Legend of Final Destiny: Fateful Gathering By Chaos Paladin -------- Chapter 1 – An old friend, a new adventure Outskirts of Cerulean City Ding dong! “Attention passengers of the Orre region magnet express. We are please to announce that we will be approaching the outskirts of Cerulean city in just a few minutes. Please be sure to gather your belongings and prepare for arrival.” “Hm?” A 15 year old raven haired teen stirred at the sound of the overhead loud speaker. He look down on his lap to see Pikachu curled up on his lap, sleeping. They had been riding on the train for 36 hours straight, which was enough to tire anyone out. It has been well over a month since he finished first place in the Orre league. It wasn’t a crushing victory, but something to be proud of. Sticking out of his green backpack was a tall and beautifully made crystal trophy with a Pokéball on top of it. The bottom front of the trophy was his name, engraved on a steel plate: Ash Ketchum. Ash smiled to himself, feeling proud. Ranking first place in a huge league was an astounding accomplishment. Not only is he now a very popular trainer, but also that much closer to becoming a Pokémon master! While there was much to smile about, he couldn’t help but feel like something was lacking. Being a Pokémon master would be a tremendous blessing, but what happens then? What would be left? Sure, the adventures were great in the past, and he saved the world, more than once in fact, but it felt like there was more to accomplish, like a special purpose, a goal in life that was made just for him. Then again, he could be over thinking things. The doctors did tell him not to over do it. Putting his contemplations aside, Ash set his mind to better thoughts, like the main reason he was back in Kanto. He smiled widely while whistling a nameless tune, excited to see one of his oldest and best friends. Misty Waterflower. Ash leaned back on the smooth, velvet seat and spun his red cap backwards, watching the trees outside the window pass by quickly. 2 and a half years had gone by since he seen her last, and that was when he was traveling with his other three best friends: Brock, May, and Max. Sadly, after the Hoenn league, they all parted, following in their own path. Brock, who wanted to become the world’s best Pokémon breeder, left to go back to Pewter city and open a breeding center. Max wished to go back home in order to start preparing himself for his first Pokémon journey. Unfortunately, May had to stay with her little brother Max for a short period of time since he was still young, so she could no longer travel with Ash. It was sad since Ash had to travel throughout the entire Orre region alone, but in time he learned how to fend for himself. He improved himself physically as well as his cooking skills…after months of trial and almost fatal error. Ding dong! “Welcome travelers to the Kanto region! We hope that you’ve had a pleasant trip! Remember to collect your personal items and exit the train in an orderly fashion…” “Ah! Finally!” Ash yawned as he stretched. His movements caused the sleeping Pikachu to wake up. “Pika…” The mouse rubbed his eyes and yawned like Ash did. “Hey buddy, did you sleep well?” “Pikachu!” Pikachu nodded. “Alright, let’s head to Cerulean city and surprise Misty!” Pikachu gave him a sly look. “Pikapi chu pikachupi.” Ash reddened at the comment. “No, it’s not that I like her (which I don’t!), it’s just that it has been awhile, so I thought maybe I should pay a visit. Nothing special, honest!” Pikachu disagreed, but said no more as he ran up to Ash’s shoulder as he gathering his backpack and trophy, then boarded out the train. After checking out, he finally made it outside to fresh air. His current location was a small forest nearby Cerulean city. It would take only about ten minutes to reach the city, so it was no big deal. As he traveled towards the city, something caught his eye. It shone brightly by the reflection of the sun. Curious, he walked over to the object and crouched over it. It was a beautifully, rainbow colored shard. As he touched it, he felt a strange surge of energy come it. He and Pikachu gazed at the fragment, awe-struck. It was dazzling. Not only that, but Ash could tell that there was something special about it. “Check this thing out Pikachu. I wonder what it is…” Ash inspected the shard from different