Chapter 9 "Prepare for trouble!" came a female voice from the metal monster. "And make it double!" echoed her male cohort "To protect the world from devastation." Ash was already thinking two steps ahead of them and motioned for his pokemon to come to him "To unite all people within our nation." By then all of Ash's pokemon were out and Ash was kneeling down. "To denounce the evils of truth and love." Ash was whispering something to his pokemon. "To extend our reach to the stars above." Ash had finished whispering and gave his pokemon a wink. "Jessie." Abra and Pikachu stepped in front of Ash waiting for the signal to come. "James." All of Ash's pokemon (Tauros, Rapidash, Kingler and Bulbasaur.) went to the locker area. "Team rocket blast off at the speed of light." "Surrender now or prepare to fight." "Meowth, Nobody move! This is a hostage situation." Ash blinked. Ash had thought for sure that they had recognized him and decided to get him when his pokemon were all tired. Ash's plan was to stall until the others could secure a way out of the stadium; that is, try not to be caught while stalling. Just then, the announcers box was taken over. "Now hear this! No one in the audience shall move from their seats. The general population is listening so here are our demands. For the release and security of this entire crowd, we want Ash Ketchum the pokemon trainer to hand himself over to team rocket." Said a gruff male voice that Ash recognized as Butch. "Rummble!" The crowd began to panic as rocket poured out from the exits. Pikachu watched as his trainer's hands curl into fists. Ash had fire in his eyes and he was angry. How dare someone do this! Misty obviously echoed Ash's feelings "You can't do this!" roared Misty from behind Ash. Ash turned to see his friends behind him. Misty, Brock, and Richie were there. Gary had already left to stop team rocket from blocking the exits. 'They just did.' Ash thought gravely. 'I never expected this! An entire stadium in exchange for me! What am I gonna do?' Ash looked and could see the crowd being bullied by rocket grunts. There was so many of them! "Abra!" Ash growled. Abra and Pikachu turned to their trainer. "Change of plans. Either we take them out now or we are captured. With me?" Both pokemon didn't move from their battling positions. "I thoughts so. Pikachu! Abra! Go!." James saw the pair heading for them. "Look Jessie. The champ wants to battle with those pathetic pokemon of his." Jessie watched from the control room of the king-sized Nidoking. "Let's give them a battle to remember! Up top James. Meowth, take over." "Right!" Jessie and James left the safety of their armored tank to battle Ash. Team rocket's pride would not be a quality that would be helpful to them this time. "Go Wheezing." James said as he tossed his pokemon out to the floor to battle. "Go Arbok!" mimicked Jessie. A stream of red light released the pokemon. The pokemon got ready to battle when they saw something different about their foes. "Wheez?" Asked Wheezing at the charging pokemon. The two pokemon slowed but didn't stop. The story was yelled loud and clear so everyone in the stadium could hear it of course it was in poke- language though.. "Pika ka pi. Pikachu pi pika chu pi, pikachu pi pika pi pikachu Ash is the Ultimate Trainer. Stand before him and you'll be betraying all pokemon everywhere. If you care for your trainers, go back into your pokeballs NOW!" Arbok and Wheezing looked across the way to see if it was true. To their surprise, they saw the mark that all pokemon knew about but had never seen before. In shock and fear, the pokemon returned. "What? Arbok go!" Yelled Jessie in surprise. Arbok had returned to it's ball. Jessie tossed her pokemon out again only to have her pokemon refuse to come out. The same thing went for James and when they tried their other pokemon, the same thing happened. "Pikachu Thunder! Abra Psybeam!" ordered Ash. The pokemon did as told and aimed their attacks at the massive junkyard before them. "Pikachu!!!!" Yelled Pikachu as thousands volts of electricity hurled at the Nidoking and was echoed by Abra's attack. "Ahhhh!" Screamed Jessie and James before they got back into the control room. The attack had hit when they were trying to get inside. The control room was protected but the outside wasn't. "Hah! You'll have to better than that!" Crowed Meowth over the microphone. Meanwhile Ash's pokemon were charging down rockets in the stadium. Ash saw some of the battle from his perch and decided to help. Ash saw that the rockets were dwindling and people were escaping. 'I'll provide more of a distraction to get team rockets attention, but how?' Ash then saw his window of opportunity. His bag had been left beside the podium that he ordered his matches from. 