Summary: Ash, Misty, and Brock are sent to deliver an important photograph, but they have no idea just what they're getting into. Evil eyes watch them, and Ash will face the most all-out battle he's ever experienced.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE READING THIS STORY:
First of all, thank you for taking the time to read my story. The story is complete; however, I am open to suggestions and criticism and will try to incorporate your input into future chapters before I upload them. Second, this story is also available here: Weapon, a pokémon fanfic | FanFiction
Okay, now details:
Behind-the-Scenes: I wrote this story over the course of two years, sometimes typing obsessively, but more often forgetting about it due to my constantly changing interests (stupid ADD!). If you notice any significant change in writing style, please point it out to me. I can't promise I'll fix it, but I'll do my best
Setting: Takes place after the Johto saga but before the Hoenn saga. I'm pretending that Ash, Misty, and Brock went on a bunch of adventures before Ash left for Hoenn. Generation III will be referenced, but nothing major. Also, movies 6-8 (as well as the previous movies) will be referenced in one chapter, but that chapter will not be important to the plot.
Rating: T for Teen. There will be violence, though nothing too gory, and some dark themes (tragedy) sprinkled throughout. And all romantic moments will be K+.
You read the prologue! You're awesome! Now sit back in your rolling chair and enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.
Narrator: We continue following our heroes as they return home from another great adventure. Little do they know that a new one is just beginning! But right now, Ash Ketchum and his friends are thinking only of reaching their destination.
"I can see Professor Oak's lab from here!"
"I can see Ash's house from here!"
"I can smell FOOD from here!!!"
With that, Ash dashed off down the road, Pikachu jumping off his shoulder in alarm, followed by Misty and Brock, both exasperated.
"Thanks for dinner, Mrs. Ketchum!" said Misty after she had had enough of the heart-warming food.
"Mfghb?" Ash hastily swallowed and put his fork down. "Oh, yeah, thanks mom, it was great!"
Delia Ketchum smiled sweetly. "I'm glad you kids liked it! You're welcome to plenty more. I can never do enough cooking!" She sighed. "Though I suppose you'll be leaving soon enough, on another adventure?"
Ash paused. "I hadn't really thought about it... but, yeah, that sounds good!"
"Pika!" Pikachu sounded excited, too.
"Great! Where are we headed?" Brock asked.
"Uh, I don't know." Ash slumped in his seat. "I have no idea where to go!" He looked hopefully at Misty and Brock.
"Well, now that I think of it..." Misty started.
Ash sat up. "Yes?"
"I can't think of anywhere either."
Ash slumped back down, looked surprised for about two seconds, and then fell to the floor with his chair.
"Ash, what have I told you about tipping your chair! You're going to hurt yourself!" chided Delia. Mimey came out of the kitchen, wagging a finger at the groaning Ash. "Mr. Mime Mime Mime!" It helped Ash back up. Ash grinned sheepishly, while Brock, Misty, and even Pikachu sighed. Togepi chirped happily. They really were home.
Far away from Pallet Town, deep under the earth, something was stirring.
One of the guards, the only one in the corridor at this particular moment, watched the Rattata clean itself. One paw was licked, sent across fur, licked again, sent across more fur. The little creature nervously attempted to wash itself of all dirt, and when most of it was gone, the Rattata seemed satisfied. It then disappeared inside its hole in the wall.
The guard turned his attention back to his duty, but the Rattata returned in a matter of moments. Accompanying it was its mate, apparently the female, with three tiny babies clinging to it like shipwrecked innocents to a piece of driftwood. The whole family went scuttling and squeaking down the corridor until they were swallowed up by darkness. The guard yawned. Why on earth would the Rattata want to abandon their home and move deeper into the ground? Maybe a mile below wasn't enough for them. The guard was reminded of Pokémon burrowing themselves underground just before volcanic eruptions. Most would emerge after the danger had passed and continue life as if nothing had happened, but there would always be a few that seemed lost, that wouldn't just pick up the pieces and keep on living.
"I really need to stop watching nature documentaries..." the guard muttered to himself.
A soft call from the room he was guarding jolted the guard out of his thoughts. "Guard!" Quiet, and yet urgent; commanding, and yet deceptively calm. The guard hastened into the room and stood to attention.
"Hadis is en route to here from Command. Meet him and give him these details." The man behind the desk handed the guard a digital memory pad. When the guard's hand touched the screen a window popped up asking for a username and a password. The guard saluted.
"Yes, Mordred sir." He immediately left the room and headed up the corridor towards the Command Center, in the opposite direction the family of Rattata had gone.
Mordred waited until the guard's footsteps faded to move. He liked to listen to everything, to observe everything, to evaluate everything. He turned to the painting behind him. Mordred had placed the painting there for a reason: so he would not be tempted to look at it too often. Bad luck. Besides, it would distract him from his work. But now he allowed himself to gaze at the Pokémon depicted.
"Soon."
