Pokemon: Neo Genesis (AaMayL/Advanceshipping, PG-13)

[cichawk]

All the errors will be fixed... someday. =P

GrizzlyB

So, it sounds like May's gonna get caught up in all of Altair's business, now. And Altair himself is surely up to something. Wonder when we get any details of his mission?

Sooner or later, but closer to sooner. I will say that this current "arc" if you would like to call it that, is starting to become resolved.

Earthborn

Obviously, this...agency Altair works for is not low on funds or anything. Maybe it's the CIA equivalent of the Pokemon World? We'll have to see.

Yup, we'll have to see won't we?

Most certainly not. I think it was a good idea that May is the one who discovered all of this first, and not Ash. Of course, May knows Altair better than Ash or even Dawn do - but hardly any better at the same time.
I can see that May's still avoiding Ash, and that can carry on for a while longer

Yeah, it seems like Ash has been playing a minor part so far, and honestly, I don't have any real resolution to that yet. I just go along with my flow of writing. Same with Brock. May has had a lot of roles, and Dawn has had a decent amount of focus too. Funny how the protagonist of the series is being like a third wheel now.

Everything aside, Ash had an - interesting - dream over there. He just might be subconciously realizing something here.

Mayyyybeeee...

[cichawk]

Foreword

And now, some answers.

----------------

Chapter 22 - Truth

Ash and Dawn sat beside one another on a vacant couch near the back of the lobby, where it was not restricted. Pikachu sat in Ash’s lap and rested his head on his trainer’s knee, while Dawn sat to Ash’s left, silently pondering the recent events that had just occurred, as well as the contest that was to begin in about five hours.

Ash had the brim of his hat over his eyes as he slouched on the couch. He did his best not to show it, but both Dawn and Pikachu knew that something was bothering him.

The trainer rewound his mind back to when he had tackled the policeman to defend May, and how she cried out his name when he was countered and pinned down. The tone of her voice reminded him of the other times that May yelled his name whenever he was in danger or she needed help. However, his name was the only thing that the coordinator had said to him, and the fact that she wasn’t even directly talking to him wasn't reassuring.

A sinking feeling in the stomach and an ache in the heart pained Ash as he sat completely motionless. Dawn and Pikachu gave him concerned glances from time to time, but the depressed boy would take no notice of them.

Dawn sighed, deciding that whatever was on Ash’s mind would stay there. She began playing with her Pokétch and stared blankly into the vast lobby since she and Ash were waiting for Brock to arrive. Dawn had contacted Brock shortly after their run in with the authorities, and she described the situation for him. Brock had immediately become concerned and told them he would be there ASAP.

She checked the time and saw that it was five after nine, a little less than an hour since she heard about the occurrence on the main floor. The pre-teen girl was feeling bored and decided to mess around with the applications on her Pokétch some more, so she brought her wrist up to her eyes and began pressing buttons with her other hand.

As Dawn toyed with her Pokétch, she noticed the elevator door opening and a person dressed in red step out. She lowered her wrist and focused on the person, seeing the person to be May. Dawn began observing curiously as the other coordinator looked around the lobby for several seconds, before then dashing out of the hotel.

“Hey, Ash?”

Ash gave a short grunt.

“I just saw May leave the hotel. I wonder where she could be going.”

He grunted again.

Dawn then thought for a moment, and decided that getting Ash active would bring him to his normal self again, so she stood up and grabbed his arm from his side.

“C’mon, let’s follow her and see where she’s going!” chirped Dawn cheerily.

“Wait, whoa-!” Dawn had pulled Ash from where he sat on the couch and was dragging him along as she walked to the back entrance May had exited from. Pikachu jumped to the floor as his trainer stood up and quickly jumped onto Ash’s shoulder.

“Dawn…” but Ash was unable to say anything as he suddenly found himself interested in where May was going as well.

The two of them stepped out into the sunlight and saw that the streets were already busy in the late morning. They turned their heads, looking for any sign of May. Pikachu decided to survey from the top of Ash’s hat, and hopped on top, bringing a paw up to shield his eyes from the sun.

“Pi Pikapi!” exclaimed the Electric Mouse Pokémon, pointing down the street at a red bobbing bandanna.

“C’mon! We’ll lose her!” Dawn pulled Ash by the arm while running in the direction May was heading.

Pikachu kept watch on May’s head as she began to gain distance from them. It was more difficult for Ash and Dawn to weave their way through the crowd since there were two bodies to squeeze through the pedestrians.

More minutes of running and dodging passed as May’s bandanna grew further and further away from Pikachu’s view. It seemed like they were going to completely lose her trail until the setting suddenly changed around Ash and Dawn.

They were now out of the city and looking up the eastern side of the valley that Lightcrown was nestled in. The time during the chase seemed to go by so slowly, but it was several miles from the center of the city to the exterior, meaning they must have been moving about for a good quarter of an hour.

Looking a little ways up the valley, the trainer, coordinator, and Pokémon could see a figure dressed in red running up the side of the road. A good distance ahead of her was a group of blue-clad figures with a team of Growlithe in front.

Ash faced Dawn, and Dawn looked back. They nodded to one another and began running up the hill.

----------------

“Those… policemen… run… fast…”

May was gasping for breath as she was still giving chase to the Growlithe team that was becoming smaller as they continued their ascent up the two mile valley side. For her, this was the greatest distance she ever had to run in a single period.

The brunette began to feel her legs soften as they started feeling like jelly. She knew that she had reached her limit and had to stop running.

“I gotta… stop… now,” thought May, as she came to a halt.

She was bent over with her hands on her thighs, feeling as though she had just run a marathon. Finally catching her breath, May looked up and brightened instantly.

Just as May had stopped running, she had reached the top of the valley, and now was looking at a vast forest in front of her.

Feeing reinvigorated, May felt the stress leave her legs, and she began to walk towards the forest before her.

The sunlight sent rays of heat onto the Earth, but the trees relieved the land from the light and created a cool atmosphere underneath. The shadows consumed the entire forest floor and gave the place a peaceful feel. The coordinator sighed as she entered the coolness and breathed in the fresh-smelling air.

Now relaxed, May recollected her memory to begin pinpointing the location which she had camped at during the first night.

“Well, there was this path that I’m on now, which led to a river and a bridge, so I should just follow this path first.”

May suddenly realized that she was completely alone and had just talked to herself. The silence of the forest was unnerving, and the isolation crept into May. Feeling vulnerable, the coordinator took a Pokéball out of her fanny pack and called out a Pokémon. Soon, Eevee materialized from the ball and stood happily in front of her.

“Ee-ee!”

“Hey, Eevee.” May bent down to pick up her fluffy Pokémon. She petted Eevee’s soft fur and began moving along the path and deeper into the forest.

Moments of silence ensued as the girl walked with her Pokémon wrapped tightly in her arms. Eevee was cuddling her head with May’s chest as she was oblivious of the meaning of this trip.

Eventually, May could hear running water, which indicated that she was near her checkpoint. She started jogging as the sound of water grew louder. Soon, up the path, she spotted the elevated bridge.

“Alright, we made it,” May said to Eevee. “Now we just have to remember where we camped out that first night.”

In the distance, May could hear barks echoing through the trees. The barks soon dissipated, and she clutched her Pokémon tighter, quickly making her way over the bridge.

“I think it was to the left now.”

“Eevee!”

May stepped off the dirt path and slipped into the forage that marked the border for the path. Taking a quick glance around, she decided to start her search along the side of the river, as she remembered her campsite was not far from it.

The teenaged girl walked along the riverbank as she tried to recall any landmarks she may have come across. It seemed like May had been walking for hours until she came across a familiar sandy bank.

“This is where I got water and cleaned myself up…” May whispered.

She then turned away from the river and wandered into the trees.

“It shouldn’t be far from here…”

It wasn’t long until the girl stepped into a small clearing where the dead remains of a fire were visible, as well as a small tree trunk on its side which could serve as a seat.

“This is it,” declared May. With one hand, as she was still holding on to Eevee, she reached into her fanny pack to pull out Altaïr’s PDA that she had taken with her from his room. Eevee watched curiously as her trainer navigated the menu once again and was at the holographic map of Lightcrown and its surrounding landscape.

“Looks like I just have to go north a tiny bit.” May shut off the PDA and slipped it back into her pack.

May stepped into the thicket once again and fought her way through the foliage as it was becoming thicker as she was going further into the middle of no where.

Rays of sunlight could be seen by May several meters away, despite the mass of vegetation. She picked up her pace and soon stumbled into another small clearing.

At first glance, nothing was special about the clearing, and nothing moving could be seen. But as May moved across the soil, a black mass entered her view. She turned her head toward it and saw that it was under the shadow of a large tree, and seemed to be leaning against it.

