Chapter 25; parting of the ways
A new day was dawning as a familiar hedgehog figure was jogging around Celadon as fast as he could. Trying to not thing. Trying to forget. And trying to accept.
Sonic's last 7 days were the darkest he had ever experienced. Staying over at Reina's while the ongoing investigation for team rocket was continuing. Tails had informed him that the part of the investigation labeled vigilante trainers was marked as case unsolved due to lack of evidence and that the authorities had refocused all their efforts on finding Giovanni and the rest of team rocket.
Sonic the moment he learnt that ventured to Saffron to try and find the briefcase. He didn't find anything but ended up challenging the 6th gym. Sabrina the gym leader was a cold and calculating – "and can she even smile?" Sonic had wondered – trainer who used psychic types, mostly Kadabra, Alakazam and Hypno. Sonic using a combination of his own Alakazam, Blastoise and Raichu easily defeated her. Giovanni's words were proven right as much as he didn't want to admit it. His desire to never let anyone suffer again after their loss in the fight with team rocket had made his pokemon immune to the immobilizing effects of psychic, the damage of course being dealt normally.
After earning his 6th badge he returned to Celadon for a while as he felt he needed to stop for a moment. To process all that had happened.
Reina had tried approaching him a lot of times during his stay. But Sonic still remembering the kiss she had given him before his attack with Mike on team rocket, kept his distance. It was the absolute worst time for such emotions.
Eventually Sonic had decided he had stopped enough time and needed to proceed with his journey though Reina could tell he wasn't mentally well enough to travel. Undeterred he thanked her for everything and before leaving, visited mr Fuji once again to ask for his help in teaching Pinsir rock slide. Rock slide of course was merely an excuse. All Sonic really wanted was to get rid of guillotine. He didn't want to be like Giovanni at all.
After leaving Celadon he slowly began making their way to Saffron intending to go back north to Cerulean and from there all the way back to pallet in order to take the boat from there to go to Cinnabar island where his guide said the 7th gym was. Raichu was walking by his side silent, looking at its trainer with concern.
"Rai?"
"I'm fine buddy. I'm fine" he said with no life in his voice.
It was so bizzare but he could tell what raichu was saying. After spending so much time with it, it felt like they were speaking the same language even though they weren't.
His mind drifted back to Mike. Over the last week he had tried many times to get in touch with him but Mike had blocked him. Sonic remembered his words but still felt he had left because he hated Sonic.
Finally reaching Saffron, Sonic was immediately approached by someone.
"I know who you are" the stranger said.
Sonic was creeped out.
"Excuse me?"
"I know what you did last week".
Cold sweat dripped down Sonic's back. How could that man know?
"I think you're mistaking me for someone else" Sonic lied.
"If I'm mistaking you for someone else, how do you know I am?" the stranger responded.
Sonic knew he had messed up. Responding in such a way was revealing he knew what that man was talking about.
"I don't want trouble. I just want you to come to my office in silph co" the man said removing his sunglasses.
Sonic's jaw dropped. It was the CEO.
"Put your jaw back in place and be there in half an hour" he said and left.
Sonic spent five minutes processing the new development on the same spot, attracting the concerned views as well as laughter from passing people. Eventually he came to his senses and went to grab something to eat so time would go by.
After the half hour had passed Sonic went to the silph co building. The front doors were wide open.
"Of course they would be. I broke the system" Sonic thought with guilt.
Approaching the front desk he was asked the purpose of his visit. Hoping it wasn't a prank or a trap he explained the CEO was expecting him. The receptionist called the CEO and after a few moments Sonic was guided to the elevator.
Riding all the way to the top floor, he felt nauseous on the prospect of returning to that office after everything that had transpired there. As the elevator door open he could see with the eyes of his imagination himself and Mike rushing up the stairs and easily besting the two grunts outside the office. Walking with heavy steps he knocked on the door.
"Come in" the voice of the CEO answered.
Sonic entered. Inside was the CEO. And an officer greatly resembling officer Jenny.
