If that was the case, why hadn't he reacted differently when they spoke face to face? Was he really that talented as an actor?
Ash remembered something important after a few seconds of thought. He needed to look through Oak's financial records. He exited the entries section and went to his target, italicised as Bank Records. A small grin appeared on his face, and the slaughter of Team Flare was temporarily forgotten. Ash was ready to see Oak's total funds after just a few clicks. He grinned as a coloured wheel appeared on the computer screen and began to spin, indicating that it was loading.
He waited patiently for the system to load, making a mental note to check the Transcripts section of Oak's mainframe as well, as he wanted to see recent transactions the Professor had made.
The champion then heard a soft 'ding,' and Ash awaited his results with bated breath. When he saw the first few numbers appear, his smile grew bigger with each one. When no more numbers appeared, it faded. Ash frowned and muttered to himself. "What?"
When he refreshed the page, he was taken aback to see the same number appear on his screen once more.
Available monetary value: 70000 Pokedollars
Ash shook his head and leaned back in his chair. "No…" He immediately went to the transcripts section and began sifting through file after file, praying that it wasn't true. "It... it cannot be!" The more he looked, the more he felt a sense of dread weighing him down.
There was nothing on his Pokémon that stated where they'd been sold to, how much they'd sold for, and so on. But Ash knew that with Flare gone and all accounts frozen, Oak shouldn't have had that much money, but it was always more money than the computer told him. That meant there was a piece missing from the puzzle.
Why was Oak so poor if Flare was gone? As a world-renowned Pokémon Professor, Ash was well aware that Oak made a tidy profit every time it rolled around. However, there was no money, no trace of it, and no proof of anything. Like Delia, Ash didn't feel like he'd gained much true evidence outside of Diary entries, other than what they'd specifically told him.
And entries from three years ago. Ash was now 20 years old. Everything he had was a result of circumstance. He couldn't arrest Oak for the same reasons he couldn't arrest Malva. Knowing that he'd only gotten answers to questions he hadn't even asked was beyond frustrating. He wasn't sure if either person was to blame for the betrayal. Ash carefully snatched the flashdrive from the Professor's computer, leaving no trace of himself behind. He began to ponder what he knew about the betrayal up to that point.
Ash thought and realized that Professor Oak was likely not responsible for his supposed death but his mother was very suspicious. But what was the trigger that lead to his so-called friends betraying him and leading to his supposed death. He did not know that.
The small cave near the Pokémon Laboratory was deafeningly quiet. For a long time, it appeared that no one was even inside. That is, until a certain honey blonde teen burst out laughing when she realised what had happened to her.
Serena quickly realised she wasn't going to get out of his makeshift prison. A large green vine was wrapped around his body, and he was tied to a tree. She snarled a little and began to break her metaphorical chains. She tried to remember what had happened, but all he remembered was seeing a large purple blur and then nothing. She had just given Dawn the package she required, but that was about it.
It was strange because she had never liked dealing with Kanto, but here she was. She had high hopes for her future in Kanto and the world, but he appeared to be giving her a wake-up call for the time being.
"Release me! Who is responsible for this atrocity?" Serena yelled, only to be muffled by her captor, who stuffed a white handkerchief into her mouth.
"Well, it appears you haven't changed, which is unsurprising."
Serena's eyes bulged as she bore into her captors. She recognised him right away.
Paul smirked at the adolescent. "Hey there, honey blonde, I bet you never thought you'd see my mug again, huh?" Serena could feel her anxiety kick in full force. Paul carefully circled her, buying as much time as he could. He knew he just had to wait for his 'employer.' The honey blonde girl continued to stare around the tree, growing fearful of Paul. Serena began to speak in hushed tones, and Paul felt sorry for the adolescent. He took out the cloth to allow him to speak.
"Why are you in Kanto, Paul? That tournament is currently underway, and you have better things to do than risk your tournament vali—"
He was interrupted by the adolescent. "I can get around that, Serena. You think I forgot what you said? Think again." Serena could feel the dread building in her stomach, and his eyes shot to the ground instinctively, fear growing by the second.
