To The Rainbow's End

[ZeldaFan20]

Well, I think I saw you in one of those Hangman threads in the Polls, Games, and Clubs forum......maybe I did, maybe I didn't......well, never mind. Anyway, glad you like the chapter so much .

[GeneChildMewtwo]

I'm not sure what exactly to say... I want to put something more than "That was a good chapter." I also want to avoid restating things I've said previously... But, I don't really have any criticism for you, as far as I can tell, everything is running smooth. (Even the aformentioned error was already fixed by the time I posted this.)

Well, I guess I have one thing to point out... If Bee can levitate (I think it did in the previous story, didn't it? And Unown are usually depicted as being able to float around.) why does it need an innner tube? Maybe there's a reason, and since I've never levitated before, I'm not an expert on the subject. ^_^

And, that scene at the end was really touching. You have a way with writing emotional situations, and I've already mentioned your great character development previously.

Well, I'll be waiting for the next chapter. Keep it up!

[ZeldaFan20]

That's a very interesting question. First of all, yes, Unown ARE able to levitate---and yes, it WAS mentioned in the previous story. Anyway, it probably takes a lot of energy to float around all the time and, maybe, Ash and Aurora thought Bee deserved a little break from that.

Even if some readers (not counting you, of course) DON'T think that's a good reason, then I guess I was just adding a tiny sliver of humor.

Also, don't worry.......I've never levitated myself either *giggles*.

[Powarun]

Did you cry while writing this?
Any way, in one episode where Ash gets his one badge from Pryce, Cyndaquill learns how to swim. JTLUK, BUt it was a good chapter, emotinal, and Steven stone will cause trouble. Me thinks

[Crystalmaster Mike]

Wow... touching... Although Ash might not go after the Badges any more, he's still concerned with his Pokémon, and wants them all to participate in the group! Cute. BTW, I can't understand how Ash said this:

She trains Steels too.

without twisting his tongue. I mean, all I get when saying that is:

She trains steel stew.

[ZeldaFan20]

Powarun: Well I didn't cry, but I didn't see that episode either. We don't get KidsWB anymore (for how long, I'm not sure), so I can't really tell what's been going on.

Crystalmaster Mike: Gee,...I wasn't really expecting to write it as a tongue-twister. How'd that happen? *giggles*

[ZeldaFan20]

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!!

Expect the next chapter sometime during the coming week.

[ZeldaFan20]

CHAPTER 4

Because they were in such a hurry, Ash had completely forgotten to comb his hair; and was currently trying to flatten it against his head as the group neared the dining room. The clock had just struck six upon arrival.

The entire room was so full of people and Pokemon that Ash had a hard time trying to distinguish Steven.

“Do you see Steven anywhere, Ash?” Aurora asked as her friend scanned the area left-to-right.

“Not yet,” Ash replied, “I can’t even tell who’s who in this crowd---a lot of people look almost the same at a distance.” At that moment, a young waitress walked up to them and smiled.

“Is it just you three and the Pokemon?” she asked.

Ash shook his head, “Actually, we’re supposed to be meeting a guy named Steven Stone. Did he just come in?”

The woman looked through the pages on the clipboard she was holding before answering. “As a matter of fact, he did. He also mentioned waiting for a few guests---I guess that’s you guys. Follow me.” With that, she led the three teens and their Pokemon past the crowded tables.

Right beside the windows was a fairly long table---big enough to sit at least fourteen people. Sitting at the right end was definitely Steven, who had changed into a pair of black trousers and what looked like a deep purple dress-jacket. Metang was “sitting” with its back facing the window, also on the right side; instead of a chair, however, it was on a cushioned stool that seemed to reach the height of the table.

Steven smiled and waved as he saw the small party coming towards him. “You’re here,” he said.

“Hey, Steven,” Ash replied as he helped David into his seat, “Sorry if we’re a little late.”

“On the contrary,” Steven said cheerfully, “You’re all right on schedule. There are booster seats for the smaller ones.”

“So the other chairs are for the Pokemon?” Aurora asked as she sat down across from David, “I thought we were expecting more people.” All the Pokemon instantly found a spot to sit---Pikachu, Eevee, Mudkip, and Jigglypuff had the booster seats.

After ordering their dinner, Ash told Steven about all his adventures---right up to his victory in the Johto League three months ago. During this time Ash often caught David beating two forks together, or stabbing a paper napkin with his knife (which was then taken away), or sprinkling salt and pepper onto his plate.

Steven watched David’s childish antics with hidden sympathy; it was clear to him that the active nineteen-year-old had a problem. After a few minutes, he decided to turn to a more cheerful subject.

“So, Ash, are you and your siblings doing a little traveling in Hoenn?”

“Oh, no,” Aurora giggled suddenly, “I’m not their sister.” Steven looked at Ash and saw that his color had risen slightly, and soon understood. Before he could continue, however, Ash cut in.

“You see, we’re on our way to Lilycove City. I want to find a place where David can get the right kind of help. We were told that Lilycove City had the best hospitals in the region.”

“It’s true that they have the best hospitals,” Steven said sadly, “But they don’t have many treatment programs for the mentally ill. I’m sorry if this comes as a surprise to you all.”