May took one step towards the object and was instantly knocked onto her back by a brown and green blur. She grunted in pain as she held Eevee close to her chest to prevent her from flying away.

“Eevee Ee!” the little Eevee cried out as her trainer had just been attacked.

The green and brown blur appeared once again, and a pair of large brown eyes stared into May’s sapphire eyes. May held her breath as the brown eyes pierced into her, but as her focus returned, she the body of a familiar Pokémon appeared.

“Leaf-Leafeon?” she whispered, the fear leaving her.

The Verdant Pokémon made no sound or movement as she jumped away from May and ran back to the black clump by the tree. May picked herself up from the ground and placed Eevee on the ground.

The girl silently stared at the black mass on the ground, before beginning to take small steps toward it. Leafeon seemed to be standing next to the mass protectively, but she made no hostile motions at the coordinator nearing her.

As May came within a few meters of what Leafeon was guarding, she was able to make out the shape of it. The coordinator was now only a couple steps away from it and was now able to see the mass in close detail. It was a body.

May knelt down in front of the body and brought her hands up to the hood that shrouded the person’s face. Before she could pull the hood down, chills shivered down her back as the feeling of dread begun to overtake her. Eevee watched with concern while making soft whimpers.

Against her own fear, May summoned up whatever courage remained inside her, and pulled down the hood.

May gasped.

Dawn and Ash gasped from behind the bush they hid behind.

-------------------

“Hey.”

“…”

“How are you? It’s been a while...”

“I’m ok.”

“Only ok?”

“Yeah.”

“I see…”

“So what are you doing here?”

“What? Can’t I just pop in for a visit?”

“You haven’t in a while.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“Alright, but you don’t need to take time off to… visit.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“…”

“You still act that way…”

“What way?”

“That way… the way you’ve always acted towards me... ever since…”

“…”

“You know what I’m talking about.”

“It was for both of our benefit.”

“How do you know that?”

“… I just do.”

“You never asked me.”

“It just wasn’t meant to be.”

“That doesn’t mean you had to just…”

“Leave?”

“Yeah…”

“…”

“Why do you have to be… so cold?...”

“…”

“…like ice?”

“Because it’s my element.”

“Don’t give me that. I know you better than that.”

“You sure about that?”

“I know that you…”

“…”

“…care.”

“Oh really?”

“Well, it seems like you’ve been quite caring lately.”

“That’s because…”

“Because?...”

“Because…”

“That’s ok, I don’t need you to give me your reason; I already know it.”

“No you don’t.”

“I think I do.”

“…”

“And I think it’s time that you wake up. They’re worried about you.”

“…”

“I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be.”

“Doesn’t mean I’m not.”

“…”

“I’m going to go now.”

“Ok.”

“Bye.”

“…Bye.”

----------------

The darkness was dispersing. A thin line of light appeared and was growing larger as warmth flowed through in a circuit. Vibrations to the left and right rumbled lightly. An appealing odor perforated, and tickled the area under the band of light, which was still becoming larger. Saltiness was detected beneath everything else, unappealing and choking.

Then consciousness began returning. A light bulb in a lamp could be seen above. Feelings began returning to the extremities. Voices could be heard in the distance. The smell of disinfectants lingered in the air. Salt could be tasted by the tongue.

Then perception was acquired. The mind began functioning once again, and an identity was linked.

Altaïr opened his eyes, but had to squint as a bright light shined into them. He felt warm blankets covering his body, but aches and soreness vexed him. Voices could be heard clearly, indicating that the source was near. The scent of alcohol and other chemicals permeated his nasals, as well as another familiar smell that also was in his mouth. The boy gathered the saliva in his mouth and swallowed it down, tasting that unpleasing flavor.

“Six deep cuts, three stabs wounds, many other smaller cuts and bruises, a fractured rib, loss of much blood, and…”

Altaïr quickly snapped into attention as the clouds of his mind disseminated.

“…one gunshot wound. It’s amazing this kid is still living.”

Then the trainer’s body snapped upwards into a sitting position, but intense pain shot through his spine and into his brain, causing a splitting headache among the external pain he felt.

“He’s awake!”

“And his pulse is spiking!”

“Somebody stabilize him before he does more harm to himself!”

Arms overtook the boy forced him to lie back down into the bed. A growl escaped Altaïr’s throat as he attempted to retaliate, but a sting was felt in his right arm. He looked at it and saw that a needle had been stuck in it. He then looked up and saw the face of a male doctor. Altaïr felt his mind turn into jelly as the rest of his body softened. He was only able to give the doctor one more grunt before he lost perception and consciousness once again.

---------------

Ash sat with Pikachu on his lap in a cushioned bench in the waiting room. His mind was in a haze; nothing made sense anymore. All the events that were occurring, they did a number on the boy’s mental capacity. What bothered him the most was not about the circumstances Altaïr was found, however.

The trainer raised his head and glanced across the waiting room at the only other occupant present, May. Her head was down like his was, and her hands on her thighs, and her sapphire eyes were unseen in the shadow cast across that portion of her face. Those beautiful sapphire eyes Ash had yet to look into…

Pikachu felt his trainer’s heaviness in himself as well, and cooed softly. Ash gently stroked Pikachu’s fur as he took his eyes off of the coordinator and looked back down into his lap.

“I think… I’m beginning to understand… why I feel what I feel.”

The recent memories of all of Brock’s teasing and hinting entered him, and Ash began analyzing all of them.

“He… knew all along… even before I even knew… All this time it was just a strange feeling in my chest and stomach every time her name was mentioned. Every time I thought about her. Even every time when I saw a Pokémon that she owned as well. But now I know what that feeling is.”

Ash took a small peek at May once again, then quickly looked at Pikachu, speaking to his Pokémon.

“You know what I’m feeling too, don’t you?”

“Pi.”

Then the image of Altaïr and May together shattered his peaceful thoughts, and depression set into him once again.

“But… I’m too late.”

“Cha…”

“I’m too late.”

------------------

May sat alone on her bench in the corner of the waiting room, looking down at her gloved hands in her empty lap. The past couple hours seemed to meld together as she attempted to recall them. The leaving of the hotel, the following of the police, the wandering in the forest, the discovery of Leafeon, the discovery of a body…

Everything else was a blur after that. There was screaming, yelling, calling, crying, running. Before May knew it, she was waiting in the hospital, sitting on the very seat she was sitting on.

“Altaïr… What happened?” she whispered quietly to herself, replaying the chain of events after her discovery that led her to where she currently was.

The image of Altaïr’s face being revealed from the hood returned, and May remembered herself gasping and stepping back. His eyes were closed, and seemed to be contorted in pain. Then May saw the thing that caused her to scream; the blood. He was lying in a pool of it, and May saw the pictures in her head of red splashes all over his robe, on the grass, on the trunk of the tree…

As she screamed, two figures jumped out of a bush from behind her and ran up to her yelling. It was Ash and Dawn. They asked what was wrong and spotted Altaïr’s blood stained body as well. Ash took charge and used his PokéNav to call the Lightcrown Police, and a unit was soon dispatched onto their position. Paramedics accompanied the officers and soon, Altaïr was taken on a stretcher and to the Lightcrown Hospital.

That had all occurred a little over an hour ago, and still May, nor Ash and Pikachu, the only other two in the waiting room, had not heard any word about the teenaged boy’s condition. Brock was contacted during the wait and had to rush over from the Lightcrown Hotel, where he was supposed to meet Ash and Dawn in the first place. When Brock arrived, he quickly asked what had been going on, and Dawn explained the entire story to him, while Ash and May awkwardly stood on opposite sides of Dawn. After the story was finished, they all decided to take seats around the waiting room and wait for any word on how Altaïr was doing. About a half hour into the waiting, Dawn and Brock decided to go out and pick up some food, as it was noon.

Now only May, Ash, and Pikachu remained in the waiting room, the two humans sitting completely across the room from one another.

May sighed as deep concern stretched across her chest, and she felt herself quivering slightly. While Altaïr was being placed on the stretcher, May felt tears well up in her eyes. It was frightening for her as she didn’t know whether the boy that had shown so much care towards her was still alive or not, but that fear was alleviated when the paramedics announced that they could feel a pulse. Dawn was silent, and anxiety was present at her face at the time. Ash had disappeared into the forest for a short amount of time when the paramedics and police arrived.

The thought of Altaïr dying still haunted May, even though the doctors had told them that all his wounds were just flesh wounds, and no vital organs were damaged. She felt helpless just knowing that he had been lying out in the middle of the forest, bleeding for who knows how long. How Altaïr came to be in that condition was another mystery to May. There was that event several days ago when Altaïr was able to take on a group of thugs and defeat them all. What made her in awe, yet somewhat intimidated, if not afraid, of him, was when he had whipped out his pocketknife and stabbed the leader in the shoulder.