Paul chuckled, repeatedly cracking his knuckles. "Man, I'm going to enjoy this beatdown," he grumbled as he leaned up against a nearby tree. "Too bad I won't be the one to give it to you," Serena said, her eyes returning to normal. "W-What?"
"You heard me. I'd say you lucked out, but that'd be a lie. I just didn't luck in. You're going to get beaten to a pulp, as long as I expect everything that's coming to you, ohhh and how it's deserved."
Serena's heart stopped beating for a split second. "Champion?"
"He did."
Serena looked behind Paul, and a silhouette emerged from the woods. She was dressed in a yellow vest. She was dressed in a dark grey undershirt and grey jeans. The temperature in the area began to rapidly drop as the woman approached, and fear began to grow in the honey blonde girl's mind.
"What is your name?"
The figure finished bringing him closer to Serena and looked down on the adolescent. After a brief pause, she spoke quietly. "Some refer to me as the most powerful trainer on the planet, while others refer to me as Misty."
Serena didn't bother trying to stop his gasp. "M-Misty?"
The adolescent nodded. "Yes, that's who I am. And the reason I'm here right now, rather than in Paldea, is because you... Serena Yvonne, have some questions to answer. You're going to answer them truthfully, because I can tell when someone isn't telling the truth, and if we need to get physical..." He motioned to Paul. "I'd be happy to let him have a few rounds with you."
That was more than enough to persuade me. Serena knew Paul was itching to retaliate for some disparaging remarks she'd made about his fighting abilities. "It appears that I may not be out of luck after all," Paul said, a carnal grin on his face.
"What do you want with me? I'm just a coordinator! Why would you travel the regions for my sake?" Serena mumbled.
Misty's crimson pupils constricted. "Because you're going to tell me everything you know about me and how you ruined my relationship with Ash Ketchum." Clearly, Serena wasn't expecting that. The girl's jaw dropped open, disbelief written all over his face. Serena got up and said, "Um, what did you just say?"
"I said..." Blake, the Paldea Champion, appeared and approached Serena. "Tell me about Misty Waterflower and how you ruined her relationship with Ash Ketchum."
The forest was deafeningly quiet. Ash's, Misty's, and Paul's Pokémon were all on patrol, making sure nothing or no one got in. There was nothing else heard or said other than the sound of leaves rustling in the wind. "OK, let's try that again."
Serena had no time to think as something struck her jaw. Paul had delivered a lethal right hook that would have sent her sprawling if it hadn't been for the vine holding her in place. She spit out the blood in her mouth before coughing up a good amount of pain.
"Can you tell me anything about Misty Waterflower and her relationship with Ash Ketchum?"
Serena mumbled. "I'm not sure what you want me to say! Y-Yes, I used to love Ash, but she was crazy for that kid! I didn't think with my brain, I thought with my... you know... private."
Ash scoffed contemptuously. "I don't need to hear that; why would you kiss her when you knew she had feelings for someone else?"
Serena became noticeably paler. "...Are you aware of that?"
Ash smirked, slightly tilting his head to one side, as if taunting him. "Oh my God... you know about it... but how?"
The teen with darker hair shrugged. "What did you expect from a regional champion? Now... answers."
Serena made a shaky motion with her head. "Look, man, I swear I don't want anything to do with this. Ketchum died years ago man, and... good riddance to him! He gave me nothing but tro—" The fist that connected with his jaw would've sent him sprawling if it hadn't been for the vine holding him in place. Paul laughed. "You still have the right hook."
The coordinator spit blood and gasped. "Fuck you, you son of a—" The same cross came the other way, and more blood flowed from his mouth. Serena felt a tooth jar come loose and then fall out completely. She was huffing loudly, trying to recover from the pain that was shooting through her body. To keep more blood from caking his hands, Paul wrapped a towel around his fingers and knuckles.
Serena screamed for air and struggled to break free. "Leave me alone! You champions are bullies—"
Misty shook her head dismissively. "Are you prepared to speak now?"
"Fuck... you."
Misty smiled from beneath his hat. "It appears to be your lucky day, Paul."
Serena was no better for wear after a few beatings. She yelled at her persecutors. "I can d-do this all day, Misty; your minion here has—" Paul delivered a right cross before laughing. "Perhaps the solution isn't from a human after all."
