A.T.: Ok, I putting first warning. There will be talking about torture and blood, only slight, but I feel like I should warn you. In future chapters, I will write again about torture, but I will explain why. Also, and this is important.... I DO NOT ENJOY TORTURE. (Just for those who thinks I do) Anyway, end of A.T. and start of chapter.

10 months ago

No POV

Viridian city. City one with a biggest criminal activity. People don't normally see it, but if they do, they rather avoid it. The only thing that everyone knew to avoid doing was using guns. 

Ash walked slowly through the streets, with Pikachu sitting on his shoulder and time from time playing with his slowly growing beard. Ash petted his pokemon and continuing his walk through streets. He was feeling tired for some time. They avoided pokemon centers for the most of a time and his nightmare didn't really help. His black coat dirty with hood over his head

Suddenly, he was hit by a boy with white short hair, dropping the hood from his head.

"Hey there and sorry." he said, clapping him over shoulder before running of. Ash looked confused at him running of, disappearing behind corner.

"Get him!" a man yelled before Ash looked back, seeing bunch of man in black clothes running at him. He didn't understand by what happened, but still he was ready to fight them.

One swang his fist, but Ash quickly dodged and punched him back, sweeping the other ones legs and breaking one. Another tried to hit him with baseball bat, taking it from him and hitting him in stomach sending him into wall.

"Boy give us back what he gave you and we may let you leave." said one guy behind the others.

"He didn't give me anything." he said as another guy ran at him, dodging him to the side and slamming his fist into his head.

"Excadrill go!" yelled the same guy, revealing dark brown bipedal pokemon with red marks and sharp steel  claws on its hands and head.

"Pikachu take care of him please." Ash said, as he looked at his buddy who jumped at the enemy pokemon. A pain in back made him quickly turn around and grabbing the guy's arm and dislocating it and slamming his face.

Pikachu attacked at the pokemon, but each hit was deflected or would do almost no damage. But still, it didn't stop Pikachu in using iron tail and sending with big power Excadrill a few streets away.

The moment the fight started, everyone left the streets and no police was saw in sight.

At Ash were charging four different people and as he was thinking about next move, he felt a slight sting his neck. He touched and saw small dart before his view was blurring. He tried to defend, but the more second, the more hits he was receiving. And in a few moments, he felt only the numb pain that was taken over by darkness.

Presence

"You can't really stay for Ash's battle?" Bonnie asked, but Iris shook her head.

"No. We can stay for the modeling show that is today, but I would like to make it to the Iroh's fire gym and Miette said she wanted to come with me and still make it to Dendemille Town." Iris stated and Serena raised her eyebrow at Miette who gave slight shrug.

After everyone started to talk, to Ash's surprise, Iris was traveling through Kalos, taking on gym leaders. When she talked about it, she didn't give any attention to Ash and also explaining her goal of becoming dragon master.

"To be able to fight every type of pokemon there is."

"So how about we girls go look into Valerie's store to see her designs?" Serena recommended and Miette with Bonnie nodded, but Iris refused.

"It is not my thing." she simply said. But they agreed to follow them to the store. As they went, Ash glanced from time to time at Iris, but she always looked other way.

Past

Ash suddenly woke up to freezing water being splash at him. He looked around confused, feeling his hands and legs tied to chair.

"Where am I?" Ash asked confused, looking around, seeing a few man in room.

"You are somewhere where nobody will find you. Now..." said man stepping out of darkness and Ash already noticed the big red R. He was big, muscular and had eye patch. "Now, you are gonna be cooperative and tell us where you have hidden the things you and your friend stole." he spoke and after a moment, Ash burst into laughing.

"You still think I took something? I was just walking by." Ash said, but the man scoffed at him. 

"Even if you didn't, you hurt my grunts so I think you have things to answer." 

Ash rolled his eyes, feeling the the blood running down from his nose. "Even if I did, I wouldn't say it to team Rocket."

