Chapter 1: Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust

"Pikachu!" Ash called, eyeing the little bouncing Pokèmon as the yellow electrical mouse bounded up a tree chasing a wild Pachirisu that seemed to be squealing with delight at the game of tag. The dark haired boy chuckled taking off his cap momentarily to run a hand through his hair to cool off a bit. Having been tromping over hill and dale all day in the sunny weather and the unusual hot streak in this region, he'd started to overheat a bit.

Pikachu on the other hand seemed to be enjoying the warm weather altogether too much, bounding around as if it had gotten into some Pokènip or something. He watched the creatures disappear several times between branches, once or twice followed by little electrical explosions. The little vermin group was edging closer and closer to the end of the bough that was directly over Ash's head, giving him a bit of shade. The bough started to bend, flexible wood edging further and further down from the weight and bouncing of several little creatures. He blissfully ignored its descent.

"Pi pika pi!" Pikachu announced, dropping down from a branch holding a slightly steaming openly cooked Oran berry between its claws. Ah, so that explained the little electrical storm up there. Hanging onto its paw pads were now two Pachirisu, the wild one from earlier and another roguish looking friend of its. Ash shook his head and reached up, taking the firm weight of his partner off the tiny little squirrel-like creatures paws, and cradling it in his arms. Pikachu promptly bit into the berry, liquid splashing over its nose from the nice and juicy snack.

"Talk about a mess," Ash snorted, slipping his hat back on. He glanced at the sky, the sun was heading for the horizon quicker than he thought it would. He winced, if he wasn't 'home' in time for dinner not only would he get another Talk about Responsibility from Brock, but Pikachu would be sulking all night over the food it had missed out on. Brock really was a great cook, and neither of them were the type to miss out on a normal meal, let alone one that tasted great.

He had been all set to start back when there was a crash in the nearby forest that sent a flock of surprised Starly out of a nearby tree, crying out in annoyance that they had been forced from the roosts they had chosen for the night. He was already on his feet, and running before his subconscious finally realized that beyond that simple crash he'd heard the panicked and altogether painful sounding scream of a Pokèmon being tormented.

He crashed through the undergrowth, taking the most direct route towards the building possible. A Slakoth rolled out of the way of the pounding feet, semi-conscious after a long day's nap but not stupid. Moments later a startled Skitty fell backward wriggling its stubby little legs and mewling piteously at the sudden switch between up and down that the blur of human had caused by simply appearing out of nowhere a foot or two away.

"HEY!" Ash shouted as he barreled up towards what appeared to be a semi-abandoned warehouse that really did not fit in with the surrounding forest. Smoke was rising from the large metal doors that were slid open to allow just anyone to walk inside. A pair of familiar hair styles that were currently within the smoke turned to peer at the boy. Ash skidded to a halt just before the crew making Jessie contort her face in annoyance.

"How does he always end up finding us?" Jessie snarled

"What I'd like to know is why he always finds us at our worst," James bemoaned fate as Ash skidded in between the double doors.

"Oy! Yew two numskulls betta do the motto! We's be on Official Business from 'da Boss himself!"

"He's right you know," James nodded, head dropping down as he fingered a red rose positioned between his fingertips.

"Listen, is that a complaining voice I hear?" Jessie said, catching onto the mood quickly and leaning against her partner, raising a similar rose up to the sky to create a sense of balance between them

"It's annoying to me, but loud and clear!" James smirked, enjoying his role as a badass as he flicked the rose at Ash's feet causing the boy to step back as its sharpened end stabbed into the soft earth.

"On the wind," Jessie whispered, bringing her other hand up to smash the delicate rose, and send the petals flowing into the wind and swirling around the couple.

"Past the stars," James announced, pulling a sparkly silver powder out in time for the line, and sprinkling it among the rose petals to simulate his line.

Meowth jumped forward then, suddenly taking his place between the two's shoulders "In your ears!"

"Bringing chaos at a breakneck pace," Jessie declared, slamming into another pose leaving Meowth barely balanced on James's shoulder for a moment before she grabbed his paw.

James smirked, "Bashing hope, putting fear in its place," he added, stepping away from Meowth who prettily posed on Jessie's hand.

"A rose by any other name is just as sweet," Jessie smirked, as Meowth flipped off her hand and landed at the rose from before, snatching it from the ground triumphantly.

"When everything's worse, our work is complete," James thusly snatched the rose, snapping it in half and discarding it.

"Jessie!" the woman in question took her pose.

"James!" her partner complimented it perfectly.

"And Meowth, now dat's a name!" popped in Meowth, once again in a central power within the trio, while doing a victory sign with his paw.

"Putting the do-gooders in their place…" Jessie covered her face with outstretched fingers to peer at Ash, almost flirtatious in her enjoyment of doing this little sequence.

