I Needed You Forever.
Pokemon version by A*MON

Main characters: - Ash (16/18) Misty (17) Pikachu (?) Sabrina (18)

Professor Samuel Oak & Delilah Ketchum

Tracey & Brock (20)

***

Story re-cap: - After an argument with Misty, Ash disappeared without a trace, leaving only his Pokedex and a single pokeball with a lightning bolt inscribed on it at the very place he disappeared from. Misty and Mrs Ketchum, were worried Ash had gotten himself into trouble. Without a second thought, Misty went in search for her best friend. After 6 months of searching for him continually, Misty and Pikachu finally caught sight of him, only to find that he has matured to the age of 18?

Meanwhile, Tracey and Brock are in Pallet, along with Mrs Ketchum and her husband Professor Samuel Oak. (Delilah Ketchum kept her name for obvious reasons. Mostly due to Ash’s wishes for her to keep her name.)

Ash wakes up not remembering a thing and living with Sabrina, his long-term partner. He is now 18 years old and an art student at the local University in Saffron City…


Chapter 2: Reaching out with my Heart

Normal POV

~Present day~

Misty paced back and forth, listening to Tracey talk complete Porygon.

”Hold on a minute, Trace, what do you mean by ‘Sabrina’s world’?” Misty interrupted him and asked.

Tracey sighed and tried to explain things clearer for the confused looking red head and Pikachu on the other side of the videophone.

”Sabrina is a psychic, Misty; she also has been dead for nearly 25 years. At first, I was confused when you explained about your sightings of Ash, him being older and all and disappearing every time you caught up to him. Then I spoke to the Professor to see if he could help…”

~Flashback: Day before~

Samuel and Delilah walked hand in hand along the trail in Viridian Forest, headed toward the river that flowed under the cliff edge. Tracey followed closely not far behind, quietly pondering why he was invited to come along with the older couple to the edge of the forest. He felt uneasy when they reached the river. The whole place lit only with the moonlight, which gently reflected from the waters ripples making the place sparkle; even the waterfall that flowed down the rocks of the cliff had a certain magical glow. Trees blossomed with flowers and the odd nocturnal bug and grass type Pokemon hovered around the water’s edge.

The Professor was the first to break Tracey out of his observations.

”Sabrina…” He whispered quietly, letting go of Delilah’s hand and moving closer to the water’s edge. With his head lowered and back turned from both Tracey and Delilah, he continued to whisper. “Sabrina, you must have been so lonely.”

Delilah could sense her husband’s distress. She walked closer to him, reached out, and touched his shoulder. “Sam, what’s wrong?” she asked, concerned for him.

”Professor Oak?” Tracey asked, equally worried.

Samuel turned slowly and looked at his wife solemnly. “I know what’s happening to Ash,” he said, keeping his eyes locked onto Delilah’s.

Delilah looked back into his eyes. She felt betrayed in some way. He had kept this from her, and he knew Ash meant the world to her, so why would he do this? “What? I don’t understand, Sam. If you knew then why didn’t you tell me?” she asked in a soft voice.

”I’m sorry, Delilah, I only worked it out a few days ago myself. I overheard Tracey and Misty’s last conversation and figured it out then.”

Taken aback when he heard the Professor talking to Delilah, Tracey interrupted, anxious to find out more. “Professor, what’s happening to Ash? Do you know the girl he’s with?”

Samuel turned away from both of them again, staring out over the river before continuing to explain what he knew.

“Ash is being drawn into another world, farther away from us…”

”The girl he is with was my first wife. Her name was Sabrina. Sabrina had the most enchanting eyes I’ve ever seen, and I loved her a long time ago. She and I travelled from Island to Island learning about the magical creatures that inhabited this planet, Pokemon. As we travelled, I learned more and more of Sabrina’s remarkable link with psychic type Pokemon. However, although she was strong psychically, she was very weak physically. She had contracted a virus, and as we moved on, she became increasingly ill. Gravely ill…”


~Flashback: Past ~ Viridian River~

”Sabrina, please don’t leave me”, a young Samuel Oak sobbed into the girl in his arms’ chest.

