Pokemon Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Final Destiny ❯ Shadows ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

::Part One::<<shadows//ash ketchum returns to the life he knew so well, and finds the one he knew most is gone, replaced by a cold shadow of that happy girl.>>

The boy's footsteps were almost inaudible on the soft, grass covered ground. He blinked his long, black bangs out of his big brown eyes. Pulling off his hood, he let the hard, summer rain pound down on his head, rolling down his face in small rivers. He squinted and increased his pace, now almost running. Under his cloak, deep sparkling eyes mirrored his own, blinked, their owner making a tiny squeak.

"Pi...pika..."

He quickly came to a small town, surely no bigger than Viridian City, but maybe a bit larger than Pallet Town. He ran up to a little house at the end of a street, and banged on the door impatiently. The mail slot opened, and a pair of green eyes appeared. Seconds later it snapped shut and the door slid open.

"Well Ash, I must admit, after all this I didn't think you'd show," the girl who the green eyes belonged to said. She flipped her shoulder length red hair behind her ears, smiling provocatively.

"I keep my promises Misty," he replied. "What do you want with me? I told you, I left this life behind three years ago, and I really hope you're not trying to convince me otherwise. It's a waste of time."

"Listen to me, this is very important. I just want you to forget our arguments, and listen with an open mind. Our old league was compromised of the best trainers from all over Kanto. There aren't any good trainers now. Listen to me! There aren't any trainers at all! The Rebellion has destroyed all that we had worked so hard to create. Nobody can control the Pokemon anymore. No one but us! Doesn't that tell you something? We've got power that other people lack. We can return order to the world. Isn't that a noble enough cause for you?"

"I will not make a promise here that I cannot keep, so I do not promise to join with you. But, tell me, did you convince the others?"

"See for yourself."

At Misty's command, a line of men and women of varying ages walked into the room. A tall man with slitty eyes and spiky brown hair, Brock. A woman with short green hair and a shorter dress, Erika. A woman with cold blue eyes and long black hair, Sabrina. An older man with a stern face, Koga. Almost all of the Kanto gym leaders were present. Lt. Surge of Vermilion City had never been on their side, and they didn't know his whereabouts. And of course, Viridian Gym was controlled by the now disbanded Team Rocket, which they wouldn't really want on their side in the first place. But Blaine...

"Where's Blaine? Didn't want to come? I always knew he was the smart one..." Ash smirked.

"No," Misty said softly. "Blaine was killed a few months ago. He....he didn't want to give up Magmar. And then....finally....it overpowered him. He burned to death."

"Oh.." Ash said, suddenly sullen. "So then...everyone did agree." Ash could feel the push for him to accept.

"Yeah, they were all intelligent enough to understand how desperate our situation is. Not that you were ever known for your brains."

Ash's eyes trembled with defiance, but moments later he let out a sigh of defeat. "Alright. I'll help you."

"Good," Misty replied, her voice sickeningly sweet. "You...can go rest. You can sleep in my room if you'd like."

Ash glared at her. "You wouldn't stop your fliriting if you were the last person on earth! You'd start flirting with the trees! No....Misty....that's quite alright...I think i'd rather have my own room."

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The covers were far from silky smooth, but Ash pulled them up to his chin and curled up tightly on the small futon. Shivering a little, he squinched up his eyes.

"....Cold...." he whispered. Over on the chair by his bed, his cloak moved slightly. After a moment of struggle a pair of pointy black tipped ears appeared, followed by a cute, mouse-like face.

"Pikapi....pi pi...pikachu...."

"I know...I sence it too Pikachu. Something's gonna happen. We've all gotta have our guards up."

With those words, he turned over and soon was asleep.

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"A fire in a Celedon City school left 14 children dead and 57 injured. Witnesses say that this fire was caused by a rampaging Charizard. This Charizard has been blamed for 8 minor fires in the area before this incident," the news reporter on the TV explained. "In fact, Pokemon region-wide have caused more widespread damage. A magnitude 7 earthquake in the Viridian City area was caused by a Golem, and flooding around Saffron was caused by some Blastoise. These sudden and unprovoked attacks are now being referred to as the Rebellion. Stay tuned to Kanto News Channel 18 for more after this short break from our sponsors."

