Welcome to the third chapter of Reckoning! It's been so much fun writing this, as heartbreaking as it may be. Enjoy!
Current music: Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinéad O'Connor
We can't let them find out.
"What do you mean?" Ash asked, a sense of dread rising within his chest. He could hardly believe what had just been said.
Makoto narrowed his eyes. "Didn't I just explain it? We can't let the world find out because they'd find you too dangerous to leave alone. Really, it's for your own good if you're kept isolated for the time being."
Do they really want me to stay here this whole time?
Ash gritted his fangs. Of course, as a Pichu, his "fangs" weren't very plentiful or sharp, but that didn't mean he wasn't angry.
"How long constitutes the time being?"
Hayley shrugged, evidently weighing the question as she carried a severe expression. Eventually, she responded.
"Probably until the war is over. Once both sides have signed a peace treaty, it'll be safer for you to be in the open. At least, that's the hope."
That's the hope. Hardly an indicator of confidence.
But something else occurred to Ash. They'd mentioned that he wouldn't be able to leave the lab until the war is over.
"So you'll keep me here for the duration of the war?" the Pichu wondered aloud.
Makoto nodded grimly. "That may be our only option. We just want to keep you safe, Ash - you're proof that the Well can work, so you're too precious to risk losing."
"And because I'm too precious to you two," Ash replied testily, "you're going to keep me locked away from the world so that I can't be captured or killed by those forces that don't like the way you're manipulating how the world works."
"Right," Makoto responded.
"That's all a bunch of Tauros manure!" Ash bellowed. "And I'm not kidding! What's the point of all this, what's the point of giving me a second chance at life, if I won't get to use it for anything?"
"The war could end tomorrow" Hayley asserted. "That's the thing about war; you never know when one side will lose the ability to fight. It often happens slowly, then all at once."
"But what if it doesn't?" the Pichu responded, letting the tears fill his voice. "What if the war drags on for five more years? I'd be…twenty-three then!"
"So?" Makoto said. "You'd still have your whole life ahead of you."
"You can't just keep me locked up for five years!" Ash yelled. "I didn't commit any crimes! I didn't even ask for this!"
"Neither are criminals asking for it" Hayley pointed out. "But they still get what's coming to them."
The Pichu narrowed his eyes. "Are you really going to compare me to a criminal?"
There was a very loud silence as Hayley and Makoto glanced at one another. It was evident that neither of them had a good answer. But for Ash, anything would have been better than those noncommittal glances.
"Look, Ash," Makoto insisted. "Don't think only about what's best for you. If the world learns that you came back from the dead, that won't just put a target on your back, but ours as well."
"Nobody has to know that it was you two," Ash muttered.
"Maybe not, but they'll want to know," Hayley asserted. "If someone is able to conquer death, particularly someone as famous as you, the general public will be well within their rights to ask questions. Won't they?"
Ash didn't have a good answer to that. Nor did he have an ideal retort to what Hayley said next.
"I mean, Ash, most people would love for there to be life after death, whether it's on Earth or somewhere else. Is that not one reason why religion is popular?"
"Well, maybe," the Pichu responded. "Still, it'll be earth-shattering when people find out about me."
"Exactly," Makoto replied. "That's why we have to keep this secret under wraps for as long as possible. If we don't…".
"Whatever" Ash grumbled. "I guess I'll just be stuck in this lab for as long as I live again."
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Hayley said. "But we have to head out now to check on some of our other experiments. I assume you won't burn anything down while we're gone?"
Thanks for giving me ideas.
In all seriousness, Ash wasn't inclined to burn down the house. Not only was he unable to without being a Fire-type, but he knew enough to be aware that starting a fire in a laboratory was extremely dangerous. So he nodded.
"I won't," he promised.
"Okay" Hayley replied. "We will check in on you later, bring you some food."
As the pair of scientists left the room, leaving Ash alone, the Pichu had ample time to ponder his fate.
Now that he'd had some time to process the indignity of this arrangement, Ash allowed himself to consider what it actually meant.
He would be locked in this lab for weeks at a minimum. Realistically, the civil war wouldn't end with a bang, but rather with a peace treaty. And the peace treaty wouldn't happen without a ceasefire first…actually, there were many ways this civil war might end.
But all of them would likely take time. And during that time, Ash would be holed up in this couple's lab, unable to let the world know that he was alive.
Yes, it made sense to keep him a secret - they wanted to make sure he was safe. It was hard to fault Hayley and Makoto for that. But his own world was probably grieving him at this very moment. To Pallet Town, Ohio, he was more than just a news story.
There was his mother, Delia. Ever since her marriage had broken down, she'd held Ash as closely as possible, determined not to lose the only family she had left. He could still remember just how intensely she'd been sobbing the night Ash had announced, over the dinner table, that he'd be joining the war on the side of the Free Pokémon Army.
That sounds like something you'd do, she'd told him tearfully. I just wish it didn't have to come to that.
I know, Ash had responded, trying to keep his tone measured. He was making an effort to stay strong for his mother's sake. But it was very hard.
