Trigger warnings for this chapter
The world around him was dark. It was like light had no purchase here, swallowed by the odd oil-slick stones that surrounded him. Both heaviness and weightlessness pulled at his skin, unnatural and ancient.
A gold beast slithered by, red eyes piercing.
Suffer not the vile desires of blood, vision, or greed
Lest the zenith of years' plight court two realms' collapse
Muffled voices, a warm pressure against the back of his hand. Eyes sluggishly moved beneath eyelids, but they refused to open. There was a haziness around him, cotton wrapped around his mind and stuffed down his throat.
His fingers twitched, and that was a mistake.
An animalistic scream was torn from his throat, tortured burning slamming into him all at once.
The shouting around him sounded far away, crackling fire filling his senses. Something pressed against his upper arms, and then it all faded to smoke and smouldering embers.
Oil-slick stones
A flying night sky
Heaviness and weightlessness
Gold Gold Gold
He wasn't sure how much time passed, but awareness trickled back into him bit by bit. He waited for the pain, but it wasn't there.
Ash couldn't feel anything from the elbow down.
Breath getting stuck in his throat, he grunted as he struggled, eyes darting back and forth in the dark. His grunts grew frantic even as it felt like sandpaper was tearing at his throat. Each breath burned.
"-sh, Ash, ASH!" With a final gasp, his eyes flew open. Blinding white greeted him, and he had to slam his eyes shut when a headache throbbed. There was a warm hand on his shoulder and another on his opposite cheek.
Slowly blinking his eyes to adapt to the light, Ash looked around.
A hospital room.
Everything was sterile white and gleaming metal. He was hooked up to oxygen, the mask covering his mouth and nose. He could see how his shallow breaths fogged the plastic, and the sight made it suffocating. He went to remove it, but he couldn't lift his arms. Ash hesitantly lowered his gaze.
His upper arms were strapped to the bed's railings, padded belts keeping him locked in place. But from his elbows to the tips of his fingers were wrapped up in white gauze.
He couldn't feel his fingers.
His breath started picking up again and he could hear the rapid beeping of the heart monitor overtake his senses.
But then the warm pressure was back. His head whipped to the side, and there was Oak.
The old professor looked like he hadn't slept in weeks. His salt and pepper hair was in disarray, his clothes were rumpled, and the lines in his face etched deeper than he'd ever seen them.
"You're okay, it's alright, you're safe." It seemed like Oak had been repeating those three assurances for a while.
"Wha-" He had to cut off to cough, his voice a wheezing crack.
Oak's frown imperceptibly deepened. "Let's get you some water first." Ash's eyebrows furrowed but he nodded. The professor pushed a button and soon the bed was in a more upright position. The elderly man held a glass with a straw to his lips after he moved the mask away. "Slowly." Ash felt a little more rationale return to him and nodded, slowly sipping the water that soothed his throat like a balm.
The glass was set back down once it was empty but Oak didn't put the oxygen mask back on. Instead, he slumped in his seat, rubbing his eyes with a sigh. "I'm trying very hard not to yell at you for your idiocy right now, Ashton Red Ketchum." He shook his head and straightened, pinning Ash with an expression so lost he was taken aback.
"I got a call four days ago from the Unova League that one of my sponsored trainers foiled a Team Rocket Mission, captured the six criminals involved, including the last escaped Admin, but had gotten critically injured in the process. Every single one of the Rockets and many of their Pokémon were wrapped up nice and pretty in adhesive poison and had been there for two days before they were found."
Ash's red eyes were blown wide and his chest stuttered. 'What?'
Oak was trying his hardest to reign in his temper, but his face was slowly turning red. "My fifteen year old sponsee moronically took on six highly dangerous criminals by himself with his three youngest Pokémon! Ashton Ketchum what were you thinking? Your Pokémon could have been killed! You could have been killed!"
He could only watch with a strange sense of detachment as Oak broke. A wrinkled hand came up to cover his mouth, but it couldn't cover the choked sob that escaped. Tears trailed through Murkrows feet at the corners of his gray eyes. Oak fell back into his chair, having stood during his tirade, and it was like all the strength had left his body. His frame shook with how hard he was trying to stifle his fear and sorrow.
"Dammit Ash." The heels of his palms pressed against his eyes and he bowed his head.
Ash was stunned, having never seen this kind of emotion from Oak. For a long while, words abandoned him. He didn't… It had never been more obvious how much Oak cared.
"I was going to." Bloodshot eyes lifted to meet his own, confusion written across the weathered face. "Turn around, I was going to leave." He coughed once, his voice still weak. "I had gotten separated from the rest of my… MY TEAM?!" The monitor once again freaked out when Ash shot forward in panic.
"They're all fine." And those three words were all he needed. The rush of energy immediately left him and he fell back against the pillows. A discomfort radiated from his sternum, and he wished he could soothe it. The two were silent for a few moments, both calming down and regaining their composure.
"I had gotten separated from my team after I fell through a sinkhole. I only had Nettle, Mirae, and… and a Hou-houndour that had been following me since Castelia. We were trying to find our way back to the upper floors, but instead we came across… we came across them."
The flashes behind his eyelids were vivid, and he didn't notice he was shaking until Oak's hand brought him back.
