Betrayal by Lord Kadabra Part 3: Revelation! Note: I do not own Pokemon, etc., etc, etc. *** *** "Arachne, what is wrong?" The Itoma hissed, retreating from the woman. The woman concentrated, and youthened into a young girl, about 18 years old. "Come on, Arachne, tell me what's wrong," she pleaded. The spider walked towards her cautiously. "I-toma, toma-Ito toma," it chittered. "What?" she cried. Whirling around, she saw Jupiter, lord of the gods, standing behind her. "Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos, something terrible has happened." *** Ash smiled at Misty. "Like the show?" he asked. They were seated in the honor seats of the Indigo Plateau Stadium. Misty recoiled at the uses the stadium had been turned to. She was tied to her seat, and the other captives were forcibly seated on the next level up. The center ring had five men and women from Contra-Rock in the center, and the crowd watched in anticipation. Drow-Two floated into the center from the main entrance. "People of the games! Welcome to the first day of the Contra Games! Today, the first of the 250 members of Contra-Rock will be executed. We will continue until the last, the leaders of Contra-Rock, are killed. Now let the games begin!" He floated to the space before Ash's throne, and bobbed in honor. "Prisoners, salute the emperor!" Four of the five turned to Ash and bowed low, chanting the age-old incantation. "We who are about to die salute you." But the fifth, the Nurse Joy of Mirka Island spat, looking Ash straight in the eye. "Ash, I will go to my grave hating you," she snapped. Ash's face contorted angrily. "Drow-Two, I'm going to handle this one myself. Magmar, go!" The flaming Pokemon emerged, its eyes glowing a bright orange. "Magmar, kill those prisoners." "Mag," it nodded. "Magmar!" It released a Fire Blast, and the group scattered. It began hunting the people, confidant in the fact that these prisoners could not touch its burning skin. *** "God, that's brutal," Jesse moaned, eyes riveted on the bloody spectacle. Magmar stabbed a swimmer through the chest with its super-hot fingers. The man screamed as his flesh was burned. James turned from the sight. "I can't look." The Magmar screeched in anger as Nurse Joy threw a bottle of conditioner on its body and his skin sizzled. But then the creature incinerated a young woman. He looked across to where Giovanni sat. He wished he knew what Giovanni planned. *** Ash smiled. "Isn't it beautiful, honey? Look how much I've accomplished. And you thought I would never amount to anything." Misty glared. "But you've lost so much, Ash. I remember a time that you would have done all in your power to stop it." Ash laughed. "That's one of the things I loved you for. A sense of humor. Now how about a kiss?" He leaned to her, and she pulled her chair away. He frowned. "I will win your heart again, my love, for if you reject me, you will eventually die at the hands of one of two hundred battle-trained Pokemon." He smiled, and turned to the arena. *** Joy dodged the flaming hand, and spat in passing. She leapt back, and pulled out a Pokeball. "Chansey, go!" She heard a commotion. "Chansey, Metronome!" The Chansey ticked her hands back and forth, back and forth, and an explosion of water engulfed the Magmar. It screamed in terror and pain as its skin fizzled out. But it leapt forward and grabbed the Chansey with its burning hands. The Chansey screamed, and the Magmar Glared at it. The Chansey fainted, and the Magmar turned to Joy. It used Double Team, and Joy saw three Magmars. She leapt through one, but it was the real Magmar. The Magmar grasped her shoulders, and opened its mouth. A blast of flame emerged from it, colliding with her face. Joy patiently let herself die, feeling the scorching flames consuming her flesh. But she didn't make a scene. She wouldn't give him the pleasure. *** The leaders lay bound on couches. Ash stood over them. "I hope you have seen what will happen to you. It will happen if you do not join me. Now-" A man entered the room, and bowed. "We have captured it, sir." Ash smiled. "Good," he said smugly. "Call Drow-Two." The man bowed again, and exited. Ash turned to them. "Ash, what is this?" Misty asked. Ash smirked. "This is the beginning of my Master Plan. Within this