Infected

| Chapter 4 |

Ash took a deep breath as he walked back into the main gathering area of the Pokémon Center, having regained most of his strength and energy from his transfusion with Suicune. The Center was even fuller than before, with more trainers cradling their injured pokémon in their arms. Ash could see quite a few helpers rushing around, tending to as many pokémon as they could. He looked down at his wrapped arm, which had some fresh blood marks just starting to appear on the cream bandage. Pikachu hopped from his head to his shoulder. Ash looked at his partner.

"I'm fine Pikachu, don't worry." Ash reassured, gently scratching under the yellow pokémon's chin. Pikachu smiled, straightening himself on Ash's shoulder.

The male trainer suddenly felt a presence behind him. He turned around to find Suicune staring down at him calmly, as if waiting for a command. Ash blinked in shock. He hadn't expected the legendary pokémon to follow him. It bowed its head and sat down, his coat almost glowing in the dull morning light.

"Ash!"

Ash turned around, his eyes finding Serena, Bonnie and Clemont rushing up to them. They all wore a red bandana on their forearm that had a little red cross on it. Ash realised that they must've been volunteering to help with the pokémon there.

"Hey," Ash responded, smiling gently. Serena instantly looked down to Ash's arm, that he was still unconsciously holding. Ash looked down at his arm again, then back up at the honey-blonde.

"How are you feeling?" Bonnie asked, seemingly unaware of what had happened earlier. That, or she didn't really mind the giant bandage up the length of Ash's arm.

"Better now that I'm all rested up. What did I miss?--" Ash was interrupted as Clemont walked past Ash in a awe-filled daze. He looked up at Suicune, who looked down curiously. The scientist ran his hand along one of the scars, earning a bitter snarl from the legendary. Ash twirled around quickly.

"Ah-! Don't touch those. They're just healed!" Ash scorned, his hand grasping Clemont's away from Suicune's shoulder. Clemont jumped in surprise, stumbling over his words in a jumble of stutters.

"Sorry! Just--Suicune was hurt pretty bad yesterday. How did they heal so quickly?" Clemont asked. Ash let go of Clemont's wrist, nervous sweat running down his neck. He looked away awkwardly, laughing.

"Well, you see--"

"WATCH OUT!"

The group of four jumped at the sudden panicked cry, twisting themselves around to look at the source of the noise. A Grovyle swayed on its feet, it's eyes looking around wildly like a crazed animal. White foam dripped from its mouth as it roared, the bloody chunk missing from his neck bubbling with looked like poison. Ash's leg twitched to run and help, but as if he knew, Suicune appeared before the group of four, growling. Pikachu sparked unsurely.

The Grovyle began shooting Bullet Seed around the room, mowing down people in it's wake. Ash stared in horror at the bodies of trainers that collapsed like sacks of flour. Suicune growled in warning as Lucario launched forward, towards Ash and his friends. Ash dodged out of the way of a Bone Rush spear, the spear piercing a wooden beam just behind him. 

"We need to get out of here!" Ash ordered, looking to Serena, who stood beside him. Serena looked around the room, finding that the electric doors were jammed shut. She looked at Dedenne, who sat in Bonnie's bag. 

"Bonnie, use Dedenne and get the doors open!" Serena ordered. Bonnie looked over in the direction and rushed towards it. Clemont followed her, just in case. That left Ash and Serena.

As Ash turned to face the Lucario again, he was met with an Aura Sphere into his chest. It absorbed into his body with an electric cackle, causing Ash to choke on his air and drop to his knees. He blinked as he held his chest. It felt like somebody had just punched him in the heart. Lucario pulled away, confused, only to be Tackled away by Pikachu. Ash gasped, trembling to a foot.

"Ash! Are you okay?!" Serena asked, rushing to his side. Ash gulped, his eyes going in and out of focus. He stood back up slowly, his heart thumping painfully in his chest.

"I'll be fine!" He responded. A mechanical hiss made it's way to his ears. He looked back, finding Bonnie and Clemont standing to the side of the door, being rushed through by the people in the Center. Ash turned, grabbed Serena's wrist, and began to run.

"Suicune! Pikachu! We're leaving!" He roared. Pikachu cried in response, causing Ash to slide to a stop. Serena stopped just ahead of him. Pikachu was laying on the ground, under Grovyle. Suicune was holding down Lucario.

Ash's body moved on its own towards his partner. Grovyle looked up at the sound of Ash running towards him, stepping away from its small prey and towards it's bigger one. Ash narrowed his eyes, sucking in a breath. Just as Grovyle tried to attack him, Ash dodged to the side, causing the Pokémon to miss and stumble into a pillar. The wooden beam crumbled, collapsing to the ground, pinning Grovyle under the beam and bringing a section of the roof with it. Serena screamed in shock as she was separated from her crush. 

"Ash!"

Ash looked back, "Just get out! I'm right behind you!"

Ash turned and slid across to Pikachu, who wasn't moving. The boy picked him up and held him in his arms, noticing a slice in the back of Pikachu's head.

Ash felt panic rise in his chest as the familiar feeling of electricity coursed through him. He saw it this time, a royal blue that flashed around his skin in a brilliant light. Ash used that power, trying to focus it into Pikachu to heal him as he did with Suicune. Pikachu began to glow as the wound slowly closed.

Ash was drawn out of the state of healing as Lucario tackled into him, sending Ash sprawling into the dirt and blood. The trainer clutched Pikachu to his chest closely, a feeling of building power rising in his chest. He growled, narrowing his eyes.

"GET AWAY!" He roared, a misty shockwave bursting from him. Lucario was blown back into a wall, where it crumbled to the ground and remained. Ash stood to his feet, his eyes wide in shock and horror.

Suicune called out to him, rushing forward and grabbing him by the collar. He threw Ash onto his back as Suicune rushed out of the collapsing building. The legendary pokémon just made it out as the building turned into rubble.

Ash felt his heart suddenly thump painfully in his chest. He gasped, his fist gripping his shirt as the feeling of electricity seemed to encase his heart. Brief memories of people he didn't recognise flashed before him, moments of racing on Raikou's back, memories of dying. He shut his eyes, finding himself sliding off Suicune's back and hitting the hard ground beneath him. He scrunched his eyes tightly.

Another shock rushed over his body, powerful then the others, and Ash was finally sent back into the darkness of his own mind.