Ash’s face fell; he was so sure that David would be able to get his treatment once they all got to their destination. This bit of information literally stabbed him in the heart; he almost felt like crying again…

“However,” Steven added, “I know a place where they DO have such programs.” Ash’s eyes lit up at these words, and everyone at the table instantly looked in his direction. “I live in Mossdeep City, which is on an island southeast of Lilycove City. We only have one hospital, but it offers some of the best treatment plans for both the mentally and emotionally ill---as well as a few others. I’m sure that you’ll find just what you’re looking for there.”

Ash laughed out loud and threw his arms around David, who was “looking through” his plastic cup like a telescope. Aurora clapped her hands gleefully as Bee flew circles around her head. Even the other Pokemon gave little cheers at the news. They all managed to settle down as their dinner was brought to the table (the humans had spaghetti and meatballs, while the rest had some gourmet Pokechow).



Once all the empty plates had been cleared away, Aurora began to relate her story to Steven: her childhood in an Ecruteak City orphanage, her desire to see the world and---hopefully---find relatives, her capturing Bee in the Ruins of Alph, and the first time she met Ash (who turned even more red, and gave his side of the story).

Near the end of the conversation, Ash raised his left hand to push back his still-messy hair. As he did so, Steven happened to notice something on his wrist.

“That’s a very interesting bracelet you have there. Where did you get it?”

Ash looked at the bracelet he was wearing. It was a mixture of purple and blue, and was possibly the hair of a Pokemon: the small lock had been braided and tied around his wrist. It was sparkling in the lamplight, although Ash knew it looked much better in sunlight.

“Oh, this?” he asked, “Pikachu found this back in Pallet Town three months ago---it’s kind of a long story. Ever since I’ve had this, though, it sort of brought me good luck.” Ash’s voice slowly grew less cheerful.

Steven seemed curious about Ash’s sad expression. Everyone else, however, couldn’t help but feel compassion for him. They all knew that not all the memories of the passing summer were good. In fact, the mere mention of it seemed to send him into a totally different world.

“Will any of you be having dessert this evening?” Ash suddenly jumped, as did the others; the young waitress had walked up to the table at that very moment.

Steven looked at Ash and Aurora, who shook their heads, then back to the girl. “No, thank-you, we’re fine.” As soon as she left, Ash slowly stood up.

“Thanks a lot for dinner, Steven,” he proceeded to say, “But we’d better get a little sleep before we pull into port.” Ash then took David’s arm and helped him stand; the others stood also.

“Alright,” Steven said as he recalled Metang, “The ship won’t pull in until tomorrow morning. When it does, I’ll be glad to give you all a tour before heading to Mossdeep City.”

“That’s very kind of you, Steven,” Aurora replied, “I’ve never been to Hoenn before, and a tour of Lilycove City sounds wonderful.”

“I’m kinda curious to know about those ‘Pokemon Contests’ myself,” Ash agreed as Pikachu jumped on his shoulder, the rest returning to their PokeBalls, “We’ll be sure to see you there.” The four humans walked out onto the deck, where they parted company.



When they arrived at their cabin, Aurora went into the bathroom to change while Ash and David got into their pajamas.

“That Steven Stone is a very nice guy,” Aurora said when she came out, “He sort of reminds me of you, Ash.”

Ash chuckled, “Well, we’re not all that alike---except that we both like Pokemon……but, yeah, he is cool.” He suddenly gave a big yawn, “Anyway, let’s get some shut eye.”

Aurora climbed up to her bed, and got under the covers. David was already sleeping peacefully in his own bed, holding his Pikachu Doll tightly. After putting the PokeBalls on the other top bunk, Ash climbed into bed---Pikachu at the foot,---turned out the light, and fell asleep himself…



Ash panted heavily as he ran through the seemingly infinite darkness. Just like before, a dark figure---the eyes shining an evil red against the black,---was chasing him; a hideously large hand grasping for its frightened prey.

"Who are you?!" Ash screamed, "What do you want?!" He began to run faster and faster, trying desperately to escape his unknown pursuer. Once again, the figure appeared to increase its speed as much as Ash was.

"Stay away from me!……JUST STAY AWAY!!"

The hand took one swipe at Ash’s back, causing him to lose his footing. He started falling into the darkness. Instead of his screams, however, a different sound was heard.

Echoing through the blackness was, apparently, the voice of a young woman. Despite the earnestness in the way it spoke, this voice seemed to fill Ash with a sense of peace and hope…

"Wake…wake…wake…"



“Wake up, Ash!” cried Aurora as she shook him.

BOOOOM!

A loud explosion was heard from somewhere outside. Ash immediately sat up in bed, panting hard and soaking wet with perspiration. He looked around: all the Pokemon were out of their PokeBalls and huddling around David, who was curled up on the floor---and clearly petrified with fear. Aurora was standing by his bedside, a look of fear also on her face. Both were still in their pajamas.

Ash turned his head sharply and looked at the clock: it was after midnight.

BOOOOM! The explosion sounded again: everyone seemed to loose his or her balance, almost as if the ship itself was tossing and turning in a storm. But…

“That didn’t sound like thunder,” Ash said; he was getting very worried now.

“I know,” Aurora replied, “Something’s happening above…” Before she could finish, however, the sounds of cries, screams, and many footsteps echoed through the passageway. In a big hurry, the three children got dressed and ran out into the frightened crowd---the Pokemon close behind.

