Genesect was angry.
Actually, that wasn't precisely true. Being an artificial Pokemon, Genesect was incapable of feeling any emotions whatsoever. It was all simulated by the vastly complicated network of electronics within his robotic brain. So, technically, Genesect couldn't be angry. But he felt that way regardless as he rushed through the woods, not even caring to avoid the tree trunks in his path.
Since he was an artificial Legendary, this resulted in the collapse of several trees.
Genesect ignored them. He was too busy replaying a single scene in his artificial brain over and over, a scene that caused him untold amounts of simulated mental pain and yet one he could not stop thinking back to, a scene that was the entire reason he was out here right now.
It had been a calm day, with nothing out of the ordinary going on. Professor Archie had been singing sea shanties as he fed his Sharpedo, the Zygarde and the Hoothoot had gotten into another turf war, and Silvally had been yelling random insults at Gladion and Professor Archies' Crobats as they'd been in the middle of a sparring match. Just a normal day on Professor Archie's ranch.
Then everything had changed when a loud ping noise had sounded. It was a noise every Pokemon on the ranch knew well by now: the noise that indicated Ash was about to exchange one or more of his Pokemon. This was especially noticeable, though, because Ash had already done this once today - trading in two of his Zygarde for Pyroar and Kubfu - and the Zygarde, upon returning, had informed the rest of Ash's team that Ash was about to take on the next Gym.
Professor Archie had stopped in the middle of his latest sea shanty and rushed inside the lab, while Ash's various Pokemon had stopped what they were doing (much to Noctowl's relief, as the Hoothoot had been losing) and gathered by the lab in case Ash wanted them for the battle. Genesect had joined them, of course. He'd known Ash would pick him. After all, Ash had promised, hadn't he?
And then Ash had exchanged Primeape and Kubfu for Scizor and Aegislash, and Genesect had been left standing outside the lab as everyone else went back to whatever they'd been doing.
Ash had promised, hadn't he?
Genesect's purpose was to serve humans. To protect humans. To obey humans. And most importantly, to serve, protect, and obey his Trainer. But how could he do that if his Trainer refused to let him?
Did Ash not want to use him at all?
Genesect had thought back to his beatdown of the Vermillion City Gym. To his attack on the Hoothoot in the power plant, and subsequent rebuke by Ash. To his request to battle more for Ash against proper challenges in Fuchsia, and how Ash had promised…promised…
Something must have gone wrong with the Gym's typing. Yes, that must be it. Ash wouldn't break a promise like that, would he?
Genesect had tracked down Kubfu, and asked the small Fighting-type what the typing of the Gym had been, praying that the answer would be Water, or Electric, or Steel…something that could possibly make Ash want to bring Pokemon other than him.
But Kubfu had answered, "I think it was supposed to be Poison? Not sure, we were going off a single Ivysaur."
Poison. A typing Genesect was good against. Strong against. And yes, Zygarde was also strong against Poison, but Ash had promised.
He'd chosen Zygarde over Genesect. Broken his promise. And done it all for no reason that Genesect could comprehend.
Why? Genesect had asked himself that question so many times since that conversation. Why? Why? Why?
Only one possible answer had come to mind. The only reason Ash wouldn't use him…was because he didn't want to.
He abandoned me. Just like Damian.
Maybe it was because Genesect was too strong. Maybe it was because Genesect was afraid of fire, unlike Scizor, who was similarly weak to the type but didn't flinch away every time flames came near. Maybe it was some other reason entirely.
But whatever the reason, Genesect was tired. Tired of sitting on the ranch, tired of watching as everyone else battled and got stronger around him, tired of being given promises that would never be fulfilled. Tired of being abandoned. So what if Ash had at least abandoned him in a comfortable lab as opposed to on a rock in the middle of nowhere? Abandonment was still abandonment.
It had been difficult to make the decision. Profoundly difficult. Even as he'd been heading towards the fence that surrounded the lab, he'd nearly turned back multiple times. But the decision had been made regardless.
If my Trainer won't use me…then I'll find a Trainer who will.
And so Genesect kept running. He did not know his way around these woods (hence why he was still blundering into and knocking chunks out of trees), but he knew - vaguely - the direction of the nearest town, Viridian City. And that was where he wanted to go. That was, after all, where the last Gym resided; the Trainers there would be strong, and would likely present Genesect with many good battles.