Pokeball is...Zapdos." Misty's mouth dropped. "Ash, don't you know the legends?" Gary shouted. "You're a fool to try to capture the legendary birds!" Richie snapped. "But that's not my plan, my friends," Ash hissed. "You see, I have always believed that these so- called Pokegods, the legendary birds, are not masters of their element, merely the Pokemon of that element. I theorized that others, super-humans, true gods, controlled the forces of the universe. The destruction of the universe is caused by their anger at the interference of their-pets. Therefore, I realized that the capture of their Pokemon was true folly, but it was possible, if I altered the composition of the Master Ball-" He stopped when Drow-Two floated into the room. "Silence, Ash!" he commanded. "You shall not reveal all our plans to them." Ash turned to the psychic Pokemon. "But they will die within the week," he protested. Drow-Two shook his head. "But that is the folly of supervillans. You will come with me. We must discuss the continuation of our plans." The two left, and Brock stared blankly at the wall. "Did you hear that?" he asked rhetorically, "Those two plan to capture the rulers of the universe!" Tracey shook his head. "And when he does that..." "Drow-Two will rule the world!" Gary interrupted. Misty stared. "It's obvious that he does not control Drow-Two," Richie concluded, "But the only question is whether he himself knows this, and whether he accepts it." "Why does it matter?" Misty asked. "Because the answer determines if we kill him when we escape," Sabrina responded. "But-kill him?" Misty protested, flustering noticably. Brock looked sympathetically on her. "Misty, if he accedes to Drow-Two's domination, he will want to continue his master's work," he argued, "And that will leave us no choce but to kill him." Misty lowered her head. *** "What do you want me to do?" Lachesis demanded, absently playing with a web of threads in her hands. Jupiter looked at her with a steely gaze. "You are to travel with Minerva. She and you will try and retrieve Zapdos. But you are to be careful. There is something...wrong, with that Pokemon. It is...too human. You must be wary of it, for even Apollo does not know its power." Lachesis nodded, and a voice interrupted. "Could we not bring another?" Clotho asked through Lachesis' body. Jupiter frowned. "We cannot spare another, unless Pluto allows Thanatos to leave for a while. I will ask him." With a flash of lightening, Jupiter vanished, and the Fates prepared themselves to face Drow-Two. *** Drow-Two played with several knobs on a metallic box. Several lights changed from amber to green. Drow-Two reached out to the mind of his 'master,' and felt the connection. He attatched a small electrical node to his forehead, and lay down to rest. A silent machine whirred as the Pokemon slept, working to unknown purposes. *** Giovanni closed his eyes, and reached towards the keypad. Jesse and James sat silently, while the two Persian growled at each other. He punched in a 2. A 5. Another 2. Another 5. And a 6. The door hissed, and slid open. Jesse sighed with relief. Giovanni rose and walked through the door. The three humans moving expertly, they headed for the main control room. Two Persian guarded the entrance. *** Togepi's ears perked up. "Toge?" it asked. Misty sat up. "What is it?" she asked. Three silent figures slid past the door. "Hey!" she shouted. The third stopped, and motioned to the others. "Shh!" James hissed. "We're not supposed to be here." Misty smiled. "Thank god!" she said happily. Giovanni nodded to James. "We're going to continue. You help the prisoners." The two slipped into the corridor. Ash, not noticing them, entered the room. "What do you think you're doing?" he yelled, grabbing a Pokeball. James' face contorted, trying to hold something back, but then he spoke. "Prepare for-" He didn't even finish his sentence. An accurately thrown iron rod knocked him out. *** Giovanni waved in the door of the control room. "Hello Butch, Cassidy," he said cheerfully. The two technicians turned to him. "Hey!" Butch exclaimed, "You're trespassing on Team Rocket property!" He dashed at the door, but Giovanni was gone. But a short rap on the head knock him out cold. Cassidy turned to the doorway. "Butch?" she