“Whatever’s going on up there,” Ash thought to himself, “It better not be what I think it is…”

[DannyBoy]

Good CHapter! Steven is a very nice person telling Ash where to go for better help. Is the mystery people good ole' Team Rocket? Or it could be Magma or Aqua? Ash also has weird dreams. Good length and description. Keep it up!

[Ultra_Poke2000]

ooo... more wierd dreams. they all seem ominous, but i dont know what they have to do with their adventure, yet. i agree with ^. its got to be one of those 3 teams. or..... o, wait, i cant say that! its a prediction i have, but i wont say! anyway, nice chapter!

*EDIT*
i almost forgot to tell u, guys, but I GOT ZELDA: WIND WAKER!!! its realy fun, and im almost done with my second dungeon! its realy great, and ive been spending alot of time playing it, but its worth it! cya!

[GeneChildMewtwo]

I guess nothing is free, right? Now that Ash and friends have finally found where to go to help David, the ship is in trouble. Hmm... I have a feeling that I know who might be responsible, but I won't say anything now.

Steven seems to be a really nice person. I also like seeing him in the story since he's my favorite character form Ru/Sa. ^_^

I liked the dinner scene. It's cute how there were even seats set aside for the Pokemon. Although in the Pokemon World that makes more sense than people doing that with their pets in real life. But it might work out... I've never tried it.

Well, I don't have much else to say, but I want to know what's happening on the ship. I'll be waiting for the next chapter. Keep it up!

(And yes, the Wind Waker is a whole lot of fun. Although... so is Zelda II ^_^)

[mr_pikachu]

Sorry about being gone for so long! As I said in my recent post in my fic, my net connection has been down for awhile, so I'm using a friend's computer right now.

I must say, this was a nice transition into the "trouble" that awaits Ash and company! Everything was very in sync with how things would be in the Pokemon world, yet still keeping touch with reality here. Very nice work! Although the plot is moving rather slowly, it's a good thing in this case, since it is so intricate and enjoyable. You're adding bits of Hoenn into the story as well, which is good, but don't forget to explain them when the time comes! You don't want to just say, "Ash found out what the contests were. The next day he entered, and won!" (Yes, that was a VERY poor example, but I'm sort of pressed for time, as I have other fics to check as well.) Anyway, great work, and I can't wait to have my net back up!

[Crystalmaster Mike]

Well... what can I say? All the good stuff has been mentioned already... and I quite agree! Yes, it's all so... real, and that's what makes this fic so good. The characters are living in the Pokémon World, and you're showing it to us. Great!

[ZeldaFan20]

IloveX-TINA: Yeah, Steven's a real sweetie, isn't he? Just be patient; the mystery team will be announced in the next installment .

Ultra_Poke2000: Don't worry, his dreams will become much clearer. Congrats for getting The Wind Waker, too!! I'm anxious to get it and play it myself.

GeneChildMewtwo: I guess you can put it that way,...yeah. Personally, my favorite R/S character is May---she's a little like me...sort of---but Steven's okay, too. I also thought that the dinner scene would be a nice touch before the trouble starts: *gives a sneaky giggle* I kind of enjoy leaving the readers in suspence.

mr_pikachu: Sorry to hear about your connection problem, and I can't wait for it to get back up either. You've probably already guessed, but the slow-moving plot and the transitions are intentional: just to give readers a vague idea of what's going on "between the lines"...or something like that. I'm glad you're still here, too!

Crystalmaster Mike: Ahh...the praise of my loyal fans... It's so rewarding when you know people care . I promise you the next one will not be disappointing.

[legendary fisherman1]

Fic is still good!! So they meet up with Steven eh? Will Ash meet up with any Gym leaders?

[ZeldaFan20]

Well, since he's already said that he wouldn't be competing for any badges, I don't plan on him meeting any of the Hoenn Gym leaders (to be honest, I organized this to take place before the "Hoenn season" of the series) .

[ZeldaFan20]

Well, the next chapter is almost complete, so I'll probably have it up around Saturday night (provided that I'm not too tired since I work on weekends ). Just wanted to let you know so that people won't think I've lost interest .

[Powarun]

Whoa, I read your profile to let me know some more about you, and you are in college. So you must have a lot of writing asignments, and that is your secret, experiance.

This chapter was pretty good, hopefully David will act his age by the end of this fic. He sounds like a little kid but a little more dangerous I should add. As for Steven seems like a double crosser in my point of view.

[mr_pikachu]

HALLELUJAH!!!! MY NET CONNECTION IS BACK FROM THE DEAD!!! (for the time being...)

Anyway, I had already realized that you were trying to put emphasis on the particulars of the fic, and as I said, that makes it all the more enjoyable. And don't worry, we know you'd NEVER lose interest... *pulls out AK-47* But just to be certain... hehehe...

But really, I have to agree with Crystalmaster Mike about your excellent description of the entire Pokemon world. It really is a vision to behold, if only in our minds.

AND WHO THE HECK CHANGED MY SIG?!?!?! *grumble*

[ZeldaFan20]

Powarun: Yup, I'm in college alright. I actually took Writing class as a prerequisite (is that right?), but it did give me the experience. No, Steven's not what you think he is, and I'm still working on David.

mr_pikachu: Hey! That's great news! I appreciate the compliment, but if you don't put that "thing" away, I might not be here much longer---okay, I'm giving out warnings again.