It was only at this point that Genesect remembered something important. Namely, that since Ash owned his Pokeball, he was still technically Ash's Pokemon, and thus no one else could catch him.
Genesect skidded to a halt. Hm…perhaps I did not think this through entirely.
He looked around, racking his brain for a solution while simultaneously attempting to get a fix on his current position. Everywhere he looked, he saw thick, impenetrable forest, all of which looked alike. This was, obviously, not very helpful.
"Hey, would you look at that?"
Genesect looked up at the sound of the harsh voice. There, on a branch, stood a Spearow, accompanied by about a dozen other Spearow. "It's a mysterious but powerful-looking Pokemon we've never seen before!" the Spearow announced.
"Let's beat him up!" another Spearow suggested.
"WHY?" Genesect asked irritably.
A third Spearow shrugged. "I dunno. We just like being evil."
"Yeah!" the other Spearow chorused. "Evil! Evil!"
"WELL," said Genesect, eyeing the flock as they gleefully chanted about how evil they were, "I - SUP-POSE - IT - IS - GOOD - TO - KNOW - I - WILL - NOT - FEEL - A-NY - GUILT - AF-TER - BEA-TING - THE - E-VER - LO-VING - [Family-friendly censor activated!] - OUT - OF - YOU."
The Spearow glanced at one another. "What's a family-friendly censor?" one asked.
"It's probably a weapon it's gonna try and attack us with!" another decided.
"Good point!" The Spearow who had spoken initially spread his wings. "You think you can threaten us with your robotic words and your family-friendly censor? Well, think again! Get him!"
The entire flock flung themselves off the branch, screeching battle cries as they flew down at Genesect.
"YOU - MIS-UN-DER-STAND," Genesect retorted. "I - WILL - NOT - THREA-TEN - YOU - WITH - THOSE." His gun began to flare with energy. "I - WILL - THREA-TEN - YOU - WITH - THIS. COM-MEN-CING - MAX-I-MUM - EX-TER-MI-NA-TION!"
Techno Blasts flew upwards, and Spearow rained from the sky.
As the few remaining Spearow turned tail and fled as fast as their little wings could carry them, shrieking about things like 'vengeance' and 'the boss' and unimportant garbage like that, Genesect resumed moving, this time walking at a more measured and careful stride. He'd decided to keep doing what he had been doing, which was moving vaguely towards where he thought Viridian City might be. He could ponder his next move once he'd gotten out of this forest.
Or I could just go back. I know the way, and it's not far.
Genesect growled frustratedly. This wasn't the first time that unwanted thought had found its way into his head, and he didn't like how he half-turned at the mere suggestion. He wasn't going back. There was nothing for him there. Nothing but friendsPokemon who treated him like a weapon to be kept at arms' length, his homea glorified prison, and his Traineranother fool of a Trainer who didn't care about Genesect in the slightest.
He abandoned me. Just like Damian.
Genesect punched a tree out of sheer frustration. It didn't help.
"WHAT - ARE - THESE - FEE-LINGS?" he snarled to the surrounding trees, who would probably have been terrified of him by now if they could think. "WHY - DO - I - FE-EL - THIS - WAY? WHY - CAN - I - NOT - STOP - THIN-KING - A-BOUT - HIM? EX-PLAIN!"
Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the forest did not seem particularly inclined to provide such an explanation.
Whirling, Genesect stormed off, not in any particular direction, just trying to clear his head. He didn't want to think about Ash or any of his Pokemon. He was leaving all that behind. Keeping them in his head was a waste of time.
A loud thump behind him disturbed Genesect from his thoughts.
Turning, Genesect realized he'd walked into a fairly sizable clearing. Behind him stood a rather angry-looking Fearow, wings upraised and eyes narrowed. On the trees above, a large contingent of Spearow crouched, all looking just as unfriendly as the Fearow. Genesect at once regretted letting any of those Spearow from earlier get away.
"DO - YOU - MIND?" Genesect snarled, feeling quite irritated at present.
"You!" the Fearow exclaimed. "We have been watching your ranch for weeks now, ever since I evolved, preparing to strike back at the Trainer who dared throw a stone at me! We know from our spies that you are one of his Pokemon, and now you have made the mistake of not only alerting us to your presence, but attacking my Spearow! Your destruction shall send a message to all who dare to oppose my flock - assault upon us will not be tolerated!"
Genesect stared at the Fearow. "…WHAT."
"What do you mean, what?" the Fearow demanded.