Smiling up at his handsome features, she reached up and gently ran her fingers through his black hair. “Samuel, I will always be with you no matter what. My love forever,” she whispered while staring into his beautiful tear-filled brown eyes.

”Always.”

”Thank you, Samuel, thank you for everything,” Sabrina whispered, before closing her eyes to sleep forever in her love’s arms.

”Sabrina?”

”Sabrina, don’t leave me…” Samuel cried as he lifted her into his chest and sobbed uncontrollably.


~End Flashback: Past ~ Viridian River~

”I continued to travel determined to finish my research on these creatures which had a link with Sabrina… Pallet was peaceful and was the perfect place to settle and build my reserve. This is where I built my new family. I met Delilah Ketchum, my newfound love the most caring and kind person I’ve ever met…when I married Delilah, I must have awoken Sabrina’s spirit. She must of felt betrayed when I found so much love and joy in my life, that she and I never got to experience together.”

Tracey pondered on what the Professor had just said. “Hmm…she must have taken Ash that day in the forest to experience the life she never had”.

Samuel turned to look at Tracey. “She was so kind and gentle, and I don’t want to believe it, but…”

”She must’ve wanted to feel loved again, but why did she take Ash instead of you, Professor? That’s what I don’t get,” Tracey finished and then asked.

Samuel smiled at his keen apprentice. “Ash has a tender and innocent heart. I’m older now, but he is young like the man she used to know and love”.

Delilah had kept quiet throughout the whole conversation; tears were threatening to leave her eyes when she thought about Ash not remembering who he was and who she was.

”My little boy,” she whispered, almost inaudible.

***

Tracey finished his story and looked up to see Misty’s still confused face and a napping Pikachu. “With the help from Mr Mime and the Professor’s Alakasam, you should be able to intercept between our worlds. So, I have them situated at the very spot Ash disappeared from, where you found his Pokedex and Pikachu’s pokeball.”

Misty nodded, feeling confident that she would save her best friend, secret crush, from the clutches of Sabrina. Getting ready for the psychic interface she shook Pikachu awake.

”This is it, Pikachu, it’s now or never. Are you ready?”

Pikachu nodded and prepared for the first step of saving Ash from the girl at the restaurant.

”Good, lets do it!” Misty commanded. Tracey nodded and signalled for Brock and the Professor to start the psychic warp.

The two psychic types chanted and rocked their arms from side to side forming a miniature typhoon in between them. The wind and thunder adding to the whole warp crashed and whirled around them. With one last crash of thunder and a lightning flash, the typhoon whirled higher into the skies.

Misty and Pikachu looked up into the sky watching the typhoon twist and turn above them.

With a flash of light, Misty and Pikachu were gone from were they once stood. ‘We’re coming to save you Ash…’

Ash stared out of the window of his apartment, watching the moon and stars quietly thinking. ‘I feel like I’ve lost myself somewhere, and I don’t know where…why is it so hard to remember who I really am…’

As he continued to think and stare blankly at the moon, he swore he could see a disoriented light coming from it. As the picture and light became clearer, that’s when he saw her. “What, who?”

Sabrina, who was resting on Ash’s chest, all of a sudden felt the presence of an unfamiliar aura. Bolting up right she searched for the unwanted presence, that was when she noticed what Ash was staring at. ‘No’ she panicked inwardly, grabbing Ash and pulling him into her chest.

When the light died down, Sabrina and Ash could see two figures emerge from it. Sabrina gasped and held onto Ash tightly when she realized who they were.

Misty and Pikachu watched Sabrina pull Ash into her chest and hold onto him, Misty knew this was going to be one hell of a fight. ‘I finally found him, and if you think I’m going to give up that easily, you have another thing coming girl’ Misty thought while staring into Sabrina’s cold lilac coloured eyes…

Ash’s eyes widened when he saw the girl from his dreams emerge from the light. “I don’t believe it, you’re real?” he breathed.

”No,” Sabrina whispered and clutched onto Ash tighter.

”I don’t understand what’s happening.”