“The pocketknife that I have with me right now…”

Altaïr’s pocketknife had been kept inside May’s fanny pack ever since she swiped it from under the table at the hotel. She made a note to herself to return it to him whenever they were alone.

May heard a shuffle, and looked up to see Ash rising from his seat. She watched him coyly as he turned towards the main doors and headed through them, and out of the room. She was now alone.

The coordinator was about to sink back into her thoughts when she heard the sliding doors of the patients’ wing slide open. She whirled her head around and saw a doctor entering the waiting room. It had to be about Altaïr, since she and the others had been waiting to hear about the news.

The doctor, a short middle aged man who was already balding, spotted May all alone in her corner. He smiled warmly and made a motion that signaled her to enter the patients’ wing. May nodded and stood up, walking towards the doors.

--------------------

“Amazing, I’ve never seen any human being heal this fast!”

The nurse that was checking on Altaïr’s condition stared wide eyed at the wound on the boy’s arm. Altaïr was conscious once again and took no notice of the nurse as he stared straight at the ceiling.

“The diameter of this wound was two inches when he arrived, and now it’s only one! I have to report this to the doctor.”

“Alright, it seems like you’re already making progress, Altaïr.” The nurse smiled sweetly, trying to hide her wonder. Altaïr gave a single dismissive grunt and the nurse stepped out of the room. On her way out, a brunette wearing a red bandanna pushed past her into the room.

“Hehe, he’s got a cute girlfriend.”

Altaïr heard the second person enter the room and he tilted his head to the left and saw May. His face was impassive as she looked at him apprehensively.

May examined the boy who was wearing the usual light blue patient’s outfit that covered his body on the front completely. She had been to hospitals before and knew that coverage was absent on the backside, though she never exactly knew why. Blankets covered his lower body but she could still see the gruesome wounds that were present on his arms. May tore her eyes away from that part of his body and re-centered her view on his face.

His face was also scuffed up, and light bruises and cuts could be spotted as well, but May noticed that he still retained most of his original look, and may even look a little more rugged that way.

The girl began approaching the bed, and clasped her hands in front of her. Altaïr simply looked with his black eyes that betrayed no thought and waited for her. She was now right beside the bed and the two of them stared at one another. After about five seconds of that, Altaïr broke the contact and turned his view at the ceiling.

May now looked at the side of his head, wondering what she should say. She said the first thing that came to mind.

“Are… you ok?”

Altaïr didn’t alter his gaze as she asked the question. He simply lay there silently for several seconds until answering.

“Mm.”

“Oh! I have something that belongs to you,” May blurted out suddenly, remembering her mental note she made earlier. She quickly reached into her fanny pack and pulled out the pocketknife from one of the front pockets. As May pulled it out, she took one last look at it, and noticed that there was red residue on the edge where she had folded the blade back in. It intrigued her slightly as she hadn’t taken the time to examine the knife when she had first obtained it, but she let that thought go as she brought the pocketknife over Altaïr’s eyes.

Altaïr still did not move as May dangled the object over his face, and she sighed as she placed it on the stand next to his bed.

“So…” began May, but she was soon cut off by an opening door behind her. She twirled her head around to see Brock, Dawn, Pikachu, and Ash standing at the entrance. Their faces were solemn as they looked hesitant to enter.

May was about to beckon them all in when Altaïr’s deep voice sounded.

“Good, you’re all here.”

The entire room seemed to go even quieter than it already was.

“I think now is the time to tell you all the truth.”

-------------------

Afterthought

To be continued next chapter.

[Lord Zant]

You're cruel.

No, seriously.

I WILL read next chapter. That's gotta be one of the most bothersome cliffhangers I've ever seen. 21 chapters of buildup, and it stops with "I think it'a time to tell you the truth."

Is he a Pokemorph? there was that discussion - "My element is ice, after all."

But the wounds? I dunno. You're definately taking this in a cool direction, though.

I saw no grammar errors at first glance, so good job there.

Uh... not too much to say. It WAS a cliffhanger, after all.

[GrizzlyB]

Okay, a few-ish errors I saw.

Dawn sat to Ash’s left, silently pondering the recent events that have just occurred, as well as the contest that was to begin in about five hours.

Tense issue, "have" should be "had."

Dawn had contacted Brock shortly after their run in with the authority, and she described the situation for him.

Did you mean "authorities?" Or, just the one officer? It's slightly awkward, but it's probably actually fine.

“I just say May leave the hotel.

"Saw" May leave the hotel?

Before May it, she was waiting in the hospital, sitting on the very seat she was sitting on.

I'm assuming that there should be a "knew" in that first bit.

Anywho, interesting development. Altair got beaten... badly. So, I guess we'll find out by whom and why in the next chapter, eh? That, plus why his wounds heal so fast, and why Ash went back into the forest. And, strange turnaround for Altair to suddenly decide to reveal everything. Sounds like he might need their help. Exciting.

[swampert55]

I agree with LZ: that was an excellent cliffhanger. However, you have an excessive amount of single-sentence paragraphs, and the flow of this chapter seems erratic and rushed. Your longest paragraph is 5 lines.

May suddenly realized that she was completely alone and had just talked to herself. The silence of the forest was unnerving, and the isolation crept into May.

Feeling vulnerable, the coordinator took a Pokéball out of her fanny pack and called out a Pokémon.

Eevee materialized from the ball and stood happily in front of her.

Here, for example, the flow would be much better if that was one paragraph.

Against her own fear, May summoned up whatever courage remained inside her, and pulled down the hood.

May gasped.

That definitely lacks any description. It's like an anticlimax.

While Dawn toyed with her Pokétch, she noticed the elevator door opening, and a person dressed in red step out.

Extra comma there.

[EarthBorn]

!

That was my first reaction to this chapter. It certainly seemed like a sudden leap in the pace after so much happening for unknown reasons.

“I think… I’m beginning to understand… why I feel what I feel.”

Not a are you, Ash? Well, at least you finally get it.

“But… I’m too late.”

If cichawk is an Advanceshipper, you're not.

Altair....who or rather what is he? I sense that we're finally going to get some answers. He sure can heal fast...maybe the PDA implants nano repair bots into thier agents or something.

Anyway, the truth. I hope soon, but take your time.

[Ariel_Anderson]

Oh, wow! Altair is so awesome!!! Yay Altair!!!

But enough of that.

“The diameter of this wound was two inches when he arrived, and now it’s only one! I have to report this to the doctor.”

“Alright, it seems like you’re already making progress, Altaïr.” The nurse smiled sweetly, trying to hide her wonder.

Hmm, one part is in italics, the other in normal writing. Does that mean it's just a flashback of her previous comments OR
He's reading her mind?
Aww, May saved his life. And Altair says nothing. (A**hole)

“Hey.”

“…”

“How are you? It’s been a while...”

“I’m ok.”

“Only ok?”

“Yeah.”

“I see…”

“So what are you doing here?”

“What? Can’t I just pop in for a visit?”

“You haven’t in a while.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“Alright, but you don’t need to take time off to… visit.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“…”

“You still act that way…”

“What way?”

“That way… the way you’ve always acted towards me... ever since…”

“…”

“You know what I’m talking about.”

“It was for both of our benefit.”

“How do you know that?”

“… I just do.”

“You never asked me.”

“It just wasn’t meant to be.”

“That doesn’t mean you had to just…”

“Leave?”

“Yeah…”

“…”

“Why do you have to be… so cold?...”

“…”

“…like ice?”

“Because it’s my element.”

“Don’t give me that. I know you better than that.”

“You sure about that?”

“I know that you…”

“…”

“…care.”

“Oh really?”

“Well, it seems like you’ve been quite caring lately.”

“That’s because…”

“Because?...”

“Because…”

“That’s ok, I don’t need you to give me your reason; I already know it.”

“No you don’t.”

“I think I do.”

“…”

“And I think it’s time that you wake up. They’re worried about you.”

“…”

“I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be.”

“Doesn’t mean I’m not.”

“…”

“I’m going to go now.”

“Ok.”

“Bye.”

“…Bye.”

Who's he talking to?

“The diameter of this wound was two inches when he arrived, and now it’s only one! I have to report this to the doctor.”

And yet somehow, I'm not surprised.

“I think now is the time to tell you all the truth.”

Goody!

[Shadow_Shaymin]

RAAAAAAARGH!!!

I have read the entire thing quite recently, THEN I GET THE MASSIVE CLIFFHANGER!!!