asked, walking into the corridor. "What-" Another blow rendered her unconscious. Giovanni and Jesse entered the room, and locked the door. *** Drow-Two dreamt. He was standing before two women, and a man stood between them. The man wore a cowled cloak, and carried a deadly scythe. One of the women was dressed in battle armor, and a cloth covered the face of her shield. The other woman was dressed in a long dress, slitted for easy movement, and she was unarmed. A Mew, Marowak and Itoma (a spider-like Pokemon of the Poison persuasion) stood by their masters. Drow-Two knew that they were gods, and smirking, he threw three Pokeballs. The people were sucked into the balls, struggling. Drow-Two turned, seeing Ash behind him. He used his most devastating move, Psychic Blast, and he felt the psychic connection between him and his master dissolve as Ash's mind was completely destroyed, every function failing. Drow-Two smiled in his sleep. He was having pleasant dreams. *** Jesse looked at the control panels. "What do all these do?" she said helplessly. Giovanni looked over them professionaly. "I know what most of them do, but these three are new. You can take out this one, this one, this one...and this one," he responded. "That'll leave them without light, heat, or contact outside the complex." Jesse released a Scyther. "Scyther, destroy those control panels!" she ordered. With a nod, the Scyther dug its claws into buttons, display screens and control levers. Electricity exploding from the computers didn't even scorch the chitinous exoskeleton of the bug Pokemon. Then, it turned, and slashing downward, hit a vital nerve. The entire system sparked and started burning. Every system of the station lost power, except for one. But its controls were wasted, and it failed. And a link was broken. *** Ash shook his head. He felt like he had been suffocated, but now he could breathe. He looked up. His friends were tied and bound to their chairs. Misty looked concerned, and she opened her mouth. The lights in the room abruptly flickered off, and the whirring of heaters stopped. Ash pulled out a knife. Silently, he cut Mist's bonds. She stood up, lookeing oddly at him. "Quickly," he ordered, "Take the knife, and cut the others free. I have some things I need to do, and if I don't do them soon...Pikachu, stay with Misty, and listen to her. Ignore any order I give you after this. Do you hear me?" Pikachu nodded. "Kachu," he said. Ash turned around and headed out the door. "Drow-Two, here I come," he hissed. *** The Rocket member was beating on the door. Drow-Two woke up with a start. There was something wrong. There was something missing. He suddenly felt it, or rather its lack. He tore the door open with his mind. The man stood uncomfortably. "Leave the corridors alone, and let anybody enter this room. You are not to interfere." The man bowed, and walked out. *** Ash hurried from cover to cover, hiding himself from cameras and guards. Strange. There weren't any guards here. Was it possible that they were concerned with the power outage? Yes, that was probably it. He approached the door to Drow-Two's chamber. It was shattered. Something terrible must have happened. Ash's hopes rose. Was it possible-? "Not likely, my good friend," Drow-Two's voice came. Ash turned around, and realized the voice came within his own head. He shook it. "NO!" he cried. "I won't let you back in! I-I know what you are, and I want you to stay away from me." Drow-Two smiled. "Of course...MASTER." Ash grabbed his temples. The link was forged anew, and Ash stood up cautiously. "You have been deceived," Drow-Two said calmly. "I've been deceived," Ash repeated. "The captives tricked you into freeing them. But we will wait. The time will come when we have our objective fulfilled, and then...they will come to the Stadium." Ash nodded. "And then...we will kill them," he repeated, patting the Pokeballs he carried. *** Misty looked back at the building. "He's not coming back," she nearly sobbed. Richie put his arm around her. "You can't know that, Misty," he said comfortingly. She turned to him. "Drow-Two is controlling him, and he got free for a little while. But, I just know it. He's not the Ash we knew, and never will be again unless we destroy Drow-Two." Sabrina