Misty stared at Ash; he had grown. Instead of the spiky, unruly, black, hat haired 16-year-old teen, sat a young adult with long straight black hair, which was neatly brushed back of his face. He was also taller and his body seemed well defined and toned. His brown eyes showed confusion and worry. “Ash, it’s Misty. I came here for you,” Misty eventually spoke.

”Misty, but you’re not real,” he answered her. Shaking off the vision of a young looking girl with red hair, and a lopsided grin on her face, holding a cascade badge out in her hands.

Sabrina stared at Misty with hate. “She’s an illusion, she’s not real Ash”.

Looking up into Sabrina’s cold eyes, Misty felt a flare of anger built up inside her. “Let him go now!”

”Pika!” Pikachu added.

”Tell her to go, Ash, please help me,” Sabrina begged as she pointed to Misty and Pikachu.

”Give Ash back now!” Misty cried.

Sabrina cracked with anger and glared at Misty. “I won’t. You think you can just barge into MY world, my home? I will never let Ash go! Do you hear me? Ash belongs here with me! Now go.”

Misty stepped back when Sabrina’s eyes started to glow, but stood her ground. “NO!”

”I said GO!” Sabrina shouted.

Misty and Pikachu felt a serge of pain warp through their bodies when Sabrina spoke and shouted.

***

Panicking because he couldn’t feel anything, Pikachu looked up to see a unconscious Misty, who floated next to him in the nothingness surrounding both of them.

”Pikachu-pi?” he called to her.

Misty could hear Pikachu calling her, but found it hard to move. Slowly she opened her eyes and groaned. “Pikachu, where are we?”

Suddenly Sabrina appeared in front them, her eyes glowing, and her jet-black hair swept above her. “Did you think I had no Power to deal with you two? How dare you trespass into our world.” She said in a dark voice.

”Give Ash back now!”

”Pika, pika!”

Sabrina smiled evilly at the redhead. “He’s mine, and I’m his. He loves me and I love him.”

”No, I don’t believe that! What have you done to him?!” Misty resisted.

”I wanted him, so I drew him into my world and gave him exactly what he wanted.”

”What he wants? Why is he so unhappy then?” Misty scoffed back.

”Was he happy with you? Always arguing with him, driving him away all the time?” Sabrina asked back.

”You don’t know anything! And I am not leaving him in some fantasy world made up out of your warped imagination!”

Sabrina laughed at the redheads little comment. “You’re to aggressive, and he doesn’t like that.”

”LIAR!” Misty screamed, “It’s not fair to keep him there against his will!”

”And are you fair to him? I think we are both the same, we both love him and want him, and who ever wants him the most shall have him.”

”No, ASH!” Misty yelled one last time at Sabrina as she disappeared from view.

***

~THUD~

Misty and Pikachu landed with a thump on top of the roof of the Pokemon centre. Pikachu, being the first to recover, called to Misty to check if she was Okay. “Pikachu-pi, pi pika?”

Misty fluttered her eyes open, barely hearing Pikachu’s words. Groaning, she pulled herself up off the ground, “Pikachu, what just happened?” she asked, her voice sounding distant.

”Pika, pika” the little mouse replied shrugging its little shoulders.

***

”We had some sort of floor in the psychic energy field.” The Professor explained to Misty and Pikachu over the videophone in the Pokemon centre. “She must have shortened time on purpose, so she could have Ash the way she wanted him. I mean, you saw how old Ash looked, right?”

”Professor Oak, why is she doing this?”

”Because she is acting on her own emotions, creating a world out of her own desires and feelings.”

”So how are we going to help Ash?” Misty asked anxiously.

”Ash needs to remember; it's up to him to help himself. He has to want to leave, Misty,” Professor Oak replied. “Once he starts to remember, the world around him should begin to fall apart.”

”I have to go back and I have to go now!” Misty told him, determined to get her best friend back.

”I don’t know, Misty, the Pokemon are not fully rejuvenated. I don’t know if another jump is possible,” Tracey interrupted her.

”I’m going, Tracey. Are you with me, Pikachu?”

”Pika!”

”Good, now that has been decided. Tracey, you can’t talk us out of this, we’re going back!” Misty stated.