'I would have to do this sometime anyway.' Ash thought bitterly. Ash ran and picked up his bag. Just then he heard a loud Pika of warning. "Look out Pikachu!" Ash shouted as an attack that resembled a horn drill came down on…Abra! Abra had teleported in front of Pikachu and had taken the hit. Abra was hurt but not out. Ash ran to his pokemon. "Pika!" Roared Pikachu in a berserk battle cry. Ash arrived just as Pikachu continued the battle on it's own. Ash ran to pick up Abra. "Pikachu! Be careful!" Ash yelled at the top of his lungs. Pikachu didn't listen and was attacking ferociously. The machine ignored Pikachu for a moment and concentrated on Abra. "No!" Ash yelled as he got in the way of a metallic punch. Abra watched as Ash and her flew in the air. Ash had protected her with his body! Pikachu came to Ash's defense to be grabbed by the metallic miscreant. "Piikachu!" Screamed Pikachu in pain as one of the mechanical arms grabbed him and threw him into a wall. 'No!' Ash thought as he ran towards his poor pokemon with Abra in his arms. Ash looked around to see Pikachu. The rubble where the wall had collapsed on Pikachu was too large and he was scrambling to find Pikachu when Abra gave Ash the warning. "Look out!" Ash turned to see the silver Nidoking move their way. Ash barely got out of the way as a hand went to pluck him from the ground. "Give it up. You don't have a chance! If one hostage remains, Ash Ketchum will give in and we'll win." Ash turned around to see Cassidy and Butch behind him holding Pikachu. Pikachu was in bad shape. "Now surrender quietly while you still can" ordered Butch. Ash was in luck! They hadn't recognized him yet! He still had a chance to survive if he played his cards right. Jessie, James and Meowth had learned to wear protective clothing over the years while holding Pikachu. Cassidy and Butch hadn't. "This ones ours!" Yelled Jessie from the silver giant. Cassidy stuck her nose up in the air. "Ash Ketchum will show up. When he does, the boss will forget all about you and this mistake about you being out superiors will be erased." Cassidy said with a sneer. 'The people must have gotten out by now. I don't see anyone here. It's just me and them now. Where are Misty, Brock and Richie? I guess I'm on my own.' Ash then knew it was time to run. Ash whispered to Abra to do a Triattack move on the Nidoking so it would be a distraction. "Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" Ash ordered. In unconsciousness Pikachu heard the voice of Ash, the Ultimate Pokemon Trainer bid him to attack. "Pikachu!" Growled Pikachu as it did a weak thunderbolt attack. Cassidy in surprise, dropped Pikachu. Ash was already running towards the pair and caught Pikachu just before the pokemon hit and dived under the legs of the startled rockets. "Triattack!" Yelled Ash as he got up off the floor. Abra obliged and sent the attack at the Nidoking. That meant going through Cassidy and Butch. The pair was unconscious before the attack hit the Nidoking. 'That takes care of the pair on the ground, now I have to worry about that machine.' Ash ran up the stadium steps hoping that the Nidoking couldn't climb. "After him!" Roared Jessie. Their pride was wounded and they had been taken by surprise. 'Uh oh!' Ash thought as he saw the machine began to follow by crushing the seats. Ash wasn't going to get out of this one easily. Ash spotted rockets heading his way from below. Ash got to the top and turned to his left. The steps leading down had rockets coming up it. "Stop him!" Yelled one of them. 'Wrong way!' Ash thought as he turned on a dime and ran the opposite direction. Ash was about to run down the opposite stairs when he saw a red R in his way. Ash decided that there was only one way to go and that was up. Ash climbed up the stairs to the next level where the rockets on the ground could follow but the ones in the Nidoking couldn't "Out and After him!" Growled Meowth. "Right! Oops!" Squeaked James. He had rammed into the stairway. Ash was almost thrown off. "Yahh!" Ash yelled as he went over the rail. It was by mere instinct alone that Ash grabbed the railing. Pikachu and Abra had been dropped on the steps. Ash managed to pull himself up just as he noticed something. 'Thanks Jessie, James, Meowth. Your blunder allowed me to escape. Those other rockets can't get up the stairs now.' Underneath Ash was a lot of twisted metal and collapsed debris. Ash grunted as he pulled himself up and landed on the stairs. Pikachu was in bad shape and Abra wasn't much better. Ash collected his pokemon as he went to the roof. Ash saw the fire escape on the other side and ran for it. "Stop right there!" Ash heard Jessie's voice. Ash didn't slow down until he saw the rockets climbing up the escape. Ash was trapped. "Looks like you ran out of room to run." Sneered James. Ash was backing up to the corner that overlooked the parking lot. The rockets coming up the fire escape decided to try and surprise Ash. They rushed him. Ash jumped out of the way and onto the cement railing. The team rockets stopped. Down below the entire world was watching the scene unfold. "Look up there! The district D champ is in trouble!" Misty, Brock, Richie and Darrel looked to see Ash on top of a wall with his back turned to him. Ash's pokemon with the help of Ash's friends had gotten all the people out. 