But you're doing what you think is right, his mother had replied with a sniffle. Just make sure to stay safe, okay? Do whatever your commanders instruct you - just stay alive, okay?
Ash didn't need to correct his mother that there was no such thing as safety when you were fighting in a bloody civil war. It went without saying, and quite frankly, he didn't need to bring down the mood further.
In any case, back to the lab. As Ash glanced around at the interior, he became aware of just how dim the lighting was. Yes, his vision was keener as a Pokémon than it had been during his human life, but that didn't mean he didn't find the room utterly depressing.
And to think that this is where I'll spend the rest of the war.
It was all he could do not to burst into tears. That would not only have been humiliating, but also potentially dangerous - when he'd had a Pikachu as a partner, Ash had constantly needed to be careful not to let it cry too hard. That risked causing the Electric-type to snort out, well, electricity. And in a room like this, with so many varieties of chemicals, it was best not to risk that.
A few moments later, Makoto reentered the room. He wore an expression that walked the line between severity and jubilation.
"What's going on?" Ash enquired.
"Well, I thought I'd show you to your new home," the scientist responded. "After all, you could be here for a while - might as well keep you comfortable while we're at it."
I won't be comfortable as long as I'm cooped up in here, but okay.
Makoto gestured for Ash to follow him, so the Pichu waddled after the scientist on his new, stubby yellow legs. When you had a Pokémon's webbed feet, moving forward became much more difficult if you weren't used to it. It was hard for Ash to even feel lucky that he hadn't become a species with four legs.
The scientist led Ash out of the lab and down a long, narrow corridor with metallic walls. There was no trace of the outside world within it.
"Hey…Makoto?" Ash asked his…reviver. Yes, that's the word he would go with.
Makoto swiveled to face the Pichu. "Yes?"
"Where is this lab located, anyway?"
The scientist frowned. "I don't think I should answer that question" he responded simply. "That's highly sensitive information."
"Why would I betray you?" Ash replied, showing off the pink dimples of a Pichu. (On some level, he wondered if he'd overdone it, but that was the least of his worries.)
"Well, why wouldn't you?" Makoto retorted with a deadly wink.
"Because you people brought me back to life? If you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours - that's how it works."
"Ah, a man of traditional values" the scientist responded in a tone that was almost mocking. "Well, Ash, know that we do things our own way in the realm of science. Every assumption must be questioned, because if it doesn't withstand scrutiny in the lab, how on Earth could it do so in front of the world?"
Makoto turned a corner, and Ash did the same. Although the scientist wasn't walking very quickly, Ash practically had to jog to keep up, which meant he risked falling on his face. Most likely, that wouldn't do anything to impress Makoto.
Oh, who am I kidding? I'm sure he's impressed that I'm even alive. Wasn't I flat-out dead when they got to me?
"Here we are," Makoto said eventually.
The pair had arrived in a chamber about the size of a cathedral's sanctuary. The ground was painted rather like a football field, but there were no rows of chairs surrounding the Astroturf.
Instead, there were rows of cages.
Ash narrowed his eyes. "You're going to put me in a cage?"
Makoto shrugged. "I'm afraid, given that you may be a flight risk - ".
"Why do you think I'm a flight risk?"
"- because you've expressed evident emotional distress upon being told you can't leave the compound. I know a flight risk when I see one, Ash."
Ash grumbled, but he did not interrupt Makoto as the scientist continued to speak.
"The truth is, Ash, that it's too dangerous to let you escape. Even if it's not our fault that you left the compound and got yourself killed - again, mind you - we couldn't live with ourselves if our only success is lost."
"Then what's the point?" Ash shouted.
Makoto sighed. "Listen, Ash, sometimes you just can't question it. Science is for the greater good. And besides - ".
"You're going to lock me up forever."
"Forever is a long time, Ash. We have no intention of keeping you here for the rest of eternity. Just long enough to make sure that it's safe to let you out again. Though that may not be for a while, because -".
"Besides," Ash interjected, "you just said that you had to question everything in science. That's the scientific method. And now you're saying that I can't question your orders to stay in my cage like a good little Pichu?"
"Look, Ash - ".
"Which is it?" the Pichu exclaimed. "Just tell me, which is it? Because I can't deal with so many contradictions like that, okay?"
Makoto seemed to weigh his possible answers carefully. Eventually, the scientist grimaced before replying as follows:
"Look, Ash. We brought you back to life. We're the ones who put you where you are now - ".
"And look how much good that's doing me!"
"Whatever the case, you have no power over us. Just get in your cage and be a good little Pichu."
When Ash stiffened up at that, Makoto grimaced. "Your words, not mine."
"What if I refuse?" Ash enquired sharply. "What if I tell you that there's no way in hell I'm going to let myself be locked away like that?"
"Then I'll warn you," the scientist responded, "that we have ways to persuade you. We hope, of course, that we never have to use them."
Three days after the funeral, Serena returned to the churchyard. She didn't drive there - not only would she have been crying too much to focus on the road, but she relished the labor of her legs to carry her to her destination. It was exactly what Ash would have done.