Tracey sighed and nodded solemnly. He knew Misty would not give up without a fight, but going back so soon may be a mistake…

***

~Dream~

Ash found himself floating in darkness and nothingness. “Pikachu? Misty?” He called out, the only reply being echoes.

”Where am I? What happened?” he asked.

”Ash where the hell are you… I miss you, you Twerp!”

Floating deeper into the darkness, a flash of light suddenly appeared and enveloped him.

”Wha…Misty!” Ash cried reaching an arm over his eyes, to help block the brightness of the light.

~End Dream~

Ash slowly woke form his strange dream and groaned. He rubbed his eyes and sat up. He could hear the clatter of dishes and the smell of cooking; looking up, he saw Sabrina humming in the kitchen cheerfully.

”Get up, Ash, you’ll be late for class.” The black-haired beauty said to him, opening the curtains to revile the sun light.

At first Ash closed his eyes when the light hit the darkened room. Managing to get over the sudden change of brightness, he opened them again when he felt a pair of arms wrap around him. He looked upon the girl in his arms; she had striking lilac-coloured eyes and beautiful shoulder-length black hair. Both reaching in toward the other they kissed. “Morning sleepyhead,” she whispered.

~Flash~

With a flash of light and a crash Misty and Pikachu appeared once more, disturbing Ash and Sabrina’s moment.

Sabrina turned around from Ash and stood in front of him, shielding him. “You don’t know when to give up, do you?” she asked obnoxiously.

”Let him go!” Misty cried as load as she could.

”I’ll never leave him!” Sabrina yelled back just as load.

”Sabrina, you said we were the same, but I don’t keep Ash against his will in a made up world”.

Sabrina glared at Misty, “It’s real to me and it’s real to Ash. He doesn’t remember who you are. So just leave us alone!”

Misty looked at Ash, stared deep into his eyes. “Look at me, Ash, I know you remember me. You do, don’t you, Ash…”

”LEAVE HIM ALONE!” Sabrina screamed with glowing eyes.

Misty, also feeling anger burn inside her, yelled back. “Be quiet I’m not talking to you!”

”You do remember me, Ash, it's Misty,” she spoke once more to him.

”We created this world together, it was our love for each other that made us possible,” Sabrina hissed.

”You’re not the only one with feelings, Sabrina. I can also reach Ash with my heart, let’s see whose heart is stronger,” Misty spoke whilst staring into Ash’s brown eyes.

”You don’t think you can get passed me in my own world, do you?” Sabrina asked sarcastically.

Misty looked up from Ash and glared at Sabrina. ”I’m not leaving without Ash!”

Ash could hear the girls arguing but made no movement or comments. He just continued to stare at the red head and Pickachu in front of him and Sabrina.

~FLASH~

”I, Ash Ketchum declare to the world, that I will conquer and defeat you all and become the greatest Pokemon Master there ever was!”

”I choose you, Pikachu”

”Oh, it's just a kid, oh and a Pokemon!”

”Besides you what are the other most disgusting things?”

”We did it, Pikachu!”

”Best friends forever, right Ash?”

”Ash Ketchum, you better figure out how you’re gonna pay me back for my broken bike!”

~FLASH~

Ash closed his eyes tightly and let all the memories come flooding back to him.

”ENOUGH! That’s enough!” he shouted.

Misty, Pikachu and Sabrina stood still and silent at once.

”Misty, Pikachu stay back and leave her alone,” Ash commanded as he pulled Sabrina into his arms.

”Ash?” Misty gasped watching him hold Sabrina.

”Pika-pi?”

”You don’t understand how she feels, but I do!” Ash continued.

”Ash…y-you mean you want to stay with her?” Misty asked, lowering her head and closing her eyes.

***

Misty snapped her eyes open when she heard Pikachu’s yelp. Finding themselves once again on the roof of the Pokemon centre “No more, he’s not coming back, Pikachu. I couldn’t reach him with my heart.” Misty sobbed through tears that liberally fell down her flushed cheeks.

***

Ash slowly woke form his strange dream and groaned. He rubbed his eyes and sat up. He could hear the clatter of dishes and the smell of cooking; looking up he saw Sabrina humming in the kitchen cheerfully.

