Pokemon Dark Mirror chapter 12

BLAM!

The sudden loud noise made the creatures stop in their tracks. Max covered his ears quickly, surprised by the deafening sound. It was just in time too, as another shot rang out.

BLAM!

This one sounded closer. May looked towards where the noise was coming from. She could faintly make out a very human figure walking towards them from one of the houses. He yelled threateningly before firing his rifle again. "GET AWAY FROM THEM!"

Another shot. One of the larger monsters shrieked in response and fell to the ground. The other creatures began to disperse, running off into the grayness. The cat creature snarled angrily at the man. The man clicked his gun again, and the skull-headed killer fled.

The group looked up at their savior. He only beckoned them to come with him. "Hurry! Before more show up!" They needed no second bidding. The group followed the man into his house. Once they were all inside, the door was slammed shut and locked. Ash and his friends tried to catch their breaths.

"You kids alright?"

Ash looked up at the man who had saved their lives. He was a tall man, not particularly fat or thin. Small glasses were perched over deep brown eyes. His hair was dark brown, almost black. His clothes were nondescript, a weathered coat and jeans. He was someone who wouldn't really be noticed under normal circumstances. Right now, he was the greatest person in the world.

May swiftly wrapped her arms around the man, squealing in sheer joy. "Thank you so much! Thank you!"

Their savoir smiled warmly. "You're…you're welcome. Heh."

Max joined his sister. "Yeah thanks so much mister!"

The 'mister' patted the boy's head reassuringly. "It's alright now."

It was alright, everyone mentally repeated. The terror that had just happened was past…for now. Misty sat by the covered window, trying to stop her knees from shaking. Brock sat down, almost exhausted. Ash held a shaking Pikachu in his lap, trying to calm them both down.

May and Max finally released the man, who gasped for breath for a moment. Max wobbled a little. May noticed it, and asked if he was OK.

"Kinda…I'm a little thirsty." Max mumbled.

"There's some juice in the fridge."

"I'll get it." Ash volunteered, Pikachu hopping onto his shoulder. "Where's the kitchen, mister…"

"Oh…Satos. My name's Satos."

"Satos." Misty repeated. "Thank you for saving us, Satos."

"No problem. I saw you being threatened by those…creatures and I felt I should help. What were those things?"

"We don't know…" Ash answered. "The kitchen?"

"Oh yeah, it's over there." Satos pointed towards a door in the house. Ash walked over, shaking just a little. Satos shook his head. "First the mayor goes nuts, then this fog and siren, and now these monsters roaming the streets! It's like some kind of bad dream."

"Yeah. And I wanna wake up soon." Max sighed.

Brock suddenly remembered his manners. "Oh, I'm Brock, by the way."

"My name's Misty."

"M-May."

"And I'm Max."

"I'm Ash, and this is Pikachu." Ash answered from his position just outside the kitchen.

"It's nice to meet you all." Satos turned to Ash curiously. "Ash…that's an interesting name."

"Thanks." Ash shrugged as he opened the fridge door.

"Ash…" Satos mused, as if trying to remember something. "Where do you live?"

"Uh, Pallet Town. Why?"

Satos' eye grew wide. "Pallet Town…"

"You ever been there before?" Ash took some juiceboxes from the fridge.

"Yeah…yeah I have. A long time ago."

Ash closed the fridge door. "Really? That's…" It was then Ash noticed something on the fridge door. Something that made his eyes grow wide. He simply stared at it for a minute, not making a sound.

"Ash?"

Ash blinked to make sure he wasn't seeing things. It couldn't be…could it? He took the flat thing off the door and brought it up to his face. Forgotten juiceboxes clattered on the floor.

"Ash? What is it?"

Ash numbly stepped out of the kitchen, holding the thing in front of his face. Then he looked at Satos and turned the thing around so everyone could see it.

It was a picture, custom made to be a fridge magnet. Satos was in it, but in a snappy black tuxedo. Beside him was a young woman with red hair in a gorgeous wedding dress. Both were beaming with happiness.

Ash knew the woman. "That's my mom…"

Everyone's eyes went wide. There was a total silence. Everyone looked at Satos as what Ash was saying sunk in. The man lowered his head slightly and smiled.

"Ash Ketchum."

The boy's eyes grew even wider than before. His mouth fell open in shock, uttering a single word.


"…Dad?"


Satos didn't contradict it, and that was enough of an answer for Ash.

"DAD!" Before anyone could blink, Ash had wrapped his arms around his long-lost father. Tears of joy were in his young eyes. Satos returned the hug, not saying a word. No-one dared to break the silence this time, leaving the two to their reunion. It was a long time before Ash finally spoke again.