angles. Suddenly, Pikachu’s ears perked up, sensing a presence. Ash and Pikachu glanced at the rustling bushes ahead. Something was coming. A group of men donned in a black uniform emerged from the bushes. A red “R” was printed on their shirts and they wore a black hat. One of the men saw the fragment in Ash’s hands. “Hey kid! You better give that shard to us if you know what’s good for you!” Ash narrowed his eyes suspiciously. There was only one group that wore such a uniform, Team Rocket. If they wanted the shard, it must be very important. He definitely could not give it to them. “What do you guys want with it?” “Oh, so you wanna be difficult, huh? Go, Golbat!” The rocket grunt grabbed a red and white Pokéball from his Pokébelt and summoned a light green bat with a large mouth and fangs. “Use wing attack on the twerp!” The bat lunged itself at Ash. The said boy’s eyebrow twitched at the word twerp. While he was at the Orre region, he had his daily routine with the Team Rocket trio, namely Jessie, James and Meowth. They soon learned that calling him a twerp was like mixing fire with gasoline. Not a good thing. “Pikachu! Use thunder!” Ash commanded. Pikachu, also incensed about his best friend being insulted, abided to Ash’s command and released a devastating electric shock at the group of rockets and Golbat. All of the enemies were paralyzed from the electric attack. Ash angrily stomped on the rocket grunt that insulted him. “That’s what you get! Don’t EVER call me a twerp!” Ash huffed and took one step forward when he froze on the spot. 10 more grunts spotted him from the distance. “Think you’re gonna get away with that kid?” One of the Rockets shot. They all grabbed their Pokéballs, ready to unleash an onslaught upon Ash, who sweat-dropped fiercely. It was just a few too many rockets for him to handle at once. He had no choice but to use it. “Heh, you guys are in for it now! You leave me no choice but to use my ultimate attack!” Suddenly, Ash’s eyes widened as he pointed behind them. “Oh my god! What the heck is that!?” “Wha?” All of the Rockets turned around to see what he was pointing at, but saw nothing. When they turned back around, they saw Ash standing still in the same pointing pose. Slowly, Ash started to fade out until he was all gone. When the grunts noticed the foot prints leading to Cerulean city, they all face-faulted. They were tricked! “GET HIM!!” They charged in the direction Ash and Pikachu had gone. 10 minutes later, a mad dashing Ash made it to the city, with Team Rocket hot on his trail. He and Pikachu pushed their legs as hard as they could to get away. He managed to put some distance between them as he cut corners and dodged traffic. Just as he came around a corner— SLAM! Ash tumbled back in a daze, his head throbbing from the head on head collision. When his eyes regained focus, he couldn’t believe his eyes. In front of him was a beautiful girl around his age. She wore a pair of sneakers, a sleeveless yellow button-up shirt with a red under shirt, and yellow shorts. She had vibrant orange hair and deep emerald eyes. For a moment, Ash lost his breath. Pikachu instantly recognized the girl and jumped in her arms. “Misty?” Ash called, surprised about meeting her now of all times. “Pikachu? Ash? What are you guys doing here?” Misty asked, surprised as well. Ash was about to answer when he remembered why he was running in the first place. He grabbed her hand and ran with her in tow. “No time to explain, just follow me! Team rocket’s after me!” “Team Rocket? Again!?” “Yeah. We need a place to hide, and fast!” Ash turned another corner and found a narrow alleyway. Quickly, he grabbed Misty and sandwiched themselves in the tight space. Pikachu pushed himself inside with them. They watched silently as the Rockets dashed past them one by one. Ash, Misty and Pikachu held in their breaths until they were gone, releasing a sigh of relief. “Whew! That was close, huh?” “U-um…A-Ash?” Misty called timidly, blushing. “What is…oh…” Ash slowed to a stop when he faced Misty. The tight space made them press against each other, and their faces were so close, just a tilt of their heads could cause their lips to connect. Ash’s face turned bright red at the compromising position…which soon turned to worry when Misty was suddenly irritated. “Ash…” She growled in a whisper, “That better be a Pokédex I’m feeling…” “Eep!” Ash