Ash and Diantha made their way from the base and continued through the forest, doubling back to where the original battle occurred. By now, the constant change in weather had stopped, the sun sticking itself high in the sky, the white clouds rolling through, a contrast in the constant rain that had been occurring for a while. 

Since the battle began in the field, only one day had passed, with no one getting little or any sleep, but no sign of tiredness was on Ash's face, he was still fully focused and ready for anything. They both headed through a clearing onto the field, the destruction still visible, with craters all over the place and the standalone building in half, with debris filling the hole that was once that part of the building.

"Wait" Diantha suddenly raised her hand and Ash jumped back, his heart racing in anticipation, wondering why she stopped him so suddenly. "Do you see over there?"

Ash stepped forward to catch her line of sight and then followed it, noticing Team Shadow had regrouped in the middle of the field, but there was no sign of any of his friends. 

"What should we do?" Ash asked Diantha, who rubbed her chin for a moment to think.

"How good do they battle?" she decided to ask.

"They do whatever they can to win and they all have mega-evolving Pokemon, plenty of strong choices" Ash replied, wondering if there was anything else to cover.

"Ok, so it won't be easy with just the two of us if we get into a battle" Diantha sounded sure and even Ash knew that had almost no chance of getting through a battle, even if he did try to bring out all of his Pokemon. 

"Let me ask again, what should we do?" Ash repeated. 

"I'll stay here and keep watch on these guys" Diantha turned to Ash at this moment. "I feel like the trouble here has moved over to Pallet Town and headed through the main city, past the stadiums. I want you to go and check those areas"

Ash instantly jolted up, he didn't realize he was on his feet and sprinting off. 

"Ash?!" Diantha almost shouted as he pushed himself on with all of his strength and power. 

"Please be okay" Ash whispered to himself. Even Pikachu, who had been quiet, was struggling to keep up. Since it had been a whole day or so since the altercation began, Pikachu had already been unconscious a few times and was now rested and raring to go, he continued to push himself on too. 

Ash stopped just by the stadiums first, checking them out. Everything was quiet, there was no one. Paper blew in the wind and flew away into the sky. The lack of people made Ash feel uneasy and so did the lack of ship in the sky, since it had completely disappeared.

"Hopefully we can sort all of this mess out" Ash gritted his teeth in anger and span on his heel, heading out of the city. He continued to run, his chest on fire and his feet burning up. Ash stumbled as he powered through the forest, almost falling. He took two quick steps and got back onto his feet, continuing his pace. 

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed in warning, making Ash skid and turn to face his friend. 

"What is it?" Ash wondered and then he saw electricity spark from Pikachu's cheeks. "Bonnie?"

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu smiled and ran off after the signal Deddene had sent, Ash following just behind him. 

They continued to make their way towards Serena's lodge, until they finally came to the path and crashed through the front door. 

"Bonnie?!" Ash shouted, looking around.

"Ash?" her voice came, unchanged. Ash let out a sigh of relief and smiled as she stepped out through the doorway. "Where is Serena and Clemont? What has been going on? Why haven't I seen anyone in almost two days?"

Bonnie looked closely at Ash, really close. His clothes were dirty, his eyes were clearly showing tiredness, something that no one else had noticed due to the adrenaline of the battle.

"Long story short, everyone is under some crazy mind control, they aren't themselves" Ash explained it in the simplest of terms, leaving out being locked in a cage, him and Serena, the battle. "I don't know where anyone is, only Diantha is ok"

"I got worried so I was going to come and find you with Dedenne, but you came here" Bonnie looked out of the window and back to Ash. "You looked worn out Ash, are you ok?"

Ash almost jumped through the roof. "That reminds me, I need to get going!"

"Let me come with you" Bonnie was already asking in a pleading voice. 

"You might not like what you see and I can't promise it will be safe" Ash warned Bonnie, who was already putting her bag around her head and on her shoulder. Ash turned around, knowing her final answer and they headed off towards Pallet Town. 

"Why are we headed to your home?" Bonnie wondered out loud, putting her hands over her mouth. "I need to stop asking questions"

"It's okay, we are heading their because Diantha expects this area to be in trouble and my Mom..." Ash's voice trailed off as Pallet Town came into view. 

