Chapter 24: Waterfall

Mew dashes through the cave in a mad flight. At Mew's speed, any other Pokémon would have smashed itself into the tunneling walls but Mew knew where he was going. Mew knew where He would be waiting.

Light at the end of the tunneling maze. Mew sped towards the opening, knowing once he flew into the light, the truth would reveal itself.

Purity Lake.

It was a special place. The underground river Mew had been following this whole time finally emerged out from the darkness, pooling in a wide, swelling lake.

The earth wrapped around Mew, a canyon wrapping around the lake revealing a scene of green, blue and grey wonder. The cave was massive, trees had sprouted on the rocky shores below. Even a small layer of dispersed fog-like clouds hovered in the air. The gray rock wall expanded to the very top, where there was one source of light poking into the cave: The round opening of the crater shining like a moon high above.

Mew flew over the lake and over the abyss.

The lake gathered at the edge of the cliff like a basin. There at its very end, the excess water poured down in the abyss below. Mew looked down, where the lake spilled out into the waterfall.

Waterfall traveled down the height of an urban building, massive in size and width. Mew couldn't see what lay at its bottom... Another, deeper lake? The clouds of mist made it hard to see.

The river free falls at least a mile. Below, the abyss continued downwards into further darkness, the earth opening around the force of water.

"You're here!"

Mew looked away from the waterfall, towards the voice that called him. It was loud and clear, it wasn't shouted over the vast space and roar of the waterfall. It was projected, telepathically.

Across the open field, Mew spotted him. Lance stood on a small ledge at least half-mile above the lake, Lance cast a dark figure, cape billowing behind him, his red hair bristling in the wind caused by the rushing water. There was a Master ball in his hand, ready to be thrown.

"Lance… Enough!" Mew called out. He turned away from the man and sent his voice throughout the cave.

"Ash! Ash! Where are you?" Mew swept his glowing blue eyes through the forest treetops, across the rough cave walls, paths carved along the edges, across the lake and down the waterfall. He couldn't hear Ash, but he could sense him.

Peter… Is that you..?

It was a faint, far off reply.

His head shot down toward the abyss. Immediately he knew. He felt a sinking: Ash was below.

"One chance, Peter." Lance taunted Mew. The way Lance spoke repulsed him. He frowned. Nobody had called Mew that before… Except for Ash.

Behind Lance, Dragonite emerged from the tunnel. Lance climbed skillfully on top. They rose into the air. There was no sky above them.

"Chose to be my Pokémon, Mew. Let me catch you! "

Mew glared openly. He began levitating, glowing pink. Balls of energy began glowing around him, the same as his eyes.

"I'm not scared of your Pokémon!"

Mew launched the attack. Psychic energy streamed like a projectile. Dragonite dodged the attack, the grand space allowed him to easily avoid it. Lance adjusted his grip and smirked. A short laugh escaped him. Mew couldn't understand what was funny.

"My Dragonite doesn't scare you. That's okay."

A low, deep rumbling resounded along the cave. Mew looked over his shoulder, trying to find the eerie source. The wind picked up, the treetop swaying in the gust. Suddenly, the sound of rushing, sharp, wind-!

Mew flew out of the way, sensing the attack coming. Just in time, another Dragon zoomed through just where he had been– this one much larger. It came at Mew from behind, barely missing.

The massive Pokémon flew through the air. It's white slippery body dashing past Mew, clouds dispersing in through the air. The sound was like a rushing train, the wind rippling behind it.

"GYAAAAAHHHH!" The dragon screeched.

The massive Lugia coiled back in the air, towering above Mew.

"How dare you!" Mew called out to Lance, who was further above watching. Mew began floating backward, suddenly nervous. "I gave you this gift! You've abused it!"

"You gave me a gift, then abandoned me. Well, if that's your choice…" Lance frowned, Dragonite screeching in anger. "Lugia! Use Aeroblast!"

Mew's blue eyes grew wide.

The moss… It will guide you!

The cave shook. Ash looked up to the tunnel around them, dust shaking off around the,

Feeling renewed strength, Ash stood on wobbly legs. He clutched his left elbow, his arm pulsing. The Dragon realized Ash was awake, his eyes locking on Ash. Determined, Ash met the Dragon's sharp yellow gaze head-on.