'Ash!' Screamed all of their minds as they saw Ash on the wall. News people had started to record again. "Look kid. Don't do anything rash." Said Jessie. She saw the blonde haired menace jump onto the railing when the rocket grunts tried to grab him. He had nowhere to run now. "We just want yous to flush out the Ketchum kid. Once he gives himself up, you'll be released." Said Meowth in a soothing tone. Ash turned to the three rockets he recognized and decided enough was enough. Ash was going to show who he was, he had enough of hiding and it was time to come out. Ash would never surrender to team rocket and he wanted to go as Ash Ketchum, not as Ash the district D champ. "I never have given up to you in the past, what makes you think I'll start now?!" Growled Ash in a deep tone. As soon as Ash had spoken, the three immediately saw the boy before them as Ash. The rocket grunts who didn't realize that Ash was the one they were after, decided that they had enough playing around, and tried to rush him again. "No! Stop you idiots!" Barked the three together. It was too late. Ash had been pushed off. The entire world watched him fall. Ash saw his life flash before his eyes again. His mom. His friends. His pokemon. It was like the experience in the vat. Only this time… I don't want to die. You cannot die. Not until your purpose is served. Who are you? I am you. You are me. We are the gift given to you at birth. At birth? I thought…. The power was released a little. You've had the power all along. I don't believe you Yes you do. WHY ME? Because there can be no one else. I can save you. How? Let yourself go. …… Stop fighting it and your purpose can be filled. I just want to be a normal kid! I don't want any of this. You accepted a long time ago that you were different. I know… I just want a normal life. Is that too much to ask? No Then why can I have what I ask for? Because everyone needs you. You are the only one that can bring people and pokemon together. I don't understand. How am I supposed to do that? By example I-I Accept your fate! You are the Ultimate Trainer! There will never be another like you! Never? Never! What do I have to do? Let yourself be carried on the waves. What? The sea comes. The time comes. What are you talking about? It is time to lose yourself. Embrace your feelings. That is the key. My feelings? Your feelings are what make you powerful. Let go of the doubt and believe. The only thing I doubt is my sanity. You doubt your own abilities. Believe in yourself and in your heart you will find the answer. What answer? That is for you to decided. Will you let us free? Will you let go of yourself to lead a world? I don't have a choice do I? There is always a choice. I chose to be free. That is your choice. What's happening?! You have made the right choice. You are free now. Arggg! Make freedom for yourself and for everyone else. Be brave young master. "Ash!" Screamed Misty. She watched as Ash plummeted to the ground at fast pace. Then a music filled the air. "What?" Ash slowed "Misty!" Said Brock at her side. "I know!" It was the song of Lugia. Ash had stopped "What is that?!!!" Asked Richie in surprise. Over the stadium Lugia in the glory and beauty it has, waits. "Why is it just hovering there?" Asked a person from the crowd. Misty's eyes were blinded from an unknown source for a moment. When she looked to the source, she realized it was Ash. "Ash!" She screamed in shock. Ash no longer had blonde hair and he wasn't wearing his disguise anymore. Ash was hovering no more than two stories over the pavement and he was Ash again. Down to the last detail Ash had been restored to his former self. Pokemon included. "Look!" cried another person from the crowd. Ash no longer had a pokemon in disguise either. Mew was restored to her original shape. Ash then had something happen to him. "Master, I am here by your side, Your decision I will abide. Chosen one, befriended one, loved one. The Ultimate Trainer you be, Love endless as the sea. To be free." "Wake master.". He was restored and when he awoke he no longer had brown eyes. Instead he had eyes the colour of the ocean. A blue that seemed endless as a sapphire sea. Ash woke to the sounds of the music. Ash opened an eye to see Mew. Mew had smiled as it remembered the masters concern for her. "It is time for all to know you." "Mew? What happened?." Ash asked quietly. "You came into your power." Said a voice from above. Ash looked to see Lugia. Ash had seen Lugia on his adventures before