Pokémon Legacy: Come Back to Me

Chapter Twenty-Five

"Come on Ash! Open the damn door! You can't stay in there the rest of your life!" Gary pounded in the door of his friend's Laverre City Pokémon Center room angrily. It had been a couple of weeks, and they still hadn't heard or found anything out. They were only here because Ash agreed that, while searching for Serena, Dawn could finish getting her Princess Keys and Bonnie could finish getting her badges. But every day he'd only come out for breakfast and dinner, and a couple hours in between to train. Other than that he was locked away in his room searching frantically for any news of Team Rocket or Team Flare's movements.

"Go away Gary!" Ash yelled angrily.

"I swear to Arceus if you don't come out if there right now, I will have Blastoise break down this fucking door." Ash didn't answer, he just groaned irately as another lead of his went dead. Gary sighed, but called Blastoise out. "Skull Bash." He commanded. Blastoise exploded through the wooden door, kicking up dust and broken wood everywhere, sending broken planks flying around the room like projectiles. Ash stood straight up angrily.

"What the hell Gary?!" Ash shouted.

"No! Don't you 'what the hell' me! I get to 'what the hell' you!" Gary retorted. "So what the hell? You keep locking yourself away and not letting any of us help you! If we want to find Serena we have to work together!"

"No! It's my fault she's gone, it's my responsibility!"

"Don't you know how stupid you sound?" Gary replied testily. "You need to get off this fucking crazy train and start using your brain! We can help you!" Ash glared at Gary, who held his gaze steadily. Neither one were backing down. Finally Ash spoke, poison in his words.

"You're so fucking stubborn!"

"Probably about as stubborn as you, asshole!" Gary yelled. "Now shape the fuck up and join us downstairs where we're researching!" Ash said nothing for a few tense minutes. Gary stared him down.

"Fine! For fuck's sake!" Ash exploded. He threw his pocket computer down on the ground angrily, and the device shattered. Ash didn't seem concerned.

"For Arceus sake you're a handful!" Gary said, exasperated.

"Coming from you!" Ash retorted. He pushed past Gary and stormed down the stairs.

"Coming from you," Gary mocked angrily, but he followed Ash down the stairs. At least the dumbass had finally seen sense. Maybe he wouldn't act so insane anymore.

"Ash," Dawn breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him coming down the stairs, anger twisting up his features.

"Leave me the fuck alone." Ash muttered to her. Dawn's mouth dropped open slightly as she glanced at Gary, who had appeared shortly after her...boyfriend? They hadn't officially broken up yet, but she knew it was coming. Gary rolled his eyes angrily, as if to say 'don't fucking look at me.'

"Ash," Bonnie sighed. She hugged the young trainer around his middle, although she was older now, she only came up to his chin. Ash stood there, shocked for a moment, but hesitantly returned the hug. Bonnie was like the sister he never had, and probably the only other person that could calm him down, besides Serena. Thinking her name was painful. What his friends didn't know was that he laid awake every night, staring blankly at the ceiling. Sometimes tears fell, sometimes he wanted to scream out his frustration, but he never did anything. The crazy exterior was all his friends saw, and he sensed that, and it hurt a little. They all think he's clinically insane.

The truth? He might be. He keeps hearing her tortured voice screaming out for him. Part of the reason he doesn't like falling asleep is because he's scared that he'll have that dream again. But every night he falls into a restless slumber, and every night he wakes in the early hours of morning with the horrifying image of her beaten and bloody body, violated by those faceless grunts. Voices whisper all kinds of unmentionable things in his ears, all kinds of torturous and horrible things they could be doing to her.