Misty's gaze drew dangerously close to Paul's, as if she was trying to communicate with him. Serena spit blood and grinned, her normally white teeth stained red. "I've been taken to the rocker before by Team Flare, and I could do it all day."
Serena turned Ash's initial concern from Paul into curiosity. "Team Flare, you say?" Misty chuckled. "How did that happen?"
Serena laughed. "I'm not talking, and why the hell do you want to know about Ash Ketchum in the first place? He died in a freak volcano accident; it was tragic," she drawled. Misty bit her lower lip and began pacing in a circle around Serena. He came to a complete stop right behind Serena after a brief moment of silence. The coordinator seemed unconcerned, as if expecting Ash to do something drastic.
Instead, Misty dug her thumb into Serena's neck, almost to the back of the body part. The green-haired man exclaimed, then looked at Misty, perplexed. "W-What are you up to?"
Misty shook her head. "Did you know there are over 300 pressure points on the human body? I believe it's over 350, but there's a point on the back of your neck that is great for this kind of thing, which many doctors don't know."
"Wait, what kind of thing?"
Misty leaned in and whispered something. "You know, the 'Stop fucking with me and give me what I need' thing."
Serena laughed. "Maybe you should go back to medical school, Misty, I'm not... feeling anything," she shuffled uncomfortably. Neither Paul nor Misty were unaffected. The latter motioned for Paul to approach and told him to take her place. Paul had the point locked down in a matter of minutes, and Serena could feel pain seeping into her body.
Misty started pacing, a small grin on her face. "You see, what you're feeling is the axnosial point. You don't need to apply too much pressure to it, but if you hold constant pressure on the point for long enough, the victim goes through several stages of agony. The first is pain, gradually rising up through the depths of your body until you can't call it just discomfort any longer. It eats away at your resistance until whatever fight you have left crumbles like a graham cracker."
Serena was squirming by this point; both had applied pressure for a few minutes. She was groaning softly as she attempted to right the ship. Misty took a few steps away from Serena, admiring the forest floor as if it were a mural. "The second stage is numbness. Because of where the point is, your neck becomes so... inflamed... overwhelmed that the nerves that connect with it begin to lose function. You won't be able to turn your head, because that function will be long gone."
The coordinator screamed in pain, now fully writhing against his shackles. Paul's grip remained firm. Misty turned and started walking slowly back to Serena's tree. "And then... Ms. Yvonne... the third and final stage of torment... is permanent scarring, which is said to occur if enough pressure is applied to the point..."
She smirked and leaned in. "It will paralyse the victim from the neck down for the rest of their lives, rendering the amount of damage irreversible and obviously unrepairable," Misty said quietly. "I'm guessing Flare didn't do that to you, hm?"
Serena locked her gaze on Misty, her eyes darting across her figure and sweat beading all over her body. She was gritting her teeth furiously, trying not to break. Misty went on. "By now, your body must be rejecting every thought of rebellion and resistance coursing through you, but your will to hold your pride, or perhaps stubbornness, is clouding your judgement. If what I told you, or what you feel right now, isn't enough to convince you, this will."
Misty cocked her head to the side before realigning it, an almost-carnal grin on her face.
"I have three hundred other ways to make you wish you hadn't been born."
The last line of defence fell. "O-Okay! Okay! S-Stop, p-please stop! I-I'll tell you anything, p-please!" pleaded Serena, tears streaming down her cheeks. Misty nodded to Paul, who quickly released the point.
"Can you tell me what you know about Ash Ketchum and me?"
Serena licked his sweat- and blood-splattered lips. He appeared to have been mauled by a pack of Vigroths and then thrown off a cliff. "Ketchum and you had a thing back in their heyday, I-I mean, you travelled Kanto, Orange Islands, and Johto together, but that was years before he died, man!"
Ash gave a nod. "Keep talking," Paul said, his arms crossed and ready for anything. Serena coughed up blood and spat it out. "H-He liked her a lot, and to my knowledge, the feeling was mutual; I always loved Ash; he was amazing; he was handsome, funny, headstrong, and he knew what she wanted; I was willing to do anything to get him, you know?"
