Chapter 20: Ambushes and Mind Controlling

Okay, so we are getting close to the anniversary of when this story was first published. Next month on the 30th. I think at some point I'll go back over the older chapters and do some edits. I don't always edit before I publish so its probably a good idea. Glad you guys (and even the great Lady Arcanine) are enjoying the story so far.

No to answer a previous question from the lady and perhaps another user about the blue and red orbs, well I didn't really feel like having any of those characters that came into contact with the orb corrupted. Now that doesn't mean I might have another character fall for it. The anime and manga may have that occur, though I haven't really read the manga, though I did hear of at least one thing that happened in it I might incorporate, but I won't spoil it. However, the game never showed any signs of having the orbs corrupt their wielders. So I think I'll make this version have it so that the orbs only corrupt those that try to actually use them, but we'll see. Wasn't really too thrilled with the idea of May, Pikachu, Glaceon or any of the good guys being corrupted. Just have to wait and see. I think I'll make it so the orbs don't activate unless the person hold them is focusing specifically on them. May and Shelley were both focused on getting away at the time so that saved them from being affected. Time to change things up though.

Gyarados and Wailord swam through the ocean west to get to the point of intersection for Team Magma and Aqua. Lance and his Dragonite flew above them. They continued for hours, hoping they weren't too late. Team Magma had had the blue orb to control Groudon, but they'd lost it to Ash and May who'd lost it to Shelley, and according to Maxie, Team Aqua had a red orb as well that could control Kyogre. That mean Aqua had both of the orbs to control both ancient Pokemon if they wanted to. But that was not the case, they just wanted to use Kyogre and likely keep Magma from using Groudon to interfere. This went through Ash's mind again and again until,

"Hey wait! Stop!" he shouted.

Gyarados came to a stop as did Wailord, Lance took a moment but soon turned Dragonite around and got low so he could hear Ash.

"What's wrong, why are we stopping?"

"I just realized. We should have been sent ahead of Shelly, right?" Ash asked.

"I think so," Steven said from in front of him.

"Then why don't we try to get the blue orb back from her?" Ash asked. "I know Team Aqua doesn't want Groudon but isn't better we take the orb so Magma can't get it back."

"Maybe," Lance said. "Though I don't know if I would risk controlling Groudon. The will of a legendary Pokemon is strong."

"I know," Ash said, recalling how stubborn Dialga was and how he refused to listen until after he sent May back in time. "I don't want to take control of Groudon, but if Kyogre is controlled we might need a legendary Pokemon on our side."

"You're right," Steven said. "Lets just hope it doesn't come to that."

"We should try to take the orb though, and she took the Master Ball as well. We can't allow that to be used on either pokemon. A trainer with a legendary Pokemon would be a formidable force, but that would be detrimental if that trainer were evil. It might be better to simply destroy it if we have the chance so neither Team can use it for a guaranteed capture."

Ash and the others nodded. Ash got out a pokeball.

"Corphish! I choose you!" Ash said as he threw it.

"Sharpedo!"

"Seaking!"

"Tentacruel!"

Half of the police trainers let out a water type Pokemon.

"Search the ocean below and find Shelly of Team Aqua! She has a blue orb and a master ball! Destroy the ball and retrieve the orb!" Steven said.

The water Pokemon nodded in agreement and then dove down under. The trainers waited up above, silently hoping that it wouldn't take too long or they would have to get moving again to make sure they didn't fall behind schedule.

…

Down below, Shelly wore a diving suit and held onto her Craudant to be able to move quickly through the sea. The blue orb and master ball were in her pocket, she would hand them to Archie when she boarded the Aqua Submarine. Archie would use the Master Ball to capture Kyogre if the red orb was not enough, and they would increase the height of the sea and rule the world. Any areas that needed water would receive it across the globe, people would bow to them in gratitude, and the rest would either submit or be destroyed.

She would be there in about an hour, providing there were no interuptions, but she didn't see that happening.

However, despite her confidence, something did happen. A small red crustacean pokemon swam at her! A Corphish! She'd caught her Craudant as one long ago when she'd been a trainer before she'd even joined Team Aqua. She'd always had a love for the sea and rain, and hated hearing it when a drought came to another town in Hoenn.