Ash clicked the off button on the remote, and stood up. Pikachu jumped off the couch onto his shoulder.

"You're not gonna attack me, are ya Pikachu?"

"Pipika," he said, shaking his head no.

"Good. I don't know what's happening. Something must be really wrong for all the Pokemon to be turning on their trainers like that. I don't know...I'm thinking of leaving the league Pikachu."

"Pika?"

"Why? There's no point anymore Pikachu. There are no trainers left, no one

"Pikachu..."

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"Now that we have all of our previous team, I think we can get on with business," Misty said. "Firstly, I think it would be a good idea for Ash to get to know our enemy. I think a training simulation would be appropriate, no?"

"Our...enemy?" he questioned softly.

"Perfect," Brock said, as if Ash's question had not been asked at all. "I made this one myself. You'll enjoy it Ash, I promise you that."

Misty smiled, and grabbed Ash's arm before he could agree or protest, roughly pulling him toward a metal chair in the corner of the room. She shoved him down, and took two small wires with sharply pointed ends into her hands.

"Enjoy Ashy-Boy!" she said. She jammed the wires into opposite sides of Ash's neck. They pierced it, and he cried out. It was pretty much the worse pain he had ever felt. It felt like molten lava was running through his veins coming from his neck. He felt like his body would explode. And then, just as quickly as it started, the pain stopped.

When Ash came to his senses, he was standing on a seemingly endless gray rock platform. The sky was dark, clouded, though lit every so often with lightning. Suddenly, a girl was standing before him, almost as if she had simply jumped down from the sky. The wind blew her dark purple kimono back to reveal her pale, slender legs. Long brown hair blew across her bright aqua eyes. She looked to be about Ash's age, and around 5 foot 10, only a few inches shorter than him. Ash almost laughed out loud, recalling that Brock had made the program, and knowing why he had chosen a woman for him to fight.

"Hello miss!" Ash shouted.

"I am Ayaka. I am your enemy. Prepare to be destroyed."

"Well, he didn't spend as much time on her personality as he did on her looks," Ash thought as he powered up. Thin static lightning bolts flashed around his body as he summoned the energy of his partner, Pikachu.

Ayaka's eyes flashed, her body glowing an ice blue. "Ryuusei, I call forth your eternal power to defeat this enemy!"

Ash felt slightly tired for just a moment, but he dismissed it. After all, they had stuck wires in his neck, and he was powering up, and that was enough to tire anyone out.

He prepared to launch a lightning bolt at Ayaka. He narrowed his eyes at her, taking aim. She was glowing brightly, and he wondered why she hadn't attacked yet. But, knowing that he was harming nothing but a computer program by doing so, and comforted at that fact, he launched his electric attack at her.

What would have easily knocked any human unconscious was virtually ineffective against Ayaka. An aqua shield appeared around her, and Ash's lightning bounced off.

"Woah!" Ash said, jumping back. "You're quite the strong one, aren't..." he stopped abruptly. His body felt tingly, almost like the circulation had been cut off. His vision focused in and out.

"What the heck?" he asked, shaking his head to try to straighten out his vision. His feet and hands felt numb, and the world spun around him. He stumbled back.

"Ayaka?" he said thickly. "What are you doing?" He felt himself shiver, but he felt hot. He blinked sweat out of his eyes. He tried to summon an attack, and felt himself charge a little. He smiled weakly. Maybe he could catch her with her guard down.

He unleashed his energy, but only a tiny static bolt shot from his hands. He gasped in surprise. The attack only left him weaker. He felt dizzy. He rubbed his eyes, and his knees buckled. Stars winked in his narrowing vision. Ayaka had a contented look on her face. "Jerk," he thought as he felt his body hit the ground. Ayaka's eyes narrowed as she charged for her final attack.