"We were about to turn around, I swear, but then a Rocket stumbled in and we heard the cry of something big… something powerful, and I knew if Team Rocket," he spit the name "got it, or hurt it…" He didn't finish the sentence. Ash tried to casually shrug, but it was so stiff and stilted it was like he was shivering from the cold.
"So we fought. We managed to take out two Rockets right away, but then I got caught fighting two. One was s-shot by the Elite. She didn't even care." He shook his head. "The Pokémon… It was a Volcarona, Professor. They were hurting and scaring it. It managed to get away."
"That's good Ash, you did well." Oak kept his voice low and soothing, encouraging him to keep going.
"There was only one left, but she was so strong. She electrocuted me," Ash paused, looking down at his chest, but it was covered by the hospital gown. That's a question for later. "and then she was going to take Mirae and kill Nettle and H-houndour! I couldn't let her, Professor, I couldn't!" He was sure he looked crazed with how wide and imploring his eyes were, but Oak put a hand on Ash's hair and nodded in understanding.
"I know, I know how much you love your team, Ash." Ash nodded along, mind buzzing.
"Her H-houn-houndo-" He cut off, throat closing and heart pounding. Oak's eyes were pained but he started moving his thumb back and forth where his hand was still cupping Ash's head.
"Yes, her Houndoom."
Ash flinched but continued. "I got in front of its attack." He turned red eyes to look at Oak, but Oak was looking at his forearms.
Oh.
"I know, Ash." Everything stilled, like time had paused.
Ash's eyes looked at his bandaged, restrained arms once again.
"I'll have them forever, won't I." His whispered voice cracked, and the Professor suddenly looked centuries old as he nodded.
"These types of scars… there's no healing them. You have a nerve blocker right now, while they… heal."
Ash nodded numbly. In a small voice he asked, "What will they feel like?"
Oak closed his eyes. "Like being poked with a hot fire iron repeatedly down the length of the scars."
The Professor was never one to sugarcoat.
Oddly, it helped. "Good thing I've always had high pain tolerance." The man released a startled, choked laugh that turned into a heart-breaking sob, shoulders shaking and eyes clenched. The sight made something in his chest curl up and die.
Feeling like the biggest dick in the world when his eyelids started to droop, Oak took a shuddering breath and gave a strained smile. "Go to sleep, Ash. I'll be here when you wake up."
"Thank you for coming."
Oak blinked back more tears. "Nothing would have stopped me."
Cornered by a soulless foe
Threats of ruin unchecked
Thrown into enduring flame
An infinite need to Protect
"So how did I get here?" Ash was attempting to distract himself from how useless he felt as Oak spooned another bit of soup into his mouth.
He's had time to push everything relating to his arms away and focus on anything else. That included learning he had an electrical burn on the center of his sternum, but it would fade to a red patch with time.
"Styx. It's to our understanding that your Pokémon arrived just as you got burned. The... offending Pokémon is dead, and the Admin is missing an arm." Ash choked on the soup.
Swallowing thickly, he turned wide eyes to the professor. "What? How?"
Oak's face was carefully blank as he set the soup down and leaned back. "All I know is that Styx flew you all the way to Nimbasa, found a hospital, and you were admitted and had seven occupied Pokéballs and one empty Dusk ball on your belt. It was the search and rescue group that tracked your scent to Relic Castle and found the Rockets. The League was already mobilizing from your emergency beacon. They found a large swell of captured Pokémon from the temple that have since been released."
Ash was filled with a swell of affection for his starter. He didn't even care about that Rocket Elite, she deserves worse.
"Her name is Domino Harvey, codename Black Tulip. Alder, Cynthia, Steven, and Lance have all been called in for the interrogation. Lance's Arcanine even helped locate the temple. The psychic interference around it was powerful."
Shaking his head, Ash was confused. "How'd anyone know it was me?"
"Your scent, the emergency beacon, and I was the only one able to identify Nettle's poison." Right, he could be excused for his lack of connecting the dots. His mind was still stuck on his arms.
A few minutes after he had woken up for the nth time, a team of nurses swept in to change his bandages. Ash refused to hide from this, so he had watched every move, from when they uncovered the burns to cleaning them, to rewrapping.
He had felt nausea swoop through his gut when he first caught sight of his arms. Oozing scarlet and black burns wound around his arms in swollen twisting designs. From the back of his hands, up his forearms, and curling around his elbows, little skin was spared. He likened the burns to stone that had been eroded away over time by rivers or pulsing veins of lava cutting through basalt.
Ash didn't want to visualize noxious fire eating away at his skin.
The doctors had started to slowly wean him off the nerve blocker and already he could feel needle-like sensations running up his arms. At least his fingers and palms had been spared, loss of fine motor control would be debilitating.
"How are they?" Oak didn't need him to elaborate.
"Mirae, Nettle, and your Houndour were pretty banged up, but everyone will be alright. Ash I have to ask… why did you catch a Houndour?"
Ash's eyebrows pinched together and ignored how his heart rate spiked. "I never caught her?"
Oak's lips pressed together. "Well, you have a Dusk ball on your belt that's linked to a Houndour, so…?"