The man looked angry, but chuckled. "Well, we already prepared your Pikachu in shipment so torture is the  only remaining thing to do." he simply said, walking out, hearing the raging screaming from their tied up guy. "Hrist I want you and Jonesy make sure nobody get in or out and if you fail, you are kicked out."

Presence

"So which pokemon do you plan on using?" Clemont asked, as they sat next to pokemon battlefield.

"Well, I thought I would use Fletchinder and about second, I am still thinking about it." Ash answered. Iris chuckled as he looked at her way.

"Do you plan the same thing as with Elesa." she said and after that, Ash grabbed her, leaving Clemont behind and dragging her behind corner.

"What is your problem Iris? I may be cold towards others, but I don't understand why you are angry at me? Because it was my fault? I would get that, but I still don't get those other things. Yoolu wouldn't be stabbing like this into me if it was only about Cilan. " Iris looked at him as it was obvious.

"Dense as rock and acting as child." she said, ripping out her hand from his grasp and pulling out pokeball. "If you can defeat me in pokemon battle, I will tell you." she said, walking toward battlefield.

Ash looked at her and after a moment, walked up to other side grabbing his pokeball. Clemont watched them, getting ready and decided to do only thing he could think of now and referee.

Ash threw his pokeball, revealing Goodra, looking ready for battle. Iris looked at them surprised, changing the pokeballs she was about to pull out and releasing her own.

"Ok, battle can begin."

"Goodra use Ice beam." Iris reacted first.

"Use Dragon pulse." Ash's Goodra created colourful beam, sending it at chilling glowing beam, both clashing with each other. Making small explosion.

Past

Gozu chuckled as he walked, his man dragging another guy behind him. They walked back inside, seeing how the guy was sitting there with head down silently. From his face blood dropping down. But what surprised him, his man seemed only angry.

"Did you get anything out of him?" Gozu asked, but they shook their heads and one stepping out.

"He told us nothing and after his raging over his pokemon, he only made fun of us." he said as he remembered the words 'Never heard about punching bags?' or 'Ask or task?'.

"Did you do everything?" Gozu asked looking at his hands, seeing how his nails were ripped out, face still little bit wet.

"Yes, he even told us that ripping out more nails than one is for nothing because the person would say everything after one." he said, punching him in face, making Ash fall down on ground. Gozu shook his head, looking at his grunt how they tied down the other guy.

"Well I have something to take care of, but here is the other guy we needed the entire time." he said, pointing at the boy that they finally captured. His white hair on his head still. He was silent for the entire time.

Gozu walked out, closing the door behind him, leaving his man to take care of it. The guy pissed after his first failing, he grabbed the other guy. "Gonna talk? After your friend, I am feeling for some electric wires. What do you say?" he asked and the boy chuckled.

"At least some Techno would be here." he chuckled, making the first guy swung back ready to punch him, when the boy suddenly swung first, surprising other two guys and so they quickly ran at him, but he quickly used his tied leg to swing the chair at them before grabing pipe. "I am here for the problem with pipes after all." he said, smashing both ther stomach before running toward the tied up boy. He grabbed his thumbs, dislocating them. "Sorry about it, but can't let have you sit here still.

He was quickly dodging the other grunts , when suddenly one of the guys fell down, his neck bleeding. The other one looked surprised, seeing his colleague down before his nose was completely broken by strong fist in his face. The boy with white hair looked at it with completely dumbfounded. When the third guy was slowly getting up, he was slammed back down by the bloodied boy. And his face being clopletely devastated by him.

When he was finished, the guy under him was only blood that was bubbling because oxygen was still coming through mouth.

"Man, you completely destroyed them." said the boy with chuckle before he noticed he wasn't reacting on his words. "Um, hello?" Ash glared at him over his shoulder before running at him, slamming him against wall and lifting him up.

"Give me one god damn reason why I shouldn't beat you up really hard?" he asked with rage and the boy lifted his hands.

