Capturing the Heart [a pokemon fanfiction] (boyxboy)

3) Nightmares

Ash sighed, once again nothing had been accomplished. He hadn't found a brilliant plan of escape, Pikachu was still Arceus knows where, and his hat was still with Giovanni. Ash fell onto the bed exhausted in spite of the lack of achievement, it was probably because the bed was so damn uncomfortable. No it was because Ash was too worried, but sleep had caught up with him as easily as Giovanni had. Ash tried and failed to fight it off and was slowly pulled into the dark void of sleep.

'Dream'

'I'm in a dream, I think' Ash looked around but there was nothing to see it was blacker than pitch. So like any dreamer he started walking in any direction that he wished. Soon after he started hearing echoes, far away and undecipherable. They got closer.

And Closer.

And Closer.

Until Ash knew exactly what they were. The pained cries of his pokemon echoed through the darkness and hurt far worse than his mangled hands ever would. He started yelling into the darkness about how he would save them, just to hold on a bit longer, that he would get back at Giovanni. He then heard an answering echo.

It's not Giovanni's fault Ash.

It's yours.

Ash stopped dead in his tracks shaking his head wishing the dream to change but it didn't the echo swarmed around him trapping him in a blanket of hurt and betrayal. Ash shoved his hands over his ears and fell to his knees screaming for it to stop but it continued relentlessly. Until a yellow mouse appeared a few feet away, then the echo vanished as if it had never been. Pikachu crept closer to Ash and Ash gathered Pikachu into his arms saying how sorry he was, how he wished he could change it. Then Ash felt a shock go up his arms pain swiftly following. Ash choked on his words as he pulled Pikachu back and looked at his face.

Hate.

Pikachu held only hate in his eyes as he looked at Ash. Then the pain came again only this time the source was clear. Pikachu shocked Ash, again, and again. Ash screamed as the pain raced through him unable to hold it back. He dropped Pikachu and tried to scramble away but it was so hard there was so much pain.

Finally Ash got to his feet and he started running through the black, but no matter what he did he couldn't escape Pikachu. In fact Pikachu got closer and closer. Then Ash saw it, refuge. A light up ahead that seemed more promising than anything else drew Ash to it. He ran harder than ever and suddenly he was there.

And he wished he wasn't.

It was a pit that seemed to have no end, and Ash was right at the edge.

And Pikachu was right behind him.

Ash felt one more jolt as the mouse shocked him. The spasm caused by electricity made him tilt, and lose his balance. He wobbled on the edge for a moment that seemed like forever, so close to steady ground and equally close to open air. Pikachu however gave him no choice. A single quick attack to the gut instantly sent him plummeting to the unknown depths to be eternally falling through a black space.

Ash woke to a loud, hoarse scream that he recognized as his own. He closed his mouth cutting off the fearful sound as he sat in the bed panting. He barely had time to register the pounding steps and the sound of the lock on the outside of the room before the door was flung open and Giovanni himself ran in. The Rocket leader instantly did a 360, surveying every corner of the room before giving his attention to the still shaking Ash.

Slowly Giovanni walked over to the bed and reached a hand out grabbing Ash's shoulder, leaning so that they were eye level he asked "what happened"? Ash flinched simply remembering the dream, Giovanni grip tightened minutely. When Ash didn't answer him Giovanni turned Ash so he was looking him in the eye "I asked what happened". There was a hint of impatience in his voice but for the most part it was completely blank, to match his expression.

That seemed to snap Ash out of it and he shook his head before giving Giovanni a shaky answer "Nothing, I'm fine". Giovanni squinted at Ash clearly not buying it, Ash was still breathing hard and his hands were shaking and twitching erratically almost like...

'Oh...'

Giovanni felt confident in his conclusion. Ash had probably had a dream about vengeful pokemon and for a trainer of his type that would be terrifying. He sighed and let go of Ash, the younger trainer seemed startled by the blatant show of emotions. Giovanni grabbed Ash's tossed covers from the floor and threw them back on the bed "get some sleep". He then turned his back to the raven haired boy and walked out of the room plans spinning through his head as they always did. Ash watched him go before laying down and pulling the covers over his head like they would protect him.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

The next day the two resumed the daily routine like nothing had happened, everything went the usual way, except that the nightmares came again.

And again.

Two more days went like that, little sleep, nightmares, Giovanni's question, knew bruises. Repeat. The nightmares got worse, on the third day Ash tried anything he could to make the day last longer dreading the mere thought of night. Giovanni caught on.

The most obvious sign was that Ash seemed to be dragging out there conversation. Heading off on bunnery trails on his own, though that could have been the exhaustion taking over. However eventually Giovanni got up to leave and he kept his eye an Ash as he moved to the door ready for Ash to spring at him. Ash didn't even twitch. Giovanni put his hand on the door still watching. Still no sign that Ash had noticed. Giovanni watched the younger boy for a few moments before Ash got fed up with it. "If your going to leave then leave already" He growled glaring up at the young businessman who seemed surprised at his sudden outburst.

Giovanni let go of the door and moved back toward Ash "if you must know I was actually considering what to do with your pikachu". Ash's eyes shot to Giovanni's and for the first time that day Giovanni saw just how tired Ash was, but even his weariness couldn't hide the fear over what Giovanni had said. He Leaned against the wall still turned toward Ash "you see your pikachu has become quite a handful, it seems he misses you and because of such he's causing quite the commotion". He gauged Ash's reaction and noticed a mix of pride and fear on his face. "I have enough problems without having to deal with your pikachu, like Jesse and James, they have no idea what to do now so their constantly pestering me" Giovanni scowled as he said this and his scowl only deepened when Ash chuckled. Giovanni brought the conversation to his point "I think it would be to both of our benefit if you got to keep Pikachu with you in here in exchange for at least a little more help finding the masterball" finished Giovanni with his trademark smug smile.

Ash stared at him for a moment a storm of emotions playing across his unguarded face, the one that one out was wariness. "Why" asked the teen.

Giovanni shrugged "as I said I'm swamped with work, both Rocket and business related, and I don't need to be worrying over minor things like whether an electric mouse is going to bust through the door while I'm sealing a deal".

Ash thought it over but Giovanni could tell that his sleep deprived brain wasn't up for the task, he could practically see the gears turning. Giovanni sighed "if you can control the damn pikachu then you can have your hat back".

Ash looked at Giovanni "yes".

Giovanni nodded "of course there are rules, like if you shock anyone then both pokemon and head gear get taken away but other than that pikachu should be fine being held in here". With a final nod Giovanni walked to the door throwing a last remark over his shoulder "you'll be saying hi to Pikachu soon".

Ash smiled, there was the taunt. The reason why every day he had hit the door, and this time he was slightly relieved to hear it. Then Ash's smile faded as he remembered his dream, maybe him and Pikachu locked in the same room wasn't a good idea. Ash shook his head, no of course it was a great idea. He sighed, there was nothing left to do but find out.

AN

OMG long chapter. WOW I've done three chapters in just over twelve hours. Well whateva it's like 3:00am so I'm going to bed before my hallucinations get worse... oh hello purple monkey, whatever. Well comment, read, eat a red banana, you know what I mean. *peels away* Bye.