Huffing, Ash slid down in his bed. "Either she caught herself, or one of the others caught her."
The Professor gave a sarcastic, empty laugh. "How many of your teammates did you actually battle to catch?"
"Well, technically one, but I did battle Libra's parent."
His words seemed to have drawn some of the lingering tension from Oak's frame and he shook his head with a rueful smile. "Only you, Ash, could have Chaos types falling over themselves to be caught."
Ash couldn't make a smile reach his lips. He was trying to distract himself from the worsening pain and his situation. He didn't want to think about what almost happened. What would have happened if he had failed.
He didn't want to think about what he now had to live with.
"How long until I'm discharged?"
"Once the Ditto cells finish the tissue healing, they can administer the dampener for the toxin. It's the best they've been able to come up with since the Rocket Wars. It's not a full antidote, but it's better than nothing. After that you're free to go. Should only be another day or two."
Slowly nodding, he looked at his sponsor. "You can leave, you don't need to stay. I'll be fine." Oak didn't grace that comment with a response, merely shook his head and leaned back.
"You're getting a reward."
Ash ignored the whiplash from the change in subject. "For what?"
"Capturing the last Rocket Admin. She's had a bounty on her head for over 16 years. You've done a great service to the league, Ash. Even if I don't think rewarding you for this is proper…" The last bit was mumbled under his breath, but Ash understood.
He had been stupid. Plain and simple. A reward would be conditioning him to seek out more instances like this, seeking more.
"Someone will be dropping it off, as well as asking a few questions later down the line. I asked the League to give you some time."
"Thank you, and I'm not going to be endangering my Pokémon again." That must have been the right thing to say because Oak relaxed slightly. "Speaking of, when can I see them?"
The Professor smiled and stood up. "We can release your smaller ones. We can make a trip later so you can see the rest. I'll be right back." The hospital room felt empty when he left. Ash pushed away his impatience and started down at his hands. Grimacing, he practiced tapping each finger to his thumb and fought through the heightened pain.
He must have gotten lost in his exercise or Oak was just quick, because he returned soon after. First to be released was Mirae. He had a brace around his foreleg, but you wouldn't think he knew since he cried out and dashed forward to snuggle beneath Ash's chin.
"Hey Mirae, shh, shh I'm okay." He shakily brought a palm up to rest on the Eevee's back, gently petting the coffee and cream fur. He dragged the Pokémon close to press a shuddering kiss to his head. Mirae trilled quietly and nuzzled deeper into his neck. He was soon joined by Nettle, the Poipole whining and darting over. Legs perched on his other shoulder, Nettle lightly patted Ash's cheek and rested its head against black hair.
"You two were so brave, thank you." The two softly babbled at him in their own tongue, shooting glances at his bandaged arms but not directly asking.
He was distracted, so when a slightly smoldering tongue licked his hand and he caught sight of his newest catch, something happened that he wasn't expecting.
"NO!" Fear seized his whole body, forcing his arms up to cross in front of his face. He couldn't hear anything over the roaring in his ears. He ducked his head, hiding from the pain he knew was coming.
"Panic attack-"
"-triggered-"
"-reopen wounds!-"
"-talk him down!-"
"ASH!"
"I can't I can't I can't I can't-" His head felt like there were thousands of Beedrill buzzing around; full and fuzzy and stinging. But over the buzz, he could hear his name. He latched onto the familiar voice, knowing it was associated with safety.
"That's good, Ash, very good, I need you to breathe with me, listen to my breaths, can I touch you?" The words took a few moments to register but he jerked his head once. "That's great Ash, I'm going to take your hand and press it to my chest, try to follow along with my breaths." The pang of sharp pain from his hand being moved broke through some of the haze.
His fingers curled in soft cotton but something blocked his inhale. He was sure he made a noise of distress. "I can't-"
"Yes you can, Ash, just try. Nice and slow." He gasped for air, and he felt some enter his deprived lungs. "Good job, try it again." Shaky inhale, a forced exhale, time was immaterial as the panic ever-so-slowly ebbed out of his bones.
The two matched their breathing for a couple long moments as Ash felt his mind get back under his control. His mouth opened and closed a few times before he found what he needed to say.
"Take her, you have to take her." Oak's expression tightened and he looked like he wanted to argue, but he relented and nodded once. The flash of the pristine Dusk ball caught his attention before it was hidden away in Oak's pocket.
"But only for a little while. Ash, you've gone through something traumatic, that's undeniable. But pushing it away won't help you heal-"
"I KNOW THAT!" He roared. The room echoed with the force of the silence. The two nurses in the room fiddled with equipment off to the side, trying to keep out of the way.
Ash bared his teeth, internally cursing himself for his outburst. But his nerves were fried, figuratively and literally, and he couldn't find it in himself to retain his calm. He felt so much.
The Professor's expression fell and his eyes turned sorrowful. "I know you know, Ash. But you've never wanted me to baby you or soften the blow before, so I'm not going to start now. This," he gestured at everything; the scars, the hospital, the unspoken episode, "doesn't mean you're weak, but it happened. Now you need to deal with it. But you don't have to do it alone."