"Dragonair… We need to get out of here. Both of us…" He's breathless, almost choked on the dryness of his throat. His point is made even stronger as the walls shook again, making Ash step to the side to maintain his balance.

Dragonair screeched and watched him uneasily. Ash began taking slow steps back. The glowing moss lead towards the same direction Lance had ran off to, now he needed to find the way to get there without being smashed by Dragonair's tail.

Dragonair growled; Ash jumped, sensing the strike. The silver glowing tail smashed down in the rocky wall, shattered pieces sent flying! Ash barely dodged the attack, stumbling.

"Common!" Ash complained, awkward in regaining his footing, but he edged towards the moss, facing the Dragonair slithering up behind him. "We can both get out of here! You don't deserve this!"

The focus of Dragonair's eyes softened.

"Don't do this… You followed his order so let me go! You don't want to do this." For a long moment, human and dragon held and intense gaze. Only when Ash realized he wasn't being attacked he began stepping back.

Ash ran. In the dim glow he saw there was a ladder leading up though a slim tunnel upwards.

He expected the Dragonite to follow after him. The dragon shrieked, remaining in place. When Ash was gone, the cave shook again, and the Dragonite slithered into the water.

Surrounding Ash, the tunnel grew narrower and narrower around him as he ascended. He breathed unevenly; with each rung of the ladder the space grew smaller. Each rung became harder as the space grew tighter.

Then, another far off boom. The cave shook! Ash screamed, clinging onto the ladder. Dust descended from above, small rocks and debris scattering down from above.

Ash was frozen, choking in fear. He struggled to breath as the panic overwhelmed him. He put his face into his elbow, trying not to breath the dust. The light ahead was only a glimmer, so far above. The moss had died away around the ladder, and he was stuck a in tight, dark place. Ash squeezed his eyes shut, a sob wreaking through him.

For several instanced Ash was unable to move, stuck. With blurry eyes and vertigo he heard a distant roaring sound.

Please don't give up on me Ash. I need you…

He remembers Gary's word from that night, when Ash confessed what had really happened when he had gone missing. He remembered how Gary held him when Ash thought Gary would push him away…

No… Dammit.

Using his shoulder to wipe his eyes, Ash clenched his teeth. He grasped the next rung and pulled himself up, willing himself to climb further. The top remained unblocked!

Ash clawed his way off the ladder and onto the ground. Emerging from the darkness, it took Ash a moment for his sight to readjust to the view below.

He was on a ledge that circled around a big void, the waterfall crashing in the middle. Below, a lake swelling, water disturbed by the force of water. He saw the rocky pebbled shore down below. He imagined the lake was somehow connected to the grotto Lance had intended to leave him in.

Ash shivered and looked around him. The loud sound of crashing water filled the void. The cave extended up. So tall and massive, Ash felt his heart sinking. How the hell was he supposed to get up back to the surface? Dimly he could see light above, but the spray made the air foggy and humid.

Another shiver and Ash decided to continue onwards.

It was a wicked game of ekans and ladders. Multiple ladders connected to ledges further up the walls. The pattern continued upwards, swirling back and forth across the walls that surrounded the waterfall. All of it looked slippery and wet. At least there was light from above.

Did he have any other choice? Then, above he noticed a commotion happening through the slither of light. He couldn't see it clearly through the haze of the water. The cave shook again. Rocks flew from above and cascaded into the lake with massive splashes.

Ash ran for the first ladder and began making his way up. It was longer than most he had ever used, dangerously tall and hovering over the pit that lead to the lake below. The wood was moist. Ash grit his teeth and went onwards, taking deep steadying breaths.

You can do this! He told himself, despite his left arm struggling with each rung. A piercing screech made Ash's heart drop. He had been refusing to look down, but had no other choice. He frowned at what he saw.

Dragonair emerged from the swelling water. Ash froze stranded in a ladder.

The dragon cried, slithering towards the shore. The sound confused Ash, slowly realized the Pokémon hadn't seen him. Gritting his teeth, Ash took a deep breath and continued onwards.

Ash's teeth chattered with the cold. The ladder creaked as he made his way to the nearest platform. The rushing sound of the waterfall covered the noise. With heavy gulps of air, Ash scrambled to his feet and onto the rock ledge. He was at least three stories up. 6 stories more. His hair was whipping at his face, Ash looked where to go next.