"Crap" he thought "are they going to arrest me?"
"Take a seat" the officer asked.
Sonic with the eyes of his imagination replaying the battle, every last bit of it, approached the desk, his eyes falling on the hole on the wall. As he sat in front of the CEO and the officer, the latter began talking.
"We know it was you and another trainer who ran team rocket out of here".
Sonic remained silent.
The officer continued closing her eyes.
"And we know what happened in here. All of it. The tragic result of your confrontation with team rocket's boss.
Sonic looked over his back momentarily, the eyes of his imagination recreating the grim picture of rhydon, blood covering its horn and front of its body while Jolteon writhed weakly as the life was leaving its body.
"Furthermore we know it was you who initiated the cyber assault on the company" the officer continued with a serious tone.
"I see" Sonic said.
The officer put her hands on top of each other.
"You may not remember me seeing as many of my colleagues look like me. I am the officer who took Jessie and James into custody after you handled them in Viridian city about a month ago".
Sonic nodded remembering clearly. Knowing there was nowhere to go he decided to just get it over with.
"Am I under arrest?" he asked.
The CEO and the officer looked at each other not saying a word. The officer then turned her gaze back at Sonic as the CEO answered the question for her.
"No you are not".
"What?" Sonic said in surprise.
"While what you did will cause the company a lot of damage" he began explaining "the results of what you accomplished ran deeper than just that. Team rocket had completed the construction of the master ball. Once the prototype was secured, they would have started creating it in masses. No pokemon would be outside their grasp after that".
"And you and the other kid stopped that from happening. Not only that, you rescued all the employees and freed all the captured pokemon. Sometimes I guess… in some exceptional cases… the law must look the other way" the officer said with a sincere smile.
Sonic couldn't believe what he was hearing. He was so deep submerged in the darkness of their loss that he never saw it that way.
"And" the CEO continued "your bravery and spirit makes you the most trustworthy person for what I'm about to offer you" the CEO said.
Sonic raised his eyebrows in question. The CEO revealed the one thing Sonic expected the least; the missing briefcase.
Putting it on the desk and having it face Sonic, he unlocked the side-locks and opened it. Inside laid a purple pokeball with 2 small pinkish bubble-style protrusions.
"Is that…?" he asked in shock.
"The prototype master ball. The only one in existence. The data on it was destroyed and in the state team rocket is in they won't be able to recreate it in any way. And after the bravery you showed… I believe you deserve it" the CEO said motioning for Sonic to take it.
Sonic got up from the chair as raichu observed him picking up the master ball. Sonic looked at it intensely. That one small ball. That was what Jolteon's life was sacrificed for. And all it symbolized in his eyes was everything team rocket stood for.
"Thank you" Sonic said as his fingers loosened and the ball slipped to the ground. Before either the CEO or the officer could react, Sonic stomped the master ball as hard as he could.
The cracking sound echoed in the room as the metallic pieces of the ball came off and team rocket's ultimate prize laid in ruins before him.
"But I wouldn't ever use such a device. I came here to destroy team rocket's plans. And now my task is complete" he said grimly.
Both the CEO and the officer were in total loss for words, not expecting this outcome even in their wildest dreams. The officer however smiled again.
"This gives me another reason not to arrest you. You clearly had good intentions when you assaulted team rocket".
Sonic didn't answer. He merely looked at the master ball pieces without an ounce of regret. Turning to leave he spoke on final sentence.
"I'd suggest you incinerate the master ball pieces to destroy all evidence of its existence" he said knowing that even if they didn't it couldn't be repaired. His task was indeed complete. If only he could tell Mike.
Exiting the building he headed for the north exit of the city. On the way he ran into 2 familiar faces.
"Brock? Misty?" he asked hesitantly.
They both turned to look at him, pleasantly surprised but concerned when they saw his visibly sadder face.
"Sonic? We were looking all over for you. Why did you leave so fast back in Fuchsia?" Brock asked him.