But now she had to deal with a hostile Corpish that seemed to attack her out of nowhere! Or was it nowhere? Didn't matter. The Corhpish lunged at her suddenly and grabbed her by the hair that stuck out of her diving suit. She yelled through her scuba gear, causing a series of bubbles to appear in the midst of her untranslatable slur from underwater. Craudant went on the offensive immediately against its prevolved form, there was no way that puny little thing could beat it, Shelly thought. But then another water Pokemon came swimming in. A Sharpedo, Shelly froze in fear, what was up with all these Pokemon coming at her! Unless someone was sending them?

Team Magma didn't use water Pokemon so those were out, then it had to be… Ash. The one that kept interfering. But how could he have gotten ahead of her? Impossible, unless he'd had a Pokemon teleport him perhaps. There had been a number of other unknown trainers with him from the Elite Police. Could they have a psychic Pokemon with them? She gritted her teeth and tried to tell Craudant to flee, but her words were slurred.

Her Craudant was not the type of Pokemon to flee either without her command. Like many of its kind it was a fierce and aggressive battler that was relentless and never gave up. It lit up its pincers in a crabhammer that it used first on Corphish and then tried to do the same with Sharpedo, but the sharklike pokemon caught the attack in its mouth. But then Shelly spotted another pair of water Pokemon coming her way, a Seaking and a Tentacruel! Shelly grit her teeth and reached into her pocket to get another Pokemon out to help, but the enemy Corphish recovered and lunged at her with a crabhammer.

"Corphish!"

The crabhammer hit her on the head and knocked her out, then Shelly knew no more.

…

Corphish smirked in triumph as he knocked the Team Aqua woman out. Her Craudant tried to put up a fight but the combined efforts and attacks of the four Pokemon were too much. Tentacruel wrapped its tentacles around Craudant then Seaking used Horn Attack, Corphish shot bubblebeams, and Sharpedo used Chomp. The four attacks were too much and Craudant was knocked out. Tentracruel grabbed Shelly as well and the four Pokemon ascended back up to the surface.

Ash smiled as he saw the Pokemon appear.

They got her. May had mixed feelings as she saw the woman that had threatened her twice unconcious with a nasty bump on her head. On the one hand it felt good to have some payback for those times, but she still felt a surge of sorrow seeing a person hurt. Tentacruel passed Shelly up to Steven and Ash who got her on Gyarado's back with them. Reaching into her pockets, Ash found the two things they were looking for. The master ball and the blue orb, the latter gave Ash a feeling as he touched and looked at it. It felt as though it were alive, like he was holding a beating heart. It seemed to thump in his grasp. He looked at the Master Ball first.

"You think its best to destroy this thing Steven?" he asked.

"I admit it's a pretty rare ball, so unless we happen to come across a Pokemon that either of you really want to catch in the next few that's our best option, or just throw it to the bottom of the sea," Steven said.

Ash hesitated a moment as he looked at the prized ball. But he shook his head, "I already have six Pokemon so it's no use to me. I dont really want to have more Pokemon then I can hold through every region," he said before looking at May. "What about you, May?"

She looked at it and just said, "Do what you think is best."

Ash nodded then looked at Corphish, he held out the master ball to the crustacean Pokemon.

"Crush it, Corphish," he said.

Corphish nodded and took the ball in his pincers then pressed down on it. At that moment, Shelly woke up. She caught a glimpse of the ball in Corphishs pincers and her eyes widened in shock.

"No!" she exclaimed.

The ball cracked under the pressure and the sharpness of Corphishs claws. It broke into pieces that fell into the water.

"There, now no one will be able to use it to capture those legendary Pokemon," Ash said.

"Shame, someone who managed that would be very powerful, could possibly be the most powerful trainer in the world," Steven said. "But it wouldnt be fair. Best to use normal Pokemon I say."

"You fools!" Shelly said struggling in Tentacruels grasp. "Cant you see that we need those ancient Pokemon to help the world not suffer any droughts?"

"Youre the only fool," Lance said. "Trying to upset the balance of nature."

Shelly merely huffed. "Even if we dont have the master ball we still have the red orb."

