The sun shone brightly over Victory Road. Pidgey flew across the sky and bug Pokémon such as Caterpie and Weedle climbed the trees below. Sandshrew and Diglett popped in and out of the ground and a herd of Ponyta and Rapidash ran through the meadows surrounding the main cave on Victory Road.

But the Pokémon kept away from the cave. Since the sun had returned a few hours before, they had felt an evil presence there. Not knowing anything about it, except that it was a powerful force, they stayed away from the cave.

But humans, unfortunately, who couldn't tell there was something evil inside, headed in. Unusually though, no human ever got very far. Every person who entered, within seconds of being inside, would feel either feverish, extremely tired, paralized, sick to the stomach, like they've got a magor migrane or suddenly feel terrified and run as fast as the could back to the Pokémon Center outside the cave.

No one knew what was in there, and even though it had only started after a few hours, everyone was afraid to go in.

"Were am I?"

Ash looked around the black area. He seemed to be floating in nothing, nothing but darkness surrounded him. There was an icy feeling around him before he saw something, a picture forming in front of him.

The picture began to grow, and it showed a lake with broken ice over it. "What's this about?" Ash thought. Suddenly a red figure struck the ice and fell under water. After a few seconds, the red creature arose from the water, and Ash recognised it straight away. "Ho-oh!"

The rainbow legandary bird lay it's head on the ice, breathing heavily. It looked badly hurt and was still half emersed in the freezing cold water.

Ash then noticed something else, another Ho-oh. But this one was different, it's feathers were a pitch black colour and it had glowing eyes. It was Dark Ho-oh, and it was talking to...him? Wait, it was the Ditto. Dark Ditto was able to transform into a complete copy of absolutely anything, even humans. Ash watched as Dark Ho-oh turned and looked beside it, with an evil grin on it's face. It bent down and picked something up, and Ash realised it was himself. He saw Dark Ditto climb onto Dark Ho-oh's back and then flew off into the distance.

Ash watched the Pokémon leave. "What was that all about?" It suddenly felt like there was a whirlpool around him as the image began to swirl, making Ash feel dizzy. It seemed like the whole room was spinning now, and Ash felt overcome with weakness. His eyes rolled back and he fell back. He had passed out.

In Dark Cave, two people, two small Pokémon and one giant one, sat in silence.

Pikachu stared into the flames of the fire that had been lit as their sorce of light. It had been only a few hours since Ash had been taken by Dark Ho-oh, and Pikachu was angry when they had to stop as the sun rose.

The only reason they travelled in darkness was because they didn't want anyone seeing Ho-oh. Ho-oh could travel in a Pokéball, but it prefered not to spend the day in there, so they decided that they would find a place to hid at sunrise, rest up until around 3pm, Ho-oh would go into it's Pokéball, Rick, Pikachu, Raichu and Misty would travel on Pidgeot and Charizard until sunset, Ho-oh would be aloud back out and they would contiue until sunrise again. It was tough, but no one wanted to give up the search for Ash and Dark Ho-oh.

Raichu awoke and looked over at Pikachu. He yawned and stood up, trotting over to Pikachu. [You know, if you don't sleep it'll be harder to find Ash]

Pikachu looked up at Raichu and sighed. [I guess your right] He yawned and stood, following Raichu back over to Misty and Rick. He curled up beside Misty and closed his eyes. He sighed and whispered to himself. "Pika chu Pikapi, pika pika chu" [Don't worry Ash, we'll save you]

Ash groaned and opened his eyes. It was completely black around him. "I'm back here again?" He sat up and noticed that he was in a cave. "What the...How did I get here?" He stood up and blindly walked forward with his arms outstretched, so as not to bump into anything. He could here rushing water nearby and followed the sound. Apart from the water, the cave was silent. He tried to see through the darkness and slapped his forehead. "Duh...Cyndaquil go" He said releasing the small fire Pokémon.

Cyndaquil's flames instintly shot out of it's back and lit the area around the.

Just ahead Ash could some of the light from the flames dancing across a slow river and that the ground was covered in rocks, probably from a cave in. Ash walked over beside Cyndaquil. "Were do you think we are?"

"Cynda" Cyndaquil said shaking it's head. It suddenly shivered and looked wildly around.

Ash looked at Cyndaquil. "Cyndaquil? What's wrong?"

Ash wished he hadn't asked. Out of no where a pair of red eyes and a flamethrower shot forward, stricking Cyndaquil. As Cyndaquil's flame died down, flames began to appear along the walls, like a fire rail. "Cyndaquil!" Ash ran over beside Cyndaquil. "Are you ok?"

Cyndaquil tried to get up, but just stumbled over again.

Ash looked back to where the attack had come from. The fire along the walls of the huge cave lit the area and showed the massive Dark Ho-oh that stood in front of him. He took out Cyndaquils Pokéball and returned it, not taking his eyes off the Ho-oh.