Oh well. Well, I'll just say that i am loving the fic, but I think Altair is too strong. I mean, super awesome Matrix float in the air abilities XD, not giving commands to his pokemon and owning everyone by not doing anything. Oh well, I am kinda glad he was nearly dead, I don't like him, as great as his character is.

Keep up the writing, and stay fabulously awesome at writing (well, at least in comparison to me VV)

[cichawk]

Alright, time to get to work.

Lord Zant

You're cruel.

I've heard that one before.

No, seriously.

I've heard that one too.

I WILL read next chapter. That's gotta be one of the most bothersome cliffhangers I've ever seen. 21 chapters of buildup, and it stops with "I think it'a time to tell you the truth."

Heh, it must not bother me as much since I already knew exactly what happens. =P But really, I just stopped because the chapter was getting long, and I was getting tired.

Is he a Pokemorph? there was that discussion - "My element is ice, after all."

I googled that up, and that's quite some interesting stuff on that website. Well, to that question, I'll just say... hmm.

But the wounds? I dunno. You're definately taking this in a cool direction, though.

I will say Naruto influenced a bit of that. But I do have him have that ability for a reason.

Uh... not too much to say. It WAS a cliffhanger, after all.

I tend to imagine every chapter as a cliffhanger, since there's obviously more to the story after each chapter, unless it's the last one, so technically every chapter is somewhat of a cliffhanger.

GrizzlyB

Will get onto those errors.

Anywho, interesting development. Altair got beaten... badly. So, I guess we'll find out by whom and why in the next chapter, eh? That, plus why his wounds heal so fast, and why Ash went back into the forest. And, strange turnaround for Altair to suddenly decide to reveal everything. Sounds like he might need their help. Exciting.

Yeah, everything will pretty much be revealed next chapter, to an extent. As for Ash going back into the forest, he didn't go back for any special reason other to be alone. I guess I kind of made it like he went out looking for something eh? But I imagine that he was just finding time for his thoughts about the strange occurrences.

swampert55

I agree with LZ: that was an excellent cliffhanger. However, you have an excessive amount of single-sentence paragraphs, and the flow of this chapter seems erratic and rushed. Your longest paragraph is 5 lines.

I guess I did eh? I'll keep an eye on that next chapter.

That definitely lacks any description. It's like an anticlimax.

I dunno, that was supposed to be like a mini-cliffhanger for the next segment of the chapter, since I did a semi recap in the next section. I don't really know what else I could say there without describing what she saw, besides saying something like "May gasped at the sight she witnessed."

Earthborn

!

I get that sometimes too.

hat was my first reaction to this chapter. It certainly seemed like a sudden leap in the pace after so much happening for unknown reasons.

Yeah, sort of like when it was discovered that Altair was an operative. Looking back, I'm not sure if I wanted to reveal all that, but I guess it did make for some nice content. Otherwise, I may have lost a couple chapters.

If cichawk is an Advanceshipper, you're not.

=D

Altair....who or rather what is he? I sense that we're finally going to get some answers. He sure can heal fast...maybe the PDA implants nano repair bots into thier agents or something.

He's a person of course!

When you said PDA, I think you meant PDI. Heh, a bit confusing now that I look at it.

Anyway, the truth. I hope soon, but take your time.

Getting to work.

Ariel_Anderson

Hmm, one part is in italics, the other in normal writing. Does that mean it's just a flashback of her previous comments OR
He's reading her mind?
Aww, May saved his life. And Altair says nothing. (A**hole)

The italics is the nurse's thoughts, and the normal is her speech.

Hehe, Altair isn't exactly sociable is he?

Who's he talking to?

Hmm, who knows? (Except me)

Shadow_Shaymin

Why hello, new reader. =D

PM list?

RAAAAAAARGH!!!

I have read the entire thing quite recently, THEN I GET THE MASSIVE CLIFFHANGER!!!

I get that response a lot too. I must do that a lot. =P

Oh well. Well, I'll just say that i am loving the fic, but I think Altair is too strong. I mean, super awesome Matrix float in the air abilities XD, not giving commands to his pokemon and owning everyone by not doing anything. Oh well, I am kinda glad he was nearly dead, I don't like him, as great as his character is.

Yeah, that's been an issue some people have had with my fic. I guess he does seem like some sort of demi-god or whatever you may call him. There is a reason for his strengths though, and also, his weaknesses are starting to show too.

Hm, so you want me to kill him off? =D

[Waterpokes]

When are the next chapter coming out? I need to know, because its a awesome story.

[cichawk]

Foreword

It has been way too long, so finally here it is. Direct continuation from last chapter, and a ton of story elements stuffed in. I just hope it’s not all too sudden or rushed. If it is, I might as well have just ruined the story.

--------------------

Chapter 23 – Goodnight, Goodbye

The four visitors had grabbed chairs from around the room and situated themselves around Altaïr’s bed, staring at him intently for him to begin what he had to say. The room was quiet, and barely a breath could be heard as the visitors felt themselves become tense and jittery. All the strange occurrences, all the mysterious events, all the dangers, were about to be explained by the wounded teenager.

Ash did his best to put on a tough demeanor, but his eyes betrayed the nervousness and fright that pestered him. Pikachu felt his trainer’s anxiety, and hid with ears drooped behind Ash’s shoulder. Brock sat stiffly with his legs crossed on his seat, attempting to predict what Altaïr may want to tell them. Dawn had her hands clasped together in her lap with her body leaned forward slightly, awaiting the tale that was about to be told.

And finally, May sat with her hands crossed across her chest and slightly shivered, as if the air was freezing cold even though it wasn’t. Nobody but May had witnessed as many things about Altaïr as she had, and now all the answers to his being were about to be answered. The suspense was killing her, but at the same time, she was afraid of what she would hear.

Altaïr sat motionless in a sitting position on his bed. He merely stared with his black eyes at the opposing wall, not taking a look at any of the people that sat around him. Part of him regretted saying as much as he did moments ago, but part of him knew that he had to say everything, for he knew the consequences of keeping mum.

Then, Altaïr snapped out of his trance and his eyes refocused on his surroundings. It was time to do what must be done.

“You all know my history, am I correct?”

Three humans and a Pokémon nodded their heads as one made no movement

“Well, as a quick recap-,” Altaïr started, remembering that he hadn’t mentioned anything to May before. “-I am an orphan, abandoned by whoever my parents were on Mount Coronet. An old hermit found me in the cold and took me in, and he became my ‘father.’ I discovered Eevee one day in the dead of winter and we became fast friends. Inseparable. When I was 10, I went down and begged for my trainer’s license, as I had no proof of my age, and me and Eevee set out for our journey.”

Even though the tale was abridged, May still felt absorbed in the tale and ceased her shivering at the warm story.

“We trained hard and we eventually obtained the eight Sinnoh gym badges, and I also caught five more Eevees and evolved them. I returned home with only my first Eevee one day for reasons still unknown to me, and an avalanche fell upon us. Eevee was swept away and I searched for him for days, only to have him return to me as a Glaceon. And after that is when I entered the Sinnoh League Competition…”

Altaïr stopped his storytelling and looked around at every person in the eye with stony eyes. Each of the listeners felt a chill run up his or her spine as he looked at each of them one at a time. He took one breath, and opened his mouth to speak again.

“And that’s all I really told you guys. You three know that I was defeated in the first round-,” Altaïr turned to look at May. “-and now you do too. Then I said that I got depressed and suicidal, but remembered my promise to Glaceon, which was to never leave him, and then I said I decided to take a hiatus from the leagues and train for three whole years.” Altaïr paused and looked at everyone once again.

“But… I never mentioned what happened within that time period… or even what happened right after my defeat.”

That caused everybody to lean in and put their entire focus into Altaïr’s words. Altaïr seemed to not notice the action and moved on with a darker tone.

“I told you all that the reason why I decided against suicide was because of my promise to Glaceon, but I never actually stated why I took that break from competing in leagues.”

Altaïr began to shift uncomfortably in his position, as if he was looking for the right thing to say. It was unusual for him to look as nervous as he did, and his audience definitely took notice, but still remained silent.

“Well…” the teenager looked around at each person once again, took a deep breath, and made up his mind.

“I was approached. By a man. A man that would change my life forever.”

------------------

A young boy with unruly black hair, a pair of black sports shorts, and a plain white t-shirt, sat dejectedly on a bench. It was midday, and the boy had just exited a battlefield in which he had just been soundly defeated in a Pokémon battle. The boy sat with his head looking into the ground, and his eyes were unseen due to the shadows cast by his hair. In his hand, he held a single teal Pokéball, the Pokéball which held his best friend. A drop of water fell onto the Pokéball, and the boy’s grip on it became tighter.

“Say there, what’s got you down there, kid?”