Houndour: The Dark Pokémon. A Fire and Dark type. Houndour is an intelligent Pokémon that forms packs to hunt for prey and shows unparalleled teamwork. It will not abandon a pack member who is sick. It communicates using various barks and howls. Barks are used to determine the location of a pack member during a hunt, which only they can understand, while howls are used as a declaration of ownership over territory. They are known to be loyal and obedient to their Trainers. Houndour can typically be found around rough terrain.
This Houndour is Female and has the ability Early Bird
Known Moves: Howl, Smog, Odor Sleuth, Beat Up, Fire Fang, Feint Attack, Flamethrower, Feint, Crunch, Sunny Day, Smokescreen, Hidden Power (Ice)
Egg Move(s): Destiny Bond
This Pokémon stands at 2'04" and weighs 28.6lbs
Regulated Pokémon [Kanto-Johto-Hoenn-Sinnoh-Unova] Please contact nearest League Representative
His Pokédex was inundated with messages.
Burnet and Kukui, Gladion and Hau, Plumeria, and finally Lillie. He was talked out. It was great to catch up with everyone, but the very obvious concern and slivers of pity put a bit of a damper on things. He didn't mention Houndour or his panic attack, but he was pretty sure Kukui and Burnet could tell he was omitting something.
It was fine.
He was set to be discharged tomorrow, the last day of September. He was going to be in Unova longer than he thought.
This wasn't going to slow him down. The Vertress Conference started in less than a week and would last for a while. He was hoping to catch the last few matches. Ash figured he might have to get a bus or train to make it in time.
But for right now, he had Sagitta, Mirae, and Nettle curled up on the bed with him, the other four cooped up in their balls. Ash was dragging his fingers over Mirae's mane, while the other held a research article on Mega Evolution. He marveled at the ridges he could feel forming beneath the Eevee's fur. He was growing up so fast.
Forearms now free of bandages, most of his time was spent tracing the scars with his eyes. The pain was constant, throbbing and stabbing, but he'd deal with it. Even as he was unable to withhold a wince or a grimace, he refused to let this stop him. He could handle this.
A knock from his doorway lifted his gaze. Oak was smiling, one hand braced on the wall. "You got the go ahead to walk around. Want to see the rest of your team?" Smiling and nodding, Ash roused his sleepy Pokémon, carefully scooping up Mirae and fighting back the stab of pain. He let Nettle settle on his head while Sagitta fluttered above. He had been able to change into a new pair of sweats and a shirt last night, so all he had to do was slip on a pair of slippers and follow the elderly professor.
Nimbasa Medical Center was a massive building, looming at 23 stories and spanning an entire block. There was a circular courtyard with walking paths nearby, and an area designated for Pokémon. There were, after all, people with allergies to certain species.
Oak had been holding on to his belt and he only hesitated a moment before releasing the last four members of his team.
The roars made Ash wince, worried about the other hospital inhabitants. But that thought was quickly chased away by Styx charging at him. He blinked and the next moment his sight was blacked out by a wall of feathers.
Tucked beneath her wings, Styx and Ash were free to reunite without the stares of anyone else, other than Mirae. Deep rumbling escaped her throats and Ash brought up his undamaged palms to frame her face.
"Thank you for saving me." Styx closed her fuschia eyes and pressed her snout to his forehead. 'On my life' her demeanor seemed to project. She moved down to briefly nuzzle Mirae, who trilled happily at his surrogate mother.
They stayed a few more moments in their own little world before his Hydreigon reluctantly released him. He was immediately engulfed in a hug from both Bane and Hemlock, both hyper aware of his damaged arms. Bane pushed his forehead up underneath Ash's chin and leaned into him, his growl deep and soothing. Last, but certainly not least, Libra lumbered over and bumped his head with her snout. Hemlock's spindly, sharp claws were tangled in Ash's pant leg.
This level of affection from his team made something uncomfortable squeeze in his chest. It was hot and expansive and sent a stinging warmth to his eyes.
"How did you guys get me out?" Styx snorted and raised her chin. "You tore through the floors, didn't you." He deadpanned. Styx simply fluttered her wings but didn't respond, head still held high.
Oak coughed. "Yes, a team has been sent for structural repair."
He couldn't help it, he smiled for what felt like the first time in eons. He felt some of the tension in his chest loosen. His team was a constant. That, at least, hasn't changed.
"You also have another accomplishment to your name. You have been credited for the discovery of the newly named Relic Castle. Congratulations." Oak's delivery was deadpanned. Ash knew the professor was the one keeping reporters and researchers from bombarding him. This would just add more to the professor's plate.
It was Hemlock who noticed their missing teammate and made an inquiring grunt. Ash could feel his heart pounding at the mere thought of Houndour. He swallowed but squared his shoulders. "As you guys probably know, a Houn-Houndoom," he spit out the word, "did this to me. These scars… they'll always hurt. I-I need time before I can be around Houndour."
Nettle patted his cheek and the rest of his team nodded even if they didn't really get it. Sagitta wasn't really listening, though, caring more about annoying a nearby doctor on her break.
Ash ignored the look of pride on Oak's face that was aimed at him.
For the duration of their time outside, Styx didn't leave his side. Oak was making his rounds, introducing himself to his team, and other than a few bared teeth and hair pulls, it went better than expected.