Well, guys, it looks like we're gonna have to wait until Monday for the next chapter to come up; I'm totally wiped out, and I'll probably be the same way tomorrow. Try to stay strong, 'kay?



By the way, mr_pikachu, what DID happen to your signature ?

[mr_pikachu]

Actually, the AK-47 line seems a lot more appropriate after watching "Citizen Payne" tonight. Now I know where I get my insane sense of humor, if you can even call it that... And no, there's no need for warnings. I'll keep my AK-47 in my bag, thank you. My poison dart gun is safely tucked away in my pocket. My trusty stun gun is fastened right under my belt buckle. My sets of ninja stars are perfectly secure in my socks. My spiked whip is tucked away.......(hours later)......... and don't worry, I left all my bayonets at home.

I'm willing to wait a while for another quality chapter! Oh, right. My sig. Well, lets just say that a certain someone who I have the decency not to name deleted my sig while I was on vacation and left it purged of all personal content. Needless to say, I am currently discussing with this unnamed person on how to get my information back, as I had none of it written down. I even had to do research just to get the date, for crying out loud!

Well, enough whining from me. I will wait ever so patiently for the next chapter. *fingers stun gun* Okay! Get it up when you can!

[Ultra_Poke2000]

well, ive been sucked into the world of Zelda: Wind Waker and let me just say that its one of the best games ive ever played! im about 2/3 or 3/4 of the way done with it though, and i cant wait till the end! as i can see, the next chapter will be up soon, so ill be back later!

[ZeldaFan20]

I know it's a little late, but here it is guys!!! I hope it's long enough---and intense enough .

CHAPTER 5

The entire ship that night was in complete chaos. Groups of frightened passengers were running and screaming in all directions: some were going on deck to see the disaster; others were heading for their cabins below (either to hide or pack their things). Because of the pandemonium, Ash and his friends had a difficult time trying to get up to the main deck. Taking each other by the hands, they were soon at the top of the stairs.

Along the starboard side of the ship was what appeared to be a huge submarine; on the port side, people and Pokemon were filing into the lifeboats, as if they were desperate to escape the ship and its captors.

Ash turned to look at the sub: It was the same length of the ship, and was almost impossible to see with the clouds covering the moon. Painted on the very front, in bright white, was a sign he’d never seen before. If these people were pirates, the logo (usually called the Skull-and-Crossbones) didn’t seem right: this symbol greatly resembled an Unown A, except it was painted to look like the Unown’s skeleton (which is strange, since those particular Pokemon don’t seem to have skeletons). Before Ash could ponder this further, however, several iron hooks suddenly came out of the sub and latched onto the guardrails, each followed by a cable.

Reacting quickly, Ash turned to his friends. “Hurry!” he exclaimed, “We have to get to a life boat and get out of here!”

“Okay,” Aurora replied, handing Ash his backpack, “I brought yours and mine from the cabin.”

“Thanks, Aurora,” Ash said, taking his bag and throwing it onto his back, “Now let’s hurry and find Steven; maybe he can help us.” As they turned to head towards the boats, though, a loud voice echoed loud and clear over the screams and cries of the frightened masses:

“THAT’S AS FAR AS ANYONE GOES!!!”

Following the voice, a fiery ball suddenly zoomed over their heads, and crashed into an empty lifeboat. It burst into flames on impact, and the ship guards were forced to cut it loose, causing the smoldering mess to sink below the waves. The crowd, too scared to run for the other boats, instantly turned around.

A large group of young men and women had boarded the ship. From Ash’s perspective, they all had the appearance of sailors: strong, fierce, and all wearing bandanas on their heads; but the black-and-white striped shirts also made them look like escaped convicts. Among all the strange people in this crowd, however, there were two who managed to catch Ash’s interest.

One person was a slightly muscular young girl. She seemed pretty enough---her short brown hair contrasted well with her blue eyes---although Ash knew that she paled in comparison to Aurora. What he mainly noticed, though, was what the lady was carrying: on her right shoulder was a fairly long, and very large, bazooka; the front barrel was smoking as if it had just been fired. Realizing who was responsible for the fire, he soon turned to the person next to her.

This man was certainly older and more muscular than the other men around him, for he was much taller and had broader shoulders. The clothes he was wearing, however, were much different: despite the blue bandana, he was entirely dressed in black. His hair, beard, and eyes were black too, and his mouth was stretched into a very familiar-looking grin.

Ash suddenly shuddered; this strange man had instantly reminded him of his own father: a man he once used to love and admire deeply, and whom he’d just recently grew to fear.

“Nice going, Kit,” the man said sarcastically, “A few more inches and that fireball could’ve hit some bystanders.” The woman only smirked as she proceeded to reload the bazooka with a different ball.

“Sorry, Boss,” she replied, “But it’s really hard to aim when there’s no moonlight.”

“Excuses, excuses,” the Boss chuckled. Suddenly, he caught sight of Ash, who was looking at him with lowered eyebrows and clenched teeth. “Hey, kid, what are you looking at?” he demanded, marching slowly in Ash’s direction. Before he’d gone five paces, Steven immediately stepped in between them, with a very stern look on his face.

