To The Rainbow's End

[ZeldaFan20]

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 !



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 !

[mr_pikachu]

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! Until then!

[Ultra_Poke2000]

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]

mr_pikachu: Oh, Spell Check IS a good way to find mistakes---even when it doesn't detect some of them . 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]

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]

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! it was just something funny i though of at the time. neway, untill then!

[Crystalmaster Mike]

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]

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...

And that dream world was cool! But it seems awfully similar to something I've seen before somewhere... 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]

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!

(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]

Hey, guys; I'm back ! 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]

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]

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 ? Well, anyway, I'll try and get it up sometime tomorrow evening, so try to hang in there just a little longer.

[ZeldaFan20]

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]

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!

[ZeldaFan20]

Well, I adjusted that quote, and you're right---it DOES look better!! Yeah, it takes him THIS LONG to figure it out ; 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]

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!

[mr_pikachu]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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. neway, cya!

[ZeldaFan20]

[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]

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]

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]

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.

[ZeldaFan20]

[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]

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... Get a chapter out when you can! C'mon, you've gotta keep up with my fic! [/shameless advertising]

[ZeldaFan20]

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

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]

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]

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]

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? 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]

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]

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]

Actually, it was Ultra_Poke2000 who asked about the Shoal Shell. And thanks, IloveX-TINA, for confirming my mistake. 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]

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

[ZeldaFan20]

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 ...

Crystalmaster Mike: "A briefcase,"---what a riot. But no, that's not what the Giant shell is going to be used for . 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 .

[ZeldaFan20]

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]

*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]

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...

[ZeldaFan20]

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 ! 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.