A Brief Moment in Time

Uhh... what... happened?

“And then you brought her back in time? To save her?”

*Yes, that’s right.*

I sit up and put my hands in my head. How long was I out this time?

“Why didn’t she tell us earlier?”

*Would you have believed her?*

Ash...? Celebi...?

*Rose. Good afternoon.*

I look in front of me and see Ash in front of a modest campfire and Celebi, floating close by.

“How long was I out?”

“Celebi says three hours.”

I rub my forehead and stand to my feet.

“Celebi why did you knock me out?”

*I didn’t.*

“Then what did?”

*You don’t know yet, but I will tell you later. While you were sleeping I had told Ash everything that has happened to you.*

I sit down close to the blaze for the warmth. For some odd reason my hands feel cold, like ice could form on them at any moment.

“Why didn’t you tell us that you came from the future?”

“I... I didn’t want to startle you.” I try to heat my hands with my breath, but instead a wat of static electricity jumps from one hand to another. “We also just met and I wasn’t going to tell you anything if I didn’t know you!” My hands start to warm up gradually by themselves.

Ash rubs his neck, then nods. “I guess I understand where your coming from there.”

“And besides, I did tell someone... I... told Brock.”

“WAH!” Ash falls down, anime style. I blush fiercely as he sits back up and mumbles. “I should have known.”

I shrug my shoulders, still blushing a bright crimson. “I had to tell him when he followed me that one night. Especially when he saw that my Pikachu looks like your Pikachu’s older twin.”

“Yea... I still don’t get that...”

I smack myself in the face. “Ash,” I try to explain carefully. “I’m not Pikachu’s original trainer. You are.”

He cocks an eye, understanding, but not fully. “If I don’t have Pikachu in the future anymore, why do you have him?”

I grimace. I didn’t want to tell him again, even if Gary had already said he wasn’t alive anymore. “Umm...”

*Ash, you don’t exist anymore. You’re... dead.*

Ash let the information soak in and put his palms on the floor behind him, leaning on them, his eyes staring into the fire. “How... how did it happen?”

I shut my eyes briefly then look at the ground. I wish I didn’t have to do this...

@---}-----

“Come on Ash! You can do it! I know you can!” Misty yells in the sidelines. She is one among the thousands that are watching in the arena, yelling for the obvious favorite.

Ash flashes her a smile of confidence then turns back to the battle. He was in the middle of battling Gary for his rival's chance at the title of Pokemon Master. Ash had worked hard to become a great Master, he wasn’t planning on losing all of his hard work to his archenemey, Gary Oak.

Ash had only used Pikachu the entire battle, while Gary was on his very last Pokemon. Ash looks at his adversary hard. What was so odd was that Gary held a smug smile on his face. Did he have a long shot plan to pull himself back on top?

Gary throws his arm and releases a red and white ball. “Nidoking! I choose you!” A red beam radiates from the ball and lands on the ground to form Nidoking.

“Nido nidoking!” the deep throated comment escapes from his mouth. He also smirks, mimicking his trainer.

What he said obviously makes Pikachu steaming mad.

“Pikachu pika pi! Pikachu!”

Gary’s smirk widens. “Ash, even if you are the alleged Pokemon Master, I’m still going to whip you. Nidoking! Thrash Attack!”

Ash smirks, Yea right, and I'm the ledgendary Ho-oh. “Pikachu! Use Agility!” Pikachu nods at his trainer and then starts running at top speed, so fast that he has a double image. Nidoking tries to deside which one was the real Pikachu but gets dizzy in the process. The massive audience viewing the battle erupts into a roar of cheers.

“Now Pikachu! While it’s distracted! Use Thunder!”

Pikachu then started to circle Nidoking, sparks started to fly out of his cheeks as he started to power up.

“Piii... kaaa... CHUUU!”

The enormous bolt of electricity had struck Nidoking’s horn, using it like a lightning rod, the voltage reaches every part of his body. The Pokemon lets out a loud cry of pain as he collapses.

Gary was defeated.

But his smile was still in place.

Ash cocks a eye in wonderment. “What’s wrong Gary? No insults today?” Both he and Pikachu laugh.

The smile widens. “Go ahead Ash. Laugh. For it will be your last.”

Ash stops in the mid-chuckle. “What do you mean by that?”

“What I mean is that I’m going to put you in the place you should have been a long time ago, in hell!” Gary pulls out a pistol and aims it at Ash’s heart. “And as for myself, I will be revered for all time as the Ultimate Pokemon Master.”

Before Ash had time to react, the bullet had penitrated his body, right below his heart.

“Ash!” comes Misty's cry as she tries to reach his body.

@---}-----

Tears had been falling steadily as I remember what the newspaper clippings had read. For even if I was at that very battle, I was too young to remember it, just a toddler. “Pikachu had tried to jump in the way to save you, but it was too late. The bullet had already penetrated your body. You were rushed to the nearest hospital, but... it was in vain. You died on the way to the hospital.” I look down to the ground. “Pikachu grieved for you for several years, not letting anyone except Misty and Professor Oak get near him. And Misty... she... she attempted suicide, many times, but she was never successful. Somehow, a couple of years after you died, Team Rocket had begun to take over Kanto and Johto. Gary had killed Giovanni and took over Team Rocket, and somehow... Misty fell in love with him.”

I look into Ash's eyes to see the reaction to those words, and it was pure horror. I shake my head. This is so hard for me... “She was his Fiancée when Celebi rescued me and they followed us here. But... but he didn’t have to kill her!” Anger rose up within me. I felt my entire body burn with entense rage, more powerful than fire itself. “You were dead! He didn’t have to kill her! But when she saw you alive... she remembered, she remembered everything... he just couldn’t let you ruin his life again!”

I started to cry into my hands, my tears flowing like a steady river. “He killed her because she still loved you.” That’s it. That’s the reason. She never fell in love with him, he just wanted what was Ash’s. His title, his fame, even the woman he loved. But no matter what he did, he never could have what Ash had... and Gary knew it.

“You have no idea how this effected everyone Ash. Even those you never met were effected, like... me.” I say, it comes out slightly muffled through my hands. My breath flowed steadily through my fingers, lacing them with warmth and strength.

*That is the reason I brought you here Rose. You can change everything. You are our only hope.*

I look up at Celebi with question, then shake my head. “No. That was just luck that I found you and that you saved me.”

*Have you ever thought that you never found me but I lead you to me on purpose?*

I cock an eyebrow. “Why would you want me to find you?”

She smiles wide.

*Because it is you Rose that will make the difference.*

She stares at me with hope and... something else... love.

*You are the prophesied chosen one.*

What?