"...we're Team Rocket..." James added, a hand slipping to his hip, and a quick glance darting at Jessie just to make assurances they were all on the same page, as the next motion took them forward together.

"...IN YOUR FACE!" they choused gleefully, slamming their fists towards Ash who was slightly reeling from the annoying chant. Did they have to say it every time he met them?!

"Wobbuffet!" added the little blue demon as it popped out of its ball and saluted everyone, making a mockery of the entire pretty scene much to the rest of Team Rocket's annoyance.

Ash was glaring by the end of this little speech, hands at the ready to grab one of the poke balls he kept on hand and whip out one of his fighting Pokèmon to back Pikachu up, "What do you guys think you're doing?!" He demanded, as Pikachu levered himself up, over his shoulder, and bounded down.

"PiPikachu!" it scolded in its high pitched voice before growling and letting the electricity inside its electrical sacs start to manifest as warning sparks across its cheeks.

"Haha, da wise guy thinks we're gunna tell him!" Mewoth chortled, slapping its side in amusement while revealing Pikachu's intended statement.

"What we're doing is top secret!" Jessie sniffed, haughtily turning her face away from what she was obviously regarding as a pair of idiots.

"Top Secret and De-evolutionary!" James chirped, using his misplaced good will to make them sound 'cooler' than usual.

"Ahhh!" Meowth growled, slamming a fist into the back of the purple haired man's head, "Yew moron! Don't screw dis up!"

From behind the four members of Team Rocket, a Seaking gave off a weakened whimper. From what Ash could see, its horn was attached to a still smoking machine by a metal clip and wires. It wriggled in place, out of water, and tied down by several bungee cords across its back. Scales here and there had been scraped to show raw skin beneath, reddened by rough treatment.

"What have you been doing to that Pokèmon?!" Ash demanded, heat rising in his mind as he took in the various hurts covering the poor creature.

"Aha, well maybe we should tell em'!" Meowth crowed, rubbing his eyebrow with an obvious amount of smugness, "S'not like he can do nothing'."

Jessie cackled, her laugh a bit too shrill, "Well I suppose it'll be fine~," she leered, "Well, we're doing something fabulous for the boss. He decided our team was absolutely perfect for a project he had in mind!"

"And for good reason," interrupted James, "We happen to be the best at stealing Pokèmon! We're the head of this project even!" Little did they know it was because Giovanni had realized they hadn't been worth much anyways, and if they got blown up, well, it would be no great loss. The man had even considered it might be a bonus to rid himself of these foolish operatives that he swore he'd gotten rid of years ago.

Ash's mouth curved into a slight snarl, his nose wrinkling as Jessie continued, "De-evolution," she breathed the word as if it was fairy glass, "You've heard of the stories no doubt, but the very idea of forcing evolution to regress has captured the Bosses' imagination!"

Meowth took up the story here, sauntering forward past the injured Seaking that was still limply wriggling in the grip of the machine, "Ahh, da Boss. He's a wise man dat one. He thinks if we kin de-evolutionize Pokèmon, we can force em to learn twice as much stuff!"

"Don't forget about Mew!" James said, forcing himself into the conversation now that he has a topic to discuss, "Since the myths say that Pokèmon all came from the same Pokèmon, Mew, and the boss has been looking forward to capturing one for years, we think that by devolving a Pokèmon past its lowest stage might force it to become a Mew!"

Ash made a face, "W-What? That's just cruel! Don't worry Seaking. We'll save you. Pikachu!" he snapped, letting the mouse bound forward some.

"Piiiika!" It growled, fangs showing at Meowth so fiercely in the face of another Pokèmon's pain, that Meowth actually took a step back.

"Use Thunderbolt!" Ash directed, hand shooting out to point at Team Rocket, as if the direction fo the blast had been some sort of mystery. His face was contorted with anger that they could do such a thing, and honestly it had never occurred to him that Team Rocket could do anything really truly evil until now.

"PIKAAA-" the sound of charging rolled from the yellow mouse's body, electrical sparks flying over the tips of its soft fur dangerously, "CHUUUUUU!" A lightning bolt zoomed from its body, zapping this way and that while seeking it's target. The ground before it split from the attack, sending rocks up on either side. Ash blinked at the fury behind the strike.

"Wobbuffet! If you have to be out, do SOMETHING!" Jessie screeched, shaking the poor thing. It merely wobbled in her hands, almost deliriously.

"W-w-w-w-wooob-b-b-b--f-e-t-t-t!" it moaned, its name coming out jerkily from the violent motions he was being forced through. A shine exploded across him, the moment of stress becoming too much for his tiny brain to comprehend. Ash blinked as the strike from Pikachu's attack bounced off the newly formed Mirror Coat. Jessie and James's mouths dropped for a moment, shocked by the fact Wobbuffet seemed to actually be useful for a moment.