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. The clock on the door advanced time, indifferent to all - past, present, and future.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE READING THIS STORY:
First of all, thank you for taking the time to read my story. The story is complete; however, I am open to suggestions and criticism and will try to incorporate your input into future chapters before I upload them. Second, this story is also available here: Weapon, a pokémon fanfic | FanFiction
Okay, now details:
Behind-the-Scenes: I wrote this story over the course of two years, sometimes typing obsessively, but more often forgetting about it due to my constantly changing interests (stupid ADD!). If you notice any significant change in writing style, please point it out to me. I can't promise I'll fix it, but I'll do my best
Setting: Takes place after the Johto saga but before the Hoenn saga. I'm pretending that Ash, Misty, and Brock went on a bunch of adventures before Ash left for Hoenn. Generation III will be referenced, but nothing major. Also, movies 6-8 (as well as the previous movies) will be referenced in one chapter, but that chapter will not be important to the plot.
Rating: T for Teen. There will be violence, though nothing too gory, and some dark themes (tragedy) sprinkled throughout. And all romantic moments will be K+.
You read the prologue! You're awesome! Now sit back in your rolling chair and enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.
Introduction
Pallet Town lay lazily in the orange glow of the setting sun. The leaves on the trees rested, occasionally stirring in the light breeze, after a long day's work of photosynthesis. A foraging Spearow turned its head toward a distant hill, where three specks had just appeared. These specks grew into young human adolescents. One, a boy, was taller and older than the others. Another, a girl, had red hair and a tomboyish appearance; she carried a Togepi in her arms. The middle human, a boy with a Pikachu on his shoulder, seemed to be annoying his companions. He marched along the path, singing some sort of improvisational tune. The Spearow cringed at the horribly off-key voice, and, with a flap of its wings, decided it would have better luck searching for food elsewhere.Narrator: We continue following our heroes as they return home from another great adventure. Little do they know that a new one is just beginning! But right now, Ash Ketchum and his friends are thinking only of reaching their destination.
"I can see Professor Oak's lab from here!"
"I can see Ash's house from here!"
"I can smell FOOD from here!!!"
With that, Ash dashed off down the road, Pikachu jumping off his shoulder in alarm, followed by Misty and Brock, both exasperated.
* * *
"Thanks for dinner, Mrs. Ketchum!" said Misty after she had had enough of the heart-warming food.
"Mfghb?" Ash hastily swallowed and put his fork down. "Oh, yeah, thanks mom, it was great!"
Delia Ketchum smiled sweetly. "I'm glad you kids liked it! You're welcome to plenty more. I can never do enough cooking!" She sighed. "Though I suppose you'll be leaving soon enough, on another adventure?"
Ash paused. "I hadn't really thought about it... but, yeah, that sounds good!"
"Pika!" Pikachu sounded excited, too.
"Great! Where are we headed?" Brock asked.
"Uh, I don't know." Ash slumped in his seat. "I have no idea where to go!" He looked hopefully at Misty and Brock.
"Well, now that I think of it..." Misty started.
Ash sat up. "Yes?"
"I can't think of anywhere either."
Ash slumped back down, looked surprised for about two seconds, and then fell to the floor with his chair.
"Ash, what have I told you about tipping your chair! You're going to hurt yourself!" chided Delia. Mimey came out of the kitchen, wagging a finger at the groaning Ash. "Mr. Mime Mime Mime!" It helped Ash back up. Ash grinned sheepishly, while Brock, Misty, and even Pikachu sighed. Togepi chirped happily. They really were home.
* * *
Far away from Pallet Town, deep under the earth, something was stirring.
One of the guards, the only one in the corridor at this particular moment, watched the Rattata clean itself. One paw was licked, sent across fur, licked again, sent across more fur. The little creature nervously attempted to wash itself of all dirt, and when most of it was gone, the Rattata seemed satisfied. It then disappeared inside its hole in the wall.
The guard turned his attention back to his duty, but the Rattata returned in a matter of moments. Accompanying it was its mate, apparently the female, with three tiny babies clinging to it like shipwrecked innocents to a piece of driftwood. The whole family went scuttling and squeaking down the corridor until they were swallowed up by darkness. The guard yawned. Why on earth would the Rattata want to abandon their home and move deeper into the ground? Maybe a mile below wasn't enough for them. The guard was reminded of Pokémon burrowing themselves underground just before volcanic eruptions. Most would emerge after the danger had passed and continue life as if nothing had happened, but there would always be a few that seemed lost, that wouldn't just pick up the pieces and keep on living.
"I really need to stop watching nature documentaries..." the guard muttered to himself.
A soft call from the room he was guarding jolted the guard out of his thoughts. "Guard!" Quiet, and yet urgent; commanding, and yet deceptively calm. The guard hastened into the room and stood to attention.
"Hadis is en route to here from Command. Meet him and give him these details." The man behind the desk handed the guard a digital memory pad. When the guard's hand touched the screen a window popped up asking for a username and a password. The guard saluted.
"Yes, Mordred sir." He immediately left the room and headed up the corridor towards the Command Center, in the opposite direction the family of Rattata had gone.
Mordred waited until the guard's footsteps faded to move. He liked to listen to everything, to observe everything, to evaluate everything. He turned to the painting behind him. Mordred had placed the painting there for a reason: so he would not be tempted to look at it too often. Bad luck. Besides, it would distract him from his work. But now he allowed himself to gaze at the Pokémon depicted.
"Soon."
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. The clock on the door advanced time, indifferent to all - past, present, and future.
Last edited: