Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Only Time Will Tell ❯ Chapter 2

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

Chapter 2

 

Alas, even the knowledge was no help the second time around. No matter how hard he tried to stay awake, his body was still exhausted from the ordeal of past life and so he woke up only realizing that it was noon! Noon! Even last time he had managed to crawl out of bed by ten but noon? Now there was no way he was going to get anything but Pikachu!
Wait…

He had been used to playing by the formula, but now that he thought about it, Professor Oak had to give him a pokedex and poke balls, but not necessarily a starting pokemon, and he hadn't gotten Pikachu until he begged…

Maybe… maybe he could get another pokemon. He had already resigned himself in any case, and maybe without Pikachu, then things would be different…

Team Rocket certainly would not have taken so much interest in him…

Maybe this time, they would be safe…

 

So. Well, besides Oak, there were other places to get pokemon, breeding ranches and such. He had some money saved up in his bank account, if he wanted, he could go to a pet shop…

So he quickly dressed, hesitating as he slid on the familiar jean jacket and hat. They'd been destroyed and he'd resorted to wearing Kevlar, living in it almost, never sure when an attack would happen… but it was safe now. He would be all right…

He had to relax. Now was not a dangerous time. He just had to believe that!

He accepted the pokedex and balls from Oak with a smile, and than headed home. A quick phone call and he was assured that yes, they did do mail deliveries.

All right, so it cost him 3000 pokeyen, but at least that way he had a starter pokemon, and not a bug or normal type either. No, as he looked at his new Swinub he felt a surge of pride. An ice type would be useful at Brock's gym at the very least, and it would help him net a flying type soon enough. Plus, ice beat dragon…

That one little fact was important. He would have to get into the Pokemon League to get closer to him…

 

His mom was surprised that he had bought a pokemon, but any starter pokemon was good, so she waved goodbye to him cheerfully and extracted a promise that he would visit soon and call every week.

That was certainly a promise Ash did not mind making. He had come to discover that he missed his mother when she was gone, and he would make the most of his time with her while she was still alive.

You only regret what you have until it's gone. It was a hard lesson, but this time around, Ash was determined not to screw up.

Playing the idiot did more harm than good in the long run.

 

He and Swinub set off. Route 1 was not very difficult to travel, as there were mostly Pidgey and Rattata. He gave a wistful smile as he watched a Spearow soar overhead, remembering his Pikachu and how they had wound up the best of friends from one careless rock at a bird's head, a stupid incident really…

A wistful look suffused his features for a moment, before he shook his head. The past was past, even if it was really a possibly future he was trying to thwart. Hopefully, hopefully, this one change at the beginning was enough to chain his destiny down a different path this time…

He ordered another Powder Snow, watching as Swinub gained another level. Excellent… soon, very soon, he would be ready. He would train his pokémon well, stay out of Team Rocket's way, make it to the League, and find some way to seduce Lance.

It did not sound that difficult, but Ash knew better. The pitfalls were potentially numerous… it was a lonely road to walk too, until later, and he would have no time for his friends. Misty and Brock hadn't lived long after Team Rocket's take-over, in any case. They'd been the first ones on the block, an example…

It was a clear warning not to mess with Team Rocket. Well, he'd messed in any case, but perhaps this time his interference had not been dumb action but actually a good thing.

Serebii had given him a second chance, hadn't she? How could that possibly be a bad thing? He would have to disable Team Rocket now, before they developed their weapons and such, before they became a threat to society and life as a whole, a dangerous force to be reckoned with, no longer a pathetic joke…

It was such a drastic change. He supposed it must have started with Mewtwo. Could he possibly prevent the creation of the clone pokemon?

But then if he did that, he would be changing the timeline.

But, he knew that it was for the better.

However, Mewtwo had been redeemed in the end… but Giovanni had gone after it once more, and again, so…

It was probably safe for all if Mewtwo had never existed in the first place. He'd figure something out, but first, he had to train. Then, after he beat Giovanni and got the Earth Badge, well…

He might be able to infiltrate Team Rocket then…

 

As he plotted, Swinub continued to fire ice attacks at the wild pokemon gathered around. He'd found a MysteryBerry bush earlier and now, PP could be restored…

It went on for a few more hours, before the duo set up their camp for the night. Ash found himself strangely reluctant to catch more pokémon, but than a voice that sounded achingly familiar drifted up from the depths of his memory.

You can either have a host of ill-trained pokemon, or a small group of very well trained pokemon. It's a trade-off, like all things in life, but as for me, I prefer a few I can trust my life to…

 

Ash honestly preferred the same, but what he needed to take down Team Rocket was a host, a large group of well-trained pokemon. It would take time, and he would have to push his limits, but he was confident that he could do it. He had done it once. He could do it again, if he had to, and he believed that he did.

He would do it for the world.

He would do it for the legendary pokémon.

But most of all, he would do it for himself… well, maybe not. He colored. He did not want to undertake such a strenuous endeavor, all by his lonesome. He needed a partner, and a few support technicians.

The Elite Four would do well.

First though, he had to get there. He had to train, to plot, to plan… to battle.

“Swinub, use Endure!”

Good, the sudden appearance of that Fearow had caught him off guard, but no matter. He smirked.

“Blizzard!”

A poke ball was in his hand and a Fearow was caught. He preferred different evolutions for different pokémon, and a Fearow would be more useful than a Spearow, for now… he clipped it to his belt and walked on, giving Swinub a few words of praise. It was starting to get dark.

He'd better break camp and set up for the night.

Pokechow for Swinub, instant ramen for himself, and the schedule was set. He did not bother to light a campfire, simply heated it with the hot water thermos he had already prepared before leaving home. He would have to refill it in Viridian, and build a fire tomorrow, but no matter…

 

 

End Chapter

Completed 2/7/06

Started er…2/3/06

Well, I hope someone likes this. Yay for introspection!
Lance: Ash-centric, as usual

Phantomness: You'll pop in later, as usual