frowned. "But we can't destroy him," she protested. "Even I could not face him." Misty turned violently. "But Ash spoke of those who even control the very aspects of nature, and I am sure that they would help us. If we only asked." "Misty's right. Surely, the gods must know of Drow-Two's plan, and they must be against it," Brock added. "Then we seek the gods!" Tracey exclaimed. *** Ash sat silently on his throne-like chair, holding a Pokeball in his left hand. His eyes were blue completely, like a young child had colored his eyes with a crayon. Three people appeared before him. One wore a long cloak, and a skeleton was visible through it. He was armed with a scythe. Another was an Amazonian woman, dressed for battle, and carrying a hideous shield. The third was a middle-aged woman, clothed in elegant silk but carrying no weapons. A Marowak, Mew, and Itoma sat before each one, respectively. Ash smiled. "I have decided that I will return Zapdos on the basis of a Pokemon battle. Your three against my one." Thanatos, smiling grimly, released his Marowak. Like a demon from Hell, it leapt forward. Mew glided forward cautiously, and Itoma danced forward, chittering angrily. Ash smiled inwardly, and released a Pokeball. "Drow-Two, go!" The cloaked figure appeared. He began battling the spider, cat- like being and skull-headed lizard. Ash realized that the three of them-no, five, were overwhelming Drow-Two. They were confidant that they would win, and it showed. Ash then pulled the ace from his sleeve. "Pokeballs, go!" Four Pokeballs left his hand. They were different then normal Pokeballs, not externally, but internally. One hit Thanatos, or rather, he caught it. "What is this?" he asked contemtuously. He started laughing. "You hoped to capture me? How- " He broke off as his body was transformed into energy and sucked into the ball. But the others were transfixed by their own troubles. Two Pokeballs hit Fate, and the other Minerva. Minerva screamed as she was pulled into the Pokeball, and Fate wavered. She was young, but suddenly she aged into a middle- aged woman. Then she became an old woman, withered and wrinkled. Ash laughed, mocking the sound of Thanatos' laugh. "Go, Atropos, go and tell your lord that I have captured the gods, and that if he challenges me, I will capture him." He tossed a Pokeball to her. She dodged, but was hit by it. "Stupid woman, that is your precious Zapdos. Return it to your master." Atropos became a spider, and seemed to vanish. Drow- Two pulled the Pokeballs psychically to him, and floated to Ash. "Wonderful work, Lord Birch," he said. "You have done admirable work. But you should rest. We have another Game tomorrow. I believe that I myself shall battle." *** Misty looked at Psyduck. "Psyduck, I know you have incredible psychic powers, and I know you can use them when you want. Now Psyduck, can you tell me what has happened to Ash?" Psyduck turned his head. "Psy?" Misty's face twitched. "Psyduck, please do this for me," she said, her voice close to sobbing. Psyduck turned it's head sideways. "Psy," it began, "Duck!" It's eyes glowed blue, and it held it's head tightly. It stopped, and looked comfortingly at Misty. "Psyduck, psy," it said, patting her hand. "Thanks, Psyduck," she murmured, "I knew you knew more than you let on." She hugged him tightly. But she turned when she heard a step behind her. She turned and saw Richie standing there. She frowned slightly. "Hi Misty," he said quietly. She turned back to Psyduck. "Hi, Richie," she mumbled. He sat next to her. "Richie, do you think he really meant it when he said he loved me?" RIchie turned to her. "Misty, everyone knows that deep inside, he truly loves you. So whether Drow-Two was controlling him or whether he was trying to win you trust, he really does feel that way about you." Misty smiled. "Thanks," she said happily. But she looked up when Brock entered. "Guys, we're on the move. James has a plan, and we want to get there in enough time to stop the next round of games." Misty looked up at him. "Brock, tell me: will we have to kill Ash?" Brock's eyes showed empathy. "I don't know, Misty, I don't know." *** The Stadium was packed. Ash knew this was because of the promise he had made: that Drow- Two himself would fight the leaders of