The depressed boy looked up and saw a man wearing a formal business suit and brown hair slicked back with gel. The man was clean shaven and looked to be in his twenties. A black suitcase was in his right hand while his left hand was stuffed in the pocket of his suit.

The boy that the man spoke to turned his head back down and continued staring at his Pokéball with sad eyes. He fidgeted with the object and did his best to ignore the man, though a slight interest on what the man wanted piqued him.

“So, not gonna say anything to me? That’s nice.”

Stepping a bit to the left, the man stood directly in front of the juvenile and allowed himself to cast a long shadow over the boy. The young boy felt the pit of his stomach swell in anxiety, not knowing what the man wanted with him.

“The name is Altaïr, correct?” the man continued on without waiting for the boy’s reply. “I saw your battle. Quite interesting indeed.”

Altaïr’s grip on his Pokéball hardened as he recalled the humiliating battle he had just had to suffer through. A pulse shot through his veins as his frustration toward his own failure boiled him. Then the frustration turned into rage, and the young boy began to sweat and feel hatred for the world inside of him. He felt like punching the man before him, even though he still did not know the man’s purpose for approaching him. Gritting his teeth, Altaïr looked up at the man with as much resentment as possible.

The man stared straight into Altaïr’s eyes but disregarded the look of hatred he received. “I am not here for games, kid,” the man said with seriousness. “I am here to offer you a business proposition. And no, do not ask for my name, or who I am, or what I do, as that is not important. Only answer yes, if you are interested in hearing me out, or no, if you want me to leave.”

The sudden flow of words at Altaïr surprised him, causing his eyes to falter. He quickly shook it off and resumed his persona of hostility. Then the boy spoke his first words to the man.

“What can you offer me, a loser? A failure at Pokémon training?” Altaïr’s eyes narrowed.

“Now that’s not the answer to the question I asked you, so answer me simply yes… or no…”

The boy took several seconds to consider before finally answering.

“Yes.”

“Good, I thought you might.” The man flicked a very faint sneer, or so it seemed to be to Altaïr, but it was gone before he could get a second look.

“I am here to offer you a job-“

“A job?” the boy interjected. “Aren’t I a little young to be having a job? And anyway, I’m a Pokémon trainer.”

“I thought you said you were a failure as a Pokémon trainer.” That statement shut Altaïr up.

“So, continuing on, I have a job to offer you. This job is no normal job. There are many risks, and danger is always present. Death is not uncommon in this occupation.” The man saw Altaïr slowly gaining more and more interest in his speech, and knew he was achieving his goal.

“However, even with all these, inconveniences, for lack of a better word, I am thinking that you will accept this occupation.”

“And why is that?” asked Altaïr, testing the man.

“Because in this job, you can prove yourself worthy. You can prove that you are strong. Unbeatable. You can prove that you are not an insignificant weakling.”

A gleam flashed in Altaïr’s eyes as the words passed through his mind. Before him stood a man that claimed to offer him a promise out of the hole in his life. Before him was a chance to gain strength and self worth.

“Is this-Is this what I’m looking for? After my defeat, I realized that I’m a nothing. But now in front of me stands the chance to be rid of my weaknesses and take on power. All my life, I have been a nobody, alone in the world, but now, with this, I can prove myself… to the world.”

The young boy ceased his contemplation and looked into the man’s eyes once again. This time not with hostility and hatred, but of renewed vigor and determination.

“You have my life,” stated Altaïr simply.

The man nodded and held out his suitcase with one arm. He undid the lock with his other hand to open it, and he reached inside.

“Welcome to the PDI.”

A hand grabbed Altaïr from behind and the lights went out.

--------------------

“The PDI…” May recognized those letters instantly, as they were the same as the ones on Altaïr’s PDA.

“What does ‘PDI’ stand for?” Brock questioned carefully.

“Pokémon Defense Initiative.”

“What is that?” blurted out Dawn, as the three words made no sense to her.

“Well, I was just about to explain what the PDI is, and what my job is.”

The teenager’s audience shut their mouths and patiently waited for Altaïr to continue. Answers taunted the foursome as they thought of all the questions and thoughts they have had about Altaïr over the past few days, but none of them were prepared for what they were about to hear.

“The PDI is a private military corporation, or PMC. Yes, even though the current world is at peace, there are still private militaries ready to be hired at a moment’s notice. If any of you know about history, you would know that the last major war occurred over 300 years ago, so the idea of war is foreign to people today. The only visible threat to the public today is gangs like Team Rocket.”

The three younger listeners were somewhat taken aback but also confused at the content Altaïr was explaining, but they remained quiet. Brock however, began realizing what was going on, but he kept his cool to prevent any panic among his younger companions.

“So basically, the PDI is just a group of mercenaries,” analyzed Brock.

“Not quite, since the PDI only sells its services to the government. Nobody else. There are other smaller PMCs out there, but the PDI is the biggest and is often times sent out to erase the existence of the smaller PMCs that provide services to terrorist groups or gangs. However, the existence of the PDI is kept under secret since the government wants to maintain the illusion of peace.”

“The illusion of peace?” asked Ash with confusion.

“I say illusion because there is still military action being carried out covertly whenever the problem arises. And it’s not small problems like street gangs or even the bigger crime syndicates, but problems like other PMCs selling services to dangerous organizations, or others that have… a special case… that require more manpower and firepower.”

The two girls of the group stared blankly at Altaïr as he explained the new information. Neither of them had a concept of war or military, as that knowledge was never presented to them in their youth. Ash and Pikachu had their mouths slightly agape at the facts they were hearing. Brock however, sat motionless and gave no reaction.

“And now, there is exactly that type of problem occurring right now.”

The four listeners suddenly felt fearful at the prospect of a dangerous threat that required military personnel to deal with it. Both Dawn and May subconsciously leaned in towards Ash. Altaïr now sat up straighter and stared straight into the wall opposite from him, not looking at a single other soul.

“There is an organization out there, The Brotherhood of Abolitionists, or just called The Brotherhood for short, that has risen to become a serious threat to the security of not only people, but Pokémon alike.”

The information shocked the listeners violently, and no response could be procured from them.

“The Brotherhood is an organization that believes Pokémon catching and training is enslavement, and they want to rid the world of this slavery through some sort of means. They call trainers, coordinators, breeders, whoever, the enslavers, and they believe that such people should be purged.”

“That’s not right!” Ash exclaimed. “We’re not enslaving Pokémon! Our Pokémon are our friends, and they want to be with us, isn’t that right Pikachu?”

“Pika Pikapi!” Pikachu shot a peace sign with two fingers.

“Well, that’s how most of the world thinks I’m pretty sure, but there’s still a rather large group that believes otherwise, and they have formed The Brotherhood. I’m not sure of what their plan is, but the PDI has been doing its best to gather intelligence and prepare to combat this threat.”

Altaïr’s audience did not know how to react to the supposed threat that their seemingly peaceful world contained. Nervous glances were set to one another and the tension in the room stood high.

“And I’m an integral part of it.”

--------------------

“And welcome to your new home in the PDI.”

The blindfolds were removed from the younger Altaïr’s eyes and what he saw around him was vastly different from the setting he was just at hours before. He had only regained consciousness minutes ago, but the blindfolds had still suppressed his vision and he had no idea what was going on. Now before him was a room similar to a solitary confinement cell with a single small bed and a sink and toilet.

“I apologize for the… rough procedure to bring you here, but as always, it is for security purposes.”

Altaïr said no words as he blankly stared at the room as if he was thoughtless, but on the inside, he was teeming with excitement and a bit of anxiety at the new life to which he was to embark on. Finally, he would be able to escape his old existence that he despised calling his life, and prove himself to the world and most importantly, himself.

The door to his cell opened once again and a man in military clothing entered. The man wore a green camouflage uniform and wore a simple hat on his head. He was clearly bald as no hair came out the sides of the hat, as was expected of all military personnel. The man was tall, built, and his eyes radiated the essence of violence and combat. He walked over to Altaïr with his heavy boots that clanked as he took each step and towered over him.

“So, this the new scrub?” growled the soldier.

“He’s it,” stated the suited man plainly.

“Not much muscle on you, eh? And not short, but not tall either. You sure he’s the right one?”

“Right one?”

“He’s it. Now stop asking questions and do your job.” The man’s words were trite and cold as he gave a look that even caused the soldier to shudder.

“Yessir. C’mon kid, you’ll see what real training is like,” the main chuckled as he pushed Altaïr out the door.

------------------

“Thus began my training, for an entire year. I would train alone under military guidance for six months, then with my Pokémon for another six. After that, I was deemed ready to join the force and was assigned to the ISA Squad.”