“Archie,” he said, maintaining a calm demeanor, “What is the meaning of this? These innocent people have done you no wrong. Doesn’t this action go against Team Aqua’s ‘code’?”

Archie only chuckled again as he strolled closer to Steven, and they looked into each other’s eyes. “Well, if it isn’t the Pokemon League Champion of all Hoenn. Taking time off to mingle with the little people, I see?”

These words made Ash’s eyes open wide in disbelief: he knew that Steven liked Pokemon, but who could’ve guessed that his new friend was actually a Pokemon League Champion? Steven, in the meantime, crossed his arms and gave a shrewd smile.

“Not that it’s any business of yours,” Steven said, “But I was visiting family in Johto. Now, I ask you again; what is the meaning of this?”

Archie uttered another low chuckle before answering. “Not that it’s any business of yours,” he echoed, “But this area is our Wailmer training ground,…and this whole ship is trespassing.”

The ship’s captain instantly came forward, “That’s ridiculous! People and Pokemon all over the world need this whole ocean to live; you can’t just claim part of it as your own! Besides, this is the quickest route to Lilycove City!”

“Well, then,” Archie said coolly, “The way I see it, you have three choices: one, you can turn around and go straight back to where you came from; two, you can take a longer trip around the other side of the island; or…”

“Who are you to decide what other people should do?!” Ash suddenly shouted. He didn’t have any clue who this “Team Aqua” was, but they reminded him so much of Team Rocket, and the thought of there being others just like those criminals really made him angry. Archie looked back at him, wearing that same cunning smile. Shoving Steven aside, he was soon standing right in front of Ash.

“Ah, yes---the little fish bait with the attitude.” Before anyone could say a word, Archie grabbed the front collar of Ash’s shirt and lifted him off his feet, raising him to his eye-level. “You’ve got one whopper of a mouth for such a little fella.” Observing that Archie had his left hand pocketed, Ash clenched his right fist and, without thinking, took a swing at his head. Archie, however, was lightning fast; he raised the free hand and caught it halfway in an iron grip.

Ash grunted; this man’s grip was strong, and extremely painful. Despite his struggles, Archie forced his arm down---almost bending it backwards.

“ASH!!” Aurora screamed as she moved towards the pair.

“I’d stay back if I were you, sweetheart,” Archie said menacingly, causing her to stop, “Unless you want me to break your little boyfriend’s arm in one twist.” He then looked back at Ash, still smiling, “I could do that right now if I wanted…but you’ve got a lot of spunk in you. I like you, kid---I like you a whole lot. How about joining up with us? From the looks of that Pikachu over there by your lady-friend, I’d say you’re pretty good; we could use someone like you on our side. Well, what’ll it be, kid?” Ash grew even angrier, and had just opened his mouth to yell, “forget it.” Before he could get the words out, though, something strange happened:

His left hand was grasping the one Archie was holding his shirt with, trying to pull it off. At that moment, Ash’s bracelet began to glow a faint blue. Archie gave a sharp gasp: his right hand had suddenly grown very cold, and the very skin on it was turning blue and stiff. A slight frost had soon started to form before he knew what was happening. Uttering both frightened and angry curses, he tried to pull it away, but the fingers were frozen.

Seeing his opportunity, Ash began pulling away from his attacker. After several seconds of struggling, the front of his shirt collar ripped clean off, causing him to fall hard onto the deck. Clutching his aching arm, Ash watched as Archie stuffed his hand inside his jacket, attempting to warm it up. Once it was pink and moving again, the Aqua leader stared hard at him---with fire in his eyes, and a growl like that of an angry Charizard.

“I don’t know how you did that, you little brat,” Archie growled, “But, now, I’m gonna make you wish you were never born!!!” With that, he lunged forward and clutched both hands tightly around Ash’s throat. The young trainer was clearly scared now; he tugged and pulled at the black sleeves as he struggled to breathe.

“RRAAAA!!!” David pounced right on top of Archie. Watching this attack on his brother caused something to snap inside: he wrapped his arm around the man’s neck, and chomped down hard on his shoulder. Archie screamed in agony as he released his hold and tried to shake the crazed nineteen-year-old off.

“KIT!” he called to the young girl, “GET THIS WILD DOG OFF OF ME!!!”

“With pleasure, Boss!” Kit replied as she pointed her bazooka directly at David.

“NO! DAVID!” Ash yelled. In this desperate moment his adrenalin reached its maximum, and he began to push against the two people on top of him, “I WON’T LET YOU HURT MY BROTHER!!!”

A loud BOOM was heard as the large gun was fired. Everything suddenly seemed to move in slow motion: people covered their eyes; Pikachu was running to save its master; Ash, leaning on his left arm---and with one mighty shove, managed to get David and Archie off him and onto the deck floor---just in time to meet the big purple ball as it came down…

[Hexae]

:O Oh no!

Anyways, great chapter. Suspense.. ooo. I've been lurking around your fics since the Bittersweet Reunion started, and reading them with great relish. I love your writing style! *waves and sinks down into her lurky depths* Muahaha.

