To The Rainbow's End [Archive] - The PokeMasters Forums

ZeldaFan20

20th June 2003, 10:49 PM

Ultra_Poke2000: Are you planning to get Zelda: The Wind Waker? I've played the demo at Wal-Mart, and it looks very cool!

Crystalmaster Mike: I thought you'd like it. I knew that some readers like cliffhangers ;).

legendary fisherman1: Thanks, I'm very flattered ;o :).

CHAPTER 1

WOOOOOOOOOOOO...WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

The horn of the S.S.Coral echoed across the waves as it continued on its journey. On board, many people and Pokémon strolled onto the deck to breathe in the fresh morning air. Wingulls---and a few Pelippers---flew across the sky in great numbers; some circled around the ship, looking for scraps of food from the passengers. A Wailord slowly rose up on the port side, spraying water from its spout into the air. Many spectators got soaked in the process.

Among the wet crowd was a young girl, no older than thirteen. She had laughing violet eyes, ivory skin, and a smile that could warm the hearts of everyone around her. The one trait that was most noticeable, however, was her hair: it was deep purple with a light blue front, and cascaded down to her waist in a waterfall of soft, wavy curls. She was leaning on the guardrail of the ship, supporting the person next to her.

It was a young man, around nineteen years old. Compared to his female companion, he looked very strange. The hair on his head was short, gray, and dingy. Every limb was white as salt, not to mention incredibly thin. His green eyes seemed tired, but also calm and curious; they moved in every direction, as if to survey the surrounding area.

The girl suddenly looked into his face. She knew the boy, and the terrible secret about him. She smiled sweetly as he glanced back at her.

“Look, David,” she said, pointing to the enormous creature below, “It’s a Wailord.”

The young man looked at the Pokémon and began to speak, "Way...Way...Waylord?" he asked.

His friend nodded happily, “That’s right, a Wailord; that means we’ll be in Lilycove City soon.”

At that moment, she glanced at her watch: it read 7:59 AM. She immediately looked to her right. Standing on the guardrail were two small Pokémon: a Pikachu, and a seasick-looking Jigglypuff. Both turned to face her.

“Pikachu,” she said as they jumped down to the floor, “you’d better go wake up Ash, or he’ll miss out on breakfast.”

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded. In a flash, it raced down the stairs to the lower level.

“No...NO!...........Stay away...!”

Ash didn’t know where he was; a look of sheer terror was on his face. There was nothing but darkness in every direction. There wasn’t even any ground to run on; and yet, that’s exactly what he was doing---running. All he could do was run---run from whatever was chasing him.

Looming behind was a large figure. It appeared to be human, because it had the shape of a human; yet it also seemed inhuman: the face was hidden in shadow, but a pair of sinister-looking eyes shone bright red against the darkness. An enormous hand (also in shadow) was reaching out to Ash, as if it were trying to catch him. It was so close that the fingers were almost scratching his back.

“Keep away from me!......GO AWAY!!!” Ash screamed as he began to run faster. No matter how fast he ran, however, the figure always seemed to be getting much closer. Suddenly, Ash lost his footing, and fell. He didn't land on anything solid, though---he was falling into an infinite darkness...

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!...”

“No!” Ash sat up in bed, breathing heavily. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked around.

He was lying in bed, in the same cabin he shared with his friends. It was a medium-sized room with two sets of bunk beds, and a porthole that let you look out to the open ocean. However, the bunks on the opposite side---as well as the bed above his---were empty.

“I guess they all went upstairs,” Ash sighed as he got up and proceeded to get dressed. Pikachu burst into the room just as he was tying the laces on his sneakers.

“Pi pika-chu,” Pikachu said.

Ash smiled at his little partner. “Let me guess: Aurora sent you down here to wake me up, right?”

“Pika pi!” Pikachu nodded, smiling.

“Well then,” Ash stood up, “we’d better get upstairs and have some breakfast. Let’s go.”

With that, the two friends walked out the cabin door, and headed upstairs towards the main deck.

“Good-morning, Ash,” Aurora said when she saw him and Pikachu walk up.

“Morning, Aurora,” Ash replied before glancing at David. “Giving my big brother some early-morning exercise?” he added, chuckling.

Aurora giggled back, “No, we just wanted to admire the scenery.” Suddenly, she took a closer look at his face, and a worried expression crossed her own, “What’s wrong? You look a little pale. Are you feeling okay?”

Ash nodded, “Yeah, I’m fine---just had a little nightmare, that’s all.” Then he shrugged his shoulders and gave another chuckle, “Who’s up for some breakfast? I’m really hungry.”

The whole group soon strolled across the deck together, and headed for the ship’s dining room.

GeneChildMewtwo

21st June 2003, 12:01 AM

It was kind of short but, that's okay. It seems that David is doing pretty well, It must be very exciting for him, considering his previous situation.

I wonder what Ash was dreaming about... People like him don't have strange nightmares that mean nothing... That just wouldn't be right. ^_^ Does this mean that something's going to happen? Well, this is only the first chapter, so of course something is going to happen. I guess now I wait and find out what it is. You did a good job setting the stage for the future. Although as for now I've got no idea what will happen, and that's the way you seem to like it. ^_^ (Not that that's a bad thing at all.)

I guess Jigglypuff doesn't take well to ships... Everyone else seemed fine however.

I guess now it's back to waiting for the next part. Keep it up!

(On a side note: The Wind Waker is super-neat.)

Crystalmaster Mike

21st June 2003, 02:39 AM

Yeah, I feel a plot line building... And David is probably getting the time of his life! Seeing the sea, cruising, ... Very nice!

Ultra_Poke2000

21st June 2003, 06:33 PM

nice but short chapter. there's a prelude in the form of a nightmare, David having fun, Jigglypuff getting seasick, and breakfast! lol! i was planing on getting Star Wars: Clone Wars sometime, but ive never had the cance to get into the Zelda series, so i might as well, start, so thanx for the suggestion! in the mean time, theres a ton of stuff to unlock on SSBM, so its not likely that i'll get too bored anytime soon. ive also got a PS2 for Cristmas a while and im planing to get Ace Combat 4. (ive always been into fighter jet games/ sims). neway, keep it up!:wave:

ZeldaFan20

21st June 2003, 08:42 PM

Powarun: Oops! Didn't see ya there. I guess we both posted around the same time (laughs). Anyway, the answer to both questions is "No." You'll see more of them, don't worry ;).

GeneChildMewtwo: Yeah, things seem very calm........for now, at least... And Jigglypuff getting seasick---is that weird or what?

Crystalmaster Mike: If you mean that little dream-sequence,...you'll just have to wait and see.

Ultra_Poke2000: Glad you like it. I've never had a thing for Star Wars, but...never got into the Zelda series??!! I'm surprised at you!! It's one of the greatest game series in the entire world (besides Pokemon, of course)! When you DO decide to get it, let me know how it turns out.

Ultra_Poke2000

22nd June 2003, 07:12 PM

i know that the Zelda series is one of the best, but the first game system i got was an N64 on Christmas of '99, and i never got Orciana of Time or any of the others, so i just never got into it,although im sure im missing out. cant wait till they get to shore, and start the new adventure! cya!:wave:

Powarun

22nd June 2003, 09:25 PM

Well the Zelda series is for hardcore brain machines, it took me hours trying to find a swithch was just under a rock. Sheesh. but with the story, yay the psycho is actually cool, I was hoping that Ash will teach him about pokemon in the first chapter sorta like in video games, but it was fine.

mr_pikachu

23rd June 2003, 02:02 PM

Nice job! I like the descriptions, as well as David's attempt to pronunciate "Wailord." Very realistic! And Ash's nightmare sounds like he was being chased by Giovanni... or David gone psycho... or Lawrence III... or one of David's mother's other relatives... or maybe...

Anyway, the only suggestion I have is, as a writer, don't EVER say you don't know what something's called. It really takes away from the drama of the story. And if they were on a cruise ship, they would be eating in a dining hall.

I've GOT to get me a GameCube someday! :D Oh, and sorry for not replying sooner, but our internet was down for the last week. Something about our surge protecter being screwed up. Anyway, great chapter, can't wait for the next one, blah-blah-blah... oh no... song started in my head...

All I hear... every day, blah blah blah.
All I he-e-e-ear, every day blah blah blah (blah blah blah!)
blah blah...

(Excerpt from song on "Pokemon 2000" CD... think it was called "Blah Blah Blah" or something creative like that.)

ZeldaFan20

23rd June 2003, 06:50 PM

mr_pikachu: Thanks for the advice. I managed to do a little correcting today, so it should seem a little better.

As for the songs in the head, I have the same problem: I've been listening to my Phantom of the Opera CDs so much that I hear most of the songs in my sleep (laughs)!

mr_pikachu

24th June 2003, 02:02 PM

Don't worry about it. The most important thing I've learned about fic writing is: Know what you're talking about.

And as for the Phantom of the Opera, I've actually never seen the play or heard the songs. Is it really as good as people say? One thing I do know, though, is that I am OBSESSIVE about Pokemon music. I'm not kidding. I listen to it day and night. The reason I hear it in my sleep is because IT'S STILL PLAYING. Not to mention the fact that it's awesome music that sticks in my head like glue. So you're probably no more "in tune" with your music than I am with mine. Anyway, catch you later! Write that next chapter! ;) :yes: ;)

ZeldaFan20

26th June 2003, 02:22 PM

Uh-oh! I'm falling behind here! Anyway, we're having a heat-wave over here, and it's too hot too write anything, but I'll try to get the next one up tomorrow.

mr_pikachu: It's actually BETTER than what people say! :yes:

mr_pikachu

27th June 2003, 12:11 PM

Wow! That IS good material!

Anyway, don't worry about being late. If your fans are truly loyal to the fic, they'll stick with you through thick and thin. Just don't let it die altogether! Some of the best authors have lost tons of readers and interest by letting their fics melt away into the shadows, such as CCC with WDC, and Mist with LVHII. (For those of you who don't understand those acronyms, you either haven't been around very long, or haven't read the works of some of TPM's best writers.) Anyway, I'll wait EVER so patiently for the next chapter! ...Okay, I'm through waiting. Get that chapter up already! ;)

GeneChildMewtwo

27th June 2003, 08:50 PM

(Oh no! I broke my rule of only replying after a chapter! Although it's not really a rule... More of a habit.)

It's fine as long as you stick with it. As mr_pikachu said, the loyal fans will wait for you, no mater what happens. (Just don't disappear, becuase then the loyal fans get sad... and they might cry and such.) Although getting the next chapter sooner is better than later, later but good beats sooner but rushed. Always.

So, I'll be waiting patiently. ^_^ See you then! (Well, at least I'll read what you typed, but yeah, It sounds a whole lot better than "Read what you typed then!" ^_^)

ZeldaFan20

27th June 2003, 11:00 PM

mr_pikachu and GeneChildMewtwo: Worry not, friends. I said I'd have the next chapter up sometime today, and I have kept my word! I hope you enjoy it!

CHAPTER 2

What began as a calm and uneventful morning turned out to be quite interesting on Seafoam Island. After the events at both the mansion and Mental Institute, the entire populous was in a state of shock. How could two children and a handful of Pokemon possibly cause such a huge amount of commotion?

Throughout the day, the police went up and down the streets of the island, often stopping to question people. Every single person---down to the street musicians---was questioned by at least one or two officers.

Brock, Daisy, and Delia were making inquiries too. They searched the Pokemon Center, PokeMart, park, Mall, and every video arcade in the area, hoping to find Ash and Pikachu at any of these locations. Their search proved fruitless; no one had seen Ash, or any of his other companions---especially not a deranged nineteen-year-old. Delia sank further and further into despair with each negative reply.

“What could’ve happened?” Delia asked out loud, “Where could they have gone?”

“I’m sure they’re okay, Mrs. Ketchum,” Brock said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, “Ash might be a bit quirky sometimes, but he’s also resourceful. Plus, he has Pikachu and his other Pokemon with him, so they should be alright.” At that instant, a police car pulled up next to them. It was still running as Officer Jenny stepped out.

“There you are!” she said opening the rear door for them, “Get in, quick!”

“Did you find out anything?” Daisy asked hopefully.

“You bet we did!” was the reply, “One of my men says that they were seen down by the pier. He’s questioning the ticket-seller right now.” The threesome was in the car before she could say anything more, and they were soon driving down the street towards the harbor.

Upon arriving, they spotted the officer talking to a young man, jotting down some notes in the process. Delia ran up to them, clearly frantic.

“Where is he?” she asked them, “Where’s my son?!” As the officer tried to calm the frightened woman, the ticket-seller looked at her with concern on his face.

“Are you that kid’s mother?” he asked, “I sold him and his friends three tickets late last night. Said they were heading for Hoenn, down South.” He then lowered his voice, as if afraid of being overheard, “Personally, I didn’t like the look of the guy he had with him: looked like he just had a break-down, or something…”

“Did he say where in Hoenn?” Delia asked, ignoring the added comment.

“No. He said this was their first trip to Hoenn, so I showed them a map. I recommended Lilycove City---a beach community on the Western coast. Still, I thought it was kinda weird when he asked if it had any hospitals, but…”

“Now I understand,” Brock cut in gravely. He’d been listening to the man very carefully, and during that last statement, he’d clearly gotten the picture. Everyone present immediately looked in his direction. “He’s trying to get both himself and David as far away from here as possible.”

Delia gasped and turned ashen white, but Daisy looked very confused, “What are you saying, Brock?”

“It’s simple: Ash probably thinks that David’s ‘mental instability’ will improve if he’s far away from Giovanni; but, at the same time, he’s found an excuse to run away from his troubles here.” Before he could continue, however, another man walked up. He looked like a policeman, except the color of the uniform was slightly different. The group figured that he was one of the harbor security guards.

“Excuse me,” he started to say, “But I just got off the phone with our people over in Lilycove City: there’s some trouble brewing over there, and I fear that the S.S.Coral will soon be in the middle of it.”

“What do you mean?” Delia cried, “What kind of trouble?!”

“Now, I’ve heard that some breakfast foods are interesting, but Fruit Loops’ waffles? Weird!”

Ash and Aurora were in line at the buffet counter, selecting their breakfast and helping David (who was being supported by Ash) get his. There were so many things to choose from: waffles, pancakes, eggs (fried or scrambled), hash browns, French and regular toast, a variety of cereals, bagels, English muffins, etc. Aurora had chosen a fruit salad, toast with grape jam, and orange juice. David’s plate had an orange, a bowl of Cheerios’, and a carton of milk. Ash, however, was having a hard time deciding between waffles and pancakes.

Pikachu and all the other Pokemon were sitting at a table near one of the windows. Even with a beautiful view of the waves, they were bored to death with waiting. Meganium was letting Eevee, Mudkip, and Bee (Aurora’s Unown partner) play around it, while the rest sat still and twiddled their paws. After about five minutes, the three humans arrived, and the relieved little creatures made room for them.

“So,” Aurora began as she poured some milk into David’s cereal, “What are we going to do once we get to Lilycove City?”

Ash thought for a second. “Well, first of all, we need to find a hospital where David can get some help. After that, we might as well explore the region---but we’ll need to find some way to get back to Lilycove quickly so he doesn’t get too worried……hey, stop that!” Ash was cut short as he tried to stop David from eating cereal with his fingers. Milk was dripping from his mouth, trickling down the chin and onto his shirt.

Aurora giggled as she watched Ash teach David how to hold the spoon. “I have an idea,” she said cheerfully, “There’s probably a Pokemon League in Hoenn; this might be a great opportunity to check out the Gyms and win some new badges.”

The Pokemon all started howling and dancing with excitement: new Gyms, new Pokemon, and a whole new League to compete in!

However, Ash didn’t seem too thrilled with the idea. He massaged his eyes with a sticky hand, and made a slight face before speaking.

“I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but……I think I’m gonna take a break from Gym battles for a while.” When Pikachu and the others heard this, they were dreadfully shocked; Ash not wanting to go for a Pokemon Gym Challenge? Something was amiss here!

Aurora didn’t seem quite as shocked as the Pokemon, but she WAS surprised. “Why not? I thought it was your dream to become a Pokemon Master.”

“It still is,” Ash said hastily, “It’s just that, well,…this trip is supposed to be about getting my brother here some help.” He paused for a minute or two before continuing, “Also, I want to clear my head of all that’s been going on.” Then he turned to the wide-eyed herd around him, and smiled. “You guys understand, don’t you?”

The Pokemon smiled back. They knew about the trauma Ash had gone through back on Seafoam Island, and that he needed all the support he could get. Pikachu and the two little ones hopped on his lap and nuzzled his chest; the others made cheerful noises as they rubbed against his legs and shoulders.

Ash was so touched by the overwhelming affection of his friends that he almost didn’t notice David trying to open the closed milk carton with his teeth.

“No, Dave!” Ash said, almost hissing in his older brother’s ear, “Don’t do that! We don’t use teeth to open those things; use your fingers!” After opening the carton, Ash slapped a hand over his forehead, “Brother! I can’t take my eyes off this guy for even a second!”

With this, every one of his friends started laughing. David laughed too---much like an Arcanine getting a tummy-rub. After wondering what was so funny, Ash started laughing too.

Once the laughter subsided, the two other humans began eating; the Pokemon feasting on their Pokechow at the same time.

DannyBoy

27th June 2003, 11:10 PM

Good CHapters! I justed finsihed them and the two are good. I like how you have not wanting to do the gym battles and stuff. Makes it sound like he maturing from that and caring for something else. Good length and Descriton. Keep it up!

Crystalmaster Mike

28th June 2003, 02:51 AM

*is in shock* Ash not wanting to win Badges? The world is falling apart! Everybody, run!! *everybody stays in place while he runs around frantically* *stops* Umm, yeah... Other wise, fine chapter, with those two story lines knowing things about the others they don't know yet... And we have a semi-cliffhanger already!

mr_pikachu

28th June 2003, 12:04 PM

NOOOOOOOO!!! No Gym battles... no league... *snif* IT'S JUST NOT FAIR!!!

Oh, right. Um, well, anyway, nice chapter all in all. The bits of comedy were perfectly melded with the suspense of the "events" in Hoenn! Perhaps Ash is going to do more battling than he thinks! Heh heh heh...

Well, what more can I say? Good work, and I'll definitely be looking forward to Chapter 3!

Powarun

28th June 2003, 09:53 PM

Nice chapter, a little short but meaning ful, wonder what the crowd thinks watching a gray haired teen ager unable to use a spoon, and nothing is wrong with opening milk cartons with your teeth, as for Delia, your son is old enough to be on his own for crying aloud, he was captured by Team Rocket you know to get Lugia. Sheesh, she doesn't worry about him when he tells her that he is leaving. Am I one of the few knowing that Ash would quit the league, it would be too stress ful to make a story with Ash a complete moron on a TV show, Aurora, a person who was made up dxept for desing and a PSychopath, or retarded teenager what ever suits you. It would be hard to include a league of pokemon gyms in it. So Zeldafan you are doing a good job as it is.:yes:

GeneChildMewtwo

29th June 2003, 01:31 AM

I liked a lot of things about this chapter. It's very interesting how you payed attention to the fact that David would be most likely unaware of many of the normal things we take for granted. (This was shown earlier too, like with the Wailord scene.) And that Ash wouldn't be aware that David didn't know. It's nice to see that kind of forethought. I really feel that the characters have a lot of planning behind them. Like they are real in a way.

As for Ash turning down the league, I would never expect the TV Ash to do that, but somehow, the Ash you've portrayed, given the situation, this seems completely like something that this Ash would do. It makes perfect sense form both his standpoint, and your position as an author. Overall, I think it was a good decision, as this story seems to be very heavy on character relationships and development. I really enjoy that, and I really enjoy your writing, becuase of all the little things you put in to add up into the big thing that we see here.

I'm glad that you update regularly. ^_^ Keep up the good work! :wave:

(On a side note: I think that it would actualy be easier for Jigglypuff to become seasick, do to the elastic and bouncy nature of it's body, although I wonder if you had thought of that, or if it was just randomly Jigglypuff that was chosen? ^_^)

ZeldaFan20

29th June 2003, 04:33 PM

IloveX-TINA: Thanks, I'm glad you like my story. Say, haven't I seen you somewhere before? I usually never forget a face---or, in this case, a screen-name. Anyway, welcome to our little group!

Crystalmaster Mike: Hey! Hey! Take it easy! Sheesh, only the first two chapters and you're already making a fuss :D! Yeah, something big is gonna happen, but you'll still have to wait.

mr_pikachu: Oh no, not you too! I seem to be surrounded by comics here (laughs hard)! Speaking of which, glad you think the comedy-reliefs are so amusing.

Powarun: Really? Short? It seems longer than the first chapter. I guess next time I should do a word count :). Delia wasn't worried because she always knew where Ash was; this time, he didn't even leave a note. As for David, I'd prefer the term "mentally unstable." I really appreciate the compliment, too :yes:. Wait, though; I didn't actually say he'd quit, did I?

GeneChildMewtwo: Well, I try to keep his original "TV series" personality while mixing in real-life experiences and emotions. As for Jigglypuff,...gee, I really haven't given much thought to that---except I thought it might add a touch of humour.

Well, I have a free week this week (I hope), so expect Chapter 3 real soon!

mr_pikachu

30th June 2003, 01:32 PM

Originally posted by ZeldaFan20

Wait, though; I didn't actually say he'd quit, did I?

Please let what I'm thinking is true be true...

Originally posted by ZeldaFan20

Well, I have a free week this week (I hope), so expect Chapter # real soon!

Um... are you unaware of what chapter you're on? Seems a bit odd... or was it just a typo? :rolleyes:

Originally posted by ZeldaFan20 (from sig)

God Bless the USA!!!

Glad to see we're in agreement!

Anyway, I'll be waiting somewhat patiently for Chapter #3! That's right, Chapter 3. Write it down so you don't forget again. k? Good.

ZeldaFan20

30th June 2003, 03:46 PM

Oops! Thanks, I guess I was typing a little too fast there :D.

Ultra_Poke2000

30th June 2003, 06:48 PM

nice chapter! poor David trying to eat cereal with his fingers.

heeeeyyyy.... wait a minute.....
“I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but……I think I’m gonna take a break from Gym battles for a while.” *eyes bulge* *sharp intake of breath* *falls over*

(5 mins later): *gasp!* no league persuits? nooooo!!!http://216.40.249.192/s/contrib/dvv/sconf.gif *stops whirling eyes* okay, i just might be able to get over that. but im sure there will be a compensation for that, right? right?

ZeldaFan20

2nd July 2003, 11:08 AM

Right. After all, I've never let the pleasant moments last very long, have I?

Btw, how did you do that "whirling eyes" face? It's really cool.

ZeldaFan20

2nd July 2003, 04:32 PM

CHAPTER 3

"Hey, Ash! Think fast!" A huge splash of cold water came out of nowhere and slammed hard against Ash's body.

It was around 5:30 in the afternoon, and a great crowd of people were lounging around the S.S.Coral's indoor swimming pool. Aurora was in the shallow area, trying to help David get used to the water.

Pikachu, Bee, and Eevee were floating on the small inner tubes Ash had rented for them, while Mudkip and Croconaw were doing the backstroke all around the entire pool (staying close together, of course).

The only Pokemon who weren't swimming were Meganium, Quilava, and Jigglypuff---who was sitting on a loungechair, wearing sunglasses and a straw sunhat, and looking very content. Meganium was much too big and heavy to swim---especially in the deep end; and Quilava, being a Fire type,...well, you get the idea.

Ash, in the meantime, was sitting on the edge of the pool, trying to keep one eye on his Pokemon, and the other on David and Aurora. However, he received quite a shock as the cold spray hit him.

"Hey!" he exclaimed looking at Aurora, who was giggling behind her hands, "What was that for?"

"Do you want to play with us?" she asked "We're gonna play Marco Polo." Pikachu and the others started swimming over when they heard this.

Ash smiled and nodded, then slipped into the water. It was freezing cold, and went up to his waist. Aurora tied a handkerchief over his eyes, and they started to play.

"Marco!" he said.

"Polo!" was the reply. The Pokemon responded with their usual noises. All David could say was, "Po!"

After about ten minutes, everyone began to feel a little tired, so they all got out and rested on their loungechairs. As he was helping David dry off, Ash noticed that Quilava was looking a little bummed.

"Something wrong, Quilava?" he asked. Quilava looked sadly at Ash, then at the pool, then back to him.

Ash smiled; he'd clearly gotten the idea. Instantly, he got back into the pool, and motioned for the little Fire type to come closer.

"C'mon over, buddy," Ash said, "There's nothing to be afraid of." Quilava, shaking slightly, walked over to him. Ash gently picked it up in his hands and wrapped its slender body around the back of his neck (like those fur wraps you often see rich ladies wear). In this fashion he started wading around the shallow area, his hands still holding Quilava's trembling body.

"Quil...?" it said nervously.

"Shhh," Ash replied, stroking it gently, "It's okay; I'm not gonna let you get wet." Many of the other people had gone to supper, so there was hardly anyone there to criticize his actions. After a while Quilava began to grow calmer, and often padded its paws against the wet wavy surface.

All of a sudden, Ash heard someone yelling, "HEYYYYAAA," and turned around: David had gotten off his chair and, before anyone could stop him, was running towards the shallow end of the pool at high speed. As Ash turned to get out of the way, David jumped into the air and did a belly-flop almost on top of him---causing a frightened Quilava to jump clean off of Ash's shoulders.

David, upon hitting the water, had unknowingly slammed his arm against Ash's back, resulting in both going underwater. Ash, feeling both anger and fear at the same time, dragged David up to the surface and began looking around for Quilava---who was probably soaked to the skin and struggling to stay afloat. What he saw instead, had clearly taken him by surprise.

Just as Quilava was about to hit the water, something solid had risen up in time to catch it. If it was a Pokemon, Ash had never seen one like it: a medium-sized, stone-like creature. It was colored a strange grayish-blue. Red eyes stared out near the top of its head. Silver-like points at the ends of its arms---obviously claws---had a gentle yet firm grasp on Quilava's squirming body. There was another silver point on its face, probably to serve as a kind of nose for the strange Pokemon.

As Ash---dragging David---went over to see if his little friend was alright, a young man suddenly ran up to them. He appeared to be around David's age, but much better looking. He also had gray hair, but it appeared to be more like his natural color; his light-brown eyes had a look of sheer concern. This person had, apparently, stayed a little longer before going up for dinner when the unexpected event happened.

The rock-like Pokemon carefully handed Quilava to the man (evidently, its trainer), who gave a relieved smile in return.

"Great catch, Metang," said the man, and he turned to the two boys coming towards him. "Are you two okay?"

David was too busy coughing to look. Ash gave him a disapproving scowl before turning to the Pokemon's trainer. "Yeah," he coughed, climbing out of the pool with his brother in tow, "We're fine, but how's Quilava?" The little Fire type jumped into his arms immediately and, despite the fact that Ash was soaked, nuzzled him happily.

The other Pokemon, followed by Aurora, quickly showed up behind them.

"Oh, thank goodness!" she exclaimed when she saw that they were alright, "I was so worried!"

"We're fine, Aurora," Ash said, then he turned to the young man in front of him, "I don't know who you and your Pokemon are, but...thanks for keeping my friend here high and dry."

The stranger smiled, "Well, it's a good thing my Metang was raised to resist Water-type attacks. Oh, my name's Steven, by the way---Steven Stone." He held out his hand towards Ash, who shook it.

"My name's Ash. This is Aurora, and (he lowered his eyebrows a little) my brother, David." Ash then took a closer look at Steven's Pokemon, "Metang? I've never heard of that Pokemon before. It kinda looks like a Rock-type."

Steven chuckled, "Actually, it's both a Steel- and Psychic-type. My family's always been really big on Steel-types."

Ash's eyes opened wide, "Really? Steel-types? Say, do you happen to know the Olivine Gym Leader, Jasmine? She trains Steels too."

Steven nodded, "Yes, I do---in fact, she's my cousin." At that moment, Steven looked at his watch. "Listen," he said looking back at that group, "Why don't you all be my guests for dinner this evening?"

Ash nodded, "Sounds great, Steven. How about we all go to our room, get changed, and meet you there?"

"I'll be waiting," Steven replied as he turned to leave, "It was nice meeting you."

Back in their cabin, Ash was standing in front of David--who was sitting on the bed and looking down at his feet.

"I can't believe you'd actually DO something like that, Dave!" he said crossly, "You were told never to dive, jump, OR belly-flop in the shallow area! What you just did a few minutes ago nearly got yourself and me seriously hurt---and Quilava could've gotten wet!"

"Ash," Aurora said in a calm voice, trying earnestly to calm her friend down, "Please, remember that Dave doesn't know any better. We all know he didn't mean to do anything dangerous---even Quilava knows he didn't."

Quilava nodded and gave a cheerful squeak, but Ash didn't seem to notice this.

"I KNOW he doesn't know any better, but it's the princple of it: I told him not to do those things, but he did them anyway!" Almost instantly, Ash walked quickly over to the wall---near the door,---rested his forehead against it, and started crying. Aurora went over and stroked his back gently, while David and the Pokemon looked on with sad eyes.

"It's okay, Ash," she said softly, "I know this whole thing's hard for you, but once we get to Lilycove City..."

"That's not the reason I'm crying," Ash cut in as he turned to look at her, "It's just that,...well,...I guess, now, I know what it's like to be........Mom."

Aurora gave a quiet gasp, and smiled. She knew that Ash missed everyone back home in Kanto, including his mother. And his recent outburst had no doubt made him feel like a mother scolding her child for some mishap. She put her arms around him, and let his face rest on her shoulder.

"If you need to cry some more," Aurora said, still speaking softly, "Now's the time to do so." With these words, Ash gave way and cried heartily for five minutes.

When the tears finally subsided, Ash and Aurora remained held in each other's arms. Seeing that his brother was finally calm, David walked over, and put his arms tenderly---yet nervously---around them both. The Pokemon were eager to join in the group hug too, and were soon crowding around their human friends, uttering friendly grunts and squeals.

Ash, completely moved by all this affection, looked into his brother's face and smiled.

"I'm sorry, Dave," he said, "I guess all this 'having a brother' stuff is still kinda new to me." David smiled back at his younger brother, and started to speak.

"Y...You...g...good...br...bruuuther." They both hugged each other tighter, until Aurora glanced at the nearby clock, and gasped.

"Oh! We're supposed to meet Steven for dinner in five minutes!" The three humans quickly changed out of their swimsuits (Aurora changed in the bathroom), and the whole party was soon heading up the stairs to the diningroom.

mr_pikachu: Feel free to look for any spelling errors; you have my full consent.

Ultra_Poke2000

2nd July 2003, 05:50 PM

that was a nice chapter, and kinda touching at the end part. poor Quilava.

o ya! i got the whirling eyes smiley at the web site:

http://www.mysmilies.com

on the right is a menu with all the catagories of smilies. if you want to put one in a post then just click on the smiley and copy the address in the text box on the top of the page. all you need to do then is paste it exactly the way it is in your post. here's 2 funny ones: http://smilies.jeeptalk.org/contrib/edoom/Flush.gif & http://www.smilies.okipages.com/s/contrib/edoom/toilet_claw.gif *snicker*

any way, i cant wait for the next chapter!

mr_pikachu

2nd July 2003, 06:01 PM

Originally posted by ZeldaFan20

The Pokemon weren't hasty in joining the group hug either, and were soon crowding around their human friends, uttering friendly grunts and squeals.

Okay, so it's not exactly a spelling error... but how could they join the hug SOON if they WEREN'T HASTY in doing so?

Anyway, I noticed you wasted no time in introducing the aspects in Hoenn to your story, which is fine by me. BUT THE "CRUISE SHIP" IDEA WAS MINE, DANG IT!! j/k! Even if you DID steal it (which I'm sure you didn't), I would be honored, not angered. Anyway, I'm still itching to know about the trouble that'll befall the S. S. Coral!

ZeldaFan20

2nd July 2003, 07:15 PM

Ultra_Poke2000: Sounds interesting, and those DO look funny. I'll be sure to check it out.

mr_pikachu: Uh-oh! I didn't see that *quickly rewrites passage*. There, that should do it. Thanks for pointing that out. As for the cruise ship idea, I can definitely say that it's pure coincidence---besides, I bet YOUR ship has a different name, huh? Anyway, on both points, I'm sorry :yes:.

DannyBoy

2nd July 2003, 07:17 PM

Great Chapter! I feel bad for Quilava, it cant be part of the gang in the pool. I am glad quilava forgave Dave. Then poor Dave he dont get why it was bad. Good length and description. Keep it up! And what do you mean you think you know me from somewhere? I am at a few other forums but don't post as much at the others.

ZeldaFan20

2nd July 2003, 07:22 PM

Well, I think I saw you in one of those Hangman threads in the Polls, Games, and Clubs forum......maybe I did, maybe I didn't......well, never mind. Anyway, glad you like the chapter so much :).

GeneChildMewtwo

2nd July 2003, 07:42 PM

I'm not sure what exactly to say... I want to put something more than "That was a good chapter." I also want to avoid restating things I've said previously... But, I don't really have any criticism for you, as far as I can tell, everything is running smooth. (Even the aformentioned error was already fixed by the time I posted this.)

Well, I guess I have one thing to point out... If Bee can levitate (I think it did in the previous story, didn't it? And Unown are usually depicted as being able to float around.) why does it need an innner tube? Maybe there's a reason, and since I've never levitated before, I'm not an expert on the subject. ^_^

And, that scene at the end was really touching. You have a way with writing emotional situations, and I've already mentioned your great character development previously.

Well, I'll be waiting for the next chapter. Keep it up! :wave:

ZeldaFan20

2nd July 2003, 08:59 PM

That's a very interesting question. First of all, yes, Unown ARE able to levitate---and yes, it WAS mentioned in the previous story. Anyway, it probably takes a lot of energy to float around all the time and, maybe, Ash and Aurora thought Bee deserved a little break from that.

Even if some readers (not counting you, of course) DON'T think that's a good reason, then I guess I was just adding a tiny sliver of humor.

Also, don't worry.......I've never levitated myself either *giggles*.

Powarun

2nd July 2003, 10:10 PM

Did you cry while writing this?
Any way, in one episode where Ash gets his one badge from Pryce, Cyndaquill learns how to swim. JTLUK, BUt it was a good chapter, emotinal, and Steven stone will cause trouble. Me thinks

Crystalmaster Mike

3rd July 2003, 01:22 AM

Wow... touching... Although Ash might not go after the Badges any more, he's still concerned with his Pokémon, and wants them all to participate in the group! Cute. BTW, I can't understand how Ash said this:
She trains Steels too. without twisting his tongue. I mean, all I get when saying that is:
She trains steel stew. :P

ZeldaFan20

3rd July 2003, 11:05 AM

Powarun: Well I didn't cry, but I didn't see that episode either. We don't get KidsWB anymore (for how long, I'm not sure), so I can't really tell what's been going on.

Crystalmaster Mike: Gee,...I wasn't really expecting to write it as a tongue-twister. How'd that happen? *giggles*

ZeldaFan20

4th July 2003, 05:27 PM

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!!

Expect the next chapter sometime during the coming week.

ZeldaFan20

7th July 2003, 07:18 PM

CHAPTER 4

Because they were in such a hurry, Ash had completely forgotten to comb his hair; and was currently trying to flatten it against his head as the group neared the dining room. The clock had just struck six upon arrival.

The entire room was so full of people and Pokemon that Ash had a hard time trying to distinguish Steven.

“Do you see Steven anywhere, Ash?” Aurora asked as her friend scanned the area left-to-right.

“Not yet,” Ash replied, “I can’t even tell who’s who in this crowd---a lot of people look almost the same at a distance.” At that moment, a young waitress walked up to them and smiled.

“Is it just you three and the Pokemon?” she asked.

Ash shook his head, “Actually, we’re supposed to be meeting a guy named Steven Stone. Did he just come in?”

The woman looked through the pages on the clipboard she was holding before answering. “As a matter of fact, he did. He also mentioned waiting for a few guests---I guess that’s you guys. Follow me.” With that, she led the three teens and their Pokemon past the crowded tables.

Right beside the windows was a fairly long table---big enough to sit at least fourteen people. Sitting at the right end was definitely Steven, who had changed into a pair of black trousers and what looked like a deep purple dress-jacket. Metang was “sitting” with its back facing the window, also on the right side; instead of a chair, however, it was on a cushioned stool that seemed to reach the height of the table.

Steven smiled and waved as he saw the small party coming towards him. “You’re here,” he said.

“Hey, Steven,” Ash replied as he helped David into his seat, “Sorry if we’re a little late.”

“On the contrary,” Steven said cheerfully, “You’re all right on schedule. There are booster seats for the smaller ones.”

“So the other chairs are for the Pokemon?” Aurora asked as she sat down across from David, “I thought we were expecting more people.” All the Pokemon instantly found a spot to sit---Pikachu, Eevee, Mudkip, and Jigglypuff had the booster seats.

After ordering their dinner, Ash told Steven about all his adventures---right up to his victory in the Johto League three months ago. During this time Ash often caught David beating two forks together, or stabbing a paper napkin with his knife (which was then taken away), or sprinkling salt and pepper onto his plate.

Steven watched David’s childish antics with hidden sympathy; it was clear to him that the active nineteen-year-old had a problem. After a few minutes, he decided to turn to a more cheerful subject.

“So, Ash, are you and your siblings doing a little traveling in Hoenn?”

“Oh, no,” Aurora giggled suddenly, “I’m not their sister.” Steven looked at Ash and saw that his color had risen slightly, and soon understood. Before he could continue, however, Ash cut in.

“You see, we’re on our way to Lilycove City. I want to find a place where David can get the right kind of help. We were told that Lilycove City had the best hospitals in the region.”

“It’s true that they have the best hospitals,” Steven said sadly, “But they don’t have many treatment programs for the mentally ill. I’m sorry if this comes as a surprise to you all.”

Ash’s face fell; he was so sure that David would be able to get his treatment once they all got to their destination. This bit of information literally stabbed him in the heart; he almost felt like crying again…

“However,” Steven added, “I know a place where they DO have such programs.” Ash’s eyes lit up at these words, and everyone at the table instantly looked in his direction. “I live in Mossdeep City, which is on an island southeast of Lilycove City. We only have one hospital, but it offers some of the best treatment plans for both the mentally and emotionally ill---as well as a few others. I’m sure that you’ll find just what you’re looking for there.”

Ash laughed out loud and threw his arms around David, who was “looking through” his plastic cup like a telescope. Aurora clapped her hands gleefully as Bee flew circles around her head. Even the other Pokemon gave little cheers at the news. They all managed to settle down as their dinner was brought to the table (the humans had spaghetti and meatballs, while the rest had some gourmet Pokechow).

Once all the empty plates had been cleared away, Aurora began to relate her story to Steven: her childhood in an Ecruteak City orphanage, her desire to see the world and---hopefully---find relatives, her capturing Bee in the Ruins of Alph, and the first time she met Ash (who turned even more red, and gave his side of the story).

Near the end of the conversation, Ash raised his left hand to push back his still-messy hair. As he did so, Steven happened to notice something on his wrist.

“That’s a very interesting bracelet you have there. Where did you get it?”

Ash looked at the bracelet he was wearing. It was a mixture of purple and blue, and was possibly the hair of a Pokemon: the small lock had been braided and tied around his wrist. It was sparkling in the lamplight, although Ash knew it looked much better in sunlight.

“Oh, this?” he asked, “Pikachu found this back in Pallet Town three months ago---it’s kind of a long story. Ever since I’ve had this, though, it sort of brought me good luck.” Ash’s voice slowly grew less cheerful.

Steven seemed curious about Ash’s sad expression. Everyone else, however, couldn’t help but feel compassion for him. They all knew that not all the memories of the passing summer were good. In fact, the mere mention of it seemed to send him into a totally different world.

“Will any of you be having dessert this evening?” Ash suddenly jumped, as did the others; the young waitress had walked up to the table at that very moment.

Steven looked at Ash and Aurora, who shook their heads, then back to the girl. “No, thank-you, we’re fine.” As soon as she left, Ash slowly stood up.

“Thanks a lot for dinner, Steven,” he proceeded to say, “But we’d better get a little sleep before we pull into port.” Ash then took David’s arm and helped him stand; the others stood also.

“Alright,” Steven said as he recalled Metang, “The ship won’t pull in until tomorrow morning. When it does, I’ll be glad to give you all a tour before heading to Mossdeep City.”

“That’s very kind of you, Steven,” Aurora replied, “I’ve never been to Hoenn before, and a tour of Lilycove City sounds wonderful.”

“I’m kinda curious to know about those ‘Pokemon Contests’ myself,” Ash agreed as Pikachu jumped on his shoulder, the rest returning to their PokeBalls, “We’ll be sure to see you there.” The four humans walked out onto the deck, where they parted company.

When they arrived at their cabin, Aurora went into the bathroom to change while Ash and David got into their pajamas.

“That Steven Stone is a very nice guy,” Aurora said when she came out, “He sort of reminds me of you, Ash.”

Ash chuckled, “Well, we’re not all that alike---except that we both like Pokemon……but, yeah, he is cool.” He suddenly gave a big yawn, “Anyway, let’s get some shut eye.”

Aurora climbed up to her bed, and got under the covers. David was already sleeping peacefully in his own bed, holding his Pikachu Doll tightly. After putting the PokeBalls on the other top bunk, Ash climbed into bed---Pikachu at the foot,---turned out the light, and fell asleep himself…

Ash panted heavily as he ran through the seemingly infinite darkness. Just like before, a dark figure---the eyes shining an evil red against the black,---was chasing him; a hideously large hand grasping for its frightened prey.

"Who are you?!" Ash screamed, "What do you want?!" He began to run faster and faster, trying desperately to escape his unknown pursuer. Once again, the figure appeared to increase its speed as much as Ash was.

"Stay away from me!……JUST STAY AWAY!!"

The hand took one swipe at Ash’s back, causing him to lose his footing. He started falling into the darkness. Instead of his screams, however, a different sound was heard.

Echoing through the blackness was, apparently, the voice of a young woman. Despite the earnestness in the way it spoke, this voice seemed to fill Ash with a sense of peace and hope…

"Wake…wake…wake…"

“Wake up, Ash!” cried Aurora as she shook him.

BOOOOM!

A loud explosion was heard from somewhere outside. Ash immediately sat up in bed, panting hard and soaking wet with perspiration. He looked around: all the Pokemon were out of their PokeBalls and huddling around David, who was curled up on the floor---and clearly petrified with fear. Aurora was standing by his bedside, a look of fear also on her face. Both were still in their pajamas.

Ash turned his head sharply and looked at the clock: it was after midnight.

BOOOOM! The explosion sounded again: everyone seemed to loose his or her balance, almost as if the ship itself was tossing and turning in a storm. But…

“That didn’t sound like thunder,” Ash said; he was getting very worried now.

“I know,” Aurora replied, “Something’s happening above…” Before she could finish, however, the sounds of cries, screams, and many footsteps echoed through the passageway. In a big hurry, the three children got dressed and ran out into the frightened crowd---the Pokemon close behind.

“Whatever’s going on up there,” Ash thought to himself, “It better not be what I think it is…”

DannyBoy

7th July 2003, 07:28 PM

Good CHapter! Steven is a very nice person telling Ash where to go for better help. Is the mystery people good ole' Team Rocket? Or it could be Magma or Aqua? Ash also has weird dreams. Good length and description. Keep it up!:yes:

Ultra_Poke2000

7th July 2003, 07:45 PM

ooo... more wierd dreams. they all seem ominous, but i dont know what they have to do with their adventure, yet. i agree with ^. its got to be one of those 3 teams. or..... o, wait, i cant say that! its a prediction i have, but i wont say!:P anyway, nice chapter!

*EDIT*
i almost forgot to tell u, guys, but I GOT ZELDA: WIND WAKER!!! its realy fun, and im almost done with my second dungeon! its realy great, and ive been spending alot of time playing it, but its worth it! cya!:wave:

GeneChildMewtwo

7th July 2003, 08:48 PM

I guess nothing is free, right? Now that Ash and friends have finally found where to go to help David, the ship is in trouble. Hmm... I have a feeling that I know who might be responsible, but I won't say anything now.

Steven seems to be a really nice person. I also like seeing him in the story since he's my favorite character form Ru/Sa. ^_^

I liked the dinner scene. It's cute how there were even seats set aside for the Pokemon. Although in the Pokemon World that makes more sense than people doing that with their pets in real life. But it might work out... I've never tried it.

Well, I don't have much else to say, but I want to know what's happening on the ship. I'll be waiting for the next chapter. Keep it up! :wave:

(And yes, the Wind Waker is a whole lot of fun. Although... so is Zelda II ^_^)

mr_pikachu

8th July 2003, 12:26 AM

Sorry about being gone for so long! As I said in my recent post in my fic, my net connection has been down for awhile, so I'm using a friend's computer right now.

I must say, this was a nice transition into the "trouble" that awaits Ash and company! Everything was very in sync with how things would be in the Pokemon world, yet still keeping touch with reality here. Very nice work! Although the plot is moving rather slowly, it's a good thing in this case, since it is so intricate and enjoyable. You're adding bits of Hoenn into the story as well, which is good, but don't forget to explain them when the time comes! You don't want to just say, "Ash found out what the contests were. The next day he entered, and won!" (Yes, that was a VERY poor example, but I'm sort of pressed for time, as I have other fics to check as well.) Anyway, great work, and I can't wait to have my net back up! ;)

Crystalmaster Mike

8th July 2003, 02:51 AM

Well... what can I say? All the good stuff has been mentioned already... and I quite agree! :) Yes, it's all so... real, and that's what makes this fic so good. The characters are living in the Pokémon World, and you're showing it to us. Great!

ZeldaFan20

8th July 2003, 08:59 PM

IloveX-TINA: Yeah, Steven's a real sweetie, isn't he? Just be patient; the mystery team will be announced in the next installment ;).

Ultra_Poke2000: Don't worry, his dreams will become much clearer. Congrats for getting The Wind Waker, too!! I'm anxious to get it and play it myself.

GeneChildMewtwo: I guess you can put it that way,...yeah. Personally, my favorite R/S character is May---she's a little like me...sort of---but Steven's okay, too. I also thought that the dinner scene would be a nice touch before the trouble starts: *gives a sneaky giggle* I kind of enjoy leaving the readers in suspence.

mr_pikachu: Sorry to hear about your connection problem, and I can't wait for it to get back up either. You've probably already guessed, but the slow-moving plot and the transitions are intentional: just to give readers a vague idea of what's going on "between the lines"...or something like that. I'm glad you're still here, too!

Crystalmaster Mike: Ahh...the praise of my loyal fans... It's so rewarding when you know people care :yes:. I promise you the next one will not be disappointing.

legendary fisherman1

8th July 2003, 09:11 PM

Fic is still good!! So they meet up with Steven eh? Will Ash meet up with any Gym leaders?

ZeldaFan20

8th July 2003, 09:25 PM

Well, since he's already said that he wouldn't be competing for any badges, I don't plan on him meeting any of the Hoenn Gym leaders (to be honest, I organized this to take place before the "Hoenn season" of the series) ;).

ZeldaFan20

10th July 2003, 09:09 PM

Well, the next chapter is almost complete, so I'll probably have it up around Saturday night (provided that I'm not too tired since I work on weekends :mad: ). Just wanted to let you know so that people won't think I've lost interest ;).

Powarun

10th July 2003, 10:44 PM

Whoa, I read your profile to let me know some more about you, and you are in college. So you must have a lot of writing asignments, and that is your secret, experiance.

This chapter was pretty good, hopefully David will act his age by the end of this fic. He sounds like a little kid but a little more dangerous I should add. As for Steven seems like a double crosser in my point of view.

mr_pikachu

11th July 2003, 10:04 PM

HALLELUJAH!!!! MY NET CONNECTION IS BACK FROM THE DEAD!!! (for the time being...)

Anyway, I had already realized that you were trying to put emphasis on the particulars of the fic, and as I said, that makes it all the more enjoyable. And don't worry, we know you'd NEVER lose interest... *pulls out AK-47* But just to be certain... hehehe...

But really, I have to agree with Crystalmaster Mike about your excellent description of the entire Pokemon world. It really is a vision to behold, if only in our minds.

AND WHO THE HECK CHANGED MY SIG?!?!?! *grumble*

ZeldaFan20

12th July 2003, 06:39 PM

Powarun: Yup, I'm in college alright. I actually took Writing class as a prerequisite (is that right?), but it did give me the experience. No, Steven's not what you think he is, and I'm still working on David.

mr_pikachu: Hey! That's great news! I appreciate the compliment, but if you don't put that "thing" away, I might not be here much longer---okay, I'm giving out warnings again.

Well, guys, it looks like we're gonna have to wait until Monday for the next chapter to come up; I'm totally wiped out, and I'll probably be the same way tomorrow. Try to stay strong, 'kay?

By the way, mr_pikachu, what DID happen to your signature :confused:?

mr_pikachu

13th July 2003, 02:01 AM

Actually, the AK-47 line seems a lot more appropriate after watching "Citizen Payne" tonight. Now I know where I get my insane sense of humor, if you can even call it that... And no, there's no need for warnings. I'll keep my AK-47 in my bag, thank you. My poison dart gun is safely tucked away in my pocket. My trusty stun gun is fastened right under my belt buckle. My sets of ninja stars are perfectly secure in my socks. My spiked whip is tucked away.......(hours later)......... and don't worry, I left all my bayonets at home.

I'm willing to wait a while for another quality chapter! Oh, right. My sig. Well, lets just say that a certain someone who I have the decency not to name deleted my sig while I was on vacation and left it purged of all personal content. Needless to say, I am currently discussing with this unnamed person on how to get my information back, as I had none of it written down. I even had to do research just to get the date, for crying out loud!

Well, enough whining from me. I will wait ever so patiently for the next chapter. *fingers stun gun* Okay! Get it up when you can! :wave:

Ultra_Poke2000

13th July 2003, 04:52 PM

well, ive been sucked into the world of Zelda: Wind Waker and let me just say that its one of the best games ive ever played! im about 2/3 or 3/4 of the way done with it though, and i cant wait till the end! as i can see, the next chapter will be up soon, so ill be back later!

ZeldaFan20

15th July 2003, 01:25 PM

I know it's a little late, but here it is guys!!! I hope it's long enough---and intense enough :D.

CHAPTER 5

The entire ship that night was in complete chaos. Groups of frightened passengers were running and screaming in all directions: some were going on deck to see the disaster; others were heading for their cabins below (either to hide or pack their things). Because of the pandemonium, Ash and his friends had a difficult time trying to get up to the main deck. Taking each other by the hands, they were soon at the top of the stairs.

Along the starboard side of the ship was what appeared to be a huge submarine; on the port side, people and Pokemon were filing into the lifeboats, as if they were desperate to escape the ship and its captors.

Ash turned to look at the sub: It was the same length of the ship, and was almost impossible to see with the clouds covering the moon. Painted on the very front, in bright white, was a sign he’d never seen before. If these people were pirates, the logo (usually called the Skull-and-Crossbones) didn’t seem right: this symbol greatly resembled an Unown A, except it was painted to look like the Unown’s skeleton (which is strange, since those particular Pokemon don’t seem to have skeletons). Before Ash could ponder this further, however, several iron hooks suddenly came out of the sub and latched onto the guardrails, each followed by a cable.

Reacting quickly, Ash turned to his friends. “Hurry!” he exclaimed, “We have to get to a life boat and get out of here!”

“Okay,” Aurora replied, handing Ash his backpack, “I brought yours and mine from the cabin.”

“Thanks, Aurora,” Ash said, taking his bag and throwing it onto his back, “Now let’s hurry and find Steven; maybe he can help us.” As they turned to head towards the boats, though, a loud voice echoed loud and clear over the screams and cries of the frightened masses:

“THAT’S AS FAR AS ANYONE GOES!!!”

Following the voice, a fiery ball suddenly zoomed over their heads, and crashed into an empty lifeboat. It burst into flames on impact, and the ship guards were forced to cut it loose, causing the smoldering mess to sink below the waves. The crowd, too scared to run for the other boats, instantly turned around.

A large group of young men and women had boarded the ship. From Ash’s perspective, they all had the appearance of sailors: strong, fierce, and all wearing bandanas on their heads; but the black-and-white striped shirts also made them look like escaped convicts. Among all the strange people in this crowd, however, there were two who managed to catch Ash’s interest.

One person was a slightly muscular young girl. She seemed pretty enough---her short brown hair contrasted well with her blue eyes---although Ash knew that she paled in comparison to Aurora. What he mainly noticed, though, was what the lady was carrying: on her right shoulder was a fairly long, and very large, bazooka; the front barrel was smoking as if it had just been fired. Realizing who was responsible for the fire, he soon turned to the person next to her.

This man was certainly older and more muscular than the other men around him, for he was much taller and had broader shoulders. The clothes he was wearing, however, were much different: despite the blue bandana, he was entirely dressed in black. His hair, beard, and eyes were black too, and his mouth was stretched into a very familiar-looking grin.

Ash suddenly shuddered; this strange man had instantly reminded him of his own father: a man he once used to love and admire deeply, and whom he’d just recently grew to fear.

“Nice going, Kit,” the man said sarcastically, “A few more inches and that fireball could’ve hit some bystanders.” The woman only smirked as she proceeded to reload the bazooka with a different ball.

“Sorry, Boss,” she replied, “But it’s really hard to aim when there’s no moonlight.”

“Excuses, excuses,” the Boss chuckled. Suddenly, he caught sight of Ash, who was looking at him with lowered eyebrows and clenched teeth. “Hey, kid, what are you looking at?” he demanded, marching slowly in Ash’s direction. Before he’d gone five paces, Steven immediately stepped in between them, with a very stern look on his face.

“Archie,” he said, maintaining a calm demeanor, “What is the meaning of this? These innocent people have done you no wrong. Doesn’t this action go against Team Aqua’s ‘code’?”

Archie only chuckled again as he strolled closer to Steven, and they looked into each other’s eyes. “Well, if it isn’t the Pokemon League Champion of all Hoenn. Taking time off to mingle with the little people, I see?”

These words made Ash’s eyes open wide in disbelief: he knew that Steven liked Pokemon, but who could’ve guessed that his new friend was actually a Pokemon League Champion? Steven, in the meantime, crossed his arms and gave a shrewd smile.

“Not that it’s any business of yours,” Steven said, “But I was visiting family in Johto. Now, I ask you again; what is the meaning of this?”

Archie uttered another low chuckle before answering. “Not that it’s any business of yours,” he echoed, “But this area is our Wailmer training ground,…and this whole ship is trespassing.”

The ship’s captain instantly came forward, “That’s ridiculous! People and Pokemon all over the world need this whole ocean to live; you can’t just claim part of it as your own! Besides, this is the quickest route to Lilycove City!”

“Well, then,” Archie said coolly, “The way I see it, you have three choices: one, you can turn around and go straight back to where you came from; two, you can take a longer trip around the other side of the island; or…”

“Who are you to decide what other people should do?!” Ash suddenly shouted. He didn’t have any clue who this “Team Aqua” was, but they reminded him so much of Team Rocket, and the thought of there being others just like those criminals really made him angry. Archie looked back at him, wearing that same cunning smile. Shoving Steven aside, he was soon standing right in front of Ash.

“Ah, yes---the little fish bait with the attitude.” Before anyone could say a word, Archie grabbed the front collar of Ash’s shirt and lifted him off his feet, raising him to his eye-level. “You’ve got one whopper of a mouth for such a little fella.” Observing that Archie had his left hand pocketed, Ash clenched his right fist and, without thinking, took a swing at his head. Archie, however, was lightning fast; he raised the free hand and caught it halfway in an iron grip.

Ash grunted; this man’s grip was strong, and extremely painful. Despite his struggles, Archie forced his arm down---almost bending it backwards.

“ASH!!” Aurora screamed as she moved towards the pair.

“I’d stay back if I were you, sweetheart,” Archie said menacingly, causing her to stop, “Unless you want me to break your little boyfriend’s arm in one twist.” He then looked back at Ash, still smiling, “I could do that right now if I wanted…but you’ve got a lot of spunk in you. I like you, kid---I like you a whole lot. How about joining up with us? From the looks of that Pikachu over there by your lady-friend, I’d say you’re pretty good; we could use someone like you on our side. Well, what’ll it be, kid?” Ash grew even angrier, and had just opened his mouth to yell, “forget it.” Before he could get the words out, though, something strange happened:

His left hand was grasping the one Archie was holding his shirt with, trying to pull it off. At that moment, Ash’s bracelet began to glow a faint blue. Archie gave a sharp gasp: his right hand had suddenly grown very cold, and the very skin on it was turning blue and stiff. A slight frost had soon started to form before he knew what was happening. Uttering both frightened and angry curses, he tried to pull it away, but the fingers were frozen.

Seeing his opportunity, Ash began pulling away from his attacker. After several seconds of struggling, the front of his shirt collar ripped clean off, causing him to fall hard onto the deck. Clutching his aching arm, Ash watched as Archie stuffed his hand inside his jacket, attempting to warm it up. Once it was pink and moving again, the Aqua leader stared hard at him---with fire in his eyes, and a growl like that of an angry Charizard.

“I don’t know how you did that, you little brat,” Archie growled, “But, now, I’m gonna make you wish you were never born!!!” With that, he lunged forward and clutched both hands tightly around Ash’s throat. The young trainer was clearly scared now; he tugged and pulled at the black sleeves as he struggled to breathe.

“RRAAAA!!!” David pounced right on top of Archie. Watching this attack on his brother caused something to snap inside: he wrapped his arm around the man’s neck, and chomped down hard on his shoulder. Archie screamed in agony as he released his hold and tried to shake the crazed nineteen-year-old off.

“KIT!” he called to the young girl, “GET THIS WILD DOG OFF OF ME!!!”

“With pleasure, Boss!” Kit replied as she pointed her bazooka directly at David.

“NO! DAVID!” Ash yelled. In this desperate moment his adrenalin reached its maximum, and he began to push against the two people on top of him, “I WON’T LET YOU HURT MY BROTHER!!!”

A loud BOOM was heard as the large gun was fired. Everything suddenly seemed to move in slow motion: people covered their eyes; Pikachu was running to save its master; Ash, leaning on his left arm---and with one mighty shove, managed to get David and Archie off him and onto the deck floor---just in time to meet the big purple ball as it came down…

Hexae

15th July 2003, 01:45 PM

:O Oh no!

Anyways, great chapter. Suspense.. ooo. I've been lurking around your fics since the Bittersweet Reunion started, and reading them with great relish. I love your writing style! *waves and sinks down into her lurky depths* Muahaha.

Ultra_Poke2000

15th July 2003, 02:16 PM

whoa! that was an intense chapter! so Steven is the Hoenn league champion, huh? i never would have expected that. that was cool when the bracelet made his hand freeze. what kind of bazooka is that? it sounds pretty cool, like it can shoot all kinds of ammo. wonder what purple is. anyway, this chapter was a great cliff hanger, and it makes you want more! nice chapter that was short but intense. cya!:wave:

DannyBoy

15th July 2003, 03:43 PM

That was an amazing chapter! This was good because it shows that Ash would sacrafice his life for his brother. Even though he sacrafices his life a lot but still it was really good. Team Aqua seem really dangerous in this. That is really god it makes the story more suspensful. Good length and Description! Keep it up! Can't wait to read what happens next time.

mr_pikachu

15th July 2003, 11:14 PM

I think I mentioned awhile back about "You're already adding the scenes of Hoenn into the fic," which meant directly: Steven. I'm glad no one caught on, since I would've hated to ruin the surprise. Anyway, I have to agree, this was a nice suspensful chapter, and a powerful cliffhanger for so early in the fic! I must say I'm impressed with the creativity of the ideas, though I can't imagine how Ash'll get out of this in time, even with his Pokes! And it'll be interesting to see how the fic continues beyond the ship scene... I look forward to another inspiring chapter, and the narrow escape (we hope...) for Ash! Great work!

GeneChildMewtwo

16th July 2003, 12:10 AM

Wow, that was pretty intense. It seemed to go by really fast, but I think that was due to the end being action oriented, and the pace was a bit faster.

I like the way you portray Team Aqua, since Steven does mention the existance of a "code" that they abide by, showing that they aren't just working for profit like Team Rocket. There must be something important in this area for them to defy the Hoenn Champion directly... Although they do seem like the "ends justify the means" kind of people, and probably have no problem breaking a few laws (or people) in order to achieve what they may believe to be a greater good.

Well, I have a feeling Ash will survive but... I can't say anything for sure, you have a way of suprising people. Well, I can't wait for the next part. Keep it up! :wave:

legendary fisherman1

16th July 2003, 01:38 AM

Oooooohhhhhh, cliffhanger >.< All hail the mighty David *bows* ^_~

Crystalmaster Mike

16th July 2003, 05:33 AM

That Archie - what a loud mouth he is, cowering behind the back of Lady Bazooka... It's good to see the friendship and brotherhood of the gang goes so deep, and I love to see what happens next!

ZeldaFan20

16th July 2003, 11:17 AM

Hexae: Hi! I'm glad you like my stories so much; it really makes me feel great that people like what I do. There will be some more suspense in future chapters---that, I promise you ;).

Ultra_Poke2000: That part with the frozen hand was certainly unexpected, wasn't it :yes:? As for Steven---do you have Pokemon R/S yet? If so, have you played them? Uh-oh, I knew I should've typed another page before posting...rats.

IloveX-TINA: Yeah, Ash does tend to put his own life on the line for people and Pokemon, and I thought it would be interesting to have Team Aqua be the villians in this story. However, as I try to make it sound like the series, I don't want them to sound like murderers :no:.

mr_pikachu: This is great! I knew that a lot of readers like cliffhangers, and mine seems to be getting a boat-load of praise! That big ball appears to be too close for him to avoid, but I'll let you read the next one to find out :D.

GeneChildMewtwo: Hmmm...too fast, huh? Maybe I should slow down and add more detail next time... Well, if you've played R/S, each team has its own personal, yet similar, desire. In this case, though, I think I may have gone a little further with Archie. But, if you like it so much, I wouldn't change a thing!

legendary fisherman1: Either he's really saving his little brother's life, or the incident caused him to revert to his old self......which do you think is more probable? Anyway, David seemed to step in at just the right time. We can only hope that Ash will still be able to protect him...

Crystalmaster Mike: I know, that guy is such a creep! Let's just hope that the "friendship and brotherhood" will be enough, right ;)?

mr_pikachu

16th July 2003, 02:00 PM

Originally posted by ZeldaFan20

I thought it would be interesting to have Team Aqua be the villians in this story. However, as I try to make it sound like the series, I don't want them to sound like murderers
Um... funny, I didn't think people who weren't murderers fired bazookas at people... :rolleyes:

Archie is evil! So eeeeevil!

GeneChildMewtwo

16th July 2003, 07:26 PM

I didn't think it was too fast, I just meant to say that it was faster than normal, but I didn't have any problems with that when it's appropriate. ^_^

Although... I just realized that I made I typo in my last reply. >_<

And yes, I have played R/S, which is why I agree with what you've done with Team Aqua. Although I think that your portrayal is slightly different from the games... But both you and the game writers have the same basic idea. Plus if you compare what both Ruby and Sapphire say about them... It's hard to make a good placement of just how Team Aqua would truely operate.

Whee! On to homework!

ZeldaFan20

17th July 2003, 10:44 PM

Wow! Two chapters this week! I must be on a roll! Okay, so this chapter may not exactly fit in with the series, but it should add some more suspence---and a few shocks!

GeneChildMewtwo: Ummm...how could you have homework during the summer? I'm lost...

CHAPTER 6

While all this was happening, something else was going on many miles away:

The Viridian City Penitentiary loomed eerily over the entire sleeping populous. High barbed-wire fences provided a secure barrier between those who dwelt within the thick stone walls and the freedom of the outside world. Heavy iron bars covered every window, and ultrasonic doors made sure that nobody (except visitors and those in charge) could get in or out.

Inside the facility, the night watchmen moved up and down the aisles, shining their flashlights on every inmate in each cellblock, and making sure all were peacefully sleeping in their crude little beds. Besides these late-night watchers, only one other person was awake at that hour:

An elderly gentleman, possibly in his late forties, was in his office on the very top floor. He was sitting at his desk, locking some papers into one of the drawers. This completed, the man got up and walked up to the window, smoothing his hand over his brown beard (which, despite his age, didn’t have a trace of gray in it) as he looked out onto the city below.

“Nearly twenty years I’ve been in this miserable place,” he muttered gloomily to himself, “But one more year, and it’ll all be over.” The man sighed deeply as he moved away from the window.

Just as he was about to grab the doorknob, there was a knock.

“Who’s there?”

“It’s me, Warden,” was the reply, “I need to speak with you; it’s urgent.” The warden opened the door to find a young guard---mid-twenties---standing in the doorway, a look of both seriousness and concern on his face.

“If it’s not all that important, Deputy,” the warden said frowning slightly, “I would rather it waited until morning.”

“I’m afraid it’s very important, sir,” answered the deputy, “One of the inmates is in terrible shape: pale, gasping for breath, sweating; his cellmate thinks he might be having a heart attack. The prison doctor is down there even now, sir.” The warden turned pale himself upon hearing this, and the two men were soon heading down to the lower level.

“How long has he been like that?” the warden asked as they climbed down the last staircase.

“Not that long actually: one minute everything was quiet; the next he wakes up and starts crying out in agony---almost like he was being seared with a hot poker or something.” Before the deputy had time to finish, the pair had already entered the main area of the prison.

Rows of iron bars lined the aisle on both sides, each cell separated by a thick wall of stone. As they got closer to the scene of the trouble, the two men managed to take a glace at the other prisoners: most of them were just lying awake in their beds, not even caring about what was going on; others stood up and were observing the late-night commotion; the rest…slept like logs.

The men finally arrived at their destination; there was already a stretcher standing inside the cell. A couple of officers were securing the concerned cellmate---an elderly man---while another was kneeling on the floor with the doctor.

The other inmate was a tall man who looked to be in his mid-forties. He had black hair, brown eyes, and a clean-shaven face, which twisted and contorted as if he were suffering excruciating pain. His left hand was grabbing the right arm so tightly; you’d think he was trying to rip it off. The doctor was in the process of putting an oxygen mask on the man’s face when the warden came over.

“Is this the new one, Deputy?” asked the warden after looking at the ailing man.

“Yes, sir; inmate number 956342---been here since twelve noon, September 2nd.”

The warden nodded, and then turned to the other man as the guards were getting the stretcher ready. “You there; tell me exactly what happened here.”

The old man gulped before answering, “Well, I was laying asleep in my bed---minding my own business, when this guy suddenly wakes up gasping and yelling. I look down from my bunk up there, and I see him clutching his arm like it was killing him. Having been to medical school several years ago, I remembered some of his symptoms resembled those of a heart attack. But now, I’m not sure if it’s that or something else.” Just as the old man finished speaking, the guards had succeeded in getting the other guy onto the stretcher. After locking the cell back up, the entire party headed for a nearby elevator.

“We must try to keep him conscious,” the doctor said as they rode the elevator up. At this point, the patient moaned, and started muttering something in a low voice.

“M…ma…my…s…s…son…” Everyone looked at him, wondering what he was talking about.

“What is it, man?” the warden asked, “What about your son?”

The man cringed, and moaned again. “My…son…he…needs…help. He…he’s hurt…” A sharp gasp followed as the elevator reached the second floor. The patient didn’t talk anymore, but was still breathing when they got to the hospital wing…

The momentary silence that enveloped the S.S.Coral was suddenly broken…by the most terrifying scream anyone had ever heard.

Ash had raised his right arm to push the two human weights off of him. Just as their bodies hit the deck, the large purple ball came in contact with his outstretched hand, and burst. From it, a huge glob of similarly-colored ooze splattered all over the arm---up to the elbow, and the right side of his chest. The young trainer didn’t have time to wonder what the stuff was, though: the very minute it made contact, the areas of skin it fell upon immediately began to burn.

Try to imagine yourself being trapped in a burning building: hot flames are surrounding you; flames so hot that you can feel your skin burning before they even touch it. That’s exactly what Ash was feeling at that moment…only much worse.

Croconaw, Mudkip, and Pikachu wasted no time rushing to help their human friend. While Croconaw began spraying the burning substance off with its Water Gun, the two smaller ones were ripping his shirt off piece by piece until he was bare from the waist up. Once the shirt and goo were gone, they all stopped to observe the damage---Steven, Aurora, and the other Pokemon ran over too, and what the pretty young girl saw stabbed her right in the heart:

Ash’s arm was covered in blood from the elbow downward, and some fragments of skin were starting to come off; even his fingers didn’t look so good. The right chest area wasn’t quite as bad---being protected by the shirt, but there was a great deal of redness, and a large number of blisters were forming.

Not even the blissful coolness of Croconaw’s Water Gun provided much relief; a sharp pain like that of a hundred knives overwhelmed Ash’s senses in just a few short seconds, and the chubby crocodile was soon spraying his burns again.

Aurora cried heavily at the sight of her friend’s distress, but she knelt down beside Ash and laid him on his unburned left side, his head resting tenderly on her lap. Pikachu and the other Pokemon circled around their injured trainer, all wishing that they could’ve done something to prevent this from happening, and trying to help him feel comfortable---even Mudkip joined Croconaw in drenching the burns.

David beheld the great disaster with wide, frightened eyes. As he watched his brother’s friends do whatever they could to help, his mind wandered from Archie, who was equally spell-bound from this heart-breaking sight. Without looking at the Aqua Leader, David stood up and ran over to the group. Seeing the agonizing wounds, he knelt down, buried his face in Ash’s hair, and sobbed convulsively. Aurora stroked his, whispering softly that Ash was going to be okay (despite the fact that she was just as upset).

Suddenly, Archie’s wonder turned to anger as he got up, marched over to Kit, and slapped her in the face.

“You idiot!!!” he shouted angrily, “I told you NEVER to bring the Acid Bombs!!! What the heck were you thinking?!!!”

“But, Boss,” Kit stammered, clearly shaken up by what she’d done, “I swear, I didn’t know there was one in there! I…”

“Quiet!” Archie interrupted as he grabbed the bazooka and hurled into the waves below. He paused to take a short breath before continuing. “Get into the sub---all of you! We’re leaving!” With this, every Team Aqua member began filing down the ropes and into the submarine.

“Archie!” cried a voice from behind. The pirate turned around, only to see Steven standing still as a statue; there was fire in his eyes over what had happened. Archie began to feel sick to the stomach, but maintained a stern face.

“Archie,” Steven repeated, “I hope you realize that if anything happens to this boy because of your lackey’s so-called ‘mix-up,’ it’ll be on your hands.” Archie said nothing, but turned around and boarded the sub, which was soon sinking into the deep blue ocean.

“I called the coastguard in Lilycove City,” said a ship guard who ran up to the captain, “They're on the way, and with medical assistance,”

“That’s good news,” the captain replied, staring at Ash, “From the looks of that brave boy over there, we’ll definitely need it.”

While all this was going on, Ash was beginning to lose consciousness from the pain; everything around him sinking into blackness. Soon, the last thing he remembered hearing was Aurora’s sweet voice saying,

“Ash? Please, stay with us Ash…”

DannyBoy

17th July 2003, 11:05 PM

OMG that was amazing! Poor Ash, I wonder if he will make it but if he does he ant going to be normal looking. I feel bad for David hes got to be terrified. That was really good. Keep it up! Can't wiat to find out what happens and what the inmate has to do with anything.

GeneChildMewtwo

17th July 2003, 11:15 PM

Well, the chapter didn't seem out of place, although it might be a little different from the normal chapters. I'm not exactly sure by what you meant by "fit in" so...

But, I have a feeling I know who that inmate is, although why he would have such a reaction to those events... I guess it relates to some of the things brought up in the first story, but I won't mention it for now, as I don't want to ruin anything if my theory is correct.

And, I have homework because I'm going to school. How else do you get homeowork? ^_^ Although as to why I'm going to school in the summer, that's because I'm taking summer quarter classes at my University. Actually it's only one class, but it's Intensive Second-year Japanese, which is the equivalent of taking all 3 quarters in 9 weeks. Fun. ^_^

EDIT: It seems also that Team Aqua doesn't want to risk killing anyone. Maybe they're a bit closer to the game than I originally thought. Either way, I'm okay. ^_^ (Well, "okay with it", but that doesn't rhyme. :P )

Powarun

17th July 2003, 11:17 PM

OMFG, that was forshadowed very little then boom, ASh is in pain same with Gio, holy **** what an eye opener. Poor ash, he didn't even deserve it, and David, I thought the guy would throw a big tempertanturm and rip the girl to shreds. But he didn't. This was an amazing chapter and I can not wait for the next chapter.

mr_pikachu

18th July 2003, 02:28 AM

Whew! Suspense ran high in that one! I guess when parents say they have a bond with their children, they aren't kidding!

A few misspellings: the word is "aisles", not "isles" in this case. Nice try though! And "loose" should be "lose" late in the chapter (talking about Ash losing consciousness). Nevertheless, this was a short, yet high-tension chapter! Let's hope Ash doesn't die on us, or I'm going to have a real problem going to sleep at night... :P

Crystalmaster Mike

18th July 2003, 03:27 AM

Oh sweet mamma! George is really a strange (in)mate! I wonder what will happen with Ash's arm... That didn't sound too good at all!

Ultra_Poke2000

18th July 2003, 08:23 PM

crap! oh, wait, can i say that on this board? o well, too late. its a bit obvious that the guy in prison was George/Giovani, and that's kinda weird. how is that happening? some kinda psychic link between their minds? thats what it seems like the most to me. acid bombs, huh? sounds like some kinda weapon i heard of before that was banned because of the affects, as you can see here, and on the battle field, most ppl dont have a Croconaw with them to wash it off, so the affect is intensified. ya, Team Aqua seems like i just wants to be the local bad guys, but not to have any blood on their hands. is Archie like Gio, as in the boss, or is he just a high ranking guy? poor Ash, i hope he doesnt have any permanent scars. wonder what else that bracelet can do. hmmm..... maybe it has special healing powers, eh? eh? *hint hint* *holds gun menacingly*

Subliminal Message: make Ash better... or else
[/Subliminal Message]

o ya, I BEAT ZELDA!!!!! that was one of the best games i ever played! also, i can play it a second time with certain differances that are cool! the ending is awsome, but that is the absolute only thing i will say! GO ZELDA!!!!!

ZeldaFan20

19th July 2003, 09:09 PM

Okay, I'm gonna try and answer everybody in one short reply. I'm currently working on the next chapter and I plan to make it a long one:

I know you're all worried about Ash's condition (and a tad confused about Giovanni's), but---for those of you who asked---that bracelet does much more than any of you realize ;). Don't worry; he'll be alright...but that's all I'm gonna say about it.

Summer classes?! Yeesh! Personally, I don't believe in going to school during the summer...unless, of course, it's absolutely necessary.

I'd also like to thank mr_pikachu for pointing out those spelling errors---why my Spell Check missed those, I'll never figure out :P!

Well, I'll try to get the next one up BEFORE this Friday, because if I have to leave for New Hampshire before it's done, you guys will be waiting for MORE than a week!!! See ya :wave:!

mr_pikachu

20th July 2003, 01:14 AM

Pssshh! Spell check? Bah! *laughs at spell check program and tosses computer in toilet*

To be honest, never, EVER trust spell check. That thing is merely a first line of defense. You gotta give it the once over yourself if you wanna be sure! Well, at least I do, because I'm obsessive and miss that stuff the first time over... but enough about me! Lesson learned? Good! Next class is... whenever you screw up again! ;) :rolleyes: ;) Until then!

Ultra_Poke2000

20th July 2003, 09:53 AM

hmmm... it seems my subliminal message worked. *puts gun away* sounds like the next chapter can be expected before Friday, or we'll have to wait a long time. *hopes for new chapter b4 Friday* sounds like its gonna be a good one too. well, cya!

*in an alien/robot voice* end comunication

ZeldaFan20

24th July 2003, 12:30 PM

mr_pikachu: Oh, Spell Check IS a good way to find mistakes---even when it doesn't detect some of them :D. Thanks for the tip, though; I'll keep that in mind!

Ultra_Poke2000: *laughs* Is it me, or do you watch too many robot shows---if there are any out there...

Well, guys, after this there won't be any more posts until I get back on Sunday night---Yay! We're going to New Hampshire!!!---so I hope you all enjoy the chapter.

CHAPTER 7

"Hmmmm…uhhhh…Huh? Hey, where…where am I?"

Ash opened his eyes and looked around. He seemed to be floating in midair, but upon closer inspection he realized that everything around him was black: he was floating through an infinite darkness.

"What’s going on?" Ash asked, "How’d I get here?" He listened to the echoing of his voice among the silence. Almost immediately, images of what occurred on the ship flashed a mile a minute through his mind. Ash gasped, and then looked at his right arm.

Instead of being red and black and puckered with scars, every inch of skin was as soft and smooth as the rest of his body---even down to the olive-colored complexion---without a single trace of burning. Ash’s eyes opened wide with wonder and confusion, and he wanted to raise his arm in order to get a closer…

"What the…!" Ash was stunned; for some unknown reason his arm hung limp in the air. Try as he may, it was almost like the muscles had forgotten what movement was---one might go so far as to say that the arm was dead! Sure it would move a little, but only when Ash moved his body in a specific direction, and a slight wiggle of the fingers was all his paralyzed muscles could muster.

Ash grew frantic: he was floating in the dark, his arm was healed but refused to move, and worst of all…he was alone.

"WHERE AM I?!" Ash screamed, scared and confused, "AURORA? DAVID? PIKACHU? ANYBODY!" No one answered; all was silent. Ash thought about this for a few minutes when a horrible thought occurred---a thought that he absolutely refused to believe. His breathing became rapid, and tears began to form in his eyes.

"No…" he choked, "No, I…I’m not…I mean I can’t be…" It was impossible to continue. Little rivers of salt ran down his face without waiting for a blink. Raising his left hand (which, thankfully, was moveable), he dashed them away, and let it all out. It was at this point that the silence of the surrounding darkness was broken by an unfamiliar sound…

"Little one…" Ash stopped crying; someone appeared to be calling him---if not by name.

"Who’s there?" he asked. There was a pause, and Ash was beginning to wonder if the voice wasn’t just his imagination.

"Little one…" the voice said again. Ash listened carefully; he thought it sounded familiar. It appeared to be that of a young woman, but she spoke with such love and tenderness---much like a mother talking to her child. He turned around in every direction to see where it came from, but could not find a soul.

"Where are you?" he called out.

"Why dost thou weep, little one?" she responded, "What ails thee?" Then, without thinking about whom was asking these questions, Ash started talking very fast:

"Well, first my dad keeps my big brother (not to mention his criminal life) a secret from me, then our ship gets attacked when I’m trying to get my brother to a safer place, then I get hurt trying to protect him…hey, wait a minute!" Ash instantly stopped as his attention was redirected to the mysterious person questioning him, "Who are you? And WHERE are you?"

The unseen lady did not answer this time. Instead, something gleamed in the distance, from the direction Ash was currently looking. It appeared to be a star, but it shone ten times more brilliant than any star he had ever seen. As he reached out to it, it began to grow larger. Slowly at first, but then much quicker, overpowering the surrounding darkness. Soon Ash was totally engulfed in light; it was so bright that he had to shield his eyes with his working arm. But even this bright light did not last very long, and what Ash saw next astounded him beyond measure:

Only a second later did Ash feel himself standing on something solid. He uncovered his eyes, and gasped. He was standing on a stone path made entirely of white marble, about as wide as a public street.

Enormous fields covered with emerald-green grass, and glittering with thousands of multi-colored flowers covered every acre on each side of the path. Thick, dark-green forests formed a large circle around the entire area.

To his surprise, Ash saw so many different Pokemon running free and happy through these fields---there were even new ones he didn’t recognize at all: some looked like cactuses, others like grasshoppers, strange blue birds that seemed to have cotton for wings, there were even a few that looked oddly like wind chimes.

To his left was a vast lake, the sapphire-blue waters sparkling in the sunlight. Different kinds of Water and Grass-type Pokemon splashed around in its cooling waters. Flowing into this lake was a river. Ash followed the river upstream with his eyes, until they came to an incredibly high waterfall, which flowed from the tall hazy-blue mountains in the background.

Despite this beautiful scenery, Ash was completely unprepared for what was directly in front of him.

The flat marble path ran up a grassy hill in the form of steps. At the top of these steps was what appeared to be the largest building Ash had ever seen. It was neither big enough for a palace nor small enough for a temple, but it was certainly built to resemble the architecture of ancient Japan, and was painted with the most vibrant colors known to man. However, Ash’s attention soon became focused on the person coming out of this building:

The front gates opened, releasing a brilliant light from inside the wondrous structure. Within this light, and walking calmly to the top of the steps, was the figure of a young woman. The silk kimono she was wearing resembled that of an ancient Japanese princess; it was long and flowed gently in the morning breeze, and appeared to glow in seven different colors. Her hair, straight and black as the raven’s wing, was so long that it almost reached her heels; yet it was so light that it flowed in the wind as softly as her costume. However, Ash realized that he didn’t know what the lady looked like; despite the illuminating light, her face was completely hidden in shadow.

"Little one," she said, in that same warm and tender voice, "Come to me, and I shall ease thy sorrows."

Ash was more confused than ever. What did she mean by "come to me?" He didn’t even know the woman; he didn’t even know where this beautiful place was located. Ash looked up at the woman: she looked down at him.

"I’ll come to you," Ash replied, "But tell me who you are first. Do I know you?"

"I know thee," the woman answered, "And I have been watching thee since before thy birth. Thou hast grown well these past three summers. Moreover, the last several nights have filled thy heart with such pain and suffering, as well as many questions. To find all you seek, little one, come to me."

Ash couldn’t believe this; the lady had partially ignored his question. Before he had the time to repeat it, though, all the surrounding images began to fade, and everything was growing brighter. He ran in the direction of the woman as she was disappearing and called out to her.

"Wait! Who are you?! How will I know where to find you?!" As she faded away, Ash could still hear her sweet voice.

"Be patient, little one; the time when thou must begin thy journey draws ever so near. But remember this: I have always been close to thee…"

“Uhhh…who are you…?”

Ash slowly opened his eyes, and found himself lying down on his back, with a mask on his face. Without sitting up he looked around: he was in a hospital bed, and the mask was an oxygen mask.

Next to the bed was a little table, upon which a vase of red and white roses was sitting. Several handmade cards stood around the vase: many of these had a simple, Get well soon written on it; a few had silly little messages like, Don’t be blue, we love you, or When I said “break a leg,” I didn’t mean this way (Ash couldn’t help but chuckle at that one).

While he was looking at more of the cards, Ash managed to catch a glimpse of his damaged limb. The entire thing---from mid-bicep to fingertips---was heavily wrapped in layers of white gauze bandages. He attempted to move the arm, but this proved easier said than done due to the amount of wrapping.

“I guess that’s why it wouldn’t move in my dream,” Ash said softly to himself.

Suddenly, realizing that he had no idea of how long he had slept, Ash searched the room for a clock. When that failed, he turned his head towards the window (to the left of the bed). Outside was a perfect view of the coastline; a faint shade of pink seemed to be coming up along the horizon.

“I hope David, Aurora, and my Pokemon are okay,” Ash whispered. His left hand gently stroked the dressed arm, and he fell asleep once more.

As he slept, however, Ash failed to notice that the bracelet (which he still wore on his left hand) had just begun to sparkle and glow of its own accord…

DannyBoy

24th July 2003, 03:17 PM

That was one creepy dream Ash had, I wonder what it meant. Also I wonder who the woman is, maybe she will appear later in the story. It was a very intresting and good chapter. That card Ash got is funny. Then I wonder what the big building is, I wonder to damn much I need to stop with that. Good length and description on Ashs little dream adventure, Keep it up!

Ultra_Poke2000

24th July 2003, 07:11 PM

this was a cool filler chapter. the dream was wierd, and that lady even more so. the braclet seems to be working according to plan, hehehe... and i do not watch too many robot shows! :P it was just something funny i though of at the time. neway, untill then!

Crystalmaster Mike

25th July 2003, 01:13 AM

A Japanese lady speaking Ye Olde English? Now I've seen everything... Also, was she avoiding Ash' questions or what?! Yep, that bracelet has sure come in handy during all this! And Ash'll have some déjà-vu's when meeting Hoenn Pokémon...

mr_pikachu

25th July 2003, 05:23 PM

Ooooh... creeeeepy...

Well, that was certainly very odd... I guess we know where Hoenn is, don't we? *hint hint* That bracelet always seems to solve problems for him... I wonder what it'll do now... :rolleyes:

And that dream world was cool! But it seems awfully similar to something I've seen before somewhere... :P Anyway, great chappie! I certainly hope the mangled arm heals! He's had a tough trip already... Well, I've gotta check on all the things I've had to skip over during the last week! See ya!

GeneChildMewtwo

26th July 2003, 12:48 AM

Interesting. It seems that someone has been planning behind the scenes... but as to why? Well, that will probably be revealed later.

That bracelet seems to be important somehow... In time it's purpose will probably be revealed as well.