Sonic however was in no mood to relieve it again at least for the time being.
"Forget it happened. Just sorry for running off like that. What are you guys doing here? Where's Ash?"
"Over there" they said pointing at Ash and Pikachu sitting by a man on a park bench. Sonic approached.
"Well, well" Ash said as he saw him "finally showed your face again Spike?"
Under normal circumstances Sonic would get mad but such a minor tease didn't affect him anymore.
"Nice to see you too Ash, just wanted to say hi. I'm taking the long way to Cinnabar island for the 7th gym so I wanted to apologize for running off like that".
"You're going for the 7th badge?!" Ash asked in shock.
"Yeah. Haven't you beaten Sabrina yet?"
Ash gritted his teeth in frustration while man sitting next to him looked down. He was holding a photo. On the photo there was a younger version of him with a familiar young girl. Sonic immediately could tell what was going on.
"Is that Sabrina's father?" he wondered.
"I lost to her twice. Even caught a haunter the 2nd time but it left me hanging".
Sonic heard it all remembering how easily he had beaten Sabrina. After a trainer like Giovanni and in his current state of mind, even her psychic team was a walk in the park.
"Psychic can be overpowered with strong enough will" Sonic advised "you need to want to achieve your dream of becoming a pokemon master enough to overpower her psychic and fight head on".
"How would you know that?" Ash asked him.
Sonic refrained from answering.
"From experience. Anyway I'll leave you to it".
Turning to leave he was stopped again by Misty and Brock while hearing Ash continuing his conversation with the man he was sitting with.
"Sonic what did you mean by what you said to Ash?" Misty asked him.
"I've already beaten Sabrina. In my current state of mind, me and my pokemon are immune to psychic lock strategies. If Ash can get into a similar state of determination he will have a chance".
"Sabrina had the same picture in her room" Ash told the man while holding the picture from before. Sonic knew that whatever was going on, Ash was about to figure it out too.
"If you have the same picture then that must mean you…" pause occurred. Sonic had forgotten to finish his explanation to Brock and Misty and just observed.
"Then that must mean you're a photographer!" Ash completed his phrase with a bright smile and a voice full of confidence. The man jumped in surprise and landed with his face on the hard ground.
"Don't you see? Don't you get it?!" he asked Ash. Sonic made the exact same thought in his head.
"Get what?" Ash asked back.
A switch was flipped inside of Sonic's head and he lunged at Ash with Misty and Brock grabbing him by the shoulders and waist.
"Sonic what's gotten into you?!" Brock said trying to hold him down as he tried to break free.
"Let me at him! Let me at him! He's an idiot!" Sonic pleaded, feeling the urgent need to beat Ash up.
"Spike's gone crazy again" Ash commented not scared in the slightest.
After they managed to calm Sonic down they all headed to Sabrina's gym so Ash could challenge her for the 3rd time. Sonic followed as he wanted to see whether Ash's determination would be enough to break free from psychic and beat her.
Reaching the gym Sonic was met with a creepy picture. Sabrina was holding a doll this time. A doll that eerily resembled her.
"What the hell?" he thought to himself "she practices voodoo or something? Thank god she didn't turn me into a doll too or something otherwise I would have to depend on this moron" he thought looking at Ash "to save me".
Ash sent our haunter as Sabrina sent out Kadabra. Haunter immediately bailed by disappearing.
"Haunter come back!" Ash pleaded "not again. No matter. Go Pikachu!"
Pikachu stood opposite Kadabra.
"Quick attack!"
"Psychic".
Pikachu and Ash were both lifted off the ground being rendered unable to move.
"Ash remember what I said" Sonic reminded him.
But nothing changed. Sonic's view of Ash was now cemented. He didn't have a strong enough will to achieve his dream, at least not yet.
"It's over" he sighed and turned to leave.
He was about to say see you around to Misty and Brock when haunter returned. It made a funny face to Sabrina who remained stoic and emotionless. Haunter then took a cartoony ball bomb out of its mouth with the fuse lit.