[Ultra_Poke2000]

whoa! that was an intense chapter! so Steven is the Hoenn league champion, huh? i never would have expected that. that was cool when the bracelet made his hand freeze. what kind of bazooka is that? it sounds pretty cool, like it can shoot all kinds of ammo. wonder what purple is. anyway, this chapter was a great cliff hanger, and it makes you want more! nice chapter that was short but intense. cya!

[DannyBoy]

That was an amazing chapter! This was good because it shows that Ash would sacrafice his life for his brother. Even though he sacrafices his life a lot but still it was really good. Team Aqua seem really dangerous in this. That is really god it makes the story more suspensful. Good length and Description! Keep it up! Can't wait to read what happens next time.

[mr_pikachu]

I think I mentioned awhile back about "You're already adding the scenes of Hoenn into the fic," which meant directly: Steven. I'm glad no one caught on, since I would've hated to ruin the surprise. Anyway, I have to agree, this was a nice suspensful chapter, and a powerful cliffhanger for so early in the fic! I must say I'm impressed with the creativity of the ideas, though I can't imagine how Ash'll get out of this in time, even with his Pokes! And it'll be interesting to see how the fic continues beyond the ship scene... I look forward to another inspiring chapter, and the narrow escape (we hope...) for Ash! Great work!

[GeneChildMewtwo]

Wow, that was pretty intense. It seemed to go by really fast, but I think that was due to the end being action oriented, and the pace was a bit faster.

I like the way you portray Team Aqua, since Steven does mention the existance of a "code" that they abide by, showing that they aren't just working for profit like Team Rocket. There must be something important in this area for them to defy the Hoenn Champion directly... Although they do seem like the "ends justify the means" kind of people, and probably have no problem breaking a few laws (or people) in order to achieve what they may believe to be a greater good.

Well, I have a feeling Ash will survive but... I can't say anything for sure, you have a way of suprising people. Well, I can't wait for the next part. Keep it up!

[legendary fisherman1]

Oooooohhhhhh, cliffhanger >.< All hail the mighty David *bows* ^_~

[Crystalmaster Mike]

That Archie - what a loud mouth he is, cowering behind the back of Lady Bazooka... It's good to see the friendship and brotherhood of the gang goes so deep, and I love to see what happens next!

[ZeldaFan20]

Hexae: Hi! I'm glad you like my stories so much; it really makes me feel great that people like what I do. There will be some more suspense in future chapters---that, I promise you .

Ultra_Poke2000: That part with the frozen hand was certainly unexpected, wasn't it ? As for Steven---do you have Pokemon R/S yet? If so, have you played them? Uh-oh, I knew I should've typed another page before posting...rats.

IloveX-TINA: Yeah, Ash does tend to put his own life on the line for people and Pokemon, and I thought it would be interesting to have Team Aqua be the villians in this story. However, as I try to make it sound like the series, I don't want them to sound like murderers .

mr_pikachu: This is great! I knew that a lot of readers like cliffhangers, and mine seems to be getting a boat-load of praise! That big ball appears to be too close for him to avoid, but I'll let you read the next one to find out .

GeneChildMewtwo: Hmmm...too fast, huh? Maybe I should slow down and add more detail next time... Well, if you've played R/S, each team has its own personal, yet similar, desire. In this case, though, I think I may have gone a little further with Archie. But, if you like it so much, I wouldn't change a thing!

legendary fisherman1: Either he's really saving his little brother's life, or the incident caused him to revert to his old self......which do you think is more probable? Anyway, David seemed to step in at just the right time. We can only hope that Ash will still be able to protect him...

Crystalmaster Mike: I know, that guy is such a creep! Let's just hope that the "friendship and brotherhood" will be enough, right ?

[mr_pikachu]

Originally posted by ZeldaFan20

I thought it would be interesting to have Team Aqua be the villians in this story. However, as I try to make it sound like the series, I don't want them to sound like murderers

Um... funny, I didn't think people who weren't murderers fired bazookas at people...

Archie is evil! So eeeeevil!

[GeneChildMewtwo]

I didn't think it was too fast, I just meant to say that it was faster than normal, but I didn't have any problems with that when it's appropriate. ^_^

Although... I just realized that I made I typo in my last reply. >_<

And yes, I have played R/S, which is why I agree with what you've done with Team Aqua. Although I think that your portrayal is slightly different from the games... But both you and the game writers have the same basic idea. Plus if you compare what both Ruby and Sapphire say about them... It's hard to make a good placement of just how Team Aqua would truely operate.

Whee! On to homework!

[ZeldaFan20]

Wow! Two chapters this week! I must be on a roll! Okay, so this chapter may not exactly fit in with the series, but it should add some more suspence---and a few shocks!

GeneChildMewtwo: Ummm...how could you have homework during the summer? I'm lost...

CHAPTER 6

While all this was happening, something else was going on many miles away:

The Viridian City Penitentiary loomed eerily over the entire sleeping populous. High barbed-wire fences provided a secure barrier between those who dwelt within the thick stone walls and the freedom of the outside world. Heavy iron bars covered every window, and ultrasonic doors made sure that nobody (except visitors and those in charge) could get in or out.