The dream sequence was interesting, and it's good to see that Ash is pretty much okay. I'm tired, and it's kind of late here... so I don't have much to say. I guess it's back to waiting for the next chapter. Keep it up! :wave:

(And have fun in New Hampshire, although by the time you read this, it will be more like "I hope you had fun." But... Yeah. ^_^)

ZeldaFan20

27th July 2003, 09:48 PM

Hey, guys; I'm back :D! Ahhh...I just love the White Mountains in the summer time; but it was kinda bittersweet---what with the Old Man in the Mountain being gone and all (the paper said it was because of a landslide) :(. I'm glad you all like the chapter...and yes, all will be revealed in time ;).

Powarun

29th July 2003, 07:41 PM

Nice chapter, seems to foreshadow an arrival of a creature that seems to help or its the voice of the future. Nice hospital scene there

ZeldaFan20

30th July 2003, 08:43 PM

Sorry I haven't gotten the next one up yet, but it's been a very stressful week: I have a new car that needs to be registered, two teenage brothers (each with an ego the size of Russia), and two "under-ten-years" siblings who are afraid of their Day-care teacher! Unbelievable, isn't it :yes:? Well, anyway, I'll try and get it up sometime tomorrow evening, so try to hang in there just a little longer.

ZeldaFan20

31st July 2003, 11:16 PM

Whew! Well guys, here it is! I finally have it up! Hope you all enjoy it!

CHAPTER 8

It was nearly mid-day when Ash woke up again; this time it wasn’t from a dream.

“Grrrr…ughh!” he grumbled. The thick layers of gauze had caused both his right arm and his chest to itch like crazy, and his whole backside was numb from laying down too long. Scratching and rubbing were of no help, since the dressing formed a strong shield against touch and movement. Finally, Ash gave up and let his head flop back onto the pillow. What turned his attention from the annoying itch was a “tweet-tweet” sound coming from the window, prompting him to look in that direction.

The sky along the horizon shone a bright blue, and was littered by only a few small white clouds. Sitting on the outside ledge were three little bird-like Pokemon. Ash stared at these birds, he’d never seen such a species before in his life: the feathers were much smoother and the tails much longer than those of a Pidgey; their little bodies were also much more slender. The color of those feathers was also unusual: the bellies were pure white, the faces and chin areas were a deep red, and the rest of the body---even the wings---were blue. Suddenly, the door opened, causing Ash to quickly lose interest in the small birds outside.

Entering the room was a young man, probably around his mid-thirties. His brown eyes were hidden behind round, wire-frame glasses. He had brown hair and a fair-skinned, clean-shaven face. Judging from the white lab coat, Ash assumed that the man was a doctor. Sure enough, the doctor walked up to the side of the bed and smiled.

“Ah, you’re awake,” he said, putting the clipboard he was holding onto the bedside table, “My name’s Dr. Franklin; it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ketchum.” Dr. Franklin took Ash’s left hand and shook it pleasantly.

“Yeah,…uhh…likewise,” Ash replied, looking around the room again; he was clearly still confused about his surroundings. “Say,…uhh…do you know where I am?”

“You’re at the Waterlily Hospital,” Dr. Franklin answered, “In Lilycove City. You were suffering terrible acid burns when you were brought in last night. If your Pokemon hadn’t thought of hosing you down right away, we would’ve been forced to have your arm amputated.”

Ash cringed; he hated the idea of having to train Pokemon (much less go through life) with only one arm. Just then, his eyes grew wider than Poke Balls.

“Lilycove City?” he asked, “You mean…I made it? I’m in Hoenn?!” Ash couldn’t believe it; after all he and his friends had suffered getting there, they had finally reached Hoenn. But Ash’s thoughts soon steered towards his friends, and he instantly grew frantic. “Wait, where are my Pokemon? Where’s Aurora? Where’s my brother?!”

“Settle down, Mr. Ketchum,” the doctor said hurriedly, “They’re all okay: Officer Jenny had your Pokemon taken to the local Pokemon Center, and your brother and Ms. Clearwater are in the waiting room with Mr. Stone and your other friends.”

Ash breathed a huge sigh of relief; they were all fine, and Steven was with them. But…

“My other friends?” Ash asked.

“Yes,” was the reply, “Your mother and several others claiming to be your friends arrived early this morning. They've practically been camping out here since five o’clock. And your mother…she’s so worried, and asks about you every ten minutes.” Dr. Franklin chuckled slightly as he said this, but Ash’s face instantly fell.

“Oh no,” he thought grimly to himself, “Why did they have to come? I have to help David on my own; why did they have to get involved?” It wasn’t that Ash hated his mom and friends---on the contrary, he was more than happy to see them; it was just that he felt obligated to help and protect David after all the torture the poor teen had been through in his life. Since it was his brother, Ash felt that the matter didn’t need to involve everyone else he cared about. He let out a low groan just as Dr. Franklin spoke up.

“Well then, I think we should change those bandages before we start admitting visitors, right?”

Ash smiled, “Right.” The door soon opened again, and a young nurse walked in pushing a cart. On the cart were many different instruments: syringes, scissors, scalpels, thermometers, etc; there were even towels and little jars of medicine. Dr. Franklin picked up a pair of scissors, and was just about to reach for a towel when he stopped.

“If you’d like,” he said to Ash, “We can hang up a towel between your face and the arm; I’ve had patients with these kinds of injuries who often get squeamish looking at them.” Ash thought for a second, and shook his head.

“I think I can take it.”

“Are you sure?” Ash nodded in response, and the doctor began. “Now I’m going to try and do this as carefully as possible, but if you feel any kind of pain, just let me know.”

It wasn’t long before the slow snip-snip-snip of scissors was heard. During this time Dr. Franklin tried to lighten Ash’s mood with a little idle conversation.

“So, you say that young man is your brother? How old is he?”

“Nineteen,” Ash said, his eyes completely focused on the moving blades, “Six years older than me. We’re only half-brothers, though---same dad, different moms; his mom died when he was only ten.”

“And where is your father?”

Ash bit his lip before answering, “Probably in jail by now.”

Dr. Franklin and the nurse both looked at him; the scissors paused at the halfway-point of the arm. They remembered hearing about Team Rocket’s downfall, and the capture of their leader on the news early yesterday. It was also reported that the leader had two sons, and that they had both disappeared shortly before his arrest.

The doctor put on a tender smile, and gently stroked Ash’s black hair. “Listen, I may not have any idea what you and your brother went through in the past, but I do know that you can’t spend your whole life dwelling on the bad.” As he talked, the bandage cutting slowly resumed, “Emotional scars---much like physical ones---never heal completely; they only lessen with time. Running away, however, does not lessen them any faster.”

Ash looked up at him, “If you think I’m doing this to get away from my problems, you’re wrong; David needs the right kind of help, and I’m the one who’s going to find it for him!” Ash was too tired to fight back tears this time, but only little puddles formed under his eyes. He was just fooling himself, but he was still too stubborn to admit it. Dr. Franklin knew this, but only smiled and kept talking. By this time, the bandages were more than three-quarters cut through.

“You know,” the doctor continued, “There are three wise sayings that I remember my grandfather telling me when I was your age: First, it is foolish to waste time searching for something that can’t be found. Second, you shouldn’t believe everything you hear, except those that make the most sense. Finally, once you’ve gotten hold of a rare and precious treasure, never EVER let it go.”

Ash didn’t understand any of this, but before he could say so, the scissors had completely cut through the gauze. As the severed bandages were gently pulled back, everyone---including Ash---was suddenly in a state of astonishment and shock.

Every person in the room remembered what the arm looked like before it was wrapped: red with both heat and blood, and the skin peeling off in different places. Today, the entire arm---elbow to fingertips---was as soft and smooth as it was two days ago. The only difference was that it looked a little pale and wrinkled from being under all those bandages (much like how your finger looks after taking off the band-aid after a couple of days).

“Um…Doctor?” the nurse asked, almost breathless at the sight, “I was with you when it was being dressed. What’s going on here?”

Dr. Franklin took a sharp breath and shook his head; this completely defied all logic, as well as the laws of nature: no human being could ever heal from a severe burn in such a short amount of time. It was nearly five minutes before he could find voice.

“Apparently…it’s a scientific impossibility,…and yet…” It was at this point that the young doctor broke out into a smile, “It’s also…a miracle!” Suddenly, he asked Ash to partially roll up his white pajama top. When that was done, he immediately started removing the dressings over the chest burn, expecting to see red, blistered skin. What they all found, however, was the same result as Ash’s arm: smooth, unbroken, and completely clean!

“What happened?” Ash asked, not only more confused but scared as well, “I don’t understand!”

Dr. Franklin suggested trying to move the arm to see how it was. Ash did so, surprisingly, with ease: he flexed and straightened the muscles, twirled the wrist, and even wiggled all five fingers; everything was working as if nothing had happened. It was all so strange; how could he heal so fast?

“Doctor,” Ash said quietly, “I’d like my friends to come in now. Please?”

Ten minutes afterwards, Ash was literally surrounded by visitors. Aurora and David were hugging him and crying tears of joy, while Steven was commending him for demonstrating such love and bravery. Brock and Daisy kept saying that he gave them all a huge scare running off like that (Brock called him a “knuckle-head”).

Delia was, by far, the most emotional of the group: her happy sobs were so loud one could almost hear them on any floor, and she nearly suffocated Ash with her tight motherly hugs.

“Oh, Ash!” she cried, “I’m so happy you’re alright! When we heard about what those horrible people did to you, I almost died worrying…”

“Mom,” Ash managed to say, despite the strong grip he was in, “I’m sorry I worried you, but do you have to use the word died?” Delia instantly released him, and everyone started laughing in spite of all that had happened.

Soon, they all noticed his healed arm and began talking a mile-a-minute. Once the whole party had calmed down, Ash began to relate the whole story to them---from getting David out of the mental hospital to the Team Aqua attack the previous night.

“Now let me get this straight,” Brock said when Ash was finished, “Last night your arm and chest were badly burnt from a blob of acid, and today they’re both completely healed? That’s impossible!”

“I know, Brock,” Ash replied, “It’s really weird, though; I thought the same thing when I made that Archie guy’s hand freeze.”

“Yeah,” Daisy cut in, “How did you do that, anyway?”

“Well, I’m not sure. All I did was grab his hand and try to pull it away, and then suddenly…,” Ash froze; he had raised his left hand during the conversation and his eyes fell on the bracelet. It was at this moment that he remembered something:

It was the day after his thirteenth birthday when Ash had taken his Pokemon out for a bit of exercise. Along the way, his Eevee had run off into the woods, and the whole party was forced to chase after it. They found the little creature along the banks of a large pond in the middle of the woods. Ash had remembered that this pond used to be filthy and overgrown with plants, but when they got there it was fresh and clean as a mountain spring. Pikachu, while drinking the newly cleaned water, saw a small lock of hair floating in the middle of the pond; it swam to get it, and brought it back to him. The hair itself was a beautiful mixture of purple and blue, and sparkled in the sunlight. Ash always kept this little treasure with him as a good luck charm.

Then Ash remembered the day he had to leave Seafoam Island at the end of the summer---the day he and Aurora made their escape with David. She had braided the precious lock, and tied it into this same bracelet, which he silently vowed to never take off. It was that night, also, when another strange event occurred: Ash had told Jigglypuff to sing everyone in the Mental Institute to sleep, but had no way of preventing himself from falling asleep too. In that desperate moment, he and Aurora had mysteriously become shrouded in a strange mist, which prevented them from falling under Jigglypuff’s spell.

“A weird mist, freezing hands, and my arm recovering…” Ash muttered to himself. Slowly, but surely, he began to put certain pieces together, “The clean pond…mist…ice…recovering…” The young Pokemon trainer instantly felt like slapping himself. “Ugh! Why didn’t I see it before? I’m so stupid!”

“What’s the matter, Ash?” Daisy asked with concern.

“It’s the bracelet!” Ash replied, “It’s made of a Pokemon’s hair, but it somehow does strange things whenever I need help: like on the boat; Archie was hurting me, and the bracelet made his hand freeze!”

Brock’s eyes widened, “Are you saying that this thing gave you the powers of a Pokemon?!”

Ash was filled with both fear and excitement as he came to the unbelievable conclusion, “Yeah…but not just any Pokemon…”

The entire group listened with the greatest interest, and what they heard next literally made them jump right out of their skins!

“Guys,” Ash continued slowly, “This hair…came from Suicune’s mane!”

mr_pikachu

31st July 2003, 11:39 PM

Woohoo! Ash finally comes to the realization of what that little lock of hair really is - and what it can do! Perhaps now he'll take better care not to lose it... *recalls when he lost it before the trip to Seafoam Island*

A few things to mention: There were a few misspellings here and there, such as waist instead of waste, and another one that I can't find with a quick scan. Also, this line by Ash doesn't really sound like him (though I wish it did, in a way):

Originally posted by ZeldaFan20

“I’m sorry I worried you, but must you use the word died?”

It seems to me that Ash would have said something more along the lines of:

“I’m sorry I worried you, but do you have to use the word died?”

That sounds a bit more like Ash, doesn't it? If you're not sure, a good trick is to mimic the character's voice with your own voice, and say the line. That should tell you if it "feels right" or not.

Wow... it's been a long time since I've made this long of a reply to one of your chapters! I guess that's sort of a lesson in itself: We can always learn more! Keep on writing; keep on learning! :wave:

ZeldaFan20

1st August 2003, 10:59 AM

Well, I adjusted that quote, and you're right---it DOES look better!! Yeah, it takes him THIS LONG to figure it out :D; then again, it's just like Ash, isn't it?

By the way, I finally figured out how to modify my signature: I had to do a little experimenting (while following other people's advice). So, what do you think?

GeneChildMewtwo

1st August 2003, 05:11 PM

So, Ash is now aware of the bracelet's power. Just wondering, but this takes place in the Anime timeline, right? So Ash has seen Suicune in the past, and therefore would be able to make that kind of observation. Also, I agree that line mr_pikachu mentioned would make more sense the way it was re-worded, it does sound a bit more Ash-ey that way. ^_^

Well, I guess there's not a lot for me to ponder right now... It seems that this was one of those "here's some answers" chapters. ^_^ There's still one thing I'm wondering... But I don't want to say it incase I'm anywhere near the truth... Maybe I should PM you or something. Or I could just wait and see.

Are the plushies in your signature from that hangman game that people are playing, and winning plushies from? Either way, it does look pretty good. ^_^

I'l be waiting for the next chapter. Keep it up!:wave:

mr_pikachu

1st August 2003, 10:57 PM

Yeah, I figured that might make it sound more like Ash. Even if (and maybe because) it sounds like a more crude way to say it. I'm glad you liked the suggestion! And nice sig, by the way! I wish I could have gotten to the comp before GeneChildMewtwo so I could have been the first to say it... curse you!

Powarun

2nd August 2003, 12:40 AM

Nice chapter, I knew the bracelet would do that, but would forget or not want to tell you I thought I knew what it could do. Hmm, Ash has a pokemon's bracelet that is rare, now could some team may want this bracelet to clone or take the power. A new twist, could occur. and always you did a good job

Crystalmaster Mike

2nd August 2003, 02:13 PM

To The Rainbow's End... To The Rainbow's End... And Suicune... Hmm... [/guesses]

I knew it, I knew it! Suicune! You remember my chaunt from when he found that bracelet, don't you? I just knew that came from Suicune! But I wouldn't have thought it would end up protecting Ash numberous times, though.

Well, yeah... Such 'answer-chapters' like these are fun to read, but horrifying to give constructive replies to...

mr_pikachu

2nd August 2003, 02:40 PM

Y'know, I only just thought of it now, but maybe ZeldaFan20 is setting us all up... perhaps Ash only THINKS it came from Suicune; maybe it came from another source altogether! ...Nah...

Ultra_Poke2000

2nd August 2003, 04:34 PM

all of us knew it was Suicune hair from the begining, right? i guess it would be just like Ash to figure it out only just now. *remembers the anime with Sabrina and how Ash couldn't figure out that the guy was her father* well, Ash made a good recovery like i planed, and on what mr pikachu said about the braclet coming from somewhere else, i had a back up theory exactly like that incase it wasn't from Suicune, and im still not telling anyone. :P neway, cya!

ZeldaFan20

2nd August 2003, 05:11 PM

[smiles and giggles] I'm guessing that a lot of you are not too surprised at Ash finding out about that hair, but that's alright; as long as everyone's happy. But that's not the only thing it can do...no sirree ;).

I'd like to thank mr_pikachu and GeneChildMewtwo for their compliments on my sig. And yes, these are my Hang-Man Plushies (Aeordactyl wasn't exactly the one I planned to win first, but I guess we can't all be perfect, right?).

Ultra_Poke2000: Way ta go! You managed to get the one-hundreth post!

mr_pikachu: No, it's Suicune's hair alright,...but the stage has been set for Ash to "begin his journey..."

Thanks, guys, you're the best. Chapter Nine will be up this coming week---I'd better finish it before I accidently give away any spoilers [quickly starts typing]!

DannyBoy

3rd August 2003, 03:17 PM

That was a good chapter. That is a cool thing with the bracelet giving him powers of pokemon. I am glad his arm and chest are fine and now he can continue pain free. The hair of a Suicune is very intresting, I wonder if it was meant for him when it cleaned the pond. Keep it up!

ZeldaFan20

5th August 2003, 12:58 PM

Well, either that, or maybe Suicune was shedding a bit. [laughs] Don't worry, though, it won't be much longer before the next chapter is ready.

Doomykins

5th August 2003, 10:25 PM

It took him that long to realize it was a Suicune hair? Man, how long will it take him to make the conectiong with Aurora? Boy that kid sure is dense. Well, keep up the work. May you not be as dense as your charecters. :P

ZeldaFan20

7th August 2003, 09:36 PM

[laughs behind hand] Under the circumstances, I'll take that as a compliment. But yeah, we all know how clueless Ash is sometimes [more laughing].

mr_pikachu

9th August 2003, 10:43 PM

Y'know, ZeldaFan20, if the circumstances were different, I'd probably suggest that we do a crossover together. But seeing as we both have Ash as the main character in our fic... *laughs* that would be very interesting... :P Get a chapter out when you can! C'mon, you've gotta keep up with my fic! :D [/shameless advertising]

ZeldaFan20

11th August 2003, 02:24 PM

Wow! A crossover, huh? That sounds like a good idea, maybe we can still do that someday; it should be fun :yes:!

Well, this chapter took a lot longer than I planned, but I hope it will be well worth the effort. Enjoy, guys!

Btw, mr_pikachu, did you empty out your Inbox yet? I tried to PM you last night but it was full :(.

CHAPTER 9

“WHAAAT?!”

Daisy had just gotten on the phone to call her grandfather, Professor Oak, to tell him how Ash was doing. The phone she used was just down the hall from the waiting room---a place where she felt they would not be disturbed. The Professor was greatly alarmed when the whole group told him about the attacks, but the events around them and Ash’s recovery (as well as the cause) left him so baffled that he was almost unable to speak!

“Suicune? Ha…hair from the Suicune? Tha…that’s preposterous!”

“I know, Professor,” Brock cut in, “We didn’t believe it ourselves at first, but Aurora has been with him the whole trip, and she swears that she was there every time---except early this morning---when that bracelet acted up: first the Mist on Seafoam Island, and then that little freeze technique on the S.S.Coral last night.”

“Aurora,” the Professor turned to the pretty girl on Daisy’s left, looking even more serious than ever, “Can you describe exactly what happened last night?”

Aurora nodded and began to think, “Well first, I think the air around Archie’s hand grew incredibly cold. Then, all the skin started turning pale blue, and I was able to see some frost on it while they were struggling…”

“Cold air, eh?” Professor Oak closed his eyes and thought to himself for a while. “Hmmm…that sounds a lot like Pryce’s Icy Wind technique. Being an Ice-type Pokemon---if that truly is Suicune’s hair, I’m pretty sure that it’s able to learn such a move.”

“What exactly are you thinking, Samuel?” Delia suddenly asked, “Do you plan to experiment on my poor baby?!”

“No, no, no! That’s not it at all!” the old man answered quickly, wearing a nervous expression on his face, “I was only thinking that, if I could somehow manage to get hold of a single hair from that bracelet, I might be able to do a thorough…” Even at this time, Professor Oak didn’t realize that he’d made a huge mistake.

Aurora’s face had grown a sick pale color---like someone who’d just come home and found that his/her house had been robbed. She breathed sharply, startling everyone in the tiny group into looking at her. It didn’t take any of them long to realize that she was completely horrified.

“How can you even think such a thing?” she gasped, “Suicune is a legendary being…she is one of Johto’s great guardians! Do you know what the consequences of trying to prove her existence to the public will be?” The very notion literally stung the poor girl in the heart; to her, all that this famous Pokemon researcher really cared about was endangering the lives of these wonderful creatures.

“My dear girl,” replied the old professor, “Believe me, I’d never dream of putting such a remarkable creature in any such danger. It’s just that…”

“Really, sir?” Aurora interrupted, her voice echoing with sadness and bitterness, “Because it sounds like that’s exactly what you’re dreaming of!” With these words, the young girl broke from the party and ran in the direction of Ash’s room, tears flying off her face as she ran. The others called out to her, but she gave no response.

David looked on after her with equal sadness.

“Aura…?”

“Well, Ash,” Dr. Franklin said as he put at least three tubes of blood into a small box, “As soon as these test results come back, you’ll be free to go.”

“Great!” Ash said, breathing a huge sigh of relief, “It feels like I’ve been cooped up in here forever, and I really need to get David to that hospital in Mossdeep City.”

The young doctor laughed, “I guess neither bad boat rides nor miracles can keep you from your prime directive.”

“My what?” Ash asked sitting up further in his bed.

“Prime directive---you know; your main goal, your main reason for coming here.”

“Oh, I get it now.”

“Okay, I’ve got to get these down to the lab. The results will be in tomorrow morning…oh! Hello, Miss Clearwater.” Dr. Franklin had just opened the door to leave, only to find himself face-to-face with a distraught Aurora. She wiped her eyes and put on a cheerful smile.

“Hello, Doctor,” she said, “How’s Ash?”

“Just fine. I’ve just finished drawing some blood samples. You can go right in, if you like.” Dr. Franklin started walking down the hall and Aurora closed the door behind her.

Ash was glad to see the beautiful girl, but he didn’t have to look into her face twice to know something was wrong.

“What’s up, Aurora?” he asked, “You look like you’ve seen something bad happen.”

“I guess I have,” Aurora replied as she walked over to the bed and sat down in a nearby chair, “It’s just that I’ve always known your friends as good people who care as much for Pokemon as they do other humans.”

“They are---and they do, but why do you say that?”

“Well, we were just on the phone with Professor Oak. He was very worried about you when we told him about the incident last night, but…”

“Aurora,” Ash broke in, almost afraid to hear what else his friend was going to say, “What did they tell him?” Aurora took a deep breath before continuing.

“They told him…about how your bracelet was made of Suicune’s hair, and that…it often did strange things: they also told him about how it healed you.

“I got so angry when he said he wanted a piece of it to study; it was like he was anxious to prove that Suicune really exists. Doesn’t he understand that, in doing so, he’ll turn a legend into a freak?” Aurora slowly began to cry again.

Ash couldn’t believe what he’d just heard: how could his own friends tell Professor Oak what had happened? He almost felt like screaming until a past event suddenly entered his mind. Ash leaned forward, laid Aurora’s face against his shoulder, and held her tightly.

“That’s not what he wants to do, Aurora,” he said soothingly, “To him, Suicune is a rare Pokemon that needs to be protected. Believe me, I know him.

“Back when I was on my Johto journey, my friends and I ran into Professor Oak in the Ruins of Alph. He got a call from a friend of his who was working there---Foster; he said that there was something the professor needed to see.

“Foster was working on a project---building a realistic prehistoric Pokemon park (I think he said it was to help kids learn about ancient Pokemon). When we arrived, we found out that some real Omanyte and Omastar had made a home in one of his ponds. Professor Oak was the first to say that they were real, and he was happy about it.

“Foster didn’t know what to do about them, but the professor said that their original home---a spring in the nearby hills---was being threatened, and that we had to try and fix the problem so the Pokemon could go home and be safe.

“We all got to the spring and found that two Team Rocket members were draining it and trying to capture the rest of the Pokemon. Those two were easy to get rid of, and the Omanyte and Omastar were able to go back home.

“You see, Aurora, Professor Oak wants to protect rare Pokemon just as much as we do. He’d never want other people to find out about them; if he did, all those Omanyte and Omastar would be in aquariums and zoos right now.”

Aurora seemed to cheer up after Ash’s story. She grabbed a tissue, dried her eyes, and hugged him tighter.

“I’m sorry, Ash,” she said, “It’s just that, when I heard him talking about science and studying…I guess I got carried away.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Ash replied, “It’s my fault for not telling them to keep it between us.” Both teens were silent for a while, each wrapped in the other’s warm embrace.

It was around dinnertime when Delia and the others re-entered the room; all of them had nervous looks on their faces. Ash and Aurora had just finished supper when they did. However, someone else soon came in at that moment.

“Pika!” Pikachu cried as it bounded onto the bed. Ash laughed with joy as he hugged the little yellow mouse. The other Pokemon immediately ran into the room to see their human friend. They all crowded around the bed, letting out happy squeals and grunts. Ash did the best he could to hug them all.

“Pikachu and the others were more worried about you than any of us,” Delia explained, “Dr. Franklin let us bring them in to see you.”

“Thanks a lot, guys,” Ash replied, then turned back to the happy herd next to him, “It’s great to see all of you. Sorry I worried you.”

“Say, you guys have been gone all day,” Aurora said to the humans, “Where did you all go?” Before anyone could stop him, Brock began speaking very quickly.

“Well, first we went to the Pokemon Center to pick up Pikachu and the others (the ones in Hoenn are MUCH bigger that the ones back home), then Steven took us all on a tour of the city. We went to the art museum, the department store, the shipyard, and we even watched a Pokemon Beauty Contest in town!

“After booking rooms at the Covelily Hotel---just down the street---we called Professor Oak again. Apparently, he’d gotten a call from the Viridian City Pol…”

“Brock!” Daisy cut in, slapping a hand over his mouth, “That’s enough; Ash has had enough to worry about!” When Ash heard this, he stared at his friends with hard eyes.

“What’s going on here, guys?” he asked slowly, “I can tell something’s up.” There was a long and uneasy pause, until Delia seemed to work up the nerve to speak.

“Honey,” she began, “Samuel got a call from the Viridian City Prison a couple of hours ago. Around one o’clock last night…your father…he…he had a heart attack.”

Ash was shocked. The news almost didn’t sink in right away---it all just seemed so unreal. Giovanni was perfectly healthy (except for an overwhelming feeling of sadness) the day Ash left. It was then that he remembered what Dr. Franklin had said earlier:

“Once you’ve gotten hold of a rare and precious treasure, never EVER let it go.”

“Mom…” Ash started to say, trying hard not to cry, “Is he…is he…”

“He’s okay, sweetheart, he’s okay; the doctor said it was only due to stress. All he needs is rest, and he’ll be back on his feet.” Delia walked over and put her arms tenderly around her son.

“Listen, why don’t we wait a couple of days, and then give him a call? I’m sure hearing your voice will be just what the doctor ordered.”

Ash sniffed, and smiled, “Okay.”

Later that night, Ash fell peacefully asleep. He couldn’t wait for the tests to come back so he could get out of the hospital. Also, hearing about Giovanni being so sick made Ash feel even more worried.

Delia and the others had taken Aurora and David with them to the hotel for the night. At first, David didn’t really open up to Delia right away, but all it took was a tender smile and a gentle touch of the hand (not to mention Aurora’s encouragement) to win his trust.

Pikachu, Meganium, Quilava, Eevee, Mudkip, and Croconaw all wanted to stay with Ash. Dr. Franklin let them stay, as long as they stayed in their PokeBalls. Five PokeBalls were at the foot of his bed, with Pikachu sleeping close by. At around two in the morning, however, something was going on outside the hospital.

In the dead of night, two tiny figures flew up close to the building. One of these figures emerged under a streetlamp directly under Ash’s window:

It appeared to be a bug, but was standing on two feet. The body was black---except for a little purple and blue, and a little yellow collar. Its “hair” was purple too, and the eyes were just as blue as the face, out of which two yellow antennae were protruding. The little creature stood still and surveyed the many windows of the building.

“That human’s got to be in here somewhere.” The voice was like that of a twelve-year-old girl---high-pitched yet musical. She then turned to face the dark bushes behind her, “Hurry up, Bro!” she snapped.

Out of the bushes came another little bug-creature. It almost looked exactly like its companion, except the coloring was much different: the purple was replaced by red, the blue by gray, the eyes were yellow, and the antennae were not only longer, but had little stripes of black. The small bug was rubbing its eyes as it followed its friend.

“Aw…c’mon, Sis,” it said---in a tired, little boyish-sounding voice, “That trip from the island really wore me out…Ho-hum…” The bug gave a yawn, and plopped onto the grass. He would’ve fallen asleep if the other hadn’t come over and pulled him back up by the antennae.

“Listen, Bro, this is no time to sleep! Have you forgotten why we’re here?”

“Ouch! No, I haven’t, but why do we have to do this now? It’s the middle of the night!”

“What are you complaining about? We’re supposed to go out at night! Why you had to stay up all day yesterday, I’ll never know.” The girl bug began climbing the walls of the hospital as she talked, looking in nearby windows as she did so.

“Plusle and Minun kept me up with their little ‘play-date’---who could sleep with that going on?” her brother replied, following her up the wall, “Anyway, are you sure that what you heard wasn’t just a rumor made up by those ‘house-pets?’ What if there is no such human as Ash…yow!” Before he could finish, the other creature grabbed his feelers fiercely, and threw him up ahead of her.

“Stop complaining,” she growled, “And start looking for him!” She then added to herself, “Whoever said Volbeats were supposed to be noble Pokemon had definitely not met you.”

The little male---obviously a Volbeat---landed flat against the glass of Ash’s window, but with his eyes closed at the time, the insect had no idea who was inside. He slid down to the windowsill, picked himself up, and held his head in his paws.

“Ow, that hurt!” Volbeat then turned to his female companion, “When this is over, Illumise, I’m gonna demand more respect!” Suddenly he turned around, looked through the glass, and saw Ash and Pikachu lying asleep. He gave a little leap, almost causing him to fall.

“Hey, Sis, I’ve found him! It’s Ash! Ugh!” Illumise was so anxious to see if her brother was right, that she jumped on top of him---knocking him flat on his abdomen.

“Where?” she cried before peeking in, “You’re right!” Illumise opened the window (it was one of those sliding models), and the two of them pranced inside. “Look at him; he’s strong, gentle, handsome---as far as humans go, that is.”

“You can tell all of that just by looking at him?” Volbeat asked rubbing his aching head.

“Of course I can,” she replied, “And it’s these qualities which caused Big Sis to choose him for a companion. Now, stop asking questions and go signal to the others.”

Groaning, Volbeat went back to the window and seated himself on the edge (facing inward). The little round tail on his bottom instantly began to flash on and off in a vibrant yellow light.

After about five minutes, he saw what looked like a small crowd of Pokemon gathering on the lawn below: there was a Kadabra, a Bellossom, a couple of Marill, a Machop, and several others---ones that Ash would fail to recognize. A few of these Pokemon were carrying a very long rope, and what looked like a giant seashell.

Once the crowd had completely gathered, Volbeat hopped off and joined his sister by the bed.

“So, what’s next?” he asked, “Do we go back to the island and bring Big Sis here to meet him?”

Illumise shook her head, “Nah, let’s not be so hasty; don’t you think it would be a pity for her to be around so many humans in this place? And those ‘beaches’ are crawling with them everyday---she’ll never have any peace.” Volbeat was just about to agree with her when she suddenly clapped her paws. “I have a much better idea, Bro: we’ll take him back to our island!”

“How are we gonna do that? He’s too heavy for us to carry by ourselves. And what about his friend there? He’s sure to wake up the minute we try anything.”

“I know that; that’s why I had the vines and Giant Shoal Shell brought with us! As for the Pikachu, Bellossom can take care of him…and Ash too.”

“That’s brilliant! And Bellossom can sprinkle them with her Sleep Powder so they don’t wake up and be scared.”

“Good. Now that that’s settled, go down there and get Bellossom and the Shoal Shell so we can get started.”

“Me?” Volbeat asked, “But…I…”

“Go on,” Illumise pressed him, “You’re the big strong male, aren’t you?”

“Oh, yeah, I guess I am,” he answered uncertainly, “But, bring them all up? Little old me?”

Illumise rounded sharply on her brother, “Alright, alright! We’ll do it together---you little pipsqueak!”

Powarun

11th August 2003, 03:14 PM

Nice chapter Zelda Fan 20, I liked David's one line, Aura, it just seemed like a precious moment or something. And how you made Sam seemed dark in Aurora's eyes by trying to take just one hair. I was feeling that he would take it and soemthing bad would happen.

FIrst fic with Volbeat and Illumise, and glad to see teh two.

Ultra_Poke2000

11th August 2003, 06:28 PM

heheheh...
Good. Now that that’s settled, go down there and get Bellossom and the Shoal Shell so we can get started.”

“Me?” Volbeat asked, “But…I…”

“Go on,” Illumise pressed him, “You’re the big strong male, aren’t you?”

“Oh, yeah, I guess I am,” whats a giant shoal shell? i think Aurora overreacted a little bit. it was just one hair! o well. anyway, what up with the bug trying to steal Ash? i guess we'll find out in the next chapter. 'till then!

mr_pikachu

11th August 2003, 09:15 PM

Nice chapter! There were one or two typos here and there, but nothing too major. What the heck could these Pokemon - excuse me - talking Pokemon want with Ash? Creepy. And who's this new companion they're talking about? :o This is getting really weird... which isn't a bad thing at all! Anyway, nice work, and I can't wait for the next chapter!

btw, I thought Volbeat was female and Illumise was male! Or am I just imagining things?

DannyBoy

12th August 2003, 12:57 AM

That was a good chapter! I did not like the doctor using the hair to get Suicune. Mr.Pikachu Volbeat's are male and Illumise's are a female. I though it was a cool idea with them being able to talk. Mostly its psychic pokemon tlaking but having bug pokemon talk is new and good. Keep it up!

Crystalmaster Mike

12th August 2003, 06:06 AM

Those are some special lil' critters! I wonder who's their "Big Sis"?

A Shoal Shell, BTW, mr.pikachu, is a shell found in the Shoal Cave in the north-east of Hoenn. A giant one... well, that'd make a fine briefcase!

And Aurora is quite emotional when it comes to Suicune, ain't she? -_^

mr_pikachu

12th August 2003, 11:26 AM

Actually, it was Ultra_Poke2000 who asked about the Shoal Shell. And thanks, IloveX-TINA, for confirming my mistake. :D Man, I'm all giddy waiting for another chapter! Let's rock and roll! ...Okay, that was bad. Anyway... I can't wait for Chapter Ten! Post it when you get the chance! Thanks, and I'll see you later!

P.S. Maybe when one of us moves on to another fic, we can do a crossover? As I said, twin Ashes probably wouldn't fit well into our storyline...

Crystalmaster Mike

13th August 2003, 03:47 AM

Ah, but there always is the possibility of alternate dimensions, isn't there? ;)

ZeldaFan20

13th August 2003, 10:03 AM

Powarun: I thought it was cute too. I thought mixing in different moods would make this chapter seem more enjoyable.

Ultra_Poke2000: I believe everyone else has told you already, but they also appear in the Pokemon R/S games. As for the bugs, they appear to have special plans for our young hero ;).

mr_pikachu: Typos found and fixed! Were you surprised that these little guys could talk? Oh, and "new companion"---you'll see...

IloveX-TINA: Yes, they can actually talk! But in two more chapters, you'll discover that there's a "special" reason why they can talk :D...

Crystalmaster Mike: "A briefcase,"---what a riot. But no, that's not what the Giant shell is going to be used for :no:. Can you guess how it will be used?

Okay everybody, before I forget, I have an announcement to make:

I will try to get the next installment up either today, tomorrow, or Friday, because I'm leaving for a week-long vacation up at Lake Placid (and no, mr_pikachu, we're not going to the one in Florida---I wasn't even aware that there was a Lake Placid down there)!

So, after this Sunday, I will be absent from TPM for a whole week. I'm going to miss you guys, but I know you'll all get along fine without me :yes:.

ZeldaFan20

14th August 2003, 10:32 AM

CHAPTER 10

“Hey,” Machop exclaimed, “Look, they’re coming down!”

Every Pokemon in the group looked up to see Volbeat and Illumise gently gliding down towards them. Upon landing, they all crowded around the pair like an excited mob.

“Did you find him?” asked Marill.

“Does he have any Pokemon with him?” asked two tiny mouse-like creatures beside her.

“Is he everything Big Sis expected?” inquired a Pidgeotto.

“Easy, gang,” Volbeat interrupted them, “We found him, he has a Pikachu, and yeah; he’s great!”

“The perfect friend for our Big Sis,” Illumise triumphantly added, “And she’ll be so surprised when we get Ash back to the island.”

The entire group gasped. They all thought Illumise was talking crazy; how would they be able to get a thirteen-year-old human boy out of there?

“Don’t worry about that,” Illumise said, apparently reading their doubt, “I’ve got that covered. Bellossom, Machop, and the Taillows” (she pointed to four of those small blue and red birds Ash had seen earlier) “will come back up with us…”

“Wait a sec,” Volbeat broke in, “I thought you said that only Bell…OW!” Before finishing, his sister had abruptly yanked on his antennae again.

“Stop interrupting me when I’m trying to put a plan together!” she hissed, and then she turned back to the crowd. “Like I was saying, you guys will come back up with us. Bro,” she added, turning back to her brother, “Go tie the rope around the Shoal Shell---and make sure you do it right; we don’t want it to fall!”

Emitting a low grumble, Volbeat walked over to where the giant seashell had been left. If you were to look at that thing, you’d think it belonged to a seven-foot-long oyster: rough and brittle on the outside, yet smooth with a brightly colored gloss on the inside! It was strong and thick too, making it ideal for carrying heavy loads. It took a while for the little bug boy to tie the rope securely (the length of the rope itself looked to be more than twice that of the distance to the window)---and he almost got himself trapped underneath in the process, but soon he was finished.

Machop and Marill helped him push the shell right underneath the window. Illumise then took the other end of the rope and gave it to Pidgeotto.

“You see that thing up there?” she asked, pointing to a long flagpole sticking out of the building above their destination, “Loop the rope over it, then we can pull ourselves back up.”

When Pidgeotto flew up to accomplish his task, Illumise told Volbeat, Machop, and Bellossom to get on the shell.

“What’s gonna happen now?” Volbeat asked as soon as he was on board. His sister put on a secretive smile.

“You’ll see,” she replied as Pidgeotto flew back down and returned the rope. “Nice work,” she praised the bird, and then handed the rope to Machop, “Okay, Machop, pull!”

Machop instantly knew what to do; he gave it a mighty tug and the entire shell was lifted several inches off the ground. Little by little, the superpower Pokemon raised the shell higher and higher towards the window. One time, when it was more than 3¼ of the way, a slight breeze caused the shell to sway back and forth---nearly knocking off all four Pokemon. In about less than six minutes, they were hanging right across from their target.

“Okay, this is perfect,” Illumise told Machop, “Now let’s get inside and do this.” The window had been left open a crack so as not to let in too much wind; they entered the room and approached the bed. Machop and Bellossom were in complete awe when they saw Ash.

“Hey, you two weren’t kidding,” Machop whispered.

“Yeah, he is perfect for Big Sis,” Bellossom agreed, “But what about Pikachu?”

“That’s where you come in,” Illumise said to her, “We have to do this as smoothly as possible, but we can’t afford to wake them. Sprinkle them with enough Sleep Powder to keep them sleeping until morning.”

Bellossom stood on the bed’s metal railing with a smile, “Sure, I can do that---but you guys will have to stand back or it’ll get you too.” The others bolted over to the door in a flash, and the flowering Pokemon twirled around and around in a hypnotic dance, releasing a bright lime-green powder from the folds of her leafy gown.

Ash and Pikachu squinted and mumbled in their sleep as the green powder fell over them like a gentle snowfall. At first, the others were afraid that they would wake up before the powder took affect, but grew very relieved once the boy and mouse settled down.

Bellossom immediately stopped dancing. “Okay, they’re under,” she announced.

“Great,” Illumise said once she'd inspected the two sleepers, “Now let’s get to work: first, let’s take the bottom blankets off the bed and put them on the shell.”

“Should we bring the pillow too?” Volbeat asked, “So he’ll have something to put his head on?”

Illumise thought, then nodded, “Okay, why not? At least he won’t have a headache when we get home.”

The four Pokemon worked carefully to pull the sheets and pillow out from under Ash (who proved to be much heavier than they thought) and Pikachu. Once that was managed, Bellossom and Illumise took the sheets and spread them over the glossy inside of the Shoal Shell, placing the pillow on the left side.

Volbeat was looking through Ash’s backpack, deciding what to bring for the young boy. He threw out a variety of things: the PokeGear Delia brought along, a pair of scissors from the First-Aid kit, the flashlight, a Hoenn guide book, two Super Potions, a Full Restore, and all his unused Great Balls. He was examining Ash’s PokeDex when the two females walked in.

“Hey, Sis,” he called, holding up the PokeDex, “Do you think Ash will need this?”

Illumise looked at the object, “Nah! What would he need that for? Throw it away!” Hearing this, Volbeat tossed the PokeDex among all the other discarded items. He was just about to close the backpack when Bellossom walked over.

“Here, put these in there too,” she said, handing him the Poke Balls containing Ash’s other Pokemon.

“What are they?” Volbeat asked.

Bellossom smiled and giggled, “Probably little toys for Pikachu---we’re bringing him along too.” Volbeat smiled and packed the balls. Then he closed the backpack and threw it over his own back, and the two of them rejoined Machop and Illumise. The four Taillows flew in as they did so.

“Good, just in time,” Illumise said when she saw them, “Time to bring our new friend home. Machop, grab his legs; the Taillows will grab his shoulders. Bellossom, get the blanket; we can’t have him catching a chill in the night air. Bro, take Pikachu.”

Each Pokemon took hold of what they were assigned. Machop and the little birds carried Ash over to the window, while Volbeat struggled to keep hold of Pikachu. Getting the boy through proved to be a chore, since he was slightly wider at the shoulders. The heaving creatures had to tilt him to one side in order to manage at all.

Once Ash was safely on the shell, Pikachu was laid beside him, and both were covered snuggly with the blanket.

“Bellossom and I will go down first,” Illumise suddenly said, “The rest of us will stand below while you two lower Ash down. But do it carefully so that he doesn’t bump against the wall!” With that, she flew down to the crowd below, followed by Bellossom (who was being carefully carried down by the four little birds).

With Ash and Pikachu lying asleep on the Shoal Shell, Volbeat and Machop had constant difficulty maintaining a steady hand; it was so heavy. Even with his super-powered partner helping out, the boy bug seemed to find the whole ordeal even more grueling.

“Easy,” Illumise called from below, “Lower it a little more!”

“She says she’s helping,” Machop growled, “But we’re the ones doing all the work.”

“Yeah, I know,” Volbeat answered glumly, “And every time you argue with her, she tugs at your feelers, tails, or whatever…Whoa!” During the small talk, Machop had let the rope slip a bit, nearly causing Volbeat---who was still holding it---to loose his balance, “Oh, feet don’t fail me now!” he wailed.

“Uh-oh!” Illumise gasped: The left side (where Ash’s head was) had begun to tip downward; both he and Pikachu were in danger of falling. “Don’t drop hiiiiiiim…!” she sang nervously.

Despite the confusion, the two hard-working Pokemon recovered themselves and began steadying the shell. Even though one side was still lower than the other, it momentarily stopped slipping. Illumise breathed a sigh of relief, but then rounded fiercely on the two above.

“You almost dropped him!” she yelled, and then regained her focus on the task at hand, “Now a little more to the left…lower, lower…now a little more to the right…I mean the left! No, no, no, I did mean the right…the right!”

Once again, things got confusing for the “boys;” Illumise was giving out too many instructions, and they started moving in different directions, trying to guide Ash safely to the ground. During this time, the shell chose to start tipping again. All the Pokemon grew increasingly frightened.

“It’s slippiiing! Carefuuul!” exclaimed an equally scared Illumise.

“I got it!” Volbeat cried, but then, “No I don’t---it’s got me! Yaaaa!” He tripped again; he held the rope tightly, but tried to keep a firm grip on the windowsill with his toes. Machop wound his section of the rope around his tail, grabbed his friend’s feet, and tried to pull him back up. In doing so, however, the shell swayed to the left---out of Illumise’s reach!

“No, that’s too much to the left!” she called, trying to catch it, “Go back!”

“I'm trying!” Volbeat screamed as he steered the huge cradle to the right. By that time, it was close enough for his sister to touch, but it carried her far to the right as she grabbed it (she was hopping on one foot the whole time).

The other Pokemon gathered around her as the dangling shell centered, hoping to catch them both. Finally, Ash was safely on the ground. But…

“YAAAAAA!” Machop and Volbeat had lost their footing, and were literally free falling towards their friends. With a loud thud, they both landed hard on the grass.

Feeling a little woozy, Machop sat up and rubbed his aching back. His ears were soon ringing as well---but not from the fall…

“You two are so incredibly clumsy!” Illumise screamed, “Do either of you have any idea what could’ve happened if the shell toppled…wait, where’s Bro?”

Machop gasped and stood up faster than lightning. Right under him, and lying face-up, was Volbeat; he was covered in dirt, and his eyes were spinning like a couple of whirlpools. Illumise picked him up by the collar and shook him violently.

“What have you got to say for yourself, you klutz?” she demanded, “Well, answer me!”

Volbeat uttered a low moan before speaking, but his voice was slightly slurred:

“Oooo…but Sis…Plusle and Minun ate all the Mago Berries…ooooo…” After one last moan, he passed out.

Illumise was so enraged that, if she had the time, she would have screamed loud enough to wake everyone in the city.

“Enough,” Kadabra calmly uttered---in a voice like that of a wise old man, “Our time is almost spent; dawn approaches.”

Hearing this, all the Pokemon (Machop carried the still-unconscious Volbeat) formed a circle around Ash and Pikachu. Kadabra closed his eyes; a ball of blue energy instantly surrounded the entire group. The energy soon turned into a bright flash. When it faded, all the Pokemon, Pikachu, and Ash…were gone.

Crystalmaster Mike

14th August 2003, 12:59 PM

*blink* Okay, I'm getting curious at their plans with Ash... He'll have a hard time getting away from where they're taking them (if that is what he'll want to), but at least he'll have his Pokémon. Volbeat was kind of right...: toys they are, but not ordinary ones! And Volbeat really isn't a lucky fellow...

mr_pikachu

14th August 2003, 01:48 PM

Hehehe! Toys for Pikachu... *laughs heartily* They're going to get a shock when they wake up, I'm sure, Ash, Pikachu, and these mysterious Pokemon! Though for the Pokemon, it will be quite literal. *acts like Pikachu* PIKAAAA!! *electricity sparks from cheeks and chars the wall* Oops...

Anyway, that Illumise is a control freak! Always having to have everything her way... sounds like someone I know. ...No, no, not me! *sigh* Anyway, I have but one suggestion: Perhaps in the future, when talking about R/S Pokemon, you could take a few sentences to describe them. I've seen a great deal of the Pokemon in the game, but many other people haven't. And I haven't seen ALL of them, either. For instance, if you started talking about Feebas, I'd say "WHAAAT??" Remember, not everyone knows the exact same things you do. I'd lose most - if not all of my readers if I started talking about calculus in my fanfic. Sure, that's not what it's about in the first place, but you get the point. ^^; Anyway, keep writing!

Hmm... alternate universes... might work... :D

ZeldaFan20

14th August 2003, 04:21 PM

Crystalmaster Mike: Volbeat really has it bad doesn't he? Getting bossed around by his own sister, and having to do all the hard work while she supervises.

mr_pikachu: Tell me something, who does Illumise remind you of the most: Misty or Jessie? Although, as I was writing them, I noticed that Volbeat and Illumise are more like a Pokemon version of Jessie and James :D! Is that wild or what? Thanks for the suggestion, but I thought I'd done that in past chapters...oh well, I'll get it right someday.

mr_pikachu

14th August 2003, 06:47 PM

Actually, I was talking about my mom. :P But to me, Illumise sounds more like Misty, since Illumise is at least halfway-sane. :D And don't worry about description too much, eventually you'll know when to add it and when not to. A good idea is to read through it while "role-playing" the reader, so to speak, and assuming that the reader is fairly clueless about recent happenings in Pokemon. That helps me quite a bit in my writing, and it'd probably work for anyone who can effectively put themself in the shoes of the reader. Good luck, have fun in Lake Placid, and please continue!

P.S. Did you hear about all the blackouts in the northeast? I hope you don't have to deal with trouble because of that on your vacation... well, have fun up there! :wave:

GeneChildMewtwo

14th August 2003, 06:53 PM

Wow, those chapters were really neat. For some reason, I find that team of Pokemon kidnappers very cute. I really like how each one has a good, strong personality. You can see that Illumise is the "leader" as she's always taking charge. And of course Volbeat is the right hand man. (right paw pokemon?) I can really see a sort of Jessie/James relationship there. Although, your Jessie has a touch of Meowth, as he seems to be the leader of that group. ^_^ I don't know too much about Machop, but he seems kind of like the "muscle" of the team. And Kadabra has that elder/reasonably thinking member feel to him. And the way that everyone's dialouge was written, it seems that they group as a whole works fairly well. They talk like they're on a team. ^_^

Well, I guess now we wait an see what happens when Ash wakes up after being caught by Pokemon for a change. :P If he didn't have the impending business with David, this wouldn't be nearly as bad of a situation... Unless the "Big Sis" is evil and crazy or something. ^_^

Well, I really enjoyed these two chapters, and I'll be waiting for more. Keep it up! :wave:

Have fun on your vacation too!
(That Volbeat in your signature... Is it somehow related to this? Hmmm....)

mr_pikachu

15th August 2003, 12:07 AM

Since my Vulpix is having a battle with that Illumise right now in the PokeZoo Battle Tower, I think I'm qualified to answer the question.

Oh, wait, I just did.

Well, anyway, we both adopted a Pokemon, and now we're having them battle each other in the PCG forum. Right now Vulpix is really low on health, but Illumise will be in dreamland for three turns. I love Hypnosis! :D Um, anyway... that's ZeldaFan20's Illumise. It has nothing to do with the fic, believe it or not.

ZeldaFan20

24th August 2003, 02:17 PM

Hi guys! I've returned and am proud to announce that the next chapter will be up sometime this week. Believe it or not, I got quite a lot of inspiration for it (as well as for another story idea I've come up with---but that won't happen until later). It's great to be back!

Ultra_Poke2000

24th August 2003, 08:34 PM

hey, im finaly back. but ive got some bad news. my grandpa was involved in a car accident. he's got a broken leg and some cracked ribs, but he should be fine. on the other hand, something happened to me too. while i was rinsing out a glass in the sink, the darn thing slipped, and when i tried to grab for it before it hit, the thing had already broken and i got a puncture wound in my palm. i had to get stitches, but the pain killer helped with that, and then it was pretty cool having a numb hand for a while. that happened yesterday, so its a bit sore, but im ok.

that Illumise seems like the bossy female type that u cant do nutin' 'bout cuz u cant hit girls and your superiors either are completely oblivious or dont care. hehehe... "toys for pikachu" unknowingly they may just have given Ash the means to escape later!

Volbeat was looking through Ash’s backpack, deciding what to bring for the young boy. He threw out a variety of things: the PokeGear Delia brought along, a pair of scissors from the First-Aid kit, the flashlight, a Hoenn guide book, two Super Potions, a Full Restore, and all his unused Great Balls. He was examining Ash’s PokeDex when the two females walked in.

“Hey, Sis,” he called, holding up the PokeDex, “Do you think Ash will need this?”

Illumise looked at the object, “Nah! What would he need that for? Throw it away!” Hearing this, Volbeat tossed the PokeDex among all the other discarded items.*snicker* foolish Pokemon! anyway, cya later!:wave:

Crystalmaster Mike

25th August 2003, 03:04 AM

You've got something there, Ultra_Poke: no PokéDex means no proof of possible encounters with unknown, legendary... Legends!

ZeldaFan20

26th August 2003, 05:24 PM

:D You two definitely noticed that one (not that no one else did, of course)!

Ultra_Poke2000: I'm sorry to hear about your grandpa's accident, car accidents are certainly no laughing matter (believe me, I know). But, like CMM said, you just might have something there.

GeneChildMewtwo: Really? A touch of Meowth? Hey, I guess you're right! And no, my Illumise is not related to the story :).

Okay, enough small talk guys, what do ya say we get this show on the road? Here we go!

CHAPTER 11

Under the starlit night sky, several miles to the south of Hoenn’s southeastern most point, was a small island. Despite its size, many people might call this island a “paradise:” a large flowing spring, trees heavy with many different kinds of fruit, flowers in every direction, and a romantic little cove hidden by walls of rocky cliffs.

In the stillness between night and morning, a bright light suddenly appeared within the hidden cove of this particular island; it remained for about five seconds, and then vanished. In its stead was the group of Pokemon who had just left Lilycove City not too long ago, carrying with them the giant seashell that bore the still sleeping Ash and Pikachu. Illumise---who had been riding on Kadabra’s left shoulder throughout the trip, hopped off and surveyed the scene.

“Home sweet home!” she exclaimed cheerfully to the others, “Now let’s take our friends back to the spring; Big Sis should be finished with her midnight swim by now.”

With Illumise leading the way, the entire group marched toward the center of the island. Right behind her, Volbeat, Machop, Marill, and several others carried the large load over their heads; it was hard work, and they often stopped so that one or more could rest and wipe his or her face. Every time they did this, however, Illumise became increasingly annoyed and told them to keep moving. They all traveled in this fashion for nearly ten minutes, until they were nearly 3¼ of the way; at that time, the bossy little bug heard her brother groan from behind.

“Pick up the pace, Bro,” she said sharply, “And don’t you---or anyone else---even dare drop him, or I’ll make your lives miserable back home.”

“You mean anymore than you already do, sister dear?” Volbeat muttered under his breath; he was tired enough from helping to carry Ash without having to be pushed around by his own control-freak sister.

Illumise instantly turned to look at him. “What?” she asked, in a voice that made the others jump, “I didn’t quite catch that, Bro!”

“Err…I said ‘I read you loud and clear’!” Volbeat exclaimed out of sheer panic: he knew that it wouldn’t be a good idea---even now---to get Illumise angry. Only partially satisfied by this answer, she turned back around and continued to lead the herd onward.

Around five minutes later, they were in the very heart of the island. The moon had just come out from behind the clouds, revealing a glade surrounded by fruit trees. In the center of the glade was the spring---an enormous lake, about the size of a football field, and littered with large lily pads (many of which equaled Ash’s Shoal Shell in both size and thickness). The moonlight danced happily upon the rippling water as the Pokemon arrived at the edge.

“We’re back!” Illumise called out from the shore. No one needed to wait very long for someone to appear: out of the bushes, water, and trees, hundreds of different Pokemon emerged; some were native to Johto and Kanto (Pidgeys, Spearows, Abras, etc.), others were ones you would never see in those regions.

They were all a variety of shapes: small walking rose bushes, sharks that seemed to have only half a body, acorns with feet, little green dogs with yellow stripes, a very dizzy looking bear, cactuses, lobsters, a little green lizard with a red stripe around its waist---and that was just to name a few!

The new arrivals hopped gracefully from lily pad to lily pad, bringing Ash to the middle of the spring, while everyone who watched began talking to each other at once.

“Hey, did you hear the news?” one of the half-sharks asked a little gray balloon Pokemon.

“No,” she replied curiously, “What news?”

“Why,” hissed a long, black and gold snake who was watching nearby, “The Lightning-bug Twinsss may have found a new friend for Big Sisss!”

“Whoa…” said the dizzy bear, who came teetering over like a drunken man to see what was going on, “A new friend? What is it? Who is it?”

At that moment, one of the walking rose bushes gave a loud cheer; “It’s Ash, the toast of the island!”

“YAAAAAY!” Everyone cheered loudly and happily at the knowledge that their dear friend would soon have a companion of her very own.

Suddenly, Illumise began searching the crowd with a puzzled expression, “Wait a sec, where is Big Sis? She should be here to see her big surprise.”

“We saw her, just now!” Two tiny voices echoed from among the crowd, causing everyone to turn and face the speakers. A small pair of Pokemon scampered up to the front; they both had the appearance of Pichus, but the ears were longer, and the colors on each were much different. The one on the right had red ears and paws, and the rest of the body was a light pastel yellow. His cheeks and tail were also red, but the tail seemed to have at least three tips, and a light yellow cross was in the center of each cheek. The other one---on the left---was basically the same as her partner, except that her color was blue. The tail had two tips, and a yellow horizontal line was inside of each cheek. Both creatures were acting as excited as a couple of baseball fans before a big game.

“Plusle! Minun!” cried Illumise, who immediately recognized her brother’s friends, “You saw her? Where is she?”

“We saw her on the way here from the northern beach,” the red Plusle stated.

“Yeah,” Minun cut in, “She was probably checking on her eggs.”

Having gotten his breath back, Volbeat started hovering over the ground, “I’ll go get her,” he volunteered, “This is going to make her very happy!” As he flew off to the northern side of the island, Volbeat quietly said to himself, “Besides, I’d rather be with Big Sis than with my sis.”

The moon shone over a small beach on the northern coast. Salty waves broke onto the soft powdery sand, which was littered with a variety of shells and stones. Near this quiet oasis was what looked like a wall of large rocks; a strange creature was in the process of rearranging some of them.

She certainly was big enough to be a sea serpent (roughly around twenty feet long), but her beauty seemed almost undescribable. The lower half of her graceful, limbless body was covered in golden scales, right down to the four tail fins at the very end; the upper body was a soft ivory colored by a slight touch of crimson. What looked like a tall horn protruded from the very crown of her head. Her “hair,” which fell down on both sides of her body like a pair of five-foot-long pigtails, shone as blue as a morning sky. The cat-like eyes were also blue, as well as the two antennae that passed over her eyes, giving them the appearance of eyebrows. This beautiful Pokemon soon finished her task, and put on a tender smile as she studied the results.

“Big Sis!” someone cried from the nearby forest. The creature looked in that direction and saw Volbeat flying towards her. He gave a happy, almost triumphant laugh at the sight of his friend.

“Hey, Big Sis! I heard you were here, so I rushed right over. We’ve got a big surprise for you back at the spring!”

Big Sis cocked her head to on side with an air of curiosity, “Rrrrrrmmm?” she murmured.

“Well,” Volbeat began, apparently understanding her response, “You know that human you saw on that boat the other day---the one you liked so much? Illumise and I, along with some of the others, brought him here for you! Isn’t that great?”

Volbeat beamed with pride as he finished delivering his news. Big Sis’ eyes opened far wider than before; she had remembered seeing Ash on that huge boat two nights ago while she was out for her midnight swim around the small islands that surrounded Hoenn.

The sad and dejected expression upon the poor boy’s face that night had touched her heart, and yet she observed a look of sheer determination and a fierce sense of resolve in him. Oh, how she longed to have such a human for a companion; she would do everything in her power to make him happy. Now, this boy was here---on her island! The very thought made this divine creature quiver with happiness.

While the beautiful sea snake continued to dream, Volbeat grabbed the folds of her hair and gently tugged on them. “C’mon,” he said, causing her to snap back into reality, “Don’t you want to meet him? Let’s go!” With that, the two Pokemon made their way off the beach and into the dense forest towards the spring.

“They’re coming! They’re coming!” Pidgeotto had been standing watch for Volbeat and Big Sis, and was giving the alert the moment he’d spotted them. There was more cheering from all the other Pokemon as they entered the clearing. Big Sis saw the group on the largest lily pad in the spring---almost directly in the center, and stopped.

“Don’t be shy, Big Sis,” Volbeat said reassuringly, while gently pushing her from behind, “He’ll make you a perfect companion.” As the two of them got to the edge of the lake, the giant snake got a good look at Ash (who was still asleep with Pikachu in the Shoal Shell) and stopped again; a smile crossed her face faster than a Vulpix using Quick Attack.

“Here he is,” Illumise announced in a happy singsong voice, “What do you think of him, Big Sis?”

“Go on,” Volbeat urged, “Say ‘hello’ to him.” Big Sis’s golden scales glittered like diamonds in the moonlight as she slowly slithered into the water and swam over to the lily pad where the small group gathered.

Even though he was asleep, Big Sis still recognized the sad child she had seen on the ship. To her, Ash looked as angelic as a newborn baby asleep in its mother’s arms. The more she gazed upon the boy, the happier she became. At that moment, a cool breeze swept through the clearing. With the tenderness of a mother, she used her mouth pull the covers more securely over Ash---during which time Pikachu was almost completely hidden by the blankets; in fact, all you would be able to see of him were the ears. This accomplished, she put her face right up to Ash’s, and nuzzled him carefully.

Illumise squealed with delight as she flew over to the shore to join her brother, “Oh, they’ll make a wonderful pair!”

“If only she wasn’t so shy,” an equally happy Volbeat pointed out. His sister nodded in agreement.

“I know, but friendship will overcome something like that. All I’m worried about, though, is her voice; when she talks she burbles, and you can hardly understand a word. But, like all Milotics, she is very kind…not to mention very beautiful.”

“Oh she’s going to make him so happy, he won’t be a total nag…unlike some others I know.” While Volbeat talked, his sister shot him a fierce glare. However, he failed to notice this until he finished speaking; upon catching sight of her, he gulped hard, and broke out in a nervous sweat.

“Speaking of anybody in particular?” Illumise asked menacingly. Volbeat let out a frightened giggle as he slowly backed away from her.

“No, no, no! I…I…I was just talking in general…OWW!” Volbeat was just about to run when Illumise angrily dragged him back by the antennae.

“Oh no you don’t!” she shouted, “And don’t you even think of going off to get some sleep. This is no time to be lounging on tree branches or lily pads; we’ve still gotta build a house for Ash---he can’t be expected to live in a Swellow’s nest, can he? Now come on!” Then, with her brother in tow, Illumise started marching into the woods, away from the rest of the party. During this time, she proceeded to congratulate herself for what she considered a “successful recovery operation.”

“This is just too perfect!” she thought loud, “Once he gets a load of Big Sis---and his new house, Ash will want to stay here forever!” Volbeat frowned as he heard her gloat.

“Or maybe he’ll start screeching like an Arbok in fear,” he thought silently.

Within the next few hours, the moon itself sank slowly into the sea, making way for the upcoming sun. As the golden rays of morning turned the sky a bright blue, all the flowers opened their petals to spread their colors and fragrance to the world.

Big Sis had curled her slender body around Ash’s shell, in order to protect him while they slept. She slept on even as the sky brightened over them.

At around 9:30 in the morning, Ash began to stir. Without opening his eyes first, he sat up and rubbed them, completely oblivious to what had happened during the night. Finally, he opened them…wide!

Instead of waking up in a spotlessly clean hospital room, he was sitting on a seashell…on top of a lily pad…way out in the middle of a lake! Ash was instantly spellbound. How did this happen? How did he get here? Just as he turned his head to observe the surrounding area, he suddenly froze.

Staring him straight in the face was Big Sis, who had woken up as soon as he did. Even though she looked at him with such happiness and tender care, Ash’s eyes did not seem to return such emotions. In fact, there was about five minutes of this “staring contest” before he could finally react…

Doomykins

26th August 2003, 06:38 PM

Heh heh, poor girl is in for a bit of a suprise. I don't think that Ash is going to apreciate being kidnapped like this. And what could she posibly need a companion for. *chuckles at the thought of it*

mr_pikachu

26th August 2003, 08:36 PM

Oooooh, this oughta be GOOD. :D I can't wait for the next chapter... OOH! That's gotta be one heckuva surprise for poor Ash! I loved the "staring contest" right before the end... makes me wonder if he's gonna squeak in fright or roar in terror...

I only have a few criticisms. First, the comment at the beginning of the paragraph describing Milotic seemed a bit unnecessary; perhaps you could describe her without referring to things outside of the Pokemon world, as that makes the story seem more "real". And second, I think I remember a few typos, and I'd tell you - if my dad hadn't called me away for two hours, which was more than enough time to forget. XD But anyway, you might want to look through it again. All in all, you did a great job! I loved the cliffhanger, and I can't wait for the next chapter! See ya! :wave:

ZeldaFan20

26th August 2003, 09:19 PM

Doomykins: Well, how would you react if a group of wild animals kidnapped you while you were asleep [laughs]? As for Big Sis, she's probably one of those Pokemon who choses their own master. Hey, you never know...

mr_pikachu: Ash has met a lot of "surprises" in the series, so I'd be very surprised to see him screaming in terror, wouldn't you :yes:? I managed to re-word that phrase, but I couldn't find any typos (believe me, I did the Spell Check AND read the chapter over 5 times!).

Crystalmaster Mike

27th August 2003, 12:33 PM

Well, Zelda... Maybe you'd be surprised he'd scream, but I wouldn't! As beautifully the Milotic might seem... Ash might not notice; Big Sis is still a sea serpent! But boy, this is gonna be something! I have a feeling you just didn't have him get kidnapped by Lightning-Bugs to stay happily ever after with the "Big Sis' Gang"...

ZeldaFan20

30th August 2003, 10:34 PM

Well, the reaction may not be surprising enough, but there are some surprises in this chapter, so let's begin!

CHAPTER 12

“WHOA!” Ash yelped.

Both he and Big Sis (who panicked upon hearing the loud cry) toppled backward into the water. Completely shocked by the freezing temperature of the spring, Ash swam up to the surface and climbed onto a nearby lily pad, wide-eyed and gasping for breath.

“I guess I won’t have to take a cold shower to wake up,” Ash managed to say, his teeth beginning to chatter. He then looked around; Big Sis had not come up yet. “Hey, where’d that…that…thing get to?”

“Ash? Ash, where are you?” A frightened little voice had spoken up right in front of him. Ash started and glanced in that direction, hoping to find the speaker. However, the only one he could see was…

“Pikachu?” Ash asked himself, staring in disbelief at the electric rodent sitting up in the seashell; he couldn’t have heard what he thought he heard. As he leaned forward, a weird sensation came into his ears; he smiled.

“There’s the problem: I’ve got water in my ears.” Ash shook his head and tugged at his ears, trying to drain them. Once finished he sat up again and chuckled, “Boy, that’s a relief. For a minute there I thought I was going crazy.” Then he resumed the surveillance of the area, “But how did we get here? Where are we?”

At that moment, the exact same voice spoke up again: “I was gonna ask you the same question.” It sounded almost like Ash’s voice, but much higher pitched---like it was him standing inside a helium-filled balloon.

For a few minutes, Ash could hardly say a word: was Pikachu actually talking to him?! No, it just wasn’t possible! Pokemon aren’t supposed to talk like humans---only Meowth could do that! Mewtwo, Lugia, and that Lapras he met near the North Pole didn’t count; they used telepathy. Pikachu didn’t know telepathy…or did he?

After some thought, Ash had an idea: he decided to test Pikachu. He crouched down to the little mouse’s eye-level, and stared hard.

“Okay, Pikachu,” Ash began, “How did you and I win our Gym Battle against Brock three years ago?” He watched his friend very carefully, hoping that this was all just some kind of dream.

Pikachu’s mouth did move, but not to smile, “Well, we didn’t actually win: you were just about to tell me to finish off Onix, when all Brock’s brothers and sisters…Ash, what’s the matter?!”

While Pikachu talked, Ash’s eyes had shifted to something else. The boy was staring upward, his face pale with utter fear. Sensing that something was behind him, Pikachu turned around slowly; sure enough, he was almost in the same state as his trainer.

Big Sis had silently risen up from the water, and was now towering over them. She cocked her head sideways while gazing at the twosome below, wondering why they looked so frightened. They moved back a bit when she lowered her head towards them.

“What is that?” Pikachu exclaimed.

Ash scrambled to his feet in a flash and snatched his pal. “I don’t know, but I’m not gonna stick around and find out! Run!” And run they did; hopping from one lily pad to the next, the pair made their way to the northern edge of the spring, and ran into the woods. Before pursuing them, Big Sis tilted her head in the other direction, clearly surprised by her new friends’ actions.

“Rrrmmm?” she wondered.

Meanwhile, in a small bamboo grove close to the spring, Volbeat and Illumise were hard at work building Ash’s “house”…well, actually, it was Volbeat who was working hard.

“Now remember, Bro,” Illumise instructed from the grass below, a basket full of flower petals on her head, “If you don’t get that roof on tight it’s all going to collapse.”

“I’m doing the best I can, as usual,” Volbeat growled in response, wrapping some vines tightly around the top of the “roof.”

The house itself was made entirely of bamboo stalks, all of which reached more than four times Ash’s own height. The bottom formed a circle around fifty-two feet in circumference. A small door was made on the side in front of where Illumise was standing, and was covered by a curtain made of pond rushes. With the tops of the stalks being tied together, the whole thing began to resemble a Native American wigwam.

Illumise suddenly smiled to herself. “Ooo, this is so wonderful. I wonder what they’re all doing…” At this moment, both she and Volbeat heard a rustling from the bushes behind them.

Ash and Pikachu, without entering the grove, ran by at lightning speed. Following them at a steady pace was Big Sis. Volbeat’s eyes opened wide with shock, but Illumise only laughed heartily.

“Isn’t that sweet?” she asked, “Ash and Big Sis are playing Tag.” She then turned to look up at her brother, “I told you they would become a great pair!”

“I dunno, Sis,” Volbeat replied, “Ash looked kinda scared to me.”

“That’s because he doesn’t want to lose the game on his first day here,” Illumise answered, “waving away” her brother’s comment, “Now let’s keep working; we have to get this house finished before sunset, and this basket is getting heavy.”

Volbeat returned to work, but turned his head so Illumise wouldn’t see the angry look on his face.

For the next five minutes, they ran through the dense woods; jumping over fallen branches, passing tree stumps and rocks. Neither one looked back for fear of seeing that strange Pokemon following close behind. Upon leaving the woods, they stopped.

Right in front of them was a beach, the right side of which was guarded by a huge wall of rocks. Waves were breaking against the pink-tinged sand, and a variety of seashells lay scattered in all directions. Ash and Pikachu, at first, were not aware of their surroundings; after coming out of the woods, they plopped down onto their knees (Pikachu landed on his tummy), and panted heavily.

“Man,” Ash said, once he’d gotten some wind back, “What was that thing?”

“I know this much,” Pikachu gasped, “She looked way too pretty to be a Gyarados.”

Ash looked at his little friend in great surprise, “You could actually tell that it was a girl?”

“Sure, couldn’t you?” Pikachu replied forcing a smile, only to receive a sour look in return. Turning his attention away from the yellow mouse, Ash got up and walked onto the beach. He stopped close to where the sand met the water, and looked out onto the open ocean; he just stood there, not even bothering to say a word.

After a while, Pikachu got up and made his way to Ash’s side, and gazed at the rolling surf. He looked up at his young trainer, and spoke cheerfully.

“Cheer up, Ash, I bet we can still make it back to Lilycove City if we start walking.” To his shocking surprise, Ash slowly shook his head.

“No, Pikachu,” he said, his voice wavering, “We can’t…we won’t be able too: I don’t even think we’re in Hoenn anymore…”

Meanwhile…back in Lilycove City…

“Oh no!” Delia sobbed; she was in the waiting room of Waterlily Hospital, Brock and Daisy trying to comfort her on each side. Dr. Franklin and Officer Jenny were standing in front of her.

“Believe me, Mrs. Ketchum,” the officer said reassuringly, “We’re doing everything in our power to find your son; I’ve even alerted every police unit in every city and town---with instructions to contact me if they hear anything.” This bit of information, however, only made the poor woman cry even harder.

“Oh, what will I tell my husband?” she cried, “He’s already suffered enough these past couple of nights; this will just kill him!”

“Don’t say that!” Brock exclaimed, “It will all be okay, you’ll see.” He then turned to the officer, “Do you know how it happened?”

“Well,” Jenny began, “The window was wide open, but it’s a five-story drop to the street below; if he jumped, it wouldn’t have been a pretty sight. It’s weird, though; the bed was stripped bare---even the pillow was gone!

“There were several items scattered all over the floor too: a pair of scissors, a few Great Balls, a PokeDex…”

“His PokeDex?!” Brock gasped, his eyebrows lowering, “Then he couldn’t have gone willingly; Ash never goes anywhere without Dexter.”

“That’s not all,” the policewoman continued, “We also found this stuff on the floor, surrounding the bed.” She then handed Brock a small plastic bag; inside was a bright lime-green dust.

Brock took the bag, opened it, and carefully sniffed the contents, “Sleep Powder…a Grass-type Pokemon…”

Everyone instantly became very quiet; what would Sleep Powder be doing in Ash’s room? It was true that his Meganium knew Sleep Powder, but she had agreed to spend the night in her Poke Ball with the others. At that moment, the door burst open, startling everyone present.

Steven walked quickly into the room. By the serious expression on his face, they all had a feeling that something was wrong.

“What’s the matter, Steven?” Daisy asked, “I thought you were going back to the hotel to check on Aurora and David.”

“Aurora and David?” Jenny asked, “Who are they?”

Delia spoke up, “Aurora is Ash’s girlfriend; David is my stepson.” She then turned to the newcomer, “Are they alright?” Steven paused gravely before speaking.

“I’m not sure,” he said, “They weren’t there; no one was in the room.”

“WHAT?!” everyone exclaimed at once; Aurora and David gone? Delia couldn’t help but faint hearing this; luckily, Daisy was there to catch her.

“They’re missing too?” Brock asked.

Steven nodded, “Yes, but I found this on the table near Aurora’s bed.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. Handing the paper to Brock, everyone crowded around to see the words written on it---words which made them more curious about their friends than about how they disappeared:

Do not fear, for they are safe.
One’s journey has ended,
The other’s has just begun.

mr_pikachu

31st August 2003, 11:38 AM

I wouldn't doubt for a second that I'm every bit as surprised as Ash is! Pikachu talking?! This is reminiscent of the episode "Island of the Giant Pokemon" on the first season of the anime... except Ash wasn't the one who could understand the Pokemon.... this is getting freaky...

Volbeat and Illumise think it's business as usual... Ash and Pikachu are no longer in Hoenn... and I've got a feeling Aurora played some part in this, though I don't quite know what yet... will Ash find out Aurora's secret? Will she have to rescue them? This is too exciting! Great chapter, and I can't wait to see the next update! :D :yes :D

Crystalmaster Mike

1st September 2003, 01:21 PM

One's journey ended... The other's has just begun...
Either this is needed to be understood the more obvious way, or the more cryptical one... Why should one and the other be different?! :)

Ahum... Illumise is much like Jessy, ain't she? And Volbeat has his clever thoughts, like James and Meowth...

I can't understand how they outrun Big Sis though... One minute, she's hot on their tracks, and the next...

Ultra_Poke2000

1st September 2003, 06:17 PM

cool. there must be something about that island that allows ppl and pokemon to understand eachother. ya, Illumise realy is like Jessie. i hate those kind of ppl, especialy when theyre girls. anyway, that cryptic note sounds ominous. i wonder what it means. anyway, later!

ZeldaFan20

2nd September 2003, 06:49 PM

mr_pikachu: I remember that episode! The Pokemon trying to talk to the giants was hysterical! Yes, Pikachu is talking; this is freaky...

Crystalmaster Mike: Illumise does act a bit like Jessie, but I think I unknowingly put in a little Misty too :D. Ash and Pikachu have feet, so it's not surprising if they could out run her.

Ultra_Poke2000: Well, it could be the island,...then again, it could be......something else... ;).

Powarun

2nd September 2003, 09:35 PM

Well thank you for the PM, Zeldafan20, I have been left rather speechless for what to say. I do feel sorry for Big Sis since Ash is rather blind without his pokedex and Ash thinks it is a huge monster. Maybe teh bracelet may have attracted the Militoic a little. This was yet another well made chapter. Keep it up, and good job getting into college.

GeneChildMewtwo

3rd September 2003, 01:24 PM

Sorry for not replying sooner.

“Isn’t that sweet?” she asked, “Ash and Big Sis are playing Tag.”

That was just funny to me. Of course, that was probably your intention. ^_^ There's something about your writing that makes it feel very "cute" in a way. You've really captured the happy, friendly part of the Pokemon world. Not to say your serious parts are bad or anything, because they are good too. But your recent chapters cheered me up a little. Although, I wonder what's up with Aurora and David? Hmm... I smell a conspiracy. :P
Pikachu is actually speaking in English? (or whatever language is used in your fic. ^_^) But wouldn't Pikachu notice if that had occured.

"Aah! I just said that in Human!"

Well, I'll be looking forward to the next chapter. Keep it up! :wave:

DannyBoy

6th September 2003, 03:15 PM

In got to stop falling behind on fics! But I am all caught up and this story has gotten funny. I love Pikachu being able to talk even though I hate the little rat. Also the Volbeat and Illumise thing is getting jucier! I wonder what we will find out next chapter about there location. Keep it up!

ZeldaFan20

7th September 2003, 09:59 AM

Powarun: Hey, no problem! I like to send all my Buddy's birthday greetings---although, some of them don't put their B-days in with their profiles...

GeneChildMewtwo: Yeah, I admit my latest chapters sound a little cute, but don't most fics start out that way before something big happens ;)?

IloveX-TINA: Frankly, I don't see how anyone could hate a Pokemon as cute as Pikachu, but that's just my personal opinion. I'm glad you like it though, cuz I'll probably have the next one up tomorrow night!

ZeldaFan20

9th September 2003, 08:48 PM

CHAPTER 13

The disadvantage of not having any feet caused Big Sis a small delay in her pursuit; her long half-scaly body had been built for swimming rather than sprinting, and more than once her tail fins had become caught in the branches of some nearby bushes. This dilemma, however, was the furthest worry from her mind.

Upon seeing Ash the previous night, Big Sis felt in her heart of hearts that this young human would be happy with her; after all, she was beautiful, gentle, and would do anything to make her friends happy. Ash’s reaction to her was quite this morning was completely unexpected; instead of being happy, he ran from her as if she were a big scary monster. It was quite obvious that the whole thing didn’t turn out exactly like everyone on the island wished…and she was the only one who knew that.

Just as she came to the edge of the forest, Big Sis’s silent thoughts were broken by the sound of crying. Poking her head from among the trees, she found herself back on the northern beach of the island. Just ahead of her was a heart-breaking sight:

Ash, when he realized that he had been carried far away from his friends and family---to an island apparently out in the middle of nowhere, fell into the very pit of despair; he had fallen onto his knees and elbows, and was crying heavily. Right next to him was an extremely concerned Pikachu, who was busily trying to comfort his friend.

“It’ll be okay, Ash,” Pikachu said nervously, “We’ll get back somehow, I promise.” He then looked out onto the waves with sad eyes, “Your mom and the others are probably frantic looking for us, though.”

“I’m not worried about them!” Ash exclaimed amongst his tears, “David’s the one I’m worried about; the doctor said he’s unstable! If he finds out that I’m not there…who knows what he’ll do!” Ash knew he was right about this: David had been emotionally unstable since he was ten years old; the poor guy would often appear calm at first, but the slightest action could cause him to lash out at a person---regardless of who the person was.

Ash had once seen the result of one of his brother’s outbursts: during the middle of his summer vacation in Seafoam Island, David had savagely attacked his own uncle---who, unfortunately, turned out to be one of Ash’s worst enemies---in the middle of the night. The very thought of David actually hurting someone else (possibly either Delia, Brock, or even Aurora) struck Ash cold to the heart; his crying instantly erupted into loud sobs.

Pikachu felt helpless as he watched the rivers of salt flow down those cheeks. Suddenly, his long ears pricked up to a muffled sound that was coming from the woods, putting the little yellow mouse on the alert. Looking in that direction, he saw something that caused him to interrupt the sorrowful thirteen-year-old.

“Ash,” Pikachu whispered, pointing to the mass of trees behind them, “Ash, look!” Having calmed down a bit by this time, the boy lifted his tear-stained face and looked.

Big Sis had completely advanced onto the sand, her face bearing an equally sad expression. Streams of tears were also trickling down her face; it was clear to both of them that she had heard and seen everything.

“Mmmm…mmmm…ah,” she muttered quietly.

With a shaky breath, Ash wiped his eyes and sat up, staring at the poor sad creature. At first, he was angry about being taken during the night against his will---and by Pokemon no less. However, seeing this beautiful animal crying, yet still watching him with tender eyes, caused every bit of anger and fear to melt away, leaving a distinct sense of pity in their wake.

“Hey,” Ash thought silently, “I don’t get it: why’s she crying? Does she…actually feel sorry for me?” He gazed into the Milotic’s eyes for just a few seconds; he could not only see sympathy, but a lot of regret as well.

“Wow,” he thought, “She’s just as upset as I am! I guess she’s not a monster after all.”

At that moment, the entire group was startled by another rustling noise. Three Pokemon had suddenly popped their head out of a nearby shrub: one looked like a tiny gray balloon wearing a white mask; another appeared to be a small, blue four-legged spider; the last one (much to Ash’s quiet disgust) was a long black snake covered with gold spots and cruel red fangs, the half-red tail point looking eerily like a wide dagger. All three started at Ash and Pikachu, but then turned to Big Sis.

“Why are you crying, Big Sssisss?” the snake asked.

The little gray balloon, hovering above the ground, spoke up, “He’s miserable; you should be smiling, not crying.”

Big Sis looked at her friends sadly, “Aaah?”

“All you did wasss ssscare him a bit when he woke up,” replied the snake.

“C’mon, give him a smile,” the balloon cheerfully urged.

The blue spider crept forward, “Yeah; when there’s a new friend to win, just give ‘um a grin!”

Ash’s eyes rapidly shifted back and forth between Big Sis and the three Pokemon: all of them were talking! Still, he couldn’t understand why the Milotic only made those funny noises; why didn’t she talk like the rest of them? And what did they mean by “new friend?” The whole concept was almost too confusing to think about.

Big Sis turned her eyes from the newcomers back to Ash; she paused for a while before breaking out into a gentle smile. “Heh…hah…” she mumbled pleasantly.

Seeing her attempt to smile, Ash nervously tried to force a slight grin himself, “Eh, heh…heh.”

The gray Pokemon became very hopeful, “It’s coming along great! Give him a bigger smile! Bigger, bigger!”

Big Sis’s smile grew wider, until it seemed to resemble that of a jack-o-lantern (except without the teeth). She then uttered another, much louder laugh that made her sound more like a high-pitched frog. This particular laugh appeared to surprise both Ash and Pikachu; they moved back slightly, wearing confused expressions.

“Easy…uh…girl,” Ash muttered, more to himself than to the brightly colored creature in front of him.

The faces of the three Pokemon instantly fell at this sight.

“Now you’ve gone too far,” the floating balloon pointed out.

“Yeah, you’ll only make him cry again,” the snake agreed.

Before any more words could be said, however, a loud cracking noise echoed from another part of the woods, on the eastern side. A tall tree, its branches laden with peach-like fruits, was about to come crashing down on top of Ash, who sat wide-eyed at the enormous plant falling down---he was already so upset by what was happening that he had almost no sense to move.

Like lightning, Big Sis shot forward, scooped him and Pikachu up in her long body, and pulled them away just as the tree struck the sand, a few of the fruits flew from where they hung upon impact. Ash and Pikachu, after Big Sis had released them, walked over to it, the other Pokemon following at a quick pace.

While the Pokemon gathered around the green branches and their abundant food supply, Ash proceeded to inspect the base. It was a strange sight to behold indeed: it wasn’t bent to one side, so it wasn’t pushed; it was cut but not in a straight line, indicating that a saw was not involved. The base seemed to have been squeezed; the bark and pulp were bent inward on two sides, forming a pointed edge in the very middle.

Ash was still wondering what could be strong enough to squeeze a tree like that when Pikachu picked up a fruit and took a small nibble.

“Mmmmm…sweet!” he exclaimed happily, “Ash, come try these; they’re really good!”

Turning his attention away from the tree trunk, Ash picked a fruit off of its branch, looked at it for a while (he couldn’t believe how much it resembled a peach, except that it was a little smaller), and took a bite.

“Wow!” he said, “These are sweet; they taste almost like peaches!”

“Peaches?” The little blue spider asked smiling as he took a big bite out of his meal, “No, no, no; these are called ‘Pecha Berries’. They’re very tasty…and they’re especially good for curing poisoned Pokemon. Just make sure you watch out for the hard seed in the middle.” As he said this, he bit down again on the berry, accidentally biting the hard pit inside; he hopped all around the group, crying out in pain.

Ash couldn’t help but laugh with all the other Pokemon, until a large brown bug-type creature with two large, white, spiky horns stepped out onto the beach towards them. From the look on his face, the herd guessed that he wasn’t too happy.

“Hey there!” the Pinsir called out gruffly, “What’s the idea? I need that tree for tonight’s bonfire. Do you guys want to have a Berry roast for supper or what?” The Pinsir’s attitude suddenly softened the moment he saw Big Sis, “Oh, hello Big Sis; I wasn’t expecting you to be here.” It was at this time that Ash spoke up.

“We’re sorry, Pinsir,” he explained with a small grin, “But we weren’t exactly expecting the tree to nearly flatten me and Pikachu either.”

“Say what?” Pinsir asked; having fully noticed Ash at last, he began studying him from head-to-toe, “And just who might you be, young man?”

“Rrrr…rrr…rrrsh!” Big Sis exclaimed happily. Pikachu and the others looked at her with puzzled faces; Pinsir’s, however, was lit up by a smile.

“Ah! So, you’re the one everybody here’s been talking about.”

“Haaah…” Big Sis responded with a nod.

“And you’re the one she chose to be her friend?” the bug asked.

Hearing the entire conversation more clearly, Ash looked up at the pretty sea snake. “So that’s it; she just wanted a friend. But why would she have me kidnapped in the middle of the night.” Just then, an interesting realization occurred.

“Pinsir,” Ash began to ask, “Do you always know what Big Sis is saying?”

“I do indeed; the others can’t, but I can---I’m not sure why; I can’t even understand many of the other chatter boxes around here.” There was more laughter as Ash took another glance at the Pokemon around him.

“Well, I know you’re a Pinsir,” Ash said to the brown bug, “But I’ve never seen the others before.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Pinsir exclaimed with a chuckle, “First of all, there are so many Pokemon on this island that we’ve all had to name ourselves just to tell each other apart. For instance, my old trainer used to call me Samson, after an ancient gladiator.”

“Wasn’t he the one who did twelve hard jobs for the gods?” Ash asked.

Pikachu shook his head, “I think that was Hercules, Ash.”

“Oh yeah,” Ash replied, scratching his head.

“I’m a Surskit,” the blue spider cut in, “They call me Skater because I can walk on water.”

The gray balloon flew up into Ash’s face, “I’m known as a Castform; I can change my shape with the weather, but they call me Stormy.”

“My name isss Viper,” the snake hissed, “I am a Ssseviper.”

Ash almost bolted when he met this particular Pokemon; she looked so scary that it was hard to keep from cringing. “Are you related to Ekans’ and Arbok’s?”

“Dissstant cousssinsss,” she replied slyly, “But our poissson isss five timesss more dangerousss.”

“Thanks,…uh…I’ll keep that in mind,” Ash said nervously, causing everyone to laugh again.

“And, of course, you’ve already met Big Sis,” Pinsir continued, “She’s a Milotic---a beautiful, but distant relative of the Gyarados.”

Pikachu just stared at her, a picture of the Atrocious Pokemon fresh in his memory, “How could that be? The two are so different!”

Big Sis giggled, “Rrrmmm…ha…rrmmmah, Mmmmmma.”

Samson translated, “She said ‘believe it, I’ve got relatives off the coast of Cinnabar Island; but they’re good folks’.”

A few minutes later, the entire gang was heading back to the spring. Samson was carrying the huge tree on his back, while everyone else carried the freshly picked Pecha Berries in their arms.

“Do you need any help with that, Samson?” Ash asked as the Pinsir gave a loud grunt.

“No, thank you,” Samson replied pleasantly, “I’m quite capable of handling this---I’ve handled much harder jobs when I worked in the circus.”

“The circus?!” they all said together.

“Yes siree,” was the answer, “I helped the crew of a traveling show put up tents and carry equipment for decades, but then they started thinking I was getting too old and released me ten years ago---that’s when I met Big Sis; she brought me to this island, where I have lived since then.”

“That reminds me,” Pikachu interrupted, “Why do all you guys call her ‘Big Sis’?”

“Because, in a way, that’s just what she is: she swims all around Hoenn (sometimes even as far as the Kanto and Johto regions) in search of Pokemon who are lost, abandoned, or orphaned; she brings them to the island, cares for them, and gives them a place to live. Some of the critters around here have been around much longer than others; for example, there’s a Kadabra---whom we call Spellbinder---who’s been here for almost fifty years, and he’s just about to push one-hundred!”

“That’s amazing!” Ash exclaimed with astonished eyes, “So, how many Pokemon actually live here?”

“Well, I can’t remember the exact number…possibly hundreds; there are days when Big Sis brings home practically boatloads of new friends. The most she ever brought back in one trip were three Pidgeys, two baby Ralts, a pair of Roselias, nine Caterpie, and…oh yes, the Lightning Bug Twins were among that group.”

“The Lightning Bug Twins?” Pikachu asked.

“Volbeat and Illumise---they usually call themselves ‘Sis’ and ‘Bro’. Illumise is quite a demanding little scamp in her own right; she drives her brother so hard, it’s a wonder he hasn’t tried to run away from her.” As they were talking, they came to the bamboo grove where Volbeat and Illumise were building Ash’s house. Angry shouts were heard from the clearing, causing them to stop and see what was going on.

“That vine’s too close to the top! Do it again; and this time, get it right!”

“I would’ve gotten it in the first place if you’d just shut up!”

Pinsir rolled his eyes as he placed the tree carefully onto the ground, “Ah…that would be them now.”

Pikachu hopped onto Ash’s shoulder, and started whispering in his ear, “You know, these two kinda remind me of you and Misty.”

Ash just stared at him, chuckling, “What are you talking about?” he asked with a partially offended air.

The arguing continued, “Rough beaten brothers of the world should unite and go on strike!” Volbeat growled as he finished fixing the vine.

“Rough beaten brothers should work harder if they know what’s good for them!” Illumise shouted back, “Now stop lagging behind, you lazy good-for-nothing!”

That was the last straw. Volbeat immediately stopped what he was doing, jumped down, and looked his sister straight in the face; his own filled with sheer anger.

“Lazy? Who are you calling ‘lazy’?! I’m the one doing all the work while you just stand there barking orders at me! If anyone’s lazy it’s you, you heartless, self-centered piece of fish-bait!”

“Um…excuse me…” Ash tried to interrupt.

“How DARE you!” Illumise screamed, “After all I’ve done to make sure you learn how to make it out there, THIS is how you repay me?! I’ve never met anyone so ungrateful!”

“Hello…” Ash pressed, “May I…”

“HEARTLESS!”

“UNGRATEFUL!”

“HEARTLESS!”

“UNGRATEFUL!”

“STOOOOOOOP!!!” Pikachu couldn’t stand to hear anymore fighting; with that last shout, he let out a super-charged Thunderbolt attack right at the two quarreling bugs, who literally lit up like Christmas lights with the force of the shock. When the lightning had subsided, Volbeat and Illumise plopped onto the ground, lightly cooked and exhausted.

Illumise was the first to get up, but when she saw Big Sis, she forgot about asking who gave her the shock and instantly regained her composure.

“Well, the new house is finished, dear!” she announced happily, “Do you think your new friend will like it?”

“Why don’t you ask him yourself, Illumise?” Samson asked, “He’s standing right in front of the door.”

“What?” Illumise turned around, just in time to see Ash lift the rush curtain and enter the house.

The entire interior was tall enough, and wide enough, for him to move around freely. Fresh green palm branches covered the floor in a soft carpet. To his left was a long table made of bamboo, which reached a little higher than his knees; a chair stood next to it, made of the same material and just the right size for him. On the table were a bowl (made out of a dried calabash), a clay cup, and a wooden plate. The fork, knife, spoon, and chopsticks were also made out of carved wood, and were all lovingly wrapped up in a thin strip of bark.

To his right was the Giant Shoal Shell; it had been moved from the spring and placed on a tough wooden stand that gave the whole thing the appearance of a large cot. On the shell was a big, pillow-like mattress, on top of which were the pillow and thick blanket from the hospital. After sitting on the bed, Ash thought he could smell a sweet floral-like fragrance in the air. Just beside the bed was Ash’s own backpack.

“How do you like it?” asked Illumise, who had come into the house with the others to see his reaction. “That mattress is filled with the flower petals of every flower (Pokemon or not) on the island; very soft and sweet-smelling---perfect for any type of bed.”

“It’s not exactly like anything I’m used to,” Ash said, “But it is really nice; I like it.” All the Pokemon cheered at these words; at which time, Ash’s backpack shook violently.

Five bright beams of light shot out and hit the floor, materializing into Meganium, Croconaw, Quilava, Eevee, and Mudkip. All five Pokemon were clearly surprised by their surroundings, but not as surprised as the startled herd beside them.

“EEK!” Illumise squealed, “House pets!”

Meganium glared at the little bug and spoke in a voice that (to Ash) sounded very much like Jessie’s, “Hey, who are you calling a ‘house pet’?”

Croconaw stared at them with wide eyes, “Wait a sec, who are all of you?” he asked in a scratchy, burly voice, “And where are we?”

“Eeep!” Eevee squeaked as she ran over and hid behind Ash’s leg, “What’s going on? I’m scared.” Before Ash could console her, however, the entire gang got an unexpected surprise.

Mudkip had been looking cheerfully at all the other Pokemon, but when his eyes fell on Big Sis, he broke out in the widest smile imaginable.

“Mommy!” he cried, running over to her. The Milotic happily wrapped the
tiny mudfish up in her tail, and they nuzzled each other.

The others couldn’t help but be shocked; the fact that Mudkip actually knew Big Sis really blew them away. But, still, why did he call her…

“Mommy?!” they all cried.

“Hey everyone!” Stormy suddenly exclaimed, “It’s Kipper! Kipper’s back!” Volbeat and the others instantly crowded around Mudkip, saying things like “where have you been,” or “we were worried about you.”

“It’s great to see all of you!” Kipper said, “I had a terrific adventure, and I’ve made so many new friends!”

“Wait a minute,” Ash said as he stood up. Everyone turned to face him and saw the confused look he wore, “Mudkip…uh…Kipper, how could Big Sis be your mother? I mean, I know she’s your type, but she’s not your species.”

Before Kipper or anyone else could answer, Samson told Big Sis to take the rest of her comrades outside for a little fun. Once they had left, the Pinsir looked at Ash with a sad expression.

“Kipper believes Big Sis is his mother because she was the first thing he saw after hatching.”

“Where’s his real mother?” Quilava asked, her youthful voice full of wonder.

Samson paused before answering, “It all began about six months ago. I was with Big Sis as she was preparing to leave for her rounds around Hoenn. Just as she was leaving, we both saw a figure in the ocean, swimming towards the island; we went out there to see what it was.

“It was a female Swampert---the final evolution of Mudkip; very strong creature. This one, however, looked like she’d been fighting for her very life; deep cuts and large bruises covered her entire body, and she was incredibly weak. We decided then and there to take her to the island and nurse her back to health.

“It wasn’t until we got onto the beach when we realized that she was with egg. There were also more serious wounds that we did not see right away: it was clear to her and us that she would not survive.

“As she struggled to bring her egg into the world that night, she made a request: she begged Big Sis to care for her baby, and to raise it as if it were her own. In spite of her great sadness, Big Sis agreed. The poor mother died just seconds after seeing her newly-laid egg.”

“How awful,” Ash said sadly.

“Poor Kipper,” said Pikachu, “And he never knew?”

Samson shook his head, “No. After Swampert died, Big Sis incubated that egg like it was hers, and we did everything we could help out. When Kipper hatched, they both loved each other like a true mother and child; they went everywhere together. Then, three months ago, Kipper was swept away while making the rounds with Big Sis.

“Every night she combed the waters, hoping that he would be okay. We were all very worried about our little friend. But just now, when he came out of your bag with the others, it was like a heavy stone was lifted from all our hearts; Big Sis has never looked happier. I thank you for taking care of our friend.”

Ash couldn’t help but shed a tear hearing this story; he knew, more than anyone, what it was like to be separated from your mother for a long time. Just then, Stormy floated back into the house, clearly excited.

“C’mon everybody!” she said, “It’s time for lunch! To the orchard!” and she floated out again.

“Do we have to gather our own food?” Pikachu asked as they all headed out of the hut.

“Absolutely,” Samson replied, “Our fruit trees are always full of fruit year round---though there are some that only grow in warm weather. But it’s a great way to try different kinds of food on the island.” With that, the group headed off with the other Pokemon to the southern part of the island.

mr_pikachu

9th September 2003, 09:10 PM

:( Poor... uh... "Kipper"... never knowing his mother... how sad...

Anyway, nice chapter! I see Ash's other Pokemon can speak too, and Big Sis seems to be the only one who can't. Ash still hasn't even ASKED about that yet, which kinda surprises me, but I guess he didn't have a chance.

Anyway, there were a few errors, such as forgetting a word in one of the sentences, and using the wrong homonym here:

“You’re mom and the others are probably frantic looking for us, though.”

I doubt I even need to tell you, but I will anyway, just in case; "Your", not "You're". K? Good. :D One more error was forgetting to put a new beginning quote at the beginning of each new paragraph continuing the quote. Even if the quote continues straight on through, you're supposed to use a beginning quote at each new paragraph. Just thought I'd let you know.

Anyway, this was a nice piece of writing! It seems very lighthearted right now, but I expect it'll get a lot darker soon... and I haven't forgotten about the lady in Ash's dream? Who the heck WAS she? Well, anyway, I expect this to get much better!

Hmm... why do I smell a rat with the Aurora/David disappearance? I have this strange feeling that they're involved somehow... hmm.... Well, anyway, good job, and I await your next chapter! :wave:

P.S. How do we keep getting on at the same time? I swear, I got on, started browsing for a second, came back, and your fic had just been replied to. o_0 Weird. Well, see ya! :wave:

ZeldaFan20

9th September 2003, 09:23 PM

Thanks for the pointers; I've managed to fix those sneaky little errors. However, there's one thing that puzzles me:

One more error was forgetting to put a new beginning quote at the beginning of each new paragraph continuing the quote. Even if the quote continues straight on through, you're supposed to use a beginning quote at each new paragraph.

I can't exactly see where I made that mistake. I've even checked in my grammer book, and I'm pretty sure there is no such error. If you tell me where that is, I'll be happy to correct it.

On the lighter note, it is sad about Kipper's mother, Ash mightv'e acknowledged Big Sis's inability to talk when he spoke with the Pinsir, the identity of the mysterious "dream lady" will be revealed later, and I have absolutely NO idea how we keep doing that :D :no:!

mr_pikachu

9th September 2003, 09:37 PM

I could've sworn I saw you forget the rule I mentioned at some point... ah, no matter. It's fine now. Although, while I was looking for it, I noticed something that has yet to be corrected:

“It wasn’t until we got onto the beach when we realized that she was with egg."

Shouldn't it be "with an egg"? That would make more grammatical sense.

Anyway, I know that's a rule! And, interestingly, everything I can find that you've written is fine, so I'm either blind, or... OH, NO! IT'S OFFICIAL! I'M GOING INSANE!!! :o Well, I can still enjoy this fic! ;) Anyway, I've gotta go now, so see ya! :wave:

P.S. How DO we keep doing that? Freakyness! :yes:

ZeldaFan20

9th September 2003, 09:44 PM

Oh, that! I can explain that: you know when some people refer to "expectant" human mothers as being "with child?"---if not, that's how I've heard it. Well, anyway, what I did was rephrase it a bit to make it sound more "Pokemon-like:" to be "with egg," get it ;)?

I hope that clears something up for you, and no...you are NOT insane (trust me, I KNOW when someone goes insane.) Oh, and believe me, if I knew why we did that, I'd tell ya :yes:.

Powarun

11th September 2003, 09:11 PM

That was a neat chapter, and the second time I saw a Castform in a fic. Hope Ash doesn't have too much fun wtih them, and the berrie thing was really well written.
GO VOLBEAT, go stick up for yourself. Good for you. I see Mudkip as a future problem though, not as of its annoyance, which it is not but more of a parting. poor thing.

Also this is no offence to you, how would you feel if animals/pokemon suddenly started talking to you, I would feel very surpise, and just wanted that 2cents in befroe I finsih this post.

BTW what do you think about the banner?

Ultra_Poke2000

13th September 2003, 10:43 PM

yay! go Volbeat! i could just imagine what it looked like when the lightning bug twins got zapped by pikachu. hehehe... anyway, the story with Kipper was kinda sad, but at least he's happy with Big Sis'. 'till later!

Nikku-San

14th September 2003, 02:38 AM

Weee, I finally caught up. I'd just like to say that this is an awesome fic. I really like what you've done with Ash, he's showing more emotion than he does in the TV show. I also like how you described all the Pokemon's voices, they are exactly as I'd imagine them. In fact, everything in this fic is easy to picture and imagine. It's written so well and fluently, it's been really good reading, especially since I've been sick for a couple days. *sniff*

Now, one thing.... YOU STOLE MY MUDKIP'S NAME! HOW COULD YOU?! *cries* Okay, so maybe it's just a coincidence... Maybe... >>;; Oh, but I really like this Mudkip. Like all the Pokemon, it's personality really fits it. I can really easily picture it crying out for it's Mommy and snuggling up to Milotic. ^^

Well, that's all for now, I'll be waiting for Chapter 14.

ZeldaFan20

14th September 2003, 04:36 PM

Powarun: Don't worry; I'm not offended: but, if that happened to me, I'd probably be a little shocked myself---if not a tad amused first :D.

Ultra_Poke2000: Well, it might be quite similar to seeing Team Rocket get shocked by Pikachu---and that happens a lot in the anime.

Nikku-San: Hey there, welcome! I appreciate your compliment, and I'm glad you like my story. Really? I took your Mudkip's name?! Oops, sorry, but I promise that this came straight out of my own head. I certainly hope you do like the next chapter when it comes

Speaking of which, I will have it up sometime very soon...I'd have it up now, but I just got out of work, and I'm very tired. Don't sweat, I won't leave you guys hanging for very much longer ;).

DannyBoy

14th September 2003, 05:46 PM

That was a good chapter with some sad and happy parts. Everyone really said everything. But I liked Volbeat sticking up for its self that to me was a really good part cause when someone/thing/pokemon sticks up for its self shows that the writer is a good person and that they want to show how strong something can be. But still I think its cool having the pokemon talk. It shows there point of view on things. I wonder what Psyduck would have said when it first met Misty hmmm. Keep it up!

ZeldaFan20

18th September 2003, 07:40 PM

IloveX-TINA: Pretty unexpected, huh? After all, I started him off as something of a push-over :D. What would Psyduck say...hmmmm...I can only imagine...

Uh-oh, I'm way behind schedule! I'd better get this chapter up quickly before I fall behind any further:

CHAPTER 14

Mt Chimney…an active volcano that stands proudly in the northwestern wilderness of Hoenn, overlooking the many houses of nearby towns, as well as the barren desert to the east. Closely monitored for years by the local scientists, this towering colossus of rock and magma has remained calm---save for a few clouds of gray smoke, which, on occasion, float towards the bright blue above. At the western foot of the mountain, completely cut off from the rest of the world, was the only building ever to be made by man in that desolate place:

It was an old warehouse, about as wide as a normal school building, but only around half the height. On the outside, one would get the idea that no human being had been in this particular place for years: the gray metal walls were rusty and overgrown with ivy, and only a small number of the many windows had been boarded up. The flat roof on top was also metal, but of a much darker shade of gray---almost black. A few golden leaves had begun to fall, signaling the arrival of autumn, and had formed a thin blanket over it. Despite the building’s outward appearance, it was all quite the contrary on the inside…

Computers, radars, TVs, radios, and many other kinds of machinery lined the walls---all brand new and in use; the tables and chairs, on which some rested on were also new. Operating these electronic devices was a great number of odd-looking people: some wore lab-coats, others wore a strange kind of uniform---black with red-hooded shirt-like tops; each had horns, and what looked like a black “M” on the front. Some of these people were running around, frantically examining radars and glancing at televisions.

At twelve-thirty, one of these people---a fair-haired young man of around twenty years, burst in through the front doors, holding an unlabeled cassette tape. He sprang through the crowd, carefully dodging his comrades, to the door on the far end of the building---which was guarded by two muscular grunts. As the man approached the door, the two guards barred his way.

“Get out of my way,” said the man, “I have to speak to the Boss!”

“The Boss doesn’t want to be disturbed, Carson,” the guard on the left explained.

“When he’s ready, he’ll let us know,” the right guard spoke up.

Carson grew impatient, “This is very important, it can’t wait!” he shouted. At that moment, the door opened. The three quarreling officers stood stock still, and then saluted.

Another man stood in the doorway; he seemed to be in his late thirties or early forties, and was dressed a little differently that all the others: black pants, and a long black-and-red shirt that reached his knees. His short red hair ran down to the middle of his neck, and his dark-brown eyes glared seriously at the three in front of him.

“What’s going on here?” he inquired, frowning.

“Sir,” Carson said, “Special agent Carson, reporting in, sir. I have some information that I think you’ll be interested in, sir.” The leader hesitated for a bit, but then let Carson in. Once inside, the two guards closed the door.

There were no windows in the office; the only light came from a large lamp on the cedar desk. Bookcases filled with a variety of books covered the walls on both sides. On one of these bookcases was a wide-screen TV, complete with cable and a VCR. The two men walked over to it; Carson gave the cassette to his Boss, who turned the TV on and inserted the tape.

What showed up on the screen was the incident that happened on the S.S.Coral just two nights before. The picture was focused right on a man in a black suit, who was holding a young boy by the collar of his shirt.

“Archie…” the man started to say---it was evident that he knew the leader of Team Aqua, “But, who’s that boy?”

“I don’t know, sir,” Carson answered, “From what I heard, though, he’s a Pokemon trainer from the Kanto region.” Suddenly, a scene caught his attention, “See sir? This is what I wanted to show you, sir.” Both men looked: they watched as the boy grabbed Archie’s hand, which---to their surprise---began to freeze and turn an icy blue.

“Turn that tape back a bit!” the leader exclaimed. Carson did so, and they watched the whole scene over and over again. Finally, the tape was turned off, and the two men stood with puzzled expressions.

“How could a mere child exhibit the power to freeze like that?” the Boss thought out loud.

“I’m not sure, sir,” Carson replied, “But it’s my guess that Team Aqua will want this boy’s powers.”

“You’re right; Archie must not get them---if he does, he’ll use them to fulfill his plan to raise the oceans.” Just then, the news appeared on the screen, interrupting them.

“We interrupt this program for a special bulletin: We come to you live from Lilycove City in Hoenn, where evidence of a hostile kidnapping has been uncovered at the Waterlily Hospital.”

“At around nine o’clock this morning, a young patient at the hospital was discovered missing from his bed; signs of a struggle were also discovered at the sight, indicating that the victim was taken by force.” A picture suddenly appeared on the screen.

“That’s him!” cried Carson, “That’s the boy!”

The broadcast continued: “The victim was identified as thirteen-year-old Ash Ketchum, a promising Pokemon trainer from Pallet Town, in the region of Kanto. The young trainer has won many competitions; including the Orange Island League, the Johto League, and a number of smaller events, such as the Kanto P1 Grand Prix.”

“Two days ago, the young boy ran away from his parents’ summer home on Seafoam Island, and was attacked by Team Aqua on the S.S.Coral just two nights ago. We asked the local police force if any suspects had been apprehended, but Officer Jenny had only this to say:” The scene then switched to a previously shot interview:

“My officers have thoroughly examined the situation,” said Officer Jenny, “Because of the late-night attack on the S.S.Coral, it is our belief that Team Aqua may have played a part in this baffling case. We have assured the friends and family of the victim that we will do all in our power to see that this case is solved: I plan to have every member of Team Aqua brought in and questioned about the whereabouts of Mr. Ketchum.”

With this, the scene changed again to the first, “The disappearance of young Ash means a great loss for the entire Pokemon League Federation; the president of the League himself has stated that he will give any aid, if necessary, to the police in their search. We will bring you more information on this case as it develops. Meanwhile, in other news…”

Carson turned off the television, and then turned to his boss; both of them looked very worried.

“What are we going to do, sir?” Carson asked. The boss thought for a moment before speaking.

“Have some of our agents search every corner of the region; send some others to scout out Team Aqua’s lair: we must make sure that Archie doesn’t get his hands on that boy---and if he has already…”

“I understand, sir,” Carson said. He saluted and left the room, leaving his boss more concerned than before.

“Archie…” the man said to himself, laying his hands on the desk, “If he does have that boy…the world as we know it…will be in serious danger…”

Meanwhile, back on the island, many Pokemon were gathering in a small orchard in the southeastern area. To Ash and his Pokemon friends, it looked more like a garden than an orchard: there were so many different trees; tall, short, fat, thin, dark green, light green---some were even orange, red, or greenish-blue. The trees themselves, however, were not quite as bizarre as the fruits they bore:

They were all in very familiar shapes, except the colors were all wrong: Ash thought he saw small blue oranges, green strawberries, apples that were almost the size of cherries, purple kiwis, bunches of pink bananas, etc.

Croconaw waddled over to a blue medium-sized bush, picked one of its big red berries (this one looked a lot like a tomato, but with small spikes), and tossed it into his mouth.

“Say, these are really good!” he exclaimed before helping himself to a few more. Ash walked over and picked one himself. He looked at it for a bit before turning to Volbeat.

“Hey, Volbeat,” he began to ask, “What are these berries called?”

“Oh, those are Tamato berries. They become ripe in early fall, but they only start growing in the spring. Watch out if you’re going to eat one, though, they’re really…” Before Volbeat had a chance to finish, however, Ash broke off a small piece and popped it into his mouth. No sooner had he done so then he spat it out, and slapped a hand over his mouth, his eyes watering more than someone who was cutting a fresh onion.

“Blech!” he choked, “My mouth feels like it’s on fire!”

Volbeat tried to keep himself from laughing, “I tried to tell you; Tamato berries are incredibly spicy---so spicy that it’s almost like eating a hundred chili peppers at once.”

“Here, Ash,” Pikachu said, handing him half of a large, hard, yellow berry he had already eaten, “Try this, maybe your mouth will cool off a bit.” Ash was just about to reach for it, when Illumise stopped him.

“No, no, that one’s not for humans!” she cried, “That’s a Nomel berry; it’s so sour, you wouldn’t be able to taste anything for three days!” When Pikachu heard this, he immediately pulled the berry away from his trainer’s hand.

“Oops! Sorry, Ash, I didn’t know.”

Ash giggled as he backed away himself, “That’s alright; I’m just lucky I was warned in time.” Everyone laughed, but then Big Sis slithered over to him, carrying one of those blue oranges in her mouth; she placed it into Ash’s hand.

The boy looked at it before peeling off the skin, after which he took a small nibble, and smiled.

“This one’s much better,” he said, “It’s like so many flavors are mixed up the right way.”

“It’s not surprising you’d say that,” Samson said, “That’s an Oran berry, and they’re quite popular; very well-rounded flavor. They’re also supposed to restore a little of a Pokemon’s health after a battle.”

“Sounds like that could really come in handy, huh, Ash?” Pikachu asked.

Ash nodded, “Yeah, then I wouldn’t spend so much money on Potions.” There was even more laughter all around as they continued to harvest their lunch.

Sometime that afternoon, all the Pokemon gathered back at the lake for a little relaxation. Croconaw was splashing around in the cool water with all the other Water types; the rest just sat on the grass, soaking up the sun’s rays, cleaning feathers, napping, the youngsters playing “Tag.”

Ash was among those who didn’t swim; after what happened that morning, he didn’t really feel like getting wet. In the middle of the lake he saw Big Sis and Kipper, laughing happily and frolicking in the water together---like they really were mother and son. The more he watched them play, the more Ash was reminded of those happy days he shared with his own mother: her washing him every night as a child, falling asleep in her lap while watching a movie before bedtime, picking apples during the fall, he even missed helping her out with the household chores. Most of all, he missed her soothing voice, and her loving smile; both had always filled his heart with a sense of warmth and safety…

Just then, a thought occurred to Ash: when he had that strange dream two nights ago---the one with that mysterious lady; he had felt the same way when he heard her speak to him. Perhaps the lady was his own mother. If she was, then was the dream a sign? Was it telling him that what he was doing was wrong after all? Was he supposed to go home? Ash was still pondering this when Samson walked up to him, and saw the slightly depressed look on his face.

“What are you thinking about, youngster?” he asked, “You a little sore about Kipper and Big Sis? Or is it about being here in the first place?”

Ash looked up at Samson and smiled, “No, it’s not that…it’s not any of that.”

“Well then, what on Earth is it?”

“It’s just that…I keep thinking about this dream I just had,” Ash sighed, “I’m not sure what it means; I know it’s telling me to go somewhere, but it’s confusing---I don’t know where to go to find that place.”

Samson sat down next to him, “Tell me about it.”

“Well,” Ash began, “I find myself in this strange, but beautiful place: there’s bright-green grass covered with every kind of flower I can think of. There’s also a lake---cleaner, clearer, and even brighter than the one you’ve all got here; a river flows from a waterfall into this lake. The entire field is surrounded by large trees, which are also surrounded by these gigantic blue mountains.

“Now, I’m standing on a white-stone road, which leads to a hill. On this hill is the biggest Japanese-style castle I’ve ever seen; a lady lives in that castle: she has long black hair, and is dressed like a princess, except her kimono looked like it was made out of all the colors of the rainbow. She keeps telling me to go to her, but when I ask her where I have to go, she doesn’t tell me. I don’t know what’s going on.”

Samson listened intensely to Ash’s story, his eyes opening wider and wider as the boy talked. Once finished, Ash saw the bug’s surprised look, and grew increasingly uncomfortable.

“What is it, Samson?” The Pinsir didn’t answer right away, but when he finally did speak, his voice was filled with awe.

“By the guardian himself!” Samson said slowly, “Well, I don’t know who that woman is, but…did you know that you might’ve just described Rainbow Valley?”

Ash gasped: he didn’t know where or what that place was, but he was shocked that Samson actually knew its name.

“Rainbow Valley? What’s that?”

“Rainbow Valley,” Samson said, “Also known as the ‘Valley of the Sun,’ is said to be the sacred home of the great guardian, Ho-oh. It has been told that only those who possess the purest of all pure hearts are granted entrance into the sacred land. I myself have never actually seen it, but I heard about it from a human historian back on the mainland.

“According to legend, it was Ho-oh who created the Earth itself---from the highest mountains to the deepest oceans, and gave life to all humans and Pokemon. It is also said that, once the creation of the lands and seas was completed, the great guardian assigned two Pokemon of incredible strength and power to protect the world.

“The first of these creatures was the land guardian, Groudon. A massive beast, with a body as red as fire, and as strong and tough as the earth---both of which he controlled. He made homes for all land-dwelling creatures, including humans.

“The second was the sea guardian, Kyogre. She was believed to be not only the protector of the oceans and all icy regions, but also the mother of many species of Water and Ice Pokemon. As blue as the sea itself, she was as beautiful as she was powerful. For centuries, these two guardians protected our planet, and everyone on Earth knew only harmony.

“But one day, a fierce rivalry broke out between the two protectors; each one felt that he or she should be the one to reign over the entire planet in Ho-oh’s absence. What followed was a long and costly war between land and sea; many lives were lost during that terrible battle, and there was chaos everywhere you looked: mountains crumbled, farms were destroyed, and the oceans were stained red with the blood of those who fell. Finally, the two guardians were the only ones left standing. If they had time to finish the fray, they would’ve destroyed themselves as well as our world. Thankfully, that was not to be.

“In the midst of that last stand, Ho-oh appeared from the heavens in a fiery blaze. Her song echoed throughout the world as she cast the two feuding giants into an eternal sleep. From each of their frozen bodies she took a crystal orb, each one containing the essence of a giant. Ho-oh entrusted the two orbs to a human oracle before restoring life and harmony to the world and all its living creatures, and then returned to the heavens once more.”

Ash couldn’t believe what he’d just heard; Ho-oh created the Earth, humans, and Pokemon! “Well,” he thought to himself, “Morty did say Ho-oh was the most mysterious of all the legendary Pokemon.” Still, there was something in the story that he couldn’t figure out…

“But why would Ho-oh create those two creatures if they were that close to destroying the Earth?”

“My boy,” Samson replied seriously, “Power can be the most destructive force known to both man and beast; it overwhelms the heart, giving rise to greed and hatred. In fact, the more power hurts others around the one abusing it, the more it hurts the one himself.”

Ash nodded; he had to admit that what Samson said made a lot of sense. He could still picture his own father: power and greed had turned Giovanni against those he loved the most, and it ended up nearly destroying him in the end.

“So, what happened to Groudon and Kyogre after they were put to sleep?”

“No one really knows for certain. Some say Ho-oh cast them into the very center of the Earth; others say that she sent one each to the frozen wastelands of the north and south; another fable states that their bodies are buried somewhere here in Hoenn. Whatever happened, the two proud guardians were never seen or heard from again.”

During the entire story, Ash was too preoccupied to notice that the sun had gone down, and a few stars were lighting up the evening sky. Many of the Pokemon had already gone to their little nests. Pikachu, Meganium, Quilava, Eevee, Volbeat and Illumise all sat around the two as Samson talked. Croconaw and Kipper came out with Big Sis a few seconds before Ash had noticed them.

“Rrrrmmm, aaammmrrr,” Big Sis mumbled. Samson began at once to translate:

“She said, ‘it’s getting late, why don’t you all go to bed’?” So Ash and all the Pokemon got up and started walking towards the bamboo grove.

“I guess Big Sis’s going to make her rounds again, huh?” Pikachu asked.

“Yup,” Volbeat answered, “She travels around Hoenn every night, even in the winter time---which is surprising, since it’s way too cold for anybody to go swimming then.”

When they got to the hut, Samson and the two fireflies prepared to leave as Ash and his friends started getting ready for bed. Ash suddenly turned around as the Pinsir was heading out.

“Excuse me, Samson, can I ask you a question?”

Samson turned back around, “Sure, Ash, what about?”

“Well,” Ash said nervously, “I was wondering…why can’t…I mean, how come…Big Sis…”

“Why can’t you understand Big Sis like you do the rest of us?”

Ash nodded, “Yeah…”

Samson seemed a little sad as he answered the question, “Don’t tell her I told you this, but…a long time ago, Big Sis had a trainer who was very vain and cruel. The woman hated her because she had become far more beautiful than herself. One day, the hateful woman snuck something called ‘lye’ into her food---I don’t exactly know what that stuff actually is, but it damaged Big Sis’s throat so badly, that she couldn’t speak after that.”

“That’s terrible!” Ash exclaimed in disgust; how could anyone hurt a creature so beautiful and gentle as a Milotic? “Did she run away after that?”

“Oh no, the cruel woman was caught and arrested, and Big Sis was taken to get some treatment. The doctors, however, could do nothing for her, and would have put her down if one of them had not released her into the wild.”

“Still,” Ash said, “How come you’re the only one who can understand her while everyone else can’t?”

Samson smiled, “Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘actions speak louder than words’?”

“I…I think so,” Ash lied, sounding very confused.

“Well, over the years, I’ve learned to read her eyes as well as her emotions; the way a person or Pokemon looks can say so much.”

“So in this case, I guess ‘looks’ speak louder than words, huh?”

Samson nodded chuckling, wished him goodnight, and left the hut.

Even with the Pikachu asleep near the foot of the bed, and the other Pokemon lying comfortably in their nest on the floor, Ash had a little trouble falling asleep that night. All he could think about at that moment was Big Sis: she had such a hard life, but she overcame those hardships to help other Pokemon---what she was doing with her new life was admirable.

Ash knew only a few other Pokemon who did what Big Sis was doing: Mewtwo and that Miltank who helped his Quilava (when she was a Cyndaquil) were perfect examples; they used their newfound freedom to guard and protect their fellow Pokemon.

“I wonder how they’re doing,” Ash thought silently as he finally drifted off to sleep.

mr_pikachu

18th September 2003, 09:03 PM

Whoa! That WAS an evil trainer! Lye soap in Milotic's food... :( And the Rainbow valley... the Pokemon history... the Magma/Aqua affairs... even the berry bit was great! :D

Only a few things I saw that could have been improved... I'll list them here:

"I plan to have any member of Team Aqua brought in and questioned about the whereabouts of Mr. Ketchum.”

Shouldn't it be "every" member of Team Aqua? Unless, of course, you meant to have Officer Jenny misspeak.

“Sounds like that could really come in handy, huh Ash?” Pikachu asked.

"Huh" should have a comma after it, as well as before.

“Some say Ho-oh cast them into the very center of the Earth; others say that she sent each one to the frozen wastelands of the north and south; another fable states that their bodies are buried somewhere here in Hoenn. What ever happened, the two proud guardians were never seen or heard from again.”

First, it should be "one each", not "each one". Second, "what ever" should be one word: "whatever".

Hmm... that last line at the end makes me think we're about to find out "how they're doing". Sorry if I ruined a surprise, but I doubt I'm right anyway. Although, it would be interesting to see how you'd incorporate them into the plot. Great job! Well, I have to go! Time to vote! :D See ya! :wave:

Powarun

18th September 2003, 09:18 PM

Nice chapter, poor Miltioc, it must make her missions even harder tying to rescue pokemon. Ash actually thinking, WoW, and now team aqua is going after him. Kinda ironic that you talk about them rather than his family.

GeneChildMewtwo

19th September 2003, 04:16 PM

That was an interesting chapter. So, that's why Big Sis can't speak like the others. That's sad... People can be so cruel. At least now Big Sis can be happy living with other Pokemon.

That was an interesting tale about the Pokemon's creation legend. I wonder what that woman has to do with it. Although, it would seem that Ash may some time in the future enter this sacred Rainbow Valley. Hmm... Fate must really like (or hate) Ash. He's already saved the world twice at least, and met a large amount of legendary Pokemon. Looks like they're not done with him yet. ^_^

Although, I wonder what's going to happen with Team Magma and Team Aqua... It seems that everyone (especially Team Magma) thinks that Team Aqua is responsible for Ash's disappearance... But that's not what really happened. (Unless Big Sis and her group have some friends we don't know about... ^_^) I wonder what kind of chaos this misunderstanding might cause.

Where are Aurora and David? Not even the news cared that they were missing... But, then again, Ash is pretty famous. I guess if I ever disappear off the face of the earth, I'll do it at the same time as a famous person. ^_^ But, I don't have any plans for anything like that.

Well, That's it for now. Keep it up! :wave:

Ultra_Poke2000

20th September 2003, 09:12 PM

that was a nice chapter. that woman was evil. how can you do something like that to any creature; human, animal, or pokemon? anyway, that part with the berries was cool, and the whole thing with ho-oh was a neat kind of legend thingy. im sure the next chapter will be great. 'till next time!

mistysakura

21st September 2003, 09:24 AM

Poor thing... and she would have been put down too...
I liked the whole legend thing. i htink it's going to have quite a big connection to this fic; maybe the main plot, even. Hmmm... human oracles die, don't they?...

ZeldaFan20

22nd September 2003, 01:34 PM

mr_pikachu: UGH! Why do I keep doing that?!! Well, I managed to fix those sneaky errors. Thanks a mill.

Powarun: Yeah, Ash has some pretty unsavory "fans" out there, doesn't he?

GeneChildMewtwo: Don't worry, there are still people who aren't that colorful. Anyway, this story is mostly focused on Ash---not on Teams Magma and Aqua...although, they will show up again for a brief period later.

Ultra_Poke2000: Pretty wierd with the berries, eh? And the "creation legend" seems to add a little mystery...

mistysakura: Good thing she wasn't put down...or we wouldn't have much of a story, would we :D? The legend may have some connection, and yes; human oracles do die---but they can keep the line going...

Nikku-San

25th September 2003, 04:45 PM

I have some catching up to do. ^^;; I've been sick, then we were out of power because of the hurricane, then I had some friend trouble.... But I'm going to get back on track and catch up.... just as soon as I get back from the State Fair. ^^;;

ZeldaFan20

25th September 2003, 09:13 PM

No problem; take all the time you need. I have to catch up in some things myself, so you're not alone :).

CHAPTER 15

The waning moon hovered high over the sleeping island that night. Except for the chirping of crickets, and the occasional “hoot-hoot” from the local night birds, everything was quiet.

Just minutes after midnight, however, what looked like a shooting star shot across the star-studded blackness of the night. It headed straight toward the island, rapidly decreasing speed in the process. Before even hitting the tops of the trees, the bright stream of light vanished, revealing an oddly shaped figure shrouded in darkness.

With uncanny speed and stealth, the figure leapt nimbly through the trees, occasionally pausing at the slightest sound. It finally landed on top of a bamboo tree in the grove, where Ash and his Pokemon lay fast asleep in their house; a pair of deep purple eyes completely focused on the small hut in the center.

Suddenly, a voice echoed softly throughout the entire clearing:

“He’s here…”

In his mind, Ash once again found himself in strange surroundings: the emerald-green grass sparkling with flowers, the crystal-clear spring, tall blue mountains---Ash knew where he was almost immediately. This time, though, there were no Pokemon roaming freely through the fields, and the moon was shining brightly in the night sky.

As he turned to face the glimmering palace before him, Ash suddenly heard two familiar laughs: one sounded like a young girl---a sweet, almost musical kind of giggle. The other was that of a young man, but it was an odd laugh---much like that of a Growlithe getting a tummy rub. Ash recognized the two laughs right away.

“Aurora? David?” he called anxiously, “Is that you, guys? Where are you? What are you doing here?” Instead of anyone answering, the laughter began to fade. Ash began to climb the white marble stairs in front of him, during which time, that same warm motherly voice echoed around him:

“Thou hast nothing to fear, little one,” it said, “They are safe, under my protection. Come to me, little one, and all thy questions shall be answered…”

The entire dream began to disappear just as Ash reached the halfway point of the stairs…

“Ash!”

Just as the dream ended, Ash was woken up by another voice. This particular voice, however, seemed to come from inside his head. He sat up and looked around: Pikachu and the others were still fast asleep where they lay. Cautiously, so as not to wake them, Ash got out of bed, and quietly made his way out of the hut.

The air outside was a bit brisk, as was the gentle wind---a definite sign that autumn was approaching swiftly. With a slight shiver, Ash looked around the clearing. A sharp rustling of leaves attracted his attention, causing him to look to the right.

High above the trees, he saw a large shadow dash nimbly towards the northern beach. Ash began at once to pursue the figure, but carefully, so as not to awaken any of his other Pokemon friends on the island.

At first, Ash thought that the figure was Big Sis, who was probably almost finished with her rounds by now. Still, Big Sis didn’t have human-like arms or legs---come to think of it, she didn’t have any arms or legs! Finally, he reached the shore…only to come face to face with an unexpected surprise!

High tide had come in hours ago, but nearly the entire beach was covered with water; even the wall of rocks to the left was more than half its low-tide height. Speaking of the wall, there, standing at the very edge of it, was the figure; the light from the moon illuminated the whole area, and Ash was able to distinguish who it was:

This creature was certainly shaped like a human, but there were some major differences: the lower area (especially from the waist down) was much wider than the upper area. Each of the two feet had only two toes, and only three rounded fingers made up each hand; the arms themselves were long and thin. The whole body (except for the belly and tail, which were darker) was a pastel shade of purple. The tail was quite long, but only the mid-section was thinner than the rest of it. In back, a tubular piece of flesh seemed to connect the back of the head to the spinal column.

Ash didn’t need to look twice to know who the creature was; in fact it took him only a split second to take in all the features of this oddly shaped apparition.

“I…I don’t believe it…” Ash whispered as he made his way to the rock wall, “Mewtwo…?”

The Pokemon looked at him for a couple of minutes, and then smiled.

“Hello, Ash,” Mewtwo said telepathically.

Ash couldn’t help but give a loud laugh; he hadn’t seen his old friend since the early days of his Johto journey---almost a year ago. Without thinking first, the happy boy ran right over the rocks towards Mewtwo, whom he wrapped up in a joyful embrace.

Mewtwo was instantly stunned; he had no idea what Ash was doing at that moment, or what kind of feeling it was suddenly giving him. The sensation was all so foreign; his whole body started to feel a bit weak, and a little shaky. The whole experience made Mewtwo feel a bit tense, but it also gave him a feeling of peace. With this in mind, the Pokemon relaxed, and slowly put his own arms around Ash.

This touching moment didn’t last for very long; Ash suddenly gasped and released his friend, wearing a sheepish look on his face.

“Oh, uh…sorry, Mewtwo,” Ash stammered, “I forgot that you’re not used to hugs.”

“It’s quite alright,” was the calm reply, “Since you left last time we saw each other, I’ve been watching your every move; it’s obvious that you’ve grown a lot stronger in your travels.”

Ash nodded, “Yeah, and I’ve made a lot of new friends.” Just then, Ash’s face altered from happiness to concern, “Wait a second, why are you here? Has something happened to you and the other clones?”

Mewtwo shook his head, “No, nothing like that; when I found out yesterday that you and your two companions were missing, I started searching for you---the others were afraid that something might’ve happened to you.”

Hearing these words made Ash grow more and more sad; he knew Mewtwo had telepathic powers, which he used to see what was going on in the world whenever he wanted.

Remembering what this meant, Ash slowly turned his back on Mewtwo, and walked a couple of paces away. The human-like Psychic watched this with a steady gaze; he knew what Ash was thinking about.

“Look…Mewtwo…” Ash started to say, “I didn’t have any right to hug you like that. You see…I…”

“You don’t have to explain it to me,” Mewtwo interrupted, “I know about what happened to you these past few days.”

“Then I guess…you also know…about…my…” Ash couldn’t finish; he tried to fight back more tears, to hold back all the pain and anger he still suffered.

Mewtwo paused, but then gave a solemn nod, “Yes…I know that, too.” He then walked over to the young trainer, and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Listen to me; because I wasn’t born like other Pokemon, I cannot understand all the torment you have struggled to endure. However, what I do know is that you are a completely different person from your own father: you share an unconditional love for all of life’s living creatures---human, Pokemon, or otherwise, and you are also more than willing to help others. You have shown me that it is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you really are.”

Ash just stared at Mewtwo; he couldn’t believe that he was hearing this from the same Pokemon who completely hated his father’s guts!

“You mean…you don’t…hate me?”

Mewtwo chuckled and shook his head, “Of course not. You have a very special gift, and I believe that is what makes you such an incredible human being.”

Ash began to smile, but then something entered his mind, and he instantly grew shocked.

“Wait, did you say that Aurora and David are missing?!” he asked in great distress.

“Yes,” Mewtwo replied, “They disappeared on the same day you…oh!…Aargh!” Before Mewtwo could finish, his body suddenly went rigid, and he placed a hand over his chest, groaning as if in serious pain. He then collapsed on both knees, supporting his frame with the other hand.

“Mewtwo? Mewtwo, what’s the matter? Are you okay?!” Ash grew distressed upon watching this unexpected sight, and he knelt down to see if he could help. Mewtwo was sweating now; his entire body was literally dripping with perspiration.

“My body…” Mewtwo grunted, “Something’s wrong…with my…body…”

“Hang on, buddy,” Ash said as he helped Mewtwo to his feet, “I’ll take you back to the hut; it’ll be easier for me to help you there!” He slung Mewtwo’s left arm over his shoulder, and in this fashion proceeded to lead him off the beach, and into the woods.

mistysakura

25th September 2003, 11:40 PM

Mewtwo's back -- that was a surprise.
I'm sure this can't be filler material, yet it feels a bit like it. Probably bedcause nothing much actually happened. Mewtwo's cool, though; so much for heartlessness!

ZeldaFan20

26th September 2003, 08:16 AM

Yeah, I admit that it's a bit short; but I've had a bad case of Writer's Block and this was the best I could come up with so far. I promise that the next one will be a lot better, though.

mr_pikachu

26th September 2003, 12:11 PM

Aagh! I'm so sorry for not replying sooner! I've only had a few minutes of free time these last few days, so I haven't really come on here much. Stupid midterm... anyway, I saw this up and I'm been dying to read it! It looks very good, although there were two errors I caught:

Just minutes after midnight, however, what looked like a shooting start shot across the star-studded blackness of the night.

It should be "a shooting star", not start.

The air outside was a bit brisk, as was the gentle wind---a definite sign that Autumn was approaching swiftly.

The word autumn should not be capitalized... I think... dang Spanish has got me all mixed up...

Anyway, this was a powerful chapter, even though it was short. Mewtwo's personality seems to have grown a little warmer, whereas Ash, as always, is concerned for his friends. And what's with Mewtwo? This is getting freaky... especially since it's the same sort of thing that happened in my fic! PLAGAIRIST! YOU MUST DIE!! ;) Anyway, this was very good, and don't worry, I've had a bit of writer's block myself. Keep this up, it's very exciting! :D

GeneChildMewtwo

26th September 2003, 01:18 PM

So Ash and Mewtwo meet again. It's interesting to see how Mewtwo's personality has developed since last time they met. Your portrayal of Mewtwo is different from what I usually see, but given the path that the Anime has taken with him (and therefore what has occured in the past of this fic) your portrayal is very believable. I wonder what's happening to him now. Ash was able to help Mewtwo twice before, so hopefully this time will work out as well.

I'll be looking forward to the next part. Keep it up! :wave:

Ace Blaze

26th September 2003, 01:39 PM

I can't really say this chapter's a filler, because so much happened in it. However, this chapter was rather short, and I think that you should update soon to make up for it. Still, good job, especially since you were able to update between your work!

ZeldaFan20

26th September 2003, 06:43 PM

mr_pikachu: [slaps self] Bad self, BAD! I just fixed those, but I'm NOT a plagarist---especially since Mewtwo's involvement will be much more different.

GeneChildMewtwo: Life has its little ups and downs, doesn't it ;)?

Ace Blaze: Guilty as charged :D. Glad you like it, though. And don't worry, I'm currently working on the next one as we speak.

Nikku-San

29th September 2003, 12:46 PM

Yay, I'm all caught up! And those chapters were awesome! Chapter 14 was neat because of the little things, like Team Magma and Ash's disappearance in the news, as well as the berries. And I can't believe anyone could be so sick as to hurt a Pokemon like that... I loathe people like that. And Chapter 15... Mewtwo, the awesomeness! And Ash and Mewtwo being buddies and all, that was cute. ^^ Man, I really love what you do with characters. You totally own me as a writer.

Oh, btw, I know who the Japanese lady is! But I'm not tellin'!

ZeldaFan20

4th October 2003, 04:40 PM

;o Gee, all these praises are making me blush! The next chapter is just about finished; after it's written, I have to proofread it a couple of times to look for errors---I've been correcting my stories too many times, and its beginning to annoy me. Just hang on for a little while longer...I promise you won't be disappointed...;)

Ultra_Poke2000

5th October 2003, 09:40 PM

that was an unexpected happening. shouldn't MewTwo be able to heal himeself if he ever got hurt? o well. also, i found one small erorr.
Hearing these words made Ash grow more and more sad; he knew Mewtwo had telekinetic powers

telekinesis is the ability to move objects with your mind. it should have been:

Hearing these words made Ash grow more and more sad; he knew Mewtwo had telepathic powers

telepathy is the ability to read minds, and makes more sence in the sentance. lots of ppl get those 2 mixed up, so dont feel bad. ;)

anyway, cya later!

classy_cat18

6th October 2003, 12:04 AM

Finally caught up! Yes! Great fic! Amazing, stupendous, incredible, awesome, righteous, phenomenal...and it's good, too! You have Mewtwo in this fic! Yes, yes, yes! It's too bad I haven't read The Bittersweet Reunion yet. :(

ZeldaFan20

7th October 2003, 07:29 PM

Ultra_Poke2000: Whoa, thanks! I can't believe I missed that. [goes back and makes correction] There! That better? Glad you enjoyed it.

classy_cat18: Hey, a new recruit! Welcome aboard! I guess my story is attracting a lot of readers---if only I didn't make so many mistakes, though...

Anyway, I know it's a little late, but here it is! If it's a little short, or you see any errors I missed, feel free to add those in your comments.

CHAPTER 16

“Pikachu! Everyone! Wake up!”

All the Pokemon sprung awake upon hearing Ash’s anxious voice---except for Croconaw, who got up more slowly and gave a great big yawn. They were wondering what was going on until they spotted their human friend near the door of the hut, supporting a very sick-looking Mewtwo.

“Ash?” Pikachu asked in surprise, “What’s Mewtwo doing here?”

“No time to explain, buddy,” Ash replied hurriedly, “Mewtwo’s hurting pretty badly; he needs help.” He then turned to Meganium, “Help me get him on the bed, Meganium.”

“Okay,” the big green Pokemon said. Two long vines suddenly shot out from underneath the large yellow flower around her neck, and wrapped themselves gently around Mewtwo. Being extremely careful, Meganium lifted him up, and laid him on the bed, after which Pikachu and Eevee covered him with the blanket.

“Meganium, Quilava,” Ash ordered, “go find Volbeat and Illumise, and have them help you pick some berries from the orchard; they’ll show you the right ones to pick. Croconaw, you and Kipper go look around for Big Sis and Samson; we need them here. Hurry, guys.” With that, the four creatures left the hut, and headed in opposite directions. From inside, Ash could hear Croconaw calling out to Kipper:

“Slow down there, squirt!” he exclaimed, “I’m not as speedy as I was back when I was a Totodile!”

Ash would’ve laughed at this if the situation hadn’t been so dire. He pulled the chair up next to the bed and sat down, straightening the covers and feeling Mewtwo’s pale face. The poor creature’s breathing had grown slightly rapid, and he was shivering now.

“What’s the matter with him, Ash?” Eevee asked shyly.

“I don’t know,” he replied, “Mewtwo doesn’t have a fever---he feels cold and clammy; so it can’t be pneumonia.”

“How do you know?” Pikachu asked.

Ash smiled. “Because I had pneumonia once: about a year before I started training Pokemon. I had to stay I bed for three weeks, and I was bored to death the whole time.”

“Well,” Eevee cut in, “maybe he’s got a chill; he is shivering a lot, like he’s cold or something.”

“I think you’re right, Eevee,” Ash said, “He has been outside in the cold most of the night.” He turned to Pikachu. “Could you get my backpack, Pikachu?”

The electric rodent ran over to the other side of the hut, grabbed Ash’s red backpack, and came back.

“Hmm…that’s strange,” Ash said as he dug through the bag and pulled out one bottle of Full Restore Potion, “I could’ve sworn I had more than this…AAAH!” Ash suddenly gave a shout and fumbled around in his bag much faster.

“What’s wrong, Ash?” Pikachu inquired.

“My PokeDex!” Ash exclaimed, “I can’t find my PokeDex; it’s not in here!”

“Hey, what’s a PokeDex?” someone interrupted. Everyone turned around to see Meganium and Quilava, followed by Volbeat and Illumise; all had a variety of berries in their arms and leaves (at least, in Meganium’s case). It was Volbeat who had asked the question, but Ash was suddenly too preoccupied to think of an answer.

“Oh…uh…never mind,” he said, eyeing the berries. “Are any of those good for chills?”

“There’s these,” Illumise said, bringing over a handful of berries, all of which looked like leopard-spotted macintosh apples. “They’re called Aspear berries; they’re supposed to thaw out any frozen Pokemon. I’m not completely sure if they’ll work on the chills, though.”

“Well, I think now’s a good time to try,” Ash stated, “and if they don’t work, I’ve got a Full Restore right here.”

Ash then took a couple of Aspear berries and broke them up into small pieces. Then he gently lifted Mewtwo’s head, and popped the pieces, one at a time, into the sick Pokemon’s mouth.

It was nearly five minutes before they could see any results. The shivering had gradually stopped, and Mewtwo seemed to warm up a little, but his breathing still didn’t sound too good. As they all studied him, Croconaw and Kipper quietly entered the hut; Big Sis and Samson were right behind them.

“How’s your friend?” Samson asked, “Any improvement?”

Ash shook his head, “Not really. I mean he feels less cold than before, but he’s not breathing right.”

Big Sis slithered over and carefully put her “ear” to Mewtwo’s chest. As she listened, her eyes opened wide, and her face bore a very worried expression.

“Rrrrrmmmm, rmmmm…ah…rrrrrrrmmmmm!” she mumbled.

While all the others looked at her with confusion, Samson suddenly gasped. “Are you sure?” he asked her. Big Sis nodded, and the Pinsir became quite serious.

“What’d she say, Samson?” Pikachu asked.

“Big Sis says that Mewtwo may have a pokerus!” All of Big Sis’s friends gasped in disbelief at this announcement, but Ash and his Pokemon were even more confused than ever.

“How can a Pokerus be a problem?” Ash wondered, “I thought it was good for Pokemon.”

Samson began explaining at once. “It’s true that the Pokerus can make a Pokemon stronger for a short period of time, but there is a pokerus that is very dangerous for us; the infected creature starts off appearing very healthy, but after a month or so the germ attacks a number of vital organs---like the lungs and heart. I’m afraid it will take much more than Potions and berries to cure your friend.”

Ash was distraught; he had no idea that Mewtwo’s condition was that bad---he never even knew that there was another pokerus he hadn’t heard about. He then looked at his Pokemon, and then back to Samson.

“Is it catchy to the others?” he asked.

“No,” Samson replied, “At least, not in the first two stages of the disease, but if he doesn’t get proper medical treatment quickly he’ll die.”

Quilava spoke up, “But there aren’t any Pokemon Centers around this area, are there?”

“We’re not taking him to a Pokemon Center!” Ash snapped, startling everyone around, “We can’t; he doesn’t like being around all those people, and I won’t force him to go someplace where there are too many people!” Without waiting for anyone to say another word, Ash stood up and shot out the door. Big Sis and Samson were about to follow him, but then Pikachu interfered.

“Wait a second, guys,” he said, “maybe I should talk to him first.” After asking the others to take care of Mewtwo, Pikachu left the hut, and went to look for Ash.

Meanwhile, a few miles away from the island, a small object rose up from the foaming brine of the open sea.

If it were daytime---and if the island were full of people---one might’ve been able to see the periscope more clearly; and, probably, the small submarine below it.

The sub itself was in the shape of a giant Magikarp; a long black pipe connected it to the top of the periscope. Inside this strange underwater machine, three figures were currently driving it.

One of these people was a very determined-looking young woman; she was very tall, probably in her early twenties, and wearing a diving suit that was as red as her long hair. The person behind her was a similarly aged man, except he was much more timid than determined; yet his own diving suit shown as blue as his shoulder length hair. Bringing up the rear was---oddly enough---a Meowth! All three travelers were “pedaling” an odd-looking machine that seemed to resemble a three-person bicycle, and all were on the brink of exhaustion.

“I can’t take much more o’ dis.” the Meowth complained.

“I know, me neither,” the man agreed, and then he asked the woman, “Can’t we stop and take one quick rest?”

The lady looked at her two companions, a disgusted frown lined her features. “Oh, alright; just one rest, and then we resume our search.” She then looked into the periscope; the sun wasn’t even close to rising yet, but in front was what looked like a large landmass.

“There’s an island just up ahead,” she announced proudly, “We can spend the rest of the night there.”

“Dat’s great!” the Meowth exclaimed, “We can finally get some shut-eye while soichin’ for da twoip! I’m getting’ tired of pedalin’ dis ting around for so long.”

“Speaking of which,” the man cut in, “Why exactly do we still keep this stupid sub? This is a Team Rocket sub, and we’re not with them anymore!”

“Will the both of you stop wining!” the woman snapped, “We still don’t have a penny for boats, so this is the best kind of ocean transportation we have.” She then put on a sad, “puppy-eyed” expression, “Besides, what would the Boss think of us if we decided to quit our search and leave his poor, innocent little boy out there in the cold, cruel world?”

“He definitely wouldn’t be too happy wit us, dat’s for shoa, right James?” Meowth asked the man.

“Right,” James replied, but then a thought occurred to him. “Wait, Jessie, don’t you mean our ‘ex-’ Boss?” he asked his female companion.

Jessie rounded on the two males fiercely, bearing her teeth like a tigress. “DON’T CORRECT ME!” she screamed, “I KNOW HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH!”

Pikachu didn’t need to go very far to find Ash: he found the boy sitting on the rock wall of the northern beach, hugging his bent knees, upon which his face rested.

A chilly windy blew over the island at that moment, causing Pikachu to shiver. He then ran across the sand to the wall, hopping from stone to stone to reach his friend.

“Hey, Ash,” he said, “come on back to the hut. The closer we get to winter, the colder it becomes; you’ll get sick too.”

Ash looked up and sniffed; he couldn’t hold back the tears anymore, and had let them flow freely.

“I didn’t notice how cold it was,” Ash said blankly.

Pikachu could sense what his trainer was feeling; he then crawled up between Ash’s knees and stomach, and looked into his overflowing eyes.

“Please, Ash,” the mouse sadly pleaded, “There’s no other way we can help Mewtwo.”

“I just don’t think I can do it,” Ash sobbed, “Mewtwo hates all humans because he was made by some terrible people. And what do you think everyone will say if they actually saw him? He won’t be a Pokemon, he’ll be a sideshow freak! What would he think of me if I exposed him to that?”

“But what can we do for him here?” Pikachu asked, “You heard what Samson said; if Mewtwo stays here, he’ll die. Either way, you still won’t win!”

“THEN WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!” Ash yelled angrily. The entire month of September was turning out to be the worst time of his life: first, he found out the awful truth about his dad and brother; next, he had that painful accident on the ship; then, he got kidnapped by a bunch of human-devoid Pokemon; and now this---Mewtwo was dying, and he didn’t have any clue how to help! Everything in life seemed to be turning against Ash, and he was beginning to lose all his faith.

These very thoughts flowed through Ash’s mind faster than the tears that flowed down his cold cheeks. He paused, crying for about ten more seconds, before looking back into Pikachu’s face.

“What am I supposed to do?” he repeated softly.

Pikachu smiled tenderly, then he stood on Ash’s knees, and planted a light kiss on his forehead.

“Do what you’ve always done since the beginning,” he responded, “Only what you know is the right thing.”

Ash thought for a while, and gradually forced a slight smile. Pikachu was right: everything Ash had done since his journey started was straight from his own heart; he never tried to do what everyone else was doing (and when he did, it always turned out to be a disaster). This in mind, he stood up---holding Pikachu in his arms, and made his way off the rock wall.

“You're right, Pikachu,” Ash finally said, “This is the best thing for Mewtwo. I mean, what could be worse than seeing a lot of different people?” The two friends were just about to reach the woods, when they were halted by a series of familiar noises, causing them to turn back around.

First came the sound of a large, loud splash, as if there was an explosion happening in the water. Next came a noise like something big and heavy flying through the air, accompanied by three frightened screams. Finally, the object crashed right on the western side of the beach. Afraid that someone might be hurt, Ash and Pikachu ran through the smoke that was billowing over the crash sight, only to come across a very unwelcome surprise:

The smoke cleared quickly with the midnight winds, revealing the slightly dented Magikarp-shaped sub they both knew too well. The manhole on top suddenly opened, and three familiar figures poked their heads out, gasping for air and groaning miserably.

“Brotha’, why do dese tings always happen ta us?” Meowth moaned.

“If it’s bad luck,” James replied, “it couldn’t have been from you; you’re not even black.”

Meowth looked at him with an offended glare, “Don’t tell me you’re supastitious!”

“Oh, quit your belly-aching, both of you!” Jessie snapped as she hopped onto the ground, “At least we’re safely on dry land!”

Seeing these three visitors made Ash and Pikachu first turn very surprised, and then very grim.

“Pikachu…” Ash sighed.

“I know,” Pikachu sighed back, plopping onto the sand as he did so, “It just got worse.”

classy_cat18

7th October 2003, 09:51 PM

They're at it again!?! When will they stop? And what will happen to Mewtwo? Tell me, tell me! *pulls hair out* Don't you dare let him die! Mr_Pikachu already did that in his fic, and I hated that!

mr_pikachu

7th October 2003, 10:00 PM

Well, believe it or not, I didn't see too many grammatical errors, though I have to ask - what's a pokerus? I'm guessing it's like a virus, but I don't know everything about it. Could you please explain?

Anyway, here's a list of the things I did find:

“We still don’t have a penny for boats, and this is the best kind of ocean transportation we have.”

Shouldn’t it be, “so this is the best kind…”?

“Your right, Pikachu,”

*sigh* …“You’re right, Pikachu,” is correct… someone needs to learn their homonyms… ;)

Wow... short list... :D Well, I have a few other quotes I wanted to comment on as well...

“My PokeDex!” Ash exclaimed, “I can’t find my PokeDex; it’s not in here!”

Leave it to Ash to be worried about a hunk of metal when the world’s only Poke-clone is in trouble! :D

“I KNOW HOW TO SPEAK THE QUEEN’S ENGLISH!”

Huh… so Jessie’s from England? Is the rest of the crime trio from there, too?

Pikachu was right: everything Ash had done since his journey started was straight from his own heart; he never tried to do what everyone else was doing (and when he did, it always turned out to be a disaster).

*giggle* Yep, typical Ash, all right… *chuckle*

“Brotha’, why do dese tings always happen ta us?” Meowth moaned.

“If it’s bad luck,” James replied, “it couldn’t have been from you; you’re not even black.”

Heh, for a second, I thought James was a racist! :rolleyes: Scumbag!

Anyway, no, this chapter wasn't too short. I thought you did a fine job with it, though I don't know how they'll treat the "pokerus". Anyway, nice job! I'm still finishing up my next chapter, since I had next to no time last weekend to work on it... *shrugs* Hey, I have a life, and it unfortunately gets in the way of my writing. It stinks. :rolleyes: Anyway, I await your next brilliant chapter!

EDIT: Shh! Delete that NOW, cc18! Don't give away my fic to those who haven't read it yet! *pauses briefly* Really, you hated that in my fic? I wonder why? *pauses again* Edit it NOW, FOOL! :D

ZeldaFan20

8th October 2003, 12:02 PM

classy_cat18: Whoa, whoa! Take it easy! Relax, I don't plan on copying other people's "character fate's"---as I like to call them. As for those three, I don't think they'll EVER stop...do you :D?

mr_pikachu: Believe it or not, I feel like I'm thanking people too much [giggles]! Well, I'll get those fixed up right away; however, I DO know my homonyms---I must've just typed a little too fast. Now, a few things I'd like to point out:

1. If you recall, Ash was only worried about his PokeDex for a second.

2. Jessie is NOT British---and neither are the other two, which is evident in the series. Hmmm...perhaps I should alter that particular phrase to prevent further confusion.

3. Yeah, it is typical for Ash to try and do things his own way :P.

4. Gee, I didn't mean for someone to read it THAT way. You've heard of that old "black-cat" superstition, right? Of course you have.

5. Also, don't worry about yours being late; I'm sometimes a bit late putting up chapters too.

Powarun

10th October 2003, 06:08 PM

Um, I read this chapter a few days ago, and ironicaly I was playing LoZ on my computer instead of repling so sorry. The story is going well, just a bit concerned of what you will do with Jessie and James. I just don't want this to be another pokemon like episode. Also Ash should be more concerned about his missing pokedex. Sorry but the game is calling me again, just wanted to add my .5 cents.

Ultra_Poke2000

11th October 2003, 01:48 PM

hmm, a new pokerus disease. you brought team rocket back. cool. i wonder what they're up to now... anyway, i dont have much time to reply, so cya!

mistysakura

11th October 2003, 08:39 PM

Nah, IQ think he's not worrying too little about his pokedex at all. In fact, if there was another sentence about it, I'd call ash heartless. In Zelda's own words, first, he found out the awful truth about his dad and brother; next, he had that painful accident on the ship; then, he got kidnapped by a bunch of human-devoid Pokemon; and now this---Mewtwo was dying, and he didn’t have any clue how to help! What kind of person would he be to worry about this piece of metal?

I trust that it won't be like anime, by the wya. You're better than that. That was an alright chapter, not your best, but not bad either. I liked how pikachu comforted Ash in the end, but I was a bit confused how Team Rocket ended up on the island. Huh?

Powarun

12th October 2003, 12:17 PM

No offence misty sakura, I once watched the anime and Ash depended on his pokedex like if it was water. And maybe the piece of metal with many electrical components may have helped Ash solve the mystery for Mewtwo. And I do agree I don't want this like the anime, which I don't think this will end up like, but I do think that Zelda fan 20 may include stuff like the anime for that is where they got their some of their ideas from.

mr_pikachu

12th October 2003, 10:58 PM

WAY TO GO ZELDAFAN20!!! 4 awards... wow! Well, I... uh... I got a second-place finish! So there! :rolleyes:

But really, you deserve those awards. You're a superb writer, and I kind of envy your talent... ^_^; Um, anyway, great job again, and I can't wait to see your next chapter! :D

GeneChildMewtwo

13th October 2003, 11:30 PM

So, there are bad Pokeruses (Pokerii?) out there too? Well, I guess that's expected, since it's probably similar to virii that humans can contract. Although, what a time for those three to show up. Of course, Ash could just start with the thunderbolting now, and ask quesitons later. ^_^ Seriously though... Even if Team Rockect tries to steal Pikachu, where are they going to take it? They're stuck on the island now too.

Of course, the actual dilema you present will probably be more serious than anything my head devises, since I always see Jessie, James, and Meowth doing [Pokemon] anime type things. Although, you did lead me to believe that Jessie was British at first... But, you've cleared that up now.

Good job winning those awards! ^_^
Although mr_pikachu already said it, allow me to also say that you really deserve them. I'm looking forward to the next chapter. Keep up the award winning work. :P

ZeldaFan20

19th October 2003, 12:25 PM

Thanks for the praise and encouragement, guys, but I'm afraid I have some bad news:

It seems that, while I was looking over the next chapter one more time yesterday, my touchy-feely little sister had touched something while my back was turned, and......well, you can probably guess the rest :(.

So, since I didn't have any floppies to save it on, I'm stuck rewriting the whole chapter over again---from SCRATCH! Most of it is still fresh in my head, but I may have to recreate some others. Darn these technicallities :mad:!

Well, anyway, I'll TRY to get it up sometime this century. Have faith in me, guys.

mr_pikachu

20th October 2003, 10:43 PM

*gasps from relief* Thank goodness! When you said "touchy-feely sister", I thought you meant... never mind. :o

Anyway, it's a shame that the next chapter will be delayed. Oh well. Get it up when you can, okay? We'll be waiting. :yes:

Powarun

21st October 2003, 04:17 PM

Reminds me of the time a floppy destoyed three chapters of one fo my fics. Then I had to rewrite them all, and sorta got depressed about it and quit. Hope this goes well for you and good luck and pateince to us all.

GeneChildMewtwo

23rd October 2003, 11:15 PM

Getting your chapter deleted isn't any fun... But, luckily we're all patient (I hope) and don't mind waiting a little longer for the next chapter. ^_^

So, don't feel rushed. Of course... That doesn't mean you can slack off. :P But really, I'm looking forward to the next chapter even if it takes a little while.

Lady Dragonrider

25th October 2003, 05:51 PM

Good fic! I've pretty much just scanned over it, but I still want to know what happens next. I can tell this is related to "Bittersweet Reunions" (that is the fic I'm thinking of, right?) but I can't seem to find the gap between where it ended on SPP and when this particular story starts. Mind helping me out?

mistysakura

25th October 2003, 06:36 PM

The finished version of "A Bittersweet Reunion" is in the Completed Fanfic Archive. That makes it really obvious where this story starts. you must have read an unfinished version or something.

ZeldaFan20

3rd November 2003, 09:57 PM

WHEW! Finally! Sorry for the delay, guys, but it was certainly worth the wait. If anyone sees any small defects in it, don't hesitate to say so. Well, here it is:

CHAPTER 17

James and Meowth were so tired from their “work-out” that they didn’t feel themselves slipping further and further off the top of the submarine---that is, until their faces finally hit the sand below.

THUMP! The two males instantly sat up, and began spitting out the tiny grains of rock that had entered their mouths.

“Ptoo, ptooy!” James choked, “That’s revolting!”

“Yeah,” Meowth spluttered in response, “Ptoo, ptoo---before dat big fish tossed us, I said I wanted a sandwich; instead, I get a mouth full o’ sand---ptoo, ptooy!”

Jessie glared disapprovingly at her two comrades. “What are you complaining about? If the both of you had just pedaled a little faster, like I was, we never would’ve gotten Skull Bashed by that…that…torpedo, or whatever you called it, Meowth!”

“Dat’s Sharpedo! Sharpedo!! How many times to I have ta tell ya?!” The little cat began jumping up and down as he talked, clearly angry at his partner’s statement.

“Who cares how it’s pronounced?” James interrupted, “Let’s just find a place to camp out for the night. We can fix the sub in the morning, and then resume the search.”

“Search?” Ash suddenly spoke up, arms crossed and eyebrows lowered (Pikachu did the same), “What are you three looking for this time? Buried treasure? Rare Pokémon?”

“The nearest fast food stand?” Pikachu added---mostly speaking to Ash. The pair chuckled to each other; they knew that one of the things Team Rocket cared about more than catching Pokémon was a decent meal.

Hearing Ash’s voice, the three visitors jumped, and slowly looked in his direction. Upon seeing the young thirteen-year-old---not to mention Pikachu, the whole group broke out into astonished, yet happy smiles.

Meowth laughed out loud. “I don’t believe it!” he cried, “We go lookin’ all around da region for dese two twoips, and dey’re right here on dis island!”

“Hooray!” James cheered, “Happy days are here at last!”

Jessie only smiled pleasantly, “It’s about time; my thighs were cramping up from all that work.”

Ash just stared at the three happy ex-Rockets. A few months ago, these guys were practically chasing him and his friends all over the world trying to capture Pikachu (as well as every other Pokémon around). Now, here they were and, apparently, happy to see him! Was something wrong with this picture or what?!

“Boy,” Ash thought to himself, “I said I wanted to be famous; but only as the world’s greatest Pokémon Master, not the country’s Most Wanted.”

The three excited travelers soon started running towards him. Ash immediately went on the offensive.

“Pikachu, get ready!” he said to his little buddy.

“I’m on it!” Pikachu replied as he jumped between Ash and the Rockets. His cheeks lit up like a pair of firecrackers as he prepared to go into attack mode, causing the opposing party to come to a screeching halt. Despite what he’d just heard, Meowth anxiously waved his arms.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Meowth said hastily, “Take it easy, we ain’t here ta fight.”

“That’s right,” James cut in, “We were looking for you two for the past couple of days. Now, we can all go home together!”

Jessie nodded. “Yes, as soon as we get the submarine fixed tomorrow, we’ll head off. Let’s pitch camp and get a good night’s…huh?” Jessie’s proud statement was cut short by a loud burst of laughter.

Ash, when he heard them talk about going back home together, had grown even more surprised. These guys were supposed to hate his guts; how could they even think of traveling back to Kanto together? To him, the whole thing sounded too hilarious to be real; who could blame him for plopping down on the sand and laughing at that very moment?

Meowth, Jessie, James---and even Pikachu just stared at him. It was a very rare sight to see Ash laughing when faced with a serious situation; from their point of view, it was actually quite disturbing.

“This is getting creepy,” James said in an uneasy voice, “What’s his problem?”

Meowth looked at James with wide eyes, “I tink all dat’s been goin’ on’s finally gotten ta him: he’s crackin’ up.”

Jessie, however, was more annoyed than creeped out, and all that laughing only increased her annoyance. “I know the kid’s a little loopy at times, but this is ridiculous,” she thought to herself. “Hey, twerp,” she snapped, “What’s so funny?”

It took a while for Ash to regain his composure; but, even then, he continued to hold his sides and give an occasional snicker.

“If you guys think that I’m going to go back to Pallet Town with you,” he snorted, “The same three goofs who not only tried to steal my Pokémon, but got me and my friends into more trouble than I could, you’re even dumber than I thought! Thanks for the laugh, though; I needed that.”

What followed Ash’s hysterical remark were three pairs of glaring, irritated eyes. Not only did he flat out refuse their offer to bring him home, but he also had the nerve to call them all “dumb.”

In their hearts, however, they knew Ash had a pretty good point: for the past three years, ever since they first laid eyes on him, Jessie, James, and Meowth had followed Ash and his friends all over every region, trying to wipe them out of the picture and steal Pikachu for their ungrateful Boss.

This revelation caused the three ex-Rockets to sink deeper and deeper into regret, until Jessie suddenly shook her head violently, and looked at Ash with a face that was an even brighter red than her hair.

“Now see here, runt,” she growled, “we’re not playing around; we’re dead serious! Your old man heard about that stunt you pulled a while back---not to mention your little vanishing act the other day, and he asked us to go looking for you!”

Hearing Jessie’s explanation, Ash’s comical expression suddenly turned dark; his laughing smile was pressed into a hard frown, and all the curiosity and humor that was once in his eyes were replaced by sheer defiance. It seemed like a long time before Ash even thought of questioning Jessie’s words.

“Asked you?” he inquired, “Or told you?”

Jessie hesitated a bit: the look she was receiving made her feel very uneasy; in fact, she’d seen it many times before.

“No wonder I never liked this kid,” she thought silently, “He really does remind me of the Boss.”

“Actually,” James suddenly spoke up, nearly causing her to jump, “he practically begged us. I mean, when he called, he was literally in hysterics---sometimes cried on the phone, and even declared that he wouldn’t get one wink of sleep until you were safe at home!”

“You’re causin’ the guy a lot o’ heartbreak, kid,” Meowth cut in, “Ya can’t keep doin’ dis ta him.”

The feline Pokémon suddenly realized that he’d just made a big mistake. He could see the anger in Ash’s face mingle with an overwhelming sense of sorrow. The boy’s teeth and fists were clenching tightly, and the eyes struggled to keep back more tears. When Ash finally spoke, his voice was raised to something like passion.

“And what do you think he did to me?!” he shouted, “To Mom? To David?”

Upon hearing this, the trio looked at each other with confused looks.

“David?” Jessie inquired of her comrades, whispering, “Who’s David?”

James replied, “I think he means that wild man the Boss kept locked up…OUCH!” Like a flash of lightning, Meowth had Fury Swiped him right across the face.

“Knock it off, Big Mouth!” he hissed, “What, did ya forget how ta whisper? He can hear ya!” They all looked back at Ash, who had grown even redder at that moment.

“He’s NOT a wild man!” Ash yelled angrily, “He’s my brother---not to mention your Boss’s son, so don’t you DARE call him names!”

Meowth attempted to explain, “Easy dere, kiddo, we know he’s not…”

“No!” Ash interrupted, hot tears falling down his equally hot cheeks, “You don’t know…you don’t know anything about him! He’s very sick, and needs help! Aurora and I were taking him to Mossdeep City before I ended up here! Now, they’re missing too, and you guys show up and tell me that my dad misses me! Did he even mention David or Aurora when you spoke to him?!”

What followed was an uneasy silence. Giovanni had never said anything about those two people over the phone. Apparently, the only one he was interested in was Ash. Jessie, James, and Meowth all hung their heads in shame, and slowly shook them.

Those actions were all Ash needed. Without saying another word, he abruptly turned around, and bolted towards the woods at high speed.

“Ash!” Pikachu called, running after him, “Ash, wait!”

As they watched the two friends vanish into the trees, the trio stared nervously at each other for what seemed like a long time.

“Well,” Jessie said haughtily, breaking the silence, “that worked out differently than I thought.”

“I wonder what da Boss is gonna say about dis,” Meowth wondered. Then he glanced over at James, who wore a very inquisitive look. “Hey, what’s up wit you?”

James continued to stare into the trees as he spoke. “What I’d like to know is how, in such a short amount of time, he learned to speak Pikachu.”

Jessie glared at him in disbelief, “What are you talking about?” she demanded.

“Well,” James went on, “just before Pikachu went into its attack position, I could’ve sworn Ash said, ‘Pikachu, pika pika,’ almost like he could actually speak the language.”

Meowth gave a sarcastic nod. “It’s official, folks; James has finally gone off da deep end. I mean we all know da kid can’t speak Pokémon talk---dat’s my department.”

“I think you got hit in the head when we landed, or maybe the night air’s gotten to you,” Jessie said as she attempted to put a hand on James’ forehead. He, however, slapped it away and scowled at her and Meowth.

“Make fun of me if you must,” he declared,” but I know what I heard!”

While this was going on, Ash had run several yards into the forest before finally stopping. By the time Pikachu caught up, the poor boy was kneeling on the grass, heaving like someone who had just run a marathon; his face literally drenched in sweat and salt. Pikachu look sadly at his friend; it was obvious how much the young trainer was hurting inside.

Before the little yellow mouse could step up and console him, Ash suddenly raised his face to the still-starry heavens, and yelled at the top of his lungs,

“WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?! WHAT DID I DO WRONG?!” Giving in to his emotions once more, Ash leaned forward, face in hands, and sobbed.

“Don’t worry, Ash,” Pikachu said as he hopped over and patted his friend’s shoulder, “Everything will be okay, you’ll see…huh? What’s that?”

A rustling sound had been heard from some nearby bushes at that moment, alerting the young pair to attention. Pikachu prepared to attack, and Ash stood ready to give the command. However, what came out of those shrubs had completely shocked them.

With her long, golden tail still among the foliage, Big Sis slithered into view. Her big blue eyes were filled with sadness and understanding, but they did not shed a single tear.

“B…Big Sis,” Ash stammered nervously, pointing back towards the beach, “You…you heard…?”

Rather than answer right away, the Milotic slinked closer to Ash. She smiled tenderly as her silky pink face calmly nuzzled his own dirty, tear-stained cheek. Ash soon felt the cool touch of Big Sis’s tongue on his cheek in a gentle kiss.

For some strange reason, Ash suddenly felt all his sorrows slowly melt away; a soothing calm seemed to fill his soul with a whole new sense of peace. In fact, this feeling appeared to grow stronger the more that Big Sis’s motherly behavior continued. Without realizing this right away, Ash’s hands rose up to his eye-level and caressed the Milotic’s face.

Pikachu watched this spectacle with great interest, until a sudden realization popped into his mind.

“Hey, Ash,” he said, causing the boy to look his way, “I think Big Sis wants to help us; I think she’s letting us leave the island!”

“She is?” Ash asked, first looking at Pikachu, and then at Big Sis. “You are?” he asked her.

“Rrrrrrrrrrmm!” she replied cheerfully. Ash just couldn’t contain his joy; he wrapped the giant sea snake up in a big hug.

Back at the bamboo grove, Samson and the others---despite how tired they were---busied themselves with caring for Mewtwo, who--- despite the fact that he was now breathing with less difficulty, still sounded a little raspy. Volbeat and Illumise fixed the pillow and blankets, Quilava kept the fire going, Meganium and Eevee helped Samson administer the medicine, and Croconaw and Kipper supplied the water.

Samson was just giving Mewtwo a tea-like drink of Catnip, Borage, and Rawst berries when Ash and the others walked into the hut; all were wearing very determined expressions.

“You’re back!” Samson exclaimed. “Is everything alright?”

Ash nodded. “Better than alright,” he said, “We’re gonna get off this island and find Mewtwo some help, but I’ll need everyone’s help to do it.”

“We’ll be glad to help!” Illumise announced, after which she cast a menacing glare at her brother.

“Uh…yeah, me too!” Volbeat instantly volunteered. Soon everyone present was offering assistance to the cause.

Ash broke out in another happy smile as he watched all these Pokémon---some of whom had never been in contact with humans for years---offer to help him out.

“Thanks, guys,” he said, “But we need to do this now, while we still have time. So let’s get started!”

“YEAH!!!” they all cried.

classy_cat18

3rd November 2003, 10:14 PM

Whoa, Team Rocket always know how to push Ash's buttons. All the same, good chapter! Keep it coming!

mr_pikachu

3rd November 2003, 10:29 PM

Very good chapter! I loved how the comedic aspect was maintained while still keeping the intense reality in place. Great work! :yes:

So Ash can actually speak the Pokemon language now? So that's what's going on... but how on earth did this happen? Freaky... :D

I only had one complaint about this chapter, and I'll show it here:

If the both of you had just peddled a little faster, like I was, we never would’ve gotten Skull Bashed by that…that…torpedo, or whatever you called it, Meowth!”

While peddled is a word, it’s not the right one. Pedaled is correct.

Anyway, this was a great chapter! Keep up the great work! This is getting pretty darn intense... :D

Powarun

4th November 2003, 05:41 PM

Nice ending, and how you pulled off putting in Team Rocket and making htem not annoying, unlike the anime. Also I don't really think Volbeat had a choice to volunteer or not.:P

Good job and keep up the good work at school and the fic.

ZeldaFan20

9th November 2003, 03:08 PM

classy_cat18: Yeah, those three are just a barrel of laughs, aren't they?

mr_pikachu: Yup, Ash speaks Pokémon now! Kinda makes you think of The Wild Thornberries, doesn't it :D? Oh, and thanks for that point-out; I managed to fix it the other day.

Powarun: Hey, even I'm wondering how I did that! And no, Volbeat is still afraid of his "sis."

I don't have time now, but I'll try to get the next one up when I can. See ya 'round!

Ultra_Poke2000

14th November 2003, 10:40 PM

i almost forgot about this fic. that was kinda weird when James heard Ash "talking Pikachu". i guess that kinda explains some stuff, but not where he learned it, especialy w/o his knowledge of it. sounds like M2 is finaly gonna get some professional help. yay! anyway, till later!

Lady Dragonrider

15th November 2003, 08:00 AM

Cool. But what's Mewtwo going to think when Ash takes him to a pokemon center with humans...? And will we ever see Lawrence III again. Or did he die? I can't remember...

GeneChildMewtwo

19th November 2003, 12:41 AM

Well, I'm really late. Here I go!

You've managed to capture the character of Jessie, James, and Meowth just as they are in the show, except without reducing your fic to redundant filler-ness. Yay! ^_^

So, now Ash and the Island Pokemon are going to try save Mewtwo. I wonder what kind of plan they'll come up with. Although, what will happen if JJ&M decide to drop in... Do they even have any memories of Mewtwo? I know Mewtwo re-erased Giovanni and most of the Rocket's memories at the end of Mewtwo Returns, but did he get those three too? I can't remember. Probably, since they were bad guys at that time.

And that's what's going on! Ash is speaking like a Pokemon. But I guess he doesn't notice. And apparently can slip in and out of it as well. But at least the readers have somekind of clue. But doesn't Pikachu notice? Maybe not, since no one else seems to.

Well, I'm looking forward to the next chapter. Keep it up! :wave:

Lady Dragonrider

22nd November 2003, 08:00 PM

Maybe pokemon have always been able hear Ash like he's speaking their language. But now Ash can understand them. Just a theory.

ZeldaFan20

28th November 2003, 08:00 PM

Don't worry, guys, I haven't abandoned you. The next chapter is nearly finished. In fact, I think I'll have it up tomorrow, depending on how much faster I work. And I guarantee you, it will be well worth the wait.

Powarun

28th November 2003, 08:24 PM

Don't worry, as I said before good things come to those who wait, and the more we wait the better the chapter. I do not doubt you are busy and every thing. Hang in there.

ZeldaFan20

30th November 2003, 11:54 PM

Thanks for sticking with me you guys, it really means a lot to me. Well, as I promised, here it is:

CHAPTER 18

Throughout the remainder of the night, everyone worked hard. Samson had worked out a plan to build a raft for Ash and his friends, and had taken most of the stronger Pokémon into the woods to cut down some trees. Illumise led Volbeat and the other Bug-types in gathering vines.

During this time, Pikachu and the others went into the orchard to gather food for the trip. Bellossom instructed them on which berries could be used for food or medicine; it was quite difficult to remember the various uses for each berry.

Ash, in the meantime, was busily going back and forth between looking in on the Pokémon and tending to Mewtwo, who still wasn’t looking so good. It was true that he was sleeping comfortably now, and his breathing had gotten a little better, but he was still a great deal paler than he was before. Ash tried to convince himself that Mewtwo was getting better, but at the same time he grew increasingly worried about how long the poor Pokémon could possibly go on.

“Just hang in there, buddy,” Ash often whispered in Mewtwo’s ear. “You’ve gotta stay with us---your friends need you.”

A faint blue light could just be seen along the horizon by the time Samson and his team arrived. On their backs and shoulders they carried around twelve large logs, all neatly trimmed and stripped of their bark. Right beside them were Volbeat and Illumise led their troops; all of them were carrying freshly cut vines. Every Pokémon was heading toward the southern cove to begin building the raft.

Thinking he should be there to help, Ash quickly got dressed (luckily his clothes had remained in his backpack). Then he carefully wrapped Mewtwo up in the blanket, and carried him outside. Big Sis and Samson were heading towards the hut as he came out.

“Hi, guys,” Ash greeted, “Is everything okay?”

“All’s going according to schedule,” Samson said. “Everyone has gone to the cove. Big Sis will take you there; I’ve got to get something.” With that, the Pinsir marched inside, while Big Sis proceeded to lead Ash into the woods.

The southern cove was a much safer place to work; not just because the three ex-Rockets were camping out on the northern beach. The entire area was almost completely surrounded by high rocky cliffs; only a narrow channel on the very southern end---directly opposite the shoreline---separated this isolated lagoon from the open ocean.

Pokémon of every shape and size were running here and there on the beach; pulling, pushing, cutting, tying, and plugging up any potential holes that could’ve led to drowning at sea. Some exhausted Pokémon were sitting down under the trees while the others continued with the work.

Pikachu was one of those taking a break; he had been helping to tie some vines around a pair of logs a few minutes ago. Skater (the Surskit) was offering him a cup of coconut milk when Ash walked into view, with Big Sis at his side and Mewtwo in his arms.

“Ash!” Pikachu called. “Over here, Ash!”

Hearing his tiny companion’s call, Ash immediately headed in that direction. A few of the other tired Pokémon had gathered several large palm leaves, with which they proceeded to make a bed for Mewtwo. Ash laid the ailing clone carefully on the leaves.

Mewtwo’s eyes slowly opened the minute he was on the ground; a low moan rose up from his throat.

“Uhhhnnn…Ash…?” Mewtwo managed to say.

Ash knelt down beside his friend. “How are you feeling, buddy?” he asked.

Mewtwo cringed a little before answering. “I’m…not sure. What’s going on?” At that moment, Samson emerged from the woods; everyone was surprised to see him carrying Ash’s Shoal Shell bed---cushion and all---on his back.

Samson smiled at their confusion. “Well,” he explained, “you can’t expect the poor creature to spend the whole voyage without any bed rest, can you?”

“Uhh…voyage?” Mewtwo asked, as he attempted to sit up, “What is he talking about?”

“Please, Mewtwo,” Pikachu said, trying to keep him still, “don’t move around; you need to rest.”

“I’m sorry, Mewtwo,” Ash said, a mixture of guilt and sorrow across his face, “We all know you don’t like humans, but…” Ash paused; he couldn’t help but feel that he was betraying Mewtwo’s trust, “…I don’t know what else to do: you’re very sick, and all the herbal medicines on this island aren’t enough. You need real help…from a real doctor. I…I have to take you to…a Pokémon Center.” Ash braced himself, waiting for an angry blast of Psychic energy.

What followed instead was an uneasy silence. Pikachu and the other resting critters just sat and watched for any kind of reaction; even those who were still working on the raft couldn’t help but stop what they were doing, waiting to see what Mewtwo would do.

Surprisingly, the sickly Pokémon did not use any Psychic power---whether or not this was because he was too sick and weak to do so, no one was certain. He raised a shaky hand up to Ash’s face…and softly stroked his cheek.

Ash opened his eyes; he never expected Mewtwo to act like this! How could this Pokémon---who had once declared he would completely obliterate the entire human race---act so calm about being taken to a place where humans were sure to treat him like some circus side-show attraction? To Ash (as well as everyone else present), the whole thing went beyond weird.

“Your choice is hard, I know,” he said, almost whispering, “but many of the choices we make in life are not always the easiest, even if they are meant to help others. That is another thing I have learned from you.” He then smiled at the young boy; Ash smiled back. For a while there was more silence, until Illumise suddenly broke in.

“Listen, gang, this is all very well and good, but if we don’t get this craft finished then these guys aren’t going anywhere! Come on, let’s see some hustle here!” With those words, the work began anew.

A few more minutes into the activity, Ash noticed that Volbeat was struggling with some vines. Leaving Mewtwo in the care of Pikachu, he walked over to the little bug.

“Hey there,” he said, “need some help?”

Volbeat seemed very surprised at Ash’s offer, but he was so exhausted that he was grateful for any kind of aid---plus, his own sister wouldn’t allow him to take even five minutes of rest. He looked up at the human boy and grinned.

“Sure,” he answered, “Thanks.” Ash then proceeded to help tie the vine tightly around the heavy log. At the same time he couldn’t help but notice Illumise’s attitude towards the others: it was like every thing had to be done a certain way, and that it was her sole job to make sure it was done right; like she was the “great leader” or something.

Ash leaned his head near Volbeat’s, “Is your sister always like this?”

Volbeat glanced over at Illumise to make sure she wasn’t listening; then, with a sly grin, whispered back:

“Pssh…worse.”

The eastern horizon was just giving off a pinkish hue when a loud splash was heard in the cove.

In size, the raft itself looked big enough---not to mention strong enough---to carry around two-dozen medium-sized Pokémon. A single mast stood at least three feet away from the front; a large lily pad had been cut to size in order to make a decent sail. Ash’s shell bed had literally been tied down to the raft: more vines had been looped through the freshly drilled holes that circled the shell; Mewtwo was currently laying in it. Besides the sheet and blanket, he was also covered in rushes, which had been securely woven into a kind of huge “rug” (Samson explained that this would protect them from the rain and wind during the trip).

Ash and the others were just about ready to cast off when he suddenly turned around. Kipper and Big Sis were talking to each other one last time.

“I’m sorry I left last time, Mommy,” Kipper said sadly, “And I’m sorry I have to leave now, but Ash needs me…and…I like him a lot…”

Big Sis smiled, despite her own sadness of having to say “good-bye” to her little baby, and nuzzled him softly with her nose.

Kipper smiled back. “Don’t worry…I’ll be…fine.” The tiny Mudkip then turned around, ran to the water, and jumped right onto the raft. Ash was handing Croconaw a piece of vine that had been tied into a loop.

“Croconaw,” he started to ask, “Are you sure you can get us to the nearest town? I mean, we don’t even know how far the nearest town is.”

The chubby crocodile waved his paw. “Don’t sweat it, pal; it’ll be a piece o’ cake. I’ll get our buddy here to a Pokémon Center faster than a Moltres can fly through a thunderstorm.” Croconaw then dove into the water, and the party was soon heading off.

The Pokémon on the beach waved to their new friends as the distance between them increased; it was very sad to see them leave so soon. However, they all knew that the situation could not be helped.

As he turned to wave to Big Sis and the others, he noticed the sad expression on the Mudkip’s face. His heart went out to the poor little mudfish: it was hard for anyone---human or Pokémon---to leave their mother, and they had so little time together after so many months apart. Ash’s mouth suddenly formed a resolute smile.

“Look, Kipper,” he said, “maybe it would be better if you stayed here.”

Kipper looked at him in disbelief; was Ash actually telling him to stay?

“But Ash,” Kipper started to say, “I want to be with you guys; I want to see the world! I don’t want to stay here!” Tears fell from the Pokémon’s eyes.

Ash only kept smiling. “Yes, you do,” he contradicted, “You’ve been away from your mom and friends for so long; they’ve missed you---and I know you miss them. This island is your home; it’s where you belong.”

“But what about all of you?”

Ash patted Kipper’s head. “Don’t worry about us, we’ll be okay; we just want you to be happy, that’s all.”

“Ash’s right, Kipper,” Pikachu cut in, “Ever since I’ve known Ash, he’s always wanted us to be happy, no matter what. Besides, you need your mom right now. So go on, be happy!”

Kipper looked back and forth between the island he called home, and the friends he cared for so much. “Are you sure?” he asked.

Ash crossed his arms and put on a sarcastic grin. “Listen, Squirt, you’ve got exactly ten seconds to get off and go back to your mommy before I change my mind. What’s it gonna be?”

Kipper then broke out into a happy smile as he gave every one of the Pokémon (Mewtwo included) a big hug “good-bye.” After giving Ash a hug and a nuzzle, he dove right into the foaming brine and started dogpaddling back towards the beach as fast as his legs could go---occasionally turning around to wave to his friends. This went on until the raft slipped through the narrow rocky channel of the cove, and disappeared onto the wide-open sea.

As they got clear of the sharp rocks surrounding the high outer walls, Pikachu looked back at the opening, and then to Ash.

“Do you really think Kipper will be okay?” he asked.

With that same smile on his face, Ash pictured a happy crowd of Pokémon surrounding his friend, welcoming him back home.

“He’ll be just fine.”

mistysakura

1st December 2003, 05:16 AM

Worth the wait. The emotions were great as usual, especially with Kipper and Mewtwo. Thsi fic is really showing a different side to Mewtwo. It's cool. It's also nice how you don't actually overdo the visual description, but we still picture the fic in our heada, because there's so much other stuff like emotions and things.

Lady Dragonrider

1st December 2003, 02:27 PM

Heh...why do I have the feeling something's going to happen to Kipper?

Powarun

1st December 2003, 06:35 PM

The southern cove was a much safer place to work; not just because the three ex-Rockets were camping out on the northern beach. The entire area was almost completely surrounded by high rocky cliffs; yeah, saftey, from what? Preditors? Why it sounds like if the pokemon are in a Utopia, all exept Volbeat, but I think he will one day really stand up for himself and throw Illumise off his back.

Wow, it was a good chapter, it was full of emotions, and really was something. Along with Kipper's parting, that was so thought ful of Ash. Well it was a nice chapter, keep it up, and I won't mind the wait.

mr_pikachu

1st December 2003, 10:26 PM

Awww. :D Ash sure has a lot of compassion to leave Kipper behind, as odd as that sounds. Mewtwo's being portrayed a lot differently than in previous stories, and the plot is getting more interesting by the second. I just can't wait to see what the people will do when they see Mewtwo. Why do I have a feeling the infamous Teams will be after him? Hmm...

Great work, as usual. I only saw one spelling error, which is a pretty darn good average. The description was great, the emotions were perfect, and I'm ready for the next chapter! :wave:

ZeldaFan20

7th December 2003, 10:01 PM

Glad to see you guys are still hooked :D. Wait...spelling error?! Where?! [looks over chapter frantically] I don't see any spelling errors. Oh well, I'm currently working on the next chapter, so enjoy the other stories while you wait. Catch ya later :wave:!

mr_pikachu

11th December 2003, 08:13 PM

Originally posted by ZeldaFan20

Wait...spelling error?! Where?! [looks over chapter frantically] I don't see any spelling errors.
Thinking he should be there to help, Ash quickly got dressed (luckily his clothes had remained in his back pack).

"back pack" should be one word, "backpack".

Hearing is tiny companion’s call, Ash immediately headed in that direction.

"is" should be "his". Just a typo. ;)

How could this Pokémon---who had once declared he would completely obliterate the entire human race---act so calm about being taken to a place where human were sure to treat him like some circus side-show attraction?

It should be, "How could this Pokémon---who had once declared he would completely obliterate the entire human race---act so calm about being taken to a place where humans were sure to treat him like some circus side-show attraction?"

Does that answer your question? :D I'm glad I could help! ;)

ZeldaFan20

12th December 2003, 05:18 PM

Oh...THOSE errors! Gosh, my spell-check completely missed those! That's it, I'm not working with that stupid program anymore :mad:! All these errors really burn me up!

Well, anyway, I'm just about ready to post the next installment, but now I'll have to proofread it carefully before doing so. Thanks!

mr_pikachu

12th December 2003, 06:12 PM

Um... glad to be of service? ^_^;

Don't feel bad, though. First off, that chapter was great otherwise. Secondly, I routinely find errors in the "legendary" fics such as WDC, LtL, etc. Everyone makes mistakes, we just have to try not to. ;)

Anyway, I'm looking forward to your next installment. Will Mewtwo finally reach civilization once more? And will they accept him? *shudders nervously* It's all too exciting! I can't wait! :wave:

GeneChildMewtwo

20th December 2003, 03:18 PM

Your portrayal of Mewtwo is interesting. It seems like a natural progression from the events the Anime gave him. Most fics don't use the "Slowly Becoming More Compassionate" Mewtwo, so it's interesting to see it expanded on.

Ash sure leaves a lot of his Pokemon behind... ^_^ But, it's good that he understands their needs, and that Pokemon are his friends and not something he owns.

Well, I'm looking forward to the next chapter. Keep it up!:wave:

ZeldaFan20

26th December 2003, 07:46 AM

Merry Christmas everybody!!!...okay, so it's a day late, but who cares :D?

Well, gang, I've got good news and bad news for you all today. I'll start with the bad news and get it over with:

Bad: The next chapter was all set to go, but I woke up that morning to find that my brother had erased the file on my disk! Of all the nerve :mad:! Now I have to type the whole thing over again from memory :(! I wonder if anyone else had this problem...

Good: I not only got a new Game Cube for Christmas, but also Zelda The Wind Waker :)!!! I've only gotten up to the first dungeon so far, but I love it!!!

I'll have the next chapter re-typed and ready soon---when I can finally get away from that GC :D. Anyway, Happy Holidays!

Lady Dragonrider

26th December 2003, 01:04 PM

Oh that sucks. At least it wasn't your whole story like what happened to Brit Chris (http://www.pokemasters.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19673&perpage=15&pagenumber=21). *Note: The above link is in the fic arcive, meaning you can't post there* Well, good luck re-writing it.

Powarun

26th December 2003, 03:55 PM

I agree please don't end up like Chris, and I know how you feel, got 4 chapters ruined though, for one of my fics. It sucks rewriting htem, but MErry christams and have a happy new year.

Did you get teh Gamecube with teh Zelda collectors edition? I want taht so badly. Good luck on Wind waker.

Charles Legend

5th January 2004, 08:19 PM

Wow this isturning out to be one cool fan fic.

two things

1.Did you have a fic before this one that Explaied about the fall of team Rocket and ask finding out he had a steep Brother, if so what was it called?

2.Speeking of brothers, I know what it's like to have a braty brother or sister for that mater in Valbeat's case......

3.Oh and you better not let mewtwo die or you well find your self on the wrong end of my flamethower.....not really but still..........

P.s Zelda games are always fun to play.

~Ryu

ZeldaFan20

13th January 2004, 05:15 PM

Hi guys! First of all, I want to welcome Ryu Slayer X 2.0 to our little circle; it's always good to know that more people like my stories.

Second, I want to refresh everyone's memories by saying that the first story is called The Bittersweet Reunion.

And third...no, Mewtwo's not going to die! If he was, I wouldn't have much of a story ;).

Now whatta ya say we get this show on the road :D?

CHAPTER 19

During the next few days following Ash’s disappearance, no one in the entire region of Hoenn felt safe. Parents became extra cautious about where their children went. New Pokémon trainers were forced to wait a little longer before receiving their first Pokémon. Even the more experienced trainers decided to take an extended vacation from their travels. Nearly everyone was afraid of knowing who would be the next one to vanish.

The Police force was also feeling edgy; security had literally been beefed up to the max! Tourists and residents alike couldn’t leave their homes without spotting an officer a few feet away. Up to ten times as any police cars were on patrol in the streets. Airports, train stations, the piers…even tollbooths fared no better: everyone who came and went was carefully watched; and any person who seemed suspicious was halted and questioned by an officer or two---or more.

Back at the Cove Lily Hotel, in Lilycove City, the mood was just as gloomy inside as it was outside.

Delia constantly sat by the telephone in her room day and night, refusing to leave it for any reason---including sleep. Brock managed to keep everything in the apartment clean and tidy, while Daisy prepared meals; she had to take Delia her food since the poor woman would not leave her bedroom.

On this particular morning, Daisy was setting the table for breakfast. She then looked out the kitchen window towards the wide-open sea. Brock came in at that moment; he’d just finished cleaning his room.

“Do you think Mr. Stone had any luck?” she asked.

Steven Stone had to leave for Mossdeep City on the same day Ash disappeared. However, he had told them about the conversation he had with the young trainer on the boat, and promised to call with any news upon his arrival. It had been almost a week, though, and there was still no word from Steven.

Brock shrugged his shoulders at the question. “I don’t know, Daisy…I just don’t know.”

“Perhaps we should call him, and ask.” Daisy immediately headed for Delia’s door, but Brock stopped her.

“No, we have to keep the line free. Officer Jenny…or…even Ash…might try to get a hold of us.” Just then, a loud ringing came from the bedroom. The two teenagers instantly ran inside.

Delia lay asleep on her bed. Jigglypuff, who had spent the night in the same room, was so upset to see the young woman so devastated that it decided to literally “sing her to sleep.” Brock and Daisy knew this, and smiled at the pink Pokémon as they walked in.

“Thanks, Jigglypuff,” Daisy said, “She really needs to rest.”

“Hello?” Brock said when he picked up the phone. Suddenly, his face brightened up; he put a hand over the receiver and turned to his companion. “It’s Steven,” he whispered. “Hang on, Steven, I’m going to turn on the speaker.”

Delia slowly sat up in bed as Brock pressed the speaker button. She looked very groggy at first, but gradually grew more and more awake as she heard Steven’s voice.

“Hello, everyone. I’m sorry I took so long, but the security around here is just as tight as it is on the mainland. I had to wait for days before they could check the records.”

“It’s okay, buddy,” Brock replied. “So, did you find them?”

“No…I’m afraid not; the hospital records say that David Rochet was not checked in here.”

“Well,” Daisy began, seeing that Delia was growing even sadder by the second, “maybe Aurora gave him an alias, so that they wouldn’t be discovered. Did you show them the pictures we gave you?”

“Yes, and not just at the hospital: I showed them to all my friends and neighbors, but know one has seen them…or Ash. I’m sorry if I’ve disappointed you all.”

“Don’t worry, Steve,” Brock replied, “just keep a sharp look out for them, and call us back if you hear anything.”

“I will do that. Good-bye, my friends.”

“Good luck.” A click was heard, and Brock hung up the phone.

For a while, the entire group was silent; they actually thought that Steven would have some good news for them. It felt like hours before anyone cared to speak.

“I think I’ll start breakfast this time,” Brock said as he walked to the door. “Could you stay with Mrs. Ketchum, Daisy?”

Daisy gave a melancholy nod. “Sure, I’ll sit with her for a while.”

“Thanks.” As he walked into the kitchen, Brock happened to look out the window. Big dark clouds had silently made their way from the sea to the mainland. Small flashes of lightning could only just be seen. Brock began to worry; he’d heard on the news last night that a storm was moving into Hoenn from the south.

“I hope Ash doesn’t get caught in this,” he whispered to himself.

The storm was literally raging several miles off the coast of the region. The sky seemed to split open with every lightning bolt, each of which was followed by a loud peal of thunder. The waves rocked heavily under the torrential rains and strong winds that came down over them, crashing against the various large rocks that were scattered along the northern and southern ends of this route.

Among a small group of these rocks was a fairly large raft, tied to which was a large shell, apparently covered tightly with a giant leaf. The raft had been tied down securely on all four corners to the rocks by strong, thick vine-like ropes. No matter how rough the restless brine grew, the bonds would not give way, and the raft remained above the water.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the storm subsided. The clouds were carried further north by the wind, giving way to a brilliant autumn sunshine.

Something moved from underneath the leaf as the sun came out; first a small black nose, then a yellow face, followed by a small brown-striped body came out to observe the scene.

“It’s okay, guys,” Pikachu exclaimed, “the storm’s over!”

Almost immediately, Ash and the rest of the gang threw the leaf onto the middle of the raft and stepped out of the shell. Croconaw wasted no time in trying to untie the vessel from the rocks.

“Sheesh!” Quilava said, “That was awful!”

“Yeah,” Eevee agreed; she was clearly shaken up by the storm, “Why did the thunder and lightning have to act so angry? I didn’t like it.”

“What are you all so nervous about?” Meganium asked, wearing a brave look on her face, “It was just a little shower.”

Croconaw, who had just gotten the raft free, jumped back on board and cast a fierce glare at her.

“A little shower?!” he shouted, “You’ve gotta be kidding! That felt more like a hurricane than a little shower!”

“That was no hurricane either,” stated Mewtwo, who remained bundled up within the shell bed, “If it was, then we would only have a couple of minutes before the storm resumed,” he looked around at the sky, “and I don’t see anymore clouds coming our way for the present.”

“That’s the best break we’ve had all week,” Quilava said cheerfully.

Carefully picking Eevee up in his arms, Ash smiled at Mewtwo as he cuddled the tiny creature.

“I’ve gotta hand it to you,” Ash commented, “That plan to tie down the raft was a great idea.”

“Yeah, it was,” Pikachu cut in, “If you didn’t think of it, we would’ve had to swim the rest of the way.”

Mewtwo only smiled pleasantly, and nodded.

“Speaking of which,” Croconaw said as he suddenly began stretching his muscles, “Anyone have an idea which way to go?”

“Well,” Pikachu began, “there are a lot of rocks going north from here…so I suggest we try going west.”

“Sounds good to me,” Croconaw replied as he prepared to jump into the water, “Let’s go.”

“Hold it, Croconaw,” Ash interrupted, “You’ve been swimming for days, and you’ve only had a real break just now. Are you sure you can keep going?”

“Sure I’m sure!” declared the chubby blue crocodile, “Like I said, I’m the toughest and fastest swimmer around!” The proud grin on Croconaw’s face quickly soured as the sound of Meganium’s laughter filled the air.

“HA HA HA HA HA!!! You, the toughest AND fastest?! Now I’ve heard everything. You can’t even run when Ash takes us out for exercise. Face it, pal, you’re so slow, you couldn’t even catch a cold!”

“What was that?!” Croconaw growled at her. “Hey, if you’ve got something to say to me, say it to my face; don’t talk behind my back!”

“Okay, you two, knock it off!” Ash said, eager to stop two of his friends from fighting each other, “We’ve got a long trip ahead of us, and I don’t want it wasted on ourselves.”

With these words in mind, Croconaw stomped away from Meganium, tied the rope around himself, and dove in; the party was once more on the move.

When the raft had gone several meters, Croconaw suddenly stopped.

“Everything okay?” Ash asked.

“I’m not sure,” was the reply, “but I think I see something up ahead.” Ash and the others looked towards the surf in front of them, right in the direction Croconaw was pointing, wearing puzzled expressions…

mr_pikachu

13th January 2004, 07:16 PM

That was kinda short, but it's alright. At least we've got a new chapter. ^_^ Mewtwo seems to be doing okay, and Ash and the Pokemon seem chipper. But I wonder what they saw? Hmm...

I have to feel bad for Delia. She must be scared out of her mind over Ash! And yes, I did notice that Jigglypuff returned. Nice one! ;) Every human EXCEPT Ash seems extremely sullen right now. And I'm still wondering about David and Aurora! What the heck happened to them?

I can't say this is intense, but I'm eager to find out what happens next. This is definitely something that would keep a reader coming back for more. Way to go! :wave:

mistysakura

13th January 2004, 08:56 PM

Poor people. Delia and Ash's friends must be so worried. (Seriously, I practically forgot they existed for a while.) Jigglypuff was a nice touch.

Over on the other side, the little fight between Meganium and Croconaw was good, too. Ironically, it's true that Croconaw's the toughest and fastest swimmer there...

Now I'm really waiting for more. It's funny how fillers mount the suspense (and frustration!)

ZeldaFan20

14th January 2004, 07:52 AM

Yeah, I admit that it's a bit short. I was planning to write more, but my new disk didn't have enough space. This means that I'll have to try and make the next one longer :D. It may not be intense, but there's definitely something big along the horizon ;).

Crystalmaster Mike

14th January 2004, 02:48 PM

Originally posted by ZeldaFan20
... but there's definitely something big along the horizon ;).
Should we take that literally? ;)

Well, I didn't post here for several months a) because school at first did not permit me, and b) when it did, I decided to wait until the newest chapter came up to comment on.

So, yeah... What can I say? Big Sis = Mudkip's momma, Rainbow Lady possibly kidnapped David and Aurora, Mewtwo's been as sick as a dog... All of them pretty pearls o' pure perfect plot planning (try to say that out loud ;)) have already been rated 'n all, but I'll say it anyway: nììììììce. :)
And now we're here. Meganium has seemed to have developed quite an air since her latest evolution. And Croconaw's still as big of a show-off as ever. What I was wondering about, though: when they were hiding from the rain under that leaf, what happened to Quilava's flame? I know it can stop its back flame, but what about its head one?

GeneChildMewtwo

27th January 2004, 05:56 PM

This chapter did feel a little short, but it's good to see what's going on with the rest of the world. (Except Aurora and David however...) Well, once Ash gets back, things will be better for everyone, I hope.

Well, I don't have too much to say right now, but I'm looking forward to the next chapter. Keep it up!:wave:

ZeldaFan20

29th January 2004, 09:23 PM

Crystalmaster Mike: All I can say to answer all those questions is this: believe what you want :D.

GeneChild Mewtwo: Well, the present chapter won't be short for very much longer: I've decided to post an extension of this chapter, which means not only will this short moment be longer, but there will be a lot more happening than you all think. I'm almost finished with it now, so it should be up very---VERY soon :yes:.

ZeldaFan20

30th January 2004, 01:10 PM

Chapter 19...continued...

Just a small distance away from their location was a section of large rocks that seemed to protrude out onto the ocean. Many of these were overgrown with barnacles and brownish-colored algae. However, what caught Croconaw’s eye was what looked like a bundle of white clinging to one rock in the middle.

“What’s that?” Ash wondered out loud.

“If it’s supposed to be kelp,” Croconaw observed, “then this is a species I’ve never seen before.”

Just then, Mewtwo---who had been staring intensively at the strange object, opened his eyes wide, and let out a sharp gasp. Ash immediately turned his head in a panic.

“Mewtwo, what’s the matter? Are you in pain again?”

“No,” Mewtwo answered seriously, “but I sense two small life forces coming from that direction---and one is very weak.”

Ash turned back and looked: the possibility that someone, or something, may be in trouble started racing through his mind.

“Hey, Croconaw, can you bring us a little closer? I want to get a better look.”

Croconaw turned in the water to face his young master. “Well,” he started to say, “If I do, we’ll have to be very careful; getting too close to those things could cost us our only ride.”

“That’s okay,” Ash replied, “I only want to get close enough to see what’s there.”

For another two minutes, the little blue Pokémon pulled the raft cautiously towards the rocks; all the while, he was nervous of making even the slightest mistake that would result in the loss of the raft and---quite possibly---his friends.

As they got closer, a small, high-pitched voice could soon be heard over the rolling surf:

“Help! Help us! Help!!”

The entire party followed the voice, still moving towards the rocks, until they could see something bobbing up and down in the water.

At first, no one could tell what the bobbing thing was at first glance. However, as they got even closer, Ash could just make out a small pink Pokémon with bumpy-looking horns.

“Hang on, little Corsola!” Ash called out to the creature, “We’re coming to get you.”

“No, we’re not,” Croconaw suddenly stated as he came to a halt, “This is as far as we can go; any closer, and we’ll literally be ‘on the rocks’.”

Ash looked at Croconaw in despair; this little Pokémon---as well as whoever was on that rock---needed serious help. Just then, Ash reminded himself that Corsola were Water-types and, therefore, very good swimmers.

“Corsola,” he shouted to the Pokémon, “do you have enough energy to swim over to us?!”

“I…I…I think so…” the Corsola responded. As she tried to swim, however, they could all tell from the way she was breathing that she was struggling to stay afloat. Not wanting to risk her getting exhausted further, Ash called out to her again;

“Don’t worry, just grab onto that rock over there and hold tight! I’m going to come over and get you!”

The Corsola did as she was told, and Ash proceeded to get undressed. Once he had nothing but his shorts on, Ash turned to his Pokémon:

“You guys stay with the raft, and don’t start moving again until I say so.” Then Ash held his breath, and jumped in.

“Be careful, Ash!” Pikachu exclaimed.

Because the situation was so intense, Ash almost failed to notice how cold the seawater really was. What he also forgot was that it was practically autumn already, and swimming during the slowly decreasing temperatures of the season was not a wise move. Luckily, he didn’t have very far to swim, for the rock to which the Corsola was clinging was only a short six yards away. As soon as he reached her, though, Ash could see that the tiny creature had been crying. He also noticed that a piece of rope had been tied around her, but one end looked like it had been ripped off.

“It’s going to be okay,” he said as he scooped her up in one arm (the other was clasping the rock), “you’re safe now; we’re here to help.” The little Corsola waited until she got her breath back before saying anything.

“Please,” she finally said, her voice quivering with both cold and fear, “Please, you must help her.”

Ash’s eyes widened. “Her? You mean…” He then looked at the figure in white, who still lay motionless on the rock several more yards further.

“We were caught in the storm, and the currents carried us here,” the little Water-type explained frantically, “The rope that kept us from getting separated broke, and I found her here. I’m really scared; she won’t respond when I try to wake her up.” She soon started crying again.

“Try to stay calm,” Ash said, doing his best to sound reassuring, “We’ll help her; I promise.” Still holding the rock, he turned to face the raft, where all of his friends were waiting.

“Croconaw!” he called, “Listen to me: I want you to take the raft, and try to bring it around the rocks to the other side; we’ll be much closer when you do!”

“Aye-aye, Captain!” Croconaw replied as he started paddling in a southern direction. As the raft pulled away, Ash started swimming towards the white figure, while Corsola clung to his back.

Many of these rocks were so close together that it was hard to swim around them, and the fact that a number of them were quite jagged made the task even more difficult. Ash was left with several scratches on his shoulders, a bruised right knee, and a bumped left elbow before they reached her.

The figure turned out to be a young girl, roughly between eight and ten years old. She was dressed in a loose white shirt and pants, and had bare feet. Her black shoulder-length hair, which was soaked through with seawater, formed a thick curtain over her face.

Ash had learned First-Aid from Aurora back at Seafoam Island, but remembering what to do in an actual emergency was, to him, just as hard as Pokémon training. Taking another deep breath, he forced himself to stay calm, and decided to start by checking her back for breakage.

The child was lying on her stomach, to Ash’s relief, so he knew that she didn’t need to be moved yet. With a careful motion, he glided his finger slowly down her backbone (beginning at the neck). Finding no trace of a break in her spine, Ash then began to check her pulse; it was weak, which was not a good sign. Finally, he climbed onto the rock, gently turned her over---laying her on his lap, and pushed the hair from her face.

A thick white face paint, which had obviously covered her entire face at some point, had almost been completely washed off during the storm; there was still some on both cheeks and her forehead. The only thing Ash saw that disturbed him was the color of her lips: the pinkish hue that was the natural color of a human mouth was now pale with a purplish tinge.

Ash immediately thought of two reasons for that color: she was either incredibly cold, or was on the very brink of death by drowning. Clearly reaching panic-mode, he put an ear to her chest. The heart was beating, and she was still breathing---although it was not the kind of breathing that would indicate the presence of water in the lungs.

“When Croconaw brings the raft over,” Ash said out loud, “I’ll still have to do CPR.” He then turned to look at Corsola, who was gazing sadly at the little girl. “By the way, do you know what her name is?”

Corsola nodded and replied, ”Kikyo.”

“Hey, guys, over here!” Croconaw suddenly swam up near them, with the raft following close behind. Meganium unfurled her vines towards Ash and the two castaways, and pulled them up from the rocks.

Ash wasted no time in trying to help the young girl. Immediately after boarding, he laid her down, face up, and began to do CPR. Pikachu and the other Pokémon did their best to comfort Corsola, who could only watch helplessly as her trainer lay there unconscious.

It wasn’t until four breaths and twenty pushes later that the child let out a hard cough. Her eyes twitched a little, and she groaned.

“Pikachu, hurry and bring me my backpack,” Ash ordered. While Pikachu went to fetch it, Ash proceeded to remove Kikyo’s wet clothing (thankfully, she was wearing an undershirt and underpants). As soon as the parcel was delivered, he reached into it and pulled out what he needed:

It was a fairly large baby blanket, colored yellow with an orange trim; in one corner was a picture of a Pikachu and a baby Pichu. Across the blanket, going diagonally, was a neatly stitched seam---as if it had been sewn up recently. Ash took a second to glance at the seam; he smiled gently.

“Thanks, Aurora,” he thought to himself. Returning to the task at hand, he helped the girl sit up and wrapped the blanket snuggly around her. Ash also took out an extra pair of clean socks he’d brought and placed them on her feet, so that they could get warm. Eevee and Quilava busied themselves with spreading Kikyo’s clothes out on the raft to dry as Ash cradled her in his arms.

After about thirty minutes, Kikyo’s body temperature began to rise. She soon began to squirm a little, uttering the occasional whimper. Finally, she opened her eyes and looked around. Her eyes first fell on the raft, then on the Pokémon (she couldn’t see Mewtwo from her present position), and then on Ash---who gave a relieved, yet friendly smile in return.

“Where…where am I?” Kikyo asked, a little fear rising in her voice.

“It’s okay now,” he said soothingly, “You’re with friends; we’re gonna help you get home.”

Kikyo suddenly sat up. “Wait, what happened to Coral? Is she okay?”

Ash took a look around, until his eyes fell on the now happy Corsola. He wasn’t exactly sure, but…

“Is this your friend?” he asked, hinting towards the little Water-/Rock-type.

Giving off the brightest smile imaginable, Kikyo leaped up and ran over to Coral---who was also running to her. The two friends hugged each other and laughed; they were both very happy to have survived such an ordeal.

Ash couldn’t help but keep smiling; it’s so wonderful to see humans and Pokémon get along so well with each other: watching them reminded him of the days when he and Pikachu were just starting out.

At that moment, Kikyo realized that she wasn’t wearing her clothes, and began to frantically search for them. Seeing them neatly spread out in the middle of the raft, she threw down the blanket and immediately began to put them on.

“Hang on,” Ash said, clearly surprised by what the girl was doing, “I don’t think those started drying yet.”

Kikyo looked at him and giggled. “That’s alright,” she said, “These are my diving clothes; I’m supposed to wear them wet.”

Everyone just stared at her in confusion: diving clothes? Those things looked way too loose---not to mention thin---for deep sea diving.

Just then, Ash remembered something: white clothes, white paint on the face, a “guide rope” around the waist; he knew someone who did the same thing a long time ago!

“What’s your name, kiddo?” he asked. Sure, Coral had already answered that question earlier, but Ash didn’t want Kikyo to know that he could understand---and talk--- to Pokémon; to tell her would probably mean frightening her to death.

“My name’s Kikyo,” she replied, giggling again, “And I’m not a kid; I’ll be ten next week.”

Ash gave an inquisitive grin. “Well, Kikyo, I thought girls had to be a couple of years older before they could become amas.”

Pikachu and the others stared at Ash, then to each other, and then back to Ash. Soon, the confused creatures were whispering among themselves.

“I don’t get it,” Quilava wondered, “What’s an ama?”

“Isn’t that what children call their mothers?” Eevee asked.

Coral instantly came forward, chuckling. “No, no, not mamas, amas. They’re Japanese women who dive deep underwater to gather seafood. Amas can hold their breath for up to five minutes, and they bring back all kinds of good things to eat: clams, oysters, mussels, even special seaweed that humans use to make those ‘fish rolls’.”

“You mean sushi, right?” Pikachu cut in, wrinkling his nose, “Ash’s mom made that for dinner once; it tasted really salty.”

While the Pokémon talked to each other, Ash was trying to get Kikyo to talk more about herself.

“My mommy and Grammy are amas; they’ve been amas since they were both my age. I want to be just like them when I’m a grown-up, that’s why me and Coral got up really early to practice today.

“We do lots of fishing back in Pacifidlog Town…”

“Where Town?” Ash quickly asked.

“Pacifidlog Town; it’s a small village that floats on the water. Mommy says that it was built over a bunch of Corsola---that’s where she got Coral for me for my last birthday.”

“Wow, that’s amazing! Sounds like a great place for fisherman to live.”

“Yeah, it’s great.” Suddenly, Kikyo let out a loud gasp, “Oh no! Mommy and Grammy must be looking for me! I’ve gotta get home!” She was on the very verge of crying when Ash walked over, and tenderly put his arms around her.

“It’ll be okay, Kikyo; we’ll help you get home, I promise.”

Kikyo looked at him; tears had formed in her eyes. “But…I don’t know how far we’ve gone: we’re lost.”

Ash looked her in the face. “I know how you feel; we’re trying to find Rainbow Valley---where the Legendary Pokémon, Ho-oh, is supposed to live---and I’m hoping to find my brother and friend along the way.”

Kikyo stopped crying, “Rainbow Valley?”

Meanwhile, back on the island…

“BROOOOO! WHERE ARE YOU?!!”

In the middle of the woods, a very annoyed Illumise was calling for her brother. Volbeat had been given the task of helping to prepare breakfast that morning, but he never showed up. Illumise was, apparently, the only one on the island who was surprised by such behavior.

“Bro, when I get my paws on you…” she growled angrily. At that moment, she happened to run into Big Sis, who was taking a stroll with Kipper and Samson.

“Something wrong, Illumise?” Samson asked.

“Yeah!” she replied gruffly, “Bro was supposed to gather Nanab berries for breakfast today, but I can’t find him anywhere! Where’d he go?”

Samson and Big Sis looked at each other; the Pinsir noticed the worried expression on the Milotic’s face, and instantly read her thoughts.

“He wouldn’t…he couldn’t have…”

mistysakura

31st January 2004, 04:23 AM

Cool. Looks like a bit of a filler, but whatever. The amas are really interesting, and Kikyo and Coral's friendship was really sweet. Description was pretty good.

Okay, maybe I'm a bit slow, but I have no idea what Samson is thinking. But maybe that's meant to be the point. :D

Powarun

31st January 2004, 09:04 AM

Nice filler, thank you for teaching me about amas, never knew those kind of people existed. Can they really hold their breath for 5 minutes, if they can, I would gladly like to learn how. Where did Volbeat go though, I want to say with Ash, but he doesn't seem that independent? NIce chapter, and have a nice day.

Crystalmaster Mike

1st February 2004, 07:21 AM

So, 'amas', ey? Never heard of 'em before... It seems kind of strange, them wearing those loose clothes and 'make-up' while diving. But... that's the Pokémon World described in a nutshell for ya: kind of strange! :D

I agree with Powarun: 'Bro' doesn't seem to be the independent type that'd run away from home, knowing an angry Sis'd be waiting to get her hands on him the minute he comes back. Then again, maybe, over the past few days, he'd finally come to the conclusion he didn't want to tollerate her wisecrack any longer... */end thinking out loud*

mr_pikachu

1st February 2004, 11:14 PM

Nice... uh... continuation! Kikyo's an interesting new character, and I agree - she probably WOULD freak if she knew Ash could talk to Pokemon! It sort of seemed like she knew something about this "Rainbow Valley"... or am I reading too much into this?

"Amas" are probably not humans in our world. The average human can go without air for about four minutes before death, so being able to dive for five is highly unlikely. Still, it does seem like an intriguing - and useful - ability.

And just what has Volbeat done? Has he tried to find Ash, or something crazy like that? Hmm... well, I guess I'll just have to wait (again). Oh well. Good work, and I look forward to Chapter 20... or another continuation! ;)

Lady Dragonrider

17th February 2004, 04:44 PM

*Goes to AnimeLab.com's Japanese-English Dictionary*
Ama = (n) woman shell diver.

Sorry for bumping this topic, but I just found this.

ZeldaFan20

2nd March 2004, 11:14 AM

:( Ugh! This is really bad, guys: I'm totally blocked in coming up with the next chapter... I have some ideas, but I need to expand them a bit so that we don't have another short one...:(

On the lighter note, I managed to come up with a couple of ideas for two new stories. They'll be coming out later---the details are still in progress :yes:.

Have faith in me, guys; I promise I won't let you down---at least, not further than I already have ;o.

mr_pikachu

3rd March 2004, 11:30 PM

Don't worry about it. We all have points where it becomes tough to write for some reason. I'm having trouble lately, just because I've got a ton of schoolwork and a cold... *cough* It's a real pain. But writer's block just might be worse, with all the frustration that comes with it. Don't worry, we'll keep the faith. *wheeze* As long as I don't die of this cold first... :(

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the next chapter, whenever it comes! *cough*

ZeldaFan20

12th March 2004, 04:08 PM

Well, guys, here it is!!! I admit it’s a bit of a filler, but it’s the best I could do, and it may give you a little insight as to what will happen later in the story. I hope you like it [*crosses fingers*].

CHAPTER 21

Despite all the dramatic security measures---and increase in the police force on the streets, life seemed to return to normal for the entire population of Lilycove City: businesses went on in the usual fashion, families shopped, children attended school and played with their friends. Beachcombers of all ages walked up and down the sand, hoping that their Itemfinders would detect anything left behind by the summer beach crowds.

Little did these people know, however, that something sinister was taking place just a few miles off shore…

A huge mass of rocky cliffs could be seen along the north side of the horizon. At the base of one of these cliffs was the large black mouth of a cave. Even though the city residence said that this cave was a natural formation, a dark secret lurked within its depths…

Navigation equipment, as well as a variety of other machines, covered the whole interior of the cavern. Thick steel walls and ultrasonic doors separated every sector. People in black-white-and blue uniforms kept busy within the establishment: some operated the machines, while others ran from room to room---either to make sure everything was going smoothly or to deliver messages from “the Boss.”

One of the messengers was a tall, fair-haired young woman. She was checking on a rookie who was handling communication machinery, when the message receiver suddenly started beeping. A slip of paper slowly came out as words were typed onto it. The moment it was finished printing, the girl ripped it off and read the message on it. She gave a loud gasp and instantly ran out of the room, making a beeline upstairs towards the infirmary.

Inside the infirmary, an angry man wearing a black suit was having the dressings changed on his bandaged hand. Frightened of the man as he was, the doctor treating him maintained a calm yet stern face.

“That should do it, Archie,” the doctor said as he finished tying the bandage. “Luckily, you have only minor frostbite, so your hand should recover quickly.”

With a low growl, Archie looked at his newly dressed hand. “I don’t know how that little brat did it,” he snarled, “but he’s not gonna get away with this.”

At that moment, the young girl burst into the room. Despite the glare she received from her Boss, she proceeded to give him the message.

“Pardon me, sir, but we’ve just received a wire from our informants over near Meteor Falls.”

Archie snatched the letter from her hand and began to read; his eyes moved quickly from word to word. After a minute or two, his face went completely red; he jumped off the examining table.

“Those darn Magmas!” Archie yelled as he crumpled the letter in his hands and threw it to the floor. “That meddling fool, Maxie, heard about that ‘Kanto boy’ who did this to me! Now, he’s looking for the kid, too!!!”

“I don’t believe it!” the girl exclaimed in a shocked voice, “What could Team Magma possibly want with him?”

Archie didn’t need that much time to think of a reason. “Isn’t it obvious? Maxie’s always been interfering with my plans to expand the oceans. If he finds that kid before we do, he’ll use the brat’s powers to bring Team Aqua down for good!”

The two onlookers gasped: was Team Aqua really in that much danger?

“Kit,” he ordered the girl, “Send an alert to our bases around the region: tell them to find that boy and have him brought to me the instant he’s caught! Is that clear?!”

With a stiff salute, Kit ran right out the infirmary door to complete her task.

Meanwhile…

“You’re not too tired, are you, Coral?” Ash asked the little Corsola, who was pulling the raft alongside Croconaw.

She turned around and smiled at him, “No, I feel fine now---thanks to you and your friends.”

“Oh, sure,” Croconaw cut in sarcastically, “don’t worry about how I’m doing. After all, I’m just the guy who’s getting soggy for the rest of ya.”

Ash laughed at Croconaw’s statement; the poor little guy had been working his scales off to get his friends to the nearest town, so he really deserved some praise---if not a little sympathy.

“How are you doing, buddy?” Ash asked.

“Never better,” was the proud reply, “never better.”

Meganium had been sunbathing near the starboard side of the raft while this was going on. She lifted her head and smirked at the blue crocodile.

“Has it ever occurred to you that Coral and her trainer are our guests? He’s only trying to show a little courtesy; perhaps you should get off your high-horse and do the same.”

Croconaw sent her an annoyed look, “Watch it, you overgrown weed; at least I’m not the one lazing about in the sun like a Snorlax after lunch.”

“Will you two quit it?” Ash abruptly interrupted, “You’re gonna wake up Kikyo.”

He then turned around to look at the little 9-year-old girl, who was all nicely tucked in and sleeping soundly in the seashell bed. No one could blame her for being so tired; Kikyo had been through such a terrible ordeal---not to mention she missed her family very much. Ash had put her in the bed the moment she fell asleep in his arms.

Mewtwo sat wide awake a few inches away, wrapped up in Ash’s old baby blanket, staring at the open ocean. It was such a beautiful and tranquil scene; the soft churning waves glittered with the bright light of the morning sunshine. Flocks of Wingulls were circling over the water a few meters away---some were diving underwater to catch fish. Mewtwo was so preoccupied that he almost didn’t notice Ash walk up and sit down next to him.

“Nice day, isn’t it?” Ash asked.

“Yes, it is,” Mewtwo agreed, “The sea is so peaceful at this time; if the good weather continues, then we should have no trouble getting this child home.”

Ash nodded as he thought about Kikyo; she was so bright-eyed and hopeful, and she was working so hard to become an ama like her mother and grandmother.

“It’s kind of hard to believe,” Ash finally said, “but I used to be just like her.”

Mewtwo turned to Ash, wearing a curious look on his face, “Hmm?”

“When I first started my Pokémon journey, nothing else mattered to me except becoming a great Pokémon Trainer like my dad; he was so good at it, and I thought some of his skills had rubbed off on me. Imagine the wake-up call I got finding out how much I stunk at it.”

Mewtwo’s mouth quickly curled into an amused grin; ever since he first met Ash, it was easy to tell that the human boy did not have that much knowledge about training Pokémon (which was obvious from the way his Charizard refused to listen to its master’s orders).

“Still,” he pointed out, “you have managed to improve your skills---and learn many new ones---these past three years; especially with all of the tournaments you have participated in.”

“You’re right about that,” Ash replied as he continued to gaze at the Wingulls flying over the churning foam. There was a momentary pause as he watched them glide gracefully through the air.

“I have been meaning to ask you,” Mewtwo said, breaking the silence, “how did you know that this child was an ama?”

Ash looked at his friend, and gave a soft chuckle. “Oh, that’s easy: because my grandma was one.

“My mom and I always used to go visit her and Grandpa in Vermilion City every summer. There were some days when they would take us out on the boat so we could watch her dive.

“I remember that Grandma kept a basket floating on top of the water (it was always tied to the boat). She would dive deep underwater for up to five minutes, and bring up all kinds of cool stuff: oysters, clams, and lots of different kaisou---that’s what she used to call seaweed. There was this one kind of brown seaweed---called Nori; she always used it to make her best sushi and rice balls.

“It was really hard for all of us after she died five years ago---especially for Grandpa. Grandma being an ama was what made his fishing business so famous, but he missed her so much---and business got so bad during that time, it was like he didn’t want to go on anymore. So, he sold everything he had, including Grandma’s fishing boat, and moved east; we never heard from him after that.” Ash’s expression had turned sad as he talked; it was like everyone he’d ever known and loved was leaving. Still, for some unknown reason, he was unable to cry this time.

Mewtwo softly put a hand on Ash’s shoulder, “I don’t know what it is like to lose a family member---from being born in a lab myself---but I’m sure it must have been extremely difficult for you.”

The two of them just sat there, looking into each other’s eyes for what seemed like hours. It seemed so unreal: how could two completely different living beings---who had both lived through terrible ordeals in the past---find pleasure in discussing such things that only one of them fully understood? Then again, Ash supposed that Mewtwo had a great desire to be part of a real family; with a mother, a father, maybe a brother or two…

“Yo, Ash!” Croconaw suddenly broke in, disrupting Ash’s train of thought.

He immediately looked at the little reptile, “What’s the matter, Croconaw?”

“I just had an idea…” he began to say, smiling.

“Well, what do you know?!” Meganium crowed, “The muscle-head finally got an idea! Let’s declare a national holiday!”

Croconaw glared at her, “Very funny,” but then returned focus to his trainer, “Anyway, I was thinking; those Wingulls over there know this area pretty good, right? So, maybe one of them could give us some directions to this Pacifier Town…or whatever it’s called…”

“That’s Pacifidlog Town,” Ash corrected him, “and that sounds like a great idea!”

With that, Ash stood up, walked over to the front end of the raft, cupped both hands around his mouth, and called out to the group of seabirds:

“Excuse me, could any of you help us?!”

A large number of the Wingulls took no notice of Ash’s pleas and simply continued their feeding. Those who did listen only gave a quick glance at the castaways before resuming their normal routine.

“I’m sorry to bother you all,” Ash implored, “but we really need some help: do any of you know the way to Pacifidlog Town? Please, we have to get this Corsola and her trainer home.”

Ash was devastated when neither of the flying creatures responded, and he was just about to tell Croconaw to keep moving. But then, a fairly large Wingull flew over, and made a few circles in the air around the raft before setting down at his feet (Ash guessed by its size that this bird could’ve been the leader of the flock).

“Hey there, yall,” she answered (the travelers couldn’t help but notice the southern accent in her voice), “I happened to overhear your lil’ old dilemma; you’re looking for that floating town, right, hon?”

“Yeah, we are!” Ash exclaimed happily, “Do you know the way?”

“I sure do, honey: yall just keep goin’ in this direction for a few more minutes and you should see it straight ahead---you’ll know it because the houses all look like lil’ old huts.”

Coral couldn’t contain the happiness she felt at that moment. “It’s not far at all,” she squealed.

“And you and Kikyo are going to be there soon, Coral,” Pikachu announced.

“I can hardly wait!” Coral suddenly had an idea, and managed to stop the Wingull just as she was taking off.

“Excuse me, but would you also happen to know where Rainbow Valley is?”

Wingull hovered in midair as she stared at Coral with a puzzled expression.

“Rainbow Valley? Hmm…sorry, I don’t rightly know, suga.”

Ash was pleasantly surprised to hear Coral ask that question, but Wingull’s negative answer had dampened his newly raised spirits.

“Oh…” he said, clearly disappointed.

“But, you know,” Wingull added, smiling, “I heard that there’s an old human lady who lives in that lil’ floating town; she knows about an even older Pokémon who can tell you anything you want to know. If yall meet this fine lady, I’m sure you can get the info you’re looking for.”

Ash seemed to cheer up a bit. “Thank you very much. Good-bye, Wingull!”

“Good luck. Yall take care of yourselves now.”

“We will,” Ash replied. The entire party waved good-bye as the seabird took off with the rest of her flock. Once they were out of sight, Ash immediately began taking charge of the situation.

“Okay, Croconaw, Coral,” he said, point straight ahead, “full speed ahead for Pacifidlog Town!”

“Aye aye, sir!” Croconaw answered as he and the Corsola started swimming faster; the raft was now on direct course for its destination.

Still, Ash couldn’t help wondering: exactly what kind of old Pokémon was Wingull talking about?

mr_pikachu

12th March 2004, 07:19 PM

*gospel music plays in background* Lordy, Lordy! It's a miracle! My old friend ZeldaFan's got a new chapter out! Ain't it something? And just when I got back to the forum, too! Oh, what a pleasant surprise!

[/old lady accent]

Erhem... anyway, this was good. It gave us some definite insights into the future of this fic, and also a nice little cliffhanger thingy... what exactly is this super-old Pokemon? I've got a guess, but I won't spoil it! :D

My only criticism is on the early part of this chapter, which frequently had present tense for the descriptions of the Team Aqua hideout. Remember, even descriptions like those should be in past tense. Otherwise, though, this was good. It was nice to have some reminders of the current events in the fic, especially after so long without a chapter. Nice job of incorporating those things. :yes:

Well, what else can I say? Good job, I can't wait till the next chapter, and where the heck are David and Aurora?!?! :o

mistysakura

12th March 2004, 08:27 PM

Yay, finally a new chapter!

Yeah, this was a bit of a filler, but character development's good. Ash and Mewtwo's bond is becoming more developed... The description of the inside of the cave in paragraph 4 was really good, as it brought out the secretive and busy feel of the place. It's cool how the plot is emerging. But I agree with mr_pikachu that it should have been in the present tense; one of those quirky rules of writing I've never understood (it's not like the cave changes overnight...), but yeah. Some hints of Aurora and David's location would also have kept up the suspense a bit more.

That's about it, keep it up! Hope you're less busy soon!

ZeldaFan20

12th March 2004, 08:48 PM

Okay, I managed to fix that grammatical error, so it should seem a little better.

And for crying out loud, mr_pikachu, you make it sound like I'd woken up from the dead or something [*laughs*]...oh, I'm just joking :D.

Don't worry though, I may drop a few small hints about Davie and Aurora in the next couple of chapters, but---like the guy two blocks up said: I won't spoil it!

Stay tuned!

mr_pikachu

12th March 2004, 09:40 PM

He's a turd... he's vain... he's Super Criticism Man, here to yell at you about your present tense again! :rolleyes: Okay, not really. But I still noticed an instance of present tense...

Even though the city residence say that this cave was a natural formation, a dark secret lurked within its depths…

It starts in present tense and ends in past tense. That's one complex sentence. ;)

Still, I've got to give you a LOT of credit for going back and editing your fic; it's more than a lot of writers are willing to do. Anyway, good job once again, and by all means, keep it up! :yes:

ZeldaFan20

31st March 2004, 06:38 PM

Wow, now I'm trying to juggle TWO stories! I hope I'll make it through both in one piece---seeing as how many other writers manage to do it :D.

I did manage to fix that other error, but I'll probably scream if anything else was missed... Still, I'll try to get the next chapter (both for this story and the other one) up as soon as possible.

Thanks for your support, guys! See ya later!

mr_pikachu

31st March 2004, 11:32 PM

You think that's bad? I'm juggling THREE fanfics now! Okay, so only two of them are on TPM... er... the "new" TPM... but still! That's three fanfics at once! I'll die! :o

And before you ask, the reason I'm not posting it here is because it has nothing whatsoever to do with Pokemon, and I don't what to clog up our forums. If anyone would still like the link to it, you can PM me, but I'm not going to post it here. See ya! :wave:

P.S. Yeah, I figured you just didn't notice that. I knew you wouldn't intentionally make a sentence like that, because... well, it's wrong. Good work fixing it, it looks fine now. :yes:

EDIT: Er... disregard the thing about the "new" TPM... I take things too seriously when I don't realize it's April 1st HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD!! *curses whoever came up with the idea*

Lady Dragonrider

1st April 2004, 01:19 PM

My friend Uozumi Starwind is juggling lots of fics around at once and always complains about it as we walk home from school...i can't imagine it can be easy. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll get through it :) .

ZeldaFan20

18th April 2004, 07:24 PM

Whew! Sorry I'm so late--don't ask why, I go crazy making excuses :nut:. I got this chapter done pretty fast, so if any of you feel that something's amiss---or if anything's lacking---just say so, and I'll be glad to make it better; my main objective is to keep my readers satisfied.

So, without further ado [*raises curtain*]...

CHAPTER 22

The slowly ticking minutes seemed to feel like hours as the raft kept trudging on, carrying its crew to their intended destination. A warm breeze blew over, giving some relief after the frigidness of that morning’s storm.

While they continued to tow their heavy load, Coral and Croconaw managed to keep themselves occupied by talking about all the different Water Pokémon that lived in both Johto and Hoenn. Right now, the tough-acting crocodile was in the middle of a climactic story from Ash’s journey through the Johto region:

“I’m tellin’ ya,” Croconaw was saying, “the way that Lugia trashed that underwater Rocket lab---and scared the pants off all those creeps---be thankful you weren’t there to see it! Seriously, a Lugia that mad could probably take out about fifty Mewtwos in one blast!!!”

“Perhaps…” Coral replied thoughtfully, “but I doubt that she would ever stand up to the great Sea Guardian, Kyogre. According to legend, Kyogre could not only control the oceans---she could also bring raging storms…especially thunderstorms!”

Ash, in the meantime, was far too preoccupied to hear what his friends were saying: Mewtwo let out a loud grunt as another sharp pain entered his chest, and Ash was anxious to get him back into bed. Those Pokémon who couldn’t make the swim with the two Water-types were more than willing to help. Pikachu spread the old baby blanket out a few feet away. Meganium used her Vine Whip to carefully move the still-sleeping Kikyo from the bed to the blanket. Eevee and Quilava made themselves useful by snuggling up next to the young girl, in order to keep her warm.

Because no one knew what the strange appendage (the one that connected the mutated Pokémon’s head to his back) was supposed to be used for, getting Mewtwo comfortable proved to be a bit of a problem. After finally settling him on his right side, Ash covered the poor creature up to the chin, and sat down by the edge of the bed.

Ash was getting desperate: he knew the situation was getting worse, but it would’ve helped if he’d known how long Mewtwo’s pain had been going on! When did he get this PokéRus? How did he get it? Where did he pick it up? These questions ran through everybody’s minds, but they knew that the only way to answer them was to get Mewtwo to a Pokémon Center…and fast!

“Umm…Coral,” Ash said after making sure Kikyo was still asleep, “does Pacifidlog Town have a Pokémon Center?” He crossed his fingers, but tried not to get his hopes up.

Coral turned to Ash and giggled, “As a matter of fact, it does! The Pokémon Center is pretty easy to find---especially since it’s the only modern building in the whole town.”

The trainer’s face beamed when he heard that. “Great! Let’s just hope that Nurse Joy will be able to do something for our friend here.”

“Hooooold it, stop the parade!” Croconaw abruptly stopped swimming, causing the raft to come to a halt. Everyone who was awake lifted their heads to see what was going on.

“Hey, Croconaw, why’d you stop?” Ash asked.

Croconaw jumped onto the raft and looked at his human with concerned eyes. “We’ve got another problem to deal with before we reach town.”

“Another problem?” Meganium droned, “What is it this time?”

“How are we gonna get this guy into the Pokémon Center without causing a human stampede?”

All eyes instantly grew larger than Poké Balls. The blue crocodile actually made a very good point: Mewtwo had never been introduced to humans before---well, maybe to only a few, but not to the entire world! If they were ever going to help their genetic pal find a cure, they first needed to find a way to keep him out of people’s faces. After all, the last thing any of them wanted was to cause any kind of worldwide pandemonium!

“Oh man, I forgot about that!” Ash exclaimed in dismay, “What are we gonna do?”

Everyone was silent for a long time as they wracked their brains to think of a way to smuggle Mewtwo within the Town’s boundaries. Because of the coming autumn, keeping him out on the raft until nightfall would be out of the question. It was unclear if he could make himself invisible---and if so, he was far too ill and weak to work any kind of Psychic power.

It was then that Pikachu came up with an idea:

“How about a disguise?”

“HUH?” they all inquired together.

“Sure, we’ll make Mewtwo a disguise!” Pikachu then turned his grinning face to Ash, “Take your hospital pajamas out of your backpack.”

Ash was greatly perplexed by his partner’s plan, “My pajamas?”

Pikachu gave a quick wink, “Trust me.”

Tucked within the sub-tropical boundaries of the Hoenn region dwelt the quaint little village of Pacifidlog Town.

Built above a reef of colonized Corsola many years ago, this small village has been home to a variety of Water Pokémon since before its erection. Fishing boats, motorboats, and canoes of all shapes and sizes sailed around its waters, as the fishermen who manned them used techniques passed on by their ancestors to provide food for their families---as well as the fish markets. There were also a great many women, young and old, who swam alongside these boats. Dressed entirely in white garments, their faces painted white to protect against the cold waters, these brave women dove beneath the waves for minutes at a time, bringing up many different types of shellfish and kaisou.

One of these fishing boats, however, remained silently afloat upon the clear waters near the small house to which it was securely tied. The only person on board was a young woman, who was eagerly skimming her eyes across the great mass of swimmers. The lady’s clothes were also white, and her long black hair was done up in a tight bun on top of her head, but her greatly distressed face had not been painted yet. She continuously watched the fishermen as they hurled their nets into the water, unable to located whatever it was she sought.

Another woman boarded the boat two minutes later. Although dressed in the same fashion, it was clear from her wrinkled face and white hair that she was several years older than the other---and she also seemed much calmer by her cheerful smile.

“I see that you have not protected your face yet, Migumi,” the old woman said gently, “We must be entirely ready for the day’s work.”

The younger woman turned her head. “I can’t help it, Mother,” she replied, “It’s not like her to go out on her own---and without leaving a word.”

“Be of good cheer, my daughter; perhaps she is off playing among the Corsola again---this is not the first time she has been late to begin the gathering.”

“What if she was caught in the storm this morning?” Migumi cried, “The water is very dangerous during such times! I hope she didn’t…”

The old woman walked over and laid a hand on her daughter’s shoulder, “Dear one, our child is in no danger; she is under the watchful eyes of the great Sky Spirit.” She then raised both eyes to the blue firmament above, “For many generations, he has smiled upon our people, and we have prospered under his protection. I assure you, no harm has come to her. Now, prepare yourself; the day’s work begins.”

“*sigh*…Yes, Mother………wait, what’s that?”

Migumi had spotted a strange object drifting on the current in the direction of town. As it got closer, the two women were able to make out a very large raft, manned by at least eight figures. What surprised them even more was that three of the figures looked to be just children---the rest were definitely Pokémon. Neither could explain why, but this strange spectacle brought a strong feeling of hope to their hearts.

Croconaw and Coral had just reached the edge of town when Kikyo finally woke up. She gave a wide yawn, rubbed her sleepy eyes, and looked around. Being born near the ocean, she was not alarmed at hearing the breaking of waves or the screeching of Wingulls. What she did notice was that Eevee and Quilava were looking into her face with their own cute eyes. Even though not fully awake yet, Kikyo still managed to smile, and gave them each a cheerful scratch behind the ears.

Ash knew the small girl was still half-asleep, so he wasn’t surprised that she didn’t started jumping up and down happily at the sight of her home town. He took a quick look over at the bed---Mewtwo had been completely covered up, in case any onlookers came near them---before turning back to the child.

“’Morning, Kikyo,” Ash said, “Did you sleep good?”

Kikyo gave another yawn, “Uh-huh.”

“Great, because we made it---you’re home.”

With a loud gasp, the girl looked sharply at the scene where Ash was pointing. She recognized everything: the boats, the small wooden houses floating on the water, dozens of other amas doing their morning fishing, Water Pokémon swimming alongside them. It was almost like waking up from a bad dream and finding yourself living the same life in the same world---only, this time, with a much more pleasant perspective. Her happiness only grew when she spotted two familiar faces directly across from the raft.

“Look, look, I see my mommy! And Grammy’s there, too!” She and the Corsola both laughed with glee and started waving to them, “Mommy! Grammy!”

“Croconaw…” Ash began.

“I’m way ahead of ya!” the Pokémon interrupted as he clamped his razor sharp teeth down on the rope that held Coral. Ash picked up the severed end and handed it to Kikyo, who promptly tied it around her waist.

“Are you sure you’ll be able to swim over there?” Ash asked uneasily.

“Uh-huh, Mommy and Grammy taught me to swim when I was big enough to crawl. I still can’t swim in very deep water by myself, so Coral comes with me……Hey, why don’t you and your friends come with us? I know my family will like you, and Grammy’s knows everything; maybe she’ll tell you where Rainbow Valley is.”

The Pokémon squealed with delight as Kikyo finished talking, but Ash just shook his head at her offer.

“Thanks, kiddo, but I have to get these guys to the Pokémon Center. We’ve been sailing for a while, and they really need to be checked out.”

“Oh, okay,” she said, pointing to the central area of town, “It’s the pretty white building with the red roof.” Kikyo then jumped straight into the cold salty water.

Ash, Pikachu, and the others waved as they watched their new friends swim away through the foamy waves. On the other side they saw a woman jump in also, and swim quickly towards them.

“Bye, Kikyo!” Ash called.

“Take care of her, Coral,” Pikachu chirped.

“Come on,” Croconaw grunted, “let’s get to that Pokémon Center quick before anyone gets a good look at us!” He then gave a mighty heave, and steered the raft to the center of town.

As they pulled away, Ash couldn’t help but take one look over his shoulder. The young woman had reached Kikyo, and scooped her up in her arms right away. Both of them, as well as Coral, were crying happy tears at the realization that they were together again. It was a beautiful scene, but for Ash, it was also heartbreaking.

Memories of the fading summer flooded his mind: the moon shining over his hometown, a cliff overlooking a winding path, and a tall figure walking out of the forest below. How could anyone forget such a moment: those strong arms encircling your entire body, that warm loving kiss upon your cheek, the night-chilled face nuzzling the top of your head… The more Ash thought about it, the sadder he became. No tears emerged this time, though---it was as if his eyes had done all the crying they could during the past few weeks. Even then he wondered if he would ever be able to cry again.

*SWISH*, DING!

Nurse Joy looked up as the sound of the Pokémon Center’s electronic doors opening echoed across the room. It was a slow morning and no one was around in the main lobby, so she didn’t expect anything majorly surprising that day. Then again, everyday brought new challenges as Trainers from all over the region came in to heal their Pokémon and rest up. What she saw today, however, left her completely bewildered:

A young black-haired boy, wearing a black shirt and jeans, entered the building. He, as well as the five Pokémon surrounding him, was leading an oddly dressed figure through the door---and I do mean odd: the thin white pants looked to be too small for his lower body. Both the white shirt and the blue short-sleeved jacket were slipping off one of his incredibly thin shoulders, and he appeared to have a high lump on his back. Even the red-and-white cap didn’t look like it was fitted properly either; most of the front was lowered too far, as if to hide the face.

Ash examined every inch of the room from where he stood. Finding that only Nurse Joy was around, he ushered them all to the small couch on his right. Joy walked over to the newcomers as they all helped the strange figure to sit down, eager to offer any assistance she could.

“Welcome to the Pacifidlog Town Pokémon Center,” she said in her usual pleasant voice, “Do you want me to look at your Pokémon?”

Instead of answering right away, Ash looked at her for a while. Would he really be doing the right thing by showing his sick friend to her? True, she was dedicated to taking care of every Pokémon that came to this Center, but she’d never seen…

“Excuse me, Nurse Joy,” Ash said nervously, “there’s one Pokémon here who needs help. Could you do something?”

“I’ll certainly do my best,” she replied, still unaware of what was troubling the boy. She then bent over the other five creatures, “Now, which one is it: your Pikachu, Meganium, your Eevee perhaps?”

Ash took a deep breath as he removed the odd figure’s clothing, revealing its true form: “This one.”

Nurse Joy looked up from the anxious herd to examine the patient. However, when she saw the pale, partially thin, misshapen form of Mewtwo, the poor girl could hardly speak! To her, this was a Pokémon unlike any known to man---he didn’t even look like a Pokémon! Joy tried very hard not to lose her composure at the sight of this deformed creature, but then she noticed the look of sheer agony in his pale face.

“Please, Nurse Joy,” Ash begged, “Mewtwo’s got some kind of virus, and it’s getting worse: he can’t breathe right, he has chest pains…we really need your help.”

“Mewtwo?” she stammered, returning focus to Ash, “Is that it’s name? I…I’ve never seen a Pokémon like it before…I…don’t…know…”

Ash sprang up and looked her in the eyes, “Please…I don’t want him to die.”

Before she could say another word, Joy observed the expression in Ash’s countenance. His brow and lineaments were furrowed with serious resolve, but his eyes also bore the marks of sadness and desperation. It was clear as crystal that this boy would give anything to preserve this forsaken creature’s life---perhaps even give up his own.

She sighed deeply, and laid her hands on his shoulders, “Considering this particular case, I can’t promise you much…” she said softly, “but I will promise to do everything in my power to help.” With that, she turned around, and gave a loud whistle, “*TWEET!* Chansey, Blissey, get the stretcher; we need to get this Pokémon to the ER, STAT!”

Almost immediately, two large pink egg-shaped Pokémon came into the lobby, pushing a long stretcher. With Ash’s help, they managed to lay Mewtwo on it face down. While Nurse Joy fastened the straps, the frightened teenager leaned over and whispered into his ear,

“Just hang in there, buddy; we’re going to do all we can.” He straightened up, catching the girl’s attention, “If you need me for anything…”

With that same gentle smile, Joy took his hand and nodded, “Don’t worry; if there’s a need, I’ll call you.” She then looked at Blissey as Mewtwo was being rolled away, “You stay and guard the fort until I get back.”

“You can count on me,” Ash heard Blissey say.

In that instant, time seemed to slow down once again. Ash watched as Nurse Joy and Chansey pushed Mewtwo through the ER doors. A lock clicked, and the red light flashed on. Blissey began ushering Pikachu and the others to the back of the room for their check-ups.

Before disappearing from the room themselves, they turned to gaze at their friend. He slowly sank back down on the couch, and wiped his face with his hands. All that everybody could do now was the one thing in the whole world anyone hated to do…………wait.

Lady Dragonrider

19th April 2004, 03:03 PM

Exiting stuff ^_^. I really hope Mewtwo makes it, he's one of my favorite characters.

mistysakura

20th April 2004, 06:33 AM

Yay, good chapter. Better than your last. The emotions when Kikyo returned to her family and when Ash presented Mewtwo to Nurse Joy were handled well. I hope Mewtwo makes it... but who knows what will happen next?
Good job.

Crystalmaster Mike

21st April 2004, 02:48 PM

I do hope Kikyo isn't going to start spreading stories about the strange persons she was with on the 'boat'...

BTW, Mewtwo and pants? :scared: Like, where's his tail?

And Ash, sheesh. He's become a strong, experienced person, hasn't he? Nurse Joy noticed it too.

Lady Dragonrider

23rd April 2004, 09:05 PM

._. The characters (as in, lettters) seem to be a little messed up...

mr_pikachu

24th April 2004, 03:49 AM

First of all, good chapter. I apologize for not replying to it sooner, but you can read my explanation in Evil's Awakening if you want to hear it. As ms said, the emotions were handled nicely, as were the reunion and *laughs* covert operation... I'm still laughing over the "disguise"!

Secondly, in response to Lady Dragonrider's comment... yeah, I know. Right now, some of the features in the forum have been changed. From what I've heard, the normal European English setting was changed to Unicode. (For non-programmers, all that means is that the programming language, which is this case shows the text on the forum, was changed to Unicode. Unicode incorporates many different societal languages, but doesn't have all the same characters as European English.) Apparently, even the punctuation's been messed up. Or maybe that's just my computer. :P But anyway, that's what's going on, from what I heard from Dragonfree. Thankfully, Dragonfree's going to complain to the mods and admins. Let's see how long it takes for something to be done...

*starts stopwatch*

Seriously, though, it's wreaked havoc on Fanfic. Pretty much every fic is in utter shambles due to the change. It may be awhile before things are back to normal, but hopefully the admins will take quick action to correct this problem. Have faith, guys! :yes:

Anyway, once again, great chapter! I look forward to your next one! :wave:

ZeldaFan20

24th April 2004, 12:19 PM

Yeah, I noticed that too! It's awful, I had to re-edit all of Pokémon: Evil's Awakening---and that took almost an hour! I can only imagine how long it will take to fix this story :eek:! I just hope that something gets done soon...or I'm gonna have to complain!

Getting back to the story here, I'm currently working on the next installment, and I hope to have it finished by next week. I'll be in touch.

ZeldaFan20

22nd August 2004, 11:34 AM

Aw man, not again! I had nearly half of the next chapter written down and saved on my floppy, but then my little sister got into my disks---all of them---and wrecked them...including the disk with my story!

I guess it serves me right for leaving them where she can reach, but now I have to rewrite all of what i had written so far...from scratch! Can you believe the rotten luck?

Oh well, might as well get started. I hope you guys aren't getting too impatient...

mr_pikachu

24th August 2004, 04:44 PM

What do you mean your rotten luck? What about the rest of us, the people who have been waiting for... *checks thread* ...over four months for a new chapter! The rotten luck belongs to us, not you! Heck, even I can get chapters up faster than this! ;)

Anyway, I hope our luck turns around, because I'm still curious as to what will happen next. Keep writing, and PROTECT YOUR DATA, DANGIT! :mad2:

ZeldaFan20

28th October 2004, 10:15 PM

*Breathes huge sigh of relief* Phew! Finally, I manage to finish the chapter! I oughtta kick myself for leaving you all to wait so long, but--like I said---it's been that kind of time. Anyway, I hope you won't chastise me before reading this; but any suggestions to grammer, spelling, and all that other stuff is more than welcome. Enjoy...I hope :sweat2:.

CHAPTER 23

“I can’t believe we actually let that kid slip away again,” Jessie growled as she and her two comrades steered their sub farther and farther west.

James let out a dull sigh, “I can; it’s always been the same since he and his friends first came into the picture: we see each other, we demand his Pikachu, they fight back, and it’s us who end up getting blasted off.”

“Only dis time, it’s da twoip who’s gone and blasted himself off,” Meowth reminded them, “And, since we promised the Bo…err…his old man that we’d find da kid, we’ve got even more chasin’ to do dan before.”

“Not for long we don’t,” Jessie said, “as soon as we pull into port, we’re calling the police…and the ‘old man’. Where’s the next town, James?”

“Hang on, let me check,” James mumbled as he spread out the large map of Hoenn he’d recently bought and skimmed over it. “According to this, the nearest location is Pacifidlog Town---a small fishing town that’s a favorite among the ama community.”

“Da who?” Meowth asked

Jessie frowned, “They’re women who dive for fish instead of using fishing poles. How far is it?”

Looking at the map again, James made a face, “Well…that’s the bad news: at this speed, it will take us nearly a couple of days to get there.”

“Then let’s not waste any more time, and pedal faster.”

With low groans, the two males followed Jessie’s command and began pedaling the sub harder, but it would still be a while before they reached their next destination.

It wasn’t until a little later in the day when Blissey led Pikachu and the others back into the waiting room. There were still no people coming in yet that day, so it was a little more relaxing than usual.

“There are still some things I need to take care of here,” Blissey said, “Why don’t you go keep your friend company?”

All five Pokémon agreed and walked over to the couch near the front door. They discovered Ash lying asleep upon the soft upholstery and guessed that there’d still been no news about Mewtwo. They looked over at the ER door; sure enough, the red light was still burning brightly, indicating that Nurse Joy and Chansey were definitely still working on their sick comrade.

Croconaw gave a loud yawn; “Hooooo-huum, no wonder the poor guy conked out; how much longer is this gonna take?”

“Give Nurse Joy a break,” Quilava said softly, “she’s never seen any Pokémon like Mewtwo before. Maybe she’s examining him to find out more about him.”

“He’s a large cat with Psychic powers; what else is there to know?”

Meganium suddenly stepped in, “Funny, I hear people call you a fat, flabby lizard who’s part fire extinguisher. What’s your point?”

“Knock if off, you guys,” Pikachu interrupted, “Let’s not wake up Ash; he’s been sleeping badly since we left the island.”

Everyone instantly grew quiet upon hearing this. They all knew that riding a raft over choppy water at night wasn’t exactly like sleeping on a cloud---in fact, Eevee had woken up one night while they were sailing due to seasickness. The combination of the voyage, being taken from his family, all of his troubles during the past summer and worrying about Mewtwo had completely driven the poor boy to exhaustion.

As they continued to gaze upon their sleeping trainer, the front doors suddenly slid open, causing the Pokémon to nearly jump out of their skins. However, they were quite surprised to see little Kikyo walk into the building, leading two older women inside by the hands.

“He’s in here, Mommy,” she told the woman on her left, “I heard him say he was coming here.”

“Are you sure, dear?” the younger woman asked, “I don’t see anyone.”

The elderly woman on Kikyo’s right spotted the small herd surrounding Ash and smiled.

“I believe I do, Migumi,” she said gently, gesturing with her head in the direction of the sofa, “However, I think it best to let him sleep undisturbed. Let us wait a little until he awakens.”

The three newcomers made their way to the opposite end of the room, where four chairs stood around a small table covered in magazines. Migumi picked one up after sitting down and flipped through the pages. Right across the table, her mother took a small white shirt out of a straw basket she was carrying and began to sew. While the two women were occupied, they occasionally looked up to check on Kikyo, who was happily playing on the floor with Pikachu and the other Pokémon.

Nearly half an hour later, Ash slowly sat up on the couch. After stretching out his arms and giving a big yawn, he started searching the room for his friends.

“Hey, Kikyo,” Ash greeted sleepily when he saw the little girl, “What are you doing here?”

Kikyo jumped up onto the couch, giggling happily. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a squeeze.

“Ash, you’re here!”

“I’m glad to see you, too, kiddo,” Ash choked, “but…I can’t breathe!” The minute he was released, Ash rubbed his aching throat, “Gee, she’s got a good grip for such a little kid,” he thought silently.

Still smiling, Kikyo suddenly grabbed Ash’s hand, and pulled him to his feet.

“C’mon,” she urged him, “I brought Mommy and Grammy here to meet you, but you were sleeping. They’re right over there,” pointing over to where the two women sat watching them, she ran over to them with Ash in tow.

A short while ago, Ash had guessed that Kikyo’s family held a firm belief in Japanese customs. Upon reaching the two women, he gave a low bow to them. Migumi and her mother smiled; they stood up, and bowed in response.

Kikyo darted in between her two family members, and immediately began introducing them;

“This is my mommy, Migumi Yamamoto; and this is my grammy---we call her Kiki.”

“Hello,” Ash said, “My name’s Ash.”

Migumi walked up and took both of Ash’s hands into hers.

“I want to thank you,” she said, tears forming in her eyes, “for bringing my daughter and her Pokémon home safely. I don’t know what I would have done if I lost her.”

Ash blushed slightly, “Actually, Mrs. Yamamoto, it wasn’t just me who helped her; my Pokémon all helped.” He then looked over to the small herd; each creature chirped proudly in response.

Later, Blissey brought the four humans a snack of tea and sweet cakes, and gave the Pokémon some PokéChow. While they ate and drank, Ash (unwilling to tell his new friends the real story) explained that he had just started traveling around the Hoenn region with his brother, David, and his girlfriend, Aurora, until he’d recently gotten separated from them. Kikyo and the two women shook their heads when Ash showed them pictures of his comrades, which he’d taken during the voyage to Lilycove City.

“I’m sorry you have gotten separated from your friends,” Migumi said sorrowfully, “but I’m afraid we haven’t seen anyone like them in our village.”

Ash couldn’t help but feel disappointed; he’d really hoped to find David and Aurora in this small town. “Talk about getting your hopes up,” he mumbled under his breath.

“That is not entirely the whole story, is it, young man?” Kiki asked solemnly.

Ash jumped; did Kiki know that he wasn’t telling the truth about why he was in Hoenn? Was she some sort of psychic? Or did she just have a way of knowing these things?

The young Trainer tried not to look scared, but the old woman was staring hard at him, as if she were trying to look deep into his mind. Finally, Kiki put her sewing away, stood up slowly, and began to walk towards him.

“Perhaps it would be better if we talked privately,” she said, before turning to her family, “Why don’t the rest of you remain here and get acquainted while I have a word with our young friend?”

The old woman put a hand on Ash's shoulder after he stood up, and the two started walking toward the far end of the room. Pikachu and the others could only stare after them with both confused and worried faces, until Kikyo suddenly sat down among them. The small girl wore an excited grin as she scattered a variety of beautiful seashells on the floor. The Pokémon were instantly distracted by the shining, multi-colored treasures; mussels, oysters, quahogs, spiraled snail shells, and scallops. Migumi also watched as her daughter pointed out the different shells for the inquisitive creatures.

Kiki ushered the nervous boy to a corner and looked at him with kind, yet serious eyes. Ash tried hard to appear as if nothing was wrong, but it was plain to see that this woman could not be fooled so easily.

"You have been in terrible pain; the past trials of your journies must have seemed like nothing to most recent events, have they not, my boy?"

Ash was stunned; eventhough she didn't say it directly, he was sure that the old lady had guessed what he'd been through word-by-word. "But, this village is so far from the mainland," he thought silently, "how could these people know about me that fast?"

Kiki, as if reading Ash's mind, gave a light-hearted chuckle, "I do have a slight skill in fortune-telling, dear boy," she said, "but my knowledge is far from that of witchcraft." She dipped her hand into the sewing basket and held up a slip of paper. Upon closer inspection, Ash realized that it was a newspaper clipping, dated two days back. The headline read:

TERRORIZED TRAINER TURNS TAIL?

The story went on to describe the attack on the S.S.Coral, and the investigation surrounding Ash's own "kidnapping." The police were sure that Team Aqua had snuck into the hospital last week and abducted him in the middle of the night. The more Ash read, the more shocked he became; apparently, no one knew the truth as to why he'd gone missing: how he'd been taken to an island by a bunch of abandoned Pokémon for their lonely friend. The real kicker was a paragraph that announced David and Aurora's "vanishing act" from the CoveLily Hotel that same night. The two had disappeared without a trace, and the rest of his family and friends were devastated.

Ash leaned back against the wall and laid a hand on his forehead, completely overwhelmed by this kind of knowledge. Kiki watched him solemnly as the newspaper clipping was placed back into her basket.

"We may be far from the mainland," she said softly, "but communications here are hardly limited. Our little village still has all these new-fangled electronics: television, telephones, and all these other ridiculous things. Many of us, however, still thrive on the ways of life that our ancestors have lived on for years."

"Like the amas," Ash spoke up.

Kiki smiled and nodded, "Exactly, dear boy; my family has had a long-standing tradition of living off the sea, and we have always lived happily under the care of our Guardian."

Ash looked quizzically at the old woman, "Guardian? Who's that?"

Instead of answering, Kiki led Ash to the nearest window (one that looked right out onto the open ocean) and pointed slightly to the left.

The sun was slowly getting lower in the sky, and its color was growing a little bit darker. The two humans each had to place a hand over their eyes to block out the setting orb, but Ash was just able to make out a tall vertical black structure near the horizon. At first glance, Ash got the impression that it was some kind of radio tower, but something just didn't seem quite right about it. There were no lights, no docks for boats (and none of those, either), and---apparently---no cables. The building (if it was a building) was far taller than any tower he'd seen before. A large cluster of thick clouds concealed the very top, making the exact height unclear.

"The Pillar," Kiki whispered mysteriously. Ash gave a startled jump and quickly glanced in her direction.

"It is the resting place of the Great Sky Spirit himself...our Guardian."

Ash was stupified by the woman's strange behavior; and her latest remark of a guardian living somewhere close by made even less sense.

"Resting place...?" he asked nervously.

Kiki appeared to be lost in thought as she spoke; "For countless eons, the wise and noble Guardian sleeps upon his roost, at the peak of the Pillar---yet he watches all that happens within our world throughout his slumber. Legend has it that, for one day every one-hundred years, he will awaken, and fullfill the desires of the first mortal to stand before him.

This bit of information made Ash's heart skip a beat, but his hopeful thoughts were soon interrupted by the sound of the ER doors sliding open. Nurse Joy surveyed the room with weary eyes until she finally found the person she was seeking. Everyone who saw her clearly got the impression that whatever news she had wasn't exactly good.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," she said, walking up to the twosome at the window. "We need to talk privately...in the ER," she said to Ash.

With a lump in his throat and his heart pounding like a thousand drums, Ash excused himself from the old lady and slowly followed the exhausted nurse into the room. Pikachu and the other Pokémon quickly started to follow.

"No," Ash said, stopping them in their tracks, "You guys stay here until I get back."

All anyone could do now was watch as their friend disappeared behind the automatic door; the lock clicked behind him, and the light once more flashed on. The five four-legged creatures tried hard not to get their hopes up, but prayed that everything would come out alright.