”Get up, Ash, you’ll be late for class.” The black-haired beauty said to him, opening the curtains to revile the sun light.

At first Ash closed his eyes when the light hit the darkened room. Managing to get over the sudden change of brightness, he opened them again when he felt a pair of arms wrap around him. He looked upon the girl in his arms; she had striking lilac-coloured eyes and beautiful shoulder-length black hair. Both reaching in toward the other they kissed. “Morning sleepyhead,” she whispered.

Ash felt confused, as he stared at the lilac-eyed beauty in front of him. “Sabrina, we have to talk about this. We can’t ignore it, you know we have to face the truth about this world.” He sighed.

Sabrina stared back up into his brown eyes. “So you remember everything?” she asked. Ash nodded.

Sabrina smiled and stood up. “Ash, everything is perfect here though. Do you really want to leave all of this?” she asked as she stared out of the window. “We can live happily forever. You can be happy with me, Ash. Please stay.”

”Sabrina, I don’t even remember how we met. This is all a dream to me,” Ash sighed.

Once Ash said those words, Sabrina fell to the ground, holding desperately onto her head, screaming in pure pain.

***

”Sabrina…Sabrina, I’m coming for you my love…”

***

”Sabrina! What’s happening, what are you afraid of? Tell me!” Ash asked anxiously whilst holding the screaming girl in his arms.

~Flashback: Past~ Viridian River~

”Sabrina, please don’t leave me”, a young Samuel Oak sobbed into the girl in his arms’ chest.

Smiling up at his handsome features, she reached up and gently ran her fingers through his black hair. “Samuel, I will always be with you no matter what. My love forever.” She whispered while staring into his beautiful tear-filled brown eyes.

”Always”

”Our hearts will be together forever, I will always be with you”

~End Flashback~

Sabrina stopped screaming in pain as the flashback disappeared away from her vision. Remembering her past and her love for Samuel, she buried her head into Ash’s chest and cried.

Ash held onto Sabrina as she cried into his chest. Whilst he rocked her, he noticed a bright light in the far corner of the room.

As the light grew softer on Ash’s eyes, he could make out a young man with long black hair and brown eyes.

”…Sabrina…” he whispered. “Sabrina it’s me, Samuel…”

Sabrina heard a soft voice call her name, realizing it was not Ash when she heard her one true love’s name. She looked up at him and smiled. “Samuel?” she questioned.

”Yes, my love, I am here. You will return my step-son to me, won’t you, Sabrina?”

Sabrina nodded and turned back to Ash, who was staring at his step-dad’s appearance. “I’m so sorry, Ash, you’re not the only one who forgot. I too forgot.”

”I dreamed about living with the man I loved, and that dream came true. Thank you, Ash. Please believe me when I say I never meant to hurt you or anyone else.”

”I know. I just wish I could’ve helped you more, Sab,” Ash said, with a touch of sadness in his voice.

”You did help, Ash. She remembers who she is now,” Samuel interrupted. “Thank you, Ash.”

Sabrina stood and made her way over toward Samuel and wrapped her arms around his waist. She was once again reunited with her love. Her soul could rest once more.

”There are people waiting for you, Ash, in your own world,” Samuel spoke once more.

Ash nodded. “Will everything be back to the way they were before?”

”Yes, Ash,” Samuel replied.

”I’ll always remember you, Ash, thank you for setting my soul free.” Sabrina spoke lightly.

”I’ll never forget you, Sabrina”

Sabrina smiled and shook her head. ”Yes, yes you will, Ash. You must. Let the memory fade away. You love someone else and that feeling is far more stronger.”

”Wait, Sabrina, please…” Ash said as Sabrina and Samuel began to disappear in front of his eyes.

”Let go, Ash, she’s waiting for you,” she whispered and faded away from his sight completely.

***

Meanwhile, Tracey and Brock were trying to convince Misty to go back and get Ash. Misty is being as stubborn as always.

”Misty, you have to go back and get him now!” Tracey said sternly over the videophone.

”Forget it, he chose her not me. He won’t come back with me, Trace.” Misty fought back.

”You’re the only one that can reach him, Misty, you know that,” Brock added.

