Infected

Chapter 17

*Beep...beep...beep...beep*

Ash was awoken by the quiet beat. The first thing he was aware of, was that his head was in quite some pain, as we're his ribs. Or were those his lungs? Now that he thought he couldn't tell.

Next thing he realized was that his arms felt like they had drips in them. Not just one either. Four or five in each forearm. He moved one arm experimentally, feeling the pipes in the back of his shoulders too. He moved his whole body. They were in his back as well, and maybe one in his neck, he wasn't sure.

Then came the fact that his top portion was completely bare. Granted, he still had his trousers on, but he still felt a little...exposed.

*What's going on?* He asked himself, finally daring to open his eyes. When he did, he found he was in some sort of glass tube. He looked around outside his cramped space, finding multiple consoles surrounding him. Each had up to twelve little monitors with bits and bobs on them.

For example, one of the monitor screens had a picture of a Chinese chi chart. It showed the main points of chi, or aura, in a human body. Another showed pressure points in the human body (which was where the needles and pipes in his body were).

Ash looked down at his arms, quickly finding that the tan bandages that had been there were now removed, revealing his strange blue markings. The bracelets Clemont made him were gone too.

The markings were glowing again, most likely from his body trying to heal itself from the earlier attack that got him here. He traced one, wincing away at the sensitive tickily feeling.

"I see you are awake,"

Ash jumped at the voice, his head snapping up quickly and searching around the room. It didn't take long for him to find the king of Team Flare himself.

"Lysander," Ash growled, narrowing his eyes. He balled his fists in anger, feeling his aura stir within him. This man! "What do you want!?"

The red haired figure smirked evily, making shivers crawl down Ash's spine. He approached one of the screens from the console.

"Do you ever wonder how the outbreak happened? How we got here?" He asked, completely ignoring Ash's last question. The boy folded his arms, ignoring the pull on the tubes.

"Yeah. It was an accident. Just a virus that was exposed," Ash explained. It's what Doctors believed. That a form of Wild Cow Virus mutated to Pokemon. It was logical, yet it was still just a guess. Ash hadn't really thought about it much. It had been strange month entirely, so he didn't get to think a lot.

"Is that what they think? Ha! Well Ash, I will let you in on a secret," the man walked up to the glass tube with a small vile in his hands. Ash squinted to see it through the thick, tinted glass. *INF-329* was all it said.

"It was me. I created this virus to kill the world. It's doing a splendid job, don't you think?" Lysander smirked, placing the vile into his pocket.

Ash froze, horror and anger on his face. Lysander had done it all. He had killed hundreds of humans, and Pokemon. He had injured so many more. And just because he *wanted to*?!

Ash clenched his fists tightly, his auburn eyes turning cyan as his aura bubbled around his fist. He slammed his fist into the glass, cracking it on impact. Lysander jumped back, his hand flying to his pokeball. He seemed surprised.

Ash slammed his fist again, stronger. He snarled, "You! You're dead!"

Suddenly, a large shock of pain racked his body, making him shreik and fall onto his knees. Instantly, he felt three times weaker, his head laying against the glass. His markings that had been glowing brilliantly, were faded to a dull blue.

"You...," Lysander cleared his throat, dusting himself off, "That is a lot more power then I thought,"

Ash took a breath, holding out one of his shakey hands, "What...did you do...?" He rasped.

"You're aura has been shown to heal people. So, we will use your aura to contain the virus, and we will look like the Hero's. Imagine, carrying your body, your body all bloody and bitten. You were attacked, and we saved you, but you died to blood loss," Lysander smiled while he said his fairy tail.

"I'm not going to die," Ash croaked.

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong. You see, aura is what power the human body. It gives it life. And if something was to suck that all away, well, you know what would happen," Lysander smiled, taking out a small controller with a button on it.

"I'll make sure it's a long death for you. Wouldn't want it to be over too quickly now," Lysander chuckled, turning the small button. Ash winced as the needles in his body began to suck out his power.

He sat against the glass and watched as Lysander left the room, laughing like the madman he is.

"I'm not going to die," Ash repeated, leaning his head against the glass as he shut his eyes, falling asleep at the hum of the machines. His friends would arrive for him soon, and they would all defeat Lysander, and stop the virus together.

---------

Dun dun Dunn

I think we all knew what was coming here. The next chapter will be a pain to write for me, but you don't care about that. Noo, you're just happy to get your chapter and go.

I'm joking

Kinda

Maybe

On another note. I know this chapter is short, but the last one was long af so you're getting a shorter one. I'm nearing the end and I really don't wanna finish this book aaaa

If you have any suggestions for a book in between this and the sequel, please do say! I'll take anything at this point h a

Heck, it doesn't even have to be Amourshipping. Let's go AAML or something else. I don't watch Sun and Moon though, so if you want something from that soRRY NOT YET.

I'm rambling again.

I'll end this now so you don't have to listen to my shit

Ta-ta!

Sy