paled. That just HAD to happen now! Stupid Brock and his past influence! He hurriedly moved out of the confined space, helping Misty along the way. “Ehehehe, I’m sorry about cramming you in there. I was in a hurry with those rocket goons after me, and I sorta panicked.” “Oh well. Come with me to the gym. You can tell me more about what happened there…” With that, Ash, Misty and Pikachu headed for the Cerulean gym. The gym was exactly how Ash remembered it. The giant Seel logo on the front with the words “Cerulean Gym” plastered on it, the yellow and pink colors and a tank of water outside. The gang entered the indoor pool area and sat on the benches, taking a break from all the running. “So Ash, what are you doing in Cerulean city?” Misty asked. “I just came from the Orre region just to see how you were doing. Speaking of which, check this out!” Ash dug into his backpack and pulled out the sparkling Orre trophy. Misty couldn’t help but gasp in surprise. “Wow, it’s beautiful!” Ash grinned. “Yep! Only the best for first place!” “You got first place!?” Ash’s grinned dropped into a small frown. “Jeeze, you don’t have to sound so surprised…” Misty punched him lightly on the arm. “You know that’s not what I meant.” “Yeah, I know…” Ash rubbed the back of his head and smiled timidly. “Anyway, how are things here at the gym? She groaned tiredly as she slumped on the chair. “Exhausting. My sisters are no help around here, not to mention terrible with Pokémon battles. But enough about that, why was Team Rocket after you?” “Well, I think it’s because of this thing…” Ash showed Misty the shard he picked up earlier. Misty stared at it, almost hypnotized by its beauty. “Wow…that is the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen! Where did you find it?” “That’s the strange part. I found it in some bushes while coming here. It seems odd that someone would just leave this thing around. When Team Rocket saw me with it they attacked me to try and get it. Luckily, Pikachu helped me escape. Have you ever seen anything like this before?” Misty shook her head. “No, I haven’t. Maybe there’s someone that might know…oh, I know! Why don’t we call Professor Oak?” “Sure.” Ash nodded. He and Misty made their way to the vid-phone in the lobby area. Ash picked up the phone and dialed the number. After three rings, the video screen came to life, revealing an old man in his mid sixties, wearing a lab coat, red shirt and brown slacks. “Hey professor, it’s me, Ash!” “Ash? Oh Ash! How are you these days?” “I’m doing great professor! Check out my trophy for first place!” Ash flashed his trophy in front of the screen. “That’s a real accomplishment there Ash! Say, where are you calling from?” “I’m calling from Misty’s house!” Oak gaped in surprise. “Really now? It’s about time you two got together, but doing such things at your age, shame on you!” Ash promptly face-faulted, along with a red in the face Misty. “That’s not what I meant professor!” “Ahahaha, don’t worry Ash, I was just kidding with you.” “Well that was not funny! “Yeah, especially since Ash would most likely eat us out of house and home!” Misty joked from the side, catching Ash’s glare. Oak smiled at the sight of Misty hovering behind Ash. “Oh, hello Misty. It’s been awhile. How have you been?” “Fine professor.” She answered. “Oh yeah, professor, I need your help with something. I found this shard earlier and I was wondering if you knew what it was.” Ash showed him the shard he found. Oak leaned towards the screen and narrowed his eyes. After a few moments, he raised an eyebrow. “Hmm…it doesn’t look like anything I’ve seen before. Try transporting it to me.” Oak set up the transfer machine that was next to the phone, and Ash did the same. When the transfer machine was set up, Ash placed the shard inside the teleportation zone. When they both activated the machine, white streaks of electricity surged the spot and the shard. The shard didn’t seem to be effected at all. Ash stopped the machine and scrutinized the fragment in confusion. “How odd. It didn’t work.” Ash found the situation familiar. “That is very strange indeed. “Professor Oak said. “Didn’t this happen with the GS ball many years ago?” Ash’s eyes brightened when Oak mentioned the GS ball. “Oh yeah, I remember now! Do you think this has any connection with the GS ball?” “Hmm…” Oak held his chin in