The Professor spent the longest just gazing at his two Dragons. Awe filled his gray eyes and Ash left him to his quiet wonderment.
"Styx, did you kill the H-houndoom?" The shameless Hydreigon didn't even pretend to feel guilty. She proudly nodded and grinned, serrated teeth on full display. Ash couldn't act like he wasn't relieved. It helped knowing he would never have to face that Pokémon again.
"And the girl? Did you take her arm?" At that, Styx jerked with her head tilted to the side in question. "You didn't?" His starter shook her head in denial. "Huh, did any of you?" He got head shakes from the rest of his team. He and Oak shared a confused glance.
How'd Domino lose her arm?
The words must have invoked some universal energy, because the next moment, the ground started shaking. Bane and Styx herded him out of the way just as the ground beneath their feet broke apart.
Bursting forth from the ground was a Krokorok.
The crocodile spun around until its eyes met another pair. It crouched into a battle stance and snarled out a challenge.
To Hemlock.
The Morgrem rolled his eyes and grinned mockingly. Krokorok's eye twitched and it snapped its teeth together loudly, growling with offense.
"Wait, were you following us in the temple?" Krokorok waved Ash away like he was inconsequential. Ash groaned and looked to the sky. "Hemlock, did you prank Krokorok?" The Morgrem attempted innocence, but it looked unnatural on his normally devious countenance.
Ash pressed his lips together. Oak's amusement was palpable.
Sighing heavily, Ash prayed to Mew for patience. "Hemlock, settle this." Chuckling lowly, Hemlock shot himself at Krokorok, everyone giving the two a wide berth. The croc tried to duck underneath the Drain Punch, but its time in the desert didn't do it any favors with its reflexes.
The Dark and Ground type snarled and pulled itself to its feet and tried again.
And again.
Each time, Hemlock knocked the croc back with Drain Punches or Play Roughs. But Krokorok kept getting back up, despite being battered and having no chance. Ash couldn't decide if it was admirable or just plain ridiculous. It had no long ranged attacks other than Sand Tomb and Earthquake, but it showed incredible control with the latter, keeping it localized. Crunches, Foul Plays, and Thrashes were countered without fail.
Finally, Krokorok was knocked down and struggled to get back to its feet. Panting, it shot a withering glare at Hemlock before it threw itself into the ground.
It didn't come back.
"Huh. Well, good job Hemlock." The Morgrem flashed his fangs and shot a thumbs up.
"You lead an interesting life, Ash." The trainer raised an eyebrow at his mentor and gestured broadly, eliciting a laugh from the old man.
Failing to stifle a yawn, Ash rolled his shoulders, wincing slightly. Styx nudged him and hummed, Familial Thrum like a shot of valium to his system. Oak smiled gently and raised the Pokéballs to return the group. Keeping one hand braced on his upper back, the two humans made their way back to Ash's room on the ninth floor.
"You should be very proud of your team, I certainly am." Ash shifted to get comfortable in his bed and gave a sleepy nod to his sponsor.
"I'm always proud of them."
Oak softly shook his head. "Be proud of yourself, too." The Professor patted his head. "Get some rest, Ash. You're out of here tomorrow."
The morning of September 30th shone bright and early and Ash was ready to get out of here. He knew he needed to heal, but he was going stir crazy. His outfit from Alola that he had been wearing in the desert was unsalvageable, so he had on a simple pair of gray cargo pants and a violet shirt.
Looking around as he slid on his shoes, he made sure he had everything he needed. His Pokédex was back in his pocket, belt around his hips, and hat stowed away in his backpack. Looking down at his sleeves, he hesitated a moment before slowly rolling them up until they rested around his elbow.
It was difficult to adjust, not just to the pain, but the lack of typical sensations. He didn't feel the air moving across his skin, he didn't feel the coolness of the sheets or the pressure of the bed, or the stretch of skin as he made a fist. It was like all sensation other than pain had been stolen from him.
Opening and closing his fists a few times to see how the scars shifted, Ash let his arms drop to his sides.
He wouldn't say he felt any sort of accomplishment when he gazed at his scars, but he'd earned them by doing the right (if stupidly dangerous) thing. The burning, stabbing sensation was constant, and he found it hard to ignore, but this wouldn't tear him down.
People dealt with chronic pain all the time. He wasn't special.
"Ready to go?" Oak was in the doorway watching Ash with assessing eyes. The trainer offered a single nod in response. The Professor let him lead the way, discharge forms already signed and submitted.
Nimbasa was just as busy as ever when they stepped out the automatic doors. Ash had gotten used to his hair being free, and now he relished in the light breeze catching the inky strands. He felt a tug on the dyed strands and turned to the grinning researcher.
"They suit you." A lot was hidden in those three words. The changes he's gone through, the growth, it was all right. His time away from Pallet had given him room to become something else. Something better.
"What do you do now?"
The Professor sighed. "I have to stick around for the trial. I swear, Ash, you're making me testify more in the last two months than I have in the last 16 years." The smirk that crossed Ash's face made him feel more like himself.
"It's not my fault I have to clean up everyone's messes."
Rolling his eyes, Oak grumbled under his breath about 'ungrateful shits'. "What about you?"