Bonnie gasped and her eyes grew, widening like never before, the flames that burned brightly on almost every building reflecting in her eyes. Ash didn't even stare for a moment, he raced straight towards his home, his heart pounding in his chest.

Please...Just be safe. 

Ash skidded round the fence and almost broke down the door as he forced his way inside. For some reason, his house seemed untouched, but it was completely devoid of life, which is when Ash realized the whole town was devoid of life. 

"Maybe everyone took shelter in the lab?" Bonnie suggested, which made Ash immediately disappear back outside.

Please...Just be okay. 

"Professor?!" Ash shouted as the double doors swung open. They continued to swing as Ash was greeted by silence, no one being in the main room. Bonnie stepped in and walked over to the second door at the other end. 

"I hear voices" she said, before opening the door.

Ash didn't try and stop her reckless actions, he followed her down the corridor until the voices became clearer.

"This is a dire situation, some sort of device is turning every crazy" Professor Oak was talking to Professor Sycamore, all the way in the Kalos region. 

Ash decided to open the door and Oak turned, being scared half to death. 

"Professor, you're okay!" Ash smiled, causing Oak to smile.

"I'm glad they didn't get you, Ash. The whole region is in grave danger, do you understand?"

"I think so. The machine was used on my friends. What about my Mom? Is she okay?"

"I haven't seen her, was she not in your house?" Professor Oak asked, raising an eyebrow in concern.

"I didn't see her" Ash frowned and then gulped in fear. 

"I'm sure you will find her" the Professor placed a reassuring hand on Ash's shoulder, before becoming serious, his hand tensing like a snakes vice grip. "You need to save everyone, Ash. You and the girl need to stop this machine until everyone becomes a mindless puppet. I will stay here and try to get as much support as possible, you do what you have to do for your Mom and friends"

"I will try" Ash gave a determined nod. "Pikachu?"

"Pika!" Pikachu's voice was shaky, he was feeling a little worried about the whole ordeal, but his determination still shone through nevertheless. 

"I will try my best too! Right, Dedenne?" Bonnie looked down at her bag, where Dedenne jumped up. 

"Denne!" 

Professor Oak smiled and then nodded. "Go now!"

Ash felt less tense as he stepped back outside, his mind still reminding him what is at stake. 

"Where first?" Bonnie asked Ash, looking up at the sky.

"I...have no clue" Ash looked up too, squinting to block his eyes from the sun light. "We need to find the ship that started this mess"

"Why not use Charizard to fly?" Bonnie made another suggestion, but Ash shook his head.

"With everyone disappearing and being under Team Shadow's control, there is no nurse to help look after Pokemon and Charizard is very tired, so he needs rest"

"You're tired and need rest, but your not resting" Bonnie frowned, folding her arms. "Everyone should put in equal effort"

"I have an idea" Ash took out another pokeball. "Hawlucha, I choose you!"

Hawlucha came out of his pokeball and he seemed to understand the situation.

"I need you to look for a ship in the sky, with a large cannon on the bottom" Ash put his hand on Hawlucha, who looked normal. Full of confidence and ready. "I'm relying on you Hawlucha, do whatever you can and find me if you see anything" 

"Lucha!" Hawlucha replied, before rushing towards to forest, hopping on to a tree and disappearing into the distance. 

"So, what now? We sit and wait?" 

"I want to find my Mom" Ash looked left and right, while Bonnie turned around, with her eyes widening again. 

"Er, Ash" she tugged on his jacket, pointing forward.

Ash turned around and followed her point, leading straight to a person stood just outside of his home.

"Ash, dear" his Mom said, without even looking up from the floor. At that moment, she snapped her head up, revealing red eyes and a face devoid of any life. "Why don't you come home?"

"No..." Ash whispered to himself, a tear dropping from his eyelid.

Then, at that moment, Ash felt everything rush back to him at once. The words from Serena in this state, from Gary. The looks his friends gave him with their eyes, as red as blood. His Mom with her deep red eyes and emotionless voice. All of the words and thoughts flooded into Ash's brain, causing his head to hurt. He tensed up and dropped to his knees, clutching his head like a maniac. 

Ash felt the world spin, he felt like he was going to give in.

Ash felt defeated.