Genesect spread his arms. "YOU - HAVE - RAISED - AN - EN-TI-RE - AR-MY," he said, "EN-LIS-TED - SPIES. AND - PLOT-TED - RE-VENGE. ALL - BE-CAUSE - MY - TRAI-NER…FOR-MER - TRAI-NER…ONCE - THREW - A - STONE - AT - YOU."
"I know, right?" the Fearow replied. "I've been quite restrained, if I do say so myself!"
Genesect let out a robotic sigh. "I - FE-EL - LIKE - YOUR - PLAN - HAS - SOME - HOLES - IN - IT."
"The only thing that's about to have holes in it is you!" the Fearow yelled. "Spearow, attack!"
Something attacked. It wasn't the Spearow.
A sharp cry sounded as a Blaziken exploded into the clearing, unleashing a flying kick straight into the side of the Fearow's face. The Fearow shrieked in agony as he was flung away, his body flying into a cluster of bushes and disappearing in a cloud of dust and feathers. The Blaziken twisted, flinging out both its arms, and unleashed a cone of fire from each of them, blasting the horde of Spearow with vicious flames while narrowly missing Genesect.
It was rather ironic, Genesect vaguely thought even as panic filled his systems, that the Blaziken's rescue was far more terrifying to him than any of the Spearow or Fearow had been. He tried to shrink away from the flames, but found his feet rooted to the dirt, and watched motionlessly as the flames flickered and crackled hungrily. Heat licked at Genesect's body, and it was as if he was back with Damian, watching the cylinder of fire streak towards him as Damian commanded him to stand there and take it even though he knew he couldn't…
"Blaziken, return! They're gone!"
Blaziken disappeared in a flash of blue light. Genesect wasn't entirely surprised - a Pokemon as powerful as Blaziken had to be Trained - but at present his plan to find a new Trainer was the last thing on his mind. All he could think about was the fire that still burned, scorching trees and disintegrating grass despite Blaziken no longer being there to spread it.
"Hey, you okay?"
Slowly, Genesect forced himself to turn. There, next to a tree unmarked by flames, stood a teenager, clearly older than Ash but a teenager nonetheless. His close-cropped yet somewhat messy brown hair blew in the wind generated by the flames as he stared at Genesect with a pair of deep blue eyes. His attire was fairly casual and rather nondescript, fitting his calm demeanor. Genesect caught a hint of surprise and interest dancing in the teenager's eyes, but it was gone as soon as he saw it.
"My name's Harrison," said the older teenager. "I'm sorry about Blaziken - he's a wonderful Pokemon and a good friend, but he's always been a little…overenthusiastic, shall we say?"
Genesect refused to untense; he could still feel the heat of the flames at his back, and dared not turn to look at the fire.
Harrison tapped another of the seven Pokeballs adorning his belt, releasing a towering Steelix. "Steelix, would you mind putting out that fire?"
"Sure thing, boss," Steelix replied, already slithering forwards. He opened his mouth and exhaled a spray of dirt and stone, swiftly smothering the first of the flames. As the Steel/Ground-type moved on to the remainder of the fire, Harrison leaned against a tree. "And who might you be? You don't look like the typical Wild Pokemon I see out here."
"I - AM - GE-NE-SECT."
"Genesect." Harrison rolled the name around his mouth. "Wait a second…I think I've heard of you. You're one of those artificial Legendaries from Unova, right?" He extended a hand. "It's nice to meet you."
Slowly and rather awkwardly, Genesect took Harrison's hand and gave it a light shake.
"Whoa, please don't pull my arm off!" Harrison stepped back, chuckling. "So…can't help but wonder. What is an artificial Legendary from Unova doing in the woods near Viridian City?"
Genesect hesitated. "I - WAS - A-BAN-DONED," he said at last.
Harrison's eyes narrowed. "Who'd abandon someone like you?" he asked.
Genesect hesitated again, and this time stayed silent.
"Well," said Harrison, "whoever they are, they're making a mistake. Would you mind following me? My place isn't far."
"YOUR - PLACE?" Genesect frowned. Harrison had not been at all what he'd expected from the first Trainer he ran into after his flight from Professor Archie's ranch. For starters, he'd struck up a conversation instead of just throwing a Pokeball. Just like Ash…
No. He abandoned me. He's in the past now.