"Rooouuuuaaarrrr….."

Ash cringed and looked down despite vertigo, clinging to the rocky edge. When he turned around to look he nearly fell off.

Gary and Pikachu dashed through the cave. The dust was making the moss hard to see.

"Mew! What's going on!?" Gary allowed himself to say the words as well as think them. They followed the light. They emerged to the arena below.

"Huh.." Gary froze when he saw the pokemon flying above. "Lugia..."

The legendary Pokemon dashed through the air, it's wind throwing the trees around the bottom of the cave. Gary barely spotted Mew avoiding his attacks. He watched when he suddenly gasped, eyes growing wide.

Down the waterfall! Ash is down there! Follow the Plan!

"Pikachu!" The rodent dashed in front of them, cutting ahead,

He heard Mew! Gary continued running, realizing where he needed to go: to the bottom of the waterfall. A great underground lake, Gary recognized the edge of the waterfall. It was quite the distance to circle around the lake. Gary took cover beneath the battered trees.

"Pikachu! Stay close! We can't let them see us!"

He spared one glance towards Mew.

There was one huge problem...

How do we get down there?

The huge drop below to the lake. He needed to climb down.

"Alakazam!" The red Pokeball was thrown into the air. "Use Teleport!"

Like static in the air, Alakazam glowed then fizzled out. He looked at his trainer.

The move was disabled. Shit. He knew Alakazam wouldn't be his ticket out this time, but not even within the same room? Gary frowned and looked downward.

It was the beginning of a spiral-like path crawling down endlessly along the wall.

Gary ran.

Cursing under his breath, Ash stepped swiftly behind the waterfall instead of going for the ladder. The beast passed right by him. The Shiny Gyarados emerged from the bottom of the waterfall, red scales the color of bloody murder. Had the Dragonair's cries in agony summoned it?

Ash remembered the Dragon clearly. Would it remember him? Would Gyarados attack him?

Gyarados hadn't spotted him yet – but Ash knew the Pokémon could easily reach him.

The Hydra's large head swooped down to examine the Dragonair. Making a sound of displeasure.

Ash's eyes dart back and forth along the cave walls. He can't afford to fall down into the water.

He puts his uninjured hands over his temple, trying to think his way out of this one. The cave shook once again, nearly throwing him off balance. From below, the red Gyarados roared in anger.

Ash swallowed and dashed for the ladder. The red dragon was hovering over the Dragonair. It wasn't looking!

One hand grabbed at the ladder, ready to pull himself up. He pulled into the safety of the ladder, only to feel a dropping sensation. As if burned, Ash released the ladder and stumbled backwards.

Clang! Cling! Clang! Crash!

One by one, the ladder came down, as if it had been merely propped there, the scaffolding above it tumbling down with it. Metal and wood collapsed. It fell towards the lake, crashing down just as the waterfall.

Ash gasped as he and the Gyarados met eyes. Instantly he felt the electric connection, like meeting a powerful Pokémon in the wild: that Gyarados was ready to battle.

The Red Gyarados' ear-splitting roar filled the cave.

Clang! Cling! Clang! Crash!

Lance's head whipped around to heard the noise. He recognized the sharp screech of the Shiny Gyrados that followed. He quickly maneuvered Dragonite away fro the BAttle, peering down the waterfall/

Flash! Bright light glared like an explosion, leaving Lance blindsided.

"That mew is playing games with Lugia…" Lance muttered to his Dragonite. The dragon cried out in the agreement, correcting its flight course.

Lance flew over the lake below, watching from the sidelines. He had to squint to see, blinded by the flash. The Mew was playing tricks on him. He couldn't see clearly but it seems like the scaffolding his grandfather had installed to explore the lower level had collapsed. The flash left him blinded and unable to see... What had caused it?

Ash? Mew?

So far he identifies its complete move set:

Flash, double team, psychic, and.. Disable! After another missed attack from Lugia, and Mew had already managed to disable two of his attacks.

Another loud screech came from below. Recovering some of his sight. Lance leaned over to see the shiny Gyarados roaring. He was at the bottom pit of the waterfall, and from Lance's height, he could see the serpents massive head as its body stood tall. He felt a ballooning sense of pride. That Gyarados easily towered the waterfall when it lifted its body. The vast lake below was the perfect Gyarados pool.