Ash could feel dread building up in his stomach, and anxiety beginning to weigh him down. "What exactly did you do?"
"I... I wooed him. I'd openly flirt with him, and yet I was never considered anything other than a friend to him and Misty. I'm the better looking one, the one who is more kind to him, the one who shows romantic interest in him, but he pins his hopes on Misty instead." Serena held his head and looked at Misty, pain in his eyes.
"Do you know what it's like to have something or someone you love ripped from you without warning? Do you know what it's like to have your heart crushed in a vice?" Paul gave Serena another right hook.
The coordinator looked behind her. "How about you, P-Paul? Do you have a woman to cuddle with at night, or was that taken away from you like a man was taken away from me?"
Paul laughed. "None of your business. Besides, from what I'm hearing, it sounds like she was so hung up on Ketchum that it was your fault you didn't move on to other girls. If you're so daring, why not pin after other girls?"
Serena yelled. "Because no one compares to Ash! He's PERFECT! And he preferred HER over ME!"
For a few moments, there is silence. Serena was panting, a snarl on her face aimed at both of them. Misty appeared unfazed, Paul appeared bored, and Ash appeared unconcerned. Misty gave a nod. "Well, let's continue then," Serena said, surprised at how quickly they were changing the subject. "W-Wha—"
"As far as I know, Ash and Misty split up after their time in... Johto, yes, that's it. Care to explain why you didn't swoop in then?" Serena scoffed. "Because he was still hung up on her. I don't know why those two never got together during the time they travelled together, but he never stopped pining for her. I still openly admitted I liked him, and back then, I assumed he didn't admit he liked me back either because he was too embarrassed or he was too young to understand what love was."
Ash gave a quick blink. "When did this... obsession... for her end?"
Serena's silence told the story. Ash exhaled deeply. "You've never had."
Serena clenched her teeth. "I've done... so much to make him love me the way he loved Misty; I even tracked him down to Pallet for that party right before he vanished."
"I'm sorry, what was that?" Alarm bells were ringing. Serena's eyes widened slightly in panic, as if she'd said something inappropriate. "I... uh..." Ash leaned in. "Speak up now if you know anything."
Serena paused for a moment before speaking again. "I was in Viridian trying to find Ash again a few days before Ketchum went missing and, well... died. I found him and saw him in the Pokémon centre. Just as I was about to talk with him, I saw him hop on a video call with Misty. It broke my heart to hear those three little words come out of his mouth. I was crushed."
Serena continued after a brief pause. "After all those years, it was over. I had lost. I was enraged. I walked off and went to blow off some steam in the nearby park. I was brooding for who knew how long. In reality, it was only maybe thirty minutes. On impulse, I made the decision to follow Ash to Pallet. Since I overheard everything, I knew he was leaving shortly. I was going to give it one last effort before I lost him for good."
Ash's voice was barely audible. "So you went to Ash's house to take Ash away from Misty?"
Serena laughed, despite the fact that she was not amused. "See, that was the beauty of the situation; it was as if Arceus had smiled down on me, because I got a call just minutes after that whole brooding period, and I was invited to the party, and now I had the perfect alibi for why I was there, and now I could confess my love for him with true words and actions."
Misty paused before speaking. "Who invited you to the party? Ash wouldn't have done something like that."
Serena shrugged casually. "Not at all, but his mother was."
Misty's pupils dilated. "What?"
"You heard me; his mom invited me. It was perfect timing. I thanked her again for the advice and went to Pallet, it was the perfect situation. I went there and confessed my love to him, and... it looked like everything had worked. I kissed him, and I couldn't believe it when he started kissing me back. I was in heaven. It was like she had been leading Misty on."
Her brow furrowed. "And then... it was gone. Ash found us, and he told me to wait in the backyard while he ran her down in her enraged state. I chose not to listen, because with the way he was kissing me and the emotions Misty had been showing, he wasn't going to stand a chance against her. I followed them and made it worse. He said he loved Misty, but it didn't make any sense to me."