thought. “Maybe. That shard of yours intrigues me. Bring it over to Pallet town and let me have a look.” “Okay, I’ll see you later!” “Bye Ash!” Click! Ash hung up the phone and faced Misty. “Sounds like another great adventure!” Misty rolled her eyes. “You’re just going back home, Ash. It’s not like this is going to turn out to be some kind of great journey.” Ash grabbed his backpack. “Well, there’s no time like the present! Let’s get going!” Misty was confused by that last sentence. “Wait…let’s? As in you and me?” Ash nodded. “Yeah, aren’t you coming along?” She stormed up to his face, glaring. “What’s the big idea automatically thinking that I would just come along like that!? You can’t just pop up out of nowhere and just say “Let’s get going!” as if it was already decided!” “So…does that mean you don’t want to come?” Ash gazed at her with a disappointed expression. “I didn’t say that! Just don’t assume things all the time!” His smiled brightened up again. “Great, well let’s get going!” “Um…Ash? Look outside.” Misty pointed out the window. When Ash looked at the sky, it was a mix of orange and purple, indicating that night was approaching. Ash sighed in disappointment. “Oh well, looks like we’ll have to go tomorrow.” Ash and Misty left towards the living room area which consisted of a large couch, coffee table, recliner, a large screen television, lamp, and white carpeting. Ash felt right at home sitting on the couch with Misty. Whether it was because the atmosphere or Misty’s presence he couldn’t tell, but he was having the time of his life. The two talked for many hours. Luckily, Misty’s sisters were out of town for the weekend. They would torment the two for hours, saying how cute they are together, and other embarrassing comments. When Ash glanced at the clocked that hung on the wall, he paled. “11:30!? The Pokémon center’s closed now! Aw man! Now where am I going to sleep?” He groaned. At this rate, he would have to sleep outside. Even though he was used to it, doing it in the city was always a pain in the neck. Misty thought about his option, and then blushed furiously at the best option. There was no one else she would do it for. “U-um…Ash? You could…err…stay here, if you want…” She suggested. “Huh!?” Ash stared at Misty in shock. That was the last thing he had ever expected her to say. “Are you sure? I mean, is that really okay with you?” Misty nodded slowly, putting on a nervous smile. Ash then gave her a genuine smile. “Wow Misty! That’s great, thanks! You’re the best!” He gave her a bear hug of attitude. Misty reddened hard, caught off guard. “I-I-It’s no problem.” Misty was soon released from the warm embrace. “But really, thanks. I suppose I’ll take the couch here.” “What? No, you go ahead and rest in my room. I’ll be here.” Misty offered. “No way. I can’t take away your room. I’ll stay here.” “I said it’s fine. You take my room and I’ll be here! It’s fine, really!” “No it’s not fine! I am not going to take your room!” “Yes you are!” “No I’m not!” Yes you are!” No I’m not!” Pikachu sighed heavily. It was nice having peace and quiet with Ash during the Orre league, and even while being used to the arguments Ash used to have with Misty, this was by far the most pointless argument to date. After listening to their argument for over five minutes, he decided to take matters into his own paws. ZAP! ZAP! “Ow!” Both Ash and Misty winced from the jolt attack Pikachu gave them. Their attention was turned to the mouse as he pulled out a silver coin from Ash’s backpack. Ash immediately got the message. “Oh I get it! We’ll decide with a coin toss! What ever the coin decides, we stick with it, no matter what. Alright Misty?” “Sure.” Misty nodded. Pikachu scampered to the top of the coffee table and flipped the coin. When the coin landed, Ash and Misty were shocked with the result. Sides. “Whoa…what were the odds?” Ash mused. After putting two and two together, he finally figured out the perfect solution. “I suppose that works. We’ll just sleep together.” BASH! Ash’s face was pressed into the carpet under the pressure of Misty’s mallet. “Have you lost your mind!?” She yelled. “Ow…why did you hit me for? We’re just sleeping together in the same bed. We used to camp together all the time, remember?” Ash said as he got up and glared at the mallet-wielding red head. Misty sighed when she remembered a small detail