Harrison nodded. "I live in Viridian. Look, I'm not going to force you, but in my opinion, staying out here with that Spearow flock about isn't the best idea. And I know you're fully capable of defending yourself, but…wouldn't you rather relax for the night?"
Genesect had to admit Harrison was right. That Fearow seemed like just the right combination of stupid and evil to decide it would be a great idea to launch a nighttime ambush on Genesect. And that was something Genesect did not want to have to deal with.
Harrison continued to speak. "I promise I won't even try and catch you if that's not what you want, okay? I'm not that kind of Trainer. Right, Steelix?"
"Right." Genesect whipped around; Steelix had just finished smothering the last of the flames and was now slithering back over to Harrison, his bulky body carving a shallow groove in the forest floor.
Genesect eyed the Steel/Ground-type, but saw no deceit in the Pokemon's eyes. "VE-RY - WELL," Genesect decided at last. "PLEASE - ES-CORT - ME - TO - YOUR - PLACE - OF - RE-SI-DENCE."
Harrison's place of residence turned out to be a comfortable-looking house in the midst of Viridian City, slightly smaller than most of the surrounding buildings but still plenty big enough to live in. The older teenager and Genesect had drawn some glances from passersby as they made their way to the house, but thankfully no one approached them before they arrived. Harrison opened the door and stepped inside; Genesect followed, instantly scanning the sizable living room that was on the other side. With finely-carved furniture, a plush carpet on the floor, and a few expensive-looking paintings adorning the walls, the room made it obvious that Harrison was fairly well-off.
Harrison turned to face Genesect. "You've met Blaziken," said Harrison. "I'll refrain from releasing him - no sense in further traumatizing you for no reason. And you've also met Steelix. But let me introduce the rest of my team." Without further ado, he released a Miltank, Hypno, Kecleon, and Sneasel onto the wooden floor, all of whom promptly greeted Genesect with a chorus of "Hi!" and "Hello."
"My seventh is away at present," Harrison explained, touching his final Pokeball. "But you'll be able to meet him soon, I promise."
"GREE-TINGS," Genesect stated to the gathered group of four Pokemon. Sneasel flinched away; Miltank promptly knelt down next to him, whispering comforting words into his ear. Genesect whirred. "I - A-PO-LO-GIZE."
"No problem," said Kecleon. "You're not the first intimidating Pokemon we've come across. Sneasel's just newer to the team than the rest of us."
"MY - IN-TENT - WAS - NOT - TO - BE - IN-TI-MI-DA-TING," Genesect protested.
"I feel like being intimidating comes with the territory of being an artificial Legendary," Hypno noted. "As it does with being a Legendary in general, an angry rampaging wild Pokemon, or Nurse Tabitha. Anyway, welcome to our home, Genesect."
"So…are you joining the team?"
Genesect froze.
"Sneasel," Miltank chided gently. "Genesect's been through a rough time. Asking questions like that isn't going to help."
"I - DO - NOT - KNOW." And that was the truth. Everything he had seen so far of Harrison told Genesect that the teenager was a good Trainer. And yet some small part of him kept reminding him of Ash. How the boy had rescued him from the rock. How the boy had confronted Damian for his sake. How the boy had done so much to try and make him feel valued.
He abandoned me.
Genesect shook his head. "I - DO - NOT - KNOW," he said again, but Sneasel's question wasn't the only thing he was responding to.
"Genesect." That was Harrison. "If you're finished meeting the team, I've got a room downstairs for you. You're welcome to spend the night here - I don't really know what your plans are beyond that, but I assume you won't be staying."
Plans. Right. Genesect looked up at Harrison. "YOU - HAVE - MY - GRA-TI-TUDE."
Harrison smiled slightly. "It's my pleasure."
Harrison's 'downstairs' turned out to be a surprisingly cold metal room, fairly empty save for several electronic devices on the walls, a few markings on the floor, and a sturdy-looking door on the far side of the room that Genesect was fairly certain was locked "Sorry about this," Harrison said. "I normally use this as a battle arena, not a sleeping area. If you'd prefer something more comfortable-"
"MY - SLEEP - MODE - DOES - NOT - RE-QUI-RE - COM-FORT," Genesect interrupted. "THIS - IS - FINE."
"Alright." Harrison nodded. "If there's anything I can do for you, let me know. Oh, and Genesect?"
"YES?"
Harrison seemed to hesitate for a few seconds before finally speaking. "It feels a little silly to ask this, but do you want to join my team? I'll understand if you say no," he added hastily.