Serena chuckled sarcastically. "He ran away. I had no idea what happened. I remember all of Ash's friends talking quietly about it, but admittedly I wasn't paying attention. I... chose to go back to Hoenn after that was all over. I had laid it all on the line, and now I really didn't know what to do next."
Serena let out a sigh. "Then word of Ash's death spread."
"In any case, Misty was no longer normally with anyone; it's been... difficult for her. I know she's out there, and I know she thinks she'll never love again; I don't know where she is, but Misty would prefer to be with nobody."
Ash couldn't help himself. "Nobody?"
Serena nodded firmly. "Nobody."
Ash began to laugh at this, the first genuine laugh of the entire conversation. "You'll be surprised to learn that I know exactly where Misty is right now and have it on good authority that she's seeing someone."
Serena's face was filled with shock, which quickly turned to denial. "No... N-No! You're lying! She wouldn't date again after Ketchum!"
"Oh, I'm sure she's dating him; they're quite serious, if I may say so."
"W-who? Who's the guy she's dating?" Serena cried, tears threatening to fall, heartbreak looming once more.
Misty smiled as she leaned in. "You are staring at him."
The coordinator's mouth dropped open. "... What? No... no... NO! It can't be! It's a lie!" Misty laughed almost lustfully. "She was very upset when I first saw her, and I assure you, it's true."
Serena turned to Paul in desperation, as if he'd tell her anything, even if it was a lie. The trainer shook his head. "I'd lie to you either way, but he's telling the truth; he's been linked to Misty for a while now."
Serena realised why she was being questioned. Misty had fallen for a stranger... someone who wasn't named Ash Ketchum. "Is that why I'm here, to torture you for your sick games?"
Ash laughed and followed him to Paul. Ash walked over to Serena and smirked as he handed him something discreetly. "I have something I'd like to show you, Serena, and I'm sure you'll be surprised."
Ash knelt down so he was eye level with Serena. He then removed his hat and slightly ruffled his hair. He blinked quickly, then stared up at Serena in slow motion. The coordinator looked at the man for a moment, trying to figure out where he knew him. He had brown hair, brown eyes, and slight scarring on his face... or were those birthmarks? It was almost as if—
Serena's breath caught in her throat. Her gaze was fixed on the man across from him. She recognised him.
Ash grinned. "Hello there, pretty girl. Long time no see."
Serena's mouth dropped open as she heard the husky tone. "I... It's not—" Serena's voice was muffled in an instant as Paul wrapped his hand around her mouth and stuffed the same pill used to wipe Delia's memories into Serena's mouth. With her mouth closed and her eyes wide with horror and disbelief, she would forget Ash Ketchum was a league champion. She fought to stay awake, but she was clearly losing. She eventually stopped struggling and her limbs became loose again.
Ash made a motion. "Check her," Paul said as he gently opened Serena's mouth and nodded. "She's out, and the pill's gone, or at least half of it; I'll give her the other half." Ash nodded. Just in case Serena had pretended to take the pill, Ash knew it was better to give her one half of the pill beforehand to start the process and knock Serena out, then give her the rest to confirm she was truly done for.
Paul began by nodding. "It's finished."
Ash summoned Espeon, who was now ready to return Serena to Viridian. The duo vanished in an instant. Paul sighed and turned to face Ash. "So... what did we get out of this?"
Ash's lips licked. "My mom lied, or Serena's lying about being invited by her, but what would she gain from bringing Serena there? Why would Serena be part of the traitors if it just crushed Ash? There's a lot that doesn't add up here, and it's stuff I'll have to sleep on."
Paul gave a nod. "What comes next?"
Ash made a shaky motion with his head. "Nothing. We're done here; it's time to go back; we'll go back first, and Gary will follow."
"Why don't we go together?"
"Because Professor Oak believes Gary and I met by chance in Pallet, not anywhere else, and if we're seen leaving the region together, he'll get suspicious." "Because Gary knows the plan. As soon as Espeon gets back... we get going," Ash motioned for Paul to follow him as they made their way to round up the Pokémon. The champion gave himself a nod.
"Now is the time to win a tournament."
Paul burst into the conversation. "That reminds me of something I saw in Viridian that I couldn't explain," Ash said, looking up, waiting for him to continue.
"More precisely, someone."