The Water’s Reflection

By:Alicorn

Part 3: The Captive

He wished that if he were able to wake up, this whole thing would be just a bad dream.

But even waking up did not seem to make much difference.

A pain, sharp and raged like a repeated wisps’ sting, shot over and over though his right leg, sending his mind back into half conciseness behind closed eye lids.

Ash thought back to just that morning…or had it been longer ago?

************

The day had started out bright and sunny and he had returned to his home of New Bark Town with his lone companion, as well as his first Piketon, Pikachu. When professor Elm had first given him the electric mouse Pokémon it had been less than willing to even obey orders, but by this time they had become great friends. In fact, their partnership had won them half the badges in all Johto within three years, a league record.



However, this day, as fate would have it, Professor Elm happened to be working on a new experiment: A machine, which if successful, would be half the size of a normal poke ball even in small carry form. Instead of storing a Pokémon within it, the device would “dog tag” the Pokémon and send it to another realm of peaceful space where it could roam and live freely until the master needed it.

***********

Ash winched as he felt something gently moving his leg. He could nearly hear the words of so short a time ago, echoing as though they were being said down a long hollow tunnel…

*************



“Much more civilized to the Pokémon than a tiny PC box or a cramped poke ball don’t you think?” Elm said



“Yeah professor that sounds cool!” Ash replied



“Pika!” Pikachu whole heartily   agreed



Ash pressed his face to the clear dome that held the tiny metal miracle, no bigger than a modern day computer chip.



“Sure looks hi-tech Pikachu…” He mused



“Pichu..” Pikachu added his mouth curved in an impressed “oh”



“Please, please, you two! That machine is still in the highly sensitive experimental stages, there’s no telling what contact with a living organism may do..”

Professor Elm said, frantically snatching up Pikachu



“That’s all right professor, if I’m going to be a Pokémon master I’ve got to learn to take risks. Things like come everyday for trainers like me, right Pikachu?”



“Pikachu…” The electric mouse replied, looking unsure



Suddenly the dome around the machine began to glow and  the glass shattered, beams of light radiating out like a newly born sun.



Professor Elm dived out of the way quickly with Pikachu in tow, holding a hand out toward him.



“Ash! The  transporter is reacting to the energy in your older style poke balls! You must not let yourself be sucked in!”



His every muscle braced against the raging wind coming from the light, Ash reached out his arm…inch by inch each step he took a battle of his will.

Suddenly, a peace of glass came flying, just a sliver really, hardly worth noticing normally, and cut into his leg.

It was enough.

The world seemed to move in slow motion to him from that moment.



The pain. His concentration broken, he fell flat on his stomach and was drug across the lab floor backward, as helpless as a Magikarp on a hook.



The room suddenly was rimed with a sunset  like light as the vortex swallowed him whole. At the other end he could just barely see Pikachu being forcefully held back, eyes full of tears.



“PIKA PIIIIIII!” It screamed

*************

Ash’s own scream joined that of his memory as he snapped fully awake. That is, it would have been a scream if the leather collar around his neck had not been keeping him from making the smallest sound. His eyes came back into focus slowly. He was in a cage it bedded with golden straw and wearing only a loincloth that looked to be made of a mixed cousin of moss and cloth.



“Chiko? Ci..ci..” A taken aback nosie said



Ash looked down slowly…slowly to his leg…



This dumb collar must be tied down…



He though to himself, testing the limit of an upseen chain as he rased his head farer



Hey,it’s  the same Chikorita from that shrange forest!



“Chikri!” The plant pokemon exclamed joyfully and diped it’s leaf to one side, sattering a tiny waterfall of  shining dust.







Its using  Synthesis…



He observed in awe, wondering at the actaully use of a pokemon move on a human.



The glass in his leg was gone, and as he watched in wonder, the little Chikorita’s healing powder seemed to be slowly closing the wound.



“Chi!”  It said happliy and smiled up at him.



Boy, you’re a cool pokemon. Ash thought, and smiled back, silently letting out a laugh  Too bad you are’nt on my team in this crazy place…



“Cici, ri…ko.” The pokemon said softly, sounding a little sad but hopefull as it turned around, looked back for moment, and then walked out pass Ash’s limited line of vision.



Somewhere just pass  the corner of his eye the young boy heard the sound of a heavy door being locked.