The two started walking East and Ash stuffed his hands in his pockets before jerking them back and hissing. Oak gracefully ignored it. "End goal is Opelucid City and Vertress City. I'll travel through Undella Bay to get there. I'm hoping to catch the tail end of the conference. I'll fly out of Vertress."
"What about Dragonspiral Tower?"
Ash shrugged. "I don't want to spend any longer in Unova than I need to. A pure Dragon type doesn't give me the coverage I want." Ash could leave now, but that felt like giving up. There was one thing he still wanted to do in Unova, even if he didn't catch any more Pokémon.
Oak nodded along to his reasoning. "Kalos and Galar have a variety of Dragon types, so you'll have better luck there. I'd recommend purchasing your tickets once you hit Undella Town. Flights are going to be crazy as soon as the conference is over."
"Thanks for the heads up."
The entrance to the Marvelous Bridge towered over them. There was something unspoken between researcher and trainer, and it kept Ash in place. Tapping his thigh surreptitiously, Ash took a deep breath and turned to his mentor.
"I'm grateful I wasn't alone."
Oak's face softened and Ash was hesitant to name the expression. Fondness? Love? "I care about you, Ash. Being able to watch you grow and succeed, to fail and get back up, there are no words for that fulfillment. If you need anything, call." Placing a single steadying hand on Ash's shoulder, he smiled, something gentle and compassionate, before taking a step away.
"Good luck."
Determination hardened Ash's eyes as he turned towards the bridge. A single deep breath in an attempt to calm the roiling uncertainty in his gut, he forced his legs to move.
Marvelous Bridge felt like a metaphor; a transition from new experiences back to old roots. It wasn't nearly as massive as Skyarrow Bridge, but the walk allowed Ash to push down the constant panic he'd managed to hide thus far.
He was fine.
Route 15 was a four day trip to Black City. Route 14 was longer, about a week. The whole Eastern coast of Unova was full of powerful trainers and Pokémon. Nothing will make him feel more like himself than with a couple challenging battles.
And that was mostly true.
The first two days were fine. There was a constant fatigue that ached at the back of his skull, it pulsed like it had a direct link to his forearms. His sleep was restless and full of burning shadows, but he was fine.
He was fine.
There was a surplus of trainers looking for a fight, and he was actually rather delighted that he lost almost as much as he won. Hemlock, Sagitta, Bane, Nettle, and Mirae learned more in these two days from their losses than any of their wins.
He even got to battle an Altaria which had been riveting. Even though Altaria were one of the easier Dragons to work with, they're still a Dragon.
That bizarre Krokorok was challenging Hemlock once a day, losing each time and disappearing with a last-minute Dig. It was getting a bit repetitive, even if Hemlock was getting a kick out of it.
But on this third day, it all went to shit.
He had been challenged by Elliot, a self proclaimed 'Pokéfan' and sure, his Smeargle had made him unusually uncomfortable, but Ash wasn't expecting to be struck with absolute terror when he was faced with a Herdier.
It was the scene in the hospital all over again. Except this time, in the midst of his attack, Styx released herself alongside a battle-worn Sagitta.
Elliot didn't stick around, a horrific roar biting at his heels.
Familial Thrum barely punctured the wave of dread that had taken hold of his mind and body.
But his starter was stubborn if nothing else, and he wasn't sure if a minute or an hour passed before his muscle began to loosen.
A new type of dread settled in his bones.
He was scared of canines.
Traumatized. Broken.
This wasn't good.
"Why didn't you mention this before?"
Professor Oak might be talking to the Kanto-Johto Champion, who might have been the leading force to end the Rocket Wars, but Oak had also been a Champion. One that had ended the Johto-Kanto War and had united the two regions under one Champion.
He was not about to let Lance Blackthorn intimidate him, and he was certainly not about to let Lance Blackthorn speak like that about his surrogate grandson.
"Because it wasn't relevant."
He got a scoff of incredulity from the Tempest Master, and a few eyebrow raises from some of the others.
"Oh, sure, the fact that the trainer, who dismantled a Rocket mission mind you, just so happens to train Dark types wasn't relevant information?"
Oak slammed his hands on the table and stood up. The room went silent. "If you're implying what I think you're implying, I'd recommend treading carefully." His voice was low, but left no question that Ash was under his protection.
A light cough from the side drew attention to the Sinnoh Champion. Cynthia stood with all the grace and strength of a Lucario and sent a look to Lance that made him back down. "We are not implying anything, Professor. We are merely being cautious. The Rocket Wars left scars on us all, some more than others." Her eyes flickered to Lance before settling once again on Oak. "Even you know that if it wasn't for the Great Wave, the war could have lasted much longer. That being said, we cannot be in the business of brushing aside coincidences, and a Dark trainer encountering a Rocket squad by chance? You must admit, that doesn't look good, especially with said trainer owning a Houndour." Diplomatic as ever.
Steven Stone leaned forward, steel eyes analytical as always. "We need assurances, Professor. How did he find a previously unidentified ancient site at the same time Team Rocket was there? Metagross reported that the Sigilyph's illusion was layered and complex, which is why it remained concealed all this time. The coincidences are adding up, and the final numbers aren't in the boy's favor."