The thunderbolt crackled as it soared back in an arc and instead of maiming Pikachu, it struck the massive machine and the Seaking. The poor Pokèmon cried out again, its body having taken too much damage. Quietly, it closed it eyes and stopped moving, completely passed out from the stress.

"You mean you can USE that?!" Jessie started shaking Wobbuffet again, hands clamped around where its throat should be.

Pikachu growls, fur standing on end along its spine. Ash echoed his growl, "You know what then? I know how to respond to that! Pikachu, use Volt tackle!"

"Oh no! Mirrorcoat can't stop a physical attack!" James announced, betraying once again that he did know about Pokèmon, but tended to ignore such things in the face of Jessie and Meowth's chatty mouths.

Wobbuffet however, merely saluted at the Pikachu slamming towards him in a furious ball of electricity. It seemed entirely unphased, as if it believed its own body was enough to protect it from the oncoming attack. As Pikachu's body slammed into it, electricity transferred with a tremendous explosive noise. Wobbuffet was slammed back into the rest of the team who didn't quite move out of the way. Stuck in the heap, its head peered out still saluting.

"Woooobbeffet," it announced blurrily, showing that by getting struck by such a harsh attack, it had gotten fairly dizzy in the process. After a moment it passed out, a single hit knock out on Pikachu's part!

Pikachu pants, still on all fours with it's lightning shaped tail raised in an attack position. It's tired, having taken a large amount of recoil damage from using its own body as a weapon. A tiny tongue laps at its nose, quietly needing a drink after this exertion. The taste of the roasted berry from earlier still resided there. Unfortunately, aside form pushing team Rocket into a tangled ball of limbs, Pikachu and Ash don't seem to be gaining any on Team Rocket.

"Oh come on Meowth, you do something!" Jessie growled, holding the limp Wobbuffet against her chest. It was her Pokèmon, whether or not she wanted it, and it had been at least a little useful for once.

"I'm not da trainer here yanno!" Meowth growled, kicking it's way free of the pile. It's paws slammed into both Jessie and James's heads on the way up, making them wince, and then attempt to strangle the mouthy little feline. In their brief struggle they'd forgotten all about the fight they were currently engaged in.

"Gliscor," the entire trio freeze in the middle of attacking on another, they look up in unease realizing that another Pokèmon was rarely good news. Especially from Ash's team, "I choose you!"

A Pokèball flipped from Ash's outstretched hand, settling on the ground and bursting into red light. The light emerged into the form of a creepy looking beast. Purple, with claws like a crab's it wriggled on its tail tip. A bounce or two proves the skin locked between its limbs were wings that worked at least slightly. Elsewise the heavy beast would never get off the ground.

"Gli! Gliscor!" it announced cheerfully, winking and sticking out its tongue at Team Rocket.

"Use X-Scissor!"

Gliscor immediately did as asked, his claws whipping together to force a red light free that slammed across the room forcefully. Team Rocket, hands still around one another's throats in a pile, were hoisted off the ground from the blast, throwing them through the roof of the warehouse. Their bodies shattered the roofing like it was nothing, and sent them flying into the sky.

"And we're blasting off agaaaain!" they called, bodies conforming to a standard pose, each lacthing onto the other's wrist to form a diamond that Wobbuffet cheerfully called its name from the bottom of. Soon they were nothing more than a distant speck of diamond shine.

As the team faded out of sight, Ash rushed forward with only one thing on his mind. To get the poor KO'd Seaking free of the trap it was stuck in. He ignored Gliscor's happy dance as it bobbled just out of his way, and that was his downfall. The pocket monster hopped a little too far too the right in its glee. Ash's eye widened. A sneakered foot caught on the tail that Gliscor was hopping around on. With a yelp the boy went down.

Ash's body slammed into the machine, shoulder shoving the whole contraption so that the wires laced into Seaking's body ripped loose. The Pokèmon groaned, slowly waking up, and rolled slightly out of the way it's battered body not wanting to deal with the preteen smashing it. The wires, now free, flashed ominously over Ash's head and he reached to fend them off with his gloved hands. Even with the gloves, his fingertips were exposed to the danger.

Behind his body, the Evolutionary Stones in the machine started whirling the opposite direction from the jostle, and with the electrical charge from Pikachu earlier having soldered a few connections together, the whole thing was set to rumbling painfully. It almost seemed like a growling animal, and Ash closed his eyes painfully tight when he realized he was going to be struck.

Outside, the sun is setting kicking up a wind as the hot air near the ground fights against the cold air front above. Clouds start being drawn in my the breeze, the stale heat of the day compressing and becoming more muggy. Heads start forming on the clouds, the golden stream of sunlight pouring out above the mountains in the distance struggling to be remembered in its last moments of existence.