“ISA? What’s that mean?” May asked, which was the first time she had done so through the entire monologue.

“Intelligence, Sabotage, and…”

Altaïr seemed to hesitate slightly, but he cleared his throat and continued on promptly, as if nothing had happened.

“Assassination.”

The four listeners and Pokémon all displayed their shocked states in different manners. Dawn gasped audibly, putting her hand to her mouth, May took a sharp intake of breath as she tensed her body, Ash swiftly stood up and had his eyes wide open, and Brock leaned heavily forward in his chair. The thought that Altaïr was an assassin had crossed their minds during their entire encounter with him, but now to some who had witnessed his abilities, the role began to match.

“ASSA-," Ash was promptly cut off by Brock’s hand.

Brock looked sternly at Ash and shook his head, nonverbally telling him to contain himself. Ash nodded, and sat back down in his seat with Pikachu on his shoulder.

“And I believe this is all I can tell you now without endangering us all here further,” stated Altaïr as he glanced up and an analog clock and saw the time to be four in the afternoon.

“I suppose you two forfeit your rankings in the contest?”

The two females in the group nodded and each blushed slightly. Ash saw May blush and he immediately began to feel his heart sink again.

“We… wanted to make sure you were ok…” said Dawn sheepishly.

“Yeah… you were just in such a terrible condition…” added May shyly.

“Then this makes things much more convenient.”

“Huh? Convenient?” asked Brock in puzzlement.

“This is for all of your own well being. Good night.”

“Oh shi-, Pikachu! Thund-.” But Ash’s command was cut short as a scent wafted through the room. It was a sweet scent that smelled of the most expensive perfumes, but it also held another trait to it.

The last thing Ash could remember were his eyes drooping and Pikachu slipping off his shoulders. His next vision was of Altaïr standing above him, looking down. Ash could not get a clear view of his face, as his vision had become blurry, but he thought could make out a face of regret on Altaïr. Then, all went black.

From behind a table, Leafeon stepped out and showed herself to her trainer. She gave a little nod, to which Altaïr replied to with a nod back.

“Good job Leafeon,” said Altaïr as he recalled her into her green Pokéball.

The teenaged boy grabbed his backpack from the chair it hung on, and hooked Leafeon’s Pokéball in its usual position on the single front strap. He then shouldered his backpack, and prepared to make his leave of the hospital, but before doing so, he made one look back at the four sleeping humans and Pokémon. Altaïr sighed deeply as he felt both necessity and slight remorse at the act he had just committed, but that feeling didn’t linger for long as he knew he had an objective to fulfill.

“I’m sorry, but this is to protect you all, and allow myself to follow the path set for me.”

Altaïr stepped out the door and closed it gently, thinking one last time about if what he did was right.

“It is. I have to complete my mission. And it’s not the one I was assigned.”

“Goodbye.”

END OF PART 1

-----------------

Afterthought

Ooo, more mystery.

There was actually more I wanted to write in this chapter, but I decided to exclude it because of the overall story’s purposes. Vague, yeah, but someday in the future, the distant future, it’ll be clear. So yup, that's the official end to Part 1: Neo Expedition.

Again, I just hope it’s not too rushed.

And yes, it’s a coincidence that this chapter was released on the same day Metal Gear Solid 4 was released (if any of you know about the game, you’ll know why I mentioned this).

[Ariel_Anderson]

OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cliffffffffffhhhhhhhhaaaanggggggerrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!! Noooo!!!

You sure he’s the right one?”

“Right one?”

“He’s it.

Ooooooooo!!! Altair is special?!

The two girls of the group stared blankly at Altaïr as he explained the new information. Neither of them had a concept of war or military

Huh. How about that?

The PDI is a private military corporation, or PMC

*Starts to shiver* N-no... not PMC... not PMC, not PMC notPMCnotPMCNOTPMCNOTPMCNOTPMC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !! NOT THAT ACRONYM! NO!!! NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edit: I'm sorry for freaking out before, it's just...

Sorry. Old trauma.

You see... that was the name of the organisation that my older brother's murderer belonged to!!!! And he was a f****** mercenary as well!!!!!

[EarthBorn]

Ooh, an explanation chapter. I've got one coming up too, but of a different nature of course.

PDI= Pokemon Defence Initiative. Kinda like GDI in CNC huh? Anyway, it's functioning and stuff makes quite a bit of sense, considering the position of war in the anime. Altaïr, I was right in assuming he's in a CIA-like branch of the PDI. ISA and the name Altaïr reminds me a lot of Assassin’s Creed, which I haven't been able to find enough time to play.

So, has Altaïr, um, assassinated anyone yet? I don't think so, but I do think that's a part of his mission right now. The Brotherhood of Abolitionists, certainly do have a unique ideology, but it remains to be seen what can be done about them. Naturally, Altair seems to have gotten some genetic enhancements after all.

Keep toughing along...

[Ariel_Anderson]

So, has Altaïr, um, assassinated anyone yet?

Betcha he has.

[GrizzlyB]

“I am not hear for games, kid,” the man said with seriousness.

“Am I’m an integral part of it.”

May took a shark intake of breath as she tensed her body,

I'll assume that you can find the mistakes in those.

So, is there going to be a time lapse, or what? I don't really get why Altair told them all of that, then just ran off, either. Still, very interesting and informational chapter.

[cichawk]

Ariel_Anderson

*Starts to shiver* N-no... not PMC... not PMC, not PMC notPMCnotPMCNOTPMCNOTPMCNOTPMC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !! NOT THAT ACRONYM! NO!!! NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edit: I'm sorry for freaking out before, it's just...

Sorry. Old trauma.

You see... that was the name of the organisation that my older brother's murderer belonged to!!!! And he was a f****** mercenary as well!!!!!

I'm sorry for your loss.

Earthborn

Ooh, an explanation chapter. I've got one coming up too, but of a different nature of course.

I would say my story is sort of based off the games I play, since I feel that the best story lines ever are all placed in games. Movies just don't really cut it for me. I mean, I named my OC after a video game character, and I kind of borrow elements from other games. But rest assured, the entire story is unique (I hope).

PDI= Pokemon Defence Initiative. Kinda like GDI in CNC huh? Anyway, it's functioning and stuff makes quite a bit of sense, considering the position of war in the anime. Altaïr, I was right in assuming he's in a CIA-like branch of the PDI. ISA and the name Altaïr reminds me a lot of Assassin’s Creed, which I haven't been able to find enough time to play.

Bingo with the connection with CNC.

I just wanted to go in the direction of something that would be mentioned in a children's TV show. In this case, it's war and espionage.

Heh, I got the name Altaïr from Assassin's Creed, which I beat when I got it last year.

So, has Altaïr, um, assassinated anyone yet? I don't think so, but I do think that's a part of his mission right now. The Brotherhood of Abolitionists, certainly do have a unique ideology, but it remains to be seen what can be done about them. Naturally, Altair seems to have gotten some genetic enhancements after all.

Well, I cannot answer that first question at this point. And as Altaïr will be absent for much of Part 2, that question won't be answered in the story for a while.

See another link with the name "Brotherhood of Abolitionists?"

As for the ideology, it always was something that sort of came into mind whenever I thought deeply about Pokemon. I mean, it's just like ownership, but Pokemon have more complex thoughts and emotions, so thus they could be justified as "people."

And let's not jump to conclusions about Altaïr's genetic makeup. ;-)

GrizzlyB

So, is there going to be a time lapse, or what? I don't really get why Altair told them all of that, then just ran off, either. Still, very interesting and informational chapter.

No time lapse I will say, since I'm posting the next chapter in juts a few.

Altair is juts a mysterious guy I have to say.

Next chapter will also be a mix of information and action.

[cichawk]

Foreword

Welcome to Part 2 – Neo Revelation.

The shippyness that you all have waited for is nearing.

But be patient a bit longer ;-).

-----------------

Part 2 - Neo Revelation

Chapter 24 – Exodus

“Unghh…”

A person began regaining consciousness after a deep dreamless slumber. How the slumber was induced was unknown, but it definitely didn’t feel natural to the riser. The person opened his eyes and noticed that he was lying on a cold floor, so he picked himself up slowly. Rubbing his squinty eyes, the person yawned loudly and stretched his limbs out.

“Hadda’ nice nap?”

The formerly sleeping person whirled around in alarm and spotted a man sitting on a chair in the corner of the room. He was a man not yet his middle ages but over his teenaged years, as he had the evening shadow of a beard shaven in the morning and short, oily brown hair. The man looked extremely well built and had an overall hardened look to him.

“Brock, is it?” The man’s voice was also quite low and gruff.

Brock blinked once, though it was not obvious that he did so, and nodded cautiously.