It was perhaps only fitting, therefore, that she held a bouquet in her arms as she strode up to the location where the funeral had been held.
Serena wiped tears away from her eyes. The heat of the day made her sweat a sizable amount, making it hard to see, but the tears still had a greater impact in that department. As soon as she had entered the cemetery grounds, she allowed herself to break down like no one was watching.
Because nobody's watching.
She knew the way to the grave. She'd been visiting it every day since the funeral, always carrying a bouquet she'd bought at the nearest supermarket to her home. Besides, the cemetery wasn't particularly large - it was a small town, after all.
There was already someone kneeling in front of the gravestone, swaying from side to side and letting out some tears.
"Brock?"
The young man turned to face Serena. It was indeed Brock Lee, who'd been one of Ash's best friends. Serena did not object to this - when it came to grieving, it was at least helpful to have company to reflect on the life of the deceased.
"Hello, Serena," Brock said, wiping sweat out of his spiky hair. "I can't believe it, can you?"
"No," Serena admitted. "It still feels like a dream. If I could wake up from this nightmare right now, I would."
Brock sighed. "Don't we all wish it was just a dream?"
"Yep" she replied. She took a knee next to Brock, knowing that she'd need to shower later; there were lots of ticks in Pallet Town's surrounding environment this time of year. But that was a problem for later, and it seemed incredibly inconsequential next to the cold reality of her life now.
Serena laid the flowers in front of the stone, which read Ash's name and lifespan. He had only been eighteen when he died, and he'd never see nineteen. His decision to go into battle had led to his early departure from this world.
"I wish he hadn't done it" Brock stated eventually.
Serena sighed. "I do too," she said tearfully. "But he did what he felt was best. In that way, he died as he lived - that's what the priest said at the funeral."
Brock glared at Serena. "I know that's what he thought was best" he responded coolly. "But that doesn't mean he was right. He left you because of it, and he put himself six feet under for the sake of his convictions."
Serena gulped, a hot sensation entering her throat. It really wasn't a pleasant one.
"Again, Brock," she said, "he needed to do what he believed was right. He fought with the Pokémon."
"Indeed he did," Brock muttered. "Which was the wrong call."
Serena rolled her eyes. "Are we really going to relitigate this now, when he's not here to defend himself?"
Brock's spiky hair stood on end as he weighed his response carefully. In Serena's opinion, however, there was no coming back from what he'd just said. Not if he wanted to end this conversation amicably.
"I'm not going to argue about what he believed," Brock muttered. "But realistically, Ash joining the Free Pokémon Army wasn't going to turn the tide in the civil war. It wouldn't be decisive. But look at all the harm it caused you!"
Serena gasped. "You can't judge his actions solely based on their consequences! Isn't it the thought that counts?"
Brock sighed, getting up from his knees. Once more, it was several seconds before he replied.
"Look, Serena," he continued. "I believe in doing the most good to the most people. By joining the war, he realistically wouldn't have much of an impact in such a major conflict. But he certainly harmed all of us - he left us all behind!"
Serena had in fact held a similar conversation with Delia Ketchum over the phone just yesterday. Ash's mother had called her son's girlfriend to offer support, and the two women had commiserated for a few minutes. But as soon as Delia had expressed her regrets at allowing Ash to go to the front lines, Serena had objected.
To that, Ash's mother had snarled: You just don't get it, do you?
"I get it," Serena muttered.
Brock glared at her. "You get it?"
"I was thinking about something else, okay? But I'll have you know that I talked to Ash's mother over the phone yesterday."
"What did she say?" Brock enquired in a tone similar to an interrogator in some military prison. At least, that's what Serena imagined such a tone sounded like.
"I had the same conversation with her as I am with you right now," Serena said sternly. And when I told her that Ash wasn't selfish for going into battle, she told me that I didn't get it."
"Well, you don't" Brock insisted.
"Of course I do!" Serena exclaimed. "I was in love with him! I'm still in love with him - I just can't accept that he's gone forever!"
"Well, you have to. That's how death works, Serena."
"I know, I know" Serena responded breathlessly. "But I just wish we could have had a lot more time. We had decades together, and it was all torn away from us in an instant!"
"I'm not saying you're not sad - ".
"Sad doesn't begin to describe it."
"- I'm just saying, it's different for parents. They say that the love a mother has for her children is more powerful than a girlfriend can even imagine."
"How should you know, Brock? You're not a dad! You're eighteen, just like me! Just like Ash!"
Just like Ash will always be.
"That's just what I've heard," Brock admitted.
"Then stop pretending that you know everything," Serena objected. She ran her hands through her hair, an angry sigh forcing its way through her.
Brock sighed too. Eventually, he spoke again.
"I think it's best if we end this conversation now," he mumbled. "Let's not let it be the last conversation we ever have."
"But Brock…" Serena started to protest, but realized she couldn't force Brock to stay with her. Besides, he had a point - the longer this shouting match continued, the angrier both of them would become.
He was already walking away. A minute later, he was at the cemetery's parking lot, where he climbed into his car, turned on the engine, and drove out of sight.