"Yo what the… get down!" Sonic screamed in terror, diving to the ground.
The explosion occurred but no force was applied to anyone. Sonic looked up to see Sabrina's dad Misty and Brock covering their faces but unharmed. Confused he looked at Sabrina who was now covered in black spots from the bomb.
"Seriously?" he thought to himself getting up "all this was just a prank?"
He smacked himself in his head remembering Mike's words of his haunter playing tricks on him. He should have remembered.
Then all of a sudden Sabrina burst out laughing. Sonic took in the view in absolute confusion.
"Wait so Ash's plan was to make her lose focus to fight the psychic? Unusual but I guess it worked".
Ash and Pikachu were freed from the psychic as Sabrina kept laughing. Her father seemed happy seeing her like that. All the happy emotions around Sonic started positively affecting him. He remembered happy memories of his own, the pain of the loss of Jolty going away momentarily.
While he recalled his happy memories he observed the trio and Sabrina's dad discuss as she was now rolling on the floor in laughter.
"Ok that seems like overkill" he thought to himself.
"Well" he commented getting everyone's attention "guess haunter didn't leave you hanging this time. You may not have used my tactic but that was a smart move nonetheless. Now show me your power against her" he said talking to Ash.
"Oh no. There will be no battle today" Sabrina commented in between her laughs "I'm unable to battle and therefore forfeit the match. The marsh badge is yours" she said taking one out of her pocket and throwing to Ash before returning to laughing at haunter.
Ash grabbed the badge and jumped in joy.
"Yeah my 6th badge!"
Sonic on the other hand felt his ears buzzing again, his rage returning.
"What?! You're going to hand it over? He didn't beat you!"
"Oh it's ok, he earned it" she said again between laughs.
He earned it. He earned it. He earned it. He earned it.
The phrase echoed inside Sonic's head fueling his rage which radiated like a whirlwind.
"How can you do this?!" he screamed in anger causing everyone to turn to him in shock and Sabrina to stop laughing.
"This is outrageous! It's unfair! I had to fight you to earn your badge! He makes you laugh and you just hand it over?! Is this some kind of sick joke?!"
Sabrina didn't know what to answer. Sonic looked at everyone expecting someone to agree but they all looked at him like he was a madman.
"I can't believe this!" he said and rushed to the exit with quick steps.
As he got out and the fresh air hit his face, he felt the rage shimmer down a bit. He stood still taking deep breaths to calm himself. Raichu rubbed its head against his leg to help.
"Thanks buddy" he said "that was a rush. Let's get out of here before I go completely insane" he said as they started walking towards the north exit of the city.
Right as they exited the city however a voice called out to them.
"Spike!"
"What does he want?" Sonic thought trying his absolute hardest to keep cool as he turned around.
"We now have 6 badges each. Last time you left because of that phone call, regardless of whether I think it was just an excuse. Now you have no excuse. Let's have our battle at long last".
Sonic however wasn't having it.
"No I think not" he said and turned his back to Ash to leave.
"What? You promised!"
"You're not worth my time".
Ash however wasn't ready to give up. Pikachu too caught up to raichu and stopped it. As the two electric types argued Ash got in front of Sonic.
"Just admit that you're afraid of me Spike".
"Excuse me?!" Sonic said, his fist trembling.
Brock and Misty had caught up and were observing the exchange.
"You heard me. You have no excuse this time. And yet here you are running away".
"I'm not running away. I'm merely saving my time" Sonic said remembering the last time he had spoken that sentence. Back then it was his arrogance speaking. Today things were way different.
"You're not fooling me Spike. You know I'm gonna beat you. After all I just earned the badge you yourself said required a lot of hard work for you to obtain".
Sabrina's phrase returned in Sonic's head.
"Take that back" he said menacingly "you didn't earn it. You were given it".
"I earned it" Ash said with an ironic look "and now you don't want to battle me because you know I can easily beat you in a full battle. After all me and Pikachu are now stronger than our first meeting".