Oak clenched his fists even as he internally chanted to calm down. "You are all jumping to conclusions without having the full scope of the story, without doing your duty and reading all information provided to you." Narrowed eyes made contact with all the others in the room as he continued. "What you don't know because your bias got in the way is that the trainer is an aspiring Chaos Trainer, has the sponsorship of both Dr. Bill Richards and Professor Kukui alongside myself, and has grown up on my Ranch since he was four years old. I will NOT have you implying he is a terrorist. You didn't-" Oak grit his teeth, keeping the furious, helpless tears at bay.
They didn't see Ash in that hospital bed. They didn't see his fear.
Before anyone could speak, a ringing echoed from Oak's pocket. A ringing that was only set for the three most important people in his life. Pulling out his phone, Oak only needed to take one look at the caller ID before he paled with worry.
"Excuse me, I need to take this." He flew from the room, ignoring the protests that followed him out. As soon as he had rounded the corner, he put the phone to his ear.
"Ash? Are you alright?"
Labored breathing made his blood run cold. "I-I'm not okay, Professor."
"Ash, what's wrong, where are you?" His heart was pounding hard enough he felt like a heart attack was in his future.
A couple deep, shaky breaths could be heard. "It's not… It's not just H-houndour and Hound-Hound-doom that are triggers." Oak's heart fell to his stomach. "A Herdier set me off."
The researcher grimaced and dragged a hand down his face. He was worried something like this would happen. This was not good. If something happened during the conference or gym battle, he'd be disqualified. There had to be a…
Wait.
Maybe that would work.
"Ash, where are you?"
"Route 15, almost to Black City"
Perfect.
"I know someone who might be able to help. I'm happy you called me, Ash. Let me make a call and I'll get back to you. We'll work on this, okay? This won't be forever."
There was a slight pause before he replied with a quiet, "I know." He hung up after that. Oak gave himself a few seconds to feel his heart break for his sponsee. Shaking his head, he pulled up a different contact on his phone and dialed a rarely used number.
"This is a surprise."
"Good Morning, Dr. Griima."
"Ah, so it's one of those calls."
Oak stamped down on his exasperation at the droll tone. "Yes, look, I need a favor…"
Ash entered Black City with a mixture of trepidation and exhaustion. The harsh reality check he'd experienced weighed heavily on him. How was he going to move past this? Canine Pokémon were some of the most common when it came to companion Pokémon, you could always find at least three out and about with their 'owners' in any town or city.
More often than not they were a trainer's first Pokémon. Growlithe, Lillipup, Rockruff…
Ash felt his breaths speed up, and he focused on forcefully relaxing his tense shoulders. Whoever he was meeting here was an acquaintance of Professor Oak, and that gave him a little hope. Oak doesn't trust just anyone.
The gleaming obsidian roads and black glass buildings felt equal parts oppressive and welcoming. The people here didn't stop to chat or even wave. They had a single-minded focus to go about their day with the least bit of interaction possible.
It was Ash's kind of place.
The address Oak had forwarded him pointed in the opposite direction of the Pokémon center, which, no. His Pokémon deserved a check up first. And he wasn't too emotionally stunted or blind to deny that he was a bit codependent on his Pokémon at the moment. So he'd be waiting, right here, until they were healed.
This acquaintance be damned.
He'd smack himself for that thought.
Because when he had his seven Pokéballs reattached to his belt and made his way across the city, he found a lobby and an office door.
Eventide Psychology and Counseling
Grimsley J Griima, PhD
Oh.
Swallowing his awe and extreme confusion, Ash looked at the receptionist. She gave him an encouraging smile and nodded. He raised his knuckles to knock.
"Come in."
Stepping inside, he closed the door behind him and stared.
Yup. That was Dark Master and Elite Four Grimsley.
The man looked nothing like his interviews or battles. Instead of a fancy suit and scarf, he was in a pair of casual jeans and a white button up. His hair was still pitch black with his symbolic 'wings' on the sides, but other than that, he looked like a regular man. He even had a pair of rectangular glasses settled on his nose.
"Ash Ketchum, correct?" Ash squared his shoulders and nodded once. Grimsley let a slow smile spread his lips and he nodded towards a chair. "Sit if you'd like, but if you're more comfortable standing, that's fine."
Internally struggling, Ash weighed the pros and cons. He really didn't want therapy, but he needed to get past this. He didn't know when or how Elite Four Grimsley became a licensed psychologist, but if anyone could relate or understand, it would probably be another Dark trainer.
So he shoved his uncertainty down and took a seat. Grimsley's easy smile didn't change, but he did lean back in his chair, looking as relaxed as possible. Ash bristled a little, not like being treated like an easily-spooked Pokémon.
"You've got sharp eyes." Said eyes darted to meet cerulean, shockingly similar to Bane's. It brought him a modicum of ease. "I don't think you're going to break, but therapy is about mutual trust, and I didn't want to come off as posturing, especially when my reputation precedes me."
That's a good point. Grimsley was known for his sarcastic drawl and vicious ruthlessness in battle. Nothing pointed towards a man with a modicum of empathy. Yet here they were.