“Yeah, that’s me…” Brock backed slightly and grabbed a hypodermic needle from the cart behind him.

“No need to be alarmed, kid. Altaïr arranged for me to help extract you guys.” The man stood up and his attire could now be clearly viewed. He wore a heavy dark blue and black vest, probably bulletproof, noted Brock, which had many pockets on the front for magazines of ammunition. A couple of hand grenades could also be spotted hooked into his vest. Under the vest, the man had a dark blue jacket and black gloves on his hands. Looking down, Brock saw that he wore heavy black urban camouflage pants and boots. On his waist, the man had a gun strapped to his right side in a holster, and a radio on his left. The gun left Brock in an uneasy position, despite the man saying he was an associate of Altaïr.

“Ya’ look scared,” chuckled the man. “Well, I guess introducing myself would ease some of that, but I suggest you wake up your friends first before we move along.”

Brock silently complied and began bending down to wake his companions one at a time through shakes and calls. Soon, after much eye rubbing, yawning, and questions about the stranger, the four travelers and Pokémon were seated in the seats that they had sat in while listening to Altaïr’s tale, but now facing towards the man.

“Alright, first off, name’s Dunning, Gabriel Dunning, but just call me Gabe, or Captain Dunning, or whatever. Second, Altaïr called me in to help you guys get outa’ here safely. Third, I’m the captain of the Lightcrown SWAT Team, which is why I got this gear on, and am called a captain.”

“Um, excuse me, Captain Gabe?” said Dawn as she raised her hand politely. The captain grunted in acknowledgement. “What do you mean Altaïr called you to get us out of here?”

“He didn’t exactly fill me in on all the details, as he was in quite a rush, but all he said was that you guys were in danger and need to get out of here safely.”

“Danger!?” exclaimed everyone else simultaneously.

“From what!?” Ash almost shouted.

“And I’ll say again that he didn’t give me all the details.”

“Wait a minute…” Brock cut in. “Are you part of the PDI?”

“No, as I repeat myself, AGAIN,” Captain Dunning emphasized the last word clearly. “I am the captain of the Lightcrown SWAT Team. And yes, Lightcrown has a SWAT Team because of the large scale gang problems that occasionally occur.”

“Then how does Altaïr know you?” Brock continued on interrogating.

“What, do you not trust me?” Captain Dunning crossed his arms.

“Not until you tell us everything we want to know,” Brock said with as much determination as he could. He knew that with the strange occurrences that they have been going through and the information they heard from Altaïr, enemies of the disappeared boy could have tracked him to the hospital they were at, which would mean they would have seen Brock and the gang were associated with Altaïr. Brock now understood the danger that Captain Dunning was speaking about, but it seemed that Ash, Dawn, and May weren’t thinking the same things as he was, so he decided he would keep his concerns to himself to avoid frightening his younger friends.

Captain Dunning nodded as he began to see what Brock’s intentions.

“Alright, year or so ago, we were having a huge problem with the two major gangs of this city; The King’s Men, and The Hand of Light. A little background info, the King’s Men own the entire old sector of Lightcrown as well as a chunk of the new sector, while the Hand of Light owns a large chunk downtown, so they’re a fair distance apart. But one day, each of the gang’s top leader was assassinated by the other, and a huge war began to erupt on the streets of the main sector, the area where the most tourists go. Many civilians were killed as the first shots were fired, and the SWAT Team was instantly called to try to quell the conflict. I was only a sergeant at the time, so I was in the heat of the battles. Now Altaïr comes in when my unit is wiped out by a deadly crossfire and I become the only survivor, pinned down in the middle of the street under a car. That crazy kid, I think he said he was fourteen or something then, jumps out from the top of a store roof and lands in the middle of the firing. Somehow, he was able to not get hit as he slid under the car and pulled me out. And somehow, we were able to make it to safety without being hit. It was some freakin’ miracle.”

Ash, Brock, Dawn, May, and Pikachu all gawked at Captain Dunning as he concluded his tale. The thought of Altaïr running down the streets and dodging bullets, all at age fourteen, seemed unbelievable, but then, Altaïr was not the typical teenaged Pokémon trainer. After all, he did claim to be on an assassination squad.

“So after the whole ordeal ended, me and him got to know each other some. And he actually told me everything about him too, how he was in PDI, and how he was conducting a mission in Lightcrown. What he was doing is beyond me, though. Eventually, he left as his mission was completed, and I didn’t hear from him at all. Meh, I figured that, him being spec-ops and everything. It was just this afternoon that he just randomly appeared in my office, or rather, snuck into my office. I tell ya’ that kid’s got some real talent for that stuff. He gave me a quick briefing on how his current mission in Lightcrown has gone wrong and that he needed me to help protect and transport you guys to a safe place. Of course, since he saved my life and everything, I complied, and here I am.”

“Hmm, his story seems viable. Sounds like Altaïr has quite a colorful past.” Brock was the first to stand and his friends all looked up at him as he did so.

“Alright, so if we’re in danger as you said, where will you be taking us?” Brock furrowed his eyebrows as he was now truly frightened for his life and his friends’. From the sound of things, Altaïr’s mission had to do with The Brotherhood, but something had gone wrong which led to Altaïr ending up wounded. However, the reason for Altaïr knocking them out and disappearing still eluded the breeder. Also, he questioned to himself why Altaïr would decide to ask help from local law enforcement rather than the PDI.

“Wouldn’t the PDI have better protection too?”

“Me and my men will take you to Veilstone City, since that’s a pretty good distance away. Whatever Altaïr is afraid of happening to you guys shouldn’t be an issue there. The police there will take you guys in and keep you all under their protection, until we hear from Altaïr again.”

“So basically, we’re going to be kept under confinement from some ‘threat’ until Altaïr says otherwise?” Ash had a look of rage in his eyes since he could not bear Altaïr taking control of him again. The humiliating battle during their first encounter still left a stigma, and now hearing all the new stories about the teenager, he felt powerless and worthless. He wanted Altaïr to stop being the hero all the time. He wanted to show that he could protect his friends; Pikachu, Brock, Dawn, and… May. He wanted to prove himself, just like Altaïr did, but he wanted to prove himself to just one person.

“I won’t let you kids just wander around vulnerable to whatever dangers may lurk for you guys now. I have a debt to repay, and I won’t let him down.” Captain Dunning glared back at the trainer, hand balled in a fist, but Ash wouldn’t give in so easily either.

“Ash…”

The soft voice that sounded like angels to the boy spun him around instantly as he looked right into May’s eyes staring back at his. This was the first time that she had directly addressed him since the months they had separated. Ash felt his heart soften as he looked into her wonderful sapphire eyes. Her face displayed a mix of anxiety and concern because of the situation they had been dragged in. Ash released his anger and focused all his attention to what she had to say.

“Ash…” May repeated. “I think we should listen to Captain Dunning… and go with him to Veilstone City,” May shifted uneasily as she felt herself blush, knowing too that she was speaking to Ash directly for the first time.

Ash looked at her for one moment longer before nodding his head once. “Ok,” he whispered softly, giving in to his pride and self-worth. He wanted May to feel safe, and if going with Captain Dunning was the way, then he would humble himself and comply.

“It’s not like I woulda’ given you kids a choice, anyway. We leave now, so I’ll explain the plan. I have disguised semi trucks up front so we can leave here without being noticed if there is anybody watching us. You’ll be put into boxes in the storage room down the hall and my men will wheel you guys in to the back of one of the trucks. I have three other semis as escorts, which are filled with my squads, so in case something does happen, you’ll be well defended. I’ll be coming along as well. Also, the trucks are armored on the inside, just as a little insurance. Once you’re all in the truck, you can leave your containers and roam around… the inside of the truck.” Captain Dunning shrugged at his last statement.

“Eh, what can you expect? So you all got the plan?”

The group nodded and Captain Dunning motioned for them to follow him. Dawn checked her Pokétch and saw that the time was 9:09 pm. They had been out for over five hours.

Captain Dunning led the group out of Altaïr’s room and they traveled down the hallway for a very brief period before the captain turned and opened a door that said “Storage.” Inside, four men wearing janitor’s outfits stood ready with boxes large enough to fit a human beside them with dollies. Captain Dunning promptly instructed for the group to each get into a box. Pikachu and Ash both stepped together into one box as Brock, Dawn, and May all stepped into another. The boxes were sealed and there was a jerk as they were lifted onto the dollies. There was one small hole on the box at eye level that allowed light to enter to help ease any claustrophobia, as well allowing the passengers to get a narrow view of what was outside.

After only a few minutes of moving down hallways and going down elevators, though it seemed like half an hour to the occupants of the boxes, they each felt more turbulence as they were wheeled up a ramp and into the semi trucks. The back of the truck was pulled down and only a small light at the top of the truck illuminated the dank interior.