And there it was. The question Genesect had been waiting for since he'd met Harrison. Part of him was glad it had been asked, but at the same time, part of him was not. Because now that the question had been asked, Genesect had to come up with an answer.
An answer that had been evading him from the moment they'd met.
Harrison seemed like everything Genesect had been looking for. He was clearly a kind Trainer who cared for Pokemon, not just his but all of them. He was clearly a powerful Trainer; the speed at which his Blaziken had defeated the Fearow and Spearow was evidence enough of that. He was clearly a wealthy Trainer - no normal Trainer could afford a comfortable house in Viridian City complete with an entire - and clearly high-tech - underground battle arena. And all of this told Genesect that this was a Trainer who would use him and not abandon him. Not like Damian. Not like…
Ash.
Thoughts, memories, flooded into Genesect's mind. Memories of Ash talking to him, convincing him that he didn't have to follow Damian's orders and sit on that rock until his electronics shorted out from the rain. Memories of Ash wielding him in the Vermillion Gym, on the S.S. Anne, against Drake and Liza and Falkner and Korrina. Memories of Ash defending him against Aegislash's derisive taunts. Memories of Ash treating him not as just a Pokemon, but as a friend.
He abandoned me. Just like Damian.
But Ash wasn't like Damian. Ash hadn't derided him, called him useless and a waste of space every time he put even the slightest foot wrong. Ash hadn't ordered him to stand in front of a Flamethrower. Ash hadn't left him on a rock to die.
Ash had broken a promise. Genesect thought back to his feelings at the time. He'd been hurt, he'd been angry, he'd brushed off the thought that Ash could possibly have a reason for his actions other than simply not wanting to use him…
But I didn't even give him a chance. To abandon me…to decide I'm not worth his time, when he spent so long getting through to Aegislash…that's not something Ash would do.
And in that moment, Genesect knew without a doubt that he'd made a mistake.
"I - RE-FUSE," he said. "THANK - YOU - FOR - THE - OF-FER."
Harrison nodded. "I see," he said. Then he raised his voice. "Houndoom?"
Genesect's head shifted to the side as the door on the opposite side of the chamber creaked. A smaller panel inset into the door's base opened, a panel Genesect hadn't even registered until now; through it came a slender Houndoom, its tail curling and its teeth showing. "Project M's showing no abnormalities. What do you want, boss?"
It was at that moment that Houndoom noticed Genesect. His eyes narrowed. "Wait a sec…he one of us?"
"PRO-JECT - M?" Genesect asked, a sudden sickening feeling growing in his metal stomach.
Harrison sighed. "Well, so much for subtlety. Blaziken, Houndoom, Flamethrower. Fill the room."
A hiss of a Pokeball sounded, Houndoom opened his jaws wide, and even as Genesect twisted wildly fire roared from every direction.
A sheet of flames shot in front of him, cutting off his movement and forcing him to abort his Quick Attack. Genesect spun, frantically trying to see a way out, but Blaziken and Houndoom's fire surged in all directions, encircling him, boxing him in. All thoughts of activating his cannon and exterminating his adversaries faded in the face of primal fear; Genesect cowered, shrinking away from the endless tide of flames. "WHAT - IS - THIS?" he demanded. "EX-PLAIN! EX-PLAIN!"
"I truly apologize for this," said Harrison, Blaziken standing by his side. "But there is only one Trainer in Kanto with a Genesect right now, and that same Trainer has proven capable of overcoming two of my strongest operatives multiple times. And to allow him to continue unchallenged would be practically inviting difficulties down the line. You've given me a prime opportunity to nip a potential problem in the bud - one I would be a fool not to take advantage of."
"YOU - WILL - RE-GRET - THIS!" Genesect bellowed. It sounded feeble even to him, his defiance faltering in the face of the terrifying fire.
Harrison locked eyes with him. "I already do, Genesect. If you think I want to do any of this, you're wrong. But it just comes with the territory of being the boss of Team Rocket." Genesect's eyes widened at the proclamation as Harrison continued. "Sometimes, you have to choose pragmatism over morals. And this, I'm afraid, is one of those times. Houndoom, Blaziken, knock him out. Make it quick."
On either side of Genesect, Blaziken and Houndoom turned and unleashed twin Flamethrowers straight at him. A vicious burning sensation tore through Genesect's whole body for a few brief horrific moments…
…and then nothing.
Oh, look, the plot has arrived.