"I know how we can save your Pikachu?" he said, nervously chuckling. Ash looked at him for a moment before dropping him on ground. "The name is Jack by the way." he said, bringing out bloody hand from floor, quickly changing with another one. But Ash was walking toward door, ignoring his gestures. He was about to kick out the door, when Jack quickly stopped him.

"What?"

"Could you kick out the door on right instead of left?" he said, chuckling. Ash looked at him confused, but he prepared for the second door.

Presence

"So what is between you and Iris?" Serena asked with smirk as she looked at the dress infront of her. 

"Don't know what you are talking about." she said, as she looked at the other dress.

"Oh you what she is talking about." Bonnie said, ash gave a slight punch to Miette.

"You haven't even tried to flirt with Ash or tease me about it. And that you want to see her battle but still make it? Do you wanna try us?" Serena asked with smug smile.

"Oh, you want to tease me although it was I saw yesterday completely red and Ash later completely dumbfounded. Yeah try to tease me about it aaand you are red again." she said with smug on her face as she saw Serena completely changed after those words, from calm to nervous.

"Hi?" a sudden female voice spoke behind them, getting their attention. "Our boss wants to talk with you."

"Rain dance Goodra." 

"Thunderbolt Goodra!"

Ash's Goodra let out roar, creating dark cloud over them, Iris's let the sparks around its body to focus on one spot, shooting out at Ash's.

"Bide." Ash said before the charge of electricity hit his Goodra. The explosion of field covered the field. Both of them could see the red outlines, but then, the white glowing beam hit Goodra. Goodra let out roar of pain, beeing covered in ice until Goodra stayed inside of it. 

They other Goodra stood there, panting. Iris was slowly sure of her win, utnil she forgot one thing. The ice cracked open, Ash's Goodra heavily breathing, the red strong glowing. The droplets going down over its skin. Goodra opened its mouth and-

"STOP!" someone yelled, stopping Goodra from releasing the attack. Everyone looked at one of the entrances to see girl with black hair. "Our fashion show is about to start and we do not want any interruption. You can come with us, but I ask you to end it now." she said with strict voice before walking away. Ash and Iris looked at each other before nodding. Iris recalled her pokemon, before giving it thanks. She then looked at Ash, seeing him interacting with his Goodra. She felt the strong connection between them.

Past

"Do you think everything is ok there?" asked the boy his colleague, she shrugged.

"We are just suppose to stand here and let nobody out or inside." she said simply. Jonesy looked back forward. It was silent for a moment, until Jonesy was crashed down by kicked out door. Hrist looked at it with widened eyes, on other side both boys standing, one covered in blood. Hrist slapped her head. "Who the hell-" but she couldn't even end it before she was slammed against wall by Ash and he was ready to punch her.

"WAIT!" Jack yelled as he tried to grab him, but Ash wasn't convince for reason why not. "She is helping us." he said as he was trying to pull on Ash's arm.

"Jack this was your guy?" she asked visibly angry at him, on which Ash just reacted with question that he needed to know.

"Where is my Pikachu?" Ash grabbed her tighter, but she reacted by brabing his hand and on his dislocated thumb with both of hers, turning it around making Ash to kneel a little bit and kicking him in the chin.

"Not you too Hrist." he said rubbing his head until he noticed incoming grunts. He looked at both Hrist and Ash fighting each other before he walked slowly closer toward exit. "I don't know like you guys, but I am out." he said, running toward exit.

"Go." Hrist simply said, Ash looked behind him seeing multiple people and that is what he did. As he ran behind the other guy, he noticed the same girl with long purple hair was still running behind him. So when they got out of there, he waited behind the corner, waiting for her before grabbing her, ready to snap her.

"Nononono." he heard Jack again behind him. He looked behind, not releasing her. He was getting tired, ignoring everything that would happen after this. He just lost his life partner and he was slowly believing he wouldn't find him again. 

But then, he felt something. Something familiar he had inside coming from girl he was holding. He saw his bloody hands, seeing what happened to him during only few minutes, but the yells stopped him from thinking. So he only grabbed her and throwing her over his shoulder.