”NO! He has probably already forgotten us again!”

Misty, the Professor told us the world is collapsing, he may be remembering and searching for you. Go to him, help him, Misty!” Tracey tried to reason with her.

”Do it, Misty, go! You don’t want to loose him, Misty. You’ve got to do it!” Brock continued.

Delilah listened to the boys argue with Misty and try to reason with her. Deciding to try to help, she spoke, ”Stay true to your feelings, Misty. Believe in yourself and the power in your heart and of the love you have for my son.”

This is what Misty needed to hear. The love she had for Ash was strong and true, and her courage would pull them both through. “You’re right, I’ll go.”

Tracey nodded. “Good, now just a word of warning, Misty. We have only enough power for one more jump, so you have got to get him out of there.” He then added quickly, “OhandTogepiisgoingtobeperformingthiswarp”

Before Misty could disagree she was already trapped in the psychic field. ‘I am so gonna kill Tracey when I get back!’

***

Ash paced back and forth the room, wondering whether he was going to be saved from all of this. ‘Geez, I am normally the hero.’

”Ash?”

He turned his head and smiled nervously, “Misty?”

”Y-you remember me and everything?” Misty inquired.

Ash answered, whilst rubbing the back of his head, “Yeah, sorry about everything I’ve put you through, Mist.”

Misty as usual hid her real feelings and resisted the need to hold him close. “I can’t believe I came back. When you sent me…us back, I thought that was it, bye-bye Ash…I was going to forget all about you, but…” she started to trail off.

”I’m so sorry, I really am, Mist. I knew I could count on you saving my behind. Thanks.”

”Well, don’t think for one minute I’m gonna forgive you that easily, Ash Ketchum!”

Ash smiled. “K, but I just want to go home already.”

”You ready, Ash?”

Looking back one last time, he nodded and took a hold of Misty’s hand. “Yep, lets go, Mist.”

”Say goodbye to your world, Ash!” Misty winked at him as the apartment started to disintegrate in front of them.

***

Samuel and Delilah stood at the water’s edge in the clearing of the forest, hand in hand.

”Rest in peace, Sabrina,” Samuel whispered.

Delilah looked up into his tear-stained face and wrapped her arms around him pulling him into her chest. “Shh…Sam, she’s at rest now. Be happy for her,” she hushed him whilst rubbing his back reassuringly.

Feeling her warmth and comfort as she held onto his waist, he pulled her in closer and kissed her lips. Pulling away after a while, he looked deep into her beautiful eyes and caressed her cheek, “I love you, Delilah”

”I love you too, Samuel”

***

Misty’s POV

And that’s how it ended.

I was surprised how everything seemed to return to normal so quickly.

Well almost normal…

***

Normal POV


Ash sat looking up into the dark night, watching the stars and moon shine down upon the sleepy town of Pallet. He had been thinking for the past few days about what would have happened if he had decided to stay in the parallel world with Sabrina. ‘I would have been forever held in a time warp that’s what Ketchum. I’m glad it’s all over though.’

*Sigh*

He had reverted to his16-year old form and was now debating on whether he should tell a certain girl of his true feelings. Having some experience with a relationship…

”Ash?” an angelic sweet voice called from the doorway.

Ash smiled when he heard the girl of his dreams call for him. “Thought I’d disappear again hey?” he joked.

Misty smiled; she had missed him so much. “Well, if ya did, I would just have to drag ya right back again.”

”Nice to know, Mist…”

Walking over to where Ash sat, she smiled nervously. “May I?”

”Sure, Mist, here, sit down,” he said, gesturing her to sit next to him.

They sat in silence for a while until Ash plucked up the courage to speak to her. “Mist, I have something really important to tell you, but I really don’t know how to say it…so…I’m just going to do this…” Slowly he reached down to her level, lifted her chin with his finger, and kissed her on her dainty lips. Misty responded by kissing back and wrapping her arms around his neck, deepening their kiss as their passion filled embrace soon turned into a heated aura of pure bliss.

Pulling away from one another only to catch their breath, they looked into each other’s eyes. No words needed, no confession of love, just knowing that they were now one.

Forever.

***

FINISHED