Dark Ho-oh stepped forward but stopped when Ash quickly stepped back. "No point in trying to run, this cave is completely sealed up, theres no way out"

Ash raised his fist in front of him and closed his eyes, trying to focus his energy.

"It won't work" Dark Ho-oh said shaking it's head. "Your powers may be strong, but without Ho-oh nearby, you don't stand a chance. I was wondering if you'd like to come and join us, since your friend's aren't coming to help you, they don't care about you"

Ash tried not to pay any attention to what Dark Ho-oh was saying, but it was hard. He looked straight into Dark Ho-oh's eyes. "Your lying..."

"Am I now?" Dark Ho-oh said. "Well then, has Ho-oh tried to contact you? There has been no attempt to get in here by anyone who wasn't looking for a Pokémon to catch. Face the facts kid, they don't want you anymore"

"That's not true!" Ash yelled.

Dark Ho-oh shook it's head. "I pity you now more than ever. The only reason they stuck around you is because you could protect them with your powers, but now that you've been captured, you're no more use to them"

"What about Ho-oh?" Ash said angrily. "Ho-oh has helped and protected me all the time"

"I can see why you think Ho-oh cares for you, but think about it. What would happen to Ho-oh if you died?"

Ash narrowed his eyes, but then he started to see it from Dark Ho-oh's view. If he died, so would Ho-oh, and obviously Ho-oh really didn't want to die. Was that the only reason Ho-oh protected him? To protect itself? "No, your lying. You can't be right..."

Dark Ho-oh sighed. "It's just the way things are..." Dark Ho-oh turned and walked over to a tunnel nearby. It stopped and turned back. "If you change your mind, we'll be waiting in here" And with a final nod from Dark Ho-oh, it walked down the tunnel and out of veiw.

Ash looked down at the ground. Theres no way Dark Ho-oh was right, there just couldn't be. "But is it...?"

"Ash....ASH!...HELLO?!"

"Any luck Ho-oh?" Rick asked as he, along with Raichu, Pikachu and Misty, flew threw the sky on Ho-oh's back.

Ho-oh shook it's head sadly. "Nothing, he must be blocked off"

"Do you think he's in trouble?" Misty asked nerviously.

Ho-oh shook it's head. "No, I haven't felt anything so he hasn't gotton injured in any way"

Misty sighed. "Well that's good to know"

"Come on" Rick said looking around the countryside outside Violet Town. "We still have to check the rest of Johto. If we don't find anything, we'll head back to Kanto and check there"

Ho-oh nodded and flapped it's wings, giving itself a sudden burst of speed. "Just hang on Ash"

Ash stared into the water of the small river that passed through the cave. He'd been trying to figure a way out, but his thoughts kept wandering back to what Dark Ho-oh had said.

Was that the only reason the others hung around him? Because they thought he'd defend them if the got in trouble? And Ho-oh was just saving itself?

He shook his head. There was no way it could be true. They were his friends.

But even if they were his friends, would they risk their lives for him?

Ok, he definately wasn't thinking straight. He was starting to believe Dark Ho-oh now, what was wrong with that picture?

Ash stuck his hand into the water and lifted it out fast, splashing his face with water. He shivered from the cold water and shook his head. Maybe that would clear his head. Now all he had to do was figure a way out.

Though it was easier to think on a full stomach. He hadn't eaten for at least 24 hours and he was starving. He groaned and took off his back-pack, which he had found a while ago. He rumaged around in it but couldn't find anything to eat, just a bottle of water, so he just put it down and turned back to the river.

"Hey, you ok?"

Ash jumped and turned to see the Ditto that was still transformed and looked like him. "Would you mind not doing that? It's bad enough that you look like me without me having to see you" Ash grumbled and turned back to the river.

Ditto scratched the back of his head. "Sorry" He walked over beside him. "You ok?"

"Why do you care?" Ash asked without looking up.

Ditto frowned. "Cause I know how you've been let down by someone you thought was your friend"

"Hmph, what do you know?" Ash turned his head away from Ditto.

"Enough" Ditto said. "I know you don't trust us yet, but if your hungry I've brought some food. It's not much, but it's all we can get our hands on" He bent down and put three apples on the ground beside Ash before turning and heading back into the tunnel Dark Ho-oh had used earlier.

Ash looked back at Dark Ditto. "Why did you bring me here anyway?"

Ditto stopped and looked back. "Because we knew those 'friends' of your would turn their backs on you one day, and knew it would be better off if it happened earlier" He turned and walked into the tunnel and out of sight.

Ash thought and looked back at the apples. Normally he'd suspect there was poison in them or something, but this time the thought never occured to him. He picked one up and began eating it. Could he have been wrong about them? No way, they're evil.

Well he didn't know their intentions for sure and he couldn't trust them just because they gave him food and he couldn't judge them after they hadn't tried to hurt him. He'd have to wait and see.