"Go, I follow." Ash said and ran after Jack, who took deep breath.

Presence

"Where are girls? They wanted to see this the most of us here." Iris said as she slunged her head on her shoulder as she watched women coming out in different outfits.

"Maybe they are here somewhere. There is a lot of people. Do you see them Ash? After all you are highest from us here." Clemont asked.

"I am looking for them... Oh I see them...." the last sentence trailed off as he saw them. Iris and Clemont where he was looking and there they were, on large runway with dresses on with their pokemon. Serena with Braixen, Bonnie with Dedenne and Miette with Meowstic.

Serena herself didn't understand how it all happened, but now, she only could see how multiple eyes were on her. Although Bonnie was absolutely fine and Miette even had fun with it, she felt completely nervous. And then her eyes landed on Ash and his were completely shocked and so she nervoulsy smiled at him.

"Ok, I did not expect this from Valerie." Clemont said with chuckle as he watched his sister.

After a while, all of girls stopped coming out and the runway was left empty. And then entered Valerie, showing her new outfit and smiling brightly at everyone. "Hello everyone! I hope everyone liked the outfits. As always, I took inspiration in many different pokemon and I am happy how good it looked and for today I planned one more thing." she said, her eyes seeing Ash's for moment before looking away.

"Isn't it awesome we can keep this?" Miette said as she swirled around, looking at her dress. Bonnie nodded.

"I still feel it is a little bit too much." Serena said with slight giggle. She was still red, but she looked at her dress that was inspirated by Florges. She looked at Braixen and she looked back with smile.

"Let's go change real quick. I heard there is another thing planned in program." Miette said, as she grabbed her clothes and dissapeared in changing room. Serena and Bonnie looked at each surprised, but they heard the cheers outside and so they quickly changed.

As they walked out, everyone was cheering and they looked toward runway and they saw Ash leaping up with his hands on the platform.

"Do you know that there are stairs, right?" Valerie asked as she giggled, but Ash shrugged.

"No, but it wasn't hard." he answered, noticing that Serena, Bonnie and Miette were there, giving them a grin. When he returned his glance at Valerie, he didn't notice that some girls were ogling him. Serena glared at them, feeling jealous all of sudden until she remembered the he obvious reason why she was.

"This is an official gym battle between challenger Ash Ketchum from Pallet town and Valerie, the Laverre city's gym leader. It will be one on one battle. The gym leader is sending out first pokemon."

"Spritzee, I need your assistance." she said, as she let out her pokemon. The pokemon was floating in the air. Pink, feather ball with big white beak and red eyes. Valerie received loud cheering. Spritzee flew toward Valerie and both of started to talk to each other. Than Ash remembered what Serena told him.

"She is even popular, because she can talk to her pokemon and understand them." 

"Come out Fletchinder!" Ash threw pokeball high into dark darkening and when the light let out pokemon, Red flying pokemon flew down. Before touching the ground, keeping it's hight above ground and flying quickly around above audience and stopping before Ash, whose pokeball dropped back to his hand.

"Alright. Battle between Fletchinder and Spritzee. Batle begin!"

"Fletchinder use flame charge!" Fletchinder's body lit up with flames and flew forward. Valerie smiled as Fletchinder was getting closer.

"Dazzling gleam!" Spritzee flew higher, letting out blinding light. When Fletchinder got closer, it was blided by the light, missing Spritzee who flew above. "Trick room!" Spritzee let out long sing and around them a box made of glowing plates surrounded them.

"Fletchling use Razor wind!"

"Moonblast!" Fletchinder's wing started to glow and the ember pokemon flapped fast with its wings, sending out multiple white waves. Spritzee focused an energy in big pink orb, sending it against Fletchinder. Both of them clahed, creating a small explosion. When it stpped and smoke was left behind, Fletchinder flew with glowing wings, but slower than before. "Quickly use Dazzling gleam!" 