"You're welcome to release a Pokémon if it helps. You seem like the type to prefer that over other people." The grin took on a quality that made Ash think the two were alike in that sense. "As you know, Professor Oak asked me to speak with you. He didn't give me too many details, but did mention we'd have something in common, and that you have developed a recent trauma. It's up to you how much you're willing to share."
Ash decided to kill two Pidgey with one stone and released Bane. The fox, donning his Leavanny illusion, tensed upon a stranger being near his trainer. He took a step closer to Ash. "Hey, you can drop it. It's safe here. I just… Can you stay close?" Bane immediately nodded, but eyed the stranger. A few seconds later he shook off the illusion.
Grimsley's eyes widened and he leaned forward in amazement. "A Zoroark... " His tone was filled with awe. Understanding filled blue eyes and he chanced a look at Ash. "Ah, I get it. Dark specialty?"
"Chaos."
Grimsley's smile grew. "You don't say? Incredible. What have you caught thus far?"
If there was one thing that got Ash to open up, it would be talking about his Pokémon. "I have a Morgrem, Eevee, Togetic, Hakamo-o, Poipole, my starter a Hydreigon, and a Ho-" Ash gritted his teeth and pushed through the block. "A Houndour."
"Well, that's a lot to unpack there. I'm guessing you've traveled? No way you could find any of those in Kanto, except maybe the Eevee, and you are in Unova."
Little by little, as he spoke about his journey, he realized the tenseness in his muscles was lessening. His barriers weren't as high and the hand he carded through Bane's fur had fallen into an easy rhythm.
"You have interesting luck; A Hydreigon, a Zoroark, an Eevee, a Totem Hakamo-o, and a Pokémon from another dimension."
Ash sighed but the quirk of his lips denoted fondness. "Yeah."
Grimsley wove his fingers together and leaned forward a bit. "Can we talk about Houndour?" Ash immediately tensed, his fingers gripping black and red strands. Bane looked up from where he was lounging by his feet and whined softly. Ash released his grip and exhaled slowly, lightly fingering the golden ornament in Bane's fur.
Looking down and hiding a flinch of pain, he gently rolled up his sleeves. The faint gasp made him clench his fists, despite the stabbing sensation it brought on. Ash refused to look up, to see pity.
"I see… care to share?" The blasé tone actually helped a bit; like his nonsense fear wasn't a big deal. But Ash could hear a tremble in the deep voice. Was the tremble due to disgust? Anger? Mistrust?
"Was exploring the Desert Resort, came across a temple. Some of us got separated from the rest of my Pokémon. We found… we found some Rockets, trying to capture a Volcarona. I got caught in the crossfire." That was the most succinct summary he could produce. He unconsciously traced his winding scars lightly, pain spiking with the motion.
"What do you need from me?"
Ash huffed harshly. "Isn't that what you're supposed to tell me? Isn't that why I'm here? You're the expert." He knew he was getting defensive, okay? But he didn't know what he needed.
"Why did Oak call me?"
Ash snarled, but Bane's steady weight on his feet kept him from fully lashing out. "A Herdier gave me a panic attack, alright? Turns out it's not just Houndour and Houndoom." He spit the words to avoid the pointless stuttering.
"That's understandable."
Ash's head snapped up. "What?" His voice was disbelieving. Grimsely was leaning back, body language languid but eyes sharp.
He waved a hand. "What did you expect? You'd walk away from a life or death situation with a horrific injury and have no lasting psychological damage? That's a fairytale. You feel what you feel and that's that."
He was speechless. "But…"
"But nothing. Every trainer worth their salt has some lasting trauma. You don't get to that level unless you've fought your way out from the gates of the Nether."
Ash sneered. "Yeah, that's likely."
Grimsley raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "I became a Dark master because I hated Psychic types after I was mentally manipulated by one for years. Even developed a gambling and drinking problem to cope. When I saw a Psychic type, I didn't get scared, I got angry. You can imagine how that played out."
Ash's mouth opened and closed a few times before he got a hold of himself. "Why are you telling me this?"
Grimsley shrugged. "Because I'm not ashamed of my experiences and how my mind reacted. Do you think I'm weak?"
And all Ash could think was no. No, Grimsley was arguably the strongest Dark Elite in all of the League. Sidney and Karen just weren't up to his level. He also portrayed a 'devil may care' attitude to the media. This new information didn't even rattle his perception of Grimsley.
"...This is not what I expected from therapy."
Grimsley actually laughed at that, a raspy sound like what a Haunter might make. He was still chuckling when he responded. "I figured, if you're anything like me, you wouldn't respond well to the usual soft-spoken and gentle nature of most sessions. You're pissed at your situation and are driven to move past it. So, are we going to get to work?"
"Yeah… yeah okay."
Oh? Long-lasting consequences to actions taken in a terribly dangerous situation?
With Ash having such a complicated relationship with emotion, I imagine his emotional regulation in high-pressure situations can fluctuate wildly.
Did I expect to make Grimsley a therapist? No. Am I happy with it? Yes. Also, I'm not a licensed therapist, so take every conversation and piece of advice with a grain of salt.
Happy Thanksgiving, grateful so many people are finding joy in my little passion project
On another note: Don't make my mistake and procrastinate on grad school applications.