Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Only Time Will Tell ❯ Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks, and for y'know, notes and stuff

Summary: Ash Ketchum is sent back in time, after a failed mission to rescue Serebii from Team Rocket's forces. What will he do on his journey this second time around?

Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Ash) shonen-ai
Title: Only Time Will Tell

Prologue/Chapter 1

 

There was pain in his chest and when he coughed it was red. Blood, one part of his mind registered dully, as the Arcanine stopped panting beneath him and gave a tired whine. They were all spent, hours of chase and brief bouts of fighting interspersed, it was only lucky that the Rocket grunts were so damned weak or else they never would have made it out alive…

“Are you all right?” The other rider asked, worried golden eyes scrutinizing him. He hissed as bare hands were pressed against his back, feeling a familiar throb as the skin healed and flesh rebuilt itself. It was a feeling he was inordinately familiar with.

“There they are!” A shout, and several flying pokemon dropped from the sky. He winced, reaching for a poke ball, hesitating when he realized that the pokemon within were all injured and the one that would have been most useful was-!

“Hakuryuu! Hyper Beam!”

Watched as the dragon exploded into action, but they were prepared for this, and there was a shocked cry as Articuno descended, sharp claws digging into pale eyes…

“Run.” He whispered, jumping off. The Arcanine needed no encouragement, harsh breaths as miles stretched between them.

“No.” He whispered, looking backwards before an explosion lit up the forest, flames erupting. “NO!”

But jumping off a running pokemon was suicide, and he needed to get far away enough to… enough to…

The Shrine was straight ahead now, and he stumbled forwards as the Arcanine collapsed tiredly, spent. It wouldn't live much longer, he supposed, but he was here, and the goal was within reach…

Pain exploded through his back again as he numbly dropped the GS ball into the slot. Click.

A few more coughs, wracking his bleeding frame, and then there was blessed silence. The Rockets following jumped off their Rapidash and walked in, one reached out to touch the ball…

He screamed in pain as green light exploded all around them. Nothing but bones was left. Slowly, a small, tiny green and white creature came into view, looking down at the fallen man and his pokémon with an expression of regret.

She paused for a moment, and then she pressed a hand to Ash's forehead.

< You gave your life for mine, and so, I shall grant you a gift… do not waste it, this time… >

He didn't hear her, but when he opened his eyes again, everything had changed.

 

Warmth. There was warmth on his face. That was the first thing Ash Ketchum noticed. Also, that he was lying on a bed. That was odd. He'd been sleeping in a sleeping bag if lucky, on leaves and dirt if not, on and off, but now, he was in a bed, and it was warm, and there were clean sheets covered with a pikachu-print coverlet…

This place… was familiar!
He pushed the sheets back and stood up, looking out the window, and he froze. Pallet town lay glistening against the backdrop of the ocean right outside, Professor Oak's laboratory taking up most of the space, there was Gary's house, and perched on top of Mr. Yamamoto's house cottage blocks away was that irritating Dodrio that crowed at the crack of dawn…

Tears almost came to his eyes and he blinked hastily, trying to stop himself. Impossible. Pallet Town was gone. Team Rocket had turned it four years ago, had captured or killed all of the pokemon at Oak's Reserve… Gary had been caught in an Explosion attack protecting his sister May… Oak had been kidnapped; the last time he checked the man was still alive, working to create pokémon hybrids for Team Rocket… his mother…

 

“Ash! Are you awake already?” A voice called up.

He froze. His mom… she was alive… she was alive! He rushed down the stairs, tripping on the last two, and landed with a thump on a heap on the floor in front of her.

Delia gave a slight chuckle as she picked Ash off the floor. “A little clumsy this morning, aren't we?” She teased. “Come on, I'll make breakfast. What did you want?”

His stomach rumbled and for once, it wasn't just protein bars and trail rations that he had, no, he had real, good, delicious food and his mom was making it. Homemade food! He almost cried again but settled for squeaking out `pancakes'.

Delia made pancakes too, light and fluffy, and scrambled eggs and bacon, and laughed as she watched him eat, chiding him that it wasn't going to disappear and she certainly wasn't going to fight him for it!

Ash listened with half an ear, even the mild rebuke sounding like music. He'd missed this so much, but how was it possible?

The last thing he remembered was a flash of light…

 

Wait. He'd succeeded, hadn't he? He had managed to release Serebii, set her free… did that mean….

He glanced down at his hands. True, he had hardly grown at all even through the years, putting on a bit more muscle and a few inches in height, but that was all….

He'd take a look later. For now, food!

 

After the delicious meal, which Ash couldn't stop babbling about, his mom sent him outside to weed her flowers. He obeyed willingly. Who cared about tasks like this? His mom was still alive! But as he caught sight of his reflection in the metal watering can, he froze.

It was true. He looked different. Both of his eyes were there, he wasn't missing any fingers, though he should have noticed that earlier, and he was shorter and his skin was no longer the ghostly pale it had been while they were on the run.

He finished weeding the flowers, went upstairs and looked at all his pokemon dolls and toys, his clothing, everything in the room, trying to imprint it firmly on his memory… before he realized that Team Rocket hadn't struck until he was seventeen and that was years in the future but still!

He had to do something this time. Otherwise, otherwise everyone would die again, and… and that would…

“I can't let him die again.” Ash sighed. “But he doesn't even know I exist yet, I bet, and it's not as if he's going to believe me. What am I going to do?”

He did not know. He was almost asleep by the time his mom called for dinner, and after dinner he went back upstairs, only mildly registering the fact that she had told him about… the pokemon journey tomorrow!

It was no use. He had to change things. He could not, no matter how much he wanted to, take Pikachu. He had to get there early enough. Squirtle, maybe, or Bulbasaur, or Charmander, it didn't matter, but he couldn't take Pikachu!
If he did, it would set the whole vicious cycle in motion again… and no matter what…even if it hurts to lose my friend…

It would hurt a lot more to lose him.

 

 

End Chapter

Completed 2/3/06

Okay bunny! Don't die!
I like Ash with a brain. I envision him as Red with some extra feats. ^^ Pity he's an adult stuck in the body of a ten year old kid…