Maybe writing this is a bad idea. Ah well… *shrugs*

Disclaimer/Notes: See previous chapter

Sometimes italics and little stars don’t show on ff.net’s system, so if you really want to you can also find this on my webpage…

Episode 190: Path through the shadows

Ash walked along the halls of Indigo Plateau quietly, heading for the office of trainer records. He had to find out the name of the person who had killed her.

Entering quietly, he shrouded himself in invisibility and filled up the corridor with wispy smoke from the Koffing card.

He needed absolute privacy.

“How dare you…”

After flipping through the records for about half an hour, he found the name and residence of the one who had killed his love.

“Kenneth White, hmm…” A search for related trainers brought up about sixty entries.

“Excellent.”

Master?

Ash smiled at Koffing, who was still floating up and down in the air next to him.

Return. I have the information I need.

The pokemon nodded and faded back into Ash’s body. Ash smiled. *Pidgeot. *

The wings sprouted out of his back and he casually shattered the windowpanes before he flew off into the night sky.

Don’t worry, Lance-chan. I’ll avenge your death. He’ll suffer just like I have…

Kenneth woke up with a headache the next morning. Nothing serious, but as he poured himself some cereal and gulped down a glass of low-fat milk, the burly truck driver still couldn’t shake a feeling of nails going doing his spine.

“Nah… probably just a fluke.”

His Machoke yawned and began loading boxes of frozen spinach into the truck. It was time to make another delivery.

“Too bad we’re not transporting for Silph, they always pay a bundle. Or Devon. Ah well. You take what you get.”

Machoke nodded as Kenneth got up and helped his pokemon with all the boxes. Then the man popped open a can of beer and chugged it down, to keep him awake on the long drive ahead.

“Ya ready, Machoke?”

The pokemon nodded in the affirmative, and the two climbed in the truck and began driving to Pewter, where the delivery would be made.

A pair of golden eyes watched for a second, before the owner turned and flew in a completely opposite direction.

Where are we going master?

Pallet town. Ash replied, stroking Skymew’s ears softly.

Why?

Because. A few of his cousins live there. A sinister smirk curved on his lips. You do know what I’m talking about, right?

Skymew nodded as her own eyes hardened. Yes.

Ruby White was a beginning trainer with a Torchic. She had no ambition, no goals in life, and her parents considered her a waste of time and money.

Therefore, when her death was announced, nobody really cared.

Suicide, the doctors proclaimed. Obviously, since she had slit her wrists in the bathtub.

Too bad they hadn’t investigated more carefully. It was impossible for a razor blade to do that amount of damage in the short time.

A scyther, on the other hand… well, that was a different story.

Ash smirked as he watched. “How boring…”

Oh, she was a girl, but… not worth anything.

“I can’t even bind her soul to create a new pokemon…”

Gengar floated beside him, questioningly.

“No, this one’s worthless.” Ash said without a backwards glance. He concentrated and another spirit appeared before him.

“Erase…”

Kenneth got the news a day later.

“What do you mean she’s dead?”

His brother Leon looked uncomfortable. “Suicide.” He said quietly.

“B-but! Why? She was such a bright girl…”

‘She was, remember? And then she started doing drugs two months ago. I doubt that helped her.”

Kenneth sighed. “I see. When’s the funeral.”

“Oh, Wednesday this week. Can you make it?”

“Yeah, I will.”

“Thanks, buddy.”

Kenneth groaned as he hung up the phone. There was so much death and destruction in the world. Well, he didn’t care much. He just needed to get his job done and the new load of yams delivered.

“Come on, Machoke, let’s go.”

Machoke followed him on board as they drove to Vermillion, to deliver their root vegetables.

Do you think he feels at all?

I’m sure he will, sooner or later. Most likely later. I just have to find his Achilles’ heel.

What?

Oh, Skymew, all people have a weak spot or more… I trust you know mine? I just have to figure out where his armor is chipped and attack there.

I see…

As they drove along, Kenneth hummed a popular song on pokemon radio.

Machoke ate peanuts and watched the trees go by.

Soon, they hit a truck stop and had some lunch, then continued on their way.

“This is the life, ain’t it? No responsibility…”

Better than being a trainer. Machoke scoffed.

“Oh yeah, baby.”

Machoke looked offended but kept quiet.

Bakayarou… I’m just playing with you now… A voice hissed.

Kenneth jumped. “Did you hear something, Machoke?”

Yes. It was not human language.

Kenneth spun around. “All right, who’s hitched a ride in my truck?”

Sarcastic laughter filled the area as a shadowy form leaned through the wall and vanished.

Kenneth shivered in spite of himself.

End chapter!

Created 12/14/03, completed 12/16/03, and just because I’m nice I’ll put up another chapter.

I _did_ warn about darkness though, so I don’t want any complaints!