This part was written by me (Utah).  Part 16: Joy of Vengeance


Ash's greatest hope had come true, yet it was also his greatest fear. He loved 
the fact that Misty fawned over him,
but the negative side was that she did so because she lost
her memory, and because his father had provided a, ahh,
false memory for her.

It seemed to make things easier. No more getting yelled at
and clobbered by her mallet when he let his shields down and
did something stupid; no more nagging; but most of all, no
more fear of rejection. Well, sorta. He didn't know when she
would regain her memory, and didn't know if she would still
love him with her memory back.

He gazed at Misty placidly as she played with Togetic and 
Pikachu on her hospital bed. She wouldn't be released for another week, as her 
ribs need to heal. He sighed. He still
kinda missed the old Misty, though... Misty noticed him watching her and grinned 
at him. He practically melted at that. Pikachu and Togetic snickered.

~*~*~

Delia sighed. She hoped her husband wouldn't be too hard on
Pallet. She then wondered how Ash was doing, and decided to
go to the medical ward to see him.

She pulled her dark red veils over her face, adjusted her dress, which was the 
same color as the veils, and headed
out the door.

~*~*~

Two guards dragged a limp figure into a large chamber and strapped it to a 
gurney that was parallel to a heat-electric
table.

Giovanni remained passive as he watched this. As soon as the device was 
prepared, he turned and spoke briefly with one of his guards. The guard nodded 
and left.

~*~*~

Ash looked up as the door to the infirmary slid open. A guard quickly approached 
and bowed.

"My Prince, your father requests your presence immediatly."
Ash nodded slowly and the guard left. Wonder what he wants? Ash thought to 
himself. He looked over at Misty,
who was petting Pikachu. "Hey, Pikachu. Could you watch over
Misty while I'm gone?" he asked. Pikachu nodded. "Okay, I'll
be back." With that, he was gone.

~*~*~

Ash hurried down the hallway to where he knew his father would be.

He keyed in his I.D. into the keypad lock next to the door.
It slid open and he walked inside.

Giovanni turned around at his son's arrival and grinned.
"Ah, just in time." he observed. "Come, come. This is a big
day for you. I have done some research, and by coincidence,
Jessie, Brock, and Meowth had been assigned to steal the
subject's Pokémon.

I knew that this person has caused you much humiliation and
anger, taunting and insulting you, but now is your time for
revenge. What do you say?" If he says yes, this will be the final step for him 
into eternal Darkness...he would make
a fine Emperor. Giovanni silently added. Ash looked 
thoughtful. Giovanni watched him with slight anticipation.

At last Ash spoke. "Alright, Father. I guess I would like my
revenge on Gary." Giovanni nodded, a small smirk on his face. "Very well then," 
he said. He led Ash to stand beside
the torture device and instructed him on how to use it.

~*~*~

Gary Oak woke up to find himself sitting upright and strapped to a gurney. Panic 
rushed through him and he tried
to struggle.

Dark laughter ceased his struggling, and he looked up fearfully and angrily at a 
shadowed figure standing nearby.
"Well, I see you've finally woken up. Now the fun can begin." The voice sounded 
familiar, yet tainted with malice.
Gary was about to demand that the figure tell him who he was and why he had 
taken him here when the figure moved to the switch of the device in front of 
Gary and flipped it on.
Gary caught a glimpse of a white glove with two red rings
around it and a black sleave...The machine began to hum, and searing pain shot 
through Gary's body, making him cry out.

~*~*~

Ash watched with twisted pleasure as Gary writhed in pain under the merciless 
barrage of electrical heat. Finally, after all that Gary had put him through, he 
was finally
getting revenge! Jessie and James had been right when they'd
told him being bad was more fun.

Giovanni watched with pride as his son effortlessly conducted the torture. He 
watched as Ash raised the device's
power level one notch. His son was now totally as good as his, no worries of him 
ever leaving. Soon he would begin training to be a true leader like himself, but 
for now he was letting Ash get used to the Darkness. He was adapting well. He 
was his father's son...