Ch. 11 Showdown in Pallet

Ash took his first step back into Pallet and looked around. His faced was horrified at the gray and dismal town Pallet had become. Plants were dead and dying, the lake and river was a little puddle and stream, everything was decimated. Ash gasped at the sight and turned to the road to lead to his house. He growled, wanting his revenge.

"Ash, wait!" Misty called from behind and ran up. "See how awful it is now?"

"I didn't want to believe you." Ash sighed, hating himself.

"Why'd you come back?" Misty asked.

"I got some sense hit into me, and you can see the bump as proof." Ash grinned, then turned serious. "Besides, this is my hometown, if I don't fight for it, who will?"

"I'll help." Misty put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's risky." Ash added.

"That's a risk I'm willing to take." Misty grinned.

"What's this?" Tracey asked, coming up with Todd.

"What are you guys doing here?" Ash asked as he and Misty turned.

"Simply at your service." Todd shrugged.

"So, we're gonna fight a gym leader for this?" Tracey smirked.

"Yea, it's my home." Ash replied.

"Well, it's a fixer upper, but, if it's important to you Ash, we're with you to the end." Tracey said. Ash grinned and they all looked out over Pallet as a storm brewed in the sky and in their hopes. They snuck up to Ash's street. "Rockets. I hate Rockets. So, do you have a plan to get rid of those guys?" Tracey asked as they neared.

"A diversion." Ash looked at Tracey and Todd.

"Good idea..hey!" Tracey growled.

"Aw come on, you wanted to help." Ash countered.

"What do you want me to do?" Tracey asked. "Advertise myself and Todd to them?" Ash looked at Tracey as if to say, exactly. So, the two jumped into the mess of Rockets. "Hey all, nobody can defeat my friend Todd here when it comes to battles."

"Oh, all we are are a pair of weakling rich trainers with valuable Pokemon." Todd agreed. The Rocket's grinned and gathered around Todd and Tracey.

"Run!" Tracey yelled and the duo was soon running from the mess of Rockets.

"Misty, find my mom and your sisters. Go rally the town." Ash whispered as they snuck over. "I'll look for Giovanni." Misty nodded and they went in other directions.

"Delia!" Giovanni was calling as Ash got on a hill above their house. Ash gasped and the pain of sorrow filled him as he saw his poor mom walk tall through the crowd of booing and cat calling Rockets.

"What is it now?" Mrs. Ketchum grumbled, ignoring the jeers.

"Where is our food, you females aren't doing your jobs." Giovanni growled.

"There is no food, most people have moved away." Ash's mom replied.

"No, just keep looking harder." Giovanni shook his head.

"It's over, we have nothing left. Our only choice is to leave Pallet." She said.

"We aren't going anywhere." Giovanni leered at her.

"Then you are killing all of us!" Mrs. Ketchum yelled.

"So be it." Giovanni turned his back to her.

"You can't do that?" She gasped.

"Since I am your ruler I can do what I please." Giovanni corrected.

"If you were half the ruler my husband was," Delia started.

"I'm ten times the ruler your husband was!" Giovanni hit her to the floor. Ash couldn't watch anymore. He stood up and the roar of the thunder made Giovanni turn. The flash of the lightning made Ash look like his dad. "Mr. Ketchum, but you're dead?" Ash ran down the ledge and kneeled by his mom. He nudged her and she opened her eyes, she looked up at Ash as he leered at Giovanni. Giovanni was cowering back.

"My husband?" Delia grinned. Ash looked at her.

"No, it's me mom." Ash corrected.

"Ash, you're alive?" She gasped. "But, how can it be?"

"What does it matter, I'm home." Ash hugged her.

"Ash? Oh, it's a surprise to see you." Giovanni turned to Team Rocket. "Alive." They gulped and slunk into the other herd of Rockets. Delia watched with a grin.

"Give me just one reason why I shouldn't rip you to shreds." Ash stalked Giovanni. Giovanni grinned and backed up against the wall of Ash's house.

"Ash, you have to be reasonable to see that the pressures of being a ruler," Giovanni started.

"Are no longer yours. Step down now." Ash finished.

"I would naturally, but there's a problem." Giovanni pointed to the Rockets. "They put up a good argument. They said that I'm the second strongest I'm the new Pokemon Master. So, they think I'm ruler."

"Well, we don't. Ash is Mr. Ketchum's son." Misty cut in. Ash and Giovanni turned to see her sisters helping up Mrs. Ketchum. "He's more a ruler than you."

"Choose your fate Giovanni. Step down, or fight." Ash growled.

"Must everything lead to violence, I'd hate to be responsible for a death of someone very close, don't you agree Ash?" Giovanni asked slyly.

"That wont work, I've put it behind me." Ash said a little nervous.

"What about your followers, have they put it past them?" Giovanni turned to Misty and her sisters.

"What's he talking about?" She asked.

"So, you haven't told them." Giovanni grinned and began to circle Ash, he looked at the ground. "Tell them your secret Ash, tell them all who killed your dad."

"I did." Ash muttered. Everyone gasped, his mom walked over.

"Is it true, tell me it's not true?" She asked in shock, Ash looked away.

"It's true." He sighed.

"You see, he admits he's a murderer." Giovanni persecuted.

"No, it was an accident!" Ash yelled. Giovanni began to circle Ash again.

"If it weren't for you your dad would still be alive, it's your fault he's dead. Do you deny it?" Giovanni asked, Ash shook his head no. "Then you're guilty." The girls watched helplessly as Giovanni was forcing Ash with words.

"No, I'm no murderer!" Ash yelled.

"Oh Ash, you're in trouble again, but this time, your dad can't save you." Giovanni began to corner Ash to the ledge in front of his house. "Now everyone knows why." Ash slipped off and a thunderbolt set fire to the dead grass below.

"Ash!" Misty called. "I don't care what he says he's done, we can't let him die to right?" Misty turned to her sisters. Everyone continued to watch the tense struggle.

"Now, this looks familiar, let me think where I've seen this before." Giovanni began to think for a moment. "Oh, I remember now. Yes, you look just like your dad before he died." Ash slipped and gasped, remembering the incident. Giovanni grabbed him just like had done to his dad. "Now, I have a secret to tell. I killed your dad."

"No!" Ash yelled, remembering the last time he saw his dad alive. "Traitor!" Ash found the energy and strength to climb the ledge and pin Giovanni, everyone gasped.

"Ash, please, no." Giovanni whispered.

"Tell them." Ash insisted.

"The truth? But it's in the eye of the beh.eh." Giovanni started but Ash stepped on his stomach and put his fist to his chest. "Ok, you win. I did it."

"Louder so they hear you." Ash growled.

"I killed Mr. Ketchum!" Giovanni admitted to the awaiting crowds. Misty, her sisters and Ash's mom ran to help Ash, the Rockets ran to help Giovanni and they attacked Ash first. He yelped in pain as Giovanni snuck away. The fight for Pallet had begun!