but it still was a shock to see the pokemon. "What are you doing here?" Ash asked groggly. Ash was so tired, he felt like he had just emerged from the pond of pokemon again "They came to protect you." Said a familiar voice. Pikachu had been restored to health and was on Ash's shoulder. "They?" Ash asked. Pikachu pointed to the sky. Ash then saw what Pikachu was pointing at. Above Ash could barely make out the legendary bird Ho-oh. Then Pikachu pointed to the ground and Ash could see in the distance the legendary dogs. Ash was in shock. "You were right you know Pikachu." Said Mew. The electric pokemon focused on the psychic pokemon before him. "What?" Pikachu asked Mew "People are far more dangerous than pokemon." "Oh" Pikachu had told Mew a while ago that people were more dangerous to Ash than anything now. It was ironic that things had turned out the way they had. It proved Pikachu's point in Mew's opinion. "It is time to go Ash." Said Lugia in a gentle voice. Ash looked up to Lugia and then looked to the crowd. "Where are we going?" Ash asked in a quiet voice. "Home." Said Lugia as it began to descend to Ash. "Where is that?" Ash asked as he was positioned onto Lugia's back. "Your home is now with pokemon. Let me take you there." Ash nodded. Lugia knew where Ash would be able to rest. In the comfort of pokemon he would recuperate and become stronger. "Ash!" Screamed Misty from the crowd. Ash heard her voice and smiled. Misty was the first to feel Ash's new found power. 'I'll be back soon. Don't worry. Go wait for me at home.' Misty shivered as the telepathic power hit her mind. Ash had sent his goodbyes through his mind; Brock, Richie and Gary got the same type of farewell. "I'll miss you." Ash whispered aloud. Then Lugia began the journey. People all around the world watched as he left. Ash was lifted off in the direction of East. Towards a place called Rain Valley, which harbored many pokemon. His new home. Meanwhile 'I must have the child. He has the power, the power I need to take over the world.' Thought Giovonni as he watched the scene in his office All of the channels were showing the scene at the stadium. 'I should have gone into the pond first. This wouldn't have happened if I weren't so dammed careful!' "You have escaped us this time, but mark my words Ketchum! You will be hunted down like a griwlithe and shot. I will see to that!" Giovonni laughed at his own ambition. 'I finally have a foe worthy of me and it is a boy not even half my age. Perhaps he can be turned?' "You could be an asset to team rocket. I wonder.." Giovonni was in deep thought as a phone call came on his private line. "Hello?" "Sir!" Came a nervous voice over the phone. "The operation was a bust! We've sustained heavy casualties and among the caught are Cassidy and Butch." Giovonni smiled. "I know that! Get whoever you can together and go to point B. I will meet you there and explain our new objective. "New objective sir?" Asked the team rocket executive. The voice quivered betraying the executives fear. "Yes. We have a new operation to hatch." With that, Giovonni hung up the phone and began to plot his next deeds. In the sky Ash watched the countryside go by in a blur. He was tired with the days events but, found it impossible to sleep. Mew and Pikachu were traveling on Lugia's head, deep in conversation. "What will Ash have as shelter? He can't live on the ground like we can." Said Pikachu in an annoyed tone. "We have a place prepared for him." Said Lugia. "I hope it is something that befits his station." Said Mew. Ash could sense the pride in her voice. "He should have a home that will house a great many pokemon." "It is all of that and more. Our chosen one will be happy with us. I hope he will decide to stay with us for a bit longer than needed. There are many pokemon who would like to be in his presence." Said Ho-oh. 'Presence?' Ash thought confused. 'Why would pokemon want to be in my presence?' Ash felt his mind slip from the conversation and into dreams. What are you doing little boy? What do you mean? Have you not played hero enough? You're not the same as before. So you decided to free the power. I don't have to tell you that. Of course you have. I would not be here if you hadn't. Who are you? Go home, boy from Pallet. You don't deserve to be the Ultimate Trainer. What?!!! Poor Ash. Doesn't know what he's doing again. Stop it!!! You will die you know. Stop!!! And your friends. They will go to. Stop!