"I can't believe it, I…It's unbelievable! I always hoped for this…"

"Me too…" Satos sighed. "We got so much to talk about…"

"Yeah, like…" Ash removed his arms, a confused expression on his face. He felt so many different things he couldn't figure it out. "Like…why did you go? Why'd I never hear from you?"

Satos gulped in shame. Ash's expression became even more troubled, almost angry. "Why did you just leave us? Why didn't I ever…?"

"SHHHH!"

Ash turned a furious eye at Misty. "WHAT?!?"

"QUIET! Do you guys hear something?!"

Ash seethed in frustration, but didn't say anything. No-one else did, and sure enough, there was a noise. Distant, distorted barking.

Ash gasped. He had heard that noise outside his hotel door the night before he was kidnapped…

Misty peered through the blinds. Almost immediately, she screamed in panic. "OH MY GOD!"

"What?" May demanded, starting to panic as well. Ash ran to the window and pulled two blinds apart. What he saw was even more terrifying than the cat creature.

Monstrous dogs were approaching the house, barking and snarling like eager hounds on the trail of a fox. They had to be close for Ash to see them in the fog. And right behind them was the unmistakable silhouette of Pyramid Head. Pointed helmet and all.

Ash whirled around. "It's the killer from the butcher shop! We gotta get out of here!"

Everyone gasped. The barking grew even louder, until it was almost at the door.

"I got a car back here, c'mon!" Satos turned and ran, the children following him down one of the hallways. Ash chanced a backwards glance.

The door rattled on it's lock for a moment, and then the colossal blade of Pyramid Head stabbed through the door. Ash didn't watch any more, hurrying to catch up to his friends and father.

The panicked group tore through a hallway that seemed far too long to a wooden doorway leading to the garage. They could hear the front door shattering behind them. The most hideous barking began to close in on them, with the unmistakable pitter-patter of clawed paws on the floor…

Ash, who was at the rear of the group, whirled around and saw what looked like a skinned dog without eyes or ears charge towards them. Without thinking, Ash grabbed a baseball bat that was conveniently nearby. It was just in time…the dog leapt at the boy, all it's sharp teeth ready to kill.

WHACK

The dog was smashed back by the bat, forced into a picture frame on the wall. It crumpled to the floor, stunned. Two other dogs paused at the entrance of the hallway on seeing their comrade knocked out. One had rotten flesh, and a snakelike tongue that hung down in the grossest manner. The other could've passed for a normal dog covered in bandages if it's head had not been split down the middle.

"ASH!"

The boy didn't stick around to confront the other dogs, or their master. He turned and bolted through the door, being sure to slam it behind him. The lock was turned, although they all felt it was a futile gesture. The wood rattled as multiple creatures smashed into it.

Satos' red truck was large enough to fit all of them, and they hurriedly packed themselves inside. Satos got himself into the driver's seat, and with the push of a button, began to open the garage door. Ash placed himself beside his father, and everyone buckled their seatbelts.

The garage door creeped open.

The door to the house was bashed repeatedly by Pyramid Head's dogs. Bangbangbangbang! It was inevitable that their master would get weary and use his knife.

The garage door was about half open now.

The engine of the truck was running now, ready to bolt at the soonest opportunity. The children's eyes kept darting back and forth between the slowly opening door and the door that wouldn't remain closed for long.

The garage door was three quarters open.

A huge sheet of metal appeared through the smaller door.

"To hell with it." Satos decided. Placing the truck in reverse, the man slammed his foot on the accelerator.

The bottom part of the garage door was sheared off by the retreating vehicle. Satos' truck barreled backwards onto the street, and with some speedy gear action, the red truck was driving down the street, through the fog, past the monsters, away from Satos' house.

Ash glanced in the rear-view mirror. Pyramid Head ran into the street, staring at the escaping vehicle without giving any chase. The boy watched his shrinking shadow vanish into the fog. He sighed with relief. But then he remembered this wasn't the first time he thought he saw the last of the helmeted man.

The drive was hardly uneventful. The monstrosities seemed to be constantly congregating on the truck, but they were able to outrun every one. They all snarled in frustration and fury, swiping at the truck with claws and beating it with their 'wings'. But eventually, a sign appeared from the fog, carrying a message everyone was glad to receive.

You are now leaving Kalville.

No-one liked what they saw underneath.

Hope you enjoyed your stay!

Come back soon.

That was the last thing anyone in the truck wanted to do, as they drove out of Kalville, planning never to return.


Pyramid Head smashed his spear onto the ground in pure frustration. His dogs fled, not wanted to be near their master when he was in this mood. A loud sigh came from the iron helmet.

The boy was gone.

He couldn't have that.

With that in mind, the huge helmeted man left the streets, a specific destination in mind, a plan being put in action.

THe boy was not going to leave.