Lance saw the Pokemon chasing each other above. Lugia zoomed after multiple mews, roaring in frustration. Finally a dragon pulse lands!

Mew wraps itself in a perfect bubble, bouncing away. The small pokemon giggles and then fly away.

Lance gripped the Pokeball in his hand harder. Had Ash made it out of the underground river?

"Dragonite, after Mew!" Whether of not Ash had made it out, Gyarados would take care of it.

Boom! The Hyper-beam destroyed the rest of the platform.

Ash jumped for his life, onto the cave wall. He caught on to the rocky wall the best he could, the small grove around the edge was just enough for him to find his footing. He tensed in pain at moving his arm, at holding on for dear life. Sweat broke over his forehead. It didn't matter. Ash braced himself; half running and half climbing. He pressed against the cave walls and kept going

The Hyper Beam continued discharging into the rocky wall like a power washer. Ash could feel the heat on his back. Without thinking, he kept going, jumping from the ledge of the cave, focusing on one direction: upwards.

Finally, the beam stopped. The remaining ladders and platforms all tumbling down in a clash of metal and rock.

"Gyarados!" Ash shouts, pausing and out of breath. He shoots a glance behind his shoulder: the Pokémon is recharging. "Stop!"

Rocks crumbling softly at his feet. He is shaking from the cold, wet air. There's nowhere for him to go. An instant later Gyarados' reptile face is at Ash's level, he could almost eat Ash. A growl emanates from its throat.

Ash's eyes dart back and forth, evaluating his escape. He can see the far off ledges, he can see the Lake below, and finally, he met the eye of the Shiny Gyarados before him. Dirt crumbles at the edge of where he is standing. He can hear Gyrados' breathing, reptilian and heavy.

"Gyarados…" His eyes plead for mercy. He searched the Pokémon's face for any sign of recognition. "Please… Don't you remember me?"

Gleaming red eyes stared.

Gary thought he had never run so fast in his life. How much longer would Mew hold out? Finally, They were reaching the edge of the lake. Gary caught a glimpse of Lance flying high within the cave, he had to lay low not to be spotted. As he approached the ledge of the lower waterfall he gasped in shock.

"Ash!" He screamed before he had the chance to stop himself.

Below, stranded on the cliffs' wall, was the person he loved the most in this world. He was wet, determined, and in his eyes, Gary could see Ash was pleading with the Gyarados that towered over him. The Gyarados was snarling and snapping, but it wasn't attacking. The overpowering movement of water covered his voice. Ash didn't even turn to see him. Ash kept talking to the dragon, who then frozen above him as if entranced.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu dashed angrily forwards.

"Pikachu, no! If you strike Gyarados, Ash might fall!"

That stopped the rodent. A shadow cast over them. Gary looked above, where the light was suddenly becoming dull. Clouds were gathering into the abyss above, thunder brewing inside them. The way they built up so quickly… They had be to manufactured!

Then, Mew burst out of the clouds, Lugia following behind, hot on mew's trail. The Dragonite and it's rider were the last to emerge.

"Lance!" He spat out the name in disgust. Gary glared and felt rage ignited in his chest.

Their eyes connected. Gary's cover had been blown. He only surprised on the champions d=face for a short instance, before the focused look returned to the champions' face.

"Mew…Enough games. I gave you the chance to come willingly. You refused!"

At once Gary and Pikachu grimaced from the loud psychic transmission blast. The clouds took on a purple aura, glowing and growing dark. Thunder crackled inside them. Lugia flew above them. It was huge. Gary had never known they could reach such sizes. It flew above like ship, casting a shadow over them.

"Now Ash will pay the price!"

Thunder broke striking a nearby tree.

"Gyaah!" Lugia's cry filled the cave.

First, it began as a rumble. Then the ground shook. Gary felt a sinking sensation, turning to see Ash. In the moment they caught eyes. Ash's eye lit up with hope, a small smile appearing in his face. Gary's heart broke.

From the center of the lake, the vortex began, lifting water up into the air. It spiraled quicker, lifting more of the water, connecting it to the clouds. The wind swished madly around them.

Gary ran, but he knew he wasn't fast enough.

"Ash! Hold on!"

Lugia released the deluge.

A/N:

2020 has been crazy. I wish to send all my readers a virtual hug. Stay safe!

New Update coming soon.