"Maybe," Ash said holding the blue orb. "But we have the blue one. So if we have to, we might be able to call Groudon to aid us."

Suddenly the blue orb shined in Ash's grasp. He looked at it and felt something seemed to crawl through his arm and into his mind.

"Sir Ash?"May asked in concern.

The area around Ash seemed to vanish and he in his minds eye saw a large red Pokemon.

"Groudon!"Ash exclaimed.

The legendary Pokemon of the Land gazed at him. His mouth moved softly as he spoke, Ash was able to understand it perfectly, thanks to holding the blue orb.

"So, another greedy human who wishes to use my power for his own goals," Groudon said looking at him. "Or is it? I sense no malice or hunger for power, or even a desire for change in you. The last person I felt a connection too not long ago wished to use my power for his own interests, though he claimed it was for the benefit of others."

…

Not too far away, the body of the ancient Groudon lay resting while his mind interacted with Ash. But soon to be passing by his island was a very large Pokemon though not quite as large as Wailord. Still his power was even greater. It was dark blue and whale like as well, with white and red markings on its flippers and body, a pair of golden eyes looked ahead of him. The other legendary Pokemon, the one of the sea, Kyogre. But as Kyogre swam, it failed to realize something below near the ocean floor. A submarine with the Team Aqua symbol on it.

Inside the sub were members of the said team, most of whom worked while their leader sat on a throne like chair.

"Archie, we've detected Kyogre," one of the henchmen said.

"Excellent," Archie said.

He reached into a box and pulled out his recently acquired possession, the red orb. He raised it and laughed.

"Now you shall obey me," Archie said.

Kyogre's eyes lit up red. It let out a roar and flexed its flippers as it ascended to the surface. The sky above grew dark and rain clouds instantly formed out of nowhere. It came down in heavy sheets, and could threaten to submerge part of the land within days if it kept up.

…

Ash, May, and all the others could see the rain coming down with incredible force, each drop felt heavier and faster than any they'd ever felt before. They were instantly soaked to the bone.

"What's happening?" May asked.

"Team Aqua must have used the red orb to take control of Kyogre!" Steven said as he felt the drops as well.

The blue orb in Ash's hand pulsated more violently and he heard Groudon's voice through it again.

Kyogre is trying to take control of more of the world. He has most of it already! That should be enough! Groudon's thoughts went into Ash.

"No, it's a group of evil doers named Team Aqua!" Ash said.

"Sir Ash? Who are you talking to?" May asked.

"Groudon, he's speaking to me through this orb!" Ash said.

I will not stand for this! Kyogre may have defeated me once, but it will not have the entire world! Groudon spoke.

Ash could see him, making his way out of his volcanic dwelling. He emerged from the mountain several miles away with a loud roar. They could hear it even from where they were.

"That must be him!" Looker said from atop the Wailord.

A patch of sunlight shined through the rain clouds above and the heat intensified. The rain still fell, creating an odd mixture of heat and wetness in the atmosphere. The orb in Ash's hand glowed brighter and he felt as though it were burning him. He yelled out in pain.

"Sir Ash!" May exclaimed as she reached for the orb, trying to get it out of his hand. But the orb hurt her in turn and she recoiled. The orb, meanwhile, seemed to merge with Ash's hand and blue markings began to make their way up his body, with his eyes becoming bright blue lights.

"The blue orb! Its hurting him!" Steven said. "Watch out, it could make him really aggressive!"

"What do we do?" May asked fearfully.

"We have to hurry!" Looker said.

Ash looked around menacingly in a way that a shiver down everyone's spine. He seized May by the throat and began to choke her.

"Sir Ash!" she choked out.

Hearing her voice caused Ash's eyes to widen in recognition and he loosened his grip. Tears escaped her eyes as she looked at him. She knew it wasn't his fault but still, she had to do something to stop him for now.

"Pikachu," she asked with a heavy heart. "Can you use Iron Tail to knock him out?"

Pikachu nodded, tears forming in his eyes as he leapt up and spun around, hitting Ash with his Iron Tail and knocking him out. The blue marks remained however. All they could do was end this battle with Aqua and Magma, and get Groudon and Kyogre to calm down, somehow.