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"I can't believe you! Putting him in such a high level sim, without even turning on the safety proterctors! And Brock...he just stood by and watched this?! Misty, I hate to defy you, but I will not let Ash die this way. I'm pulling the plug Misty. Now, you can make it easier and safer by disabling the program before I do it. It only needs your passphrase, and he'll be safer that way, not the same kind of shock that you get just being pulled out of it. I'm gonna count to five. One"

"Erika, no!"

"Two."

"He can win this! I know he can!"

"Three."

Erika's hands were now on the small wires protruding from Ash's neck.

"Four."

She could feel his

"Five."

She pulled. Sparks flew from the tips of the wires. Ash slumped forward, unconscious. Misty stormed out of the room, mumbling something about never winning under her breath. Erika ran to Ash, and pulled him off the chair so he lay flat on the floor. He glowed an unearthly aqua color, the remnants of the psychic attacks still rushing through his body.

Erika lifted his wrist and felt for a pulse. It was weak and irregular, but present. That alone made her sigh with relief. She slid her arms under his body and slowly lifted him. She carried him out of the room and into the medic room. Erika practically tossed him on one of the beds, running over to the cabinet for some psychic antidote. First, she would have to get the psychic charges out of him, since they were probably still draining his life force. She turned over his wrist and sprayed the contents of the small bottle onto it.

The glowing disappeared but she still could feel no breath coming from his nose or mouth. He must have lost too much of his life force.

"No..." she whispered. But then she got an idea. She quickly ran out of the room.

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"Pikachu," Erika began to the half asleep electric type laying on the floor of the computer room. "You love Ash more than anything, right?"

"Pika," he nodded.

"And you'd do anything for him?"

"Pika," he agreed again.

"Just hear me out. This is your decision and yours only. You share life force with Ash. You are one in that way. Ash has lost too much of his life force. He's dying. There's nothing I can do for him now. But...you can do something Pikachu."

"Pi?" he questioned, but then his face grew serious and sad. He looked at Erika with such a look of understanding and beckoned her to go on.

"You'll probably die Pikachu, if you give him enough of your life force to save him. You know that right?"

He nodded again.

"Okay. Thank..thank you Pikachu. I know Ash would have done the same for you."

Erika picked up Pikachu gently in her arms and walked out of the room.

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Pikachu stood on top of Ash's motionless body. He closed his eyes, and summoned his life force energy. The tiny Pokemon began glowing softly, but the glow grew brighter and brighter. The room was filled with beautiful warmth and life and happiness, as if all the spirit of the gentle little creature were surrounding them. Then, as suddenly as it began, the glow stopped, and Pikachu slumped down.

With tears in her eyes, Erika piked up the little mouse and layed it on the table. She dropped to her knees, eyes closed.

"Thank you, Pikachu. Thank you. You are the most wonderful and loyal Pokemon I've ever met,

Ash opened his eyes, and was surprised at how refreshed he felt. He had so much energy and electricity in him, it made him wonder if his whole battle with Ayaka was just a dream. He heard Erika crying, and sat up. That's when he noticed it. Though he felt healthy and energetic, there was something missing. Like a part of him had been removed, like there was a hole somewhere in his heart. He glimpsed Pikachu, lying motionless on the table, and knew instantly.

His body went cold. "No, Pikachu, how could this be?" he thought to Pikachu. "You...you must have given me your life force energy to save me." He felt tears collect in his eyes, and finally stream down his face in hot rivers that stung his cheeks. "I'd rather die than live without you Pikachu, I'd die any day for you, you know that. Why did you do that Pikachu?"

Erika heard Ash crying, and got to her feet and walked over to the bed. Ash glared at her with such hate and power she could feel it burning her, pushing her back from him. He knew somehow that she had told Pikachu to do this.

