The Journey (The Return Series)

Ivysaur's Mysterious Tower

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Goh and Chloe walked in on Ash looking at a photo. They caught a glimpse of someone wearing white as Ash put it away. "Who was that," Chloe asked, "it's none of your business," Ash said. "Look. We're going to be working together for a while so why don't we get to know each other," Goh said. Ash sighed, "fine." "I'll go first," Chloe said, "my name is Chloe Cerise. I'm 25, I have a younger brother and a mother and father. Both my mother and father were only children so I don't have any cousins." "I'll go," Goh said, "my name is Goh Walker. I'm 25, I'm an only child and both my parents were killed by Team Rocket when I was 6. A lot of my relatives were killed later when they went to avenge my parents." "My name is Ash Ketchum," Ash said, I'm 25, I have a twin who is younger than me. My mother is dead and my father despises me. Both my aunts are dead. Same with my uncles. All killed by Team Rocket. Technically I'm not related to them by blood but I've known them pretty much since I was born. I have 2 cousins. One I haven't seen in 7 years and the other one I haven't seen in 5 years. I once had a partner but she was killed by Team Rocket." "I'm sorry to hear that," Chloe said, "your sentiments are wasted on me," Ash said, "so Goh. Team Rocket killed your parents." "Yea," Goh said, "would you have anything to do with that?" "Unlikely," Ash said, "I joined Team Rocket when I was 14." "14. That's pretty young to join an evil organisation like that," Chloe said, "I had nowhere to go," Ash said quietly, "I had lost everyone and everything. With no one to turn to, I turned to Team Rocket. There were some old acquaintances of mine. They helped me in and I was there for 4 years. I'm sure there are some of my great exploits or my dark deeds that you'd want to hear of." "Ok," Goh said, "let's hear them." "Which ones," Ash asked, "the first one first," Chloe said, "ok," Ash began, "I fought in the Sacking of Saffron City, I once killed 50 Team Rocket grunts with my bare hands, I lead the raid on the former Galactic HQ in Veilstone City, I fought in the 1st and 2nd battle for Kalos, I fought Team Plasma so they would not destroy the Unova region using Reshiram, I fought Team Galactic so they would not destroy the universe, I fought Team Magma and Team Aqua so they would not destroy the ecosystem. I faced down Arceus thousands of years into the past, I fought alongside Mewtwo, twice. I faced legendaries that people would only wish to see. Do you want to hear about what I did while in Team Rocket?" "I guess so," Goh said, "I once sieged a town for 4 months making everyone inside starve just to kill one person, I went and killed 200 international police officers because they may have called me incompetent, I destroyed a third of Lumiose City, I once shot someone because they looked at me funny, I once killed 50 grunts I was leading just because one of them insulted my tactics. I've killed well over a thousand people," Ash said, "so you're currently in the same room with someone on the top ten Interpol most wanted list. Goodnight."

Theme Song Play

The Next Day:
Ash was awoken by blinding lights. He would've thought he was in heaven except for the fact that he definitely wasn't going there. "Wake up," Chloe said, "we have to go eat." Ash said nothing but just buried his head deeper into his pillow. Ash sensed Goh getting out of bed. "We have to go eat breakfast," Chloe said, "dad wants us to go research." "Let me sleep," Ash murmured, "I haven't slept in a proper bed in 5 years." Chloe left him alone but Ash ended up getting up 10 minutes later, packing everything he needed before heading into the kitchen. When no one was there he walked to the lab area and Chloe and Goh were waiting there. "So," Professor Cerise began, "large groups of Bulbasaur and Ivysaur have been gathering in Vermillion City. I want you to find out where they are headed and what they are doing." They all nodded before walking out and heading into the city. Ash was fidgeting with his necklace, "what? Are you jumpy," Goh asked trying not to laugh, "no. I have ADHD," Ash said simply, "helps me pick up on little things in battle that most trainers wouldn't notice. You'd be surprised how many great trainers are ADHD." "So Ash," Chloe said, "where are you from?" "Pallet Town," Ash said plainly. "Oh," Chloe said, "it must be hard for you having your home destroyed." "Not really," Ash said, "it holds too many bad memories for me. It's where my mother was killed and my uncle 5 years later. It's where I found out most of the people I know had been killed." "Well" Chloe said, "is there a place you consider home?" "No," Ash said sharply, "I haven't had a home since I was 14." "When you joined Team Rocket," Goh said, "yea," Ash said, "after that I would not return to Pallet Town for 4 years where I did something unforgivable and something I will always regret." "What did you do," Chloe asked, "committed murder," Ash said, "but you've killed so many other people," Goh said, "why did this affect you so much." "It's because of who I killed," Ash said, "it was there when I began doubting." "Who did you kill," Chloe asked. Ash was silent.  Chloe and Goh took his silence as a reason to change the subject. In truth the reason for Ash's silence was because he didn't think he was ready to face the fact that he was the one who killed Professor Oak. A man he had known since before he was born. A man his father had known since he was 11 and his uncles grandfather. Ash knew that if he didn't pay for his crimes now that he would pay for them after he had died and then there would be no place for Ash to run from them. He would have to face his demons soon otherwise the guilt would slowly kill him. There had only ever been one person he had trusted utterly and completely. He had told her everything. Well, almost everything. He failed to inform this person that he had killed her mother. He had shot her without remorse and without mercy after she tried to remind him of his old life. Ash abruptly stopped when he noticed a line of Bulbasuar and Ivysaur walking down the street. Goh and Chloe began to argue what to do and how to research until Ash cut in. "We follow the Pokémon to where they stop and see what they're doing. Research, take pictures, whatever. It's the easiest was," Ash said before walking off not giving them a chance to decide.