Inside the facility, the night watchmen moved up and down the aisles, shining their flashlights on every inmate in each cellblock, and making sure all were peacefully sleeping in their crude little beds. Besides these late-night watchers, only one other person was awake at that hour:

An elderly gentleman, possibly in his late forties, was in his office on the very top floor. He was sitting at his desk, locking some papers into one of the drawers. This completed, the man got up and walked up to the window, smoothing his hand over his brown beard (which, despite his age, didn’t have a trace of gray in it) as he looked out onto the city below.

“Nearly twenty years I’ve been in this miserable place,” he muttered gloomily to himself, “But one more year, and it’ll all be over.” The man sighed deeply as he moved away from the window.

Just as he was about to grab the doorknob, there was a knock.

“Who’s there?”

“It’s me, Warden,” was the reply, “I need to speak with you; it’s urgent.” The warden opened the door to find a young guard---mid-twenties---standing in the doorway, a look of both seriousness and concern on his face.

“If it’s not all that important, Deputy,” the warden said frowning slightly, “I would rather it waited until morning.”

“I’m afraid it’s very important, sir,” answered the deputy, “One of the inmates is in terrible shape: pale, gasping for breath, sweating; his cellmate thinks he might be having a heart attack. The prison doctor is down there even now, sir.” The warden turned pale himself upon hearing this, and the two men were soon heading down to the lower level.

“How long has he been like that?” the warden asked as they climbed down the last staircase.

“Not that long actually: one minute everything was quiet; the next he wakes up and starts crying out in agony---almost like he was being seared with a hot poker or something.” Before the deputy had time to finish, the pair had already entered the main area of the prison.

Rows of iron bars lined the aisle on both sides, each cell separated by a thick wall of stone. As they got closer to the scene of the trouble, the two men managed to take a glace at the other prisoners: most of them were just lying awake in their beds, not even caring about what was going on; others stood up and were observing the late-night commotion; the rest…slept like logs.

The men finally arrived at their destination; there was already a stretcher standing inside the cell. A couple of officers were securing the concerned cellmate---an elderly man---while another was kneeling on the floor with the doctor.

The other inmate was a tall man who looked to be in his mid-forties. He had black hair, brown eyes, and a clean-shaven face, which twisted and contorted as if he were suffering excruciating pain. His left hand was grabbing the right arm so tightly; you’d think he was trying to rip it off. The doctor was in the process of putting an oxygen mask on the man’s face when the warden came over.

“Is this the new one, Deputy?” asked the warden after looking at the ailing man.

“Yes, sir; inmate number 956342---been here since twelve noon, September 2nd.”

The warden nodded, and then turned to the other man as the guards were getting the stretcher ready. “You there; tell me exactly what happened here.”

The old man gulped before answering, “Well, I was laying asleep in my bed---minding my own business, when this guy suddenly wakes up gasping and yelling. I look down from my bunk up there, and I see him clutching his arm like it was killing him. Having been to medical school several years ago, I remembered some of his symptoms resembled those of a heart attack. But now, I’m not sure if it’s that or something else.” Just as the old man finished speaking, the guards had succeeded in getting the other guy onto the stretcher. After locking the cell back up, the entire party headed for a nearby elevator.

“We must try to keep him conscious,” the doctor said as they rode the elevator up. At this point, the patient moaned, and started muttering something in a low voice.

“M…ma…my…s…s…son…” Everyone looked at him, wondering what he was talking about.

“What is it, man?” the warden asked, “What about your son?”

The man cringed, and moaned again. “My…son…he…needs…help. He…he’s hurt…” A sharp gasp followed as the elevator reached the second floor. The patient didn’t talk anymore, but was still breathing when they got to the hospital wing…



The momentary silence that enveloped the S.S.Coral was suddenly broken…by the most terrifying scream anyone had ever heard.

Ash had raised his right arm to push the two human weights off of him. Just as their bodies hit the deck, the large purple ball came in contact with his outstretched hand, and burst. From it, a huge glob of similarly-colored ooze splattered all over the arm---up to the elbow, and the right side of his chest. The young trainer didn’t have time to wonder what the stuff was, though: the very minute it made contact, the areas of skin it fell upon immediately began to burn.

Try to imagine yourself being trapped in a burning building: hot flames are surrounding you; flames so hot that you can feel your skin burning before they even touch it. That’s exactly what Ash was feeling at that moment…only much worse.

Croconaw, Mudkip, and Pikachu wasted no time rushing to help their human friend. While Croconaw began spraying the burning substance off with its Water Gun, the two smaller ones were ripping his shirt off piece by piece until he was bare from the waist up. Once the shirt and goo were gone, they all stopped to observe the damage---Steven, Aurora, and the other Pokemon ran over too, and what the pretty young girl saw stabbed her right in the heart:

Ash’s arm was covered in blood from the elbow downward, and some fragments of skin were starting to come off; even his fingers didn’t look so good. The right chest area wasn’t quite as bad---being protected by the shirt, but there was a great deal of redness, and a large number of blisters were forming.

Not even the blissful coolness of Croconaw’s Water Gun provided much relief; a sharp pain like that of a hundred knives overwhelmed Ash’s senses in just a few short seconds, and the chubby crocodile was soon spraying his burns again.

Aurora cried heavily at the sight of her friend’s distress, but she knelt down beside Ash and laid him on his unburned left side, his head resting tenderly on her lap. Pikachu and the other Pokemon circled around their injured trainer, all wishing that they could’ve done something to prevent this from happening, and trying to help him feel comfortable---even Mudkip joined Croconaw in drenching the burns.