about Ash. He was as dense as a rock! The concept of such a situation would probably never cross his mind, though his earlier action back when they were stuck in they alleyway did bring Ash’s innocence into question. Just what did Brock teach him while she was gone? Ash yawned as he stretched his arms. “Well, let’s go. We got some traveling to do tomorrow.” They both went upstairs towards Misty’s room. When they left, Pikachu grinned when he picked up the coin and flipped it again, having it land on sides. Static electricity rocks! In Misty’s room, Ash had gone to get dressed first while Misty fixed the room. Misty could hardly believe what just happened. Here she was, fixing her bed for her AND Ash. It was true they camped together in the past, so it wasn’t too big of a deal, but it was still unnerving. At least it would be somewhat like practice for her, seeing that they would be doing this until they reached Pallet town. “All done. Your turn.” Ash called from behind the door. “I’m done here too. Come in.” She invited. Ash opened the door and glanced around. The entire room was light blue. On the corner was a tall, white dresser with a small lamp on top, a twin size bed, and a computer desk with a small laptop. The floor was littered with many plush dolls of Seels, Starmies, and Tentacruels. Misty soon left the room with her pajamas in her hand. Ash flopped on the bed, enjoying the feel of a soft feathered bed. By the time Misty had come back from the bathroom, Ash was already asleep. She laid on the bed and turned to face Ash, which much to her discomfort was very close to her, a few inches away. Only Ash, Misty thought. No other boy ever set foot in her room, much less slept in the same bed as her. She continued to gaze at him while he slept. How long has it been, maybe 3 or 4 years? She couldn’t remember when she had fallen for the adorable idiot, but she did. Everything about him appealed to her in some way. Perhaps it was his heart and determination that stole her heart. It was sad when she had to leave him many years ago, but it was unavoidable. When she heard that May had been traveling with Ash for a period of time, she felt slightly envious, even if she traveled with him for so much longer. Misty may had been a hopeless romantic at times, but she knew not to rush things. She and Ash were still young, and all she really wanted was to see Ash happy, and be one of the reasons he was happy. If he had found someone else and was happy, she knew she wouldn’t be very happy about it, but no matter what, she would support Ash’s decision. That is what she believed was true love, patients and acceptance. If she was truly destined to be with Ash, then there was no need to rush things. Time would allow Ash to mature, and then hopefully he would tell her how he feels about her. Only time would tell. “Sweet dreams…Ash…” She whispered softly before falling asleep. Secret Underground Complex A forty year old man sat in his brown wooden office desk. His brown hair was slicked back and he wore an orange suit. A mound of research papers and reports was stacked in front of him. Ever since he heard about an all powerful artifact, he had been scouring the world for them. Unfortunately for him, Team Aqua and Team Magma had somehow gotten word of its existence and were continuously in his way. This sacred artifact was sought after over 5000 years ago, but during a climatic war, it shattered and scattered all over the planet. Knowledge of it was so limited that not even he, Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket, knew of the object’s name. He glanced at his watched, waiting for the scheduled report from the scout group he sent to Cerulean earlier. A few minutes later, the phone on his desk started to ring. He picked it up after one ring and answered gruffly. “Report.” “Sir, we found the location of the object we were supposed to find, but some kid got ahead of us and ran away with it. His Pikachu caught us by surprise.” “Pikachu?” Giovanni had his suspicions. “Did the kid with the Pikachu happen to wear a red cap and have black hair?” “Yeah, that’s him! Even now, some of the scouts are looking for him in the city.” “Hmm…” Giovanni knew Ash very well. That boy had caused more trouble to him than he predicted. A mere scout group wasn’t going to be enough to capture the boy. He had to outsmart and ensnare him