"Kill me Erika! Because what you have done has taken away my life like any poison, like any dagger could. Kill me now, I will not live without Pikachu by my side. Pikachu was my life, my other half, my partner and friend in everything I've done. By killing him, you've taken a sword and cut me into two pieces, and thrown one piece out. And a body cannot survive without all of its parts, and I could perhaps die of loss of happiness just as I could have died of blood loss, or I could die of lack of Pikachu just as I could have from lack of vital organs. By killing Pikachu, you have effectively murdered me in the most painful possible way, as if you have cut off every finger and every toe and locked me in a tiny, ice cold room to die of blood loss, hypothermia, starvation, thirst...whichever comes e fact that he would do anything for me, to trick him into destroying his own life only to revive me for a short time and then kill me anyway, it made you destroy two lives for sure instead of only a possibility of losing one. I hate you Erika. I despise you. It makes me nauseous to look at your face, blank, expressionless, yet tearful, as if to try to make me think that you care. You are a malicious, disgusting, evil person, and I would kill you without a second thought if I had the energy to do so, which I don't, because I don't have Pikachu anymore. How could you Erika? I trusted you. I cared about you. I even kinda liked you, as a girl, besides liking you as a person. You've betrayed me, and you will never be forgiven..."

Ash wanted to stand up, to pick up Erika and throw her out of the room, for the pain of seeing her was too much. But he shivered all over, and when he tried to move his legs he couldn't. Unable to bear it anymore, he shut his eyes tight and soon fell unconscious.

Erika looked at him, his face still flushed with anger, his eyes moving quickly under their lids in a fitful dream state, and tears rolled down her face again. She didn't know, she really didn't know how this would effect him. Now that she thought about it she realized that this would have happened, but she wasn't thinking before. She just wanted to do anything that would save Ash. But then Erika's thoughts turned to Misty. What had happened to her? Didn't she used to like Ash? She had always wanted to go out with him. And now, she was dead set against doing anything to help him out. She would kill him in ao...it couldn't be.

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Ash quickly regained consciousness, and found that Erika had already left the room, though Pikachu still lay on the table. At the sight of it, anger welled up in him again, but he forced himself to calm down. Using his energy only to be angry wouldn't help him, wouldn't get him anywhere.

He stood up, and found his black shirt and pants and his goldish vest, and grabbed his backpack. He dressed, and with closed, tearful eyes wrapped Pikachu in a blanket and put him in his bag. He opened the door a crack, and looked down the hall one way and another to check to see if there was anyone there. When he was satisfied that the hallway was empty, he darted quickly towards the door to the outside, his stocking feet soundless on the cold wooden floor. He shoved his feet into his sneakers, and slid the door open quickly, running out into the cold twilight air.

He didn't know it was night time, and though he knew it would be better for him to leave when it was daylight, he couldn't stay another night there. Not with Erika the murderer and Misty the uncaring one and all those others that brought back such memories of a time long ago. A time when his dream of being a Pokemon Master was real, when Pokemon were creatures to be trained and loved by their masters. But it was all over now. He envied those children who were born now, today, tomorrow, the next day, who never had to live in a world of Pokemon and lose it. Ash would rather have never known Pikachu than have known him and then lost him forever.

He tried to shake the thought out of his mind. He had to dull himself to it, or he'd get nowhere. He'd just be thinking of Pikachu over and over, and he wouldn't be able to even move from the sadness. Where would he go? He wasn't sure. Maybe if he'd walk long enough he could come to another region. Maybe the Rebellion was unique to Kanto, maybe in Johto or even farther the Pokemon still obeyed. If so, he could start again as a trainer. Maybe he could make things right again. In his mind, he tried to convince himself it could happen, but in his heart he knew he couldn't live without Pikachu. Not only that, but he didn't really want to. Maybe..if only he could find a way to bring him back. But that couldn't be possible. No...it couldn't be.

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Erika sat in her room, her legs dangling off her bed. She smacked herself in the face.

"This is for killing Pikachu," she said as she hit herself.

"And this is for letting Misty put Ash in that sim," her hand hit her face again.

"This is for not watching Ash more carefully."