Sonic was on the brink of exploding.
"Your Pikachu AND you were trapped by psychic. Haunter freed you on a technicality".
"The result is still the same. But suit yourself. I guess you really are a total chicken".
Sonic's hand moved before he could think. The front of his fist met Ash's left cheek with as much force as he could muster. Ash dropped to the ground in shock as Pikachu tried to get to his side. Sonic snapped his fingers. Raichu immediately used its tail to lock Pikachu to the ground rendering it unmovable. Brock and Misty moved in to stop them. Sonic with a cold look sent out Alakazam which lifted Brock and Misty rendering them unmovable as well. Turning back to Ash he grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him up.
"Listen closely you piece of trash" he said with a slow menacing voice "Don't you dare tell me you earned your badge. You were gifted half of six you have!"
"Half?" Misty asked confused.
"Brock's, Erika's and now Sabrina's. Wait a minute" Sonic said turning to Misty "why are you questioning it?"
Misty tried to play innocent but her face told Sonic all he needed to hear.
"Was he gifted all of them?!"
"No" Brock said "Just the 3 you said… and Misty's sister gave him Misty's badge out of pity".
Sonic was now panting in rage.
"You were gifted 4 out the 6 badges you have so far and think you and I are evenly matched?! Look at your Pikachu! It is helpless! You call this us being equal?!"
"Well maybe if you faced me in a full battle I would prove my power to you" Ash fired back, his left cheek hurting from the punch.
"No I won't face you! You are nothing! You have no idea what power is! I worked for my and my pokemon's power! I earned my badges! And even after all that…" his voice cracked "it still was not enough".
Alakazam as if it was synchronized with Sonic, let Brock and Misty down while Raichu freed Pikachu. All of them rushed to Ash side except for Brock who stood next to Sonic looking at him straight in the eye.
"What you did just now was not cool Sonic. I thought you were better than this".
"I don't care what you think of me. Not anymore. I won't accept your friend telling me I'm a coward after what I went through".
"What did you go through exactly that calls for such a behavior?" Misty asked him.
Sonic looked back at the tower of silph co for a moment.
"I and a friend of mine stopped team rocket's invasion in silph co".
The trio was shocked to hear this revelation.
"We faced down the boss of team rocket. Even after all our training… and facing him together… he played dirty… got the upper hand… my friend's partner was…."
"It was what? Fainted?" Ash asked thinking Sonic and his friend had merely lost the battle.
"IT WAS KILLED!" Sonic screamed in anger, rage and sadness combined.
Misty was shocked to hear this and got teary eyed. Ash was listening in shock as well not anticipating something like that.
Sonic took a moment to gather himself and push his sadness back. He then looked at Ash again in anger and disgust.
"We won the battle. We had trained hard. And despite all that… my friend's partner was killed!" Sonic screamed trying to get it off his chest.
"So don't you dare tell me we're equals. You didn't earn your power! You haven't worked to earn it like I have! Your battle with Sabrina proved it. Your will is weak. You will never best me in our current state" he concluded and walked past them. 3 steps after them Ash had one final thing to say.
"I may not understand what you're going through. But still. You judge me, my will to achieve my dream, Pikachu and the rest of my team without ever even seeing them. It's not fair".
"Life isn't fair kid" Sonic said grimly.
"I'll show you" Ash said getting up "you're wrong about me. I'll prove it".
Sonic knew that if they kept this back and forth they wouldn't get anywhere and he would get mad again.
"You want to prove me wrong?"
"Yes. If you give me this fight I will".
Sonic looked at him.
"Fine then. Earn the last two badges. And we will meet in the league tournament. If you really want to prove to me you deserve your power, then work for it. I won't face you with all my might unless you prove to me your determination" he said and walked off leaving the trio to consider his words.
As the calm breeze ran across his body, he felt his rage subside and the sadness return. The last week had left him not only broken but poisoned by negative emotions. And they had started taking their toll on him. And they would continue to do so for a while.