Contra-Rock. Ash turned to Drow-Two, and the Pokemon nodded confidantly. Ash turned to the field, where the last kill was being cleaned up. And then he saw it: a large balloon shaped like a Meowth floating towards ths Stadium. He smiled. He made a gesture, and four men and women with rifles aimed, and shot the balloon down. It sank towards the field, and Drow-Two floated to the center of the field. He reached the downed ballon, and froze. A monstrous Explosion rocked the stadium, and when the smoke cleared, a huge crater remained. There was no sign of Drow- Two. Slowly, a grin spread across Ash's face, but it fell flat when he saw the yellow-skinned creature rise from the hole. He turned, surveying the audience, and stopped. He pointed, and seven people were pulled from the stands. Misty, Gary, Richie, Sabrina, James, Brock and Tracey were thrown at the ground. Drow-Two spoke, amplifying his voice psychically. "People of the Stadium!" he shouted. A cheer rocked the stands. "As I have promised, the best Pokemon trainers in the world will battle me. First will be..." He made the image of a giant die appear in the air, each face bearing the likeness of one of the captives. It rolled, and landed, the face of Misty Waterflower upwards. "Misty Waterflower!" The former Cerulean Gym Leader stood up and walked towards the Pokemon. She pulled out a Pokeball. "Psyduck, I choose you," she said in a monotone. The duck emerged, looking extremely worried. Drow-Two smiled. "A Psyduck! How pitiful." He concentrated, and Misty knew he was using some psychic ability. Psyduck whined, holding its head, but then raised its head. "Psy-...DUCK!" it cried, and Drow-Two was frozen in place. "Duck!" it added, and the psychic clone was thrown backwards, and collided with the wall. A nearly visible line of fire appeared between Drow-Two and 'Lord Birch.' The fire twisted and writhed, and then snapped. Ash looked up, and pulled a Pokeball free. Pikachu clung to Misty's leg, Togepi the other as Ash released the Pokeball. "Butterfree, go!" The butterfly Pokemon appeared, and turned to Drow-Two. It pulled itself free from the wall, and glared at the Psyduck. "Foolish Pokemon!" he cried. "You dare not-" Drow-Two began choking, feeling the life drained from its body. He turned and saw Ash Ketchum leaping from the 'Emperor's Post' and landing next to a glowing Butterfree. Drow-Two laughed. "You have made the last mistake of your life, Mr. Ketchum." He reached at his side, where a Pokebelt hung. "Thanatos, go!" he cried, releasing the Pokeball. A cloaked hominid appeared, skeletal in every way. Its grinning face turned to Ash. "Thanatos, kill Ash!" Death raised his scythe, and swept it towards Ash's feet. With a nimble leap, Ash dodged, and while in the air, delivered a roundhouse kick to the demigod's face. Recoiling, the man prepared for another strike, when Ash was thrown into the stone walls of the stadium. "You do not deserve a fair death!" Drow-Two screeched. "You will die begging for my mercy!" Ash spat, not noticing the blood leaking into his saliva. "I will never bow to you, nor beg nor plead. I will die with dignity before you." Drow-Two laughed, not a happy, good-natured laugh, but one that radiated pure evil. "Then die!" Ash grabbed his skull. It felt like a man was beating the bone to a pulp, and crushing his brain. And a sudden twisting made him fall to his knees. Ash turned, and with great effort, stood. But the pain increased. His thoughts and memories were being torn apart, his very identity melting, being shredded with shadowy claws...He wrenched away from the psychic bridge. But it returned, with greater strength. Drow-Two was ruthless. Every thought, memory, experience was ripped from his mind, nearly phisically. He grabbed his head in a demented imitation of a Psyduck as the mindlink rent his very body functions into oblivion. A blank expression croseed Ash's face and his mind stopped working. His heart entered irregular beats, and burst apart. He collapsed, bloody and torn, defiled within his mind, but he had never again bowed to Drow-Two. Misty sobbed. Ash was dead. There was no doubt about it. She could do nothing...except get revenge upon his killer. "Psyduck, go!" Continued... The conclusion of Betrayal is the final part, "Gamble!"