"This is for..for...everything!"

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The only light in the sky was the tiny crescent moon, which cast strange shadows over everything. It made Ash feel as if he was dreaming. He liked that idea. Dreaming. Maybe...maybe he might wake up in a few minutes, and he'd be in the league house, before the Rebellion, before his life was thrown out the window and destroyed forever. The fantasy kept his mind off his aching feet, and it was good, if only for that purpose.

In the distance he could see a cluster of lights, probably a town. He increased his walking speed, hoping to reach it soon so he could rest. He didn't want to camp out anymore. It reminded him too much of when he was a real trainer, traveling with Misty and Brock, and Pikachu. Just thinking about Pikachu again brought tears to his eyes, blurring his view of the maybe town. He wiped them out of his eyes, the roughness of the cuff of his jacket harsh on his face.

He felt guilty for yelling at Erika like that. She was the only one of the league who genuinely cared about him anymore. He didn't understand why Misty seemed to hate him so much now. She had changed so much in only a few years. He never thought people could really, truly change. That though someone might seem different on the outside, they were always the same person on the inside. But Misty's change seemed to go deeper. Like the real Misty, the happy, excited, fun loving girl was gone forever.

"I'm so lonely," Ash thought. "Always, I've had someone to talk to. Whether it was my mom when I was younger, Misty, or Brock, or even Pikachu, I was never really alone. But I'm so...so totally alone now."

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Misty's eyes were tearless, her face stern. She cursed herself for not keeping a closer watch on Ash, letting him get away from them like this was a stupid mistake. A mistake that would cost them greatly. She couldn't believe her own stupidity, to let that sentimental fool Erika keep watch over him. They were all foolish, all of the other league members. They cared too much about Ash's well being, instead of reaching their goal. They'd never get there if they were always helping Ash out, he wouldn't be able to do anything alone.

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Ash walked past the first house in the town. The bright windows were inviting. He knocked gently on the door. He could see the window at the top of the door shadowed for a moment before the door slid open. A strong looking, tall even by comparison to Ash, man stepped out onto the outside doormat. Ash thought that he might have recognized the man. He seemed almost vaguely familiar.

Ash looked at him, his eyes and expression blank with not only physical but emotional exhaustion. The man's harsh expression softened, he felt slightly sorry for Ash.

"Good evening sir. How can I help you?" His voice was warm, but, again, strangely familiar to Ash.

"I'm traveling...and...I was wondering if you had a place for me to spend the night." Ash's voice was as blank and dull as his face, and though the man's body tensed to pull the door shut away from Ash, he softened again and beckoned for Ash to enter.

"Thank you," Ash said. "Perhaps I should introduce myself. My name's Ash Ketchum, from...from Pallet Town." He hadn't introduced himself like this so openly to a stranger since his days as a Pokemon trainer. It scared him, how much he reminded himself of his old self.

"Ash Ketchum," he said as he

Ash looked at him, puzzled, but the man continued. "You probably don't remember me, since it's been many years since we met. I'm Bruno, of the Elite Four. Or, I used to be of the Elite Four."

"Oh! Now I remember! Hello, Bruno!" he said with a false smile.

"You had a lot of potential. It's a shame that this Rebellion thing had to happen. You could have achieved a lot. That Pikachu of yours, it must have been hard for you to see it turn on you like that. You were really close."

Tears shot into Ash's eyes. He wanted to cry out "No! Pikachu would never turn on me! It sacrificed its life to save me!" But he kept silent, blinking away the tears. "It...it must have been hard for you too..." he replied, trying to remain standing tall, though he was tired enough to collapse.

"No. I left the league about a year before the Rebellion, and I set all my Pokemon free. I never had to see it happen to Onix and the others, because they weren't mine anymore."

"Oh," Ash said, hoping with all of his energy that Bruno would offer him a place to sleep for now.

"You don't look too great Ash. You've been walking long, haven't you. There's an extra bed in the other room, if you want to rest."