"Fletchinder flew closer to where you feel the strongest heat from it." Ash yelled and Fletchinder closed its eyes and did what it's trainer said. After what felt like seconds, Fletchinder felt the hit on its wing.

"Use Gyro ball!" Valerie reacted right after that happened. Spritzee flew from the smoke, spinning quickly behind Fletchinder.

"Fletchinder use flame charge." before Fletchinder was hit by Spritzee's attack, it still let out its flames. After that, Fletchinder was slammed toward ground. Most of audience cheered as it looked like Fletchinder would done for now. But Spritzeee suddenly let out squeak as it was covered in flames.

Valerie looked toward her opponent and he was smirking. From the smashed ground stepped out Fletchinder with scratches over it's body, but shaking it's wing before flying back up. "You have very good connection with your pokemon. They trust you very much." she said, as both Fletchinder and Spritzee flew in same hight, looking into each other eyes.

"Fletchinder flaming charge!"

"Gyro ball!" Valerie reacted, a little bit confused by different name, the same as before. Fletchinder wouldn't be fast as before so it would be more easy hit for her. But when Spritzee started to spin forward, she noticed Fletchinder wasn't moving, only letting it's body to burn. Spritzee quickly flew forward but Fletchinder's body started to burn even more and even she could feel the heat from where she stood.

Spritzee was now even slowing down because of it until it stopped as the heat was gettting even hotter, making a few people in audience to step back away from the heat. Spritzee finally stopped, flying away from the heat.

"If we can't go toward you than we will hit from far. Dazzling gleam." it was obvious that she wouldn't do anything from close but now from this much of using flame charge, it wouldn't be able to dodge even if Fletchinder tried. Spritzee charged another pink orb and sent it out toward still Fletchinder.

But then, the box around the fell apart. The trick room stopped working. "Steel wing!" Ash yelled as he grinned more. Fletchinder stopped it's flames and was very quick to dodge the incoming attack with spinning and glowing wings right toward Spritzee. Even before Spritzee could blink, it was hit by the glowing wing, being sent toward it's trainer on ground. Valerie looked down on her pokemon and it was out cold.

"Spritzee is unable to battle. Fletchinder is winner, which means Ash Ketchum, the challenger, is winner of the battle." Multiple cheers filled the area, some disapointment, but both sides ignored it. Fletchinder landed on Ash's shoulder, heavily breathing, Pikachu stroking its wings.

"Good job Fletchinder." he said, Fletchinder let out cry on which Ash chuckled.

"I should have also said that you trust them very much." Valerie said, as her referee brought her the box. "I must say, it doesn't happen very often that someone beats me on my fashions shows and show this much passion and beauty in battle." Valerie said with warm smile. "I am proud to give you badge of this city. The fairy badge." she handed him the pink badge, as he clenched it, smile finding it's way on his face. 

"Thank you Valerie." he said, as he received multiple cheers erupted. Ash looked over the crowd, noticing his friends. He jumped down, walking past multiple people. Most of them congratulating him.

After that, they all went back to pokemon center, where they gave each other last good byes. Before Iris and Miette left, Iris took Ash to the side.

"Don't anoy them Ash." she said, with slight chuckle. Ash raised an eyebrow at her. "So yeah, our battle was ended before we could decide who would win."

"So you are not gonna tell me?" Ash said, as he knew something changed. Iris sighed, shaking her head.

"The reason I am angry at you isn't because of Cilan, you are right. It is because you have never apologised what you said." she said and Ash was about immediately reply, but she stopped him. "I don't want to hear it now Ash, because now it would mean almost nothing if you really forgot about it, but also you left. You left thinking you were the only one to be blamed or be in pain Ash. You were wrong and I am not sure if you are." she said, as she started to walk away. "And you are wrong about more thing." she said as she turned to him for a moment. "Even I don't know what happened that day." 

Past

"What have you done again Jack?" Hrist yelled, as they were inside their hideout.