in a trap. He knew just the way to do it. Chances are he would obtain the shard in the process. “Withdraw your men from the area. You will meet with Shiranui in front of Pewter city. You will be briefed on your next assignment there. Do I make myself clear?” “Crystal.” “Now move out! Do not fail me.” Giovanni hung up the phone and sat back on his leather chair, grinning maliciously. The plan was perfect. “Ash Ketchum…your luck has run out…” Cerulean City Gym – Misty’s Room It was early morning and Ash had awoken before Misty. When he regained focus with his eyes, he was a little shocked. Sure, he remembered both he and Misty sleeping on the same bed and he wasn’t dumb enough to think that she would be far away or anything, but one thing startled him… Why was her arms wrapped around him? A red streak crossed his face, flustered. Her arms were smooth, not to mention warm. Another alarming fact was how close she was. He could feel her breath beating against his lips. He was nervous. If he moved forward just a little bit, his lips would be over hers Of course, if he valued his life, he wouldn’t attempt such a risk. First, he would try to wiggle his way out of her embrace. Ash slowly inched himself out of her grasp. He felt like a bug that was about to be devoured by a spider. After stretching his tired limbs, he decided to surprise Misty with his improved kitchen skills. 15 minutes later, Misty woke up to an empty bed. She had wondered where Ash went until she smelt something. It smelt good. Curious, she got up and proceeded downstairs towards the kitchen. What she saw was something unexpected. “Hey Misty! Good morning!” Ash greeted cheerily. “Pikachupi!” Pikachu greeted as well. Ash was cooking breakfast at the stove while Pikachu set up the plates. Misty didn’t know what surprised her more. The fact Ash was cooking or Ash was cooking something good? She almost wished that her sisters didn’t leave for the weekend. They would flip if they saw Ash making breakfast…but they would also flip if they knew he spent the night. She would never hear the end of it. “Whoa, Ash and cooking all in one? If only your sense of direction improved, then it would be a real miracle!” Misty sniggered. “Hey! I’ll have you know that my sense of direction has improved greatly!” “Pika!” Pikachu made an X mark with his paws, denying Ash’s comment. Ash glared at the mouse. “Gee, thanks for the backup Pikachu.” He said sardonically. After a few minutes, the food was ready. Ash and Misty sat across from each other. Misty poked at her food, as though to test it for movement. “Oh come on Misty! It’s not like the food is going to jump at you.” “Well with you, who knows?” Summing up all her courage, Misty took a bite of the meal. After tasting it, she was surprised. “I can’t believe it…I ate your food and I’m still alive? You really did improve.” She praised…sort of. “Can’t you say “good job” like a normal girl would?” Ash scowled lightly. “Since when was I a normal girl?” Misty countered, still chewing her food. “Good point.” After they finished eating, the two were ready for their trip towards Pallet town. Before they headed out the door, Misty left a note for her sisters, letting them know where she went. While walking, Misty thought of an interesting idea. “Say, when we pass by Pewter city, why don’t we check up on Brock? A path was made around Mt. Moon, so we should be there within 2 days max.” “That’s not a bad idea. Let’s do it!” Ash agreed. On top of a building, a shadowed figure with a communicator headset stared down at Ash and Misty. “I see…he looks exactly like him. Do you think he’s…?” “Yeah, no doubt about it!” The voice in the communicator confirmed. “He has a fragment right? I say we take it away from him now before he realizes what it really is.” The figure held his chin in thought as he followed Ash with sharp, calculating blue eyes. “Not yet…I want to see how this plays out for a little while. There’s no telling if he is friend or foe, but if he interferes with us…he’ll be dealt with…swiftly.” The figure faded out of sight smoothly. ------ That’s the end of chapter one! Trust me when I say that you’ll love this rewrite (Truth be told, it is completely different than the original version, but a lot better too)! Please, all reviews are appreciated! Next chapter has plenty of action, as well as a surprise! Stay tune to see what!