"Thank you," he replied, bowing his head quickly before stumbling into the other room.

"There's something off about him," Bruno thought. "He was always so happy and bright and full of energy when I knew him before. I wonder what could have happened to him."

Bruno walked down the hallway, and looked into the half open doorway of the room that Ash was in. He was sprawled out on top of the comforter, his jacket and backpack still on. Bruno went into the room, and gently lifted him up, taking off his backpack and jacket and putting the covers over him. The backpack was strangely heavy, so he switched off Ash's lights, closed his door, and went out into the other room to take a look inside.

He zipped open the backpack, and saw Pikachu's body. He almost cried out, putting his hand over his mouth to stifle the sound. He lifted up the Pikachu. It was feather light, and cool to the touch, clearly dead. Of course, that's why Ash was so depressed. But, how did Ash keep Pikachu through the Rebellion? He'd leave that question for later. He had to see if there was some way to revive Pikachu.

Bruno put Pikachu back in the backpack, strapped it on, and went outside. He practically ran to the old, run down Pokemon Center down the street. The windows and door were boarded up, curses against Pokemon spray painted on them. But the tiny house next to the Center, Nurse Joy's old house, seemed to still be inhabited. Maybe she was still there. Tiny figurines of Pokemon still sat in neat little rows on her porch, though many were shattered, and stones were laying near them. People must have rebelled against her too, against her remaining love of Pokemon. He knocked hard on the thick, plexiglass outer door. A minute later, the doors swung open, and a familiar girl stood behind them.

Her blue eyes were still bright, though now dulled slightly with sadness. She wore a pale blue short night gown, and her long, pink hair was worn loose, not in the pigtails that she used to wear at the Pokemon Center.

"Bruno, how are you?" Joy asked.

"I'm okay, though there's something I need to talk to you about. Would it be alright for me to come in?"

"Certainly, come right in."

Joy and Bruno walked into the house, and sat down on Joy's sofa.

"Now, how can I help you?" she asked.

"Well, did you ever know Ash Ketchum?"

"No, but I have heard about him from some of the other Joys."

"Just a little while ago, he came to my door, half conscious but completely depressed. He said he needed a place to stay the night. I went into his room to check on him and I found his backpack. I opened it up..."

"And??"

"You can see for yourself," Bruno responded, opening up the backpack.

"A Pikachu? But how is that possible, it would have surely rebelled against him."

"I don't know, but I think it's dead, or at least almost dead, and I was wondering if you could do anything for it."

"Well, I can't bring it back from the dead, but we can take it over to the Pokemon Center and have a look. I still have the old equipment in there."

"Good, let's go."

They walked out of the house and over to the run down Pokemon Center. Bruno kicked the boarded up door, and it fell down. They walked inside. The floors, tables, and chairs were thick with dust and grime, and Joy saw a rat dash across the floor.

"This place sure brings back memories," Joy sighed. She picked up Pikachu and told Bruno to wait in the lobby while she took the Pokemon into the back room.

Bruno looked around. Joy was right, it did bring back memories. It made him feel so worthless now, as if he had devoted his whole life to something that seemed to have just gone out of style, like an old fad. He knew that it wasn't like that, it wasn't the trainer's fault that the Rebellion occured, but he still felt that pang of loss and betrayal.

"Pi...? Pikapi...? Pika!"

"Huh?" Bruno responded as he turned towards the location of the Pokespeak.

"Pikachu's fine!" Joy said, carrying the mouse out of the back room.

"But...he was...dead."

"But...he wasn't! He was in a state of extreme energy loss. It's hard to tell the difference. He used almost all of his life force energy on someone, I'm guessing his trainer. We just had to zap him with some intense electric energy, 40,000 volts. It got him energized instantly!"

"Thank you so much! Oh...Ash will be delighted!"

"Bruno...would you mind if I came with you? I'd like to ask this Ketchum person a few questions."

"Um...yeah. No problem."

"Good."

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"Pikapi!!" Pikachu cried, licking Ash's cheek.