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA! Everything you touch will be destroyed. S…T…O…P! What are you doing? Arggg! I AM ASH KETCHUM! NO ONE WILL HURT MY FRIENDS! You are strong. I have underestimated you. Leave now! ……….. I am Ash Ketchum. As long as I live I will protect my friends and my pokemon; from team rocket or whatever else comes my way. In a dark tower on another plane of existence. "You are strong. Too bad you chose to free the power." The cloaked figure sat on a throne of gold. A pitiful excuse for a pokemon crawled up to him. "M-master? The gate is finished. You can leave whenever you wish." The cloaked figure growled at the hoppip in his presence. "You think that will do any good now! Get out of my sight you miserable dirt!" The pokemon scrambled from sight and the cloaked figure rose from his throne. 'I will have to change the boy's heart in order to survive now. Curses! If only I had known sooner who you were, I would not have wasted my time on that incompetent Gary. I was sure that he was the one!' The doors flew open suddenly to reveal a silhouette in darkness. "You were unable to kill him." "I know." "You are helpless now. Do you know your fate?" Mocked the silhouette. The hooded one grunted. "Be his adviser." The silhouette laughed loudly. "You? Hardly. Slave is more like it. Too bad Krofost. Looks like I will have a new toy to play with while you are rotting at his side. He will be my puppet, not yours." The hooded one in a fit of anger crackled with his dark energy. "Enough witch! You will not have him! If I can't control him as a mere boy, you have no hope to control him once he walks through the portal." The silhouette laughed again. "You have forgotten what is like to be human Krofost. Oh yes, he will have a heart and he will be mine. Watch and see." The silhouette crossed the room and sat on his throne. "I should make myself comfortable." Seething with anger, Krofost hurled a dark force at the woman on his throne. It was reflected with very little effort. "If I can't control him, neither will anyone else! I will embrace my destiny, just to spite you and that damned council!" "Hah! I would cherish the council's downfall! Not to worry, he won't make it past the first day! As for your destiny, that was a long time ago and you have no way to pervail this time. I will see the chosen one dead or on my puppet strings." The silhouette vanished with a sparkle of white. 'Oh, I have a plan. I will prevail. I can't believe I'm doing this.' Krofost left the throne room and preceded to a room he had not been to in a long time in the bowels of his fortress. "Open door!" A door to a large chamber of old prophesies opened before him. There were many magical items here that not even she knew about let alone the council. 'I knew this day would come.' Thought the decrepit old man. 'I just wish I knew why I was fearing it so. It is time to return to my true self.' The door closed and screams could be heard from deep within the fortress. "I know what you mean." Said Pikachu with a sigh. "It feels so good to be near him. It's like being in a hot spring." Ho-oh laughed. "I suppose in a way it is. Ash's presence mirrors what he feels. Right now he's relaxed and tired, so that is how we feel." "I think we should give him a real bath when we reach the home you prepared for him. It might make him feel better." Said Mew. "I have a few questions." Pikachu said to Lugia and Ho-oh. "What power does Ash have? I know that he can command all pokemon and understand us but, I don't think that is all. Also, if he is the Ultimate trainer, what happened with the legendary birds? " "That was out of Ash's control because his powers were just developing. Remember how the orbs glowed? That was Ash's power showing." Ho-oh said in reply. "We were lucky we didn't lose Lugia as well." "Right you are." Said Lugia. "To answer your first question, Ash has the destiny of a lifetime to fill out. He will have many abilities. The one I think that is most important is the ability to make friends with just about anyone." "Darrel." Said Pikachu in remembrance. "I would have never thought making friends with him but he surprised me. But Ash had that ability long before team rocket came along." Lugia and Ho-oh laughed together. "Do you really think that the Ultimate trainer would be given his power? No he has been developing his power for many years now. The pond of pokemon was a boost to get the ball started." Said Lugia. "Ash was born to be our master. Why do you think he was always a winner when it counted? Ash's will to win unlocked his powers for one moment or two so things would work out for the best." Said Ho-oh in a kind voice "He is destined for greatness." "He always has been." Said Pikachu. Pikachu got a look from Mew that asked did you know? "Ash always had a passion about him. It was going to make something of him one day." "I see." Said Mew. "You knew he was special from the very start but didn't know why." Pikachu nodded. Lugia interrupted before the conversation could go any further. "We are here." Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon or anything related to pokemon. Pokemon and its associated characters are copyrighted by Nintendo/Game Freak. This is a pokemon fanfic created by my mind only.