David beheld the great disaster with wide, frightened eyes. As he watched his brother’s friends do whatever they could to help, his mind wandered from Archie, who was equally spell-bound from this heart-breaking sight. Without looking at the Aqua Leader, David stood up and ran over to the group. Seeing the agonizing wounds, he knelt down, buried his face in Ash’s hair, and sobbed convulsively. Aurora stroked his, whispering softly that Ash was going to be okay (despite the fact that she was just as upset).

Suddenly, Archie’s wonder turned to anger as he got up, marched over to Kit, and slapped her in the face.

“You idiot!!!” he shouted angrily, “I told you NEVER to bring the Acid Bombs!!! What the heck were you thinking?!!!”

“But, Boss,” Kit stammered, clearly shaken up by what she’d done, “I swear, I didn’t know there was one in there! I…”

“Quiet!” Archie interrupted as he grabbed the bazooka and hurled into the waves below. He paused to take a short breath before continuing. “Get into the sub---all of you! We’re leaving!” With this, every Team Aqua member began filing down the ropes and into the submarine.

“Archie!” cried a voice from behind. The pirate turned around, only to see Steven standing still as a statue; there was fire in his eyes over what had happened. Archie began to feel sick to the stomach, but maintained a stern face.

“Archie,” Steven repeated, “I hope you realize that if anything happens to this boy because of your lackey’s so-called ‘mix-up,’ it’ll be on your hands.” Archie said nothing, but turned around and boarded the sub, which was soon sinking into the deep blue ocean.

“I called the coastguard in Lilycove City,” said a ship guard who ran up to the captain, “They're on the way, and with medical assistance,”

“That’s good news,” the captain replied, staring at Ash, “From the looks of that brave boy over there, we’ll definitely need it.”

While all this was going on, Ash was beginning to lose consciousness from the pain; everything around him sinking into blackness. Soon, the last thing he remembered hearing was Aurora’s sweet voice saying,

“Ash? Please, stay with us Ash…”

[DannyBoy]

OMG that was amazing! Poor Ash, I wonder if he will make it but if he does he ant going to be normal looking. I feel bad for David hes got to be terrified. That was really good. Keep it up! Can't wiat to find out what happens and what the inmate has to do with anything.

[GeneChildMewtwo]

Well, the chapter didn't seem out of place, although it might be a little different from the normal chapters. I'm not exactly sure by what you meant by "fit in" so...

But, I have a feeling I know who that inmate is, although why he would have such a reaction to those events... I guess it relates to some of the things brought up in the first story, but I won't mention it for now, as I don't want to ruin anything if my theory is correct.

And, I have homework because I'm going to school. How else do you get homeowork? ^_^ Although as to why I'm going to school in the summer, that's because I'm taking summer quarter classes at my University. Actually it's only one class, but it's Intensive Second-year Japanese, which is the equivalent of taking all 3 quarters in 9 weeks. Fun. ^_^

EDIT: It seems also that Team Aqua doesn't want to risk killing anyone. Maybe they're a bit closer to the game than I originally thought. Either way, I'm okay. ^_^ (Well, "okay with it", but that doesn't rhyme. )

[Powarun]

OMFG, that was forshadowed very little then boom, ASh is in pain same with Gio, holy **** what an eye opener. Poor ash, he didn't even deserve it, and David, I thought the guy would throw a big tempertanturm and rip the girl to shreds. But he didn't. This was an amazing chapter and I can not wait for the next chapter.

[mr_pikachu]

Whew! Suspense ran high in that one! I guess when parents say they have a bond with their children, they aren't kidding!

A few misspellings: the word is "aisles", not "isles" in this case. Nice try though! And "loose" should be "lose" late in the chapter (talking about Ash losing consciousness). Nevertheless, this was a short, yet high-tension chapter! Let's hope Ash doesn't die on us, or I'm going to have a real problem going to sleep at night...

[Crystalmaster Mike]

Oh sweet mamma! George is really a strange (in)mate! I wonder what will happen with Ash's arm... That didn't sound too good at all!

[Ultra_Poke2000]

crap! oh, wait, can i say that on this board? o well, too late. its a bit obvious that the guy in prison was George/Giovani, and that's kinda weird. how is that happening? some kinda psychic link between their minds? thats what it seems like the most to me. acid bombs, huh? sounds like some kinda weapon i heard of before that was banned because of the affects, as you can see here, and on the battle field, most ppl dont have a Croconaw with them to wash it off, so the affect is intensified. ya, Team Aqua seems like i just wants to be the local bad guys, but not to have any blood on their hands. is Archie like Gio, as in the boss, or is he just a high ranking guy? poor Ash, i hope he doesnt have any permanent scars. wonder what else that bracelet can do. hmmm..... maybe it has special healing powers, eh? eh? *hint hint* *holds gun menacingly*

Subliminal Message: make Ash better... or else
[/Subliminal Message]

o ya, I BEAT ZELDA!!!!! that was one of the best games i ever played! also, i can play it a second time with certain differances that are cool! the ending is awsome, but that is the absolute only thing i will say! GO ZELDA!!!!!