Ash tightened his eyelids. "Pi..pikachu?" he mumbled.

"Pika!"

He opened his eyes, and a look of amazement spread across his face.

"But...I thought you were..."

"Pika.." he shook his head no. "Pi..pikachu pichu ka!"

"So...you used almost all of your life force..but not quite all of it! And you were okay the whole time! Oh..I hope we'll never be apart again."

"Pikachu! Pikapi!"

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"Nurse Joy?" Ash inquired as he walked into the living room with Pikachu in his arms. "What are you doing here?"

"Actually, I have a couple of questions for you if you don't mind."

"Sure, ask whatever you want!"

"Alright...what happened with you and Pikachu when the Rebellion began. I mean..did anything happen? Because he's the only Pokemon I've seen obey anyone, even me, since the Rebellion started."

Ash's smile faded.

"I hope I'm not prying too much, I'm just really curious."

"No, it's not that. It's just, I don't know myself. I've seen other Pokemon obey. Misty and Erika and Brock and the other league members have Pokemon still."

"Really? So all of the Kanto gym leaders and you, but that's it?"

"That's all I've seen."

"And you don't find that...a little...weird?"

"More than a little! I mean..I'm grateful and all..grateful more than anything that Pikachu didn't Rebel, but I have absolutely no idea why. I'm clueless!"

"Hmm...that's very strange."

Ash thought of Ayaka, but decided not to add anything that he didn't understand, so he kept quiet. "Thank you. Thanks for saving my Pikachu. It means everything to me. I can't tell you how..how grateful I am. I can't stay here...I have to return to...my..home..."

"Oh..alright Ash. I hope to meet with you again..someday," Bruno said.

"Me too..." added Joy.

"Goodbye," said Ash as he walked out the door. "Thanks again for everything!"

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Ash didn't know why he was going back to the League house. Misty obviously hated him, and Erika probably hated him too now that he had yelled at her and all.

"There's just something that keeps drawing us back there, huh Pikachu?"

"Pi..pi."

"It's like our destiny is somehow connected to it. Like it's fate or something. It's gotta be. You know how no matter what happens, we always get drawn back together. Like on the first day we met..'member that? We saved each other. And that weird dream that I keep having. With those two Pokemon fighting each other, and making other Pokemon fight. And I somehow have to stop them. And even though I dream it over and over I can never change the outcome. Like it's a memory, not a dream. A long lost memory."

"Pikapi, pika pikachu."

"Yeah, I know. I never talk like this anymore. I don't believe in destiny or fate or stuff like that. Not anymore. I don't know...I just don't understand anything lately."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Ash knocked on the door. "I knew he'd come back," said Misty.

She unlocked the door, and Ash walked by her silently.

"That look in his eyes," Misty thought. "I haven't seen it in..in so long. It's the look I always thought was present before Ash took some stupid dangerous risk that always ended up saving everyone and making him a big hero. The brave determined look. Hmm...wonder what he's up to."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Erika walked into the room where Ash was sitting, Pikachu on his lap, staring into nothingness.

"Oh! Erika! I've been wanting to talk to you! Listen, I'm really sorry how I blew up on you like that..."

"You're just saying that! You'd hate me forever if you couldn't revive Pikachu! I was just trying to help you! To save you Ash...but it's too late."

"Huh?..but..I'm really, sincerely sorry. I felt really bad about it. It seems like now...that you're the only one who cares about me anymore. Misty acts like she'd rather see me dead than alive!"

"Well...yeah...Misty's changed. I don't know how and I don't know why, but she's not the same person anymore..."

Misty ran into the room with determined panic in her eyes, her Vaporeon, Mystic, bounding after her gracefully. "She's here. Ayaka has returned to us. PREPARE YOURSELVES!!! THE BATTLE HAS BEGUN!!" The determined look in her eyes had turned to icy fire. For whatever reasons, she really wanted to destroy Ayaka.

Without thought, Ash dashed after Misty and Mystic. Pikachu followed.

