Destiny Rebirth

Press Encounter

Ash, begrudgingly, entered the room and could hear conversations beginning to stir, as his eyes caught the glances of the people, who filled the room, were sending his way. He stepped through the crowd to the front of the room, where he noticed Giovanni sitting, behind a desk, with a bored expression on his face. Behind him, was a wall that showed a pattern of Silph Corporation's logo, which was used as a backdrop for any pictures taken.

Giovanni glanced Ash and his bored expression quickly shifted to an evil smirk. He let out a soft chuckle as Ash took a seat next to his. Lucario stood behind his trainer and let out a low growl, audible to only those behind the desk, while Pikachu took a seat in his master's lap, as he eyed the Persian that was on the other side of Giovanni.

"Nice of you to finally join us," Giovanni whispered to Ash. Ash didn't respond and kept his eyes focused on the row of people, in front of him. "Oh, did I scare you into silence from our earlier run in?" At this remark, Lucario began to growl louder.

Ash turned to his aura Pokémon and whispered harshly to him. "That's enough, Lucario! Act civilized!" Ash made it sound easy to do, but deep down, he wanted nothing more than to punch Giovanni in the face, while wiping that smirk off his face, in the process.

"My, my Ash, so much reserve, for a young man," Giovanni mocked. He turned his attention to the reporters, as the assistant made the announcement that the press conference had begun.

The first few questions were supposed to go to Giovanni, so Ash got to just sit there and listen to the answers he was giving. Each answer came out with a fake humility and kindness, as he's hiding his true sick and twisted character. Ash had seen Giovanni at his worst. By just thinking about it, makes him sick to the stomach.

Ash's mind began to drift back to when he truly saw Giovanni's madness.

---

Ash stood by the ruins of the doorway, as he heard Serena's screams on the other side. His heart ached, but he knew what he had to do. He promised her that he would return, and he aimed to keep it. He turned his vision back to the lobby, as another agonizing cry came from the floor below. Ash couldn't take the stairs, as the path was blocked by the ever-increasing flames.

"Come on, you two! This way!"

Ash ran towards the back of the lobby with Charizard and Pikachu in tow. Ash ran to the back of the lobby; but was sent backward, as an explosion put him, on his butt, revealing a massive hole in the floor. He quickly got up and made his way to the hole. He looked over the edge of the crumbling floor, to see a grey and purple Pokemon encased inside three spinning circular metal rings. The rings emitted what looked like an electrical charge, and the agony it caused the entrapped Pokemon, was obvious.

Ash had to think quickly. He searched the lobby, trying to come up with an idea before his eyes fell on his Charizard.

"Charizard, use Dragon Tail to widen the hole, and then, take us down there!" Ash shouted.

Charizard let out a roar as his tail began to turn green. It spun and slammed his empowered tail onto the ground, enlarging the hole.

"Great job!" Ash shouted while jumping on Charizard's back. "Now, get us down there!"

Charizard jumped in the air, before diving through the hole to the floor below. Charizard hovered over the ground, as Ash and Pikachu jumped off and landed in the destroyed laboratory.

"Giovanni, it's over!" Ash shouted. "Stop this insanity before it destroys you!"

Giovanni turned to Ash while revealing a look of maniac joy on his face. His creepy smile made Ash's skin crawl, while the look of insanity in his eyes, froze Ash and his muscle tense. Giovanni saw the boy and let out a laugh that echoed throughout the remaining portion of the lab.