"What? You told me to get someone for us, well I got him." Jack said simply, as he filled himself a drink.

"Someone? You found a guy, that murdered three Rocket grunts and almost me if something didn't snap him out of it." she grabbed his drink and threw it against the wall. Jack grunted as he fell down on the bed.

"Hey, he has some muscles and he didn't kill you, although you are overreacting. We both know you wouldn't let yourself be killed like this." he said, letting out sigh. "And he is ready to help us out. He needs us as much we need him. And you can't go anywhere anyway. So you could try to calm down and maybe try to go talk to him?"

"I am not. You are the one who brought him here. And make sure he doesn't come any closer to Alex." she said, Jack let out sigh and stood up, walking through door.

"At least we got the remoter." Jack said, but Hrist just pulled out middle finger on him. As he walked through corridor, he heard a familiar voice and he smacked his head. 'Well, another thing why Hrist won't let me sleep.'

Ash sat on box, looking at his bloody hands. He had done it again and he killed more people now. And he had no idea how to feel about it. And he couldn't talk to his buddy about it.

"So you are the one Hrist is yelling about." Ash looked up, seeing a young boy in door way. He had a dirty clothes and spiky brown hair with green eyes. He had a few scratches over his body, but he seemed healthy enough. He didn't seem to look at the blood that was on Ash. "I didn't see her this angry for some time." he said with slight laughter. "I am Alex by the way. You don't look like someone from Viridian city." he said, hopping up on the box Ash was sitting on.

"You work with them?" Ash asked, but Alex shrugged.

"Not really. More like I help them, but we are working on this big job together. When Jack said he would find someone, I expected someone who would be crazy or wierd." he said. Ash looked at his hands, seeing his nails slowly stopping bleeding.

"You think I am not?" 

"NO! You would surprised who are Jack's collegues or friends sometimes. One even doesn't have a tongue and Chatot is talking for him." it surprised Ash how this young boy could talk easily about this.

"Hey, have more respect for Cotton. He is pretty funny sometimes." both of them looked forward, seeing Jack standing there. When Ash saw him, he stood up and walked up to him.

"Oh boy." Alex said behind him, but Ash was only after one thing.

"Tell me where is my Pikachu and I can be on my way." he said, but Jack shook his head.

"Sorry man, but you will have to wait for that to happen." he said and next moment he was lifted up from the ground.

"What?!" he yelled in his face, but Jack lifted his hands.

"Even if I told you where and EVEN if you could get through all those people in the way, you wouldn't get your Pikachu because they would move all the stolen pokemon to another location. Location we won't know about." Ash was about to punch him. "WAIT! If you help us out, we can save your Pikachu and get what we-" cough from Alex interrupted him so he rolled his eyes. "ok me, but I mean we are team right so it was team decision." Alex rolled his eyes, but Jack continued. "We can get what we are planning. If everything will work out, we all get what we want. Deal?"

Ash finally dropped Jack and sat down next to the box, sighing. "Yes." Jack let out sigh and was about to leave, when remembered one thing.

"Oh yeah, I didn't catch your name. What is your name?" Ash had his closed eyes, thinking about it for a moment.

"Satoshi."

Presence

A loud thud was heard through the building. Infront of man in black suit with covered head fell his pokemon that transformed back. He looked in front of him, seeing his opponent. He took out his pokeball, calling quickly back his pokemon and started to run away. But his legs were tied suddenly and he fell forward. He looked at his legs and saw long rope and on other side officer Jenny. He knew his coat fell of.

"Gozu, Elite officer of team Rocket! You are under arrest." she yelled, as everyone surrounded him and he knew he wouldn't be able to run away. 

After his hideout was compromised, he was hiding in Kalos easily living until he found his formal boss in news death and hearing each time news how team Rocket fell appart. And then they somehow found him, thinking about maybe the reason why. Now he was here, thinking about only thing he could do before they lock him away from sun rise.

"I demand a phone call!" he yelled