"I wonder what it is that Ayaka did to Misty," Erika thought. "Oh well...gotta do it. I guess..I'm more afraid of Misty than

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Ash watched the tall, thin Ayaka walking slowly through the town. She wore a short, high school uniform inspired dress and Ryuusei, an Espeon like Pokemon walked behind her. People who she passed stared at the creature, many of them not having seen a Pokemon for years.

"She's not doing anything to us, she's just taking a walk. Why do we have to attack her?"

"It's simple," Misty replied. "We have to sneak up on her, we'll never beat her if we don't. And, if she catches us off guard..."

"Right...okay.." Ash responded without much confidence.

All of the gym leaders stood together, their trademark Pokemon next to them. Ash stood a little off to the side, looking tentatively back and forth between the trainers and Ayaka.

"I don't know...what has Ayaka ever done to us?" Ash whispered to Pikachu.

"Pi..pikachu..." Pikachu quietly responded.

"Misty, she's always making me do stuff that in my heart I don't think is right. Oh..look at me. I'm talking like that again. I guess I've tried to suppress those memories of my old self for so long that they've just suddenly come rushing back up to me."

"Alright everybody, on the count of three, run out there and attack her with all your power," Misty commanded. "Surround her! Don't let her get away! One!"

"Get ready Pikachu.."

"Two!"

"Three!"

All of them dashed out of the door and circled around Ayaka.

"What..what's going on?!" Ayaka cried.

"Don't play innocent!" Misty shouted as she shot shimmering shards of ice at her.

Following Misty's lead, the leaders, and Ash, commenced attack. However, Ayaka was quite strong. Her delayed psychic attack weakened many of the leaders. Luckily Ash had his guard up.

Misty was crazy with anger. She shot attacks blindly, battering not only Ayaka but the other leaders as well, Ash included.

Ayaka was dragging herself across the street towards an alleyway, desperately trying to escape Misty. Ash ran after her, wanting to help as well as to escape Misty's fire.

"Hahahahaha!!!!" Misty laughed in rage as she shot an ice spear from her hands. It caught Ash straight in the chest.

"No...." he said. He tasted blood. It hurt when he breathed. He stumbled into the alleyway after Ayaka.

"Oh my gosh!" cried Ayaka. "Are you...alright??"

Ash tried to respond, but no words would come. He groaned.

"Uh...okay...think Ayaka..." Ayaka grasped the large piece of ice and pulled it from Ash's chest. He cried out.

"Oh...oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!! Please...I don't know what to do...someone help me!"

She tore off Ash's shirt and wrapped it tightly around the wound. Blood flowed between her fingers.

"Aaah!! I...I hate blood...!!" she shivered.

Ash coughed, gasping for breath. Blood dripped off his lips. He could barely breathe. "I'm really...dying..." he thought. He cried silently, tears washing the blood from his face.

"Please...say something! Okay...hang on...please hang on. I'm gonna call my friend Akamadake. He's smart..he's my teacher." She pulled out her cell phone, her eyes never leaving Ash's face.

"Hello...Akamadake??"

"Aya-chan?? What is it??"

"There was a battle, and there's this boy, and he got stabbed in the chest with a piece of ice!!!!"

"Alright...stay calm Ayaka. How's he look?"

"He's awful pale..and he's bleeding a lot!!"

"Look at him. Can you tell if he's conscious?"

"His eyes are half open..that's all I can tell!!!"

"Are they glazed over? Can you see..is he looking at you..or is he just staring blankly?"

"He blinked....oh please..he looks awful...please hurry!!!"

"I'm on my way, just keep on talking to me."

Ash listened to Ayaka's words, but it didn't feel like he was listening at all. He seemed detached from his blurring vision, the sounds, even the awful pain spreading from his chest.

"Goodbye..." he thought. His vision darkened, his eyes closed, and he slumped to the ground.

"Oh my gosh!!! Akamadake!! He's unconscious...I'm not sure he's alive!!! Please...Akamadake...HURRY!!!"