Brock assumed that they were allowed to exit their containers, so he pushed forward to discover that the box could be easily opened. After the breeder went around to all his friends and helped them out of their boxes, they all sat down against the walls of the truck, Brock and May on one side and Ash and Dawn on the other, and remained silent. Many thoughts were running through each of their minds, mostly of nervousness and anxiety, though some were of pure fright, and others were meditating on their situation. The rear of the truck opened once again as Captain Dunning stepped in silently, then closing behind him. He nodded to the other four occupants as he shouldered an assault rifle that was leaning against the wall. The sight of the heavy weapon sent chills up everyone’s spine, for they could not imagine what kind of danger would require such a weapon besides a large gunfight.

A short wait ensued before the sound of an igniting engine could be heard and movement was felt. They were off. Off to an unclear future.

-------------------

Several hours had passed in silence as each member of Ash’s group was sitting in his or her own corner of the truck. Everyone needed some alone time to sort thoughts and recuperate from the sudden turn of events. None of them had expected that their journeys would have altered in the manner it had been.

The single fluorescent lamp swung lazily from side to side due to the jostling of the truck. Low roars from the truck could be heard through the wall, but it was impossible to tell where they were, as there were no windows to look out of.

The feeling of isolation and containment began creeping into Ash’s psyche, and restlessness started to overtake him. Over the course of their trip, he had stood up and paced in his corner, bit his nails, did sit-ups and push-ups, and tapped the wall. The teenaged boy just couldn’t sit still as he and his friends were being transported to an unknown destiny.

The trainer looked down at his Pokémon, and his Pokémon looked back at him. Pikachu had been quietly sitting with Ash, and he too, felt his trainer’s emotions. The Electric Mouse would continuously let sparks fly from his cheeks and run in circles to ease the restlessness.

“Pikachu… what are we?”

“Ka?” Pikachu ceased his pacing and looked up at his trainer worriedly.

“Are we… a good team? Are we… strong?” Ash allowed his head to hang lower after each statement.

“Pika Pikachu Pikapi!” exclaimed Ash’s best friend, as if to admonish his trainer for saying such things.

“Then why do I always have to have my hand held? Why do I always have to fall and have somebody catch me? Just look at Altaïr. He’s lived alone most of his life, and now he’s found true strength.”

“Is it really true strength?” said a gruff voice from Ash’s right. The teenager quickly looked up and saw Captain Dunning standing no more than a couple of meters away, listening to his conversation with Pikachu.

“I couldn’t help but overhear, since you’re the only one talking right now.” The captain took a few steps towards Ash as he squatted down beside him, gun laid aside. “Seems like you’re having a few troubles, kid.”

The sound of the word ‘kid’ caused Ash to twitch. The word kid meant that he was young and helpless, requiring someone’s aid. The word meant that he could not look out for himself and needed support whenever he was put down. The word meant he was weak.

“I’m not a kid,” mumbled Ash in a low voice.

“I see now.” Captain Dunning took a seat and stretched one leg forward while bending the other at the knee with his arm on top of it. “You’re comparing yourself to him, aren’t you?”

“No! I was just-“

“I did too.”

The words that the teenaged boy was spitting out were lost as he heard this. He closed his mouth and opened it once again as if he was about to say something, but then closed it again.

“How do you think it felt when being part of an elite police unit but then being rescued by a kid barely in his teens?”

Ash could not answer.

“How do you think it felt learning that he was part of the top private military corporation serving under one of the most secretive units in existence?”

The boy had no response.

Captain Dunning’s voice had been rising as he asked his rhetorical questions, but he caught himself and lowered his voice as he continued.

“You see, Altaïr is one of a kind. As much as I like him and am grateful for him saving my life, I cannot say he’s normal. He does not fit into society.”

This caused Ash to turn and look at Captain Dunning in the eye for the first time since their trip began. What the captain was saying took hold of all of Ash’s attention. Even Pikachu was completely focused on the captain.

“This is what I learned after observing him shortly after I experienced the same feelings as you. Do not feel inferior ‘cause he can do all the stuff you can’t. You’re not supposed to be like Altaïr. Nobody is.”

Ash looked at the man with amazement. It was almost like he was saying that Altaïr was something not human. But then again, how many teenaged boys get recruited into private militaries and assigned to assassination squads? Still, one thought still bothered the trainer.

“Can I protect May… protect all of us… in this mess?”

“Just keep that in mind, kid.” Captain Dunning picked up his weapon and walked away to the far end.

This time, the word didn’t bother Ash at all. He was too deep in thought of what the captain had said about Altaïr.

Suddenly, a loud explosion was heard outside, and all momentum of their trailer stopped, causing all the occupants to land on the floor. The two females of the let out screams while the males grunted. Pikachu gave a “Chaaaa…” as he rolled along the floor.

“What’s going on!” yelled Brock as he tried to pick himself off the ground.

Two more explosions were heard outside, this time even louder, which meant that they were closer. Then, a sound similar to that of pebbles hitting metal could be heard on the walls of the trailer they were in. Popping noises could also be heard in the distance, coming in short and long bursts.

Without answering Brock, Captain Dunning grabbed the radio from his waist and yelled into it.

“WHAT’S GOING ON OUT THERE?!” The captain’s eyes were opened wide and his voice was hard.

Through his radio came the sound of more of the popping noises and the sound of screams. Among the apparent chaos, a faint voice could be heard by only the captain.

“Under - - - Need Rein- - - - AHHH! - - - .” The transmission was cut off by static emitting through the radio. Captain Dunning swore under his breath as he holstered his radio and pulled the bolt of his assault rifle.

“You guys. Stay. Here,” said the captain with authority. He ran towards the rear and began to work the door open until an extremely loud bang came from near the front of the trailer.

All the occupants turned to face that end and what they saw was a giant hole on the left side of the trailer. The sounds outside could now be heard more clearly, and the sounds were of a familiar nature. They could now be identified more as sharp cracks than pops, and they were becoming more numerous as the seconds went on.

Soon after the hole was created, several objects entered through the hole and fell onto the trailer floor with resounding thuds. The teenagers watched from a distance with curiosity, but the captain instantly recognized what the objects were and began grabbing the others’ arms and pulled them to the ground.

“GET DOWN, NOW!”

Then a sound resembling a spark came from the direction of the alien objects, and a hissing could be heard.

“SHI-,” but before Captain Dunning could finish, he dropped to the floor and was out cold.

“AHH!” screamed Dawn. “WHAT HAPPENED TO HI-,” but Dawn’s words were also cut off as she too, fell to the floor.

Before any of the three remaining people and Pokémon could utter a sound, they too, all fell to the floor and went out cold. The last living thing to lose consciousness was Pikachu, and before his eyes fully closed, he saw forms coming through the hole at the end of the trailer, and he was able to recognize one holding an object similar to that of what Captain Dunning held before his vision was lost.

----------------

Afterthought

Don’t worry, things will start cooling down after this chapter.



And now an announcement. I will be going to Taiwan today and will be back in 2 weeks (July 9th), so there will be a lack of updates during this period. Though it's not like I haven't updated for 2 weeks before.

[EarthBorn]

Aah, another soul inspired by Video Games.

Welcome to Part 2 – Neo Revelation.

The shippyness that you all have waited for is nearing.

But be patient a bit longer ;-).

Yay for shippyness!

“So basically, we’re going to be kept under confinement from some ‘threat’ until Altaïr says otherwise?” Ash had a look of rage in his eyes since he could not bear Altaïr taking control of him again. The humiliating battle during their first encounter still left a stigma, and now hearing all the new stories about the teenager, he felt powerless and worthless. He wanted Altaïr to stop being the hero all the time. He wanted to show that he could protect his friends; Pikachu, Brock, Dawn, and… May. He wanted to prove himself, just like Altaïr did, but he wanted to prove himself to just one person.

Come on Ash, you've saved the world a couple of times. You're better than Altair's supernatural genetic enhancements (yes, I'm clinging onto that theory - even though I'm probably wrong ). Plus, you can use the Aura!

Anyway, great chapter, and an interesting turn of events. Of course, they're not dead and we know that.
Also, May talks to Ash! Keep it up, and bring on the shippyness. Sorry, but I didn't spot any mistakes...I'm kinda in a hurry.

And to end it all, enjoy your vacation!

[swampert55]

Ouch. Someone wants revenge...

The two females of the let out screams while the

There's an of there.

“What’s going on!" yelled Brock as he tried to pick himself off the ground.

That should be either a question mark or a !?. I recommend !?. :D

[Ariel_Anderson]

Oooooohhhh, so violentttttttt..... it's weird-ish